* * *

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by the
PUNCHINELLO PUBLISHING COMPANY, in the Clerk's Office of the District
Court of the United States, for the Southern District of New York.

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A GOOD FIGHT.

We presume that all the Boston people "lecture" at times; at any rate
they could, if they wanted to. No one doubts their ability.

But, let the number of these imparters of information be ever so great,
we have reason to doubt whether any other of these accomplished parties
has grappled with so formidable, so tremendous a subject, as that which
is now exciting the powerful mind of Miss LILLIAN EDGARTON.

She is going to do it, though! If her life is spared, and her
constitution remains free from blight, (both of which felicities we
trust will be hers,) that subject has got to come under.

That all may know how great is the task, and the confidence required to
pitch into it, we announce, with a flourish, that Miss L. E. is about to
attack that well-known Saurian Monster, termed GOSSIP! Considered as a
Disease, she proposes to find the Cause and the Cure. Considered as a
living and gigantic Nuisance (by far surpassing any Dragon described by
SPENSER,) she designs to hunt him out and slay him incontinently.

Courage, fair Knight! Our eldest Son is kept in reserve for some such
Heroine! If you would be famous, if you would make a perfect thing of
this Crusade, if you would render the lives of your fellow mortals
longer and happier, if you would win that noble and ingenuous youth, our
son, go in vehemently!

And, while you are about it, LILLIAN, would you object to giving your
attention to certain relations of the monster which you propose to slay?
We name them, Detraction and Calumny. They are tough old Dragons, now,
we tell you; perhaps it were best to fight shy of them.

We have it, LILLIAN! Leave 'em to us! Us, with a big U! You kill little
Gossip, and see how quick his brothers and sisters will fall, before our
mighty battle-axe!

(And so they will fall, sure enough, but it will be simply because when
our dear young knight, L.E., has killed _her_ Dragon, she will have
wiped out the whole brood! They can't live without their sweet and
attractive little sister. And so, like many a bigger humbug, we shall
take great credit, that belongs to somebody else, and assume to have
done big things, at enormous expense of blood and money. Trust