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Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 156, February 26, 1919 by Various
page 39 of 64 (60%)
whole he took a hopeful view of the situation--more so than Lord
LANSDOWNE, who expressed "the profoundest dismay" at our increasing
indebtedness. Fortunately His Lordship's gloomy prophecies have not
invariably proved correct.

[Illustration: "JUMPING" A MEMBER'S CLAIM.]

After Question-time in the Commons Mr. BOTTOMLEY made bitter complaint
to the SPEAKER that he had been evicted from his favourite corner-seat
by the Member for South-East St. Pancras. Mr. LOWTHER administered
chilly consolation. Those little _contretemps_ were apt to occur at
the beginning of every new Parliament; and he was not going to lay
down a hard-and-fast rule on the subject before it was necessary.

Old Parliamentarians will remember the long-continued struggle between
Mr. GIBSON BOWLES and a colleague who was always endeavouring to
insert "the thick end of the GEDGE" into "Tommy's" favourite seat.
Mr. HOPKINS is the Member who has jumped Mr. BOTTOMLEY'S claim on the
present occasion--a fact which will recall THEODORE HOOK'S remark that
the game of leap-frog always reminded him of those famous psalmodists,
STERNHOLD and HOPKINS.

_Wednesday, February 19th_.--According to Lord STRATHSPEY there are
thousands of men in the Army longing to take Orders in the Church
Militant, but there are no funds available for training them, and no
prospect of a living wage for them if ordained. The LORD CHANCELLOR'S
sympathetic references to the painful plight of men whose duty it was
to preach content here and hereafter will no doubt be reflected in the
administration of his not inconsiderable patronage. Fortunately or
unfortunately the clergy cannot or will not "down surplices" to
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