ke to know something about him. But perhaps we'd better
leave IBSEN open, then. Now, what shall we have next?

_Miss Skipworth._ I tell you what would fetch them--a skirt-dance.
I'll dance for you--like a shot. It would be no end of fun doin' it on
a regular platform, and I've been studyin' FLOSSIE FRILLINGTON, at the
Inanity, till I've caught her style exactly.

_Mr. Kempton._ Oh, I say, you can give her a stone and a beatin' any
day, give you my word you can. She doesn't put anythin' like the go
into it you do.

[_Miss S. accepts this tribute with complacency._

_Mrs. Flitt._ A skirt-dance will be the very thing. It's sure to
please the people we shall bring over for it--and of course they'll
be in the front rows. Yes, I must put _that_ down. We ought to have
a song next. Mrs. TUBEROSE, you promised to come and sing for us--you
will, won't you?

_Mrs. Tuberose._ Delighted! I rather thought of doing a dear little
song STEPHAN OTIS has just brought out. It's called "_Forbidden
Fruit_," and he wrote it expressly for me. It goes like this.

[_She sits down at the piano, and sings, with infinite expression and
tenderness._

"Only the moon espies our bliss,
Through the conscious clusters of clematis,
Shedding star-sweet showers.
To-morrow the world will have gone amiss--
Now we are face by face, love, I thrill to your kiss--
So let us remember naught but this:
That To-night is ours!
Yes, this passionate, perilous, exquisite night--is Ours!"

_Several Voices._ Charmin'.... OTIS puts so much real feeling into all
his songs ... quite a little gem! &c., &c.

_Lady Damp._ I should have thought myself that it was rather
advanced--for an East-End audience----

_Mrs. Tuberose_ (_nettled_). Really, dear Lady DAMPIER, if people see
nothing to object in it _here_, I don't see why they should be more
particular at the East-End!

_Mrs. Flitt._ Oh no,--and as if it matters what the _words_ are in
a song. I daresay if one heard _their_ songs----Now we want another
song--something as different as possible.

_Mr. Gardinier._ Heard a capital song at the "Pav." the other
night--something about a Cock-eyed Kipper. Just suit my voice. I could
easily get the words and music, and do that for you--if you like.

_Several Voices._ A Cock-eyed Kipper! It sounds too killing! Oh, we
must have that!

_Lady Damp._ Might I ask what kind of creature a--a "Cock-eyed Kipper"
may be?

_Mr. Gard._ Oh, well, I suppos