Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/46

 heavy loss, God has been most kind to us, and so has man.

Be assured I had never dreamed that barriers erected by the necessities of poHtics would check the flow of human sympathy within your walls.

Early in his political life H. H. was presented to Lady Salisbury, by the late Lord Salisbury, as "a supporter of mine who is engaged in sticking the Empire together with a penny stamp." At the same time Lord Salisbury went on to say that when he visited Australia twenty-six years before he had brought home some young Australian gum-trees, which were then flourishing in the home of his nephew, Arthur Balfour, at Whittingehame.

There was a certain young Welsh Member who made a rather striking speech in the House one day. H. H. stopped him in the Lobby to congratulate him. Many years later Mr Lloyd George surprised H. H. by recalling the incident, adding:

"You were the first Tory Member who ever said an encouraging word to me, and I have never forgotten it."

A tragic occurrence once took place in the House of which H. H. was a witness. H. H. was sitting in the gallery with Kitchener listening to a debate on a public grant of money for the hero of Omdurman. A member rose to oppose the motion. While speaking his voice became unsteady, and his hands lost their power. Brandy was brought to him. He sat down for an instant and then rose again to resume his speech.