Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/55

 opportunity of proving his worth. Extraordinary patience will be shown to an old and respected member evidently suffering from old age and its attendant verbosity, or a friendly sympathetic "hear, hear" will often encourage some unfortunate speaker who has broken down from nervousness.

There was once a luckless member who got as far as a dramatic "There is one thing England will never forget," and here his memory failed him. "There is one thing, Mr Speaker, England will never forget——" The House waited in vain, but after a few seconds' deep pondering the Member abruptly sat down. Later on in the Lobby some sympathizers crowded round him.

"By the way, what was it that England will never forget?" they asked.

"I'm d—d if I know!" he answered.

H. H. was often asked which of the members in his opinion enjoyed the greatest amount of personal popularity in the House. He thought this honour undoubtedly belonged to Mr Lewis Harcourt, and as a proof of this he would cite the occasion when Mr Harcourt entered the House for the first time after his marriage. The entire House, Unionists, Liberals, rish, and Labour, rose to cheer him as they had not ceered for many a long day.

For many years Rotherhithe sent to Parliament Mr Cumming Macdona as their representative. His correct designation in the House was The Honourable Learned, Gallant, and Reverend Member for Rotherhithe, having been at different times in his career a clergyman, a barrister, and a soldier. He was one of the old Tory party who fell in the debacle of 1906. His election posters were headed "I will follow