er one day into the place of rendezvous, thus
unluckily effected the discovery of cook and her swain. The damsel
apprehending that such interruptions to their interviews might, from the
gourmandizing propensities of the favourite, be frequent, determined to
prevent them for ever; the very next time that puss, as usual, followed
her, seizing with savage exultation the harmless creature, she severed
with a huge carving knife, its head from its body! An exploit truly worthy
of the _tender_ passion, and the _gentle_ sex!

M.L.B.

* * * * *

George I. was remarkably fond of seeing the play of _Henry VIII_. which
had something in it that seemed to hit the taste of that monarch. One
night being very attentive to that part of the play where Henry VIII.
commands his minister, Wolsey, to write circular letters of indemnity to
every county where the payment of certain heavy taxes had been disputed,
and remarking the manner in which the minister artfully communicated these
commands to his secretary, Cromwell, whispering thus:--

"A word with you:
Let there be letters writ to every shire
Of the King's grace and pardon; the griev'd commons
Hardly conceive of me--Let it be nois'd
That thro' _our intercession_ this revokement
And pardon comes."----

--The king could not help smiling at the craft of the minister, in
filching from his master the merit of the action, though he himself had
been the author of the evil complained of; and turning to the Prince of
Wales, said, "You see, George, what you have one day to expect; an English
minister will be an English minister in every age and in every reign."

W.C.R.R.

* * * * *

AN "INDWELLING" JOKE.

A certain would-be bibliopole, desirous of emulating the Constables, Boyds,
and Colburns of this century, lately opened a couple of windows at
Johnston, and exhibited the beautiful wood-cuts on the title page of the
Shorter Catechism to the wondering amateurs of the fine arts there with so
much success, as to induce him to become printer and publisher. Forthwith
he set to throwing off an impression of a thousand copies--he was fond of
round numbers--of a work "_on Indwelling Sin_." It threatened to be an
indwelling sore in his shop; and he set off to Campbelton to sell a few in
that pious place. A tobacco-seller and grocer gave him a cask of whisky
for the lot--which, on his return, he disposed of to a popul