afternoon, and we purpose making an excursion in that
neighbourhood on Sunday, and coming up from Liskeard on Monday by Great
Western fast train, which will get us to London, please God, in good
time on Monday evening. There I shall hear from you, and know whether
dear Mamie will move to London too.

We had a pleasant journey down here, and a beautiful day. No adventures
whatever. Nothing has happened to Wilkie, and he sends love.

We had stinking fish for dinner, and have been able to drink nothing,
though we have ordered wine, beer, and brandy-and-water. There is
nothing in the house but two tarts and a pair of snuffers. The landlady
is playing cribbage with the landlord in the next room (behind a thin
partition), and they seem quite comfortable.

Ever, my dearest Georgy, your most affectionate.

[Sidenote: Miss Mary Boyle.]

OFFICE OF "ALL THE YEAR ROUND,"
_Friday, Dec. 28th, 1860._

MY DEAR MARY,

I cannot tell you how much I thank you for the beautiful cigar-case, and
how seasonable, and friendly, and good, and warm-hearted it looked when
I opened it at Gad's Hill. Besides which, it is a cigar-case, and will
hold cigars; two crowning merits that I never yet knew to be possessed
by any article claiming the same name. For all of these reasons, but
more than all because it comes from you, I love it, and send you
eighteen hundred and sixty kisses, with one in for the new year.

Both excellent stories and perfectly new. Your Joe swears that he never
heard either--never a word or syllable of either--after he laughed at
'em this blessed day.

I have no news, except that I am not quite well, and am being doctored.
Pray read "Great Expectations." I think it is very droll. It is a very
great success, and seems universally liked. I suppose because it opens
funnily, and with an interest too.

I pass my time here (I am staying here alone) in working, taking physic,
and taking a stall at a theatre every night. On Boxing Night I was at
Covent Garden. A dull pantomime was "worked" (as we say) better than I
ever saw a heavy piece worked on a first night, until suddenly and
without a moment's warning, every scene on that immense stage fell over
on its face, and disclosed chaos by gaslight behind! There never was
such a business; about sixty people who were on the stage being
extinguished in the most remarkable manner. No