"Several persons dropped to the pavement, several dripping with
blood. One man had his head partially opened, and he lay writing
on the ground."--_Provincial Paper_.

If the poor fellow was, as we presume, a reporter, we cannot too much
applaud his devotion to duty.

* * * * *

[Illustration: NEWS FROM THE SHIRES.

_Customer_. "WELL, JARVIS, WHAT'S THE LATEST?"

_Farrier_. "I HEAR AS HOW THAT ADMIRAL BEATTY IS LIKELY TO BECOME A
PUBLIC MAN."

_Customer_. "HOW DO YOU MEAN?"

_Farrier_. "WHY, I HEAR SOME TALK OF HIM BEING MASTER OF THE QUORN."]

* * * * *

THE BET.

The Colonel was, as usual, laying down the law.

"Economy!" he said with a snort; "economy's dead. No one cares about
saving money any more. No one cares about the value of money. We
are asked excessive prices and we pay them. We eat, drink and are
merry--or approximately so--and be hanged to you! With the exception