"Go to, County Council!" that Westry replied, "You svagger no end, and put on lots of side; But vhen plain reform 'tis our vish to begin, By _your_ aid ve don't benefit not von single pin!" Singing, &c. [_His melodious flow is interrupted by a violent rapping at the window, and the sudden opening of the street-door._ _Jem Baggs_ (_loq._) Aha! I knew they couldn't stand that werry long. Out comes the sarvint vith tuppence or thruppence, and a horder for me to "move on." Valker! There ain't no Bobby in sight, and I shan't shift under a shilling. Vell, they may say vot they likes agin the County Council; _I_ says they're jolly good fellers, and I'll drink their bloomin' 'ealth out o' that hartist cove's bob, ven I gets it. [_Tunes up again._ * * * * * [Illustration: "A la Cocotte?"] AT A VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT. SCENE--_"The Nebuchadnezzar's Head," in the City. Time--The luncheon hour. The interior, which is bright, and tastefully arranged, is crowded with the graminivorous of both sexes. Clerks of a literary turn devour "The Fortnightly" and porridge alternately, or discuss the comparative merits of modern writers. Lady-clerks lunch sumptuously and economically on tea and baked ginger-pudding. Trim Waitresses move about with a sweet but slightly mystic benignity, as conscious of conducting a dietetic mission to the dyspeptic._ _A Vegetarian Fiance_ (_who has met his betrothed by appointment, and is initiating her into the mysteries_). I wish you'd take something more than a mustard-and-cress roll, though, LOUISE--it gives you such a poor _idea_ of the thing. (_With honest pride._) You just see me put away this plate of porridge. At the "Young Daniel," where I usually lunch, they give you twice the quantity of stuff they do here. _Louise_ (_admiringly_). I'm so glad I've seen you lunch. Now I shall be able to fancy every day exactly what you are having. _Her Fiance_ (_to assist her imagination_). Mind you, I don't _always_ have porridge. Sometimes it's mushroom croquettes, or turnip and onion rissoles,--whatever's going. Now yesterday, for instance, I had---- [_He details exactly what he had, and she listens to these moving episodes with the rapt interest of a Desdemona._ _First Literary Clerk._ No; but look here, you don't take my _point_. I'm not running down SWINBURNE--all I'm arguing is, he couldn't have written some of the things BROWNING did. _Second L. C._ Of course not--when BROWNING had written them--_that's_ nothing against him. _First L. C._ (_warmly_). I'm not saying it _is_. I'm telling you the difference between the two men--now BROWNING, he makes you _think_! _Second L. C._ He never made _me_ think, that's all _I_ know. _Third L. C._ Nor yet me. Now, 'ERBERT SPENCER, he _does_ make you think, if you like! _First L. C._ Now you're getting on to something else. The grand fault I find with SWINBURNE, is----