ON A PURELY DOMESTIC MATTER.

MY DEAR WIFE,--Yours to hand of the 10th inst., and contents, _re_
son, noted. I observe that you are for the moment satisfied with his
progress, and that you feel yourself in a position to be able to see
your way to inform me that he is beginning to have and express ideas
of his own on all subjects. He shows himself a fine fellow, and you
have every reason to be as happy as it is possible to be in wartime.

By the same post arrived the new uniform from Dover Street, London, W.
You will be glad to hear that Messrs. Blenkinson have done us proud,
managing to carry out your many suggestions without departing from
regulation. They make a fine fellow of me, neat but not gaudy,
striking in appearance without being offensive to the eye. Once more
they too have shown themselves fine fellows. We are all fine fellows;
my dear, you are positively surrounded on all sides by fine fellows,
and it would look as if, given peace, we are all together going to be
as happy as the day is long.

So I thought at first blush; but are we so sure? The separate
ingredients are excellent; there couldn't be a better son than Robert
or better tailors than Messrs. Blenkinson. But how will they blend?
Mind you, I'm not daring to doubt the courtesy and tact of a single
Blenkinson; but these views which son Robert is beginning to form,
where will they lead him ... and us ... and the Blenkinsons? Again,
I'm not suggesting that Robert will ever go to such lengths in
view-forming as to dare to attack such an anciently and honourably
established firm as Messrs. Blenkinson; indeed, I could almost wish it
might fall out that way, and that they and I might continue, without