But his face cleared in a moment, and he went out of the
room and presently returned with a sufficient volume, in which the
flowers were duly laid, the book being then, with the united efforts
of the company, subjected to the necessary pressure under a heavy
cabinet. Anxious to know which volume of his beloved library Mr.
GLADSTONE had selected for desecration, I took an early opportunity
of furtively examining the title of the tortured tome. It was
_Coningsby_.
* * * * *
ANOTHER IMPENDING APOLOGY.
"Councillor ----'s son will be married to the eldest daughter of
Councillor ----. The members of the Corporation are invited to the
suspicious event."--_Local Paper_.
* * * * *
[Illustration: THE DISTRACTIONS OF AN INDISPENSABLE.]
* * * * *
[Illustration: _Sergeant_. "Now, ME LAD, A SUIT OF MUFTI OR FORTY-FIVE
SHILLINGS?" _Tommy_. "OO, LUMME! I'LL PAY THE FINE."]
* * * * *
GALLERY PLAY.
It wasn't till Panmore noticed its absence on his return from France
that I remembered the little oil painting which I had left at the
Ferndale Gallery on sale or return, during the early days of the War,
when my financial outlook was bad.
Panmore said he had always wanted to buy it, but hadn't liked to ask
me if I would part with it. I assured him that excess even of delicacy
was a mistake and that I would try to get the picture back.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25