DA.

"What are you doing, my pretty Maid?"
"I'm coming from voting, Sir," she said.
"May I question you, my pretty Maid?"
"Yes, if you please, kind Sir," she said.
"Who is your father, my pretty Maid?"
"JOHN BULL is my father, Sir," she said.
"And what is your fortune, my pretty Maid?"
"My race is my fortune, Sir," she said.
"Then I can't annex you, my pretty Maid!"
"Nobody axed you, Sir!" she said.

* * * * *

GIVING A LODGER NOTICE TO QUIT.--_Mr. Punch_, Perpetual Universal
Grand Past, Present, and Future Master, congratulates H.R.H., Grand
Master of English Freemasons, on his plucky and straightforward action
with regard to the G.M. of Otago and Southland, New Zealand, who,
having contravened the resolution of Grand Lodge, March 6, 1878,
may now exclaim, in bitterness of spirit, "O for a Lodge in some
great Wilderness!" "for," says in effect, H.R.H., G.M., as the once
frequently quoted Somebody observed to a person whose name was _not_
Dr. FERGUSON, "you don't lodge here!"

* * * * *

RECIPROCITY.--"MACE," in _The Illustrated London News_, says,
sweepingly:--"No Under-Secretary ever has any opinion of his
own." Perhaps that is why the Public seldom has any opinion of an
Under-Secretary!

[Illustration: AMERICAN "COPYRIGHT BILL" IN A NEW PART.

"DIE, VILLAIN!"

"The extinction of literary piracy in America has been
decreed."--_Times Leader, March 5._]

* * * * *

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P.

_House of Commons, Monday, March 2._--Navy Estimates on to-night.
Millions of money to be voted, and only fourteen Members present. One,
it is true, is HARCOURT; so perhaps the most accurate enumeration of
the aggregate would be fifteen.

"_Que diable allait-il faire dans ce_ jolly-boat?" GEORGE HAMILTON
asks, pausing for a moment in his incessant occupation of tearing up
strips of paper to glance across table at portly figure reclining on
Front Opposition Bench. Several Admirals and Captains have spoken.
Members generally have fled the burning deck. Even OLD MORALITY's
sense of duty to his Queen and Country cannot restrain his flight;
but CASABIANCA HARCOURT still remains. A little provoking for the
Old Salts descanting on Naval affairs to observe smile of pitying
toleration with which he listens. Doesn't _say_ they're all wrong, but
smiles it. Even the voice o