UL

'\\\\ -

“ THE PUBLIC WERE DREADFULLY PUZZLED."

palace in the broadest thoroughfare, and sct up gilded lamps, and a flag, and nine footmen m golden liveries, and had a trumpeter at the front door.

But when anyone called he was recerved by him with the knowing cye, and the hands that came to be shaken were shaken by him : and he that had been of the back street was not seen at all, but lived at the very top m an attic, and did the work. So then cveryone was satisfled, and began to cxamine the works of Mr. Talent, and found them very good: and these were the same works which they had examined before, when they had been issued from the shop in the back street: but they did not recognise them.

And he from the back street was satisfied with this arrangement, for he was now able to have jam on his bread, and new boots.

And 1t came to pass oneday, =) when he of the knowing eve was making a speech at a banquet

his honour, given by those who wrote the puffs and other admimrers

of ability, that he let fall from his pocket an envelope addressed to him by his mother.

Now he had always carefully burned these envclopes which he had received from his mother, so

that no man might see them. And the princapal organmizer of the ban-

STRAND

CTHE LRE FALT FROMN IS

MAGCAZINL.. quet (who was a most Influential Person, and a Great Judge of Talent and Patron of Genuine

Ability, and looked upon as a Most Discerning Critic) happened to pick up the envelope; and behold the name written upon the envelope was “Mr. Pusut”

S0 then the Great Judge of Talent bit his lip and turned pale and nearly choked ; and all the others at the table, hastening to sec what was upon the envelope which had so upset him, read the writing upon it; and when they saw that the guest of the evening was named “ Mr. Push” instead of “ Mr. Talent,” behold they all bit their lips and turned pale and nearly choked.

But as for Mr. Pusn (for that, indecd, was his name, for his mother must nceds have known), he smiled morc affably than cver, and went round the table shaking seven times the hand of cach one present, and asking after the health of even their most distant relations.

And the next day, when their heads were cool, all the people who had been at the banquet thought that thing calmly out, the rght side up; and they saw, even as one man, that no Mr. Push could

possibly be admitted to exist. sand,

I'or they “Have we not adiired

i

o ' R

FOCKET AN ENVELOVE,”