Roderick.

A poor pun started another vein. "You must hear some of Miss Cobbe's
puns," said Miss Hosmer, and they were so daringly, glaring bad, as to
be very good. When lame from a sprain, she was announced by a pompous
butler at a reception as "Miss Cobble." "No, Miss Hobble," was her
instant correction. She weighed nearly three hundred pounds and, one
day, complaining of a pain in the small of her back her brother
exclaimed: "O Frances, where _is_ the small of your back?"

Miss Hosmer regarded Grace Greenwood (Mrs. Lippincott) as one of the
best _raconteurs_ and wittiest women she had known. She was with her
at some museum where an immense antique drinking cup was exhibited,
large enough for a sitz bath. "A goblet for a Titan," said Harriet.
"And the one who drained it would be a tight un," said Grace.

She thought the best thing ever said about seasickness was from Kate
Field, who, after a tempestuous trip, said: "Lemonade is the only
satisfactory drink on a sea voyage; it tastes as well coming up as
going down."

* * * * *

The last years of this brilliant and beloved woman were devoted to
futile attempts to solve the problem of Perpetual Motion. I wish she
had given us her memories instead.

Helen Ghika was born at Bucharest, Wallachia, the 22nd of
January, 1829. The Ghika family is of an ancient and noble
race. It originated in Albania, and two centuries ago the head
of it went to Wallachia, where it had been a powerful and
ruling family. In 1849, at the age of twenty, the Princess was
married to a Russian, Prince Koltzoff Massalsky, a descendant
of the old Vikings of Moldavia; her marriage has not been a
congenial one.

A sketch of the distinguished woman, Helen Ghika, the Princess
Massalsky, who, under the _nom de plume_ of Dora D'Istria, has
made for herself a reputation and position in the world of
letters among the great women of our century, will at least
have something of the charm of novelty for most American
readers. In Europe this lady was everywhere known, beloved by
many personal friends, and admired by all who had read her
works. Her thought was profound and liberal, her views were
broad and humane. As an author, philanthropist, traveller,
artist, and one of the strongest advocates of freedom and
liberty for the oppressed of both sexes, and of her suffering
si