"On the afternoon of Saturday, the 14th day of December instant, while Mrs. Clarke was delivering clean linen with her horse and van near the Streatham Railway Station, the horse took fright at the whistle of a passing train and started off at a furious pace, and coming in contact with a coal-waggon the horse was killed, the van dashed to pieces, and her eldest son 16 years of age was thrown from the van, and received such injury as caused compound fracture of the right thigh, and now lies in St. Thomas's Hospital in a dangerous state, whereby Mrs. Clarke has sustained a severe loss, estimated at £45. "Knowing Mrs. Clarke, a respectable and industrious widow with a family of five children depending on her for support, I beg to recommend her case to the notice of a few benevolent neighbours, to enable her to follow her occupation as heretofore, trusting it will come under their notice with that eye of sympathy it so much merits. "Vestry Hall, Streatham. "This 17th day of December, 1889." [Illustration: "BROWN'S" BEGGING-LETTERS.] This would be presumably signed--of course in Brown's handwriting--by the Vestry Clerk with "20s." against his name. This in itself is a delightful composition--but it did not end here. Our estimable friend Brown would follow on with a few more signatures giving various sums of money, but one signature always headed the list--after that of the Vestry Clerk. It was a coal-waggon which upset poor Mrs. Clarke, killed her horse and dashed her van to pieces. Hence--written in red ink--there appears on all these appeals the name of a well-known firm of London coal merchants, who give Two Pounds. _Beauties._ [Illustration: _Miss Louie Spencer._ _From a Photo by Walton Adams, Reading._ Mrs Glyndeur Foulkes. _From a Photo by John Ingham, Sale, near Manchester._ _Miss Mabel Morphett._ _From a Photo by W. Edward Wright, Forest Gate._] [Illustration: Miss Daisy Baldry _From a Photo by James Bacon, Newcastle-on-Tyne._ _Miss Irene Vanbrugh._ _From a Photo by Russell & Sons, 17, Baker Street, W._ MISS FRANKS _From a Photo by A. Weston, 84, Newgate Street, E.C._] _Count Ferdinand de Lesseps._ BY HIS GOD-DAUGHTER. The name of De Lesseps has been on the lips of many people, both French and English, within the past two years; some speaking of him in terms of reproach, others of admiration, for his past services to his country and the world at large, and commiseration for his present sad position, and the failure of his last great scheme, the cutting of the Isthmus of Panama. This record of his life, therefore, by one who, from her childhood, has known the "Grand Français," may be found interesting at this moment.