This Pink must be planted in the most aristocratic soil. The mould
should be the very mould of form. It grows mostly in the open air, and
Belgravia may be looked upon as the great nursery for these Pinks.
Several favourable specimens, also, have been reared at the theatres,
the Italian and French operas, and similar fashionable forcing houses.
It is met with in great profusion at the balls of the nobility. The
latter specimen, however, cannot bear the daylight. It is put into a
hot bed the first thing when carried home in the morning, and there
it remains closed up and almost dead until the evening, when it just
begins to lift its drooping head. It is about twelve o'clock at night
that it is seen to the most blooming advantage. Your Pink of Fashion
is watered with a liquid called champagne, and, if it is at all faint,
a little piece of chicken and ham, and a few crumbs of bread, applied
to the mouth of the delicate flower, will revive it wonderfully. It is
a very tender plant, though it has been known to bloom for two or
three seasons. The greatest care, however, is requisite to keep it from
the cold, for its beauty is so sensitive, that the slightest neglect
will nip it in the bud. The Pink is of several colours, but the white
with a beautiful maiden blush is the specimen the most preferred. This
Pink usually carries its head very high, and, though not distinguished
for any particular amount of scents, still it is eagerly taken in hand
in society for its (s)talk. The Pink of Fashion is mostly single,
but cases of double Pinks have been recorded. The double (or married)
Pink, however, does not excite one half the interest of the one that is
single.
[Illustration: MUSIC AT HOME.--_Mrs. Smith_ (fortissimo, _to Mrs.
Brown, in one of those sudden and unexpected pauses with which Herr
Signor Hammerantonga is fond of surprising his audience_). "And so I
gave her a month's warning on the spot!"]
[Illustration: _Farmer Twentystone, from Mudshire, visits his recently
married niece at Lavender Villas, Brixton._
_Housemaid._ "Will you sit down, if you please, sir?"]
[Illustration: FEBRUARY 14
_Mistress._ "So you want me to read this love-letter to you?"
_Maid_. "If ye plaze, mam. And I've brought ye some cotton-wool ye can
stuff in yer ears while ye rade it!"]
[Illustration: _Her Ladyship (who has been away from home for
Christmas)._ "Well, Blundell, I hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas
dinner?" _Blundell._ "Yes, thank you, my lady. Ahem! I--er--took the
liberty of obtaining--_in the absence of your ladyship_--the biggest
goose procurable!"]
[Illustration: BRASS.--_Sympathetic Old Lady._ "Oh dear, dear! I do so
feel, Mabel, for that poor man with the long trumpet."--(_She must mean
the trombone in this street band._)--"All through the piece, dear, he's
been trying to fix it right, and he can't do it, poor fellow!!"]
[Illustration: SISTERS! (_Before the ball._)--_Pierrette (changing the
subject after a recent tiff in which she has come off victorious)._
"This glass is better, Rose. I can see myself here beautifully!"
_Pompadour (seeing her opportunity)._ "Plainly, I suppose you mean."]
[Illustration: _Sentimental Youth (to partner shaken by a passing
tremor)._ "Oh, I hope you don't feel cold?" _She._ "Not at all, thanks.
Only 'the grey goose walking over my grave.'" _Sentimental Youth (with
effusion)._ "Happy goose!"]