[Illustration]

Nast is at work on a series of sarcastic pictures illustrating the miseries of France.  Most of them show how Louis Napoleon ought to finish up his career and dynasty.  In fact, should this gifted artist ever travel among Bonapartists, he will certainly be hunted down in an astounding manner, and the populace, adopting American customs, will probably congregate to see him astride a rail.  Two of his smaller studies are very interesting.  One of them, called “An Astray,” is simply a ray of black light; and another, intended for the contemplation of persons who desire light and airy pictures, is simply a portrait of himself, entitled “A Nasturtium.”

The well-known Miss EDMONIA Lewis has been exhibiting her statue of “Hagar,” in Chicago.  As Hagar was the first woman who suffered anything like divorce, Chicago is a capital place for her statue, and Miss Lewis evidently knows what she is about.  Her name reminds me that our great landscapist, Lewis, is at work on a picture which he calls “A Scene in France after a Reign.”  This little sketch will give an idea of the painting.

[Illustration]

Most of our other artists are also worthily engaged, but time, (I believe that is the regular way to end an article of this kind) will not permit present mention of them.

EFARES.

* * * * *

Ham and eggs.

War always brings with it its signs and portents.  A hen somewhere in Virginia, according to a local paper, has lately produced an egg on the white of which the word “War” was plainly written in black letters.  Now, when we consider that the career of Louis Napoleon was more or less influenced by Ham, there is something very significant in the advent of this providential egg; nor should we be surprised to learn, ere long, that the same hen had laid another egg, this time with a Prussian yolk.

* * * * *

Eheu!  Strasbourg.

Reading an old traveller’s description of the famous Cathedral of Strasbourg, we note that he dwells particularly on its “fretted windows.”

Ah! yes.  They have much to fret about, now, have these old windows; and that makes us think whether the larmiers of the roof over them do not run real tears.

* * * * *

“Lo” Cunning.

The cunning of the red Indian of the Plains.

* * * * *

PETTICOAT GOVERNMENT.

A gaunt, tall, spectacled creature, gender feminine, number singular, person first, case always possessive, that’s the standard bearer; a broomstick from the top of which floats a petticoat, that’s the standard.  Under that standard march in the U.S. at least 20,000,000 feminines, and—­horrible to relate—­gal children are on the increase.