1.--_From Paddington to the first comma is a comparatively slight
stop._

Left Paddington. Was compelled to leave Paddington, as train started
from that station. "The Great Western!" What boundless ideas are
suggested by this title, &c., &c. (_This part I'll send to Daily
Graphic._)

REASONS FOR THE JOURNEY.

Well, never mind my reasons. I had made up my mind to go. That's
enough. "_Marlbrook s'en va t'en guerre," mais_ as MARLBROOK Junior I
may say, "_Je reviendrai."_ Politics to the winds! or, colloquially,
Politics be blowed! I'm off to TOM TIDDLER'S ground. Nice fellow,
TIDDLER. Knew him years ago. He is now a Limited Company, "TIDDLER &
Co."

[Illustration]

THE COMPOSITION OF THE PARTY.

Well, you know what it was once upon a time. There was A BALFOUR--beg
pardon, should say, THE BALFOUR--and DRUMMY WOLFFY, and _De_ GORSTIBUS
_non disputandum_ ("no arguing with GORST"), and self. As good a
quartette, though I say it who shouldn't, as ever sat down to a
concerted piece, with myself as First Fiddle. But now--"Where am dat
barty now?"--I don't know if I quote correctly; quoting correctly is
not my _forte_. "Dat barty," suggests WOLFF; he was the "barty" of our
party, in the merry days of old. Now--none of 'em here, and I with
my ink-stand before me, a pencil, a pen, note-books galore, and any