e subject, "I see ARPACHSHAD has
nearly come up with that leaf. He'll be going to his dinner now,
I suppose, and I think I must be off. Shall see you at the House
to-morrow. Sorry for you to break up the associations of your rural
life; but that only temporary."

Saw OLD MORALITY off at the station. Came back to pack up our spade
and hoe, and leave some general instructions with ARPACHSHAD. He seems
much touched at the approaching separation. Quite unable to continue
the lawn-mowing. Followed us about with his jack-knife open, clipping
here and there a dead stem, so as to keep up an appearance of
incessant labour.

"Ours is only a change of occupation, ARPACHSHAD," said SARK. "We
cease to labour here, but we carry on our work in another field. We
go to town, leaving, as the Poet GRAY might have said, the garden to
solitude and you."

"Excuse _me_, Gents," said ARPACHSHAD. a look of anxiety crossing his
mobile face, "but you can't leave it to me altogether. I could manage
well enough when you were here, helpin' and workin'. But, when you're
gone, I'll have to have at least one extry man." SARK pleased at
this testimony to value of our assistance; but it really means that
ARPACHSHAD intends to do less than ever, running us into the expense
of a second gardener.

* * * * *

PARS ABOUT PICTURES.

[Illustration]

Arrive at Fine Art Society's Place, and there look at HOKUSAI's
drawings and engravings. Who was HOKUSAI? Why, don't you know? He was
our own LIKA-JOKO's great-grandfather. "Great-grandfather was a most
wonderful man, There's none of 'em does what great-grandfather can,"
except LIKA JOKO, of course. Obliged to say this, because I know LIKA
JOKO goes about with a Daimio's two-handed sword, and he would think
nothing of giving me the cut direct. But to return to HOKUSAI--sounds
like sneezing in a Dutch dialect, doesn't it?--his drawings are full
of originality and humour; he was possessed of wondrous versatility
and great industry. He began to draw at six, and continued till he
was well-nigh ninety. Were he flourishing now, he might illustrate the
lucubrations of

Yours par-tially, OLD PAR.

* * * * *

"UP ABOVE THE WORLD SO HIGH!"--See _Mr. Punch Among the Planets_--his
Christmas Number. In spite of its title, it is not "over the heads of
the People." Look out below!

* * * * *

NOTICE.--Rejected Communicati