asonableness of
successive First Commissioners of Works, of whom Mr. David Plunket was
not the least forward in doing good, the arrangements in connection with
the Press Gallery of to-day leave nothing to be desired.

Of the changes that have taken place in the House itself, and of the
ghosts that flit about the benches where twenty years ago they sat in
flesh and bone, I shall have something to say next month.

* * * * *

[IMPORTANT NOTICE.--_Companion to the STRAND MAGAZINE. Now Selling. To
be obtained of all Booksellers and Newsagents. THE PICTURE MAGAZINE,
Price Sixpence, Monthly. This new publication, issued from the offices
of "The Strand," contains nothing but pictures, and forms an Art
Magazine for the General Public. Features:--Fine Art Portraits, Curious
Pictures, Humorous Pictures, Pictures of Places, Pictures for Children,
etc., etc._]

_A Child's Tear._

[Illustration]

THE DRAMATIST'S STORY.

FROM THE FRENCH OF EDOUARD LEMOINE.

In a Parisian green-room a new performer was complaining of nervousness.
From some of her companions she received encouragement, but the majority
expressed themselves after this fashion: "Such tremors are incurable. As
nature has formed us, bold or timid, cold or ardent, grave or gay, so we
must remain. Whoever saw an ambitious man cured of his ambition, or a
miser of his avarice?"

Some members of the company objected to the fatalism of these
observations, and one said: "If you ask for a converted miser, I can
show you one. Here he is! _I_ am one."

The man who said this was a popular dramatist, noted for generosity. His
statement was received with ejaculations of "Nonsense!" "Impossible!"
"Do you expect us to believe that?" "Indeed," answered he, quite
seriously, "I speak the truth. I _was_ a miser, although now, I trust, I
am such no longer. If you would care to hear it, I will relate to you
the story of my conversion. It was effected by _a child's tear_." All
present immediately crowded around him, and heard from his lips the
following recital:--

"In 1834," said the dramatist, "I had just given to the theatre of the
Porte-Saint-Martin one of the most successful of my pieces. One day
about that time two letters reached me by the same post. Both were from
Marseilles. One was from a theatrical manager, informing me that he
intended bringing out my new piece there, and that he desired my
presence at the final rehearsals of the