Let me see--where were we?... Oh, on the subject of the boy and his companion, who, it seems, were engaged. "* * *" resumed NELLY, in a look which spoke three volumes. I divined at once that she had thrown him over, that there had been an awful scene, and his mother had written a horrid letter, that he had come back and abjectly apologised, that he said she had destroyed his faith in women (the usual thing), that he went on sending letters for a whole year: in fact, that it made her quite uncomfortable.... Really, NELLY can give points to LORD BURLEIGH'S nod! "?" inquired my right eye, meaning, had she not been in love with him a little bit? Miss NELLY prodded the path with her parasol. "¿" I asked again, referring to a different person, and, I am afraid, squinting. Miss NELLY looked for the fraction of an instant in my direction. "¿¿" I repeated. [Illustration] Miss NELLY looked straight in front of her. There was her _fiancé_, the American millionaire! "----! ----!" That is, I smilingly withdrew. * * * * * SATISFACTORY REPORTS AS TO THE AMEER.--It was not an illness, it was "A mere indisposition." * * * * * [Illustration: PREHISTORIC PEEPS. THE ANNUAL FOOTBALL MATCH BETWEEN THE OLD RED SANDSTONE ROVERS AND THE PLIOCENE WANDERERS WAS IMMENSELY AND DESERVEDLY POPULAR!!] * * * * * "HYMEN HYMENÆE!" (_À propos of a Public Favourite_).--_Mr. Punch_ wishes health and happiness to the bride of Sir WILLIAM GREGORY, known to us all, during a long and honourable theatrical career in the very first line of Dramatic Art, as Mrs. STIRLING the incomparable, always of sterling worth in any piece wherein she took a part. She was always at her best. Latterly she has been chiefly associated with the _Nurse_ in _Romeo and Juliet_, and no better representative of the character could ever have been seen on any stage. Her recent marriage has in it somewhat of a Shaksperian association, for were not the _Nurse_ and _Gregory_ both together in the same establishment, yclept the noble House of Capulet? And what more natural that these two should come together, and "the _Nurse_ to _Juliet_" should become the "wife to _Gregory_"? * * * * * "STOPPING" THE WAY IN THE COLONIES.--Where British Colonists are first in the field, be the field where it may, it is unwise to allow any non-Britishers to get as far as a semi-colony, but at once they should be made to come to a full-stop. As it is, Great Britain looks on in a state of _com(m)a_, only to wake up with a note of exclamation, but not of admiration, when it is too late to put a note of interrogation. * * * * * [Illustration: COMPREHENSIVE. "WHAT'S _VOLAPUK_, DOCTOR SCHMITZ?" "IT IS ZE UNIFERSAL LANGVAGE!" "AND WHO SPEAKS IT?" "NOPOTTY!"] * * * * *