s appearance, and
ere many months '_the wolf will come_.'"

With the intuitive calculation of woman, MRS. POTTS wonders where on
earth she and POTTS are to sleep, if the Russians--which, of course, is
meant by the wolf--is quartered upon 'em?

But this is nothing to what is threatened in December. MRS. POTTS
continues to read with--very naturally--increasing fear and amazement.
Fear for HER MAJESTY the QUEEN, and amazement at things in general!
"Heaven preserve!"--cries the prophet in ominous tones--"Heaven preserve
the health of our Sovereign, and also of her people!"--ending with the
new version of a Dead March, set after this fashion:--

"Dark and gloomy clouds hover over us; and I regret to add that
during the year 1855 the significations are still fearfully evil. I
cannot at present discover one ray of hope."

What? Not for half-a-crown? Suppose, then, we make it
three-and-sixpence!

Now, whilst the POTTSES continue to read the _Prophetic Raphael_--(it is
the vagabond's "thirty-fourth year")--in the parlour--should they
wonder at, should they punish poor SUSAN with the gypsey in the kitchen?

Take care--oh, ye masters and mistresses!--of the half-crowns, and in
good time the spoons will take care of themselves.

[Illustration]

* * * * *

A GOOD HATER OF BLUE-STOCKINGS.

"If anything could increase my extreme horror of Blue-Stockings, it
would be the terrible suspicion I cannot divest myself of that every
Blue-Stocking drinks. I fancy that the only person she pays her devoirs
to--and those only in secret--is OLD TOM; and that it is as much as she
can do to keep her lips away from him. The suspicion is a very ungallant
one, but I cannot help imagining that when two Blue-Stockings get
together, they do love a good soaking. In fact, who was the goddess who
first gave her countenance to Gin? PALLAS, to be sure; and her very
origin was the result of a drunken frolic, for are we not told that she
came into the world during one of JOVE'S splitting headaches? Now PALLAS
is the confessed patroness of all Blue-Stockings; and as a public-house
is to this day called, in honour of her, a "Gin Pallas", it is not very
unreasonable to suppose that her _protegees_ are addicted to the same
terrible practice! It is sad, indeed, to think--and I only hope it is
not true--that the Tree of Knowledge should, with elderly ladies, be a
Juniper Tree."--_Anon._

* *