_His Lordship._ Ah! I see; you have had no lawyers to advise you. Well, now that that matter is settled, the Court must stand adjourned until to-morrow, as I have business requiring my attention in Chambers. (_To_ Usher). See that the telephones are switched on accordingly. [_Exeunt omnes._ There, my dear _Mr. Punch_, could not some such arrangement as that I have shadowed forth above be reached during the present Vacation? The situation is really serious. _Entre nous_, PORTINGTON (my excellent and admirable clerk) has not made an entry in my fee-book for more than a fortnight--on my word of honour, Sir, more than a fortnight! Yours truly, (_Signed_) A. BRIEFLESS, JUNIOR. _Pump-handle Court, Temple, 5th of April, 1890._ * * * * * [Illustration: MAXIMS FOR THE BAR. No. IV. "Show no mercy to the Police; they have few Friends."] * * * * * ROUTLEDGE'S _Atlas of the World_ is not a short biography of Mr. EDMUND YATES, but a pocketable (if you've got the opportunity) volume, with sixteen coloured maps. It is pleasant to see that, though the Atlas bears the _imprimatur_ of ROUTLEDGE, the name of AYR is not effaced from the Map of Scotland. True that Ayrshire is coloured green, but Ayr is quite outside this, in fact it has got outside the coast-line, and is represented as being quite out at sea. More in this than meets the eye. * * * * * BASTA, FASTER! _Tuesday._--The fifty-sixth day of Signor DONTUCCI'S sixty days fast was completed to-day. The Italian who, on the first day, weighed 140 lbs., has lost 100 lbs. up to the present, but he seems as confident and cheerful as ever. A somewhat disagreeable incident marred the harmony of yesterday's proceedings. A boy, who was looking on, happened to drop half a penny bun in the vicinity of the Signor, who reached towards it, and having managed, after some struggles, which created much amusement amongst the onlookers, to pick it up, was about to convey it to his mouth. He would no doubt have eaten it if the senior member of the Medical Committee, appointed to watch the proceedings, had not interfered. The fragment was removed, and it was pointed out to DONTUCCI that such an act on his part was unfair not only to himself, but to the large number of sportsmen who had made bets on the event.