"From the inspired mystic to the man of practical analytic mind, the transition was instantaneous..." Astro, the Seer of Secrets, and his lovely assistant, Valeska, sound more like a magic act than a private detection team. Astro, in fact, hides his powers of observation and reasoning beneath a turban and a cape, pretending to read palms and consult crystals while in fact keenly observing details that most people-police included-miss. Valeska, his beautiful blond protege, assists Astro with his investigations, all the while honing her own skills. Called upon by believers and skeptics both, they adeptly recover what is missing-a rare Shakespeare folio, a missing husband, a kidnapped child-while also solving actual murders. But it is their burgeoning romance, and their mutual zeal to work pro bono where matters of the heart are at stake, that set this crime-solving duo apart.

This amusing collection of forty-three illustrated poems is subtitled "A Manual of Manners for Impolite Infants Depicting the Characteristics of Many Naughty and Thoughtless Children With Instructive Illustrations." It is the perfect companion to Goops and How to Be Them, also by Gelett Burgess.

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

"The Goops they lick their fingers / And the Goops they lick their knives / They spill their broth on the tablecloth -- / Oh, they lead disgusting lives!" Reminiscent of the gross-out humor of Raold Dahl and Babbette Cole, this book on manners was an instant hit when it was first published a century ago and will still appeal to -today's sophisticated readers.

Gelett Burgess (1866 - 1951) was born in Boston and lived in Berkeley, California, New York City and Paris.