TWO IRISH MEMBERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7294, 6 January 1902, Page 2

TWO IRISH MEMBERS.

WIT AND HUMOUR. 1 Mr Harry Furniss, writing io "Cassell'sMagazine," describes the Irish member as still the most humorous in the House of Commons. He says :■ — At the present time Mr Healy i? by far the cleverest wit in Parliament. Mr Healy's genuine impromptus would fill pages. The best of them by far, however, is one he made at the expense of Mr Chamberlain. "While the cat's away the mice can play," tersely remarked that, as a rule, unepigrammatic speaker, the mem: ber for Birmingham, referring to Mr Gladstone's absence during ac. important period of the Home Rule debate. " And the rats," ejaculated Mr Tim Healy, at which the members on both sides laughed immoderately ; in fact, when " Tim " is up, the House is always in for a good thing, if not always to the liking of the Tory Party politically. His wit is Undeniably appreciated by friend and foe alike. It is not only what he says; but the characteristic way he says it. By the death of Mr John A. Blake, member for Waterford, the House of Commons lost oqp of its most brilliant humorists. He will ever be remembered for reading to the House, when Sunday closing was under discussion, the following correspondence between himself and his uncle in Ireland : — "My Deal Uncle, — I write to say how pleased I should be if you could see your .way to giving up your twelve glasses of whisky a day. lam sure you would find many advantages' in doing so, the greatest of which would be that, as I am persuaded, it would be the* means of lengthening your day's." After a brief interval the uncle replied as follows:— "My Dear Nephew, — I am much obliged, to you for your dutiful letter. I was so much struck by what you said, and, in particular, by your kind wish to lengthen my days, that last Friday I gave up the. whisky. I believe you are right, my boy, as to my days being lengthened, for, bedad, it was the longest day I ever remember."