LONDON THIRTEEN CLUB.

The New Year's dinner of the London Thirteen Club took place one Friday recently at the Holborn Restaurant. In the reception room there rested on an easel a mirror about two feet square, which took the place of the ordinary dinner-gong and was smashed by two cross-eyed waiters at seven o'clock to announce that dinner was ready. The

guests then filed into room No 13, each one passing under a ladder. The tables were lighted with small lamps placed in plaster skulls ; in front of each chair was a small skeleton ; all the

knives were crossed ; the serviettes were adorned with peacocks' feathers, and in place of salt cellars there were plaster coffins with headstones bearing the inscription : ' To the memory of many senseless superstitions killed by the London Thirteen Olub, 1894 ' —miniature gravediggers' shovels supplying the place of salt spoons. Behind the seat of the chairman (Mr Harry Furniss) was fixed the ' fatal' peacock, with flowing tail, while in front of Mr Furniss was placed a model of a human skull and cross-bones. Suspended above the chair was a scroll portraying a steaming cauldron in charge of a witch, with an evil eye, the proverbial black cat, with stiffened tail, being in very close proximity. When the dinner had been in progress about a quarter of an hour the Chairman asked the company to join him in ' spilling salt.' Later on he invited thciu all to break a looking-glass with him, a circular mirror having been supplied to each guest. Rather more than a hundred were present

The first toast was proposed by the Chairman, in thirteen words, viz., ' The Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales, and rest of the Royal Family.'

The Chairman, in proposing the Houses of Parliament, said the Prime Minister was not superstitious. The Home Rule bill was introduced on February 13. It was on a Friday that the third reading was carried, and it was on a Friday that it was thrown out by the House of Lords. The great coal strike was on a Friday ; the Government arranged a conference on a Friday ; and the strike was successfully brought to a termination on a Friday. Mr H. S. Foster, M. P., replied for the House of Commons.

The Chairman then proposed the toast of the evening : ' Enemies of superstition, ignorance, and humbug, drink success to the London Thirteen Club.' He related in racy style many anecdotes of popular superstition, and incidentally remarked that much of his information had been culled from a work 201 years old on the rules of civility which he brought to present to Mr- John Burns, M.P. (laughter). They hoped to be able to kill most of these superstitions, and he was glad to know that they would have the aid of many clergyman. Already they had three clergymen among their members, and no doubt they would soon have a full table of 13, for doubtless their doings would be mentioned in many sermons on the morrow.

The toast was responded to by Mr. Blanch, who said many members who had taken tickets were not present. Whether they had funked it at tho last minute, or their wives had prevented them coming, he could not say. Amongst those who had declined the invitation was Mr. G. R. Sims, who wrote that he could not run the risk of leaving his horses and dogs without a master. Mr. Blanch said the Thirteen Club proposed to become a great charitable organisation as well as a foe to superstition of all kinds.

A. good musical programme was provided.