_Tuesday._--Another night on Parish Councils. Debate should have finished last night; finally arranged to close it before dinner hour to-day; but it dribbled on to midnight. As there was an hour to spare, TOMMY BOWLES, who since Session resumed has been silent in six languages, thought he might as well say a few words. Romped in at half-past ten; awkward this; about the hour when JOKIM had intended to lift debate out of rut by one of his luminous speeches. THOMAS, however, thought House would prefer to hear him. At any rate, he provided opportunity. When at length JOKIM spoke upon subject on which he is supreme authority, House almost empty, altogether languid. Brightened up for moment at SQUIRE OF MALWOOD'S happy wit. JOKIM, following on line trekked by PRINCE ARTHUR, suggested that half of Bill dealing with Poor Law matters should be abandoned. "According to judgment of SOLOMON," said the SQUIRE, "it was the true mother who would not consent to divide her child in two." A dreary night made endurable by incursion of KNATCHBULL-HUGESSEN--HERBERT THOMAS, of Faversham division of Kent. For many years his brother sat in House till he finally wobbled into a peerage, and, as ROSEBERY said, wore his coronet as a crown of thorns because it had been given him by Mr. G. When he was with us here, and one turned to _Dod_ to find him under heading "HUGESSEN," there was discovered instruction "See KNATCHBULL-HUGESSEN." This was explained at the time on score that no one from day to day exactly knew where _Hugessen_ was. Different with his younger brother. "Sometimes," he said just now, looking sorrowfully round the House, a gleam of comfort brightening his eyes as they rested on a back view of JIMMY LOWTHER'S head, "I believe I'm the only Tory left in the House." To-night up and smote Parish Councils Bill in uncompromising speech. No truckling to Socialism. No bowing the knee to the Baal HODGE. No leaning on the arm of Rimmon as he goes to worship in the temple of the Compound Householder. The Bill another downward step on the pathway dug out for the chariot of Free Trade; the country going to dogs at accelerated pace. Small House, but it listened with delight to the most thoroughly honest speech heard from any bench through many Parliaments. _Business done._--Parish Councils Bill read second time. _Thursday._--Still smiling at PRINCE ARTHUR'S joke; led up to with great skill; last touch of art given in the look of startled surprise with which he regarded uproariously laughing audience. Was passing eulogy on RHODES and the Chartered Company, forasmuch as, whilst certainly mowing down the Matabele with the Maxim gun, they had spread the benefits of civilisation, "extending railways, extending telegraphs, extending roads." [Illustration: The Clark of the House causing a Division.]