to you, old chap. There, they're coming in now.
We'd better go in and change, eh? We've none too much time.

[_They go in._

_In the Lese-zimmer, a small gaslit room, with glazed doors
opening upon the Musik-saal. Around a table piled with German
and English periodicals, a mild Curate, the Wife of the English
Chaplain, and two Old Maids are seated, reading and conversing.
CULCHARD is on a central ottoman, conscientiously deciphering
the jokes in "Fliegende Blaetter." PODBURY is at the bookcase,
turning over odd TAUCHNITZ volumes._

_The Chaplain's Wife_ (_to the Curate, a new arrival_). Oh, you will
_very_ soon get into all our little ways. The hours here are _most_
convenient--breakfast (_table d'hote_) with choice of eggs or fish and
coffee--really _admirable_ coffee--from eight to nine; midday dinner
at one. Supper at nine. Then, if you want to write a letter, the post
for England goes out at--(_&c., &c._) And on Sundays, eleven
o'clock service (Evangelical, of _course_!) at the--(_&c., &c._) My
husband--(_&c., &c._)

_First Old Maid_ (_looking up from a four days old "Telegraph"_). I
see they are still continuing that very interesting correspondence on
"Our Children's Mouths--and are they widening?" One letter attributes
it to the habit of thumb--sucking in infancy--which certainly ought to
be checked. Now I never _would_ allow any--

_The Chaplain's Wife_. Nor I. But corals are quite as bad. Only this
afternoon I was telling a Lady in this hotel that her little boy would
be much happier with a rubber ring. You get them at a shop in the
Hoch-strasse I can take you to it at any time, or if you like to
mention my name--(_&c., &c._)

_Second O.M._ One correspondent thought the practice of eating soup
with table-spoons tended to enlarge the mouth. I really believe there
may be something in it. [_A pause._

_The Curate_. The weather we have been having seems to have materially
affected the harvest prospects at home; they say there will be little
or no fodder for the cattle this year. I saw somewhere--I forget where
it was exactly--a suggestion to feed cows on chickweed.

_Podb._ (_at the bookcase_). Capital thing for them too, Sir. Know a
man who never gives his cattle anything else.

_The Curate_. Oh, really? And does he find the experiment answer?

_Podb._ They take to it like birds. And--curious thing--after he'd
tried it a month, all the cows turned yellow and went about c