IN reply to Mr. WOODALL, Mr. J.L. TOOLE said he was happy to come there.
_Name is JOHN LAWRENCE TOOLE_? Yes. "JACK with my familiars,"--hem!--
SHAKSPEARE. Being in Witness-box,--JACK in the Box. _What he would take_?
Nothing, thanks, not even his oath. He was quite prepared to kiss the
book--in the absence of the belle. Little joke that--has heard of "bell,
book, and candle." Couldn't bring the candle in,--would if he could,
though, just to--ahem!--make it a light entertainment. Would they excuse
his glove? What did they want to know? _Whether the sanitary arrangements
at his Theatre were good_? Rather--he could only say they were "fust-rate."
A 1, in fact, like the performance. The house held over two thousand
pounds, and was crowded nightly to see _Walker, London. Did he consider the
structure safe_? Of course he did--safe as Houses--that is, safe as his
houses for _Walker, London_ were going to be for the next three years and a
half, when his tenancy would expire, and he should then be in the Army.
_Did the Committee want to know how it was that he would be in the Army_?
He'd tell them; because, when he gave up that Theatre, he would be a "Left
Tenant." Not bad that, for a beginner. We're a getting on, we are. As to
ventilation--well, he couldn't have too much ventilation for _Walker,
London_. He should like it aired everywhere. _Then the Committee might take
it that he was satisfied with the structure_? Well--if they put it in that
way--yes--he thought the structure a bit faulty---but what's the odds as
long as the public like the piece? He didn't consider _Walker, London_, a
model of dramatic construction, but he looked upon the House Boat built on
the stage as quite a model of construction; the end of the piece was a bit
hazy, and he didn't yet know why everybody allowed him to go off with the
punt, which they wouldn't get back, unless his friend, Mr. SHELTON, who was
splendidly made up as a riverside boatman, brought it back, and, begging
the Committee's pardon if they'd excuse his glove, he couldn't tell; not
that it was a secret, because the clever author, a very nice retiring chap
called BARRIE, hadn't confided it to him,--but--what was he saying?--oh,