s the common heart to hear
The crowning of so glorious a career
By such a gracious end!

* * * * *

THE SANITARY CONGRESS AT VENICE.--Mrs. RAM's Nephew was talking on
this subject, when his Aunt was heard murmuring to herself, "I stood
in Venice on the Bridge of Sighs;" then she looked up, and repeating
the last word, observed, "Well, it never struck me before, often as
I've heard that line quoted. But what an extraordinary thing to make a
bridge of! I suppose it was painted over first, because I know that's
how 'size' is commonly used."

* * * * *

[Illustration: _The Irish Curate_ (_to the New Vicar_). "THAT POOR
MAN, SIR, HAS ALWAYS GOT A SKELETON JUST IN FRONT OF HIM THAT FOLLOWS
HIM ABOUT WHEREVER HE GOES!"]

* * * * *

THE BOXING IMBROGLIO.

Oh, SLAVIN, FRANK SLAVIN, you'd fain be a whacker
Of SULLIVAN, JOHN, but you can't find a backer,
While SULLIVAN, biggest of Yankee big fellows,
Blows froth all the time from his own patent bellows.
Well, fight if you must; I am sure you'll fight fair;
Bag his wind if you can, FRANK, but don't beat the air.

* * * * *

ONLY FANCY!

Mr. CHAPLIN has, we hear, entered with native enthusiasm into his
mission to the Agricultural Labourer. It was entirely his own idea.
"The Liberals have their Rural Conferences," he said at a recent
Cabinet Council, "and we should do something of the same kind; only we
must go one better. Of course the delegates liked their trip to London
(expenses paid, their free breakfast, their shake of Mr. GLADSTONE's
hand, and the opportunity of gazing on the supple form of Mr.
SCHNADHORST.) That's all very well for them. But think of the hundreds
of thousands green with jealousy because they weren't selected for
the trip? These are all ripe to vote for us at the General Election
if only delicately handled. What you want is a man of commanding
presence, unfailing tact, a knowledge of horses, and some gift of
oratory. If no one else occurs to you, I'll go." No one else did occur
to the mind of the Cabinet. So the Minister of Agriculture set forth
on his missionary enterprise.

* * * * *

We have been gratified by the receipt of many tokens of interest and
appreciation elicited by our paragraph last week, reporting the state
of the household markets. One takes the form of