for which the taxpayers of the United Kingdom pay some eight hundred guineas!  Truly the spectacle is eminently calculated to inspire the country with confidence and hopes of reform.”—­Extract from Letter to the Times.]

    SCENE—­A Room at the Royal Courts.  Lord CHANCELLOR, Lord
    CHIEF JUSTICE, MASTER of the ROLLS, Lords Justices, Justices.

L.C. Well, I’m very glad to see you all looking so well, but can anyone tell me why we’ve met at all?

L.C.J. Talking of meetings, do you remember that Exeter story dear old JACK TOMPKINS used to tell on the Western Circuit?

[Illustration:  Fee-simple.]

    [Proceeds to tell JACK TOMPKINS’s story at great length to
    great interest of Chancery Judges.

M.R. (who has listened with marked impatience).  Why, my dear fellow, it isn’t a Western Circuit story at all.  It was on the Northern Circuit at Appleby.

[Proceeds to tell the same story all over again, substituting Appleby for Exeter.  At the conclusion of story, Great laughter from Chancery Judges.  Common Law Judges look bored, having all told same story on and about their own Circuits.

L.C. Very good—­very good—­used to tell it myself on the South Wales Circuit—­but what have we met for?

Lord Justice A. I say, what do you think about this cross-examination fuss?  It seems to me—­

L.C.J. Talking of cross-examination—­do you fellows remember the excellent story dear old JOHNNIE BROWBEAT used to tell about the Launceston election petition?

    [Proceeds to tell story in much detail.  L.C. looks
    uncomfortable at its conclusion.

M.R. (cutting in).  Why, my dear fellow, it wasn’t Launceston at all, it was Lancaster, and—­

    [Tells story all over again to the Chancery Judges.

L.C. Yes—­excellent.  I thought it took place at Chester—­but really, now, we must get to business.  So, first of all, will anyone kindly tell me what the business is?

Mr. Justice A. (a very young Judge).  Well, the fact is, I believe the Public—­

Chorus of Judges.  The what?

Mr. Justice A. (with hesitation).  Why—­I was going to say there seems to be a sort of discontent amongst the Public—­

L.C. (with dignity).  Really, really—­what have we to do with the Public?  But in case there should be any truth in this extraordinary statement, I think we might as well appoint a Committee to look into it, and then we can meet again some day and hear what it is all about.

L.C.J. Yes, a Committee by all means; the smaller the better.  “Too many cooks,” as dear old HORACE puts it.

M.R. Talking of cooks, isn’t it about lunch time?