greater dignity of a duchess is further shown
by this fact, that a smaller number of copper
nails is required to fasten down a hundred
square feet of duchesses, than a similar area
of peeresses of lower degree — only two
hundred and fifty-four ; whereas three hundred
and fifty-two are needed for countesses, and
two hundred and eighty for ladies. All
alike, however — duchesses and countesses and
ladies — are destined to be fastened down
with two nails each. The mode of treatment,
as a slater's book just tells us, is very
unceremonious indeed:— "The sides and bottom
edges are trimmed, and the nail-holes punched
as near the head as can be done without risk
of breaking, and at a uniform distance from
the tail."

ONE SPOT OF GREEN.

   WHEN the winter bloweth loud,
    And the earth is in a shroud.
    Bitter rain and blinding snow
    Dimming every dream below;
          Cheerily ! cheerily !
    There is e'er a spot of green,
    Whence the Heavens may be seen.

    When our purse is shrinking fast,
    And our friend is lost (the last!),
    And the world doth pour its pain
    Sharper than the frozen rain;
           Cheerily ! cheerily !
    There is still a spot of green,
    Whence the Heavens may be seen.

    Let us never greet despair,
    While the little spot is there:
    For winter brighteneth into May,
    And sullen night to sunny day;
           So, cheerily, cheerily !
    Let us seek the spot of green.
    Hopeful, patient, and serene,
    Whence the Heavens may be seen.

COMPLETELY REGISTERED.

BETWEEN Provisional Registration and
Complete Registration there is a long and
difficult way to travel; that is to say, the
intention of the law was to make this way
difficult, but some knowing fellows have found
out a path that is strewn with rose-leaves.
The Patent Corkscrew Company, however,
have had no easy time of it since we left them
(all hopeful as young girls) enjoying the
charms of Provisional Registration.*
Directors would pour in. The Rothschilds and
the Barings would at once see the magnificent
commercial promises of the scheme,
and take an early walk to the offices. The
manufacturers of all old-fashioned corkscrews
would tremble in their boots. Wine
merchants in every part of the kingdom would
be in a painful state of expectation.

* See Provisionally Registered. Vol. vii. p. 445.

The first point to be attended to was
advertising. Without a shower of advertisements
no company — not even this — could
hope to succeed. Advertising agents soon
presented themselves. It was mildly
suggested that the Chelsea Banner was an
important medium ; that the Juan Fernandez
Gazette was an authority on corkscrews,
and had an enormous circulation ; that the
Baker Street Star would bring two or three
hundred first-rate applications for shares.
The advertisements were given out very
handsomely to all kinds of papers. Suburban
prints informed their readers, that the
Patent Corkscrew Company would make the
fortune of its shareholders, and that it would
be the moral duty of every honest man
to have a patent corkscrew in the house.
At this time the promoters had pleasant
dreams. The incessant popping of corks
made blissful the nights of the happy
inventor ; for the list of applications for shares
included some of the most notable names in
the country. Captain Bluebill, of Tanglebury
Hall, Norfolk, wanted three hundred shares
for investment; Benjamin Button, of Clapham,
the great silk merchant, would be glad
to take up two hundred ; Thomas Towling,
of the Cottage, Putney, the well-known
banker, would not be content with less than
four hundred ; Admiral Hawker, of the
Grange, Somerset, who gave as his reference
one of the most respectable banking firms in
the metropolis, would be obliged to the directors
for an allotment of one hundred. The
promoters examined these applications, and
did not permit themselves to doubt the
respectability of the parties. Then Thomas
Marsh, Esq., of Piccadilly, wanted fifty
shares ; Tollemache Towneley, Esq., of
Pall Mall, would be obliged by an allotment
of seventy-five. How cheerfully the
secretary filed these applications! How
merrily the members of the Board talked of the
extensive manufactory they would open over
the water!

It was determined, that in consequence of
the great influx of applications, the time
allowed for further applications should be short.
The shares applied for already amounted to
three hundred thousand pounds in value. A
day was appointed, beyond which no application
would be received; and on that day the
letters were literally poured into the office of
the happy promoters. Now, the success of
the undertaking was beyond a doubt. Alas!
how slyly did that seedy gentleman grin, who
appeared at the offices the day before the
directors allotted the shares. He wanted to
know whether or not the directors were
prepared to buy up their own letters of allotment.

"Bless me!" replied the secretary, "my
good man, our business is not to buy our
shares, but to sell them. We buy shares!
That's very good! No, Sir, good morning."
And chuckling very merrily, the secretary
turned his back upon the applicant. The
seedy man said he would call again in a day
or two, and departed.