was hard or soft. Rather
liked the idea of encamping, thought there would be some fun. Didn't
know much about pitching a tent; supposed it would have some reference
to keeping it dry; but his batman or some one else would attend to that
sort of thing. GUNTER was going to forage for their mess. Thought any
joking about campaign and Champagne stoopid: no one but a civilian would
attempt it.

The General wound up the day's proceedings by visiting the Hospital,
School Room, Library, and outhouses; and--having satisfied himself as to
the state of the barracks, read all the books in the library, examined
every man's accounts in each troop, ascertained the particulars of every
case in hospital--adjourned to the mess, where the festivities were kept
with the usual spirit of the Piebalds.

* * * * *

BORE AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM.

[Illustration: T]

TO THE RIGHT HON. SIR WILLIAM MOLESWORTH, BART.

"I am a Man upon Town; that is, I confess, I spend the greater part of
my time in idling thereabout. But now and then I am seized with a desire
to improve my mind, expand my faculties, elevate my ideas--and all that
sort of thing--and in this proper disposition I go to the British
Museum: which I find shut.

"I don't know how this is. My own fault? I ought to know that the Museum
is only open on certain days? Yes, I ought--but I don't. I forget the
days. I can't remember them; and other people who are not so indolent as
I am, and take pains to recollect them, forget them too.

"Besides, if I am indolent, I am one of the British Public, for whose
use and amusement the British Museum is meant, and think its
arrangements ought, in a reasonable measure, to be accommodated to my
indolence.

"But what you will, perhaps, regard as a consideration of greater
weight, there are numerous persons who only get a leisure day
occasionally; and that leisure, like my fit of diligence, is safe to
occur on a day when the Museum is closed.

"Why not throw the British Museum open every day, except on the few days
when it may be necessary, if it is necessary, that artists should have
it all to themselves--like the National Gallery? What good do the
statues, the stuffed animals, the antiquities, and the mummies do half
their time, wasting their sweetness on the desert--or at least the
vacant--air? It would be much better if they were putting some ideas
into my vacant mind.

"I wish, like a good fellow, you would at