"OH, SUCH A DREADFUL THING HAPPENED TO ME! I WENT UP TO LADY EXE,--I HAD SOMETHING VERY PARTICULAR TO SAY TO HER,--AND I DIDN'T SEE SHE WAS TALKING TO ONE OF THE ROYAL PRINCES. WELL, JUST FANCY! I TOOK NO SORT OF NOTICE OF HIM, BUT I JUST SAID WHAT I HAD TO SAY TO _HER_. WHEN I DISCOVERED WHAT I HAD DONE, I CALLED ON LADY EXE, AND I SAID, 'I'M AFRAID HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS WILL BE AWFULLY ANNOYED WITH ME.' AND DEAR LADY EXE QUITE COMFORTED ME, YOU KNOW. SHE SAID, 'IF I WERE YOU, I WOULDN'T TROUBLE MYSELF ABOUT IT. HE WON'T TAKE ANY NOTICE OF IT; AS REALLY, MY DEAR, _PEOPLE HAVE SUCH BAD MANNERS NOWADAYS!_'"] * * * * * PROPHETIC DIARY OF THE L.C.C. (_For the Next Ten Years._) 1894. Scheme accepted for building Hôtel de Ville at a cost of £3,000,000. 1895. Purchase of Kensington Gardens as a Recreation-ground for the Improvement Committee. 1896. The Council buys St. Paul's Cathedral as a Private Chapel for the marriage of its members and their families. 1897. Completion of _The Bumble_ Steam-yacht of the L. C. C., costing £100,000. 1898. Uniforms for the Members ordered at an expense of £500,000. 1899. Purchase of a Crown and other Jewels for the Chairman on State occasions. 1900. The Palaces erected for occupation by the Members in Eaton, Belgrave, Grosvenor, and Berkeley Squares acquired and taken into use. 1901. A sum not exceeding £5,000,000 voted by the L. C. C. for statues commemorating themselves, their wives, and their families. 1902. Resolution carried by acclamation confiscating the entire sum received from the ratepayers for the L. C. C. Secret Service Fund. 1903. Petition for Metropolitan Improvement unanimously rejected. 1904. Act abolishing the L. C. C. passed in Parliament at a single sitting. * * * * * "COMMONS PRESERVATION SOCIETY."--A most useful body, no doubt. "But," asks Lord T. NODDIE, "as our Upper House is so often threatened, why isn't there a "Lords Preservation Society?" * * * * * DANCE TILL DAWN. Charming maidens, smiling brightly, Moving gracefully and lightly As the fawn, Linger still, let me invite you, Surely on this short June night you Dance till dawn. Till the early bird will get the Worm, and seaside shrimpers net the Shrimp or prawn. Whilst they print the morning paper, Let us glide and whirl and caper Till the dawn. Till, with waking chirp of sparrows, Early costermongers' barrows Forth are drawn. Till the candles flare and gutter. And the daylight, through the shutter, Peeps at dawn; Till the cock is crowing; listen! And the dainty dewdrops glisten On the lawn; Till my pretty partner's posies, Made of June's delightful roses, Droop at dawn;