"

"Capital!" cries the Captain. "Look here, Mrs. GOSLING,--I've just
thought of a little joke. I want to see if he'll _know_ me. Now you go
and talk to him a little, and--presently, you know--say there's a man
in the drawing-room, who's come to wind the clocks, and then I'll come
in to where you are, and make believe to wind the clock there--do you
see? I'd bet anything he won't spot me at first!"

You are young enough to be delighted at the idea of such a pretty
little comedy, and you trip away to the study, and archly keep
dear WILLIAM in conversation until the Captain is ready to make
his appearance. At last, a little impatiently, you give the cue by
mentioning that there is a clock-winder in the drawing-room. WILLIAM
is amusingly suspicious, and insists on seeing the man. As the
scene will be just as funny in the drawing-room, you accompany him
thither--but there is no gallant Captain there affecting to wind
your charming little Sevres clock (a wedding present)--he has gone,
and--alas! without leaving a timepiece for anybody else to wind. And
WILLIAM is _most_ disagreeable and unpleasant about it!

* * * * *

NOTES FROM A NURSERY-GARDEN.

(_BY AN AWFULLY CLEVER CHILD_.)

DEAR MR. PUNCH,--I am a Poetess. I am told that the Age is old, and
that Poetry is over. _My_ age is ten, and my poetry is certainly not
over. My nurse (one of those horrid critics) has ventured to suggest
that I am not original. I leave you to judge. Yours impatiently,
ENFANT TERRIBLE.

N.W.

Alack! up Northern Primrose Hill
(_Sing, oh, JACK! sing, ah, GILL!_)
They climbed, and deemed it Helicon,
Those childish bards, GILLETTE and JOHN,
Their pails with Hippocrene to fill.
(_Sing, oh, JACK! sing, ah, GILL!_)

Adown that Western Hill, alack!
(_Sing, ah, GILL! sing, oh, JACK!_)
Or e'er they gained the Muses' well,
JACK kicked his bucket frail and, fell.
And GILL was brought upon her back.
(_Sing, ah, GILL! sing, oh, JACK!_)

TO A SCENTY PEDE.

How doth yonder miniature featness,
Though wingless, with gossamer wit,
Foregather mellifluent sweetness,
While Fates unrelenting permit--
Wise heir of bright hours, completeness
Of blossoms that flicker and flit.

ON A JAPANESE SCREEN.

In Yeddo, where long lilies weep, Bo' Peep
The shepherdess hath lost her sheep.
She recks not where the sheep have strayed, Poor maid,
Beneath the Boodha-Temp