I did wenture to ask the Common Councilman, the other day, whether he reelly thort as there was any possibility of such a hideous skeme a being carried out, when we all knowd what a splendid caracter the old Copperation had borne for ages past for Generossity, for Horsepitallerty, and for Eddication. His arnser was, "My dear ROBERT, we lives in sitch rum times that one hesitates to say that any habsurdity is impossible, but the great trust of all of us is, that should things get to the werry worst, and ewen the House of Commons throw us over--tho I have heard their great Leader himself declare, in Gildhall itself, that the history of the City Copperation reflected an amount of credit upon those who had governed it for generations that it would be differcult to surpass--the same nobel and hindependent Body as only a few munse ago saved the country from disruption, and thereby raised themselves greatly in the estimation of all thinking men, would again step forward and save the grate Capital from such a ridickulus, and contemtible, and silly absurditty as was never equaled in the history of the world!" Ah, well, these was nice comforting words for me to hear, and sent me about my ofishal dooties with quite renewed wiggour, and when shortly afterwards I wentured to repeat them to one of the most importantest of our gests, he turned round and acshally shook my hand, and exclaimed, "Ah, my good ROBERT, we may trust to them, for many and many a time have I heard some of our gratest men exclaim, 'Thank God we have a House of Lords!'" ROBERT. * * * * * ONE OF THE "MAXIMS" OF CIVILISATION! [Illustration: OLD AND NEW. "Think of the glorious Mottoes," said a Major of the old school. "'_Nil Desperandum_,' 'Death or Victory,' 'England Expects,' and so forth!" Replied his friend, the modern Captain, "Bother your Mottoes! Give us the 'Maxims'!"] * * * * * "Flibbertigibbet." The fiend that now urges to--pen flippant novels Is modern _Poor Tom's_ modish _Modo_,[*] The work that in cynical worldliness grovels Will soon be extinct as the Dodo! [Footnote *: See _King Lear_.] * * * * * "HISTORY (NEARLY) REPEATS ITSELF." (_A Peep into the Future._) There was a general strike. The playing fields were deserted, and trade was at a standstill. Not a cricket-ball or a foot-ball had been made for months, and the lawn-tennis industry was paralyzed. The papers of the day urged the Government to intervene. "After all, it was only a matter of figures. Surely a compromise might be reached. If players would only meet payers, all would be well." So a Cabinet Council was held, and the most popular Member of the Ministry was selected as arbitrator. The name was well-received by both sides, and all seemed _en train_ for a satisfactory settlement.