The cigarette, of course, will be smoked at other moments than
epigrammatic ones, but on these other occasions you will not need to deal
so fully with it in the stage directions. "_Duke (lighting cigarette_). I
trust, Perkins, that..." is enough. You do not want to say, "_Duke
(dropping ash on trousers_). It seems to me, my love..." or, "_Duke
(removing stray piece of tobacco from tongue_). What Ireland needs
is..."; still less "_Duke (throwing away end of cigarette_). Show him
in." For this must remain one of the mysteries of the stage--What happens
to the stage cigarette when it has been puffed four times? The stage tea,
of which a second cup is always refused; the stage cutlet, which is
removed with the connivance of the guest after two mouthfuls; the stage
cigarette, which nobody ever seems to want to smoke to the end--thinking
of these as they make their appearances in the houses of the titled, one
would say that the hospitality of the peerage was not a thing to make any
great rush for....

But that would be to forget the butler and the three footmen. Even a Duke
cannot have everything. And what his _chef_ may lack in skill his butler
more than makes up for in impassivity.



A POETRY RECITAL


It has always been the privilege of Art to be patronized by Wealth and
Rank. Indeed, if we literary and artistic strugglers were not asked out
to afternoon tea sometimes by our millionaire acquaintances, it is
doubtful if we should be able to continue the struggle. Recently a new