MISS WILMER'S ADVENTURE.

(By Max Adeler.)

Mb Richard Smith and Mr Arthur Gibbs svero guests at a large party given at the house of Judge Campbell in the town of Wington. When the evening was half gone, they were standing at the upper end of the drawing-room, talking and Matching the moving throng beyond them, when Smith suddenly exclaimed :

"Who is that insignificant-looking little woman over there? She has a throng of men about her ; but they certainly can't be ■attracted by her beauty. She is the plainest woman in the room !"

"Don't you know her?" said Gibbs. ■"Why, she is the famous Wington heroine !"

" Indeed ! a heroine, eh ? Well, I confess my ignorance. Really, I was not aware that this prosy place boasted a heroine."

" Well, then, you have to hear a story of ■endurance and fortitude which, when you look upon that slight figure, seems really incredible."

"I am ready to have the tale unfolded, my lad, whenever you are disposed to oblige me."

So the two young men sauntered out to the library, and throwing themselves into ■easy chairs, Gibbs began :

'•You must know, in the first place, that my heroine has held that position just about six years. She came here half-a-dozen years ago from New England in response to a call from the gentlemen who manage the common schools of this country. She was a teacher by profession, and her name was Susan Wilmer."

'"Susan, is very mild for a genuine heroine !"

" She was placed in charge of a certain little red schoolhouse, away out yonder amony the hills, near to that small collec tion of buildings called Maysville. Well, she took the school, and she laboured there for many months, trying to teach the young ideas how to shoot, from very poor soil I imagine, judging from the specimens I have seen of her pupils. But nobody in town cared whether she was successful or not. She did not live in the village, be cause of the distance, but had taken board at the only respectable farmhouse in the neighbourhood, about a mile and a-half over the mountains. So her arrival did not excite any very great remark in the usually excitable village of Wington, ex cepting perhaps when she came into church the first Sunday after her arrival, when, of course, all the girls in the building looked her over as she walked up the aisle, and went through the customary mental arith metic to determine the cost of her clothing." "That had to be done, of course," re marked Smith.

"But she was plainly dressed, and the young ladies, not having their envy excited, as usual, indulged their contempt for the new comer. Nobody welcomed her, spoke to her, or showed by any sign that they re cognised her presence ; and I may say that during the whole of the first six months of her stay hero, she was never invited to a house in the town, or was asked to indulge in any of the amusements for which Wington is famous all the year round. She never made a friend or even an acquaintance among the people. It was a dull and dreary life enough, I think, and I doubt not some of the kinder-hearted among the elder ladies of the town would gladly have shown her some attention; but though polite when addressed, she was reserved and diffident in her manner, and not easily approached."

■ " But you don't seem to be getting on towards the heroics," said Smith.

'' The farmer with whom she boarded had a son, who—:'

"Oh, I see!" exclaimed Smith. "The farmer's son is .sick ; she nurses him ; a tender passion develops ; lie marries her out of gratitude ; the regular thing, you know !"

"Not l)y any means. This young man was employed as an amanuensis by a gontie man named Wylie, who lived on the ad joining estate, and -was very wealthy. Wylio was a man of thirty-five years, a widower, with one child, a little girl "of six or seven summers. He was a first-rate fellow, liked and respected by everybody throughout this whole region. Wylie wanted to have his little girl instructed in the rudiments of education ; and, being alone, he could not very well have a gover ness in the house. So, upon the recommenda tion of his secretary, he concluded to have the child attend the red schoolhouse where Miss Wilmer taught. It was his custom to send the child in the carriage, and at the time of dismissing the scholars to have the man in waiting to convey Miss Wilmer and her pupil to their respective homes. Well, this arrangement was satisfactoiy to all parties, and during the summer months everything went on smoothly, and without any cause for complaint on ■either side. The child learned rapidly, and conducted herself 'vith about the average propriety. On the Ist or 2nd day of November of that year, the school was dismissed at about four o'clock in the after noon, but Wylie's man not having arrived with tho carriage, Miss Wilmer sat with her solitary scholar in the schoolroom, to wait for him. An hour passed and it began to grow dark, and yet the carriage did not come. The man had gone to town, and was detained by a broken axle. Miss Wilmer concluded not to wait any longer, but to attempt to walk home, thinking she could reach tho farmhouse before it was dark, and then have the child sent over to her father's place by one of tho men of the family.'

"You know how suddenly night comes on among these mountains ; when the sun has set, the darkness hurries in upon us with a speed of which people who live in a level country have scarcely any conception. Well, Miss Wilmor. and the child had gone barely a third of the distance, before it was as black as pitcb, arid tho heavens were so obscured by huge banks of clouds' that r.ot eveirfche faint twinkle of.a atar served to lighten up their paih, darkened as'it was, too, by the network of overhanging branches of trees, -which moaned, and rustled, and creaked in the wind. But the road was an easy one, and Miss Wilmer was so thoroughly familiar with it that she strode, along ith confidence, rather regretting .that.'she Ja'd undertaken the task, but determined to persevere, despite the fearful cries of the child; . whom she strove to reassure with words of comfort and encouragement. '' Tho road wound directly round tho mountain at a considerable inclination; On one side rose the rocks covered with grey moss and ferns, intermingled with tangled bushes and vines, and strewn wi,th decaying leaves, while a few oaks and evergreens grew from the sides, and leaned over the road as if they were trying to peer into the valley below them. On- the other side the mountain' descended at a considerable declivity and was covered with trees, huge boulders, and a heavy undergrowth, except ing where, here and there, the bald rock reached down perpendicularly into some chasm, formed centuries ago, when the tired'earth, weary with the throes of her pristine convulsions, yawned with her granito lips, and left them unclosed'for ■ever.

" Along this path, then, Miss Wilmer went, trying to keep close in to the moun tain's side, and to avoid all possibility of making a misstep over the opposite edge of the- road. Once she came to a tree which was prostrated upon the hill above her, and which hung with its branches over the way. She ran against these in the darkness, and, drawing back, attempted to go round the obstacle. She had hold of the child's hand, and her clasp instinctively tightened as she felt the little one slip away from her, and bring her whole weight suddenly to bear on that one arm.

" The child gave a piercing ecream as she fell, and by the flutter of her white clothing below in the darkness, Miss WU mer saw that she was on the edge of a precipice upon the mountain. "To grasp the child's arm with her other hand was the first movement, and with all her strength she endeavoured to lift her up andplace ncr on the road. But the woman's fright had partially unnerved her, and robbed her of much of her little strength, and to her dismay she found herself wholly unable to accomplish her purpose. She per ceived with the intuition of desperation that her only hope of supporting the, child existed in her lying flat down upon the ground. This she did, and holding on by one of the arms, she gradually worked her other hand up to the body, and caught hold of the dress. But would Siis bear the weight ? It. certainly did net lessen the danger that her strained fingers would gradually lose their power and relax, so that their precious burden would be dashed to pieces in those black and shudder ing depths below. Those ' were the days, you.remember, -when women and girls wore hoop-skirts. With a desperate effort Miss Wilmer clutched the steel springs of the child's skirt, and taking the four lower springs in her hand, she twisted her arm into them so that they formed a loop around her wrist, and then, feeling that her hold was secure, she dropped the arm of the insensible child, and, tearing off her hood, with her spare band she bound the strings as well as she could round the wrists of both hands, and between the steel springs of the skirt, so that it could not possibly slip off, the larger part of the weight bearing upon the right arm. "The pain was terrible beyond expres sion. The sharp steel edges of the springs, dragged down by the weight of their burden, cut into the flesh like fo many knife-blades ; the arm was almost torn from its socket, and the tense muscles seemed to be slowly tearing to pieces with the strain upon them. Bat the brave girl did not flinch; she lay there with both arms hanging over the edge of the rock in patient agony, waiting for that help which ehe knew might not come for hours ; indeed, she felt that anyone might drive over her prostrate body in the darkness without her being able to scream or to utter a cry for help. "All kinds of thoughts whirled through her brain—fearful, ludicrous, and sorrowful. She thought of the little peculiarities of each of her scholars, their queer sayings and laughable answers to her questions, and of the times when she had punished them. What would they do with her body when they found her dead ? Suppose she should be buried while not yet dead ! Horrible thought ! Would anybody be sorry she was gone, and shed tears over her? Bitterly and sadly she could not think of one who would. These and a million other thoughts flashed across the seemingly infinite space of her mind as she lay there, and then her fancies grew wilder and more confused, and brilliant colours danced before her eyes, and she fell into a swoon.

" As the evening wore on, and Miss Wil mer failed _to return, the farmer with whom she lived became somewhat uneasy, and walked over, to Wy lie's place to ascertain if she hacf gone there with her charge. Wylie was surprised and alarmed when the farmer announced his errand, but, as the carriage had not re turned, he concluded to A-ait for a while, thinking perhaps they had gone to town in the vehicle and were detained. After walk ing about uneasily for half-an-hour, he determined to go down the road to the schoolhouse to satisfy himself that no evil had befallen them. Each taking a lantern, he, the farmer, and his son, proceeded out toward the mountain. Each of them had an indefinable fear that some accident had happened, and as they walked silently along the winding road they scrutinised every part of it closely with the flickering light of their lanterns.

"In a short time, Wylie's secretary caught a glimpse of something white lying in the road ; hurrying toward it, he per ceived it to be a woman's dress, and a moment more disclosed the form of Miss Wilmer lying at full length upon the edge of the declivity. The iiist thought that flashed through the minds of all was that she had been murdered ; but Wylie almost instantly discovered his child, and with a cry of horror, sprang forward to rescue her. His blood ran cold within his veins as, eagerly seizing her, ho looked down into the unfathomable darkness of that awful abyss. To tear away the iron from the brave arms which it had bruised and torn was the work of an instant, and Wylie, for getting the insensibility of the noble woman at his feet, lifted his child in his arms and caressed it with inexpressible tenderness, while the farmer and his son leaned over Miss Wilmer's prostrate form, and, after binding up the wounds upon the bleeding arm, endeavoured to restore her to conscious ness. It now became apparent that a vehicle must be procured "to convey the sufferers to their homes, and Wy lie's secre tary went back to obtain one.

"When the carriage came Misb Wilmer was .lifted tenderly and placed in it, and the whele party returned to their homes. All that night Miss. Wilmer remained un conscious, and when she at last awoke she became wildly delirious, and raved about tho child, the precipice, and the frightful death which. ever seemed impending her. For three days the fever raged within her, with not a gleam of returning reason, and it seemed doubtful, indeed; if the dimmed spark of life would not go out en tirely. At length,, however the crisis passed, and she came out of the delirium prostrated in body and mind, and scarcely remembering the accident in which she had played so valiant a part. You may be sure Wylie did not forget her. He had been thinking about her ■, heroic deed, and he began to comprehend that a woman can possess higher and better qualities than personal beauty, and so he called at the farmer's frequently, and the room of the sufferer was filled with the fragrance of the flowers that he brought her. .

" Miss Wilmer knew from whom all these came, but she was too feeble to do more than simply feel grateful to1 the giver. But after awhile, when she became strong enough to be carried downstairs, Wylie found it con venient to drop in very often and sit by her, and to converse in his pleasant, affable way. She, was shy of him at first, overawed by a sense of his importance and social superior ity. But nothing could long withstand his kind sociability, and Miss Wilmer soon found herself looking forward to his .visits with positive pleasure, and before.she en tirely recovered she was, I thinks in love with him.

" But you know the rest; you know how it always turns out tinder such' circum stances. Very soon it was announced that Miss Wilmor was engaged to be married to Mr Wylie. The town people had all heard

of her adventure, and of her brave conduct, and she was praised warmly for what she had done. But the shrewdest village gossip was hardly prepared for this result; there were plenty of girls who had been making a dead set at the widower for years, and these with their managing mammas, gave vent to their bitter disapoointment in the customary way, by pretending to sneer at his bad taste, and by saying all the hard things they dared of Miss Wilmer.

"But this was behind her back. That fine old patriarch, Job, when he recovered his lost property, you remember, was loaded down with presents by his friends who had forgotten him in his adversity. So now everybody suddenly discovered that Miss Wilmer was a remarkable young ■woman, and would pro ye a valuable acquisi tion to the select circle. Miss Wilmer understood the precise value of this adula tion, and declining all invitations from the best, as well as the second-best people, busied herself preparing for the wedding. "On the appointed day the ceremony was performed intheehurchin the presence of an admiring, jealous, excited crowd of ladies from the whole country round. That even ing Wylie gave a tremendous reception at his house, at which everybody was present, and he clearly demonstrated that he was the happiest man in the country. " This is the anniversary of their wedding, and this entertainment is given in their honour. Mrs Wylie still bears upon her arm the indelible marks of the suffering she endured upon the night of that terrible adventure, and if you will come down stairs I will introduce you to her, and you will observe that she will offer you her left hand; and that's the whole story of the adventure of Miss Wilmer, the Wington heroine."

A Terrible Calamity

Twenty-Seven Persons Burned to

Death In a Convent.

St. Louis, January C—The following dispatch from Bellsville, 111., to the Associ ated Press gives further particulars of the fire of Notre Dame last night. It was the most destructive to life and property of any fire Belleville has ever experienced. A visit to the scene this morning found the Fire Department still on duty, endeavouring to quench the flames. So as to present in recognizable shape the bodies of the victims, when the ruins were sufficiently cooled volunteers went to work to bring out the bodieß. It was a terrible sight. At times the searchers would find two or three charred masse 3 huddled close together, seemingly seeking protection from the ad vancing and terrible flames. Two bodies were found in the rear part of the building burned into an unrecognisable mass, but the majority were found beneath wbere the dormitory was situated. They seemed to have sought shelter in this room, and, too late, recognised that their escape was im possible—the flames beneath eating away the supports and letting down the floor into the seething vortex of fire and smoke.

The Loss of Life,

The loss of life is much greater than was mentioned in last night's brief despatch. Instead of but two, as at first supposed, the total number of known deathsis twenty seven, of which twenty-two were pupils and five Sisters, among the latter being the Sister Superior. On the fourth floor the pupil boarders, with some of the Sisters, slept; on the third floor the remaining Sisters slept; on the second, or the floor above the.basement, what are termed the orphans slept. From this second floor the inmates escaped and were saved.

Rapid Spread of the Flames.

The fire had its origin in the furnace in the basement, and when discovered the floor immediately above was ablaze and volumes of smoke were rapidly pourino through the stairways, corridors and halls of the building. By the time the sleepers were thoroughly aroused all avenues of escape were filled with blinding smoke. Then a panic ensued, and it is for the imagination to paint the sorrowful and heart-rending picture. The extreme cold retarded the work of the firemen ; even if they could have reached the scene without delay they could have been of but little service in rescuing victims. There are no ladders in the Fire Department, and no provisions for such a deplorable emergency had been made by the managers of the institution. The unfortunate inmates, therefore, were powerless to relieve them selves, and those who were witnesses of the fire were unable to assist them.

The manner of escape of each of the sur vivors could not be learned. Daisy Eber man was slightly injured ; Agnes Schneider jumped from a Window, but was not dan gerously injured; Lou Mott was quite badly hurt; Dena Horn and Fannie Branker were seriously, but not fatally, injured.

The Identified Dead,

At 4 p.m. eleven bodies had been recov ered from the ruins and the distressed friends of the unfortunates had succeeded in the- following : Miss Wer man.Miss struuk, Niss Manning, Miss Wein zelman, Miss Isch and Miss Pulseer. The bodies could only be identified by the cloth ing^ or, raiher, the parts of clothes which, having been saturated with water, had es caped the flames. All that now remains of the famous convent of Notre Dame of the Immaculate Conception is the charred and broken walls, and in the debris there yet remain the bodies of several of the unfor tunate victims. The building and furnish ings were valued at from 65,000 to 75,000 dols. ; insured for 25,000 dols. St. Louis, January 7.—Reporters who re turned from Belleville, 111., to-night state that the search in the ruins of the convent was resumed between 10 and 11 o'clock this I morning and continued till about 4 o'clock this afternoon when falling walls caused its suspension. "What are supposed to. be the remains of six additional boelie3 were recovered, but the remains were of so indefinite a character that it is difficult, U not impossible, to determine whether they represented six or more persons. One of these is believed to be Sister Agnelia, an other, Emma Stock of Carbondale, 111., and still another Minnie Bailey or Mary Bartels the latter of Westfield, 111., Two more of those found yesterday- were identified as Laura Thompson and Amelia Leonard. It is not definitely known how many more are missing, but the search will be continued to-morrow and kept up till all the ruins have been dug over. The inquest was con tinued this afternoon, and, after the exam ination of witnesses, adjourned until to morrow. The funeral of the victims will probably take place to-morrow. The re mains of Miss Campbell and Miss Wiernan were brought here this afternoon and will be buried to-morrow.

St. Louis, January S.—Search in the ruins of the convent at Belleville was re sumed this morning and up to 1 o'clock two more bodies have been found. The remains of Sister Superior Mary Jerome were dis covered at noon and identified by the spec tacles with a gold chain attached, a cross and rosary. The remains reported yester day as those of Sister Angelia are now sup posed to be those of Sister Edwina. Grant ing each little heap of .charred bones and ■roasted flesh that so far has been taken from the ruins represents a separate body, and it »s very difficult to determine whether they do, there are still five persons missing. The

funeral of the victims has been fixed for Thursday. All the priests and fathers of the diocese of Alton are invited to attend Belleviixe(lll.), January S.—Theinquest proceeded all day and will be continued to morrow, The testimony was somewhat conflicting, and shows pretty clearly that the Fire Department is entirely inadequate to cope with such a fire and sadly deficient in the necessary appliances. Sister Elenethere testified that she thought there were seventy-one persons in the convent at the time of the fire, of whom thirty-four are missing This cannot be verified, however, as all the records were burned, but the bisters will attempt to recall to memory the names and by comparing notes try to reach the actual number. This testimony created a sensation. Every effort will be made to ascertain the facts in the case.

More Bodies Identified.

St Louis January 9.—The last report from Belleville ia that one more victim of the fire was found to-day,'but it was unrec ognized Three additional identifications w? re™a, de—Gertrude Schunck of Duquoin, 111. Hilda Amnul of Trenton, 111., and Katie Urbana of Vandalia, 111. The inquest will be held open until all the bodies are recov ered,

CHRISTMAS NEWS.

[FHOM OUB LONDON CORRESPONDENT.!

By the San Francisco Mail.

A New Year's Greeting—Christmas Ways —Gran-d Old Yule-Tide Customs—Christ mas Boxes-The Executions of Poole and O'Donnell—Gossip — Sarah Bernhardt's Last Escapade — A Treacherous Rival- Sally's Revenge —A Foggy Christmas Day—Depressing Weather—The Panto mime Season—Gilbert and.Sulli van's New- Opera—Mary Anderson—One ortwoNew Books — " John Bull and His Isle "— "Dor't"— Magazine Gossip.

London, January 3,

A New Year's greeting to ye, my antipo dean readers, and—well, I really think the best wish I can waft across the seas to you is that the future of your "great and glorious" colony may be as wonderfully prosperous and eminently respectable as its past.

" Christmas," says the poet, "comes but once a year," and on the whole the English folk have much to be thankful for that such is the case. A diet of turkey and mince-pies, alternated with plum-pudding and goose, is just tolerable during a single week of the twelvemonth, but I should tremble for England's greatness if similar periods of gluttonous festivity were often to. recur. Ourrinedigestions—thereal bulwarks of John Bull—would be gone, and our nervous systems ruined. I object, too, to many of the "grand old Yule-tide cus toms," which are kept up with such per sistence all over the country. The " Christmas-box-please-sir " nuisance might be borne, though it converts all one's tradesmen's employe's (from Her Majesty's 7 postman down to the potboy's assistant) into brigands for the time being. The promis cuous kissing which goes on at this festive season is, however, intolerable. Jones would never dream of kissing Brown's wife or any fiancee at any other time of the year; but now, what with kissing under the mistletoe and playing at kiss-in-the-ring or some equally diverting game.he seems to be always doing it. Moreover, at Christmas parties there are usually some rollicking dogs whose jokes take a horribly practical turn. Last year two " dear old chappies" slit my bran-new dress - coat up the back whilst 1 was groping about in the agonies of blind-man's-buff, and the other evening some young idiots set a whole ball-room off sneezing by sprinkling strong snuff on the floor.

But enough of the humours of Xmas. You have almost forgotten there ever was a holiday-time when this letter arrives ; in deed, I think I can hear the '' gentle reader " observe, "Why doesn't he go on with his news instead of maundering about things any fool knows? °

You, of course, heard full particulars of the executions of Poole and O'Donnell. Both men died pluckily; and without giving Government, or rather the police, any information whatever re the In vincibles. O'Donnell, there can be no doubt, was employed to assassinate Carey. Since the trial, a Plymouth tradesman has filed an affidavit to the effect that before the Irishman sailed from that port he had two tickets in his possession, one by the Orient s.s. and one by the Donald Currie boat, in which he eventually went. Up to the very morning he left, he seemed doubtful which vessel to take, and his inaction on the voyage to Cape Town probably arose from doubt as to whether he had really struck the right trail. Once certain that Power was Carey, O'Donnell lost no time in killing him.

The "immortal Sally" (or, to be more reverent, Mdlle. Sarah Bernhardt) has once again afforded "tout Paris " a spicy scandal to gossip about. Under the title of "The Adventures of Sarah Barnum," an actress, erstwhile Mdlle. Bernhardt's ador ing friend, but now her deadly enemy, published a cruel satire on the great trage dienne's social, moral, and theatrical eccen tricities. When Sarah read the "squib' she was furious, and, accompanied by a male friend, invaded the viper's bedroom with_ a_ riding whip. The wicked one fled precipitately, but left a maje champion behind, who rolled about on the floor with Sarah's young gentleman. The Bcrnh-irdt meanwhile wreaked her vengeance on the vilifier's wardrobe, tearing her old lace to tatters and slashing all the most beautiful toilettes she could* find with a pair of scissors. Eventually the invaders retired in triumph, and Mdlle. Colombier (as I believe the lady is called) was left to weep over the wreck of £500 worth of splendid dresses. Duels and rumours of duels between the supporters of the two actresses followed, but so far at any rate no blood has been spilt. The latest on dit is to the effect that Sarah intends to bring an action for libel against La Colombier.

I was not, thank goodness !in "London on Christmas day, but those who were tell me that the metropolis was wrapped in a fog almost as dense, yellow, and impenetrable as that associated with the famous Christmas Day fog of 1879. " The streets," says the town correspondent of a Northern paper, " were drearer than they have looked for a very long time. There were no out ward and visible signs of the festive season, and the intelligent foreigner might reason ably have thought, if this were the great festival of the year, the English do indeed take their pleasures sadly." Theatrical critics have had what is vul garly termed " a high old time " this last fortnight. In addition to several comedies, burlesques, and opera bouffes, 14 panto mimes were produced in London on Boxing Day, and of all these the public requires a full, true, and particular descriptive report. As usual, the pantomime of the season par

exccllcn<:cigat~Drury Lane, where theenergetlc Gus Harris has spent more than £0,000 in mounting "Cinderella, "andachievedareally striking success. "Sinbad" last year was splendid, but dull "Cinderella," on the contrary, makes the children roar with laughter, and to see the great house at an afternoon performance when the vast auditorum is filled, mainly with wonder struck and delighted littie ones, is a charm ing and never-to-be-forgotten sight. The greatfeatures of the Drury Lane show are a hunting scene with realdogsand horses, and a gorgeous pageant in the shape of a procession of fairy tales and nursery rhymes. The latter takes place in the "Illuminated Gardens of the Prince," and pleases the juvenile onlookers beyond measure. Fancy, if you can, the heroes, heroines, and chief characters of thirty fairy stories and nursery rhymes, making their appearance in one scene with all their familiar companions and equipments. Robinson Crusoe, with his parrot, goat, and man1 * Friday ; Gulliver, with his Lilliputians and Brobdingnagians ; Blue Beard and Fatima, accompanied by numerous headless wives ; Old Mother Hubbard with her dog and empty cupboard ; Little 80-peep and the Sheep; Ah Buba Ganem, the historic donkey and forty glittering thieves in shining silver armour ; Sinbad and the Old Man of the Sea, &c. &c. Each group is announced by the Court Heralds, and goes rapidly through the chief incidents of its story or rhyme. The fairy tales are proceeded by King Gallopade, his court, and upwards of 100 pages in the most exquisitely designed costumes, and fol lowed by the Seven Champions of Christendom, who arrive separately, accom panied by standard-bearers, knights, and vassals. The entire pageant only takes half an hour to arrange, and when complete —tier rising above tier far into the back ground of the trebly enlarged .stage—forms the most superb spectacle 1 have ever seen. One might go on for ever about the novel funnyisms and gorgeous scenic effects intro duced into "Cinderella," but there are other theatrical matters that must be dealt with, so I will simply give you a hint or two re the music, which a? usual settles the question of what are the most popular songs of the winter. The manor of the lion comiquc, Macdermott, is largely poached upon ; his ditties, "Lots of Love for Breakfast," "Matilda's Up to Snuff," and "Ducky Darling," being al freely introduced. They certainly possess swinging airs, and this remark also applies to the nigger melody, "I'll Meet Her when the Sun Goes Down,"and to "Dream Faces " and " Only a Pansy Flower," which invariably receive plentiful encores. The popular patriotic songs of the pantomimes appear to be Slade Murray's "Balaclava,' and Godfrey's "Old Guard," but they neither of them have the " go " that made " Shoulder to Shoulder" so successful last winter. The famous French rondeau, "Le Petit Yin da- Bordeaux," one, of course, hears everywhere just now.

Lotto, the American actress who was so glaringly pufi'ed by all the newspapers prior to her debut, has come to sad grief. The "dramatic cocktail" of America (as she is lovingly termed in Yankeeland) turns out simply a variety-show artiste of the same stamp as Jenny Hill and other music-hall " stars," and by no means exceptionally chic. Her first night resulted in unmis takeable failure. Had the piece Lotta ap peared in been clever, she might have just passed muster, but after two acts of melo dramatic fashion of the penny-gaff sort, the " gods " took the law into their own hands, and roundly hissed the performance. People are now wondering why " Lotta " is such a big draw in the States.

The Gaiety Theatre management have postponed " Camaralzaman," producing instead a farcical comedy called "The Rocket "and a burlesque on "Pygmalion and Galatea," entitled "Galatea and Pygmalion Reversed." The humour of the latter consists in the idea of altering the relative position? of the hero and heroine of Gilbert's comedy, viz., making " Galatea " a sculptress, and " Pygmalion " the animated statute. The jealous wife, Cynisca, becomes a jealous husband called Cyniscos, and there is at once room for some admirable fooling. The picture Edward Terry presents on his pedestal when Nelly Farren, as Galatea, chisels him into life, convulses the house with laughter, and from the time he descends and, dancing about the stage with a small looking glass, sings "Just Look at This, Just Look at That," to the sad moment when a number of jealous husbands (whose wives he has been innocently making love to) threaten to break him to pieces unless he instantly becomes marble again, one is kept in a perpetual giggle. The little piece was a palpable hit, and will be played all over the world in the course of the next twelve months.

I have not been to Her Majesty's yet, but am told that the pantomine thero is quite as good in its way as the Drury Lane show. Before Igo through I mean to pay a visit to the St. James's Theatre to see the revival of " A Scrap of Paper." Probably you know this comedy. It is founded on Sardon's " Les Pattes de Monches," and was one of the great cart-Is of the late Alfred Wigan's repertoire. In 1576 Mr Hare produced it at the Court with conspicuous success, but, according to the critics, the present performance throws all others into the shade. lam most anxiousto witness it.

The most important of forthcoming novelties is Gilbert and Sullivan's new opera, which will positively be produced at the Savoy the day after to-morrow (January 5). The secret of the story has been admirably kept, for beyond the fact that it is founded on Tennyson's "Princess," n,o one has a ghost of a notion what it "will all be about. Up to yesterday even the title had not been hxed upon, Next Thursday Mr Toole produce.? a new comedy by Arthur Lire- called "A Hint of Money," at the little theatre in lung William-street,. and a burlesque on " Claudian," happily entitled " The Roman Awry " (The Romany Rye), has also been Dut in hand there.

Miss Anderson is drawing crowds to the Lyceum. Her Galatea has on all hands? been admitted to bo a mo*t original and beautiful interpretation of the character. Undoubtedly, however, it lacks human feelinc To quote a vile punster, Mrs Kendal played Galntca marvellously, whereas Miss A. played marblolously, Mrs Oliphant's new story, "Hester," will be one of the most popular novels of the writer. It is a great advance on " Sir Tom" and the "Ladies Lindoros," and contains some grand studies of character. I have not enjoyed one of her books so thoroughly for a long, longtime. "Bel gravia,*" for January, contain? a complete etory by Wilkie Collins, "She Loves and Lies," and the same author's new romance, "I Say No!" is to run through "London Society," as well as " The People" and a number of provincial weeklies. " Heart and Science " is out in tha popular 3s 6d form, and "Healey," an early story of Jessie Fothergill's, has been added to the Bix-shilling green series. These are both readable, but by no meario exceptional novels. If you want to be thrilled by a short and strange tale, buy the "Cornhill Magazine" for January, and read "J. Habbakuk Jephson's Statement." The author's name has not leaked out, but most people attribute it either to Julian Sturgis or James Payn.

3

STAR SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT, FEBRUARY 16, 1884.