him.

One of his A.D.C.'s was subsequently on the veldt, and when asked if it
was not lonely, he replied:--

'Not more than Dublin Castle, when Houghton was the king.'

On one occasion some people were officially commanded to dine. Not a
carriage was to be seen as they drove up to the Viceregal Lodge, so the
gentleman told his coachman to drive round the Phoenix Park, as they
must be too early. There was still no sign of any gathering as they
again approached the official residence, and when they entered they
found they were the only guests, and the infuriated Lord Houghton, as
well as all his household had been kept waiting twenty minutes by this
hapless pair.

Another story, which was much enjoyed in Ireland as showing the
pomposity of his Excellency, may be recalled. Whether true it is now
difficult to say, but there is no doubt that the tale was started among
the very house-party who were at Carton at the time.

The beautiful _chatelaine_, the lovely Duchess of Leinster, was walking
through the fields one Sunday afternoon with Lord Houghton.

They came to a gate, which he opened, but to her astonishment proceeded
to walk through it first himself.

The indignant Duchess haughtily remarked:--

'The Prince of Wales would not think of passing through a gate before
me.'

'That may be; but I represent the Queen,' replied Lord Houghton, with
unruffled imperturbability.

Lord Cadogan and Lord Dudley come so absolutely into contemporary
history that on them nothing can here be said, except that their
munificence has rendered it impossible for any peer of moderate private
means to hold the office.

In sober truth, however, the administration of Government really rests
with the Chief Secretary in recent times, although it was not so before
the advent of Mr. Foster. Men like Lord Naas, Sir Robert Peel the
younger, and Mr. Chichester Fortescue--afterwards Lord Carlingford--were
mere official cyphers, but after Mr. Gladstone's 1880 ministry this has
never been the case.

Of Sir Robert Peel it was wittily said that when Chief Secretary he went
through the country on an outside car, which made him take a one-sided
view of the Irish question.

Lord Morris said to an inquiring Scottish M.P.:--

'Did you ever know a Scottish Secretary who was not Scottish, or an
Irish Secretary who was Irish?'

'No,' said the Scotsman.

'Well, go home and moralise over that as a possible solution of some
Irish difficulties, for m