ublican Party. It
was a great occasion, for Russell was easily the foremost literary and
political figure of the day, and his coming was widely advertised. But
at the last moment, just before the address was to be delivered, for
certain political reasons it was deemed inexpedient by the managers of
the affair to have Russell talk politics, and so a hurried announcement
was made that Mr. Russell, instead of speaking on the issues of the day,
would deliver his celebrated lecture on Shakespeare. This he did, it
having been correctly described by critics as the best lecture on the
great poet ever delivered.

After the lecture was over, however, one of the Chicago politicians, who
doubtless had never heard of Shakespeare, was in his disappointment led
to exclaim:

"Hum! I suppose he thought anything was good enough for us!"

HAD HEARD HIM BEFORE

The critical instinct grows by what it is fed upon. No matter how well
you may do, some people are never satisfied and this is especially true
in families.

A Philadelphia divine was entertaining a couple of clergymen from New
York at dinner. The guests spoke in praise of a sermon their host had
delivered the Sunday before. The host's son was at the table, and one of
the New York clergymen said to him: "My lad, what did you think of your
father's sermon?"

"I guess it was very good," said the boy, "but there were three mighty
fine places where he could have stopped."

HER DOMESTIC INSTINCTS

We must not always look down upon those innocent people who may not have
had the same cultural influences we have had, although it is some
difficult not to smile at their point of view:

Sir Frederick Kenyon, the Director of the British Museum and a man of
great knowledge, has had all sorts of funny experiences with visitors
there.

Once he was showing a distinguished lady visitor some of the priceless
treasures of which he is the custodian, but for a long time nothing
seemed to interest her very much.

Then suddenly he noticed a change. Her face lighted up and she leaned
forward.

"What is it, madam?" asked Sir Frederick, gratified at this tardy sign
of awakening appreciation. "Pray do not hesitate to ask if there is
anything you would like to know."

"So good of you!" chirruped the lady. "I wish you would tell me what
brand of blacklead you use on those iron ventilators that are let into
the floor. We have the same sort of things at my house, but my maids
never get them