Overworked Characters.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 27, 1 February 1908, Page 10

Overworked Characters.

Your readers may bo- interested (w'lites a 1 contributor to T. P.'s Weekly) to hear some account of a Jlomo for Overworked Characters, which I visited some yeaTg ago. It is now removed to the Undiscovered Country, but at that time it was still located in Queer-stieet, and had considerably raised tho tone of that familiar neighbourhood. This is not surprising, for Caesar'a wife, was the president of the committee which had appointed Mrs. Grundy lady superintendent. Between fcheira they kept a .warm eye upon the ways' of Pratty Fanny, wnosd wiles— but of "that more anon ! Passing through •the baronial hails I noticed that industrious charwoman, Mrs. Partington, busy as evei' with her mop. " Finding tho atmosphere somewhat oppressive, I was directed by neat-handod Phyllis to tho grounds, comprising three acres and a cow. Here 1 f6uiid Pretty Fanny playing tennis with a fine athleticlooking young fellow, whom I had ao difficulty in recognising—the' 2^ew Zealander just com 6 over 1 to view the ruins of London from Waterloo Bridge. Apparently he had met with a pleasanter object of contemplation, for, as. he stooped to return a particularly swift ball, I heard him muimur ecstatically, "Once aboard the lugger, and the guen is mine." Tho Intelligent Foreigner and the Well-groomed Ma.n Vcre now quite out of tho running j indeed, the former was reduced to sport with Amaryllis in the shade, where I saw him Offering her the white flower of a blameless life which grew .there in profusion. I am unabls to say, however, whether it \vas accepted or not — probably not. This idyllic scene was completed by the Grand Old Gardener and his wife, the former digging in an excellent manure, "Leaves in Vallombrosa, using for tho purpose the spade that -was called a spade, the latter spinning the fleece of the shorn lamb into yarns. Macaulaj''s Omniscient Schoolboy was upbraiding her bitterly for having tethered that interesting animal iv the bleakest part of the grounds. "You knew I was going to fly my kite," he exclaimed, "7md now, of course, tho wind will drop, as the veriest tyro could tell you." On retracing my steps to the houra J found in the porch the Ancient Mariner relating some of his experiences to the parrot who thought the more. B.oside them the Derby dog and the harmless necessary ca>t were sunning themselves on. the steps. (The former had evidently had his day !) "I tec you're as fond of dumb creatures as ever," I remarked, fatuously, I admit. "Was that the- albatross I saw waddling down to tho silent poolJ" "No," he replied, with melancholy dignity, "that was the rara- avis. The committee, sent the albatross to the junglo." "Seems a pity," I murmured confusedly. "Not at all," he interrupted. "Myself," I thought it had been hanging about quite long enough ; and as for ills being a spur to repentance my real remorse is for having kept tho Wedding Guest from the feast — the chance of a lifetime, veTy likely. Permit me in some, ineasuie to atono for that by inviting you to share our own frugal repast." He handed ai'e the menu for the evening, which ran as follows: — HOKS D'OEUVRE. Caviare to the General. The Curate's Egg. SOUP. Tha Broth too many Cooks had spoiled. FISH. Red Honing. JOLNT. The, Cold Shoulder. SWEETS. The Pic Every One had a finger in. Tho Pudding tho Proof whereof was in the Eating. CHEESE. The Gorgonzola that was turned loose. DESSERT. The- Sour Grapes. The Cup that Oheois. After perusing Iho foregoing- I remembered a pressing engagement to dine with an old schoolfellow at the club, and henca was obliged to excuse myself. My decision was oven proof against tho piospcct of jam batU arid" unlimited beer a»di skittles. ,