Punch: Punch (97.1889)

J


September 14, 1889.]

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. 123

FANCY PORTRAIT OF MR. BALFOUR ENJOYING A HOLIDAY.

The Right Eon, Gentleman is depicted Tcindly giving two of the Attendants, supplied by Scotland Yard to protect prominent Members

of the Cabinet in London, a little Outing.

such title as The Band of Blood; on Tuesday, Hamlet; Wednesday,
(two pieces) Cox and Box, and A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing;
Thursday, The Rivals; Friday, London Assurance; and Saturday, we
return to our old love (a sure draw), The Band of Blood. Thus the
ladies and gentlemen of the company have plenty of practice, and if
(let us say) Mr. Garrick Macreadt Roscius is not quite in his
element as Sir Ralph Ruthven, the wicked baronet in the melo-
drama, he often has a chance, before he is many days older, of
making a very favourable impression as Box.

There are other distractions. We have Excursions in a drag
(shilling there and back—children half-price) to a very popular ruin,
where one can look at the remains of a churchyard washed away by
the sea, and exchange courtesies with the friendly sheep of a vener-
able caretaker, and (once a year) we have a Regatta. This Season the

Regatta would have been a'stupendous success (we had enough flags
to have paved Cheapside) had not a dead heat between two rival crews
led to a contest on land, which was not included in the programme,
and which was even more exciting than the contest on water.

Then our visitors are most delightful. We have Harry without
his “ h,” and Emily with a supplementary aspirate. ’Arry wears
white flannel trousers, and Hemily a cricketing cap that bursts
into blossom just over the peak. Their conversation proves them
both to belong to what the Lodginghouse-keepers call “ the ’igher
classes.”

And this reference to the Lodginghouse-keepers reminds me that
perhaps the most startling thing in the whole place is the price
asked for apartments. But here I am obliged to stop (or rather go), as
my legs will insist upon hurrying me off to the railway station!