Mr. Biddle and the Dragon. Written and Illustrated by Edith
Farmiloo. (Skeffington and Son. 2s. 6d.)—Miss Edith Farmiloe has a very large gift of humour. A district visitor tells the story, mostly by the reporting of conversations, of how the "Dragon," alias the very managing Mrs. Lobb, sought to protect her brother, Mr. Joseph Biddle, from the wiles of certain widows, and how she and they were alike circumvented by a sly young person who carried off the prize, if prize it was. Some of the episodes are yet more entertaining. Mrs. Lobb relates how she was wooed in her own early widowhood by a "sandwich man," and how she was saved from the mesailiance. She relates how the artful Mrs. Fisher carried off a warm petticoat for attendance at the church "mothers' meeting" and a goose from the chapel. Then there is a most amusing young Percy, grandson to Mrs. Lobb, who is very particular (being twelve years old) as to the "gels 'e takes out and lams." "Larns " must be explained by the young gentleman himself. "I only takes 'em out to lain them, they being that stoopid and dotty like mose gels—as makes yer laugh. I taught Ida Mackie all about them ducks in the park as she lmowed nothing about, thinkin' only 'ens laid eggs, and not knowin"ow they kep' up without sinking." Such a young genius had a right to be exacting, and the Ariadne who had "one garter gone and her back pinned over," and was there- fore left lamenting, could not complain.
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