IF iN.


[OCTOBER 12, 1861.


 and boys, the old boys have no place exclusively devoted to their
 THE OLD BOYS' PLAYGROUND. amusement, and, at the risk of being considered an old pump, I
 venture to suggest the establishing of an old boys' playground,
 To the Editor of FUN. where the sports of our childhood may be gleefully indulged in,
 SR,--I beg to "ventilate" (abominable n e-fangled word), for the where we may recall the pleasurable excitement of infant days,
benefit of the elderly readers of FuN, a notion which I think you will where the proudest amongst us shall not consider it derogatory
admit is an original and a good one. I, Sir, belong to that class of to "knuckle down," and where the almost forgotten joys of pegtops,
respectable individual that goes out regularly at ten o'clock to his leap-frog, tip-cat, and marbles may be again experienced and revelled
office, takes his chop and glass of sherry as the clock strikes one, in. I am aware that this proposition is a bold one, but, I believe it
and goes home by the 'bus at half-past five. I am, in short, engaged will be gladly taken up by many, and those who have sufficient moral
in business in the city; I have a baldish head, a large shirt-collar, a courage to admit their possession of an unextinguishable affection for
pair of eye-glasses, and my waistcoats begin to require extension. "prisoners' base," and a lingering love for toffee, will please to com-
You have seen me, no doubt, many times, and recognized in me the municate with, Sir, yours truly,
original PATERFAMILIAS of private life. Now, Sir, I am a man of few BoY tooD.
words, and I will at once come to the point. While London is deluged P.S. I enclose a picture of the Agapemone for old gentlemen, as
with entertainments and places of healthful resort for men, women, it will probably appear.


 i(-
 r1 I ;!| N_ --
.' L _______

4' 1 ii : 1 ^ ,



 I -I-- -J i


THE OLD BOYS' PLAYGROUND.


 THE BALANCE OF POWER.
 WE see by an advertisement in the Times that MR. PEPPER, the
popular manager of the Polytechnic Institution, intends giving a
lecture on the Art of Balancing, "explaining the principles on which
BLONDIN and LEOTARD perform their wonderful feats." This looks
as if the Polytechnic was really on the high ropes, and intended
going on a totally different line. It appears, however, that the
lecture has been postponed through the unavoidable absence of a
" curious mechanical figure," which is not completed. The difficulty
experienced by bankers' clerks, treasurers, and others of the same
stamp, in balancing, proceeds generally from the unwarrantable con-
duct of some figure or other which refuses to appear when wanted.
We suppose the present one will,-like the agent of the Niagara
hero,-bo carried over."


 WhIEN is a commercial traveller insolent to the fair sex ?-When
he drives a gal-away.


 ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.
 THE following advertisement appeared in a leading newspaper of
October the 1st:-
 "Man and wife, with a single lady or gentleman; man to drive a horse and
chaise and a small garclen; wife good plain cook; four years' good character."
 This is a most ambiguous advertisement. What is the meaning of
a "man to drive a horse and chaise and a small garden?" The
position of the single lady or gentleman, too, seems to be undefined,
and the advertiser leaves one in great doubt whether the four years'
good character applies to the wife, or both. In the same paper,
oddly enough, appears the following :-
 To be Let, well furnished, at Forest Hill, near the station, a house containing
three sitting-rooms, five bed-rooms, two kitchens, necessary offices and garden.
 It is very evident that there is something new in gardens" tl:at
we are at present ignorant of. Here in one advertisement we read ui
the possibility of a garden being driven about, and in another of a
garden in-doors! What does it mean ? MR. GLENNY, we appeal to
you; clear up this horticultural mystery, and set us at rest.


London; Printed and Published (for the Proprietors) by CHARLES WHYTE, at the Ofoe, 80, Fleet Street, E.C.-Saturday, October 12th, 181.


--


 `----~-
 ----

 --~-
 --
a
 .~-------------------
 ----- p