A Wise and illustrious Writer of Fables was visiting a travelling menagerie with a view to collecting literary materials. As he was passing near the Elephant, that animal said: "How sad that so justly famous a satirist should mar his work by ridicule of people with long noses--who are the salt of the earth!" The Kangaroo said: "I do so enjoy that great man's censure of the ridiculous--particularly his attacks on the Proboscidae; but, alas! he has no reverence for the Marsupials, and laughs at our way of carrying our young in a pouch." The Camel said: "If he would only respect the sacred Hump, he would be faultless. As it is, I cannot permit his fables to be read in the presence of my family." The Ostrich, seeing his approach, thrust her head in the straw, saying: "If I do not conceal myself, he may be reminded to write something disagreeable about my lack of a crest or my appetite for scrap-iron; and although he is inexpressibly brilliant when he devotes himself to censure of folly and greed, his dulness is matchless when he transcends the limits of legitimate comment." "That," said the Buzzard to his mate, "is the distinguished author of that glorious fable, 'The Ostrich and the Keg of Raw Nails.' I regret to add, that he wrote, also, 'The Buzzard's Feast,' in which a carrion diet is contumeliously disparaged. A carrion diet is the foundation of sound health. If nothing else but corpses were eaten, death would be unknown." Seeing an attendant approaching, the wise and illustrious Writer of Fables passed out of the tent and mingled with the crowd. It was afterward discovered that he had crept in under the canvas without paying. A Revivalist Revived A Revivalist who had fallen dead in the pulpit from too violent religious exercise was astonished to wake up in Hades. He promptly sent for the Adversary of Souls and demanded his freedom, explaining that he was entirely orthodox, and had always led a pious and holy life. "That is all very true," said the Adversary, "but you taught by example that a verb should not agree with its subject in person and number, whereas the Good Book says that contention is worse than a dinner of herbs. You also tried to release the objective case from its thraldom to the preposition, and it is written that servants should obey their masters. You stay right here." The Debaters A Hurled-Back Allegation, which, after a brief rest, had again started forth upon its mission of mischief, met an Ink-stand in mid-air. "How did the Honourable Member whom you represent know that I was coming again?" inquired the Hurled-back Allegation. "He did not," the Inkstand replied; "he isn't at all forehanded at repartee." "Why, then, do you come, things being even when he had hurled me back?" "He wanted to be a little ahead." Two of the Pious