tage-stamps.

For the next three months no journal was complete without a letter from
999 Harley Street, signed "Gordon Venables," in which the iniquity of
his treatment by the British Medical Council was dwelt upon with the
fervour of a man who knew his subject thoroughly; no such letter was
complete without a side-reference to anthro-philomelitis (as found,
happily, in earth-worms) and the anthro-philomelitis treatment (as
recommended by peers). Six months previously the name of Venables had
been utterly unknown to the man in the street. In three months' time it
was better known even than ----'s, the well-known ----.

One-half of London said he was an infamous quack.

The other half of London said he was a martyred genius.

Both halves agreed that, after all, one might as well _try_ this new
what-you-may-call-it treatment, just to see if there was anything _in_
it, don't you know.

It was only last week that Mr. Venables made an excellent speech against
the super-tax.

THE NEWSPAPER PROPRIETOR

The great Hector Strong, lord of journalism and swayer of empires, paced
the floor of his luxurious apartment with bowed head, his corrugated
countenance furrowed with lines of anxiety. He had just returned from a
lunch with all his favourite advertisers ... but it was not this which
troubled him. He was thinking out a new policy for _The Daily Vane_.

Suddenly he remembered something. Coming up to town in his third motor,
he had glanced through the nineteen periodicals which his house had
published that morning, and in one case had noted matter for serious
criticism. This was obviously the first business he must deal with.

He seated himself at his desk and pushed the bell marked "38." Instantly
a footman presented himself with a tray of sandwiches.

"What do you want?" said Strong coldly.

"You rang for me, sir," replied the trembling menial.

"Go away," said Strong. Recognizing magnanimously, however, that the
mistake was his own, he pressed bell "28." In another moment the editor
of _Sloppy Chunks_ was before him.

"In to-day's number," said Strong, as he toyed with a blue pencil, "you
apologize for a mistake in last week's number." He waited sternly.

"It was a very bad mistake, sir, I'm afraid. We did a great injustice
to----"

"You know my rule," said Strong. "The mistake of last week I could have
overlooked. The apology of this week is a more serious matter. You will
ask for a month's salary on