talk--as if a girl like Miss TROTTER wasn't--!

_Culch._ I really can't allow you to lecture me. I am not insensible
to my good-fortune--if others are. Now we'll drop the subject.

_Podb._ I'm willing enough to drop it. And I shall turn in now--it's
late. You coming?

_Culch._ Not yet. Good-night. (_To himself, as PODBURY departs._)
You insensate _dolt_!

_Podb._ Good-night! (_To himself, as he swings off._) Confounded
patronising _prig_!

* * * * *

HUMPTY-DUMPTY UP AGAIN!

[Illustration: Little Tich and the Fine Fairy.]

That hardy annual known as The Drury Lane Pantomime is in full vigour
this year, its flowers of a more brilliant colour than ever, and its
leaves, as evidenced by the book of words, are fresh and vigorous.
In no other sense, however, does the Drury Lane Pantomime bear any
resemblance to "a plant." There is no "take in" about it, except that
even big Old Drury is not capable of holding all who would be present;
and so it happens nightly I believe, that many are turned away from
the doors bitterly disappointed. Such certainly was the case when the
present deponent was installed,--without any unnecessary ceremony,--on
a certain given night last week. "The book" is by the Every-knightly
DRURIOLANUS and his faithful Esquire, HARRY NICHOLLS, who, much
to everybody's regret, does not on this occasion appear as one of
the exponents of his own work. There are Miss FANNIE LESLIE--too
much "ie" in this name now, and one may ask "for why"?--Miss
MARIE (not "MARY"--oh dear now!) LLOYD, Miss PATTIE--not PATTY of
course--HEYWOOD, Mr. JOHN and Miss EMMA (dear me! _not_ EMMIE!)
D'AUBAN, and Messrs. HERBERT CAMPBELL as a grotesque monarch, Mr.
DAN LENO as _Queen of Hearts_, Mr. FRED WALTON, wonderful in a
frame as the living image of the _Knave of Hearts_, and a crowd of
clever people. But among the entire _dramatis personae_, first and
foremost, both the least and the greatest, is the impersonator of
_Humpty-Dumpty_ himself, the _Yellow Dwarf_ alias Little TICH, who
shares with the gorgeous spectacle and the exquisite combination of
colours in Scene Eight, _The Wedding_, the first honours of the Great
Drury Lane Annual. It is emphatically a Pantomime for children to see
and to enjoy. The action is so rapid, song succeeds dance, and dance
succeeds song, and permutations and combinations of colour are so
brilliant and so frequent, that anyone who wants full change for his
money