The day being fixed on, the company, numbering nigh twenty, assembled, and Charles Heathcote could not avoid observing that their general air and appearance were scarcely senatorial. O'Shea assured him gravity would soon succeed to the supper, and dignity come in with the whiskey- punch. This was so far borne out that when the cloth was removed, and a number of glasses and bottles were distributed over the blackened mahogany, a grave and almost austere bearing was at once assumed by the meeting. Doran also took his place as Speaker, his cotton umbrella being laid before him as the mace. The orders of the day were speedily disposed of, and a few questions as to the supply of potables satisfactorily answered, when O'Shea arose to bring on the case of the evening,--a motion “for all the correspondence between the authorities of the Horse Guards and Captain Heathcote, respecting the application of the latter to be reinstated in the service.”
The Secretary-at-War, a red-faced, pimply man, subeditor of a Sunday paper, objected to the production of the papers; and a smart sparring- match ensued, in which O'Shea suffered rather heavily, but at last came out victorious, being allowed to state the grounds for his application.
O'Shea began with due solemnity, modestly assuring the House that he wished the task had fallen to one more competent than himself, and more conversant with those professional details which would necessarily occupy a large space in the narrative.
“Surely the honorable member held a commission in the Clare Fencibles.”
“Was not the honorable member's father a band-master in the Fifty- fourth?” cried another.
“To the insolent interruptions which have met me,” said O'Shea, indignantly--
“Am I out of order, sir?” asked he of the Speaker.
“Clearly so,” replied that functionary. “Every interruption, short of a knock-down, is parliamentary.”
“I bow to the authority of the chair, and I say that the ruffianly allusions of certain honorable members 'pass by me like the idle wind, that I regard not.'”
“Where 's that from? Take you two to one in half-crowns you can't tell,” cried one.
“Done!” “Order! order!” “Spoke!” with cries of “Goon!” here convulsed the meeting; after which O'Shea resumed his discourse.