fficult
to hit on anything really original nowadays. But I daresay you despise
all that sort of thing. Well, good-bye, I mustn't keep my coachman
waiting any longer.

Perhaps, I _was_ a little annoyed, my dear, never offering us a cup of
tea or anything, after coming all that way, but I don't think I showed
it, _did_ I? Yes, I _am_ rather tired, and I really think that if it
wasn't that I can't bear disappointing people, I should turn back now.
But we must just drop in on that poor little Mr. HAVERSTOCK, now we
_are_ so near. The poor man was so anxious that I should see his
pictures--we needn't stay long.

There, Mr. HAVERSTOCK, you see I _haven't_ forgotten! though we're
rather late, and we shall have to drive back directly to dress--we're
dining out this evening, you know. What a nice studio! small, of course,
but then you don't want a large room, do you? What a quantity of
pictures! How you must have worked! If you send in so many, one of
them's _sure_ to get in, _isn't_ it? Still, I should have thought that
if you had painted only one or two, and taken great pains with _them_,
it might--oh, most of them are your friend's? and only _these_ two
yours? Well, no doubt you are quite right not to be too ambitious. Why,
this is quite charming--really _quite_ charming, isn't it, EUGENIA? Oh,
I quite understand it isn't _yours_, Mr. HAVERSTOCK. I suppose your
friend has been painting much longer than you have? No? _really!_
Younger, is he? but some people have a natural turn for it, haven't
they? Have you had many visitors this afternoon? Ah, well, they will
come some day, I daresay. Now I'm going to be very rude, and make a
suggestion. Perhaps if you burnt one or two pastilles, or those Japanese
joss-sticks, you know,--they're quite cheap--you'd get rid of some of
the smell of the paint and the cigarettes--or is it _pipes_? Oh, _I_
don't mind it, you know, but some do....

Poor dear fellow, I'm afraid he'll never get on. And _what_ a pig-stye
to paint in! Well, I'm glad I've done my duty, EUGENIA. Mind you
remember all the places we've been to. Home, please, CHANDLER.

* * * * *

ROBERT'S COMMISHUNS.

[Illustration]

I ain't bin quite so owerwhelmed with my warious Comisshuns from my
lucky winners on the Boat Race as I hexpected to be, but the werry
smallest on 'em is allus welcome.

I rayther think as "S. B." who enclosed me a Post Order for 1_s._ 6_d._,
must have bin mistaken as