Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 104, April 8, 1893 — John Shaqi
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 104, April 8, 1893Various
General
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 104, April 8, 1893
Various
English wit and humor -- Periodicals
_House of Commons, Monday Night, March 27._--The Lowther Arcade not
getting on so well as thought when projected. The Master Builder
been diligently at work, but result disappointing. On Friday he
got terribly snubbed by SPEAKER. Comes up to-day to make personal
explanation. That a bait at which House usually jumps; always ready to
be amused, or interested with scandal about Queen ELIZABETH and other
persons. These things usually promised by personal explanation. To-day
no flutter of excitement moved crowded House. JEMMY, approaching table
with most judicial air, received with mocking laughter, and ironical
cheers. Some difficulty in quite making out what he was at. Evidently
something to do with SQUIRE of MALWOOD; but SQUIRE so inextricably
mixed up with Supplementary Estimates, couldn't make out which
was which. JAMES pounded along in most ponderous style; SQUIRE
contemptuously replied; no one else inclined to join in conversation,
and the Master Builder gloomily resumed his seat.
"Never mind," I said, not liking to see an old friend cast down; "Rome
wasn't built in a day, nor the Cave of Adullam excavated in a week.
These things grow. You must have patience, and the Lowther Arcade
will still flourish. Let me see, whom you have got? There's BARTLEY,
HANBURY, and TOMMY BOWLES. LOWE, forming his Cave, hadn't so many to
start with."
"Yes," said the Master Builder, "that's all very well; but, fact is,
you can't reckon upon these fellows as being, so to speak, colonnades
in the Arcade. They are all on their own hook; fighting for their own
hand; won't take the lead from me; must go foraging for themselves.
HANBURY thinks he can boss a show better than most men. BARTLEY'S
obstreperous. TOMMY BOWLES would be all right if he were left to
himself, free from the companionship of designing men. He is young,
ingenuous, not wholly lost to a sense of regard for his pastors and
masters, lack of which is the curse of modern Youth. I believe TOMMY
respects me, and, only for the evil communications to which he is
subject on the back bench, would work loyally with me in establishing
the Arcade."
There was unwonted moisture in the Master Builder's eye as he turned
round, and regarded the Member for King's Lynn what time he softly
whistled to himself the old Jacobite air, "_Tommy make Room for your
Uncle_."
_Business done._--Vote of Censure moved by Prince ARTHUR; Government
majority runs up on division to 47; Ministerialists, fresh from
meeting at Foreign Office, agree that, on whole, have spent a happy
day. Debate spasmodically dull. Prince ARTHUR could not lift it out of
the rut, nor GRANDOLPH either. Only Mr. G. shone with effulgent light
through gloom of evening. Principal result of manoeuvre, beyond
giving fillip to majority, is that a day will be filched from meagre
holidays, and House must needs sit on Thursday.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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