hear HANBURY question Government on quite other
subject. HANBURY'S hawk eye had discovered in the Estimates vote for
salary of Master of Hawks. Wanted to know who he was, what he did for a
living, and how many hawks he might have to deal with in course of year.
Frank and somewhat startling disclosure from Treasury Bench. The
existence of Master of Hawks admitted; regular payment of his salary
confessed. Only hitch was that there were no hawks. Still, there have
been hawks in time of STUARTS. An impecunious nobleman had obtained
office, with reversion to eldest son; and so, through the ages,
unsuspecting taxpayer had subscribed salary. House so ashamed to
discover its remissness as custodian of Public purse, that, by common
consent, subject dropped. But silent resolution taken that noble
Hawk-master shall have drawn his salary for last time.

Then BALFOUR confirmed statement made in other House about Proclamation
of National League. Announcement received, on the whole, in grim
silence, also not without its portent. House then took up Allotments
Bill, with which it wrestled in business fashion for rest of sitting.

_Business done._--National League Proclaimed.

* * * * *

MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

(_Shakspeare adapted to "The Times."_)

"Oppression hath made up this League."
_King John_, Act iii., Scene 1.

_Angelo_ ... Lord S-L-SB-RY.

_Escalus_ ... B-LF-R.

_Escalus._ Every leader it hath writ hath disvouched other.

_Angelo._ In most uneven and distracted manner. Its actions show much
like to madness: pray heaven its wisdom be not tainted. Yet can we own
ourselves beaten, and redeliver our authority?

_Esc._ I guess not.

_Ang._ And why should we proclaim it a few days before our departure,
that if any crave redress of injustice, they must not exhibit their
discontent in the street?

_Esc._ It shows its reason for that: to have a despatch of complaints;
and to deliver us from devices hereafter, which shall then have no power
to stand against us.

_Ang._ Well, I beseech you, let it be proclaimed!

* * * * *

A TALE OF ARABI.--The recent unsuccessful effort to secure the release
of ARABI PASHA, recalls the trial of that unfortunate Egyptian when he
was so ably defended by a distinguished member of the British Bar. On
that occasion, to put it Broadley, he was more of a patriot than a
criminal.

* * * *