easy to say exactly what. One competitor has already, however, it
appears, intimated his readiness to make the required addition, by
hanging his beds over the side of the Tower on "extended poles." The
question is, "Would Sir WATKIN be able to induce his patrons 'to turn
in' under such conditions?" There's the rub.

* * * * *

OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

STANLEY'S _Darkest Africa_ (SAMPSON LOW) swamps all other books just
now, except, of course, the Other STANLEY book, called _A Light on
the Keep-it-Quite-the-Darkest Africa_ (TRISCHLER & Co.) which follows
closely at its heels. The real STANLEY narrative is most interesting
and exciting; it is a book that will make everyone "sit up"--at night
to read it. The centre of attraction is in the answer to the question,
"How did I find EMIN?" Which is, "Quite well, thank you."

My faithful "Co." reports that he has been doing his duty nobly as
a novel-reader. He has already devoured Vol. III. of the _Man with
a Secret_. He would attack Vols. I. and II. if he had not had (so he
says) quite enough of the Man _and_ his Secret. _Innocent Victims_ is
written in the temperance interest. "Co." has every sympathy with the
cause of undiluted water, but fears that this "story of London Life
and Labour" may end in drink. He found it himself a little dry, and
was not cheered by the name of the author, HUGH DOWNE, which seemed
to suggest he could not get up again. He is eagerly waiting for more
fiction, as "_Expiation_" by OCTAVE THANET has scarcely satisfied his
craving for the weird and the horrible. In the meanwhile, he has found
a cheerful interlude in _Sanity and Insanity_, a text-book (written in