A fool of Louis XI. to whom he did not attend, as not thinking him capable of making observations, overheard him making this pleasant proposal to our lady of Cleri, at the great altar, when nobody else was in the church. "Ah! my dear lady, my little mistress, my best friend, my only comforter, I beg you to be my advocate, and to importune God to pardon me the death of my brother, whom I poisoned by the hands of that rascal, the Abbot of St. John. I confess this to you as to my good patroness and mistress; I know it is hard, but it will be the more glorious for you if you obtain it, and I know what present I will make you beside." (_See Brantome's Life of Charles III_.) The fool repeated all, word for word, when the king was at dinner, before the whole court. * * * * * LOYAL BEQUEST. Col. Windham, who assisted Charles II. in his escape, is said to have told the king, that Sir Thomas, his father, in the year 1636, a few days before his death, called to him his five sons:--"My children," said he, "we have hitherto seen serene and quiet times under our three last sovereigns; but I must now warn you to prepare for clouds and storms. Factions arise on every side, and threaten the tranquillity of your native country. But, whatever happen, _do you faithfully honour and obey your prince, and adhere to the crown. I charge you never to forsake the crown, though it should hang upon a bush._" * * * * * SHETLAND ISLES. Here, on the shortest--day, the sun rises 17-1/2 min. past 9 o'clock, and sets 42 min. past 2 o'clock. The nights begin to be very short early in May, and from the middle of that month to the end of July, darkness is absolutely unknown--the sun scarcely quits the horizon, and his short absence is supplied by a bright twilight. Nothing can surpass the calm serenity of a fine summer night in the Shetland Isles. * * * * * A SAFE WAY TO OPEN STALE OYSTERS. There is an old proverb, viz. "_The Mayor of Northampton opens oisters with his dagger_." The meaning of which is, to keep them at a sufficient distance from his nose. For this town being eighty miles from the sea, fish may well be presumed stale therein. "Yet I have heard (says Dr. Fuller,) that oisters put up with care, and carried in the cool, were weekly brought fresh and good to _Althrop_, the seat of the _Lord Spencer_, at equal distance; and it is no wonder, for I myself have eaten, in Warwickshire, above eighty miles from London, oisters sent from that city, fresh and good, and they must have, been carried some miles before they came there." P.T.W. * * * * *