Men will then look on and mock, And the spectacle's a shock To our Commonwealth's stability, For it shows how little wit Goes to governing us and it. E'en in "statesmen of ability." It's so dangerous to be funny! Men may make hardware, and money, Aye, and even a career, Who yet cannot make--or take-- A good joke. They're wide awake, Save to wit, though in a peer. Therefore, PRIMROSE, do not jest! It comes badly, at the best, From a man at the State's tiller. The ironical reject Above all, and recollect Every JOE is not a MILLER! *** SEASONABLE REFLECTION.--To look at _Holly Leaves_--at its glowing red appearance--is "quite a little holly-day!" The inside quite up to the out. [Illustration: CARTE BLANCHE! "YOU WON'T MIND MY PUTTING YOU INTO MY NEW NOVEL, O'FLAHERTY?" "ME DEAR FELLOW, YE'RE WELCOME TO PUT ANYTHING ABOUT ME YE LOIKE--_PROVOIDIN' IT ISN'T THRUE!_"] * * * * * CURIOS FOR THE CRICKETERS' EXHIBITION. Mr. BLOCKER's Bat, which he carried through a whole season without scoring once off it. A Ball which was "muffed" eleven times in one innings. "Pair of Spectacles" (unclaimed) found on a cricket-ground. Fine Sitting of "Duck's-eggs" (exhibitor's name not mentioned), and sample of "Butter" used in preparing owner's fingers for "a great catch." "The Catch of the Season." Taken by Instantaneous Photography. (Twenty-seven of these snap-shots--all different.) Model (on enlarged scale) of the "Mountain-molehill" between wickets, after an hour's patting down by a fidgety batsman. (Photograph of this, life-size, may be had on a slide for microscopic study). Instantaneous Photograph picked up at the Oval. (It is not known whether this represents an epileptic octopus, or the crack fast-bowler, SPINDLEWHIZ, "delivering" a ball.) Fragments and Splinters. (Supposed to be the gathered remains of wicket, after being "scattered" by one of BUSTER'S lightning-expresses.) Diagrams. (Supposed at one time to be "kodak" of a lightning-flash, but discovered to represent the course of a "misfielded" ball between leaving bowler's hand and returning thereto.) "The Ball which Bowled BOKO." (Descriptions of--Thirteen in number, unique, varied, interesting, but unintelligible, selected from the unfortunate, and resentful, victim on thirteen several occasions when he was "just explaining how he was unlucky enough to be given out first ball in the Big Match.") Portrait of Umpire. (After reading the above thirteen authentic and unimpeachable, but irreconcilable, explanations.) * * * * * BALLADE TO ORDER. [Illustration]