Part 15 (1/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: PREHISTORIC PEEPS

A visit to an artist's studio.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _He._ ”Awfully jolly concert, wasn't it? Awfully jolly thing by that fellow--what's his name?--something like Doork.n.o.b.”

_She._ ”_Doork.n.o.b!_ Whom _do_ you mean? I only know of Beethoven, Mozart, Wagner, Handel----”

_He._ ”That's it! Handel. I knew it was something you caught hold of!”]

[Ill.u.s.tration: OUR ARTIST

”If you please, sir, here's the printer's boy called again!”

”Oh, bother! Say I'm busy.”]

[Ill.u.s.tration: SONGS AND THEIR SINGERS ”'Tis hard to give the hand where the heart can _never_ be!”]

[Ill.u.s.tration: SONGS AND THEIR SINGERS. ”Only this”]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Horse Dealer._ ”Did that little mare I sold you do for you, sir?”

_Nervous Horseman._ ”Nearly!”]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”OPTICS.”--_Lecturer._ ”Now let anyone gaze steadfastly on any object--say, for instance, his wife's eye--and he'll see himself looking so exceedingly small, that----”

_Strong-minded Lady_ (_in front row_). ”Hear! Hear! Hear!”]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”AFTER THE FAIR.” (_Country cousin comes up in August to see the exhibition of pictures at the Royal Academy!_).--_Porter._ ”Bless yer 'art, we're closed!”

_Country Cousin._ ”Closed! What! didn't it pay?!!”]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Jones._ ”How is it we see you so seldom at the club now?”

_Old Member._ ”Ah, well, you see, I'm not so young as I was; and I've had a good deal of worry lately; and so, what with one thing and another, I've grown rather fond of my own society.”