[Illustration: "A Progressive Conservative." (_Vide Dod._)]

"HUGESSEN's a good fellow," said ISAACSON; "wears well, but is
politically a fossil. Now _I'm_ a progressive Conservative, which I
think you'll find, TOBY, my boy, to be about the time of day."

_Business done_.--Assisted Education Bill; firmly led up to table by
HART DYKE.

_Wednesday_.--Lively fight round Deceased Wife's Sister Bill. Ascot
in vain held forth its attractions; supporters of the Bill hoped
opponents would go; opponents came down rather expecting HENEAGE's
virtue would have given way, and Ascot would have claimed him as its
own. But everybody there--MAKINS's men with long list of Amendments
warranted to keep things going till half-past five, when progress
must be reported, and chance of Bill for present Session lost. MAKINS
himself in high oratorical feather. OSBORNE-AP-MORGAN, having made a
proposition and subsequently withdrawn it, MAKINS, putting on severest
judicial aspect, observed, "It is all very well for the Right Hon.
and learned Gentleman to make a legal JONAH of himself and swallow his
opinions."

"Bless us all!" cried ROWNTREE, looking on with blank amazement,
"MAKINS evidently thinks that JONAH swallowed the whale." Bill
seemed to shatter friendships and dissever old alliances. SQUIRE of
MALWOOD naturally at home in the fray, but rather startling to find
HOME SECRETARY running amuck at CHAMBERLAIN. MATTHEWS in his most
hoity-toity mood; quivered with indignation; thumped the table; shook
a forensic forefinger at the undesignedly offending JOSEPH, and,