Waterbury Democrat., 1903-01-01
PARLIAMENTARY EYEGLASSES.
Lord Reaconsfleld & ConJurer with the Article-By Its Means He Con-
 trived Theatrical Effects.

Few accessories of personal attire have played more interesting part in parliamentary life than the simple eyeglass. The silk hat, as we know, is indispensable; a member of the house of commons often moves and has his being entirely by virtue of his headgear; but the dexterous use of the parliamentary eyeglass has often pro duced thrilling impressions, says the Pall Mall Gazette.
 The greatest conjurer in the use ot this little article the historic legisla. tive chamber ever contained was the late Lord Beaconsfeld.. It has often been said of him that he was splen- did actor. He certainly contrived by a sort of dumb sho ow with his eyeglass to create striking theatrical effects, and the manner in which he would manage, when it suited him, to lose the thing in the folds of his clothing. so that he could pause in his speech while he fumbled for the missing arti- cle-a momentary respite which gave him time to think--was a frequent subject ofmirth in the smoking-roons.
 One incident of the kind will nessf be forgotten by those who witnessed it. MT. Disraeli, then prime minister, was speaking with great solemnity on question of foreign policy. He had been several times noisily inter rupted by a somewhat boisterous Scotch representative, who threw out ironical cheers without any relevant application, At the third or fourth n+% %ar, Y,& %hat nsc c+n abruptly in the middle of sentence, There was dead silence in the crowd ed house as members watched the statesman slowly feel for his eyeglass, mechanically adjust it to his eye, and then, turning to /tke direction of the Interruption, gave the Highland gen. t1eman one expressive look. Having satisfied himself of the identity of the offender, a1 expression came over the prime minister's face which seemed to say: "Oh, it's you, is it? Poor fellow, you don't know better!" The eyeglassf dropped with a clink against theWatch chain, and the speak CT resnmed{ his remarks at the very point of the broken sentence. That honorable member had good reason lO per IAS eE1SOuc tuIOuSuOub his parliamentary career. His col leagues Hever allowed him to forget it.
 When lDisraeli could find his eye- glass fn} a hurry and fix it promptly, it was afsure sign that he was annoyed. In the course of heated debate the prime minister was once repelling m attack made upon him by MT, Clad stones The veteran liberal leader madefsome audible comment upon what Dlsraeli was saying, which in the ex- cltenaent of the moment Henry Chap lin took upon himself to answer across the floor of the house. MT. Chaplin had not understood the point of MT. Gladstone's criticism, and his inter- ruPtion gave the old parliamentary hand an opportunity of putting an explanation which the prime minis ter did not want. When it came to his turn to resume his speech, he firm ly placed his eyeglass, and, turning almost viciously upon MT. Chaplin (who, of course, sat on the ministerial slde), and looking hard at him, ex- cla1mee: ''Sir, am not obliged to my right Honorable friend for this inter- ruption.'' l...t..