ngs, and have grease boxes, spring buffers,
and every other device in use on the London and North-Western
Railway--from which they have been copied, like everything else on this
Liliputian line. The greatest railway in the world took a friendly
interest in the smallest, and supplied it with the drawings and models
from which it and its rolling stock have been imitated.

[Illustration: THE HEAVY GOODS TRAIN--THE TRUCKS LOADED WITH
MERCHANDISE.]

One tiny detail I think I must mention in conclusion, and it is that the
management have thoughtfully provided fourteen hand lamps for the
service of the line.

In acknowledging my indebtedness to Mr. Leigh, I should like to say that
he has found in his miniature railway not only a source of continual
amusement, but also a means of doing good to others, for he has on more
than one occasion shown it in operation to large gatherings of people,
who have flocked to see it both on account of the interest naturally
excited by it, and also for the sake of "sweet charity," the proceeds
realised from these exhibitions being devoted to some worthy object.

For the photographs which accompany this article we are indebted to Mr.
J. Ambler, of Manchester.

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THE VERY SHORT MEMORY of MR. JOSEPH SCORER]

A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE AT THE SEASIDE

BY JOHN OXENHAM.

_Illustrated by H. M. Brock._

Could it, after all, be called unique? Hardly, perhaps, in the strict
sense of the word, since others shared in it. But to us it was, and I
trust ever will be, a unique experience.

We have generally spent our August holiday at the seaside in apartments,
and suffered many things in consequence--an uninterrupted succession of
mixed odours of cooking from early morning till late at night; fleas and
other insect pests, which seemed to thrive mightily on the powders put
down for their extermination; landladies afflicted with spasms and
inordinate thirst, and landladies' cats with unappeasable appetites;
cramped quarters, of course, which did not afflict one on fine days, but
on rainy ones became pandemonium; terrible attempts at amateurish
cooking and service--in which the dining-room's vegetables and tarts got
mixed up with the drawing-room's vegetables and pies--and slatternly
maids of all work, who killed on the spot even one's seaside appetite,
the moment they appeared to set the table.

And so, after mature consideration of ways and means, we decided this
ti