THE ly COMPAGNIE, Again—it is the evening of Mittoch, the theatre of the Cub Concordia, but. Venice 18th of March, 1896—wo are in the pretty
is gone, The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, the Rialto and the shops, the Canal and the gondolas, have all dissolved, and like the baseless fabric of a vision, left not a rack behind, We are now in a bamboo grove, with national banners floating round us between. the trees, a great German ensign on each side of the proscenium, and above it the escutcheon of the German Empire, supported on each side, happy thought! by a British red ensign. The floor is covered with tables and chairs, and filled with hosts and guests in uniforms and in private dress. Captain Heyn of the German Company, S.V.C. the hosts of this Free and Easy" evening, is in the chair, and around him are Dr. Stuebel, the German Consul-General, the Burgomeister of Shanghai, Mr. J. L. Scott, sinico Morrison, Commandant of the S.V.C., and a number of other notabilities. It isa jolly crowd that has come together to enjoy itself to-night, for the smoking concerts of the German Company are known to be among the jolliest of their kind. The programme, opportunely illustrated by Mr. de Villard, promises much amusement, and the fulfilment is up to the promise. In the ante-room is the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.