Punch (99.1890)

Novbmhbb l, 1890.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

203

OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

The Dead Man's Gift, by Hebbebt Common ; the title of which
might lead one to imagine something very weird, and uncanny.
Nothing of the sort. Mr. Common doesn't wish to "make your flesh
creep" like the Fat Boy in Pickwick. It is only the story of a tea-
planter's romance, though the finding of the gift is most exciting.
Interesting and well written.

The Cabinet Portrait Gallery, published by Cassell & Co., with
portraits of most of our Celebrities, by Messrs. Downey, is excellent.

Christmas Books now make their appearance, and the first and
principal offenders in disturbing the Calendar are Messrs. Blackle &
Son. " Among the names," says the Baron's juvenile assistant Co.
Junior, "we recognise one of our boys' most favourite authors, G-. A.

Henty, who this year gives
them another exciting histori-
cal tale, By England's Aid,
which deals with the closing
events of the War of Indepen-
dence in Holland. Also Maori
and Settler, a story of the New
Zealand War, when young
England was quite a settler
for the Maori. Both recom-
mended. Hal Hungerford,"hy
J. R. Hutchinson, is a good,
book for boys, and A Rash
Promise, or, Meg's Secret, by
Cecilia Selby Lowndes, is an
equally good one for girls, and
finally The Girls' Own Paper

iitji i • a o „ " Annual, and The Boys' Own

" iilackie and oon. t» a i £

_ Paper Annual, are two very

handsome capitally illustrated gift-books." Now the Baron's cheerful
assistants have done their work, he himself, has something to say.

"No, my dear and venerable Mr. T. Sidney Coopbb, R.A.," says
the Baron to that eminent octogenarian Academician, whose "remi-
niscences" Bentley and Son have just published; "if you are
correctly quoted in the P. M. G., your memory is absolutely at fault
in describing Douglas Jebbold as ' Editor of Punch.' He never
was. Tour account of the doings at the hebdomadal board of the
Punch Staff College must be taken with several pinches of salt, as
never once in your lengthy career have you been present at any one
of these symposia. No matter. Tour health, and book! "

Permit the Baron to strongly recommend Makion Cbaweobd's A
Cigarette-Maker's Romance. Slight indeed is the plot, and few the

dramatis personce; but the
latter are drawn with a
Meissonier-like finish, and
the simple tale is charm-
ingly and touchingly told.
The wonder of it is that so
little to tell should have
occupied two volumes; and
a greater wonder remains,
which is, that, at the close,
the reader should wish
there were a third. To
create this desire is, after
all, the very perfection of
the art of novel - writing.
The novelist who does not
make the reader " wish as
there was more on it," ac-
cording to the philosophic
dictum of Sam Wetter on
the art of epistolary cor-
respondence, has failed.
Henceforth this novel of
Mr. Cbaweokd's goes forth
to the world with the
A Cigarette-Maker s Komanoe. ^mm's ^ {mprimatar_

This poor little cigarette-maker requires no puffing of her wares.
Enough that the Baron should say to his readers, *"Tolle lege!"
Tou will be delighted with it, " II cigarette per esser felice." It is a
charming story, says emphatically, The Babon de Book-Woems.

Hope fob the East End oe London ttndeb the New
Mayoealty.—If South Kensington and the Fashionable "West are
now complaining of smells everywhere in the S. and S."W. district,
the City and the East End may, for one year at least, rejoice in the
supreme rule of the Savory. "We can't write of Savoey without adding
Mooee, so we must mention that the name of Savoey is ominous for
the continuation of the Mayoralty. The Guildhall Banquets end
with a Savory. Absit omen.'

WINTER OPERA.

Royal Italian Opera is quite a winter rose in Covent Garden. It
blossomed well, and is doing bloomingly. How lovely and of what
happy omen is the name of Mabia Peri, whose Valentina in Les
Huguenots is worth recording, even though it does not beat the record.
It is said to be an uninteresting part, yet I remember everybody
being uncommonly enthusiastic about this same Valentina when
Geisi played it, and her "Valentine" was Rojneo-Wze Mabio.
Their struggle, his Leap for Life out of the window after the great
" Tu M'ami" solo and duet, her despair, will never be forgotten.
" Nothing in the part," quotha! Nothing in the person more likely.
Signor Padilla, excellent actor, is here again. Signor Insenio Cobsi

4/tv-'

Our Maggie Mclntyre as "La (Prima) Donna del 'Lago.' "

has been "lent" by Sheriff Augustus Deueiolanus, and we hope
he'll be returned safe, sound, and unspoilt, carefully packed, "G
uppermost," in time for the Royal Italian Season. More nioe names
of good omen in the ballet, Louise Loved ay,—hope she'll "love-
night" as well, and be always ready to dance,—and "Jessie
Smiles ! "—does she! Bless her heart! Signor Aed 'itty, as 'Aeey
would say, is the energetic "Conductor," so that Signor Lago's
'bus " full inside—all right! " ought to go along pleasantly, and
do well.

Friday.— "Lucia di Lammermoor, with Mile. Stbomfeld in the
title role, singing well, and recalled several times by a fairly filled
house. Signor Suane, the Edgardo, looking better than he sang.
But what a fine old crusted piece of Italianised conventionality the
Opera is, with about as much to do with Scotland, as it has with
Scott ! From the general demeanour and appearance of the Chorus
of "Ladies and Knights," and "Friends of Lord Ashton," the
Ashtons evidently in a very second-rate set at Lammermoor. How-
ever, it must be admitted that their attitude, as spectators of Lucia's
delirium, left nothing to desire on the score of repose—the Veee de
Veees themselves could not have been calmer, or less concerned.
Blue chins, and. sympathy expressed by semaphore action in the
good old time-honoured fashion. The "Warriors of Ravenswood"
in Lincoln green hunting costume, and the tombs of Edgardo's
fathers under a marble colonnade—to give the necessary local colour.

Good house on Saturday for Robert the Devil,—not our'1 Rqbbbt ''
the "Waiter. But Signor Lago must not be satisfied with things as
they are. _

PROGRESS —FIN DE SIEGLE 1

1891. Vessels laid up by the Shipping Federation.

1892. The Railway Union decide to>top all traffic until labour is
cheaper.

1893. The United Cooperative Stores secure monopoly of Trade,
and then close until better times.

1894. Army and Navy disbanded, join the Barglar Association,
of which the Police are now members.

1895. Publication of newspapers throughout the civilised world,
suspended.

1896. Universal redistribution of land, and personal property.

1897. Conversion of every public building on the Four Quarters
of the Globe into a refuge for the indigent.

1898. Strike of the Butchers, the Bakers and the Candlestick-

111 ill^9

1899. ' Strike of the Doctors, and the Undertakers—Pin de Sieole!

1900. Strike of the Lawyers—Fin du Monde !