e more
At nine.
A. M.
Meets eyes
Of them
Who rise
If no
Fog hide--
Then woe
Betide;
The day
That ought
To stay
So short
A space
Can't show
Its face
Below.
But when
It goes,
Why then
One knows
New Year
Will soon
Be here--
Then June,
So bright!
So sweet!
So light!
We'll greet
The day
That's long
With gay,
Glad song--

Excessively long-footed verse will undoubtedly characterise what
we say,
For LONGFELLOW'S longest lines skip along when we've long longed
for the Longest Day.

(_Signed_) TOUCHSTONE.

* * * * *

MILITARY MOTTO FOR THE NEW SOUTH LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL OPENED
LAST FRIDAY BY THE DUKE OF YORK.--"Eyes right!"

* * * * *

THE CHOICE OF BOOKS.

To various opinions the quidnuncs give voice,
But the best "choice of books" means--the books of your choice.

* * * * *

THE LAST WORD.

(_A Domestic Drama of the Day before Yesterday._)

SCENE.--_The Breakfast Room at Linoleum Lodge, the suburban residence
of_ SAMUEL STODGEFORD, Esq. Mr. _and_ Mrs. STODGEFORD, _their son_
PARMENAS, _and daughters_ POMPILIA _and_ PRISCILLA, _discovered at
breakfast._

_Mr. Stodgeford._ We shall probably get it by the second post, and
though the delay is--ah--to some extent, annoying, we must not allow
ourselves to be unduly impatient. Personally, I regard these--ah--weekly
competitions as chiefly valuable in providing an innocent form of
domestic recreation, and an interesting example of the--ah--value of
words.

_Parmenas S._ The value of _one_ word, I should say, Father. Last week,
as there were very few who guessed right, it amounted to a considerable
sum.

_Mr. S._ That is a stimulant to ingenuity, no doubt, with some minds,
but let us put that aside. We feel some natural curiosity to know
whether we have selected the missing adjective, and I see no reason
myself to doubt that our united efforts will this time be crowned with
success.

_Pompilia._ It is almost impossible that it won't be _one_ of the two
hundred and fifty we sent in.

_Parmenas._ I drew up a list of synonyms which, I flatter myself, was
practically exhaustive.

_Priscilla._ I dreamt I heard a voice saying quite clearly in my ear,
"Nonsensical! nonsensical!"--like that--