LILUSTRATED INIERIVIEIVS,

From a Photy. by)

Lixit together. Arrival at shop. Big price asked for it. Toole pooh-poohs the price. Thinks they ought to be only too glad to give it to Mr. Irving. Shopkeeper immovable. Toole won’t have it— only wanted his friend tosce 1t,” cte., cte. The two friends leave the

shop. Toole induces Irving to go for a stroll. T'hey return to Grafton Strect. Toole departs. T'he vase was upstairs !

“That was 245 way of doing it,” said Mr. Irving to me.

Mr. Irving prizes nine volumes of “ Dickens.” The volumes are full of letters ol the great novelist, bits of MSS., and draw- ings, all associated with his name. They arc Foster’s ““ Life of Dickens,” interleaved with priccless mementos. Toole quictly left them at Grafton Street one day when Mr. Irving was out.

“ Just onc little ancedote to show you the wonderful goodness of dear old Toole for cverybody. This will illustrate his fondness

for children. Many years ago, when we were both young men, we were playing

together at a theatre in Edinburgh. Ristori was appearing at another house in Maric Stuart.” Our programme consisted of three or four picces ; we had finished the opening picce and were free for the sccond, so we made up our minds to slip over and sec Ristori for half an hour or so. It so happened that the last picee on the cvening’s bill was ‘The Birthplace of Podgers.” As Toole has to appear in this very carly he half

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dressed for the character, putting on his corduroy trouscrs, red vest, and a big over- coat to hide them.

“We were just leaving the stage door together when we caught sight of three little

boys, who were standing there watching the

actors come In and out. Italways was, and always will be, a fas- cinating spot for httle boys. Toole turned to me suddenly : Can’t help i, old chap! Can’t help it must do 1t!” He rushed up to the youngsters.

““Halloa ! my little friends! Want to see Podgers? Come along. Look sharp— here he is!” and he displayed to the wondering youngsters his beautiful red waistcoat with the white pearl buttons.

“‘Hecere, wait a minute ! There’s one for you, another for you, my little man. Why ! I have got another left for you. Good-bye, God bless you!” He had given them all a penny cach, and we rushed away to see Ristori.”

A great black raven stands just over the door which 1cads to the study. I'his is an apartment suggestive of much of which one canwrite very little. The writing-table is placed near the window. Ifresh flowers had been put n the tiny vases a few minutes before. The pictures are numerous ; the works of reference on cvery conceivable subject can be counted by the hundred. 1 liked the simple picture of Miss Lllen Terry with two dogs on her lap. She has written on it “We wish you many happy returns of the day, and shall cver remain - your loving, faithful friends, Irussic and Ned, Feb. 6, 1889.”

Here is Iussic, just come into the room. He has been following us about the house all the morning. 'Who is Fussie? A faithful Iittle black and white fox-terrier, who goes with 1ts master every night to the theatre, patiently sits on a mat in his dressing-room until the performance is over, and then hurries home again. He wakes everybody in the house, sometimes at five o’clock in the morning,

| Elliott and I'ry.