ANOTHER MEANING.--_I Rantzau_ is the title of MASCAGNI'S new Opera. The title, anglicised, would be suitable for an old-fashioned transpontine melodramatic tragedian, who could certainly say of himself, "_I rant so!_"
At what time would SHAKSPEARE'S heroine of _The Taming of the Shrew_ have been eminently fitted to be a modern Sunday-School teacher?
_Answer._ When _Petruchio_ kissed her; because then she was _a Kattie Kiss'd_. (Hem! A Cate-chist.)
SCENE--_A street of Gingerbread, Sweetstuff, and Toy-stalls, "Cocoa-nut Shies," "Box-pitching Saloons," &c., forming the approach to the more festive portion of the Fair, from which proceeds a cheerful cacophony of orchestrions, barrel-organs, steam-whistles, gongs, big drums, rattles, and speaking-trumpets._
_Proprietors of Cocoa-nut Shies._ Now, then, play up all o' you--ar-har! There goes another on 'em! _That's_ the way to 'it 'em--win all yer like, &c.
_A Rival Proprietor_ (_pointing to his target, through the centre of which his partner's head is protruded_). Look at _that_! Ain't that better nor any coker-nut? Every time you 'it my mate's 'ed, you git a good cigar! (_As the by-standers hang back, from motives of humanity._) 'Ere, _'ave_ a go at 'im, some o' you--give 'im a little encouragement!
_The Head_ (_plaintively_). Don't neglect a man as is doing his best to please yer, gen'l'men! (_A soft-hearted Bystander takes a shot at him, out of sheer compassion, and misses._) Try agen, Sir. I ain't 'ere to be _idle_!
_A Sharp Little Girl_ (_presiding over a sloping Chinese Billiard-board_). Now, my dears--(_To a group of boys, of about her own age_)--'ave what yer like. A penny a pull, and a prize every time! Wherever the marble rolls, you 'ave any one article on the board!
[Illustration: "Now then, play up, all o' yea--ar-har!"]
[_One of the boys pays a penny, and pulls a handle, propelling a marble, which, after striking a bell at the top of the slope, wobbles down into a compartment._
_The Boy_ (_indicating a gorgeous china ornament on the board_). I'll 'ave one o' them--to take 'ome to mother.
_The S.L.G._ (_with pitying superiority_). No, my boy, you can go to a shop and _buy_ one o' them for sixpence if you like--but 'ere you must 'ave what you _git_!