In the Boudoir.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 423, 2 June 1904, Page 7

In the Boudoir.

a ErEEE have TOn been ? ' asked to iPIWUQ the ccmGins fr °ni Little o GfflbHP Peddlington. ' We've been waiting half an hour for you.' 'ln Bond Street, of course, taking the Vibration treatment.'

•Vibration treatment! Wnat'a thatP What is it for P'

'The latest thing out,' replied the Girl who Knew. • They tap you all over with little metal hammers, propelled by an electric motor and falling on a vulcanite fibre plaque laid on the patient. It's a delightful sensation. You must tell Aunt Annie about it, for doctors Bay if s splendid for the heart, nerves, and indigestion.' 'lt sounds wonderful,' said the eldest cousin. ' But, good gracious, you have a new dog! What a dear little thing! It's not a King Charles, surely ?" * Of course not,', said the Girl who Knew, with a light shade of contempt in her voice. 'What fashionable woman has a King Charles now? Ifs a Chinese spaniel, the dog that is having its day. The French soldiers at Pekin found several in the Palace, just like those we see on Chinese vases. They are reserved for the Imperial family. The soldiers brought them to Paris, and bow they are the rage.' •What a lovely tan!' exclaimed the cousins in a breath; ' and its eyes—quite human; and that splendid feathered tail. And oh 1 what short legs!' * Yes, it's a beauty,' murmured the Girl who Knew. • I was lucky to get it. There are only three in London.'

• How funny 1' cried thayounges cousin. • You keep it up your sleeve!' •That's what pagoda Bleeves are for,' said the Girl who Knew. 'The Chinese ladies call these 'sleeve dogs.' 'Poor Snarley's nose must be out of joint,' remarked Nancy.' ' Oh, no. He's tor other occasions, such as motoring. He always travels in the car with me. The wind hurts his eyes as much as it does mine, so I'm getting him a pair of special spectacles, which are quite de rig&ur for the automobile dog. They look particularly well on pooaleß.' 'You really do ferret out novelties,' said the cousin.'

•Like the Athenians of old/ said the Girl who Knew, 'itis my pleasure. By he way, I have chains for each of yon that are uncommon. "Sours, Minnie, is of gun-metal and coral; yours, Betty, of gun-metal and pearls! and for you, Nancy, I have gun-metal and gold.' • Hew sweet of you I Ton are good matured. We never can afford knicknacks, and Ido bo love them,' exclaimed Minnie.

When the cousins had kissed the Girl, Nancy said i

' How well you're looking! What have you beeH doing to yourself, hesides taking Vibration P'

* Irish Beauty Cream, my dear, externally,' said the Girl who Knew, 'and watercress internally.' • Watercress!'

'Yes; an old woman's panacea, and splendid for the blood in spring. Ton boil it down, strain it, and add to the juice an equal quanity of lime water. Drink hall a glassful fresh twice a day, with an equal quantity of milk, and —' •That complexion is the result. Ifß worth trying,' said the coußinß.

' Especially as if a not costly/ said the Girl who Knew.

'Have you anything else to tell us before we go ?' asked the cousins, rieing. * Only that they've just had a marriage lottery in Milan,' 3aid the Girl who Knew, 'when eighty-three girls were r* filed.

•How barbarous!' cried the eldeet cousin. 'Yet it is interesting. How did they do it P'

' First they had a beauty show/ said the Girl who Knew, as she bade them goodbye. 'Then the prize-winners were set up as prizes, each ticket costing ten lire, which went to portion the damsels. The winner was not obliged to marry the girl. aor she him, It they did not rait each

* Hello 1* said the heavy man. 'I ■ thought that you started out two weeks ago with a hot show P' '";• ' So I did,' replied the comedian ; ' but we struck a frost.'

' Are you coming when I call you. or is there going to be trouble ?' said papa to his little" four-year-old. ' I tink dere's goin' to be trouble, papa,' was the rebel's reply, as he kept well out of reach.

' Why, Mr. H, isn't that Miss M. P'

' That was her name.'

' She's married, then ? Who en earth was the empty-headed, simpering idiot; that could have married her ?'

'Do you mean the clergyman P Because I'm her husband.'

'This collar-button is my own invention,' said the street vendor, ' and the name I have given it is • Fault.' ' Beoause everybody has faultß P' suggested a man in the crowd.' * No, sir; simply because if s so find.'

Ambergris is the morbid secretion of the sluggish liver of a sick whale. ' How nice to be a sick whale,' said MuggUs, on being told this. «One could be ill profitably., to other people.' Then he remembered his last doctor's bill, and there was an eloquent flaßh of silence lasting some seconds,

' Father,' said Tommy Jones, ' how big a fish did you ever catch P' ' I caught a catfish oßce, Tommy,' replied Deacon Joneß, ' that weighed ' The good man stopped short, looked fixedly at his youngest son, and resumed in an altered tone: ' Tommy, this is Sunday.'

•Is your company for 'Hamlef complete ?' • Yes/ answered Mr. Wagstaff. * All 1 want is a good, live young man for the ghost.'

• Oh, Winnie, you don't know what you miss through not dancing.' «Don't IP Well, I've had two proposals this evening through sitting out dances in the conservatory,'