Divorce Court. The husband, who has become quite a bear in consequence
of his better half having rendered herself quite unbearable, would
naturally turn head-over-heels with joy on getting quit of the ring.
But alas! mark the end of the poor bear. He got more and more excited;
he had to be looked up in a stable. Here the joy and novelty of the
situation overcame him; his mighty brain gave way; he became mad as
a hatter--(_Alice in Wonderland_ might have asked, "Then why didn't
they send for a hatter, who would have brought a chimney-pot, or some
sort of a tile for his bear-head?")--and subsequently the veterinary
Mr. THRALE (whose ancestral namesake had considerable experience
in dealing with that learned bear. Dr. JOHNSON) procured a gun, and
potted the bear. Awkward in his life, but grease-ful in his death.

* * * * *

[Illustration: EDWARDO AND EDWINI.

A JAPANESE JAPE BY OUR EVER-ON-THE-SPOT ARTIST "LIKA JOKO,"
REPRESENTING SIR EDWIN ARNOLD RECEIVING THE ORDER OF "THE FIRST
DESCRIPTIVE LEADER" FROM H.J.M., DALI TELLI, THE MIKADO.]

* * * * *

LADY GAY'S SELECTIONS.

_Mount Street, Grosvenor Square._

DEAR MR. PUNCH,

Anything more dreary than racing during this week's weather at
Newmarket can scarcely be imagined! I have often heard Lord ARTHUR
declare he was "as dry as a limekiln," and always thought it an absurd
expression; and now I _know_ it is!--for anything more _wet_ than
the Limekilns at Newmarket this week I never saw!--it's a mystery to
me how the poor horses and men avoid catching cold, cantering about
there without galoshes--though, by the way, Mr. HAMMOND had _one_
"_Galoche_" which, of course, was not much use!

Owing to the smallness (that's a good word) of the attendance, we were
"pinched" a little in the prices, and of course the pinch came where
one least expected it, which was somewhat disconcerting--but as most
of the "good things" came off all right--(especially those we took
with us from BENOIST and FORTNUM's)--it did not matter so much. Ladies
of course were chiefly conspicuous by their absence, but my sweet
friend Lady NEWMAN GATESHEAD was quite the _Belle_ of the gathering,
and attracted nearly as much attention as the _Queen of Navarre_, who
naturally won her race in royal style!

My selection for the Chesterfield Stakes, _Meddler_, was successful
after a short struggle with the Duke of PORTLAND's _Kilmarnock_ to
wh