ite, thin hand and pressed it to his lips.

"You, have been a good wife to me, Clara," said he.

She said nothing. She did not attempt to improve upon her advantage.
A less consummate general might have tried to do so, and ruined all.
She stood silent and submissive, noting the quick play of thought which
peeped from his eyes and lip. There was a sparkle in the one and a
twitch of amusement in the other, as he at last glanced up at her.

"Clara," said he, "deny it if you can! You have ordered the trousseau."

She gave his ear a little pinch.

"Subject to your approval," said she.

"You have written to the Archbishop."

"It is not posted yet."

"You have sent a note to Lord Arthur."

"How could you tell that?"

"He is downstairs now."

"No; but I think that is his brougham."

Lord Charles sank back with a look of half-comical despair.

"Who is to fight against such a woman?" he cried. "Oh! if I could send
you to Novikoff! He is too much for any of my men. But, Clara, I
cannot have them up here."

"Not for your blessing?"

"No, no!"

"It would make them so happy."

"I cannot stand scenes."

"Then I shall convey it to them."

"And pray say no more about it--to-day, at any rate. I have been weak
over the matter."

"Oh! Charlie, you who are so strong!"

"You have outflanked me, Clara. It was very well done. I must
congratulate you."

"Well," she murmured, as she kissed him, "you know I have been
studying a very clever diplomatist for thirty years."

A MEDICAL DOCUMENT.

Medical men are, as a class, very much too busy to take stock of
singular situations or dramatic events. Thus it happens that the
ablest chronicler of their experiences in our literature was a lawyer.
A life spent in watching over death-beds--or over birth-beds which are
infinitely more trying--takes something from a man's sense of
proportion, as constant strong waters might corrupt his palate. The
overstimulated nerve ceases to respond. Ask the surgeon for his best
experiences and he may reply that he has seen little that is
remarkable, or break away into the technical. But catch him some night
when the fire has spurted up and his pipe is reeking, with a few of his
brother practitioners for company and an artful question or allusion to
set him going. Then you will get some raw, green facts new plucked
from the tree of life.

It is after one of the quarterly dinners of the Midland Branch of the
British M