In some fine way, I don’t know how,
Some fool, some idiot, who lacks
A grain of sense, proposes now
A tax.

A Tax on Bachelors!  Ah, well,
If this becomes the law’s decree,
I cheerfully shall pay the L.
S.D.,

Quite happy with my single lot,
Convinced beyond a doubt that life
Is just worth living it you’ve not
A wife.

(A LITTLE LATER.)

[Illustration]

I’ll sing exaltedly no more,
But sadly in a minor key
Will tell what fortune had in store
For me.

I rather think, the other day,
That someone asked, “Should women woo?”
I’ll answer that without delay—­
They do!

She came—­I foolishly was glad—­
She took me captive with a glance,
Of course I never really had
A chance.

And when she bent her pretty head
To ask the question, I confess
That what at once with joy I said
Was “Yes.”

She says our wedding is to be
On Monday—­quite a swell affair. 
My wife and I shall hope to see
You there.

* * * * *

“IS THIS THE HEND?”

The following, headed Scottish Leader, was sent to us as a quotation:—­

“The Duke of FIFE has sold the estate of Eden, near Banff,
to Mr. THOMAS ADAM, Deputy Chairman of the Great North of
Scotland Railway Company.”

If the above information be correct, this transfer of “Eden” to “ADAM” looks uncommonly like “Paradise Regained.”

* * * * *

OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

[Illustration:  The Learned Baron.]

The Baron must say a word about Voces Populi, by F. ANSTEY, author of the immortal Vice Versa.  That the series contained in this volume appeared in Mr. Punch’s pages is sufficient guarantee for the excellence of its quality, and more than this it would not become the Baron to say; but of the illustrations by J. BERNARD PARTRIDGE the Baron can speak—­and speak in terms of the highest admiration of them—­as works of genuinely artistic humour.  There are twenty illustrations, that is, ten brace of Partridges, if he will allow the Baron so far to make game of him.  The book is published by LONGMANS, GREEN & Co.

The Leadenhall Press has brought out, in Pocket form, Prince Dorus, by CHARLES LAMB, with nine coloured illustrations, following the original Edition of 1811.  The lines are not very Lamb-like, but the illustrations are very quaint, and the Pocket Volume is a curiosity of literature.

BARON DE BOOK-WORMS.

* * * * *

A REALLY VALUABLE SUGGESTION.

(TO THE EDITOR OF PUNCH.)