CAPTAIN KID.

BY CADDIE COLEMAN,

"I can't imagine what on earth anyone wants a puppy-dog for," said mamma, at the same time giving "Captain Kidd" a smart kick with her slippered foot. "Here, Lizzie, ’Gusta—do, some of you, take him off. How can I ever get down the stairs with these things, with all my skirts in his mouth? Be quick! do, or I shall drop something."

Poor mamma! It was baking day, and the Captain had been more than usually annoying. He was emphatically a puppy-dog"-and the most troublesome kind of 66 a puppy-dog." Still, we loved him dearly, for the sake of our dear old Fan (splendid old terrier), whose last legacy he was. How we cried when Willie accidentally shot her, and what a solemn countenance did he wear for a week afterward!

So all our united affections were now centered upon "Captain Kid," a pretty little "black and tan." "It did not yet appear what he would be," but we had faith to believe that he would inherit his mother's antipathy to rats and mice. But to return to poor mamma, whom we left impatiently standing with an armful of good things, the Captain jumping about in great glee; pulling her skirts and shaking himself maliciously, though at imminent risk of having his own neck broken.

We both sprang to the rescue, and she was soon on her way down the cellar-stairs-not exactly rejoicing, but much relieved.

"You must keep him away from the kitchen, girls, until I get through with my baking," said she; "I cannot have him there. You little rascal!" she added, as the dog bounded toward her-" you like the taste of my slipper, do you? Good-bye, sir;" and she beat a hasty retreat to the kitchen, shutting the door between; at which the Captain set up a bark of disappointment, which we considered the very highest mark of precocity ever exhibited by a "puppy-dog."

Augusta went out for a walk; and I, having a very interesting book, forgot Captain Kidd entirely. Mamma opened the door once and looked in.

"Where's the dog?" said she.

"Oh, I don't know," I answered carelessly; "he's safe enough, I daresay."

"I'm afraid he's up-stairs," said mamma. "He'll do mischief there; you'd better go up and see."

"I will, in a minute," replied I, "just as soon as I finish this chapter."

So mamma went back to the kitchen; and when the chapter came to an end, I entirely forgot my promise, and greedily devoured another and another of the fascinating story, until I heard the front door open, and knew that 'Gusta had returned from her walk.

The Captain was in the entry, and she stopped to pet him a little. "Dear little old thing! was he mad, because he couldn't eat up my best dress?" she said, as she was going up-stairs; but she came to a stand-still upon the topmost stair. "Look, here, Lizzie!" she exclaimed; "what's this?"

"It looks like a piece of blue velvet," said I. "I should think it did," replied 'Gusta. "And what's this?"

"Why, a scarlet flower," I answered coolly. "Who's been to mamma's fancy box?"

"It does look like a scarlet flower," said 'Gusta, with provoking coolness. "And what do you think this looks like?" holding up a mutilated bonnet-frame.

I gave one look-I could not speak, but dashing wildly up the stairs, snatched the po r bonnet-frame from her hand.

Seeing that I was deeply concerned, 'Gusta kindly refrained from words, and assisted me in hunting up the dismembered fragments of my precious Sunday-bonnet. My tears fell thick and fast, as we found bit after bit of what had once been (to my eye, at least) flowers of matchless beauty. The velvet was strong enough to resist the Captain's pulling, but the flowers were (as I said) torn to bits, and the poor frame was a woful looking thing of wire and hanging lace.

The strings were missing. In vain did we search through entry and chamber-they were not there.

Mamma, in the meantime, having finished her baking, came up, looking heated and weary. "Don't disturb me, girls, for an hour," said she; "and do take care of the dog; he's been to Mary's box of old ribbons; and, the first thing she saw were a pair of her blue strings in the coal-hod; to be sure, they were dirty looking things, but she felt quite vexed about it."

"She needn't, then," said I, blurting out the whole sad truth at once, "for they were my strings, and not hers, and he has torn my best bonnet to pieces ;" and weeping bitterly, I displayed to my astonished mother the mangled remains of my once beautiful bonnet.

"Lizzie Livermore!" exclaimed mamma-but that was all, for she pitied me too much to scold; not a word did she say about my culp. able negligence, rightly judging that I was sufficiently punished; neither did she scold the Captain for what was not his fault, but mine; though, when the poor little fellow made his appearance upon the scene of action vigorously shaking a shred of lace, which had once held an honourable position near my face, she gathered all the fragments in a heap, and forcing his bright eyes to look at them, administered to him several smart slaps, with much good advice, at which he barked most furiously, apparently trembling with indignation, as much as to say"Show me the dog who has done this thing."

Mamma and 'Gusta laughed heartily; and I, though firmly resolved never to laugh again, was obliged to smile through my tears.

For a few days I was ready to say with mamma-"I can't imagine what on earth anyone wants to keep a puppy-dog for;" but time heals every wound. And when 'Gusta, by dint of much steaming, fussing, and fixing, had manufactured a new bonnet out of the ruins of

the old one, I found that I was again able to appreciate all the Captain's cunning ways; and the advice I would give to others is not"Never keep puppy-dogs;" but "Don't let them be for more than three minutes at a time out of your sight;" or, to wind up with an Irish-ism-" When they do get out of sight, do you be there to see."

AT

A goodly crop of new pieces has sprung up, with promise of a healthy vitality since our last theatrical feuilleton appeared. First we give their titles: viz., Home," a comedy at the HAYMARKET, by Mr. Robertson; "Marie Antoinette," a spectacular piece, at the PRINCESS'S; "Red Hands," a melodrama, at the St. JAMES'S; "School" (we are only taking these titles in the order they appear in the theatrical advertising column of the Times), new comedy, number two, by Mr. Robertson, at the PRINCE OF WALES'S; "Not Guilty," melodrama, by Mr. Watts Phillips, QUEEN'S; "Fettered," melodrama, by Watts Philips also, HOLBORN; "The Home Wreck," melodrama, SURREY.

"Home" is an elegant little comedy from the pen accustomed to produce such works as "Society," Caste," ," "Ours," &c., at Miss Wilton's pretty theatre, the Prince of Wales's. It has the advantage of possessing Mr. Sothern as its chief interpreter, and Miss Ada Cavendish, a stylish young actress, for its domestic heroine. We will not forestal the interest of the story of this very neat drama by relating its plot; but advise our readers by all means to visit the theatre and see the play. Its concluding scene forms a dramatic picture upon which the curtain falls to the melodious air of "Home, sweet home;" the latter, first heard by English ears in "Clari, the Maid of Milan," produced in this country about half a century ago. The other and still better new play of Mr. Robertson, "School," produced at the PRINCE OF WALES'S, we must take before saying anything concerning the new pieces preceding it in our catalogue. "School" is a genteel comedy, with a tasteful allegorical plot or story, adapting that of "Cinderella" to light comedy as it has hitherto been adapted to operatic purposes. The idea is orinal, fanciful, and perfectly successful on the stage of the stylish Prince of Wales's theatre. Miss Marie Wilton has a small part in the new piece, which, like all truly good actors or actresses, she brings out with a force and effect inferior performers would not have conceived, and would have been quite unable to realize. Mr. H. J. Montagu makes a good part of a róle not at all in his line; but we never hear, now-a-days, of the actors throwing up their parts. That custom, like the one of "damning" a piece on the first night, is now obsolete. Managers learn what their audiences want by less noisy and vulgar means,

"Marie Antoinette," at the PRINCESS's," is a splendid piece, of the decorative order, with startling scenes representing the populace of Paris, in the dreadful days of the first French Revolution. The patricians and the parvenus of Paris are contrasted in successive scenes, and the canaille flock the streets to the cry of "A la lanterne !" "La guillotine!" and the exciting drama ends with Queen Marie Antoinette ascending the steps to the (supposed) guillotine, amid frantic shouts, blending pity and sympathy with the yells of demoniac passion. Mdlle. Beatrice (once at the Haymarket) is great as Marie Antoinette; Mr. George Vining represents the unfortunate King with power and fidelity.

"Red Hands," the new melodrama at the ST. JAMES'S, is hardly worth our attention, being so away altogether from the purpose' of a piece such as we should expect to see on the boards of the handsome theatre now under the management of Mdile. La Ferte. Mr. A'Beckett writes too fast to write well; and several of his pieces have probably owed their want of attraction to the author's carelessness. It is impossible to see anything in "Red Hands" but the ingredients of old Coburg melodrama, badly mixed and coarsely repulsive in nature and character.

"Not Guilty," the new melodrama at the QUEEN'S, possesses Anglo-Indian incidents connected with the dreadful mutiny of 1857; but there are more incidents relating to home. life, including that convict-life which the stage too often holds up to the view, and which said convict-life is low, disgusting, and so unfit to be re-produced in dramatic pictures, that we wonder at its toleration by any audience. Before dismissing "Not Guilty," we will admit that it possesses highly sensational elements, but protest against any phase of the terrible mutiny of the Oude native troops being represented by a man or two prowling about the side of a wall as British soldiers, and another man or two bobbing their heads up, now and then, on the other side of the wall, as mutineers. The main incident in "Not Guilty" is founded on a fact recorded in a remarkable criminal trial: we allude to the fate of Silas Jarrett, the convict.

As we have not yet seen "Fettered," at the HOLBORN, nor the "Home Wreck," at the SURREY, we defer noticing them until our next feuilleton.

Though last not least in our sweet memories,

E. H. MALCOLM.

FIRST FIGURE.-Dress of pearl-grey faille silk, with a round skirt, trimmed at the bottom with a flounce put on straight and cut in rather long rounded points which are bordered by a narrow bias-piece of pearl-grey satin. Above the flounce, three narrow bias-pieces of the same satin. Corsage cut low, plain and round at the waist. Over this dress a tunic of black Spanish blond, with high body, having a ruche of the same round the neck descending down the middle of the corsage like a frill. Blond sleeves with epaulets made of ruches. Near the elbow the sleeves are encircled by a narrow band of grey silk with black blond on each side of it. The dress sleeve reaches to the elbow only, and below the band above-mentioned the blond sleeve forms a transparent on the skin. Black satin waistband. The tunic of this dress is very long behind where it forms a train, and very short before where it is caught up at the sides in a rounded apron form, with two butterfly bows of black velvet; a black lace set on full, with a heading encircles the whole. At the back the tunic forms a pannier, at each side of which are two large bows of black velvet with ends. Coiffure ornamented with a bandeau set with tortoise-shell beads, and a comb forming a diadem. Dauphine shoes of satin, with high heels. Kid gloves.

SECOND FIGURE.-Dress of nacarat satin, having a round skirt ornamented with flounces in large plaits placed two and two, separated by a puffing of the same. Above the fifth a round tunic very short, having behind a not over voluminous puff. The corsage, plain and round at the waist, is closed by black buttons, and on each side a cross-strip of black satin. On the shoulders an ornament formed of a cross-strip insertion and rolls of black satin, with ball chenille trimming. Round the arm, near the elbow, a band composed of a cross-strip surmounted by a very narrow double plaiting; on the outer side, a black satin bow. Near the end of the sleeve, the same ornament is repeated. Fanchon bonnet of black lace, gathered and ornamented with a humming-bird at the side, accompanied by delicate autumn foliage. The barbs are fastened on the corsage by a black satin bow. Muslin chemisette and under-sleeves trimmed with valenciennes. Kid gloves. Black satin boots with Louis XV. heels. There is little to speak of but balls and soirées, at which we see the lightest parures of flowers, plumes, and blond. Marabout feathers, by the way, are again in favour. Tunics of

lace or satin are cut in square dents at the bottom, and between these dents repose little tufts, or solitary flowers, and a larger tuft relieves the tunic on one side only. The tunic, whatever the material, is made as I have described above, short before and very long behind, to cover the train. Marabouts, pink or blue, make very exquisite trimmings, a light fringe which is peculiarly fresh and delicate; and the only drawback to their more general use is their high price. Fringes of flowers are also much used for ornamenting tunics aud otherwise garnishing ball dresses. Bonnets have not changed much in form but the style of decoration is becoming more and more elevated. A great bow of velvet is often seen at the foot of anaigrette or ostrich plume; at the side of the bonnet the strings (if one can so call them) are wider and still worn rounded, and are always attached by a bow similar in character to the ornament on the bonnet. I have already seen several bonnets strewn over with flowers; black tulle is the prevailing material for them, and the flowers are of velvet. Heartsease, which admits of being used in so many tints, is much worn, and has an agreeable effect in velvet of various shades; the veil is attached behind with one or two of these flowers. For a grand toilet, the bonnet should be a mixture of the colours of the dress in crape and blond, or in any case should be ornamented with flowers adapted to the shades in it Here we have the advantage of a new jupon, the Parisian regulator, which can be lengthened or widened at will, and is suitable either for short or trained dresses the contrivance is exceedingly convenient. Fur is in great request and is worn on everything, those who possess any surplus quantity of it can cut it into narrow bands as a trimming for dresses. The Marie Antoinette flounce has a very decided success and half short, and even trained skirts are trimmed in this style.

P.S. Our Renfrewshire correspondent is informed that we did answer her first question, and were as surprised as she expresses herself disappointed, that the printer, either through mistake or misconception, had neglected to in sert the paragraph. We never undertake such commissions, but having made due inquiries as to

a reliable house," recommend an application to Lillycrapps, 27, Davies St., Berkeley-square, from whom, no doubt, her application will receive immediate attention.

To form the centre ring of the star, wind the thread 6 times round the mesh No. 2; tie and cut off the ends, slip it off the mesh, and work into the circle 40 stitches of double crochet with No. 10 cotton; unite them, take a needleful of thread, and fasten it to the last of the 40 stitches; carry the thread across to the 20th stitch, and pass the needle through 4 stitches, and carry the thread across the ring within 4 stitches of the first thread; repeat from 3 times more; then, with the embroidery cotton, work the circle in the centre of the ring, passing the needle alternately over and under the threads. For the 8 smaller rings surrounding the centre, wind the thread 6 times round the mesh No. 3; fasten the ends, and slip it off the mesh; make the eight rings, and work into the circle of the first 16 stitches of double crochet. These will come rather

more than half round the ring. Take another ring, and work the same number of stitches; repeat this into each of the 8; work round the remaining part of the rings, 12 stitches into each; join the last ring to the first, and let the part of the rings with 12 stitches come to the innerpart of the circle; sew in the ring over mesh No. 2 to form the centre. This completes the star. To unite the stars, make a ring over mesh No. 1; wind the thread round the mesh 8 times, tie the ends, and work into the circle with the cotton 48 stitches of double crochet; take a needleful of thread, and fasten it to the last of the 48; carry the thread across to the 24th; pass the needle through 12 stitches, and carry the thread to the opposite stitch; then carry the thread to the next point of the cross, repeat from 3 times, then overcast the threads with the embroidery cotton.

The foundation and border are in violet wool, with the pattern worked upon them in silk.

Begin from the under straight edge of the back; make a chain of seventeen stitches; in these work in the first row seventeen stitches.

Twice twelve lines (allowing always two lines to a row), increase one stitch in one row at the beginning in the other row at the end of the first row, continue this on every row for sixty-one rows. The side edge, however, from the sixty-second row, as far as the under point, is worked straight-forward. Crochet round the finished foundation, one row of double stitch.

For the border, which is worked entirely

round the fichu, and is repeated five times over the shoulder to form the epaulette, work as fol

lows:

1st row. * 1 double, 7 double-treble in the next edge stitch, 1 chain, with which pass over 2 stitches, 1 double in the next edge stitch, 1

chain, with which again pass over 2 stitches. Repeat from *.

2nd. 2 double in the 1st stitch of the preceding row; 5 chain with which the next 7 double treble (a tuft) are past over; double before, 1 double behind the next double of the preceding row. Repeat from *.

3rd. The same as the 1st row, in which always work the 7 double-treble of the tuft between the 2 double in the 5 chain of the preceding row.

4th. Like the second. The number of the lying over each other from 13 to 5. Two but tufts forming the epaulette is reduced in 5 rows tons, corresponding with eyes, must be placed at the under edge of the back part to close the pelerine round the waist.

Through the edge of the border work long stitches in yellow filoselle.