ECH ON THE GREAT CROCHET QUESTION TO PREPARE FOR THE EVENING."

_"Punch's Almanack" for 1853._]

* * * * *

[Illustration: AN ASTONISHING REQUEST.

_Fast young lady (to old gent)_. "HAVE YOU SUCH A THING AS A LUCIFER
ABOUT YOU, FOR I'VE LEFT MY CIGAR-LIGHTS AT HOME?"

[_"Punch," August 29, 1857._]

* * * * *

[Illustration: NOT VERY LIKELY.

_Mistress_. "WELL, I'M SURE! AND PRAY WHO IS THAT?"

_Cook_. "OH, IF YOU PLEASE, 'M, IT'S ONLY MY COUSIN WHO HAS CALLED
JUST TO SHOW ME HOW TO BOIL A POTATO."

_"Punch," August 31, 1850._]

* * * * *

[Illustration: OUR SPECIALS.

_Special Constable._ "NOW MIND, YOU KNOW--IF I KILL YOU, IT'S NOTHING;
BUT IF YOU KILL ME, BY JINGO, IT'S MURDER."

_"Punch," April 22, 1848._]

* * * * *

[Illustration: A PEACE CONFERENCE.

_Flora._ "OH, I AM SO GLAD--DEAR HARRIET--THERE IS A CHANCE OF
PEACE--I AM MAKING THESE SLIPPERS AGAINST DEAR ALFRED COMES BACK!"

_Cousin Tom._ "HAH, WELL! I AIN'T QUITE SO ANXIOUS ABOUT PEACE--FOR,
YOU SEE, SINCE THOSE SOLDIER CHAPS HAVE BEEN ABROAD, WE CIVILIANS HAVE
HAD IT PRETTY MUCH OUR OWN WAY WITH THE GURLS!"

_"Punch," March 22, 1856._]

* * * * *

[Illustration: HOME AMUSEMENTS.

GRAND PEACE DEMONSTRATION IN OUR NURSERY!

_"Punch," May 24, 1856._]

* * * * *

A BALLAD OF EELS.

["Lord Desborough has just been reminding us of the neglected
source of food supply that we have in the eels of our rivers and
ponds. He stated, 'The food value of an eel is remarkable. In food
value one pound of eels is better than a loin of beef.... The
greatest eel-breeding establishment in the world is at Comacchio,
on the Adriatic. This eel nursery is a gigantic swamp of 140 miles
in circumference. It has been in existence for centuries, and in
the sixteenth century it yielded an annual revenue of L1,200 to
the Pope.'"--_Liverpool Daily Post_.]

When lowering clouds refuse to lift
And spread depression far and wide,
And when the need of strenuous thrift
Is loudly preached on every side,
What boundless gratitude one feels
To DESBOROUGH, inspiring chief,
For telling us: "One pound of eels
Is better than a loin of beef"

Of old, Popes made eel-breeding pay
(At least Lord DESBOROUGH says they did