New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-05


precisely at the same moment the Gil dismissed
her hanson and crossed for the first time the
threshold Of Westminster
The Girl was wearing her prettiest frock; 1t IS
way women have of marking and her first
visit to St. Stephens era in the Girls life
From the days Of her Little Arthur she had
idealized in her somewhat imaginative brain the
august shrine of the mother OF parliaments. aud
she had cherished that ideal with increasing ven
Grafton
Her knowledge OF history not particularly
profound. but the heroes Of Westminster had taken
hold of her imagination. and she passed through
the lofty halls to the lobby she haunted by
the memories OF Cromwell and Chatham. and Fox
and Burke. and she still to hear the linger
ing echoes of the eloquence of DisraeH and Glad
stone. IT was the Westminster of her dreams, and
she approached it with reverence
There were several groups of men standing about
the lobby in a desultory way, and the Girl felt
awed as she realized herself TO be In the possible
presence of living Representatives Of Parliament
tary grace The sight of the Member for Blank
shire coming toward her greatly relieved her.
Not that the Member BIankshire was
ordinary in the Girls eyes: he was rather the
incarnation of that self-sacrlfcng zeaIOt whom her
lively gina ton had always pictured as thrOng
ing the halls of Westminster
EIectioneering eloqueuce accomplish much.
and besides gaining him seat the Opposition
benches the electiOneering elOqueuce OF the Mem
Der for BIankshire had gained hirn this enviable
position the eyes of Girl And the GIRLS
eyes, by the way, very pretty ones. The
Member for BlanAshire feet tall. and one
of the handsomest men in the House. but these
two facts also only by the way. and did not
count. at least consciously in the Girls opinion.
Yet, was the pretty air Of conscious pride with
which she walked BY his side along the corridor
the members lobby due entirely her escorts pO-
lltcaI Importance? OF course, it a very proud
experience Tor her to enBrossing the attention
of a real live member of Parliament, for the Girl.
albeit both pretty and Charming. felt her
self to be d person OF less than Importance
within the precincts of Westminster
There, however, the Girl entirely wrong;
woman who Is both pretty and charming is never
d person of Importance, ana, further. real live
member of Parliament is only a man
The members lobby crowded with the
known great, who appeared somewhat to the GIRLS
dIsllIUsIOnment. to be Laughing ana talking very
much after the manner of the great UNKNOWN
There is MacDowal." said the Member. pointing
leader the Irish party, whose merry decIanlaL-
lions had often stirred the Girls enthusiastic SYM
pathy for his unhappy country. The patriot was
not. however. tearing his hair or even pouring
| thick and those burning words that tyrants
quake hear: he was. matter of fact. de-
Iivering himself of a bon mot in the ear of CAB
| met Minister.
Members nOnchalantly stroliing in and out
| of the Debating Chamber. and the Member gave
| the Girl the authorized minutes view of the
| assembled House from the window BY the Mem
| bers' entrance.
As she looked at the half empty rows OF green
| benches wherein Iounged spTawled two or three
| hundred of Englands legislators with their
hats pushed the back OF their heads, some with
them tilted over their eyes and all looking more
! or less bored and sleepy, she involunJarly ex-
| claimed, in disappointed tones. They LOOK Just
| like ordinary menu
| ceptive, the Member answered; Laughing; Ihat
| Is the Prime Munster speaking ne adaeGj Led. .,
was incredulous. Mr. Goulds grimmest caricature
| would have been more satisfactory than a Premier
| who looked SO very like other men. We have all
of or less of tendency TO associate phys
zeal with mental distinction. all our lInaslnea ne
roes giants. although We DO accept the dlctun
| the mind the standard OF the man"
Mt ChanoeFIn was seated on lhe IRONY DeiI 81
| with his feet uD on the table that dlVldes the
might. however have imagined hin in patent
| ieafher boots but She would not have imagined
him sitting with his feet on the table -.
You the House of Lords now, said
the Member they passed back through the Mem
But l am taking you away from the debate"
the Girl protested.
fore You came am not in the least interested in
the Education bi-in fact, IT only oorssS me
stituents stake! Bored BY what was asi-
tatins the whole country! The Gil could not con-
Il thought you were so interested in education"
mats why I'M not interested in the BILL
the Member replied. fppantly; the Girls serious
They went through the hall where the Peers
Girl gazed Teverentiy at a peg marked ''FOsebery.'
for the Girl was a RadicaI-and dreamer -
The Lords sitting. and the silent nails
and lofty corridors through which they passed re-
She sat on the throne in the royal robing room.
ana The Member piaytuly paid ner hoInase. Oenu-
ing his knee and lifting her small hand reverentiy
Il wonder what it would feel like to really be
You know what it feels like to really look one"
the Memuer answered CALAMITY handing her Gown
we must ind the Ladies Gallery now know
S omn aFs longing Tor the ei0auen'' OF the i07'
They went up in the little lift to the gallery. and
% HAF q
come back in half hour
stufy little gallery that IS like a relic OF the
mOnastic age in this twentieth century. she sat
with her face pressed against the iron bars mat
prevent the woman visitor to the House OF Com.
mons enjoying womans dearest priVile sstn-
Grille she looked down at the assembly below IL
seemed even less imposing from that elevated point
A little man. who. from that height; looked mere
pygmy holding forth TO audience that was
half whispering and half asleep. and altogether
regardless of his rhetoric ,- -. .,, CT,
was a reiterated Clause - and Clause T. con-
veyed absolutely no meaning to her
do you know who it is who is speakinsr' a
masculine looking woman next ner asAe &C. bs "a
spe SRii ana about am ei afs4a don A'0"
ITS the report stage Of the Education BILL the
masculine woman answered reprovtngy' ana ths
Girl settled herself % listen - ,,.z -,
and and Clause = was always the mysulylhs
Other spea2ers. equally dull followed. and their
'si 49, tibot .S'aUse isl the Girl said 10
herself feeling something like Alice In Wonder
Then she saw her Member come IN and take -l MS
seat on one Of the Opposition benches ana some
how after that she gave up wondering aOou'
When the end of the half hour came the GIT
was not rf SoIy 20 [' 49, 4Isqpr6irtng It's an
awfully stuffy hole and am AFRAID t the Mi
alphabetically. they went away TO nave some
lit was hot" the Girl admitted and. you see
don't know what Clause 4 IS ,,-b,-s
an the Girl was hardly so shocked at this admission