Mrs. Dasher.  “NEVER FOR COMPLIMENTS, I ASSURE YOU; AND CERTAINLY NOT IN SHALLOW WATERS!”]

* * * * *

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P.

[Illustration:  Chief Secretary.]

House of Commons, Monday, March 14.—­JACKSON turned up to-night answering questions from Irish Members.  This reminds us he’s Irish Secretary.  Been so of course since Parliament met; but quite forgotten it.  Mention this to the SPEAKER who looked a little dull while Captain PRICE was discoursing on Navy Affairs in Committee of Supply.  So went up to have a little chat with him in the Chair.

“My dear TOBY,” he said, “I don’t know whether you meant it, but you’ve paid JACKSON the highest compliment it is possible to convey.  When in these times the CHIEF SECRETARY so manages to conduct business of his department that he himself is temporarily forgotten, he’s doing it surpassingly well.  My big brother ROBERT was once Chief Secretary, though perhaps you forget that also.  He resigned because, as he said, there was not enough work to keep an active man going.  That was long time ago.  I daresay you had no chance of forgetting during the last five years that Prince ARTHUR was Chief Secretary?”

[Illustration:  T.P.  Gill.]

Cannot claim to have invented the compliment the SPEAKER discerned; merely mentioning matter of fact; but, as he says, when in these days a Chief Secretary manages to get himself forgotten, the wheels at the Irish Office must be going pretty smoothly.  JACKSON has not brought about this miraculous change by laying himself out to flatter or court Irish Members.  He is exactly the same as he was when he filled office of Financial Secretary; doubtless the same as when he looked after his tanyard in Yorkshire.  Goes straight to the point in simple unaffected business manner that ruffles no sensibilities.  Fancy he could tan a hide in such a way that it would not feel any resentment.

A predecessor at the Irish Office who succeeded, in more troublesome times, in living on peaceable terms with Irish Members, was CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN.  Irish Members, swift judges of character, taking measure of both, came to conclusion nothing to be gained by rowing round them.  What killed FORSTER, and turned GEORGE TREVELYAN’s hair grey, made CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN smile—­not an offensive smile, but one of interested amusement.  JACKSON’s sense of humour not so keen, but his imperturbability even more impregnable.  If Irish Member trailed his coat before him, JACKSON would say, “My dear fellow, won’t you get cold?  Let me help you on with your coat.”

SQUIRE OF MALWOOD, a judge on this particular point, says the MARKISS missed the greatest chance he has had for six months in not putting JACKSON in place of OLD MORALITY.

“Precious good thing for us, TOBY,” says the SQUIRE, “that he didn’t.  JACKSON the very model of a Leader of House, and Prince ARTHUR—­well he’s Prince ARTHUR.”