[Ill.u.s.tration: THE RETURN INVITATION.--"Please, Mrs. Subbubs, mamma says she"ll be glad if you"ll come to tea on Monday." "With pleasure, Bessie.
Tell your mother it"s really too kind----" "Oh, no! mamma says she"ll be glad when it"s over."]
[Ill.u.s.tration: "Did our hat-rack walk about and have only two pegs, once, auntie?"]
[Ill.u.s.tration: STABLE TALK.--_The General._ "That"s a funny sort of horse you"ve got there, Cuthbert." _Cuthbert._ "Yes, gran"pa. You see he"s been "eating his head off" all the winter!"]
[Ill.u.s.tration: _Severe Mother._ "You naughty boy! How dare you tell such stories? Aren"t you ashamed of yourself for being a little liar?"
_Injured Son._ "Well, mother, "t ain"t my fault. Father gave me a awful thrashing the other day for having spoken the truth." _Mother._ "What _do_ you mean?" _Son._ "Why, when I told you that father had come home quite drunk the night before!"]
[Ill.u.s.tration: "IN STRANGE ATTIRE"
"Nurse! Nurse! Bobby"s out of bed, and running about in his _bananas_!"]
[Ill.u.s.tration: PROOF
"You won"t go in that dark room alone by yourself, Tommy."
"Oh! won"t I? You just _come with me_, and see me do it!"]
[Ill.u.s.tration: INCONTROVERTIBLE
"And how _old_ are you, my little man?" "I"m not old at all. I"m nearly _new_!"]
THE FORCE OF CLa.s.sIC TEACHING.--_Master._ Now, boys, what is Hexham famous for?
_Binks Minor._ Making the hexameter, sir.
[_Waits afterwards._
PROVERBS REVISED.--"_One is better than two._" _Mother._ You are a very naughty little girl!
_Little Girl_ (_after some thought_). Aren"t you glad I wasn"t twins, mummy?
[Ill.u.s.tration: MISUNDERSTOOD
_Mild Old Gentleman rescues a bun which child has dropped in the mud._
_Child_ (_all aglow with righteous indignation_). "That"s _my_ bun!"]
TRUE SENTIMENT.--"I"m writing to Mrs. Montague, Georgie--that pretty lady you used to take to see your pigs. Haven"t you some nice message to send her?"
"Yes, mummie; give her my love, and say I never look at a little black pig now without thinking of _her_!"
[Ill.u.s.tration: _Chemist._ "Pills, eh?" (_Emphasising question_) "Anti-bilious?"
_Child_ (_readily_). "No, sir; uncle is!"]
[Ill.u.s.tration: _Mother._ "Now, dear, why don"t you run away and give grandpa a kiss?" _Child_ (_somewhat nonplussed by grandpapa"s moustache and beard_). "I don"t see any place for it, mamma!"]
[Ill.u.s.tration: "SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE," &c.--_Ethel._ "Mummy dear, why did you tell Richard you "weren"t at home" just now?" (_Pause._) "Mummy, I mean----" _Mamma._ "When Sir Fusby Dodderidge called? Why, Ethel dear, because he bores me." _Ethel._ "Oh!" (_After thoughtfully considering the matter with regard to her governess_). "Then may I say I"m not at home when Miss Krux calls to-morrow? for _she_ bores _me_ awfully?"]
[Ill.u.s.tration: AT THE RINK.--_Little Girl._ "Oh, Captain Sprawler, _do_ put on your skates, and show me the funny figures you can make."
_Captain S._ "My dear child, I"m only a beginner. I can"t make any figures." _Little Girl._ "But Mabel said you were skating yesterday, and cut a _ridiculous_ figure!"]
A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE.--_Daisy_ (_who has been studying Chrysanthemums_).--Maisy, do you know what"s a _Double Begonia_?
_Maisy_ (_who has been studying the Cla.s.sics_).--"Double Big-onia"? Yes!
Of course, it"s the plural of one big onion.
MAIDENLY ETIQUETTE.--_Little Chris_ (_aetat eight_). I"ve a birthday party on Thursday, Evie. I should like you to come.
_Little Evie_ (_aetat nine_). I should love to, dear.
_Little Chris._ But I couldn"t, you know, unless you asked me to tea first.