SECOND MARRIAGE 207 



body for his years, and with his slight figure did 

 not look near his age. But the great quality 

 which made for domestic harmony and mutual 

 love was the beautiful serenity of his mind. One 

 who afterwards was associated with him in 

 business informed me that when there was some 

 question of Sir John's coming in as a joint 

 director, he was rather fearful of a man known 

 to be so frequent a sufferer from the gout. He 

 was afraid lest the irritable temper that usually 

 accompanies that fell torment might be imported 

 into the business with the new director. When he 

 came to know Sir John better, the knowledge 

 was in the nature of a revelation to him as to the 

 possible triumph of the controlling mind over the 

 suffering body, even when the suffering was due 

 to such a temper-trying cause as this. 



Parliament reassembled on October 23, and 

 Sir John at once gave notice of a resolution 

 respecting Proportional Representation, and of a 

 Bill limiting the hours of labour of young people 

 in shops. 



On November 24, however, Mr. Gladstone got 

 rid of the Representation motion by moving on 

 the Thursday that the House should adjourn till 

 Monday. Nevertheless, Mr. Courtney and he 

 spoke in favour of Proportional Representation 

 a few days later (December 4) on the second 

 reading of the Redistribution Bill. 



On December 15 they held the first of a series 

 of meetings on Proportional Representation. 

 This first meeting was in Princes Hall in London, 

 followed by others at Manchester, Nottingham, 

 Liverpool, Norwich, Leicester, Greenwich, etc. 



