he congratulations and best wishes for crowded
houses--which they are sure to be for all the _Matinees_--from theirs
truly, MR. P.'S FIRST COMMISSIONER.

* * * * *

GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT.--Sir FRANCIS SANDFORD has created a profound
feeling of disappointment among all classes of society by not having
added, "and Merton," to his title. "Lord SANDFORD OF SANDFORD" is
weak; but "Lord SANDFORD-AND-MERTON" would have been truly noble.

* * * * *

SIR JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE's reply to President BLAINE: "The point o'
this here observation lies in the Behring of it." (_Captain Cuttle
adapted_.)

* * * * *

OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

I tried _Criss-Cross Lovers_ the other day, a Novel, in two or three
vols., I don't remember which; but those may ascertain who are not
choked off in the first hundred pages, as was the unfortunate Baron de
B.-W. He had the presence of mind to put it down in time, and, after
a few moments of refreshing repose, was, like _Richard_, "himself
again," and able to tackle quite another novel.

[Illustration]

In the _English Illustrated Magazine_, for this month, I have just
read a most interesting account of a visit paid by the Very Rev.
Dean of Gloucester to the Trappist Monastery of La Grande Chartreuse,
which, thanks to the marvellous spirit of the Order known as
Chartreuse Verte or Chartreuse Jaune, is one of the Religious
Confraternities not suppressed by the Anti-monkical majority in the
French Government. The Baron--the umble individual who now addresses
you--has himself entered within these Monastic walls, inspected the
buildings, seen all the monastic practical jokes, known as "regular
cells," and has come away the better for the visit, with much food
for reflection and refection _en route_ in the _voiture_, and with
spirituous comfort in green and yellow bottles. This paper, in the
_New Illustrated_, is well worth reading.

The Baron has for some weeks had on his table, _Golden Lines; The
Story of a Woman's Courage_, by FREDERICK WICKS. The Baron being,
as he is bound to admit, almost human, was warned off the book by
its title, which seems to suggest something in the tract line. The
Publishers' name (BLACKWOOD) is, however, an invariable stamp of
good metal. So the Baron picked up the book, was attracted by the
remarkably clever illustrations, and finally, beginning at the
beginning, he read to the e