KEEPER OF THE REFRESHMENT ROOM, STARVEM JUNCTION.

* * * * *

THE GEORGIAN ERA AT THE ALHAMBRA.—­Mrs. ABBOTT is an electric wonder.  Not strong muscularly, but with sufficient electric power to support four or five of the inferior sex heaped anyhow on a chair.  Such a woman is a crown to a husband—­nay, any amount of crowns at L200 per week—­and capable of supporting a family, however large, all by her own exertions, or indeed, with scarcely any exertion at all.  At present, though married, she is a femme seule:  but how long will she remain the only electric wonder in London?  Many years ago there was a one-legged dancer named DONATO.  Within sixteen weeks there were as many one-legged dancers.  We don’t speak by the card, of course, but one-legged dancers became a drug in the market.  Already we hear of “A Dynamic Phenomenon” at the Pavilion.  Little Mrs. ABBOTT is an active, spry little person, yet her “vis inertiae” is, at present, without a parallel.

* * * * *

THE TRAVELLING COMPANIONS.

NO.  XVI.

    SCENE—­Terrace and Grounds of the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este,
    on Lake Como.  PODBURY and CULCHARD are walking up and down
    together.

Podbury. Well, old chap, your resigning like that has made all the difference to me, I can tell you!

Culchard. If I have succeeded in advancing your cause with Miss PRENDERGAST, I am all the better pleased, of course.

Podb. You have, and no mistake.  She’s regularly taken me in hand, don’t you know—­she says I’ve no intelligent appreciation of Italian Art; and gad, I believe she’s right there!  But I’m pulling up—­bound to teach you a lot, seeing all the old altar-pieces I do!  And she gives me the right tips, don’t you see; she’s no end of a clever girl, so well-read and all that!  But I say—­about Miss TROTTER?  Don’t want to be inquisitive, you know, but you don’t seem to be much about with her.

[Illustration:  “Bound to teach you a lot, seeing all the old altar-pieces I do!”]

Culch. I—­er—­the feelings I entertain towards Miss TROTTER have suffered no change—­quite the reverse, only—­and I wish to impress this upon you, PODBURY—­it is undesirable, for—­er—­many reasons, to make my attentions—­er—­too conspicuous.  I—­I trust you have not alluded to the matter to—­well, to Miss PRENDERGAST, for example?

Podb. Not I, old fellow—­got other things to talk about.  But I don’t quite see why—­

Culch. You are not required to see.  I don’t wish it, that is all.  I—­er—­think that should be sufficient.

Podb. Oh, all right, I’ll keep dark.  But she’s bound to know sooner or later, now she and Miss TROTTER have struck up such a friendship.  And HYPATIA will be awfully pleased about it—­why shouldn’t she, you know?...  I’m going to see if there’s anyone on the tennis-court, and get a game if I can.  Ta-ta!