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Show fAN ENGLISH "HUTTING." i . .. Att Ancient Custom Re-Introduced Into ' the House of Commons This Morning. The Parnellites Ahead Iu the Race for Favorite Seats to Hear Gladstone. The "Old Man Eloquent" Ready and Eager for the Work of the Day. The Bush for Seats In the House of Commons. London, April 8. Gladstone Blept well last night. He rose early, in excellent health and fine spirits. Hi3 voice was fresh, strong and evidently enduring. Immediately after his breakfast Gladstone repaired to his official of-ficial room; there he found prepared for his perusal the morning papers, soores of telegrams tele-grams bearing on the task of the day, and more than one letter from close personal friends and advisers, bringing words of cheer and congratulation. . . Before the nightwatchmen in. the. House were relieved or the lights wereextingoished, a number of members of Parliament, gentlemen gen-tlemen possessed of assured admittance, began to arrive, to make themselves doubly certain of their privileges by getting to their seats eleven hours before Gladstone would reach the House, and retaining them during the long interval. McDonnell Sullivan, the Nationalist member mem-ber for Southwest Meath, was the first man to gain entrance to the House. He got in as early as 5.30 in the morning and at once proceeded to make sure of his place. It is alleged, however, that Sullivan secured his advantage by bribing a friendly policeman to permit him to have access by way of the back stairs. The Southwest Meath member was not long the sole occupant of the eching chamber. cham-ber. Ho was almost immediately followed by a score of Parnellite colleagues. The rule regarding seats was practically, "First come, first served." Sullivan: therefore there-fore had his pick of the whole floor. He chose the very best seat next to and immediately imme-diately below the gangway, on the Opposition Opposi-tion or left side of the Speaker's desk. As the Ministerial bench i3 situated just opposite, oppo-site, on the right of the Speaker, and the Prime Minister has usually occupied the seat just below the gangway on that side, Sullivan secured a vis-a-vis to the leading orator. It was not long before all the Parnellites were in the House, and they pre-empted the best places in the locality invaded by Sull-van, Sull-van, and all got places to front Gladstone during his speech. A rush of British members mem-bers followed close upon the advent of the Parnellites. It was yet early in the morning morn-ing when all the seats on the floor were taken. The seat chosen, in order to bo retained, re-tained, must be ticketed with the hat of the member who means to occupy it, and the hat must be the hat he is wearing that day, and no substitution is permitted. The present generation never witnessed suoh a "hatting" scene as occurred in the House of Commons this morning long before be-fore London was awake. A number of members mem-bers who were afraid to trust to the honor of their colleagues, or the maintenance of the rules on an oocasion like that of to-day, retained possession of their chosen seats by remaining in them bodily all day. London, April 82 p. m. The weather is warm, clear and beautiful. After exhausting exhaust-ing expedients to kill time outside, the members began to assemble in the House after 1 o'clock. In an hour the floor was pretty well covered with groups of mem-"bers, mem-"bers, animatedly discussing the event of the day. and -debating the -possible outcome. The crowds outside of the House by this time had increased greatly. awaiting Gladstone's af-peabance. At 3 o'clock the crowd outside the palace gates was enormous. It contained all the space down to Westminster bridge, and extended pretty well up Parliament street towards Whitehall. At that hour a perfect jam of people filed down Downing street, where Gladstone's official residence is situated. situ-ated. The crowd patiently awaited for the Premier to make his appearance on his departure for the Commons. Mr. Gladstone finished reading his papers and telegraphio and mail correspondence at on early nour. He spent the remainder of the morning and part of the afternoon in contemplation. He refused to permit himself him-self to be disturbed by calls from any large number of persons who attempted to see him. He made but one exception, and that in favor of John Morley, Chief Secretary for Ireland, whom he sent for and conferred with for a short time. BIG BEN" SHiENT. The enormous clock, to which "Big Ben," England's giant bell, rings the time in Victoria Vic-toria Tower, on the southwest oorner of the Parliament buildings, stopped this afternoon. after-noon. Its stoppage was noticed by the crowds in the streets, who depended on its tones for knowing the time of day, and it was regarded by many as an occurrence of ill omen. Soon after 3 a. m. the thoroughfares thorough-fares about St. Stephens were so crowded with people that all; attempts to carry on traffic in the neighborhood had to be suspended. sus-pended. Mounted polioe were placed on duty, patrolling, because it was impossible for officers on foot to get about. |