Punch (75.1878)

January 4, 1879.1 PUNCH, OH THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

EDISON had retired—extinguished for once. Punch was just turning down his own Electric Illuminator, with which he
had cruelly quenched the newest light of the famous Transatlantic Inventor, when a deep but cheery voice sounded from
the half-dark of the ante-adytum.

" Don't put that out yet, lieber alter ! Let me see Punch for once standing in his own light! "

And, with a ringing laugh, the Reichskanzeer strode into the sanctum, flinging open Ins huge fur cloak, and stamping
the snow from his heavy cuirassier hoots, as he held out his hand with a hearty " Pros'11 neues jahr ! "

Punch shook the strong hand cordially, and motioning the Prince to a chair, took his own place at the Round Table
of Council alongside his distinguished visitor, to whom he pushed his own private box of Regalias.

It was an impressive moment. There sat the two Powers of the World in presence ! Strange, the Globe continued to
revolve, as if there was still the normal distance between its two pivots.

" The truth is, old man," said the Prince, after taking in the contents of the sanctum with a sweeping glance, " I want
jour counsel."

" You will find it in my back numbers," was the calm and dignified reply.

" I have no time to read."

" A despatch is soon written."

" Not so soon as a friendly word is spoken under four eyes," said the Prince, pleasantly. " Even I find it hard to
come straight to the point on paper. It is true I am used to diplomatic correspondents. If you knew what a horror their
flauderei gives one of despatches !--"

" Have I not correspondents of my own ? " sighed Punch.

" And a waste-paper basket—happily for you. We have only archives. No ; pen and ink—present company's always
excepteel—is silvern; speech—present company's in particular—is golden; next best thing, in fact, to silence. You and I
know how to speak to each other."

" Thanks to the latest light out of the Busch !—if that be not, as some say, a mere marsh-light, meant to mislead."

" Ach, dieser armer Buschlein ! " laughed the burly Reichskanzeer. " Indiscreet—eh? to let one's tame newspaper-
organ grind on its own account. Contrary to all diplomatic proprieties'? That's why I like it. Fancy the long faces in the
Chancelleries I And the infinite deal of nothing Bcschlein's buchlein will set flowing from Plenipotential pens ! For once
their Excellencies will have something to hang their nothings on."

" One fact, at least, he puts the world up to—your Excellency's favourite tipple," said Punch, pleasantly, motioning
towards the buffet.

" And here we are at the fountain-head of the Porter~-if not of the Pommery. SchencJc ein ! " replied the Prince in
the same tone.