And I remain, &c. &c. &c., DUMMWITZ VON HAMMELFLEISCH.

II.—­William the Second to K.K.O.H.R.D.H.D. von Hammelfleisch.

HERR DOCTOR,

I have received your letter.  In accordance with Section 7 of my Hochzeit’s Decree, I graciously give permission for the birth of the child referred to in your communication.  I beg, at the same time, to point out that, by my Supplementary Decree (Proportions of Sexes), issued last week, it is necessary that the child should be a boy.  Communicate this at once to the Frau K.E.  Ober-Hof-Rathin Doctorin A.A.  VON HAMMELFLEISCH.

(Signed) WILLIAM I. ET R.

III.—­K.K.O.H.R.D. von Hammelfleisch to the Emperor-King, William the
Second.

MOST IMPERIAL MAJESTY,

Your with-satisfaction-received letter has been to my wife communicated.  She desires me to assure you that she is your Imperial Majesty’s obedient subject, (Signed) D. VON H.

IV.—­Extract from the “Reich’s Anzeiger."

“Frau ANNA ANSELMA VON HAMMELFLEISCH, having last week given birth to a girl in contravention of his Imperial Majesty’s Supplementary Decree (No. 10.  Proportions of Sexes), it is our painful duty to announce that the Herr Doctor DUMMWITZ VON HAMMELFLEISCH has been dismissed from his post as K.K.  Ober-Hof-Rath, and will immediately be prosecuted for the crime of lese Majeste.”

V.—­Extract from the “Reich’s Anzeiger,” a month later

“The prisoner, HAMMELFLEISCH, was yesterday condemned to twenty years’ solitary confinement in the fortress of Spandau.  The wretched man acknowledged the justice of his sentence, and begged others to take warning by his fate.”

* * * * *

LADY GAY’S SELECTIONS.

Mount Street, Grosvenor Square.

DEAR MR. PUNCH,—­Most delightful weather favoured us last week at Gatwick and Sandown, and most of the horses I mentioned as worth following either finished nowhere or were not there at all, which I think is a fair average record for a Turf prophet!  I heard at Sandown that sweeping reforms are to be expected in Turf matters next Season, but I will not harp too much on this string, as more able pens than mine have undertaken it—­though how a “pen” can harp on a string I don’t quite see—­or hear, it should be.

I certainly think Brandy would have won the Gatwick Handicap, but I suppose the bottle is getting low, and is being reserved in case the Cambridgeshire is run on a cold day!  And that brings me to the consideration of this great race.  I do not propose to analyse the form of all the horses, but will devote my attention to a few of the likely ones—­who should feel complimented thereat (I suppose a horse; can feel a compliment just as well as it can a whip)—­from which might spring the winner.  First and foremost, then, La Fleche has, in my opinion, enough weight to carry, even if the jockey is included, as