Year: 1876

rode outside the Carriages Mile lheio Nds PctJ WI
room in. and could scarcely believe my explanation
that such bravely dressed gentlemen were but foot
men. Indeed, in their scarlet and gold hveries,
these flunkies formed by all odds the most impress
s,ve feature of the procession, fairly rveting the
attention of the crowd-amOng whom | heard it
whispered that each livery coat alone cost goo /;
after that am free to confess that could not keep
my eyes off them.


We did not follow Her Majesty quite into the
House of Lords Nor was it necessary. To see that
we were out evidently pleased the Queen, for she
bowed and smiled as she passed. And at West
minister Palace the Usher Of the Black Rod Ia black
bass rod is meant suppose), the Lord Priyy Seal
Originator of the phrase, Fiat jusd rudt hoalun),
and other high officials, stood ready 10 receive Her
Majesty. 1t is questionable if we missed even,
and in the procession which escorted the Queen
through the doors could have done but little. The
Sword of State would have been too heavy for me.
might have carried the Cup of Maintenance, per
haps, but l could put nothing in, unfortunately.
Pm too poor for that it is quite much as can do
TO maintain my own family, and sometimes wish l
had nation to help me do that


THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.


One doesn't know what wonderful work there is
on these Houses of Parliament till he mspects them
closely. Seen from distance they have a ginger
bready look nor is this look essened by the gliding
lately done the ornamental iTOn-work of the roof
and the paIings of tho inclosure. But the carving
and fret-work of the exterior are marvellous in their
intricacy when you come near And though some
authorities very severely crticse the architecture,
worse Is to be without going out of Lendon for
it. To me the skyline of the buildings is especially
pleasing; like the effect produced by the wilder
ness of tuuctS ories and towers. VIII my country
men even forgive me if | say that on the whole, il
is worthy of comparison with the Capitol at Wash
ingtoni severe republican taste would perhaps,
insist on the addition of mansard roof, but as
ample room was afforded for all the requirements of
Parliament without, the expense properly enough
seems TO have been avoided. As for the interior


Inever did want to be Lord till / saw the place
that Lords have to sit in. My ambition to go to
Congress is superseded, Overshadowed. To read IN
the papers, after debate, that the Duke of
Canandaigua and Orange N. j. rose and said that
he entirely agreed with his noble brother, the Earl
of Elizabeth and Paterson, would be much nicer
than to simply see that Mr.. Paul agreed with the
member from New-Jersey. But Pm not set Oh any
particular rank; am willing to be whatever 1t is
most convenient TO make me, a Duke Marquis,
Earl, ViscOunt or Pa On-little matter which;
could always turn my hand to most anything. II
permitted to choose, I'd sooner be baron, for that
rank Out-dates all others. The old brons of
England were helping themselves TO other mems
meadows and cattle long before Liverpool Lords and
Dukes of DOTking were even possible, and their
descendants now command a premium IN the
market where slips of later strawberry leaves may
be had for the askng-go a-begging rs IL were. lhe
ducal cOronet is pTetteT than the barOns, but 1t
would be perpetual puzzc the significance of the
strawbeIry-eaf never could undeBtand-thOugh
what a strawberTy-mark on the left arm is for ]
know well enough The meaning Of the balls on
the barOn's cOronet any one can guess; but don't
see why there should he more than three. Pos IDLY
the pawubrokers Of old hung out more balls than
they do nowadays, and here you see how adverse
this nation is to change-how they disregard the
signs Of the times.


TIE wOOLsACK.


Strange how they keep on doing thing because
some one, years ago, did it once Before cushions
were invented, the Lord Chancellor sat on bag Of
wool. SO the Lord Chancellor of to-day must still
sit on a woOsack. Where's the sense of it Ii he
sat on a file Of TnBUNEs now he might learn some
thing! All very wen to explain the woolsack by
the yarn about wool being the great staple of
the kingdom and this bag being intended 10 per-
petually remind the Lord Chancellor that he sits
there pledged 10 protect the interests of the people
Had they wished TO remind him of anything they'd
not have given him so soft a seat of it-a few pins





country quite rs much as wool. Why did they not
set his lordship mp in state on a fine sttoni In
snch case he wouldn't have had TO 90 ont TO lunch
No, no; | tell you that our English friends believe
in wool; they find that twofold virtue in a wool
sack which by Falstaf7s fancy lay in good sherris
sack-Or possibly he meant wool all the whilcl To
their thinking, wool carries with it wisdom "a well
as warmth And they insist applying it to one
end or the other Of all their legal lumnares while
the Lord Chancellor who il looked 10 for opinions
of weight involving the vastest interests, must have
il at both For barOns Of law and barristers only,
it is enough TO clap layer on the head. a. a wig


Do you still tell me that something which do not
see underlies the wOOsack, stands behind it; that
its use is that of n symbol mcrelyi The same may
be said of the crucifx. Yet that is now by English
law compelled TO play very subordinate part in
English churches. Reform has about done away
with the Cross and the lsnell of Ritualisn is rung
Yet if the wOolsack be not piece of political Ritu
alism, what is it'll


Over this king and queen business 10 say nothing
of the big lord problem, have pondered considera-
bly, Of late, 10 the waste perhaps Of much valuable
time. would not for the world hurt anybody's
feelings still less subvert existing institutions aud
overtum form of government which does well
enough-for those who are used 20 it. But il does
seem 10 NE that there's end of woolsack in the
system. And to-day, when that worthy woman who
now wishes to be called Empress Of India, in addi-
ton to Alexandria Victoria, Queen of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; Defender of
the Fath Sovereign of the Orders of the Garter the
Thistle ST. Patrick the Bath, st. Michael and ST.
George and the Star of India" rode through the
Park in as much state as the lOn-tamer OF a menag
erie assumes when parade is made for the streets,
| asked myself lin the absence of any sensible man