(_From Mr. Punch, at Henley._)
Here's a hand, my fine fellows; in friendship you come,
And _Punch_, who likes courage, would scorn to be dumb.
He greets you with cheers; may your shades ne'er diminish,
Though you row forty-four from the start to the finish.
You will bear yourselves bravely, and merit your fame,
For brave man and Frenchman mean mostly the same.
We shall do what we can--it's our duty--to beat you,
But we know it will take a tough crew to defeat you.
And whatever the upshot, howe'er the race ends,
You and we, having struggled, shall always be friends.
So accept, while we cheer you again and again,
This welcome from Thames to his sister, the Seine.
* * * * *
SKINNERS AND SKINNED.--One portion of the ancient award of Sir ROBERT
BILLESDON, Lord Mayor of London, in settling a dispute between the
Skinners and Merchant Taylors, was, that these two Companies should
dine together once a year. Mr. Justice BRUCE, alluding to this at
the banquet on Skinners Day, when, as was natural, many lawyers were
present, suggested that it would be a good thing if power were given
to judges to "condemn litigants to dine together, and to order that
the costs of the dinner should come out of the Consolidated Fund"--a
very good notion. The idea might be extended to entertaining Wards in
Chancery, of whom two unhappy infants the other day were had up at the
Police Court for picking and stealing, in order to feed themselves and
keep themselves alive until they should reach the age when they would
come into their Chancery-bound property of something like L20,000. The
magistrate ordered an inquiry, but of "subsequent proceedings" we have
not as yet seen any record.
* * * * *
[Illustration: THE RISING GENERATION.
_Host._ "WHAT A SMART SET OF PEOPLE WE'VE GOT TO-NIGHT, DEARY!"
_Hostess._ "YES. HOW I WISH ONE OF OUR DEAR GIRLS WOULD COME AND SIT
BY US, AND TELL US WHO EVERYBODY IS!"]
* * * * *
"HYMEN HYMENAEE!!!"