Vol. L.] THE CHEAPEST SIXPENNYWORTH OF LIGHT LITERATURE EXTANT - Observer [No. 3. PUBLISHED (FOR THE PROPRIETORS) BY MESSRS. KENT & Co., PATERNOSTER ROW, SOLE ADVERTISING AGENTS, MESSRS. GORDON & GOTCH, ST. BRIDE STREET, E.C., BEST FOOD AS SUPPLIED TO THE &MOORE'S FOR ROYAL NURSERIES, AND CONTAINING THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF NOURISHMENT INFANTS, Adopted on account of ITS RECOGNISED MERITS. SAVORY & MOORE, 143, NEW BOND STREET, LONDON, AND ALL CHEMISTS. DO NOT LET YOUR CHILD DIE! CONVULSIONS. ARE COOLING AND SOOTHING. FENNINGS' CHILDREN'S POWDERS For Children cutting their Teeth, to prevent Convulsions. Do not contain Calomel, Opium, Morphia, nor anything injurious to a tender babe. Sold in stamped boxes at 1s. 1d, and 26. d. (great saving), with full Directions. Read FENNINGS' EVERY MOTHER'S BOOK, which contains valuable EETHING HAMILTON & KIMPTON, TAILORS & OVERCOAT MAKERS, 105, STRAND, 105. H. & K. give the very best Goods at a fair price. 105, STRAND (Opposite Exeter Hall). A PORTABLE FIRE ANNIHILATOR, WEIGHS BUT & POUNDS, AND WILL THROW WATER 50 FEET. LOYSEL'S PATENT HYDROSTATIC TEA & COFFEE PERCOLATORS. SOLD BY ALL RESPECTABLE IRONMONGERS. MORE THAN 200,000 IN USE. THE LONDON MAGAZINE. VOLUME I.-NO. III. JANUARY, 1876. WHAT THE "CASTALIA" BROUGHT. BY THE AUTHOR OF "COMIN' THRO' THE RYE." NE box of sardines, one pound of sugar, one jar of Batty's Nabob pickles (hot), one bottle of port, six bottles of claret, twelve bottles of ale, one pot of marmalade, one sixpenny jar of salt, enough pepper and mustard to last two people a month-and half a pound of tea." "Yes, miss. Tea at what price?" Kitty's jaw dropped, and a helpless expression of countenance replaced the triumphant one of a moment ago. Rallying her forces, however, she promptly nudged Elizabeth, who also looked very much taken aback, but recovered herself exactly five seconds before Kitty, and said "Show us a list of prices, if you please." "Two-and-sixpence, three-and-sixpence, and four shillings a pound," read out Elizabeth. "I think the three-and-sixpenny will do for us, Kitty." The young man with the linen suit who had been taking down the Misses Snowe's orders here gave one the impression that he was writing with his nose; though if the paper could have told tales, it would have said he was smiling. "I think that must be about all," said Kitty, meditatively. "We VOL. I. 11 "Show us must have something for breakfast, though. I wonder," she added, in a whisper to Elizabeth, "how people generally buy bacon?" "In the same way that they do cheese," said Elizabeth. some bacon," she said to the young man; and all three walked to the other end of the shop, where segments of pig were ranged in alluring contrast-streaky and fat, fat and streaky-on the respective charms of which these young women were promptly called upon to decide. "Streaky!" said Elizabeth, who had a heart-ache of over six months' standing, and inclined towards an ascetic diet. "Fat!" said Kitty, who ought to have known better, since she already inclined rather considerably to embonpoint. "Perhaps you would like a little of each," said the young man, addressing Kitty; "and how much shall I put you up, miss?" "How much do people generally have?" inquired Kitty. "For, of course," said Elizabeth, we will have the same." Mr. Page's apprentice looked at the two girls before him much as the cock robins may have looked at the babes in the wood before giving them decent burial. "In this hot weather, miss, half a pound at a time is considered ample." He was a well-spoken person, and some inward excellence in the working of his brain caused his "H's" to drop into their right places without effort. "Half a pound, then," said Kitty, briskly; "and whenever you think we are about out of bacon, you can send us some more, you know." "Yes, miss. Anything else?" "I think not," said Kitty, consulting a morsel of paper that she had indeed regarded most diligently during the above conversation. "Only— ah!-be sure and don't forget to send the bill!" With which expressive adjuration the eldest Miss Snowe made a dignified exit. "Elizabeth," she said, as they walked away towards the Parade, "Elizabeth!" Well, Kitty?" said the other, whose pale cheeks did not match with her sister's rosy ones, and in whose eyes there was a restless weary pain, utterly at variance with the fresh youth of her pretty face. "That young man at Page's, 'Lizabeth, I saw him-absolutely saw him smile-when he thought our backs were turned !" "Did he?" said Elizabeth. "Well, I am not surprised, Kitty; you see, we did not even know the price of tea!" "Or bacon," said Kitty, gloomily. "I'm afraid we made awful fools of ourselves, and I suppose they will charge us a great deal more than if we knew the proper prices." Lil and mother said we were to be sure and look as if we knew all about it," said Elizabeth; "but I am afraid we didn't." "I'm quite sure of it," said Kitty. "That's always the worst of good advice; it sounds all right, but it is so very hard to follow. The upshot of it will be that we shall be ruined, for everybody will see we never kept house before, and they will stick quite sixpence a pound on to everything." "Only most of the things we bought were in bottles," said Elizabeth, comfortingly. They were on the Parade by now, and facing the salt, fresh, dancing sea, that came close up to the sea-wall, by which they walked. "Madame Angot," most fascinating and hackneyed of charmers, was repeating her old asseverations through the medium of the brass band of the 78th Highlanders, and a pretty colour crept into Elizabeth's cheek, for the gay strain exhilarated her, and, really, the very air seemed brighter and the faces of the people about happier, so prone is human nature to liveliness, and so dearly does the ear love to be tickled by something sprightly and spirited. Most people, so vulgar is their taste, prefer Lecocq's easy nothings to "Lohengrin ;" and while they feel blithe and merry over the former, would feel dull and yawn constantly over the latter. A moderate number of persons had, by the disbursement of the large sum of one penny, obtained the right of sitting on chairs in the immediate neighbourhood of the band, and from their vantage ground criticised the great unseated, who trotted and ambled up and down, up and down before them, contented or unhappy, according to their consciousness of the excellences or shortcomings of their costumes, shapes, and countenances. There were damsels who walked past their reviewers deprecatingly, as though they besought them not to observe that their hats were of last year's buying, and their tabliers simply a reversal of last year's panier; damsels who stepped boldly out, serenely conscious of possessing a pretty foot and well-made boot; damsels who wore their tawdry finery with an air, and made up in assurance what they lacked in attractions; damsels who virtuously walked with younger brothers, and hated other damsels who walked with admirers--earl's daughters in cotton, London shop-girls in silk, verily a motley crowd, out of which plenty of amusement was to be obtained. Kitty and Elizabeth, unable to find bench or seat on which to deposit themselves, and unwishful to make of themselves targets at which the lookers-on could aim spiteful arrows, sat down humbly enough on the kerb-stone, |