em Beans

* * * * *

WIGS ON THE (SEA) GREEN!--Some Frenchman (we are told by _The
Gentlewoman_) has done Ladies a good turn by inventing a Bathing
Wig, which keeps the hair dry without making the fair bather look "a
fright." Hooray! SABRINA herself might shout for such an invention,
which even the Nereids need not despise. DIZZY once sarcastically
referred to certain "Bathing W(h)igs," but they were of another sort.
Not even the most adventurous Tory could "steal the clothes" of our
latter day "Bathing Wigs."

* * * * *

[Illustration: "FINE SALMON YOU'VE GOT THERE,
POULTER!"--"SIXTY-FIVE POUNDS, MY LORD! SHALL I SEND IT HOME TO YOUR
LORDSHIP?"--"WELL--ER--LOOK HERE! JUST CUT ME HALF A POUND OUT OF THE
MIDDLE THERE, AND GIVE IT ME IN A PIECE OF PAPER!"]

* * * * *

THE TRAVELLING COMPANIONS.

NO. VII.

SCENE--_A Second-Class Compartment on the line between
Wurzburg and Nuremberg. PODBURY has been dull and depressed
all day, not having recovered from the parting with Miss
TROTTER. CULCHARD, on the contrary, is almost ostentatiously
cheerful. PODBURY is intensely anxious to find out how far
his spirits are genuine, but--partly from shyness, and partly
because some of their fellow travellers have been English--he
has hesitated to introduce the subject. At last, however, they
are alone, and he is determined to have it out on the very
first opportunity._

[Illustration: "Puts me in mind o' the best part o' Box 'Ill."]

_Culchard_. Abominably slow train, this _Schnell-zug_. I hope we shall
get to Nuremberg before it's too dark to see the general effect.

_Podbury_. We're not likely to be in time for _table d'hote_--not that
_I'm_ peckish. (_He sighs._) Wonder whereabouts the--the TROTTERS have
got to by now, eh?

[_He feels he is getting red, and hums the Garden Scene from
"Faust."_]

_Culch._ (_indifferently_). Oh, let me see--just arriving at St.
Moritz, I expect. Wonderful effect of colour, that is. [_He indicates
the West, where a bar of crimson is flaming between a belt of firs._

_Podb._ (_absently_). Oh, wonderful!--where? (_Hums a snatch of a
waltz._) Dum-dum-diddle-um-tum-dum-dum-dum-ty-doodle; dum-dum--I say,
_you_ don't seem particularly cut up?

_Culch._ Cut up? Why should I be cut up, my dear fellow?--about what?

[_Before PODBURY can explain, two