Oh, Dal! Do you remember when she tucked a sheet of white writing-paper into her tea-gown for a dog collar, and took off the high-church curate nervously singing a comic song?
Then at the very end, you see--and really some of it is quite good for amateurs--she trots out Velma, or some equally perfect artiste, to show them how it really can be done; and suddenly the place is full of music, and a great hush falls on the audience, and the poor complacent amateurs realise that the noise they have been making was, after all, not music; and they go dumbly home.

But they have forgotten all about it by the following year; or a fresh contingent of willing performers steps into the breach.

The duchess's little joke always comes off." "The Honourable Jane does not approve of it," said young Ronald Ingram; "therefore she is generally given marching orders and departs to her next visit before the event.

But no one can accompany Madame Velma so perfectly, so this time she is commanded to stay.

But I doubt if the 'surprise packet' will come off with quite such a shock as usual, and I am certain the fun won't be so good afterwards.