oks like the development of the highest art. But the heroine of
Manipur is unmistakably artless. She is content to jot down, as if
she were writing a letter home, her impressions of what she sees,
and her account of what passes before her eyes. She has the gift of
reproducing with a few strokes of the pen, portraiture of anything
that has struck her. The only thing missed is detailed report of her
own brave bearing through the fearful night when the Residency was
attacked, and during the dreadful days that followed on the flight
towards Cachar. No one reading Mrs. GRIMWOOD's narrative would guess
what splendid part she played in that tragedy. Fortunately that has
been told elsewhere, and the omission is an added charm to a book that
has many others--including a portrait of the author.

THE BARON DE BOOK-WORMS AND CO.

* * * * *

CIVIL SERVICE EXHIBITION.

DEAR MR. PUNCH,--The Military Exhibition was such a success, and
the Naval Exhibition was such a successor, that we Government Clerks
invoke your powerful aid to help us to establish next year a Civil
Service Exhibition. The Public have really no idea what wondrous
curiosities there are in the Civil Service, and would, I feel sure,
be amused and instructed at a well-organised and representative
Exhibition. At 10.15 A.M. they would see real live Clerks sign real
Attendance-Books, and insert (real or unreal) times of arrival. In the
course of the morning there might be an Exhibition of Civil Servants
over sixty-five years of age, who didn't want to retire, with a
similar number of Civil Servants, of fifty-five years of age, who
didn't want them to stay. In the afternoon, in the Arena, would daily
be attempted the difficult feat of proceeding from the Second Division
to the Higher Division. The obstacles would be represented by real
Treasury Clerks and Civil Service Commissioners, holding Orders in
Council and Treasury Minutes; and the Clerk successful in performing
the feat might be created a Duke.

In one of the kiosks a lecture on _"Sick Leave and how to spend it,"
by the Earl and the Doctor_, might be delivered hourly. In another
kiosk, official C.B.'s would be on show; Jubilee C.B.'s being classed
together on one side, and special prominence being given to those
C.B.'s who hadn't applied for the honour, and to those who had
obtained it for real services otherwise unrecognised. After dark the
"Treasury Ring" might join hands and da