Littler loved Pope, and so did all the Parliamentary Bar, of which he was the acknowledged leader and the respected father. Littler said to me, "He is a wonderfully and variously gifted man, and had he chosen the stage as a profession would have been a David Garrick." I said, "What about his very substantial person?" for he was colossal in figure. "I had forgotten that," said Littler. Littler told me a good story of him which Pope, he said, was also fond of telling himself. It was in the great man's biggest and busiest days. Influenza was rife. Mr. Pope was a bachelor, and his valet inconsiderately took the "flu." Mr. Pope's nephew said the valet must go away till he fully recovered, or Mr. Pope would be sure to take it. "What shall I do?" said Mr. Pope, in dismay. "Oh, I'll get you a good man for the time," said the nephew; and so he did; a skilful, quiet, efficient, attentive man, whose usual duty it was to attend on a rich old gentleman, who resided, on account of a little mental derangement, in a certain pleasant private establishment. Mr. Pope had not been told, nor had he inquired, where the excellent valet, with whom he was well pleased, hailed from, nor had the valet asked any questions concerning Mr. Pope. Both seemed to have jumped to certain conclusions. After the valet had been there a week or more, one day, when _downstairs_, he said to the servants: "Tell me, what is it that is wrong with the master? He seems to me to be as sane as any of us!" Balfour Browne, in his book _Forty Years at the Bar_, says, "He" (Mr. Pope) "had a broad equitable common sense, and never did anything mean or little." He was certainly an orator, and displayed in his speeches much dramatic power. His voice was fine, flexible and sonorous. In his later years he must often have wished his "too too solid flesh would melt," for it had become a heavy burden. He had to be wheeled from Committee Room to Committee Room in a perambulating chair, and was allowed to remain seated when addressing Committees. On the 12th of July Lord Spencer announced that "the Great Southern Amalgamation Bill may proceed subject to clauses as to running powers, etc." This meant that _our_ Bill was gone, and that the Great Southern had gained possession of the Waterford and Limerick, Ennis, the line to Collooney and running powers to Sligo. Thus they had secured a monopoly in Munster and an effective competition with us in poor Connaught. It was hard lines for the Midland, but all was not yet lost. If only we could obtain running powers to Limerick and carry them back to Ireland, we should have secured some of the spoil. Another week was spent fighting over running powers, facilities, etc., and I was in the witness box again. Balfour Browne and Littler now conducted the warfare on either side, and keenly they fought. The Committee at one time seemed disposed to put us off with little or nothing. In the box I know I waxed warm--"the Great Southern to get all