Various

“ It is a peaceful, a delightful spot, and on every hand are to be met hale and hearty folk who drifted hither, derelict wrecks, to be towed into haven and made sound for many a voyage. The tales of complete cures vary the conversational record of hours of sitting out. St. Luke, the good physician, is the patron saint of the little English Church here, and might well be the patron saint of Davos itself. ”

“ Davos.—Wonderfully hearty reception at the Hôtel d'Angleterre. Mr. Demmer smiles, Mrs. Demmer smiles, the boots, the waitress, the housemaid all smile. We smile, too, and find everything prepared in rooms of the most brilliant cleanness: dinner, and so to bed. ”

“ An almost irresistible impulse comes over me to change my ticket, break every tie and make a dash with him for his native desert, to live a free and untrammelled life, to head a successful insurrection against the French oppressor, to be laid after death in a splendid tomb with a cupola amidst the lamentations of thousands of lithe and dusky warriors. ”

“ Here, however, is a photographic group of non-commissioned officers of the Davos section of some infantry regiment. All their implements of warfare are drawn, a martial defiance gleams from every eye. ”

“ The Swiss voter has said no by an overwhelming majority. The Temps, analysing results, sees in this "a victory of the individualist spirit, and of French tradition over the German spirit instilled in the universities of Zurich, Berne, and Bâle, or brought home by Swiss writers and politicians who have studied in Germany itself." Sédan is avenged. It appears, too, that the Swiss voter is getting bored with Referendums. ”

“ Everything, save for the band, is wonderfully peaceful. A few cows browse in the valley, their pleasant bells drowsily tinkling. The surrounding mountains have donned their white crowns in our honour: the snowy, silent peaks glitter in the brilliant sun. ”

“ Interest in this alleged crime in high life drew together a vast galaxy of Society women, and His Worship was with difficulty accommodated with a seat on the bench. Opera-glasses ruled from one-and-sixpence-in-the-slot. ”

“ Following with my eyes the direction of his finger, I notice white dial, with moveable hand, let into roof. Plainly painted in bold letters on one side of the dial is the word "hell." On the other side, however, I see the German word "dunkel," which, of course, makes things clear. Quite natural, though, that apparatus for turning light up and down should, at first sight, be mistaken for a Salvation Army warning.
Landquart, 1.16 P.M.—Lunch. Here the toy [Pg 192] railway to Davos begins. We have still more than 3000 feet to climb before reaching our destination. ”

“ They're the helpmeets for men; and my tip is whenever you find 'em you take 'em!
Bless 'er blue ribbings! She beams like a sunflower in a back yard to a chap lyin' seedy,
Women like 'er is the sunshine of life, and make up for the swarms as are grubby and greedy. ”

“ Merry Swiss voter, awaking on a Sunday morning, inquires of his merry Swiss wife, "Any voting to-day, my dear?" "Only those silly matches," replies M. S. W. "Oh, drat they matches," says merry Swiss voter (or words to that effect) . "I'm not going to trouble about that," and turns over to sleep again. Anyhow, matches are not to be a State monopoly. Long live the Referendum!
On the way to Landquart.—Sudden alarm of my companion. He clutches my arm, and points to the roof of railway carriage, saying, in an awe-struck voice, "What does that mean ”

“ Wull ye bait sexpence against McBannock, Mester Pairritch?
Mr. Parr. (promptly) . Aye, wull I—na, he's got the dairk mon doon. I was jist mindin the sword-daunce, sae the bait's aff. (Three men in full Highland costume step upon the platform and stand, proud and impassive, fronting the grand stand, while the judges walk round them, making careful notes of their respective points.) What wull they be aboot?
Mr. McKerr. It'll be the prize for the mon who's the best dressed Hielander at his ain expense. I'm thenkin they'll find it no verra easy to come to a deceesion. ”

“ God be with him, and with all his fellow-sufferers here. Here are some notes taken on the way.
Hall of the Grosvenor Hotel, 10.30 A.M.—A mixed crowd of anxious French and English people: a sprinkling of Americans. Desperate inquiries from an elderly French lady for her box. A moment ago the box was visible, a monumental box peacefully reposing near the door. Now it has vanished. Is the box to be added to the questions pending between France and England? No; it is found—on a truck. The French Ambassador may rest in peace. ”

“ Here a Juror intervened to request that he might, as a family man, be allowed to retire. Leave being refused, he then asked if ladies ought to listen to such extracts. His Worship thereupon ordered all decent women to leave the court. No one moved, and the extract was resumed.
"'And now, in the full pride of my sexlessness, I have had a painful fall. I am branded with the mark of servitude. The laughing-stock of my emancipated sisters, I shall go down to posterity as a mother!'
"Lord James winced. The mother of twins continued. ”

“ Council here explained that the writer, a simple woman, was still feeling her way in the use of sporting language.
"'James,' she said, 'I was an ignorant girl when I married you for your wealth, you me for my beauty of soul. There I thought that the bargain had ended. How was I to know that women have a tendency to bear children? ”

“ Another hour for sleep; turn over, when door opens suddenly and an alarmed Swiss porter ejaculates "Mais deshendez donc, Monsieur, le drain fa bartir." Out we go: the sky becomes dark with hats, sticks, wraps, handbags. Have we got everything? ”

“ The Shoulder of Shasta is not a new joint from an entirely new animal, as those who are tired of "the Shoulder of Mutton" may be sorry to hear; but, it is a charming romance, in one volume, written by Bram Stoker at his best. ”

“ I was not altogether pleased with my visitor's manner. He was certainly abrupt, and he adopted a tone of authority that jarred upon my nerves. Possibly he wished to give the account of our interview to our cousins across the Atlantic. If this were so, I need not be over-scrupulous in my statements. Americans are accustomed to the rouge of exaggeration on the cheek of fact. ”

“ It is said young men and maidens of the present date cannot read the Charles Dickens whose books enthralled their fathers and mothers. How does George Eliot, who in her day held a position with the novel-reading public second only to Charles Dickens, withstand the changes of fancy and fashion? My Baronite has been trying the experiment on himself by reading again, after the lapse of many years, The Mill on the Floss. He reports that he finds the first volume flag a little, by reason of the minute record of childhood's troubles and schoolday tasks. ”

“ A Council of War.—The pugnacity which tradition tells us was the chief characteristic of the Kilkenny Cat Conferences finds a parallel in a recent meeting of Aberdare District Councillors, at which, among other compliments, such as members bluntly accusing each other of falsehood, the chairman advised a counsellor to go to the —— gentleman whose name is usually omitted in polite converse. ”

“ There was something exceedingly pretty in the doings at Dundee the other day when the burghers assembled to do honour to their old Member Mr. Armitstead. In the Parliament of 1880-5 Mr. Armitstead's commanding presence was a familiar and welcome feature. Since then, having piloted Mr. Gladstone in successive journeys about the continent, his personality has obtained a wider field of recognition. ”

“ Four-wheeler!!!
"Four-wheeler!" went down well as "Hansom Up!" Yessir! When Harmony's on and Benevolence guides it,
A Growler's a cab, just the same as a Forder, and 'e aint no "Cabby," true grit, as derides it. ”

“ Ye'll be the baiter o' haeing the Block Wetch hier the day. Man, they gie us a colour! It's verra pretty hoo nicely they can pairforrm the drill.... An' noo them sojers is gaun to rin a bet race amang theirsels. This'll be an extry cawmpeteetion, I doot. (As the race is being run.) It's no a verra suitable dress for rinnin'—the spleughan—or "sporran," is it?—hairrts them tairible. ”

“ Mr. Parr. (his blood up) . Then I'll hae a sexpence on 't wi you, Mester McKerrow!
[Pg 185]
Mr. McKerr. Nay, I'm for Macrae mysel'.... An' we're baith in the richt o't too, for they've jist gien him the bit red flag—that means he's got firsst prize.
Mr. Parr. (to Mr. Havers, with reproach) . Man, if ye'd hed the speerit o' your opeenions, I'd ha won sexpence aff ye by noo!
Mr. Havers. (obstinately) . I canna thenk but that Macrae's kelt was too lang—prize or no prize. I'll be telling him when I see him that he looked like a lassie in it. ”

“ That the man should be compelled to do the work, itself a mark of serfdom, was but one of many conditions laid down by the predominant partner. Another was that he should not offend decency by appearing in the recognised costume of a woman. Hence the blouse and divided skirt, lately relegated to male use."
Here His Worship observed that this extract failed to bear upon the issue, and it was then shown that the pencil-mark, with the comment "Good again!" ”

“ Malaprop. No caparisons, Miss, if you please. Caparisons don't become a young woman.—The Rivals, Act IV., Sc. 2."
"Comparisons are odorous," occurs in Much Ado about Nothing, Act III., Sc. 5.
Yours,
Hettie Setterer.
P.S. Enclosed advertisement is from the Willesden Chronicle:—
Young person, 23, short, dark, strict disciplinarian, wishes to correspond with gentleman between 40 and 50, with view to matrimony. ”

“ They "scatter for a time," and reassemble.
5th M. Lucky I overhauled my department. If I hadn't you wouldn't have been able to move the troops a dozen yards.
1st M. But is it all right now? Equipment, ammunition, transport? Are you all right? ”