maids whose duty it is to successively undertake the embellishment of
the royal countenance. By means of this relief no one of these women
loses her delicacy of eye and touch, and Alexandra blooms with the
rosy softness of a girl.

* * * * *

The papers seem to be woefully wrought up over the financial rating of
Mr. Harry Lehr. Whether he is or whether he is not a wine boomer would
not ordinarily be a query of agitating importance. Nor yet is the
exact proportion of his yearly salary of national interest. No one
ever accused this agile gentleman of setting up for a millionaire
while his ingenuousness touching his wife's property is disconcerting
in its frankness.

* * * * *

Now that Tom Reed is settled in New York one wonders somewhat that one
hears so little of his family. They are to be congratulated on their
breeding, for with his prominence to back them they would find
notoriety an easy plum. A gentleman called at Mr. Reed's office a day
or two ago to ask for an autograph letter on the plea that he had in
his possession one of each of the speakers, and wound up his request
with the half joking query of "You are a great man, are you not, Mr.
Reed?" "No," said the rotund Tom in his big-voiced drawl, "No, but I
am a good man."

BETTY STAIR.