se when she
takes her nap. And of course they _will_ shout about the house, and
then there'll be trouble.".

"And the children will be compared with other children who are much
better behaved."

"It's a queer thing, but the children don't seem to mind her."

"She bribes them with chocolates."

"Well, she won't do it any more, because there are no chocolates in
the world. Chocolates are a luxury."

"So's your aunt," said Francesca. "She's the biggest luxury I ever
heard of. She's rare--I might almost say unique. She's expensive, and
she can be done without. Obviously she's forbidden by the Defence of
the Realm Act. We shall be fined and imprisoned if we conceal her
here."

"Well, you'd better sit down and tell her so, and get it off your
chest."

"I suppose I must play the humbug."

"Yes, do. She'll see through you all right, though."

"Oh, I say," said Francesca, "there's a P.S. to her letter. She says
she's saved two pounds out of her sugar ration, and she's sending it
to us as a Christmas present. Isn't she an old topper?"

"Yes," I said, "I forgive her everything. Is two pounds a lot?"

"It's generally supposed to be just two pounds," said Francesca.

R.C.L.

* * * * *

THE VENGEANCE.

I never liked the man at Number Nine,
But now my breast is bursting with its wrongs,
For when we had a few old friends to dine
And crowned our feasting with some gentle songs,
Instead of simply drinking in the glamour,
The charm of it, he had the cheek to hammer
The party-wall with pokers and with tongs.

Ah, me! that Art should suffer such disdain!
But what can one expect in time of war?
Mayhap our minstre'sy had given pain
To some tired patriot in bed next-door--
Some weary soul that all day fashions fuses,
To whom his sleep is more than all the Muses--
And so, for England's sake we sang no more.

No longer now the hideous truth is hid:
_The man is nothing but a Pacifist_;
And, what is worse, he draws four hundred quid
For representing views which don't exist,
Although in Parliament, without his poker,
I'm glad to see they would not hear the croaker,
But when he talked they only howled and hissed.

And now all Hammersmith with zeal prepares
To make a night of it when next we sing;
We shall not waste our soft romantic airs,
But the glad street with warlike strains shall ring
Of blood and armaments an