05Jan1881, All This a Dead Secret

LONDON, January 5th, 1881.
—Throw-off drum at Downing Street; such a jabber as never was. Everybody very anxious about everybody's health, on the threshold of such a campaign H.M. took a sudden (not a new) quirk against the promise to give up Candahar in the Royal Speech, and kept the unhappy Ministers hours at Osborne, bringing her round — Uncle W. having to telegraph argumentative messages in cipher! All this is a dead secret, but everyone knew the delayed departure of the Ministers who turned up late for Downing St. dinner.