The New Vagabonds gave their Christmas dinner last Friday evening at the Holborn Restaurant, and your correspondent was quite proud to be called a "lady "Vagabond" forane night only, as the occasion was most interesting. Mr. Zangwill was in the chair and in introducing Lord Charles Beresford, the guest of the evening, described him very happily as.a "marine bond," and contrasting him with Lord Was unavoidably absent), said one was the Roberts, the peceidant of the club (who highest personification of a British soldier and the other of a British sailor. I had never heard Lord Charles speak before what he said certainly surprised me, although maybe it is all too true. After speaking on national defence and the need of strengthening both the army and navy, a subject on which he has been speaking at several meetings lately, he went on to
the spirit of the age—the overpowering in-of what he seemed to look upon as fluence of money—which he feared was fast sapping the heart of the nation, day. Money, he said, seemed to be able especially of the young men of the present to gloss over all faults, even sometimes crimes, and he thought that was altogether wrong,.as everyone, no matter what was his station, should, in his opinion, be held accountable for his actions. Ifa man who did wrong could buy immunity the whole nation would be disgraced and the country's downfall might be predicted as certain. Mr. George Grossmith proposed "The Ladies" in a very humorous speech. He.said the toast was.one-after his own heart, especially as his heart was so often after the ladies. The toast was likewise coupled with the name of Mr. Billington, who did not seem to be -present, and after some conversation Mr. Zangwill said he did not even know Mr. Billington. Gross-mith said: " What, not know Billington? Why he's a small dried-up - insignificant little chap—very ugly—I thought everyone knew him—in fact I'm Billington!"—at which, of course, everyone laughed, as it was evidently intended they should.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.