Part 2

_Brybury-on-the-Pocket._--Both candidates very busy. Meetings are being held all day long at the principal hotels, and any number of livery-stable-keepers have promised to lend their carriages on the day of election. The agents on either side have an enormous staff of assistants, and trade was never known to be brisker during the present century.

_Crowncrushington._--This will be a very near contest. As political feeling runs rather high, a number of extra beds have been prepared in the hospitals. The police have been reinforced, and the military are close at hand, and every other preparation has been made to secure the declaration of the poll with as little friction as possible.

_Meddle-cum-Muddleborough._--At present there are seven candidates, but as three of these have issued their manifestoes under some misapprehension it is not unlikely that the number will be reduced before the day of nomination. It is not easy to foretell the result, as since the establishment of the ballot every election has ended not only in surprise but stupefaction.

_Selfseekington._--It is not unlikely that there will be no contest in this important borough. The (until recently) sitting member has fixed the day that would naturally have fallen to the function of the returning officer for the laying of the foundation stones of his Baths, Wash-houses, Free Library and Town Hall, and the opening of his Public Park.

_Wrottenborough._--The popular candidate has pledged himself to supporting Local Veto, the Licensed Victuallers, Establishment, Disestablishment, Home Rule, the Integrity of the Empire, Anti-Vaccination, the Freedom of the Medical Profession, and many other matters of conflicting importance. The polling will be of a perfunctory character, as expenses are being cut down on both sides.

_Zany-town-on-the-Snooze._--There will be no contest in this division. At present there is no intelligence of any sort to chronicle.

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TAG FOR THE TESTIMONIAL.--"The power of GRACE, the magic of a name."

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DALY NEWS, AND DRAMATIC NOTES.

Ere these lines can appear, the _Two Gentlemen of Verona_ and their two Ladies will have vanished from Daly's Theatre like the baseless fabric of a dream, leaving, however, a very pleasant recollection of the play in the minds of all who saw it--and a great many did, for SHAKSPEARE'S _Two Gents_ is a dramatic curiosity. Prettily put on the stage as it was, with good music, picturesque costumes and clever acting, it will dwell in our memories as an exceptionally attractive revival.

Mr. GEORGE CLARKE, the "stern parient," appeared as something between a Doge and a Duke, and equally good as either, you bet; that is, "'lowing," as _Uncle Remus_ has it, that either Doge or Duke has passed the greater part of his life in the United States. Mr. FRANK WORTHING (nice seasidey name on a hot night in town) a gentlemanly-villainous _Proteus_, and Mr. JOHN CRAIG an equally gentlemanly-virtuous _Valentine_. So "Gents both" are disposed of. Mr. _James Lewis_, as _Launce_, playing "the lead" to his dog, put into the part new humour in place of the old which has evaporated by fluxion of time. _Launce's_ sly dog, very original; part considerably curtailed.

I see that a descendant of TYRONE POWER appears as "Mine Host." I did not gather from his costume that he was "a host in himself," but thought he was a Venetian Judge or retired Doge; the latter surmise receiving some confirmation from the fact that, while the singing was going on, he, being somnolent, "doge'd" (as _Mrs. Gamp_ would say) in his chair. Sleeping or waking his was a dignified performance. Miss ELLIOT a graceful _Sylvia_, who, as a Milanese brunette, is artistically contrasted with Miss ADA REHAN, of Florentine fairness, as _Julia_. All that is wanting to this sketchy character Miss REHAN fills in, and makes the design a finished picture. Improbable that _Proteus_ should never recognize _Julia_ when disguised as a boy until she herself reveals her identity. However, it was a very early work of WILLIAM'S: mere child's play.

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* * * * *

The most Clement of critics, our learned and ever amiable Scotus of the _Daily Telegraph_, speaking with authority from his column last Saturday, recalls to us how many English actors and actresses have successfully played in French on the Parisian stage, and adds to the list the name of MARIE HALTON, who, excellent both in singing and acting as _La Cigale_ at the Lyric, will soon appear at a new theatre in Paris, where she is to "create" French _rôles_--which, Mlle. MARIE, is a very pleasant way of making your bread. But if we have in this actress an English _Chaumont_, why does not some such astute manager as Mr. EDWARDES, the Universal Theatre Provider, induce HALTON to Stay on--here, not only for her own "benefit," but for that of the Light Opera-loving public.

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THE OLD CHIEFTAIN'S FAREWELL.

["The impending Dissolution brings into its practical and final form the prospective farewell which I addressed last year to the constituency of Midlothian."--_Mr. Gladstone's Farewell Letter to the Electors of Midlothian._]

AIR--_Burns's "The Farewell."_

It was a' for our Glorious Cause I sought fair Scotland's strand; It was a' for fair, rightfu' laws To bless the Irish land, My dear; To bless the Irish land.

Now a' is done that man could do, And a' seems done in vain, My loved Midlothian, farewell, I mauna stand again, My dear; I canna stand again.

For fifteen lang an' happy years, That ne'er may be forgot, We have foregathered, loved, and fought. Fare farther I may not, My dear; Fare farther may I not.

Yet say not that our love has failed, Or that our battle's lost; Were I yet young I'd fight again, And never count the cost, My dear; And never count the cost.

Tegither we've won mony a fight, You following where I led; But now late Winter's chilling snows Are gatherin' round my head, My dear; Are gatherin' round my head.

And times will change, and Chieftains pass. Lang time I've borne the brunt Of war; and now I'm glad to see CARMICHAEL to the front, My dear; Sir TAMMY to the front.

A champion stout, I mak nae doubt, He'll carry on my task. To see ye braw and doing weel, Henceforth is a' I ask. My dear; Henceforth is a' I ask.

True Scot am I--Midlothian's heart I won. Now I fare far, And leave a younger chieftain, TAM, To lead the Lowland war, My dear; To lead the Lowland war!

* * *

He turned him right and round about Upon the Scottish shore. He gae his bonnet plume a shake, With "Adieu for evermore, My dear; Adieu for evermore!

"ROSEBERY will from fight return, Wi' loss or else wi' gain; But I am parted from my love, Never to meet again, My dear; Never to meet again.

"When day is gone, and night is come, A' folk are fain to rest; I'll think on thee, though far awa', While pulse throbs in this breast, My dear; While pulse throbs in my breast!"

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OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

SMITH, ELDER & CO. are carrying out a happy thought in projecting what they call the Novel Series, a title which is the least felicitous part of the business. It is designed to meet the views of those who desire to possess, not to borrow (or indeed to steal) good books. The volumes will not be too large to be carried in the pocket, nor too small to lie on the shelf. Neatly bound, admirably printed, they are to cost from two shillings up to four shillings, presumably according to length and the inclusion of illustrations. The series leads off with _The Story of Bessie Costrell_, by Mrs. HUMPHRY WARD. The story, if not precisely pleasant, is decidedly powerful. Once taken up, there is uncontrollable disposition to read on to the end, a yearning the size of the volume makes it possible conveniently to satisfy. The new series starts with a promise announcements of succeeding contributions seem likely to fulfil.

THE BARON DE BOOK-WORMS.

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New Carillon at the Royal Exchange.

The tunes are admirably selected. First air every morning, "I know a Bank," to be known as "The Morning Air."

_For Panic Days._--"Oh dear, what can the matter be!"

_Bad Business Days._--"Nae luck about 'the House.'"

_Good Business._--"Here we go up, up, up!"

_South African Market Chorus._--"Mine for Evermore!"

This scheme of arrangement is to be generally known as "_The Bells' Stratagem_."

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SCRAPS FROM CHAPS.

A REAL UNCROWNED KING.--At a meeting of the Town Commissioners of Kinsale, a report of the proceedings discloses a conversation of a truly remarkable kind--

"The Chairman thought that if they paid Mr. PUNCH his quarter's salary up to the 1st February they would be dealing very fairly with him, especially as they had appointed his son as his successor.... Messrs. KIELY and P. S. O'CONNOR contended that as Mr. PUNCH was never dismissed by them, and the non-performance of his duties was through no fault of his own, he was entitled to some remuneration."

We should think he was, indeed! _Some_ remuneration, quotha? Does not the mere fact that he bears a name honoured and revered in every corner of the globe entitle him to a pension on the very highest scale known to the L. G. B.? Not, we need hardly say, an "old age" pension. Perpetual youth is the prerogative of all PUNCHES. And they "have appointed his son as his successor." Well, of course! How can a PUNCH do anything but succeed? He would be a rum PUNCH if he didn't! Greetings to our distant kinsman of Kinsale!

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ONE MAN, ONE TOPPER!--In the _Glasgow Herald_ somebody writes as follows:--

"It is surely time Mr. DUNCAN saw to his bus-drivers' hats! Such a miscellaneous collection of seedy hats, I think, could not be found elsewhere; they are a positive disgrace to the city."

The writer ought to have signed himself "MACBETH;" the "unguarded DUNCAN," whoever he may be, must be on his guard, or passengers will strike for better hats. All bus-drivers and conductors should wear silk hats, to typify the habitual softness of their address. Why not put them into livery at once? The company that did that would probably attract no end of custom. No revolution like it, since the abolition of the box-seat! Uniform charges and uniformed conductors should be the future rule of the road.

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"NOT KILT, BUT SPACHELESS."--At Clonakilty Sessions the other day, the following evidence was given:--

"PATRICK FEEN was examined, and stated he resided at Dunnycove, parish of Ardfield.... Gave defendant's brother a blow of his open hand and knocked him down for fun, and out of friendship. (_Laughter._)"

What a good-natured, open-handed friend Mr. PATRICK FEEN must be! JOHN HEGARTY, the person assaulted, corroborated the account, and added,--

"When he was knocked down, he stopped there. (_Laughter._)"

In fact, he "held the field," and "remained in possession of the ground." Who will now say that the old humour is dying out in Erin?

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OF DR. TRISTRAM (SHANDY) IN THE INCONSISTORY COURT.--"O TRISTRAM! TRISTRAM! TRISTRAM!" * * "And pray which way is this affair of TRISTRAM at length settled by these learned men?"

_"Toby" to Yorick._

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What a nice dish for lunch would be what we find mentioned in the Racing Order of the Day, _i.e._ "_Plate of 150 sous_." Excellent! To be washed down with a draught of Guineas stout!

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BRIGGS, OF BALLIOL.

PART I.

BRIGGS was the gayest dog in Balliol. If there was a bonfire in the quad, and if the dons found their favourite chairs smouldering in the ashes, BRIGGS was at the bottom of it. If the bulldogs were led a five-mile chase at one o'clock in the morning, the gownless figure that lured them on was BRIGGS. If the supper at VINNIE'S became so uproarious that the Proctor thought it necessary to interfere, the gentleman that dropped him from the first-floor window was BRIGGS. Anyone else would have been sent down over and over again, but--BRIGGS stroked the Balliol boat: BRIGGS had his cricket blue; BRIGGS was a dead certainty against Cambridge for the quarter and the hundred: in short, BRIGGS was indispensable to the College and the 'Varsity, and therefore he was allowed to stay.

But what is this? A change has come over BRIGGS. He is another man. Can it be----? Impossible--and yet? Yes, it began that very night. Everyone has heard of Miss O'GRESS, the Pioneer. She came up to Oxford to lecture; her subject was "Man: his Position and _Raison d'être_." BRIGGS and I went to hear; went in light laughing mood with little fear of any consequences. We listened to the O'GRESS. "There is no doubt," she said, "that Man was intended by Nature to be the Father. For this high calling he should endeavour to fit himself by every means in his power. He should cultivate his body so as to render himself attractive to Woman. He should be tall,"--her eye fell on BRIGGS--"he should be handsome,"--still on BRIGGS--"he should be graceful, he should be athletic."--At this point her eye seemed fairly to feast on BRIGGS, and a curious lurid light lowered in it. She paused a moment. I was sitting next to BRIGGS, and I felt a shiver run through him. I looked at his face, and it was ghastly pale. I asked him in a whisper if he felt faint? He impatiently motioned me to be silent, and remained, as I thought, like a bird paralysed beneath the gaze of a serpent. I heard no more, so anxious was I on my friend's account; nor could I breathe with any freedom until the audience rose and we were once again in the fresh air.

The following day there was a garden-party at Trinity. BRIGGS said he was playing for the 'Varsity against Lancashire, and therefore could not go. Imagine my surprise then, when, as I was doing the polite among the strawberries and cream, I caught sight of him slinking down the lime grove at the heels of the O'GRESS. I rubbed my eyes and looked again. Yes, it was BRIGGS indeed. The face was his; the features were his; the figure was his; the clothes were his--but, the buoyant step? the merry laugh? where, where, eh! where were they?

* * *

The Long Vac. passed, and we were all up again for Michaelmas Term. There was a blank in our circle. "Where's BRIGGS?" asked BROWN. "Where's BRIGGS?" asked TROTTER of Trinity. We looked at one another. What! Nobody seen BRIGGS? Not up yet?--Better go and see. We went to his rooms. No BRIGGS there, and not a sign of his coming. We went to JONES. JONES knew no more than we; to SMITH, GREEN, ROBERTS--all equally ignorant. At last we tried the Porter. What! hadn't we heard the news? News? No! What news? The Porter's face grew long. Why, Mr. BRIGGS, 'e weren't comin' up no more. Not coming up? Not coming up? Nonsense! Impossible!--Fact, gentlemen, fact. The Master,'e'd 'ad a note from Mr. BRIGGS, sayin' as 'ow 'e wouldn't be back agin. No one knew nothink more than that. No one could explain it.

There was despair in Balliol. What would become of us? Without BRIGGS we could never catch B. N. C. Magdalen would bump us to a certainty, and we could hardly hope to escape the House. In football it would be just as bad. Keble and Exeter would simply jump on us, and not a single Balliol man would have his blue. The position was appalling; ruin stared us in the face; the College was in consternation, for BRIGGS had disappeared.

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NOTE BY A NATIONALIST.

"Home Rule all Round!" That cry is in the air: What Ireland wants, though, is Home Rule all _square_.

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* * * * *

Thomas Henry Huxley.

BORN, MAY 4, 1825. DIED, JUNE 30, 1895.

Another star of Science slips Into the shadow of eclipse!-- Yet no; the _light_ is nowise gone, But burning still, and travelling on The unborn future to illume, And dissipate a distant gloom. True man of Science he, yet more, Master of metaphysic lore, Lover of history and of art, He played a multifarious part. With clear head and incisive tongue Dowered, on all he touched he flung Those rarer charms of grace and wit. Great learning may not always hit. To his "liege lady Science" true, He narrowed not a jealous view To her alone, but found all life With charm and ethic interest rife. Knowing plain lore of germ and plant, With dreams of HAMILTON and KANT, All parts of the great human plan. England in him has lost a Man. The great Agnostic, clear, brave, true, Taught more things, may be, than he deemed he knew.

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Business.

_Inquirer_ (_drawing up prospectus_). Shall I write "Company" with a big C?

_Honest Broker._ Certainly, if it's a sound one, as it represents "Company" with a capital.

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MR. BRIEFLESS, JUN., ON THE LONG VACATION.

Unfortunately I was prevented, by an appointment of a semi-professional character--I had been desired by a maiden aunt to give her my advice upon a question, of damage arising out of a canine assault committed by her lap-dog--from being present at the General Meeting of the Bar, and consequently was unable to take part in the annual deliberations of my learned and friendly colleagues. From what passed on the occasion to which I refer, I gather that there was an inclination to call the Benchers of the Inns of Court to account. It seems to me--and I believe that I am right in the opinion--that, so long as our Masters worthily represent the dignity of the profession, we Members of the Inner and Outer Bar have no tangible cause for complaint.

But I fancy the leading subject at the Forensic Congress was the Long Vacation. Judging from the numerous letters that have reached me from both branches of the profession, this is a matter of the first importance to all of us. I have been asked by many of my learned and friendly colleagues, and my nearly equally learned and even more friendly clients, to give my opinion on the subject. One respected correspondent who hails from Ely Place, writes, "How could you possibly recover from the wear and tear of your arduous practice in Trinity Term, had you not a part of August and nearly the whole of September and October ready to hand for recuperation?" I quite agree with Sir GEORGE--I should say, my respected correspondent--that as I near "the long," I do feel the need of rest--nay, even considerable rest. Then a learned friend who represents not only the Bar, but chivalry in its forensic form, sends me a caricature of "DICKY W." that would suggest that were the holidays to be decreased, a wearer of a most distinguished order, and an athlete of no small fame would be reduced to a condition of complete collapse. Once again, an ornament to our Bench--perhaps the greatest ornament--honours me with the suggestion that were we to lose a month of recreation, it might sadden the terraces of Monte Carlo, and eclipse the merriment of Newmarket Heath. It is needless to state that all these communications have had weight with me. Still, I have deemed it desirable to approach the subject with an open mind. It seems to me (and no doubt to many others) that the question narrows itself into a matter of finance. I have therefore taken PORTINGTON into my counsels, and examined with unusual care the pages of my Fee Book. After much consultation with my admirable and excellent clerk, and an exhaustive audit of the figures of my forensic _honoraria_, I have come to the matured conclusion that the lengthening or the shortening of the Long Vacation does not affect me financially in the very least.

(_Signed_) A. BRIEFLESS, JUNIOR.

_Pump-handle Court, June 22, 1895._

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Football is to be played in all the schools and colleges of Russia. The champion of the game is known as Prince KHIKOFF.

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ON VIEW AT HENLEY.

The most characteristic work of that important official, the clerk of the weather.

The young lady who has never been before, and wants to know the names of the eights who compete for the Diamond Sculls.

The enthusiastic boating man, who, however, prefers luncheon when the hour arrives, to watching the most exciting race imaginable.

The itinerant vendors of "coolers" and other delightful comestibles.

The troupes of niggers selected and not quite select.

The house-boat with decorations in odious taste, and company to match.

The "perfect gentleman's rider" (from Paris) who remembers boating at Asnières thirty years ago, when JULES wore when rowing lavender kid-gloves and high top-boots.

The calm mathematician (from Berlin), who would prefer to see the races represented by an equation.

The cute Yankee (from New York), who is quite sure that some of the losing crews have been "got at" while training.

The guaranteed enclosure, with band, lunch and company of the same quality.

The "very best view of the river" from a dozen points of the compass.

Neglected maidens, bored matrons, and odd men out.

Quite the prettiest toilettes in the world.

The Thames Conservancy in many branches.

Launches: steam, electric, accommodating and the reverse.

Men in flannels who don't boat, and men in tweeds who do.

A vast multitude residential, and a vaster come per rail from town.

Three glorious days of excellent racing, at once national and unique.

An aquatic festival, a pattern to the world.

And before all and above all, a contest free from all chicanery, and the very embodiment of fairplay.

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FROM A CORRESPONDENT.--"SIR,--I occasionally come across allusions to '_Groves of Blarney_.' Which Groves was this? There was a celebrated fishmonger known as '_Groves of Bond Street_;' is Groves of Blarney an Irish branch of that family?"

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ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P.

_House of Commons, Monday, July 1._--Presto! Quick transformation scene effected to-day. Conservatives to the right; Liberals to the left. Stupendous, far-reaching change; one of those rarely happy events that please everyone. Hearing what people say, it is difficult to decide which the more pleased, Liberals at being turned out, or Conservatives at springing in. On Ministerial side happiness marred in individual cases by being left out of the Ministry.