beauteous Maria Cotherstone whose name was once on the lips
of everybody from one end of Europe to the other. It nearly happened,
indeed, that she went down to her grave with all her scandalous,
feverish past forgotten, leaving behind her only the fragrant memory of
her later life. But I have saved her. It is a queer story, quite
interesting enough to recall.

* * * * *

THE HIGHER EDUCATION OF WOMEN.

[Illustration: _Mistress._ "That's a nicely-made dress you have on,
Jane. It's like the new parlourmaid's, isn't it?"

_Jane (a close student of the fashion catalogues)._ "Oh no, Ma'am,
_this_ is _quite_ a different creation."]

* * * * *

CHARIVARIA.

It is not only misfortune that makes strange bedfellows. Both Earl
Beauchamp and Sir Joseph Beecham appear in the recent Honours List.

***

By-the-by, it is denied that Sir Joseph Beecham was in any way
responsible for the Government's "Pills for Earthquakes," by which it
was hoped to avert the Irish crisis.

***

A New York cable announces that the Duke of Manchester is interesting
himself in a cinematograph proposition of a philanthropic nature, and
that the company will be known as the "Church and School Social Service
Corporation for the Advancement of Moral and Religious Education and
Social Uplift Work through the medium of the Higher Art of the Moving
Picture." It will of course be possible for the man in a hurry to call
it, _tout court_, the
"C.&S.S.S.C.F.T.A.O.M.&R.E.&S.U.W.T.T.M.O.T.H.A.O.T.M.P."

***

The penny off the income tax came just in time. It enabled several
Liberal plutocrats to buy a rose on Alexandra Day.

***

The balance-sheet of the German Company which had been running a
Zeppelin airship passenger service has just been issued, and shows a
loss of L10,000 on the year's working. This is not surprising, the
difficulty which all aircraft experience to keep their balance.

***

At the launch of the liner _Bismarck_ last week, the bottle of
wine--which was thrown by the Countess Hannah von Bismarck missed the
vessel, whereupon the Kaiser hauled back the bottle, and with his
proverbial good luck hit the target.

***

Five shots were fired last week at Baron Henri de Rothschild. At first
it was thought that this was done to stop the author of _Croesus_ from
writing more plays, but, when it transpired that the assailant was a