'poor woman,' listen to this." And he read out the
Bathurst advertisement with terrible emphasis on the words "Handsome
reward offered." "Do you hear that--'handsome'?"

"Yes, I hear," said his wife amiably; "but that isn't my idea of making
money."

"I hope you don't suppose it's mine," said her husband. "But there is
such a thing as common sense. Why on earth the accident of this little
brute following us home should run us into the expense of an
advertisement and a certain amount of food and drink I'm hanged if I can
see."

"Well, dear," said his wife with the same amiability, "if you can't see
it I can't make you."

IV.

A few minutes later the arrival of "a lady who's come for the Peek" was
announced.

"No," said Mr. Friend as his wife rose, "leave it to me. I'll deal with
it. The situation is very delicate."

"How can I thank you enough," began Mrs. Bathurst, "for being so kind
and generous about our little angel? My husband and I agreed that
nothing more charmingly considerate can ever have been done."

At this point Mrs. Friend followed her husband into the room, and Mrs.
Bathurst renewed her expressions of gratitude.

"But at any rate," she added to her, "you will permit me to defray the
cost of the advertisement? I could not allow you to be at that expense."

Before Mrs. Friend could speak her husband intervened. "No, madam," he
said, "I couldn't think of it. Please don't let the mention of money
vulgarize a little friendly act like this. We are only too glad to have
been the means of reuniting you and your pet."

E.V.L.

* * * * *

"Rufford Abbey is, of course, a wonderful old place, and all
the front, from gable to gable, is genuine tenth-century, built
in 1139."

_Sunday Times._

It looks as if the ca' canny idea was not so new as we thought it.

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Lady with Pram_ (_who has been pointing out to newcomer
the beauties of the neighbourhood, where a strike is threatened_).
"THAT'S ONE OF THE 'OT 'EADS."]

* * * * *

AT THE PLAY.

"EVERY WOMAN'S PRIVILEGE."

When _Dahlia_ refused the hand of a wealthy middle-aged nut, with
faultless knickerbockers and a gift for lucubrated epigrams, preferring
to throw in her lot (platonically) with a young and penniless social
reformer, we took no notice of those who feared a scandal ("scandals are
not what they w