escaped from custody.

***

The man who was last week charged at a London police court with posing
as a Government official has been put back for the state of his mind
to be inquired into.

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Scandalised Voice from Gallery_. "'ERE, _WOT_'S THE
PAPER CONTROLLER DOIN'?"]

* * * * *

"The late Mr. Merryweather, who was in his 78th year,
was responsible for great developments in fire-lighting
appliances."--_Scotsman_.

A good scheme--light it first and fight it afterwards.

* * * * *

"Supposing a wolf were to attack you and your family, what
would you do?--Mr. Hedderwick.

"I would point out that season tickets are issued by
railway companies only as an act of grace.--Sir William
Forbes."--_The Star_.

Our contemporary heads this "Words Winged To-day."

* * * * *

From "A Word to the Churches," by Miss MARIE CORELLI:--

"'A word' of solemn warning was uttered by the Angel of
the Seven Spirits to the Church in Sardis....

"And this 'word' was fulfilled to the letter, for, as Herodotus
tells us, 'Sardis was taken and utterly sacked.'"--_Daily
Graphic_.

We fancy the passage must occur in Book X., in which we also find
the famous account of the capture of Timbuctoo by the Roman Emperor
Montezuma in the fourth Punic War--or was it the fifth Crusade?

* * * * *

TO THE GERMAN PEOPLE.

Each to his taste: if you prefer
The KAISER'S whip across your flanks;
If you enjoy the bloody spur
That rips your cannon-fodder's ranks;
If to his boots you still adhere,
Kissing 'em as you've always kissed 'em,
Why, who are we to interfere
With your internal Teuton system?

If from your bonds you know quite well
You might, this moment, find release,
Changing, at will, your present hell
For Liberty's heaven of lasting peace;
If yet, for habit's sake, you choose
This reign of steel, this rule of terror,
It's not for us to push our views
And point you out your silly error.

Herein I speak as I am taught--
That your affairs are yours alone,
Though, for myself, I should have thought
They had a bearing on my own;
Have I no right to interpose,
Urging on you a free autonomy,
Just as your U-boats shove their nose