ILLUSTRATED INTERIUTETS. 09

giving him many a good hint. He wound up his advice by saying : ‘ Alwavs think in semicolons whilst speaking ; by adhering to this rule you will never come to a Full stop unless you wish it."

Then came Cruickshank—dear old George Cruickshank.

“I knew him well,"” said Mr. Sala, “and was one of the pall bearers at his funeral. When the old fellow was hard up he would go and sit in his publisher's office with a card round his neck on which was written : ‘I am starving!" With such a suggestive appeal he never had to wait long without a cheque, but he always kept the card handy ! Once Prince Albert—the Prince Consort— sent for him for the purpose of seeing his drawings. He arrived at Buckingham Palace, and was marched down countless corridors by a couple of toot- men bearing long wands, Cruickshank fol- lowing them in the rear, imita- ting them in a veryexaggerated

style. On they went—wand and imitation, imita-

tion and wand. Suddenly a door opened from be- hind them, and a voice cried out: ‘This i3 the room, Mr. Cruickshank.’

• Prince Con-

sort had bcen watchingCruick- shank's pertorm- ance 1 infinite appreciation.”

Mr. Sala has a great admira- tion for the genius,anda love for the memory, of Thackeray.

He first saw Thackeray at a

From a Photo. by MR,

small club held on the first floor of a little old-fashioned tavern in Dean-street, Soho, kept by one Dicky Moreland, SuppOSed to have been the last landlord in l ondon who wore a pigtail and top-boots. Tlnc\u'a\ that night sang “The Mahogany Tree.” His hair was not white then, but he wore the gold-rimmed spectacles, and stood

he always did, with his hands in hls pockets. A M. Alexis Soyer had constructed a

place he called “The Symposium” on the site of the Albert Hall, where Mr. Sala was for a short period sccretary. Soyer was very proud of the huge dining-tent he had put up, capable of dining 300 persons. [t was made of blue and white canvas,

When taking ‘Thackeray round the egrounds one dav, Soyer remarked, point-

ing out t‘he‘hu-ge tent: “This, Mr. Thackeray, 1s the Dbaronial

hall.” H h! Bar- onial hall, 151t "

said Thackeray ; ““it's more like a marquee ! " “And your photo, Mr. Sa- la? " I asked. “Oh! yes— certainly. Had it specially taken im Rome for you. Notice the smile? " Then he added 1 a whisper, as he tollowed me on to the stairs, “The Roman photographer specially turned on a young man to tell me funny storics 1n Italian to make me

laugh. That's the secret of it !

Harny How.

SALA, [Le Lizure, Rome.