_Lady loquitur_:--
BATTLE of Blues? There's the blue of the skies and eyes aristocratic,
But take the array all around the true battle is polychromatic.
Eh? FAIR _versus_ BRAND? Ah! of course; but you cannot expect us to
narrow
The rainbow of Fashion to favour the yearnings of Eton and Harrow.
Nice lads, _very_ nice; always like Eton boys, when they haven't got
"pots" on,
And there is a good deal that's "smiting" in Whatshisname--no, I mean
WATSON;
But Blue's not so _chic_ as it was, and a triumph in azure is barren,
That is, to a girl who is simply a girl, and not A. C. M'LAREN,
White has it to-day, my dear BLANCHE, though a spotting of scarlet and
crimson
Gleams over the ground, for sweet woman _will_ take most peculiar
whims on.
A nice bit of Chelsea? Eh? What? Oh! that plucky _Lord_ CHELSEA, dear
fellow!
Not out, seventy-two; very good!--but _do_ look at that girl in bright
yellow!
It seems to add heat to the sun that is beating and broiling our backs
on.
Eh? Why doesn't FAIR make more use of his capital fast bowler, JACKSON?
I'm sure _I_ don't know. EDITH BLAND all alone there, poor faded
forlorn flower!
Yes, Harrow has rather hard luck, and I wish I had mounted a
cornflower;
But blue doesn't suit me a bit; and why _can't_ they change colours
with seasons,
These Teams? Oh! don't argue it, please, there's no muddle like male
creatures' _reasons_.
That lady in heliotrope graceful? Dear me! why she walks like Pa's
heifer,
Eat? Oh! it's too hot; I could lunch on a strawberry plus an iced
zephyr.
Well, y-e-es, _one_ more glass of champagne, and that salad is really
delightful.--
Why FLOSS had three helps to my two, that child's appetite really is
frightful!
Oh! what's that? Poor FAIR out again? Now I think that's unfair.
Oh! no pun, Sir--
I never _do_ pun, if you please, and most surely not under this
sun, Sir.
There are too many ways, don't you think, so? of getting "out";
bowlings, and catches,
And stumpings, and--what's l.b.w.? Always see that in these matches--
Oh! there is Prince CHRISTIAN! I _wish_ that the lads had less
powerful voices,
This shouting must hurt Harrow's feelings, and if she _has_ fewer
"old choices"
That isn't _her_ fault, I suppose, and they ought to allow her more
batters.
That would harrow poor Harrow much more? Well, I really _can't_ fathom
such matters.
Ah! RAPHAEL seems a sweet name; and he's "out for a duck" too;
how horrid!
Why, even poor GOSLING made _four_. Oh, dear me, 'tis tremendously
torrid!
And, how they _can_ run so----There, listen to ISABEL SMYTHE, _do_
just listen.
She's coached up in Cricketing slang; she has "crammed" for it.
How her eyes glisten!
"Oh! bowled, Sir, indeed! Caught, Sir, caught!"--And she rhymes
"bowled" to "howled." Most disgusting!
Last over? Hope Harrow will pull up to-morrow. Of course they
are trusting
In mighty M'LAREN again. But oh, if their colours they'd vary!
Unless you've a brother, you know, or a lover like MILDRED and MARY.
In one team or other, it's hard to get up an emotion that's "humming,"
For dark blue and light are so like, Sir, and neither is
_very_ becoming.
* * * * *
New Room Notes, National Gallery.
"_The Three Graces_," now well placed, had been previously "skied." But
didn't this show that Sir JOSHUA'S work ranked uncommonly high in the
opinion of the former hangers?
It is not surprising that among Sir ROBERT PEEL'S Collection there
should have been several charming Constables. These Pictures ought to be
called and known as "Peelers."
* * * * *