CHAPTER XXVIII 



RE-ELECTION FOR LONDON UNIVERSITY (1895) 



(Age 61) 



As soon as Parliament met in the New Year Sir 

 John again brought in the Early Closing of Shops 

 Bill. It was read a second time without opposi- 

 tion on February 19, and referred to a Select 

 Committee, which took a good deal of evidence, 

 and reported in its favour on April 21. Owing to 

 obstruction by a few members who were opposed 

 to it he was not able to get an opportunity of 

 bringing it on for third reading. 



On January 28 he notes, " skated with the 

 children." His next entry is February 5. " Very 

 cold. The pond has been a great amusement, 

 and the children are getting on capitally with 

 their skating. We came up to St. James' 

 Square." 



The pond, about the digging of which there are 

 several previous notices, continued to be a great 

 success and source of entertainment both in winter 

 and summer. The first specimens of that gay fish 

 the orfe — like a larger and glorified gold-fish — ^that 

 I ever saw were in that pond, or, rather in those 

 ponds, for there was a little series of them. It 



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