MR BUXTON’S “BAGS”

Evening Star, Issue 14473, 26 January 1911, Page 7

MR BUXTON’S “BAGS”

Some little time ago a Welsh paper published an amusing story of a Cabinet Minister who lost his trousers while on a railway journey. The identity of the luckless politician was revealed this week by the chairman of the London Hospital, th 6 Hon. Sydney Holland, who told an audience at Poplar Hospital that the adventure had happened to his cousin, the Right Hon. Sydney Buxton, PoetmastorGencrai.

“Mr Sydney Buxton/’ said Mr Holland, ‘‘is the only Cabinet Minister who has thrown his trousers out of a railway carriage window and not lost his character. ’ Amid roars of laughter Mr Holland proceeded to tell the story of tho adventure. “Sydney Buxton is my cousin,” ho said. “ Ho got to a railway station five minutes before tho train arrived, and he sat down on a bank to wait. When he got into a compartment he found his coat and waistcoat were full of ants, so he took them olf and shook them. Shortly afterwards ho felt the ants inside his trousers—(laughter) —so he took them olf, and was shaking thorn out of tho window, when a train passing took the trousers out of his hand. —(Loud laughter.) This was very awkward ; ho was going to a Cabinet council, and had on a frock coat, but no trousers. — (Laughter.) At the next stopping-place ho called to a porter: ‘ I have had the misfortune to throw my trousers out of the window.’ ‘ That won’t do,’ said the porter, and ho shouted to the guard: ‘ Here’s a bloke in tho first class without any bags on.’—(Roars of laughter.) Tho guard tame up, and, seeing how things were, telegraphed to King’s Cross: ‘ There’s a Cabinet Minister in the train who has thrown his trousers out of tho window; get another pair for him.’—(Renewed laughter.) When Sydney Buxton got to London he was provided with a pair of green trousers, such as porters have, and in them he went to the Cabinet meeting.— (Loud laughter.) To the last person who told that story, Mr Buxton wrote: “If you ever tell that story again I will put the matter in the hands of my solicitors, Messrs Lloyd George, of Downing street and Limehonso.” (Laughter.) London correspondent, December 16.