132 JULY 



"Do you know the name he goes by in his 

 family? It is Eats!" 



11 Rats f !" remonstrated my neighbour in an 

 inquiring tone, gazing at the same time through his 

 eyeglass at a silver dish that was being held at his 

 elbow by a dark-bearded butler. On the dish was 

 an array of little glasses containing something dark, 

 covered with whipped cream. The man thought 

 the question was addressed to him, and at once 

 replied in a reassuring tone : 



" No, sir ! Chocolate creams ! " 



The laughter was simultaneous from us all. 



I should like to tell a snake story that belongs 

 to the C. S., only I know it will not be believed, 

 which is a pity, as every word of these notes is 

 absolutely true. It was this : He saw a snake 

 lying coiled in a hole among the roots of the 

 peepul tree, and shot it. On dragging it out, he 

 saw a large excrescence in the middle of its body. 

 As it lay expiring, the lump moved slowly upwards 

 towards its head. The snake's mouth was opening 

 and shutting ; it opened wider and wider, with a 

 last convulsive movement, and out came a frog, 

 looking dazed and torpid. It must have been 



