The Project Gutenberg EBook of Punch Among the Planets, by Various

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Title: Punch Among the Planets

Author: Various

Release Date: August 21, 2004 [EBook #13244]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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PUNCH,

OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

Christmas Number 1890.

* * * * *

[Illustration: Punch Among the Planets]

CHRISTMAS NUMBER 1890.

* * * * *

INTRODUCTION.

The Old Year was fast nearing its close, the night was clear and
starry, and Father Time, from the top of his observatory tower, was
taking a last look round.

To him entered, unannounced save by the staccato yap of the faithful
_Tobias_, Time's unfailing friend, unerring Mentor, and immortal
contemporary, _Mr. Punch_.

"_I_ am not for an age, but for All Time," freely quoted the Swan's
sole parallel. "And very much at Time's service," he added, throwing
open his fur-lined "Immensikoff," and lighting a cigar at the
Scythe-bearer's lantern.

[Illustration: Punch Among the Planets]

"Happy to meet you once more, _Mr. Punch_," responded old Edax Rerum,
turning from what the poet calls his 'Optic Tube' to welcome his
sprightly visitor. "Awfully good of you to turn up just now. Like
True THOMAS's _Teufelsdroeckh_, 'I am alone with the Stars,' and was
beginning to feel just a little bit lonely."

"With the Voces Stellarum to keep you company? You surprise me,"
said _Mr. Punch_. "But what is all this?" he added, pointing with
accustomed eye to a pile of MS. at TIME's elbow.

If so old a stager as Father TIME _can_ blush, he certainly did so on
this occasion.

"Fact is, _Mr. Punch_," he rejoined, "I, like younger and shall I
say lesser Celebrities, have been writing my 'Reminiscences.' Ha ha!
_The Chronicles of Chronos_ in 6,000 volumes or so--up to now. This
is a small portion of my _Magnum Opus_. Can you recommend me to a
publisher?"

"Ask my friend Archdeacon FARRAR," responded the Sage, drily. "What
a work! And what a sensation! TALLEYRAND'