nd two ears on its head."

It was now Charlie Bolton's turn: "Good evening, genteel lady, ever
genteel, I, a genteel gentleman, _ever_ genteel, come from that genteel
lady, ever genteel, to say that she owns a little dog with ears on its
back, a tongue in its head, hair in its mouth, and a bone between its
teeth."

"Charlie! Charlie! three horns!"

"All honorable horns! hurra! I'm the only one with horns!"

"You'll soon have companions in misfortune," said Mary, laughing.

"Good morning, genteel lady, ever genteel," said Gertrude, bowing to
Alice, "I, a genteel lady, ever genteel, come from that three-horned
gentleman, ever three-horned, to say that he owns a little dog with hair
on its back, a red tongue in its mouth, two ears on its head, a bone
between its teeth, and a tail a yard long."

"Good morning, she said! that's one horn!" cried the other children.

"Good evening, genteel gentleman, ever genteel," said Alice, reverently
bowing to John Wyndham, "I, a genteel lady, ever genteel, come from that
one-horned lady, ever one-horned, to say that she owns a little dog with
hair on its back, a red tongue in its mouth, a bone between its teeth, a
fell a yard long, and three legs and a half."

"You left out two ears on its head! a horn!"

"I'm resigned," said Alice, "gentility seems to be at a discount."

So the game went on, becoming every moment more difficult and more
ludicrous--as Charlie called it, more _trippy_--and by the time it went
round the second time, none escaped the horns. Any thing will do for the
genteel lady to own, and it makes it more agreeable to vary it each time
it is played: for instance, an eagle with a golden beak, silver claws,
diamond eyes, ostrich feathers, bird-of-paradise tail, a crown on its
head, a diamond ring on its thumb, a gold chain round its neck, a
pocket-handkerchief in its hand, and any other nonsense you can string
together. A lady's etagere or what-not would be a good medium for
collecting together absurdities--Mont Blanc at the top, a gridiron
below, a gold thimble at the side, the poets in a corner, a breakfast
set on one shelf, a card-case above, a smelling-bottle at the side, a
work-box, a writing-desk, a piece of coral, etc. A _genteel_ lady's
description of her mansion--certainly an extraordinary one--would be
suitable; a modern-built house, with a _porto-ricco_ in front, and a
_pizarro_ in the rear, a summer-house _contagious_, and _turpentine_
walks, etc.

B