Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Michael Punch and the PG Online Distributed Proofreading Team _Sketches in The House_. The Story of a Memorable Session. By T.P. O'CONNOR, M.P. WARD, LOCK & BOWDEN, Limited. London: Warwick House, Salisbury Square, E.C. New York and Melbourne. 1893. ESTABLISHED 1851. =BIRKBECK BANK,= SOUTHAMPTON BUILDINGS, CHANCERY LANE, LONDON, TWO AND A HALF per CENT. INTEREST allowed on DEPOSITS, repayable on demand. TWO per CENT. INTEREST on CURRENT ACCOUNTS, calculated on the Minimum Monthly Balances when not drawn below £100. STOCKS, SHARES, and ANNUITIES Purchased and Sold. =SAVINGS DEPARTMENT.= For the encouragement of Thrift the Bank receives small sums on Deposit, and allows Interest Monthly on each completed £1. =BIRKBECK BUILDING SOCIETY.= HOW TO PURCHASE A HOUSE FOR TWO GUINEAS PER MONTH. =BIRKBECK FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETY.= HOW TO PURCHASE A PLOT OF LAND FOR 5s. PER MONTH. THE BIRKBECK ALMANACK, with full Particulars, Post Free on Application. FRANCIS RAVENSCROFT, Manager. NOTE. _The Sketches contained in the following pages originally appeared in the _WEEKLY SUN_, under the title, "At the Bar of the House." Owing to the reiterated requests of many readers they are now republished in their present form._ CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE OPENING OF A HISTORIC SESSION 9 CHAPTER II. THE HOME RULE BILL 31 CHAPTER III. A SOBER AND SUBDUED OPPOSITION 40 CHAPTER IV. THE PERSONAL ELEMENT 49 CHAPTER V. OBSTRUCTION AND ITS AGENTS 67 CHAPTER VI. GLADSTONE AND THE SURVIVAL 82 CHAPTER VII. A FORTNIGHT OF QUIET WORK 96 CHAPTER VIII. THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM 111 CHAPTER IX. THE END OF A GREAT WEEK 131 CHAPTER X. THE BUDGET, OBSTRUCTION, AND EGYPT 146 CHAPTER XI. THE BILL IN COMMITTEE 164 CHAPTER XII. RENEWAL OF THE FIGHT 178 CHAPTER XIII. THE SEXTON INCIDENT 198 CHAPTER XIV. THE BURSTING OF THE STORM 207 CHAPTER XV. MR. DILLON'S FORGETFULNESS 219 CHAPTER XVI. REDUCED MAJORITIES 229 CHAPTER XVII. THE FIGHT IN THE HOUSE 242 CHAPTER XVIII. IRELAND'S CHARTER THROUGH 254 CHAPTER XIX. HOME RULE IN THE LORDS 269 CHAPTER I. OPENING OF A HISTORIC SESSION. [Sidenote: Memories.]