oraliser, with a double
escapement action for great occasions. On this evening all the family
was gathered together, including the inevitable infant, whose prattle
serves to soothe the gloomy perversity of morose heroes. On such an
evening as this SONOGUN had seen them all years ago, and, though he
was standing in the garden and all the windows were shut, he had heard
every single whisper of the family conversation. The Doctor seemed to
be troubled, and GLADYS came up to him in her caressing way.

"My dear," he said, simply, "SONOGUN is in trouble, and we must rescue
him." No more was said, but the next moment GLADYS and her father had
left by the London express.

CHAPTER IV.

All things are fair that are not dark;
Yet all are dark that are not fair.
And the same cat that slays the lark,
Itself is often killed by care.--BOHER.

SONOGUN had seen a notice in a railway-carriage. "Beware of
card-sharpers" was printed upon it, and it flashed upon him, with
the force of a revelation, that it must be meant for him. Once more
he made up his mind. He would fly. Fear lent him a spare pair of
second-hand wings. He whistled to his dog _Stray_, and having thrown
HAECKEL and RENAN out of the window, he flapped twice, and then soared
up, _Stray_ following as best he could. It was very dark, and the
clouds were threatening. For a long time he avoided them, but at
length he fell into a particularly damp one, and would inevitably
have been drowned, had not the sagacious _Stray_ brought men to his
assistance. And thus SONOGUN, the scoffer, the agnostic, the moody,
gloomy, morose, cast-iron, Roman-faced misanthrope, got home. That
same evening he changed his clothes and his character, and on the
following day married GLADYS.

THE END.

* * * * *

"QUITE NEW AND ORIGINAL."

[Illustration: Infants in Arms.]

The fencing Lecture, entitled, _The Story of Swordsmanship_, seems
to have been so great a success, last Wednesday, at the Lyceum, as
to have aroused the ire of some Music-hall Managers, who earnestly
contend that the Stage of the Theatre, that is, of the Drama _pur et
simple_, very pure _et_ very simple, should not be used or misused for
the purpose of giving an entertainment, which, though given without
scenes, was yet "illustrated with cuts."

It is highly probable that this offensive and defensive subject
will be followed by other lectures more, perhaps, in keeping with
theat