convention by which an actor's lips are allowed to move in one part of
the stage while the sound comes from a totally different quarter, we may
go further and arrange for the singers to be put out of sight
altogether. He (and more particularly, she) might be posted behind some
sort of screen, diaphanous in respect of the vocalists' view of the
conductor, but opaque to the audience. When I think of some of the
rather antique and amorphous _prime donne_ of German, Italian and French
opera, I know that any scheme which would render them invisible and
permit their acting parts to be played by young and gracious figures
would meet with my unqualified approval. It would be necessary, of
course, to consult them first (a task which I would not care to
undertake), and this division of labour would no doubt entail additional
expense, but I am convinced that the pure love of art for art's sake
which is inherent in the nature of all operatic stars and syndicates
would ultimately rise superior to considerations whether of pelf or
_amour propre_.

O. S.

* * * * *

From a catalogue:--

"WELLS (H. G.) Ann Veronica, a Modern Love Story, cr. 8vo. _cloth_
(_rather dull_)."

* * * * *

DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

[Another Husband Housekeeper, supplementing the information already
published in _The Daily Mail_, reveals the system of housekeeping
by enforcing which he saves pounds and pounds and pounds a year.]

When Sunday's heavy meal is done
Our joint's career is but begun.

_Imprimis_, undismayed and bold,
It reappears on Monday, cold.

And lo! the same on Tuesday will
Appear again, and colder still.

The odds and ends we keep in store,
Divided neatly into four.

A portion (No. 1) will do
For Wednesday's so-to-speak "ragout";

A portion (No. 2) will be
The gist of Thursday's "fricassee";

A portion (No. 3) supply
The pith of Friday's "cottage pie";

A portion (No. 4) will play
The leading _role_ on Saturday,

Entitled, may be, "_a la russe_,"
Or, better still, "anonymous."

Thus is economy attained,
For thus is appetite constrained.

* * * * *

"DRIVEN."

(_With a slight hook to it_).

I.

SCENE--_The drawing-room of_ John Staffurth, M. P. _Enter_ Staffurth
_and_ Barbara Cullen.

_Staffurth._ Barbara, t