There is thus a constant competition between the two men as to which shall give the marching orders to the enemies of the Government.
[Sidenote: Mr.Chamberlain's slatternly inaccuracy.] There was a singular scene on March 6th, which brought out the relations of the two in a singular manner.

There appeared that day in the congenial columns of the _Times_ a letter, a column in length, and set forth with all the resources of leaded and displayed type which the office could afford.

In this letter Joe had lamented the disappearance of those courteous manners of an elder and more Chesterfieldian time, to which he suggested he belonged.

The origin of this delicious lament over a venerable and more courteous past by so flagrant a type of modernity, was a statement that Sir William Harcourt had played the dirty trick of putting down a notice to suspend the twelve o'clock rule at a shorter notice than usual.

The suspension of the twelve o'clock rule simply means that the Tories shall not be allowed to obstruct by the mere fact that the House is compelled automatically to close at midnight under the existing rules.