n 'Blackwood's Magazine,' and I
wish to express my acknowledgments to my publishers for their usual
courtesy in allowing me to republish them in this form.

ATHENAEUM CLUB,
_January_ 1887.

CONTENTS.

Fashionable Philosophy
The Brigand's Bride: a tale of Southern Italy
The Sisters of Thibet
Adolphus: a comedy of affinities

FASHIONABLE PHILOSOPHY.

SCENE--_A London Drawing-room_. TIME--5 _o'clock_ P.M.

_The afternoon tea apparatus in one corner of the room_, _and_ Lady
Fritterly _on a couch in another_. The Hon. Mrs Allmash _is announced_.

_Lady Fritterly_. How too kind, dear, of you to come, and so early, too!
I've got such a lot of interesting people coming, and we are going to
discuss the religion of the future.

_Mrs Allmash_. How quite delightful! I do so long for something more
substantial than the theologies of the past! It is becoming quite
puzzling to know what to teach one's children: mine are getting old
enough now to understand about things, and one ought to teach them
something. I was talking about it to that charming Professor Germsell
last night.

_Lady Fritterly_. Well, I hope he is coming presently, so you will be
able to continue your conversation. Then there is Mr Coldwaite, the
celebrated Comtist; and Mr Fussle, who writes those delightful articles
on prehistoric aesthetic evolution; and Mr Drygull, the eminent
theosophist, whose stories about esoteric Buddhism are quite too
extraordinary, and who has promised to bring a Khoja--a most interesting
moral specimen, my dear--who has just arrived from Bombay; and Lord
Fondleton.

_Mrs Allmash_. Lord Fondleton! I did not know that he was interested in
such subjects.

_Lady Fritterly_. He says he is, dear; between ourselves--but this, of
course, is strictly _entre nous_--I rather think that it is I who
interest him: but I encourage him, poor fellow; it may wean him from the
unprofitable life he is leading, and turn his mind to higher things. Oh!
I almost forgot,---then there is my new beauty!

_Mrs Allmash_. Your new beauty!

_Lady Fritterly_. Yes; if you could only have dined with me the other
night, you would have met her. I had such a perfect little dinner. Just
think! A poet, an actor, a journalist, a painter, a wit, and a new
beauty. I'll tell you how I found her. She really belongs at present to
Lady Islington and myself; but of course, now we have started her, all
the other people will snap her up. We