joyed the unenviable distinction of being known as "the member who sat on his hat,1' until some other absent-minded legislator unintentionally established his claim to the title by crushing his headgear in a similarly awkward fashion. When men meet together in public assem blies, or in social life — as in a theatre or at a reception — the ordinary custom is to un cover while they are seated, and to wear their hats as they enter or leave the place. In Parliamentary life that rule is reversed. Members have their heads covered as they flit about the palace of Westminster, but in the chamber they can wear their hats only when they are seated on the benches. As they walk to their seats or rise to leave the chamber the^ musr K- uncovered. This custom is the source of much confusion to new members, and has given rise to many funny Contretemps. The House never fails to show its resentment ef a breach of eti quette, howevrr trivial. It will, without distinction 01 arty, unanimously roar with indignation at a new member who, ignorant or unmindful of the Parliamentary custom, wears his hat as he walks up or clown the floor of the chamber. An amusing incident occurred in the early clays of the first session of the present Parliament. /.c offending member, startled by the shout which greeted him as he was leaving the chamber with his hat on his head instead of in his hand, paused in the middle of the floor and looked around with a mingled expression of fright and per plexity. " Hat! Hat! " shouted the House. This only embarrassed him the more. He felt his trousers' pockets and his coattails for the offending article of attire. He even looked at his feet to see if he were wearing it at that extremity of his person. It is im possible to conjecture what might have hap pened further, had not an Irish member, amid the loud laughter of the House, politely taken off the hat of the confused legislator, and then handed it to him with a courtly bow.
But the story of the humors of the Parlia mentary hat is not yet ended. When a mem ber is alluded to in the course of a speech he raises his hat, and he performs a similar act of politeness when a minister answers a ques tion put by him. A member addressing the House stands, of course, uncovered. But that rule does not always prevail. There is an occasion when it is positively out of order for a member to speak on his feet and with his hat off. He must speak from his seat with his hat on his head. When a debate has terminated and the question which has been discussed is put from the chair, an in terval of two minutes — during which the electric division bells ring out their summons all over the precincts of St. Stephen's — is allowed to enable members to get to the chamber. The time is taken by a sand-glass on the table, and when it has elapsed the doors of the chamber are locked. It is at this particular juncture that it is essential that a member who desires to address the chair on a point of order should retain his seat and wear his hat. If he were to follow the ordinary practice, and stand up uncovered, he would be roared at and shouted at from all sides of the House for his breach of eti quette. Mr. Gladstone had occasion a few years ago to address the chair just as a di vision was about to be taken, and, forgetful of the rule for a moment, he rose to his feet. A shout of " Order! Order! " drawing his at tention to his mistake, he sat down again; and as he never brought his hat into the chamber (an example which is followed by most ministers) he was obliged to put on the headgear of one of his lieutenants who sat on the bench beside him. Now, Mr. Gladstone's head was of an abnormal size. He had to get his own hats made to order. It is improbable that the hat of any other member in the House would have fitted him, but the hat available on the occasion of which I write only just covered his crown, and members made the rafters ring with laughter at his comical efforts to balance it on his head for the few
