Dear MR. PUNCH,--I hear that some people are in a great state of mind
lest some blessed Bill brought in by the Government, should "destroy
Voluntary Schools." What howling bosh! Why, there _are no_ Voluntary
Schools! No, they're all Compulsory, confound 'em! or who'd attend
'em? Not Yours disgustedly,

A HUMAN BOY.

* * * * *

MR. WELLER & CO., AND THE 'BUS STRIKE.--Mr. SUTHERST seems to occupy,
as towards the 'Bus-drivers, a similar position to that filled by the
eminent _Mr. Solomon Pell_, the general adviser, and man of business
to the Elder _Mr. Weller_, and his professional coaching brethren. It
is to be hoped that the _Solomon Pell_ of the 'Bus-drivers has been
treated as liberally as was the real _Mr. Pell_, the friend of the
LORD CHANCELLOR, by _Mr. Weller_ Senior, the Mottle-faced Man, and
others.

* * * * *

OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

[Illustration]

The most interesting book, one of the Baron's Retainers ("blythe and
gay,") has read this year is, _The Life of Laurence Oliphant_. If it
were not written by a reputable person, and published by so eminently
respectable a house as BLACKWOOD's, there would be difficulty about
accepting it as a true story of the life of a man whom some of us