ressive of
enthusiastic admiration._

I once knew a Super, a festive soul,
Who quaffed champagne from a brimming bowl,
And all night long as he quaffed he sang,
"The Dukes may swing, and the Earls go hang,
And the Duchesses, 'drat 'em, may go and be blowed;
They've all been there, and they know the road--
They're slaves, but the Super who sups is free--
Oh! the Super's life is the life for me!

_Chorus._

With a hey-diddle-diddle and fiddle-di-dee,
Oh! the supping Super's the man for me!"

_Spinks, Boldero, Gushby, Jarp_ (_with enthusiasm_). My dear
fellow, that's immense.

_Hill._ Yes, it's not bad. There are six verses, some of them even
better than that.

[_The Chairman rises to propose the only toast of the
evening, "Success to the Great Actor who is about to
leave us for a short time." The usual
speech--reminiscent, anecdotic, prophetic of tremendous
triumphs, mildly humorous, pathetic._

_The Chairman_ (_concluding_). Therefore I bid you all charge your
glasses as full of wine as your hearts are full of sympathy, and join me
in wishing success to the Great Man, who is about to cull new laurels in
a foreign land.

[_Roars of applause. Immense enthusiasm. The Great Actor
responds. He is moved to tears. He assures his friends,
that wherever he may go his heart will ever turn fondly
to them. Great cheering._

_Tiffington_ (_puffing his cigar_). Not so bad. I always said he could
speak better than he could act.

[_The supper concludes._ HALL _has not been asked to
sing._

_Friend of Great Actor_ (_departing, to_ TIFFINGTON). It's been a
splendid evening, hasn't it?

_Tiffington_ (_putting on his coat_). Yes. Pretty fair. (_To_ HALL.)
Sorry for you, old chap. But the song will keep.

_Hall._ Keep? Oh, yes, it'll keep. I'll make it red-hot for the lot of
'em, and sing it at Blankbury next year. They won't like that, I rather
think.

_Jarp._ No, by Gad!

[_Exeunt omnes._

* * * * *

THE SHREWING OF THE TAME.

DEAR MR. PUNCH,

MR. F. R. BENSON deserves commendation for a new idea. SHAKSPEARE has
been presented in many forms, but the notion of giving the Bard without
any acting to speak of is a novelty. And it is not quite certain that it
is a mistake. After all, a bad actor is an infliction, and it is better
to have gentlemen who have not spent centuries in mastering the
intricacies of t