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The Green Bag.

century. Lord Southampton (then Colonel Fitzroy) once fell under the censure of Mr. Speaker Onslovv. He was acting as a lordin-waiting, and entered the House just too late to complete a quorum. The Speaker, who had a very loud, hectoring voice and manner, severely admonished the honorable and gallant member, who excused himself by saying he had been " waiting upon his Majesty." Mr. Onslow at this thundered out : " Sir, don't tell me of waiting; this is your place to attend in — this is your first duty." Bold speaking, truly, for the days of George the Third. It is a favorite device for a member who desires to secure an audience for a colleague to move "a count." The object, however, is not always attained. Members rush out again when the Speaker announces " Forty" and leave the benches as deserted as before. A few sessions ago, a London Radical mem ber, who was to have resumed a debate when the Speaker returned after the usual brief adjournment, at 8:30 o'clock, found no one in the House but himself, the Speaker, and the clerks at the table. Not caring to talk to empty benches, he gravely called the attention of the Speaker to the obvious fact that there were not forty members present. The division bells rang out their summons as usual, but as only thirty-six members re sponded to the call, the unfortunate member instead of obtaining the audience he desired, had the sitting suspended, and, of course, lost his chance of making a speech. There is on record a still more amusing story of a member who unintentionally "counted out " the House to his own con fusion. He was not a particularly engaging speaker, so when he arose to "address the House " he had the entire chamber to him self. He opened ironically : " Mr. Speaker," he said, " look at the condition of these benches. Is it not disgraceful that the weighty topic on which I proposed to address the House has not attracted even the pres ence of a quorum?"

"Order! Order! " cried the Speaker. " No tice having been taken that there are not forty members present, strangers will with draw." The member murmured curses not loud but deep on his unlucky expression of indignation. The bells rang out their sum mons, but no one answered. In another minute the Speaker disappeared behind the chair. Another curious thing happened in the session of 1882. A division disclosed the fact that there were only twenty-five mem bers in the House, which accordingly stood adjourned. Formerly it was the custom for a member who moved a count to go covertly behind the chair and whisper in the Speaker's ear, "There are not forty members present," and then disappear through the doors which gave convenient access from the chamber immedi ately at the Speaker's back. The reporters never published the names of members who moved a count under these secret circum stances. The gentlemen of the press like an occasional " count out." It is a pleasant interruption of their arduous labors; and as a member who moved a count did not then care to have his name published, it was the rule of the Reporter's Gallery to suppress it for the encouragement of others. But for several years past there has been no secrecy in connection with the matter. Counts are r^w moved by members from their places. Two minutes, the same time as in the case of a division, is allowed to members to get to the chamber; but in order to distinguish a count from a division, the bells ring three times for a division and once only for a count, so that members who have no sympathy with the business under consideration need not trouble themselves to quit the reading-room, the smoking-room, or the dinner table in order to " make a House." The doors are not locked as in the case of a division, when the two minutes are up. Members, there fore, come in after the Speaker has begun counting. Oftentimes one man arriving