THE MASTER 7 



vermilion, sky-blue, pea-green, or any other outlandish colour, 

 " the Master " must wear it, or Mrs. Cottonwool will think 

 herself slighted. Then, with an ostrich-feathered red and 

 gold-spangled turban nodding over a well-oiled front, with 

 cork-screw ringlets at the sides, Mrs. Cottonwool, after having 

 waited past all patience for the much-wished-for, but non- 

 arriving guest, is at length led from the furniture-uncovered 

 drawing-room by our " model of a sportsman," in all the 

 ladylike trepidation of unaccustomed party-making. All the 

 Bore'ems and Snore'ems, Tom Browns, and Jack Smiths of 

 the hunt, figged out like their chief, follow in long-drawn file, 

 whipped in to, by Cottonwool, similarly attired. 



The Miss Cottonwools will be scattered down the table just 

 as market gardeners scatter their flowers — first a rose, then a 

 lily, then another rose, then another lily — first a foxhunter, 

 then a lump of Cottonwool, then another foxhunter, then 

 another lump of Cottonwool, apparently " quite promiscuous," 

 as the servants say, but in reality with a good deal of hen 

 Cottonwool " management." Our Cottonwools, however, are 

 not lumpy ; on the contrary, fine, full-grown, full-limbed, ripe, 

 luscious-looking, fair-haired girls, radiant with all the accom- 

 plishments of ogling, worsted-working, dancing, and flirting. 

 But we are leaving our Master, soup-ladle in hand, pinned 

 on the right of ringlets, who sits telegraphing her daughterr 

 into their places, the order of march having been somewhat 

 disconcerted by the stupidity of Sam Bore'em not knowing 

 that Robertina has been setting her cap at him for many 

 months, and who has consequently endangered Juliana's being 

 stuck between papa and old Mr. Pigskin, the family stop-gap, 

 by taking out Henrietta instead of his intended, or rather, the 

 lady who intends him. At length they all get settled into 

 their places, with no other derangement than two of the 

 guests getting rush-bottomed chairs which were meant for the 

 daughters, and a room which would accommodate eight com- 



