December.—­Holiday time for everyone, inclusive of that most melancholy of persons “the funny man.”  BOB LOWE (born in 1811) reaches the age of eighty, and the Grand Old Man (born in 1809) eighty-two!  With this ingenious quibble the Amusing Rattle can wish himself a Merry Christmas, and the remainder of the world a Happy New Year.

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APPROPRIATE.—­Sir,—­Was there ever a more appropriate Christmas legal case than appeared in the Times Law Report, December 20th, and which was entitled “The Mayor, &c. of Bootle-cum-Linacre v. The Justices of Lancashire?” What delightful names for a comic chorus to a Bab Ballad in a Pantomime.

Solo.  Oh, did ye ne’er hear of His Worship the Mayor Chorus.  Of Bootle-cum-Linacre diddle-cum-dee; Solo.  Who went for the Justices of Lankyshare, Chorus.  Singing Bootle-cum-Linacre diddle-cum-dee.

Too late for the Burlesques and the Pantomimes, but it may still be serviceable at Music Halls and “places where they sing.”

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