Inquisitive and Motherly Old Stranger (deliberately settling herself down between Our Artist and what he is trying to sketch).  “I SUPPOSE YOU OFTEN FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO GET NEW SUBJECTS, DON’T YOU?  I HEARD A THING THE OTHER DAY—­,” &C., &C., &C.]

* * * * *

ANOTHER VICTIM.

[The Emperor of AUSTRIA will leave Voecklabruck on September 2 to attend the Army manoeuvres in Silesia.  On the 17th he will go to attend the manoeuvres in Prussian Silesia, and will be the German EMPEROR’s guest at Schloss Kohnstook, near Liegnitz.—­Times.]

Imperial Victim sings:—­

  “Here awa’, there awa’, wandering WILLIE.” 
    O WILHELM, my lad, you might well sing that song. 
  This stir’s getting troublesome, not to say silly,
    Our “Travelling EMPEROR"’s coming it strong. 
  This playing at Soldiers, is’t never to cease? 
  There’s no rest but the grave for the Pilgrim of—­Peace!

  Sub tegmine fagi, in holiday Autumn,
    E’en Emperors sometimes incline to take ease,
  But when once he has dropped in upon ’em, and caught ’em,
    The Tityrus role is all up.  ’Tis a tease. 
  I was just settling down to my pipe and my bock,
  When he bursts in like this!  Gives a man quite a shock!

  He has stirred them up pretty well all round already. 
    Good Grandmother GUELPH!  Well, with her, ’twas just “come and off!”
  (A true British “Summer” the wildest will steady),
    And then he drops in upon tired Cousin ROMANOFF. 
  Ha! ha!  How the CZAR must have laughed—­in his sleeve—­
  At that “capture,” which WILHELM could scarcely believe!

  Taken prisoner, the “Travelling EMPEROR!” Funny! 
    Oh, could they have kept him till Autumn was o’er! 
  No such luck!  I must stir up, and spend time, and money,
    In playing the old game of Soldiers!  Great bore! 
  Ah, my youthful, alert, irrepressible KAISER,
  When just a bit older you’ll be a bit wiser.

  Voecklabruck’s pleasant in genial September,
    And now I must start for Silesia.  Ah me! 
  That name gives a KAISER so much to remember—­
    Would FREDERICK—­THE GREAT—­have “waltzed round” with such glee,
  Trotting out Europe’s soldiers and ships in this way? 
  Well, the KAISER’s a “kid,” I suppose it’s his play.

  I wonder what BISMARCK the blunt thinks about it. 
    He hardly takes Kriegspiel views of the earth;
  He may be prepared to applaud, but I doubt it. 
    I fancy him moved to a saturnine mirth. 
  I wonder where next the young ruffler will go. 
  I should like, if I dared, to suggest—­Jericho!

  “Come out, Cousin HAPSBURG, your uniform don,
    And let’s play at Soldiers!” Ah, yes, that’s his voice. 
  How glad Grandma GUELPH must be now he has gone,
    And how at his leaving the CZAR must rejoice! 
  And now I am in for it all, for awhile. 
  Ah, well, I must dress, and endeavour to smile.