Business done.—­In Committee on Small Holdings.

Thursday Night.—­After all, MACLURE didn’t have to stand at the Bar to-night, so his feelings were saved a peculiarly painful wrench.  But the Chairman of Cambrian Railway held a special meeting at Bar.  It was attended by Mr. BAILEY HAWKINS, and Mr. JOHN CONACHER, Manager of the Company.  The SERGEANT-AT-ARMS also looked in, bringing the Mace with him.

[Illustration:  Turning his Back on his own Resolution.]

“Now if they were really going to have anything at the Bar,” said MACLURE, looking wistfully on, “a drop of mulled port or anything like that, Mace would come in handy.  Suppose ERSKINE would dip it in the jorum and stir the liquor round.”

So MACLURE joked, and so, as JULIUS ’ANNIBAL, naturally well-posted up in this epoch of history, reminds me, NERO fiddled whilst Rome burned.  Fact is, MACLURE in terrible funk; mental condition shared by his Chairman, Co-director, and the Manager.  The latter, resolved to sell his life dearly, brought in his umbrella, which gave him a quite casual hope-I-don’t-intrude appearance as he stood at the Bar.

Members at first disposed to regard whole matter as a joke.  Cheered MACLURE when he came in at a half trot; laughed when, the Bar pulled out, difficulty arose about making both ends meet.

“That’s the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s duty,” said WILFRID LAWSON; “GOSCHEN ought to go and lend a hand.”

Bursts of laughter and buzz of conversation in all parts of the House; general aspect more like appearance at theatre on Boxing Night when audience waits for curtain to rise on new pantomime.  Only the SPEAKER grave, even solemn; his voice occasionally rising above merry din with stern cry of “Order! order!”

“Of course, now they’re at the Bar they can order what they please,” said TANNER.  Well the SPEAKER didn’t hear him.  Later, on eve of final division, he offered another remark in louder tone.  SPEAKER thundered down upon him like a tornado, and TANNER quiet for rest of sitting.

[Illustration:  The Woolwich Infant “goes off.”]

HICKS-BEACH’s speech gave new and more serious turn to affairs.  Concluded with Motion declaring Directors guilty of Breach of Privilege and sentencing them to admonition.  But speech itself clearly made out that Directors were blameless; all the bother lying at door of Railway Servant who had been dismissed.  Speech, in short, turned its back on Resolution.  This riled the Radicals; not to be soothed even by Mr. G. interposing in favourite character as GRAND OLD PACIFICATOR.  Storm raged all night; division after division taken; finally, long past midnight, Directors again brought up to the Bar, the worn, almost shrivelled, appearance of CONACHER’s umbrella testifying to the mental suffering undergone during the seven hours that had passed since last they stood there.

SPEAKER, with awful mien and in terrible tones, “admonished” them; and so to bed.