ER IN A GAS COMPANY INTRODUCED._

_The Commissioner_ (_sharply_). Well, Sir, what is it?

_Shareholder_. I have come to complain about the Gas Companies--

_The Com._ I am not surprised. They are generally causing some one or
other trouble.

_Shareh._ No, I beg your pardon, Sir, but you misunderstand me. I am
interested in the prosperity of Gas Companies--

[Illustration]

_The Com._ Then I pity you, for they are certain, sooner or later, to
be superseded by the Electric Light.

_Shareh._ Will you allow me to continue? I am annoyed that some
one has been complaining in the _Times_ that "A Chief of a Rental
Department" (invariably a person of the highest respectability) has a
right to the title of "an arbitrary cove!"

_The Com._ No doubt someone (who showed his wisdom in appealing to so
powerful a tribunal) gave his reasons?

_Shareh._ Well, yes; he certainly had been served with a demand to pay
L1 4s. 10d. within three days, to "prevent the necessity" of the gas
supply to his premises being discontinued at a time when he and his
family were out of Town, and his house was closed for the recess.

_The Com._ _Prima facie_, that seems a strong order! And I suppose the
complainant wrote to the Gas Company, and got no redress?

_Shareh._ Well, yes. But then, you see, this demand for payment within
three days may have been a final notice.

_The Com._ (_drily_). Seems to have been very final indeed! Was there
anything on the face of the notice to distinguish it from an ordinary
unstamped circular?

_Shareh._ No, I believe not. But, then, possibly, the account had been
submitted to him before.

_The Com._ How do you know? Speaking from my own experience, a
demand-note is generally left at the house when the master is away,
and the Collector does not take the slightest trouble to _collect_
the money. He leaves it to chance whether the money is _sent_ or not.
Surely _you_ must know that in your character of a householder?

_Shareh._ Well, yes; I fancy that the collector does sometimes act in
a very perfunctory manner.

_The Com._ And that servants frequently are unable to distinguish
between the open circular of a Gas Company asking for the settlement
of an account, and the open circular of a touting coal merchant asking
for custom? And when this happens, both find a home in the dust-hole.
Is not that so?

_Shareh._ Well, yes--very likely--but the law is--

_The Com._ (_sternly_). The Law and its name shoul