only seven days a week and one breakfast a day, and when I am in
Italy I declare that the reason why the English have overrun the
world is because they eat such mighty breakfasts. Considering how
good the dishes are, I wonder the breakfasts are not mightier than
they are."

"It always strikes me that our national barrenness of ideas appears
as plainly in our breakfasts as anywhere," said Mrs. Gradinger.
"There is a monotony about them which--"

"Monotony!" interrupted the Colonel. "Why, I could dish you up a
fresh breakfast every day for a month. Your conservative
tendencies must be very strong, Mrs. Gradinger, if they lead you to
this conclusion."

"Conservative! On the contrary, I--that is, my husband--always
votes for Progressive candidates at every election," said Mrs.
Gradinger, dropping into her platform intonation, at the sound of
which consternation arose in every breast. "I have, moreover, a
theory that we might reform our diet radically, as well as all
other institutions; but before I expound this, I should like to say
a few words on the waste of wholesome food which goes on. For
instance, I went for a walk in the woods yesterday afternoon, where
I came upon a vast quantity of fungi which our ignorant middle
classes would pronounce to be poisonous, but which I--in common
with every child of the intelligent working-man educated in a board
school where botany is properly taught--knew to be good for food."

"Excuse me one moment," said Sir John, "but do they really use
board-school children as tests to see whether toadstools are