ral-President when
the dance had been brought to a satisfactory conclusion.

"My reward," was the prompt reply.

"Reward!" echoed His Highness. "Why, my good friend, I have refused
a Royal Duke, an Imperial Prince, a Powerful Order, and any number of
individuals, who have made a like demand."

"Ah! but they did not do so much for you as I did."

"Well, I don't know," returned the General-President, "but they parted
with their gold pretty freely."

"Gold!" retorted the visitor, contemptuously, "I gave you more
than gold. From me you had notes. Where would you have been without
my songs?" He took off his false nose, and thus enabled the
General-President to recognise the "Pride of the Music Halls!"

"You will find I am not ungrateful," said the Chief of the State, with
difficulty suppressing his emotion.

His Highness was as good as his word. The next night at the _Cafe
des Ambassadeurs_ there was a novel attraction. An old favourite was
described in the _affiches_ as _le Due de Nouveau-Cirque_.

The reception that old favourite received in the course of the
evening was fairly, but not too cordial. But enthusiasm and hilarity
reached fever-heat when, on turning his face from them, the audience
discovered that their droll was wearing (in a somewhat grotesque
fashion) the _grand cordon_ of the Legion of Honour on his back! Then
it was felt that France _must_ be safe in the hands of a man whose
sense of the fitness of things rivalled the taste of the pig whose
soul soared above the charm of pearls!

* * * * *

SCOTT-FREE; OR, RAVENSWOOD-NOTES WILD.

ACT I.--A grand old Castle in the distance, with foreground of rude
and rugged rocks. Around the rugged rocks a quaint funeral service.
HENRY IRVING, "the Master" not only of _Ravenswood_, but the art of
acting (as instanced by a score of fine impersonations), flouts the
veteran comedian, HOWE; and, Howe attired? He is in some strange
garb as a nondescript parson. Then "Master" (as the _Sporting Times_
would irreverently speak of him) soliloquises over Master's father's
coffin. Arrival of _Sir William Ashton_. Row and flashing of steel
in torchlight. Appearance of one lovely beyond compare--ELLEN TERRY,
otherwise _Lucy Ashton_; graceful as a Swan. Swan and Edgar. Curtain.

[Illustration: MR. IRVING MAKING HIS GREAT HIT. THE BULL'S-EYE!

After such a hit,--"there is no cause for fear now!"]

ACT II.--Library and Armoury. Convenient s