I am glad to see the "BYSTANDER" in the _Graphic_ has recently uttered
a startled protest against the fashion, now somewhat overdone, and
occasionally objectionably done, of lady-begging for charitable purposes
in the London streets. On the sudden apparition of one of these merry
half-sisters of charity (were not the Pecksniffian daughters Charity and
Merry?) Mr. ASHBY STERRY became well-nigh hysterrycal, and his
generosity being temporarily paralysed, he fled, with pockets tightly
buttoned. For the moment he was no longer the "BYSTANDER," whose motto
is that of _Captain Cuttle_, "Stand by," but, as though he had heard the
command to "Stand and deliver," our sturdy "BYSTANDER" became a fugitive
from before the face of the giddy charity girl, and thus at one "go"
saved his halfpence and his honour. For his reputation would have
suffered had he impolitely rebuffed his fair unfair assailant. He did
well to flee, he did still better to write and publicly complain. We
trust that this process adopted by _the_ Sterry O'Type (a fine old Irish
title by the way) may have its due influence, and that the abuse, which
has become thus Sterry O'Typed, of a fashion good in itself and its
origin, may soon cease to exist. _En attendant_, _Mr. Punch_ is pleased
to know that the "BYSTANDER" is still running on, and not likely to come
to a standstill.
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