ional Museum at Washington,
were seen standing in front of an Egyptian mummy, over which hung a
placard bearing the inscription. "B.C. 1187."

Both visitors were much mystified thereby. Said one:

"What do you make of that, Bill?"

"Well," said Bill, "I dunno; but maybe it was the number of the
motor-car that killed him."--_Edwin Tarrisse_.

MUSIC

The musical young woman who dropped her peekaboo waist in the piano
player and turned out a Beethoven sonata, has her equal in the lady who
stood in front of a five-bar fence and sang all the dots on her veil.

A thief broke into a Madison avenue mansion early the other morning and
found himself in the music-room. Hearing footsteps approaching, he took
refuge behind a screen.

From eight to nine o'clock the eldest daughter had a singing lesson.

From nine to ten o'clock the second daughter took a piano lesson.

From ten to eleven o'clock the eldest son had a violin lesson.

From eleven to twelve o'clock the other son had a lesson on the flute.

At twelve-fifteen all the brothers and sisters assembled and studied an
ear-splitting piece for voice, piano, violin and flute.

The thief staggered out from behind the screen at twelve-forty-five, and
falling at their feet, cried:

"For Heaven's sake, have me arrested!"

A lady told Swinburne that she would render on the piano a very ancient
Florentine retornello which had just been discovered. She then played
"Three blind mice" and Swinburne was enchanted. He found that it
reflected to perfection the cruel beauty of the Medicis--which, perhaps,
it does.--_Edmund Gosse_.

The accomplished and obliging pianist had rendered several selections,
when one of the admiring group of listeners in the hotel parlor
suggested Mozart's Twelfth Mass. Several people echoed the request, but
one lady was particularly desirous of hearing the piece, explaining that
her husband had belonged to that very regiment.

Dinner was a little late. A guest asked the hostess to play something.
Seating herself at the piano, the good woman executed a Chopin nocturne
with precision. She finished, and there was still an interval of waiting
to be bridged. In the grim silence she turned to an old gentleman on her
right and said:

"Would you like a sonata before going in to dinner?"

He gave a start of surprise and pleasure as he responded briskly:

"Why, yes, thanks! I had a couple on my way here, but I could stand
another."

M