tion: CANDID CRITICISM.

"LIKE MY NEW FROCK, AUNT JANE?"

"WELL, _I_ SHOULD SAY YOU'D GOT SKIRTS FOR YOUR SLEEVES, AND A SLEEVE
FOR YOUR SKIRT!"]

* * * * *

PROOFS BEFORE LETTERS.

Humbugs will always ape their betters,
Fools fancy the alphabet brings them fame;
But you don't become a man of letters
By tacking the letters after your name.
One suffix only the _fact_ expresses,
And that's an A and a couple of S's!

* * * * *

ANOTHER MEANING.--_I Rantzau_ is the title of MASCAGNI'S new Opera.
The title, anglicised, would be suitable for an old-fashioned
transpontine melodramatic tragedian, who could certainly say of
himself, "_I rant so!_"

* * * * *

SHAKSPEARIAN CONUNDRUM.

At what time would SHAKSPEARE'S heroine of _The Taming of the Shrew_
have been eminently fitted to be a modern Sunday-School teacher?

_Answer._ When _Petruchio_ kissed her; because then she was _a Kattie
Kiss'd_. (Hem! A Cate-chist.)

* * * * *

ALL ROUND THE FAIR.

NO. I.

SCENE--_A street of Gingerbread, Sweetstuff, and Toy-stalls,
"Cocoa-nut Shies," "Box-pitching Saloons," &c., forming
the approach to the more festive portion of the Fair, from
which proceeds a cheerful cacophony of orchestrions,
barrel-organs, steam-whistles, gongs, big drums, rattles,
and speaking-trumpets._

_Proprietors of Cocoa-nut Shies._ Now, then, play up all o'
you--ar-har! There goes another on 'em! _That's_ the way to 'it
'em--win all yer like, &c.

_A Rival Proprietor_ (_pointing to his target, through the centre of
which his partner's head is protruded_). Look at _that_! Ain't that
better nor any coker-nut? Every time you 'it my mate's 'ed, you git
a good cigar! (_As the by-standers hang back, from motives of
humanity._) 'Ere, _'ave_ a go at 'im, some o' you--give 'im a little
encouragement!

_The Head_ (_plaintively_). Don't neglect a man as is doing his best
to please yer, gen'l'men! (_A soft-hearted Bystander takes a shot at
him, out of sheer compassion, and misses._) Try agen, Sir. I ain't
'ere to be _idle_!

_A Sharp Little Girl_ (_presiding over a sloping Chinese
Billiard-board_). Now, my dears--(_To a group of boys, of about her
own age_)--'ave what yer like. A penny a pull, and a prize every time!
Wherever the marble rolls, you 'ave any one article on the board!

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