Punch (98.1890)

Mabch 29, 1890.] PUNCH, OE THE LONDON CHARIVARI. _™*

NONE BUT THE BRAVE DESERVE THE FARE."

The Rector's Wife (atScTwol-Feast, to one of the Boys, who had been doing very " good business"). " What 'k the matteb, Noggins?
Uon t you feel Well ? Noggins. " No, M'm,—but—I'll hev—to be wuss, M'm—afoee I give in !"

DROPPING THE PILOT.

{See Cartoon.)

Great Pilot, whom somanv storms have tried,
To see thee quit the helm at last, at last,

And slow descend that vessel's stately side,
Whilst yet waves surge and skies are over-
cast,

Wakes wondering memories of that mighty
past,

Shaped by a guiding hand,
Strong to direct as strenuous to command.
When yet did a great ship on the great sea

Drop Pilot like to thee ?

The " wakeful Palinurus" of old song
Drowsed^t th^last, and floods hfs corpse

But thou hast ever been alert as strong
Pilot who never slumbered at the helm.
Impetuous youth aspires to rear a realm
And the State-bark to steer '
In other fashion. Is it faith or fear
Fills the old Pilot's spirit as he moves
Slow from the post he loves ?

No " branch in Lethe dipped by Morpheus"
slacks

This Pilot's sight, or vanquishes his force.
The ship he leaves may steer on other tacks;
Will the new Palinurus hold her course
With hand as firm and bMII of such re-
source ?
He who, JEneas-like,
Now takes the helm himself, perchance may

strike _
On sunken shoals, or wish, on the wild main,
The old Pilot back again.

These things are on the knees of the great gods;
But, hap what hap, that slow-descending
form,

Which oft hath stood with winds and waves
at odds.

And almost single-handed braved the storm,
Shows an heroic shape; and high hearts
warm

To that stout grim-faced bulk
Of manhood looming large against the hulk
Of the great Ship, whose course, at fate's
commands,

He leaves to lesser hands I

ESSENCE OE PARLIAMENT.

extracted from

THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P.

House of Commons, Monday, March 17.—
St. Patrick's Day in the evening. Every
Irish Member carries in buttonhole bit of
withered grass; at least looks like withered
grass. Dick Powee says it's shamrock.
Anyhow it leads to dining-out, and business
to fore being nothing more important than
voting a few millions sterling for the Navy,
House almost empty.

" So much the better for me," says Geoegie
Hamilton, in charge of Navy Estimates;
" the fewer Members the more Votes."

So it proved. Whilst Geoegle descant-
ing on excellence of Naval Administration,
House so empty that Count moved. A little
hard this on a Minister in charge of most
important department of State; but, after
all, Votes were the thing, and Votes were
taken hand-over-hand. Geoegle's oration

being cut short by attempt to Count he sat
down, and as quick as Chairman could put
question £3,312,500 of our hard-earned money
was voted. Hadn't been in the House live
minutes when bang went another million.
Only half-a-dozen of us present, including
Wilson of Hull, who sat on edge of Bench,
with hat in hand, staring at Couetney, as
he ticked off million after million. For
myself, as representing a Constituency of
the Gentlemen of England, grew rather to
like it. Something exhilarating in the con-
sciousness that you, being one of eight Mem-
bers representing the House of Commons, can
say "Aye" or "No" to proposal to vote a
million sterling more or less. " The question
is," says Couetney, "that a sum not ex-
ceeding £1,103,200 be voted to Hee Majesty
on account of sums falling due for victualling,
clothing and Naval _ establishments. Those
that are of that opinion, sav ' Ave;' con-
trary'No.'"

Well, what shall you do? Pretty stiff
sum; get a pretty lot of victuals for the
million; several suits of clothes for the
£103,000. Should you, just to show your
independence, knock off the odd £200 ? ' No.
Barks likes the thing done generously. Why
throw in a note of discord? Besides, it
doesn't all come out of your pocket. So
you say "Aye;" Geoegie Hamilton nods
in grateful appreciation; Couetnet seems
relieved; the thing's done, and you walk
out with a glowing consciousness of having
behaved handsomely.

Slight coolness sprung up between Old
Mobality and Geandolph. Of late been
on rather friendly terms, despite occasional
kicking over of the traces by Geandolph.