Punch (98.1890)

Mat 31, 1890.]

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

255

In shuddering flight away from that frozen hell,

That pestilent prison for all things free and fair,
"Where the raven's croak is the patriot's only knell

On the tainted air.
Let it be known! Aye 1 the cruel secret crawls,

Despite the vigilant watch of tyranny's hounds,
From the scaffold's screen, from the kamera's sombre walls;

Away, as you wished, o'er enfranchised lands it sounds,
And shocks the gentle, and stirs the blood of the strong ;

But he, the Autocrat, sits, with a shaken mind,
And a palsied heart; to the tale of horror and wrong

He's deaf and blind I
Pale ladies lashed, at the word of a drunken brute, [" plet!"

To the death they welcome e'en from the vtorturing
And his eyes are blind, and his trembling lips are mute,
"Whilst the eyes of a world of shuddering men are wet.
Chained gangs of patriot captives stabbed or shot
At the scared caprice of a bully, craven-souled!
And the Autocrat, whilst all hearts with shame wax hot,

Sits still and cold!
TJst-Kara's far, and the hasty scaffold reared

In the grey of the early morning bore—a fool,
Who had not learned that Law must be blindly feared,

Though sent to the stern Siberian wastes to school.
The unconvicted exile who dares to lift

A voice, a hand, is a proven " Terrorist,"
And if, in Yakoutsk, he is given a shortish shrift,

Need the White Tzar list ?
The "White Tzar sits on his gorgeous seat, alone;

Blindfold and deaf, in his realm the veriest slave,
Though the seat he fills is the rack men call a Throne,
And the Tzar is a stalwart Titan, strong and brave.
Strong—yet helpless as yon slain woman's hand;

Brave—but shaken through with a haunting Fear.
Of all his myrmidons' devilries done in the land

The last to hear!
Let it be known! Poor Zotoff's legacy wakes

A living echo in every ear humane.
E'en the Autocrat in his lonely splendour quakes

At the vague vast sounds of menace no bonds restrain.
But there, in the heart of horrors, he sits and sighs,

Blindfold Injustice bound to a joyless throne ;
Whilst far the voice of his fallen victim flies—
" Let it be known ! "

A DISTINCTION AND A DIFFERENCE.

"now what are the peculiar distinctions of the quakers? for
instance, how do they speak differently from you and Me ? "

"Please, Sir, they don't Swear 1"

ME. PUNCH'S DICTIONARY OF PHRASES.
Social.

_ " Just want five minutes' chat with you ;" i.e., " He '11 give me a
cigar and something to drink, and as I've nothing to do for half an
hour, this will occupy me pleasantly."

" Yes; I quite understand;" i.e., "I don't know what he is
talking about, but he's a bore."

_ ' Wouldn't tell it to anyone but you;" i.e., " This will ensure its
circulation."

Platfoemulaes.
• "lH/^e Laureate well puts it, in lines that will live for ever
i.e., I m perfectly dead certain I've forgotten the third line of
the verse." s

" The clock warns me that I am trespassing too long on your
Patience ; ».e." Haven't said half of what I meant to say. Why
the dickens don't they say, ' Go on!' "

Friendly Comments on Character and Accomplishments.
sock-darning* d^wdyrf"meSl!tCa<ed darKng ima9i™ble; " i.e., "A dull,
" Quite a beauty-man and nice—to those who like that sort of
thing; i.e., An awfully handsome fellow, who won't worship me."
(*rtmrather at first, but grows upon one wonderfully ; " i.e.,
Me is softening a little beneath my blandishments."

Railroad Amenities.
" 2T<j?,w, Vm like the window up ; " i.e., "Hope to goodness she
won t, tor her patchouli is simply suffocating."

"If you feel inclined for a snack, don't mind me ; " " The scent
of sherry and sandwiches in a close carriage is simply sickening."

Prepabins fob Private Theatricals.
.."I defer to your superior knowledge of stage-effect;" i.e.,
Stuck-up know-all I I could play his head off!"
" Well, I fear it's a little out of my line ; still if Jean do any-
thing to help you, I shall be delighted ; " i.e., " What I've longed
f°r for years. Now I shall have a chance of showing what's in me! "

Sravo,Buffins,dear boy! That little bit of business was really first-
rate ;" i.e., " If he plays like that I shall shine, if only by contrast."

QUITE A LITTLE BANC(ROFT) HOLIDAY 1
Mrs. Bancroft's "Little Play" is very good work. It is called
The Riverside ; it drew a big Matinee house at the Haymarket last
Thursday, and drew big tears. The ladies did enjoy themselves!
They were in full cry all the time. Capitally acted. It is rumoured
that the gifted authoress, manageress, and actress (all in one), is
going to take a company up the river in a House-boat fitted as a
Theatre. It is to be called The Thespis, and will visit all the prin-
cipal places on the river during the Season, and ought to do uncom-
monly well. The idea is novel. The Company will be called " The
Bancroft Water-Babies." 2 propos of the Busy B.'s, we are
authorised to contradict the report that, in consequence of his great
success as an arbitrator. Mr. Bancroft is to be made a Deputy-
Assistant County Court Judge. This is not so.

The First Eoze of Summer.—Our Chirruping Critic off the hearth
went to Madame Marie Roze's Concert the other day—advertised as
"Grand Morning Concert "—well, it was a" Grand Morning" for the
time of year—but why was the Concert'' Grand ? "— and was delighted.
The Chirruper heartily welcomed Miss Grace Damian—more graceful
than ever—she sang grandly—of course everyone did on this " grand "
occasion—and he nearly split a pair of gloves applauding Mr. Leo
Stern in his Grand Violoncello act, for which he was recalled three
times till he was quite tired of bowing and " boo'ing." But the
Chirruper would not have it otherwise, Touch not a single bow,"
as the song says. And then the flowers 1 five bouquets for Madame
Marie Eoze. "The flowers that bloom in the spring, tra la! " as the
late firm of Gilbert and Sullivan used to sing and play. 2 propos
of Mr. Gilbert, his protegee, Miss Neilson, whom he was the first to
bring out in Brantingham Hall, St. James's, S.W., gave a recitation
which made a decided hit; and then she sang a song—accomplished
voung lady is Miss Julia—which made another hit. The Chirruper
wishes to record that—to a quartette " specially arranged for the
Meister Glee Singers, called Dinah Doe, and excellently sung, no
names were given of either the Shakspearian Librettist, or the
Composer, J. L. Molloy, who wrote it for the German Reeds many
years ago'. It's as fresh as ever, and at this grand concert came
out grandly. The Steinway piano was of course a grand.