ut not unprofitably in assisting the
president, acquainting himself with the favourite resorts of
interesting persons and composing his thesis.

At intervals the monotony was relieved by more strictly society work.
On these occasions he played a part not dissimilar to that of a junior
counsel.

The president found him invaluable in his raid on the gentlemen with
umbrellas who read newspapers in the streets.

It was Andrew--though he never got the credit of it--who put his senior
in possession of the necessary particulars about the comic writers
whose subject is teetotalism and spinsters.

He was unwearying, indeed, in his efforts with regard to the comic
journals generally, and the first man of any note that he disposed of
was "Punch's" favourite artist on Scotch matters. This was in an alley
off Fleet Street.

Andrew took a new interest in the House of Lords, and had a magnificent
scheme for ending it in half an hour.

As the members could never be got together in any number, this fell
through.

Lord Brabourne will remember the young man in a straw hat, with his
neck covered up, who attended the House so regularly when it was
announced that he was to speak. That was Andrew.

It was he who excitedly asked the Black Rod to point out Lord
Sherbrooke, when it was intimated that this peer was preparing a volume
of poems for the press.

In a month's time Andrew knew the likeliest places to meet these and
other noble lords alone.

The publishing offices of "England," the only Conservative newspaper,
had a fascination for him.

He got to know Mr. Ashmead Bartlett's hours of calling, until the sight
of him on the pavement was accepted as a token that the proprietor was
inside.

They generally reached the House of Commons about the same time.

Here Andrew's interest was discriminated among quite a number of
members. Mr. Bradlaugh, Mr. Sexton, and Mr. Marjoribanks, the
respected member for Berwickshire, were perhaps his favourites; but the
one he dwelt with most pride on was Lord Randolph Churchill.

One night he gloated so long over Sir George Trevelyan leaning over
Westminster Bridge that in the end he missed him.

When Andrew made up his mind to have a man he got to like him. This
was his danger.

With press tickets, which he got very cheap, he often looked in at the
theatres to acquaint himself with the faces and figures of the constant
frequenters.

He drew capital pencil sketches of the leading c