Listening to ELCHO, jauntily moving adjournment over Derby Day, I say all this to the SAGE of QUEEN ANNE’S GATE, who shortly replies, “Fudge!” Remark does not seem consequential; not at all sure that it is Parliamentary.

Long debate on Budget Bill; HARCOURT discourses at large on JOKIM’s finance.  JOKIM sits listening with amused air.  Life is on the whole to him a serious thing.  But there is one episode that suffuses it with a gleam of humour; that is to hear HARCOURT talking Finance.  “One of the very few things,” JOKIM says, “of which he knows absolutely nothing.”  Now J.A.  PICTON, on the contrary, thinks a good deal of HARCOURT’s aptitude for finance, and when JOKIM had girded at him for the space of half an hour, the SQUIRE OF MILWOOD had the satisfaction of hearing JULIUS ’ANNIBAL PICTON publicly describe his criticism as “a most formidable attack on the financial scheme of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.”

Business done.—­House agrees to make holiday on the Derby Day.

Thursday.—­OLD MORALITY back to-night; everyone glad to see him; with trumpets also and shawms would we have greeted him, but SPEAKER ruled proposed demonstration out of order; so only cheered.  With exception of slight Italian accent (particularly noticeable in his pronunciation of the word “Newfoundland”) he’s just the same.  Before sitting far advanced, wished he had lingered for another twenty-four hours on the waters of the tideless sea.

Newfoundland Fishery Question on; the delegates to be heard at Bar.  Members, eager as school-boys for new sensation, crowded the Benches, in expectation of half an hour’s amusement.  OLD MORALITY, fresh from Cabinet Council, knew that hope would be disappointed.  Government had decided to accept compromise proffered by Newfoundland Legislature; consequently Sir WILLIAM VALLANCE WHITEWAY, K.C.M.G., would not appear at the Bar.

It is Old MORALITY’s little way to put on appearance, in whatever startling development of affairs, as if what was happening was exactly what had been expected.  To-night, at end of questions, he quite casually mentions settlement arrived at, and proposes that without debate Second Reading of Newfoundland Fisheries Bill shall be taken.  “A mere form, you know,” he said, nodding in friendly fashion across the table at HARCOURT.  “Everything is amicably settled; we certainly won’t mention Bill again for three weeks, and then only to withdraw it.  Let us read it now a second time just for the fun of the thing.”

[Illustration:  Gone Over to the Majority.]