e
you to appropriate all the O's in the alphabet? Is not a Clerk at the
Table a man and a brother, and why may he not, if the idea flashes
across his active brain, say, 'Oh! oh!'?"

That rather floored ATKINSON; brought him (so to speak) to his senses.
Told me afterwards he had never looked on matters in that light. Great
advantage having a man like HANKEY going round prepared at moment's
notice to take common-sense view of situation and depict it in terse
language. Sobering effect on ATKINSON only momentary. Whilst SPEAKER
was narrating circumstances on which he had based charge against him
of frivolous and vexatious conduct, Member for Boston was bouncing
about on seat like parched pea, shouting out, "Oh! oh!" "Ah! ah!" "No
you don't!" and offering other pertinent but fragmentary remarks.

[Illustration: THE BUSY PARLIAMENTARY BEES ON THE WING.]

"Reminds me," said Member for SARK, "of the scene in the Varden
household, when _Miss Miggs_ returns expecting to be re-instated in
her old place of predominance, near the person of _Dolly's_ mother.
You remember how, when she finds the game is up, she turns rusty, and
betrays her mistress's ability to 'faint away stone dead whenever she
had the inclinations so to do?' 'Of course,' _Miss Miggs_ continues,
'I never see sich cases with my own eyes. Ho, no! He, he, he! Nor
master neither! Ho, no! He, he, he!'"

So ATKINSON kept up a running commentary on observations of successive
Members, including SQUIRE of MALWOOD and JOKIM. JOKIM at one time,
startled by "Oh! oh!" sounding in his right ear as he was making
very ordinary observation, nearly fell over the folded hands he was
nervously rubbing. Situation growing embarrassing. ATKINSON popping
up with ever-increasing vivacity; his "Oh! oh's!" and his "No! no's!"
growing in frequency and stormy intensity. Must be got rid of somehow;
but supposing he won't go? Must JOKIM and the Squire, as Mover and
Seconder of Motion for expulsion, lead him bodily forth? or would the
Sergeant-at-Arms be called on, and should we see revival of the old
game, when BRADLAUGH and dear old friend GOSSET used to perform a
_pas de deux_ between the gaping doorway and the astonished Mace?
Happily ATKINSON (still like _Miss Miggs_, as SARK insists) suddenly
collapsed.

"It is usual," observed the SPEAKER, "at this point for an Hon. Member
to withdraw."

"Oh! Oh!" said ATKINSON, "withdraw? Then I withdraw. But," and here he
dropped his voice to impr