the "Hotel de Russie" the other day: gentlemen of splendid costume, and
yet questionable appearances, the eldest of whom called for the list of
wines, and cried out loud enough for all the company to hear, "Lafite,
six florins. 'Arry, shall we have some Lafite? You don't mind? No more
do I then. I say, waiter, let's 'ave a pint of ordinaire." Truth is
stranger than fiction. You good fellow, wherever you are, why did
you ask 'Arry to 'ave that pint of ordinaire in the presence of your
obedient servant? How could he do otherwise than chronicle the speech?

And see: here is a lady who is doubly desirous to be put into print, who
encourages it and invites it. It appears that on Lankin's first arrival
at Noirbourg with his travelling companion, a certain sensation was
created in the little society by the rumor that an emissary of the
famous Mr. Punch had arrived in the place; and, as we were smoking the
cigar of peace on the lawn after dinner, looking on at the benevolent,
pretty scene, Mrs. Hopkins, Miss Hopkins, and the excellent head of the
family, walked many times up and down before us; eyed us severely face
to face, and then walking away, shot back fierce glances at us in the
Parthian manner; and at length, at the third or fourth turn, and when
we could not but overhear so fine a voice, Mrs. Hopkins looks at us
steadily, and says, "I'm sure he may put ME in if he likes: I don't
mind."

Oh, ma'am! Oh, Mrs. Hopkins! how should a gentleman, who had never seen
your face or heard of you before, want to put YOU in? What interest can
the British public have in you? But as you wish it, and court publicity,
here you are. Good luck go with you, madam. I have forgotten your real
name, and should not know you again if I saw you. But why could not you
leave a man to take his coffee and smoke his pipe in quiet?

We could never have time to make a catalogue of all the portraits that
figure in this motley gallery. Among the travellers in Europe, who are
daily multiplying in numbers and increasing in splendor, the United
States' dandies must not be omitted. They seem as rich as the Milor of
old days; they crowd in European capitals; they have elbowed out people
of the old country from many hotels which we used to frequent; they
adopt the French fashion of dressing rather than ours, and they grow
handsomer beards than English beards: as some plants are found to
flourish and shoot up prodigiously when introduced into a new soil. The
la