grief the death of Lieutenant ALEC LEITH
JOHNSTON, who was killed in action on April 22nd during the fight in
which the gallant Shropshires recaptured a trench on the
Ypres-Langemarck Road. Early in the War Mr. JOHNSTON joined the Artists'
Corps and saw service at the Front. Later he received a commission in
the K.S.L.I., and a few months ago was in the list of wounded. He has
for a long time been associated with _Punch_, and during the War has
contributed many articles under the titles "At the Back of the Front"
and "At the Front." His loss will be very keenly felt.

* * * * *

WANTED--A ST. PATRICK.

[Illustration: _St. Augustine Birrell._ "I'M AFRAID I'M NOT SO SMART AS
MY BROTHER-SAINT AT DEALING WITH THIS KIND OF THING. I'M APT TO TAKE
REPTILES TOO LIGHTLY."]

* * * * *

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

_Tuesday, April 25th._--The Government, which has sometimes been accused
of not having sufficient confidence in the House of Commons, has made
ample amends. Information about the Army, too grave to be imparted to
the people who provide the men and the means for maintaining it, is to
be freely given to four or five hundred Members of Parliament (not to
mention a similar number of Peers).

The PRIME MINISTER opened the Secret Session in one of his briefest
speeches. "Mr. Speaker," he said, "I beg, Sir, to call your attention to
the fact that strangers are present." The historic form of this
advertisement, "I spy strangers;" is briefer still, but inadmissible in
these ticklish times. One does not want to see, in the enemy Press,
"British Prime Minister confesses to spying."

Then the Press Gallery was cleared, and the Great Inquest of the Nation
became a Vehmgericht. The wretched scribe who should attempt to peer
behind the veil that shrouds its proceedings has been warned in advance
of the unnamed pains and penalties that await him if he should venture
to describe or even "refer to" the proceedings of the Secret Session. I
am unable to say, therefore, whether it is true that the occupants of
the Treasury Bench forthwith donned helmets and gas-masks to protect
themselves from the fiery darts and mephitic vapours launched at them
from above and below the Gangway.

On these picturesque details the official report, compiled by Mr.
SPEAKER, who is understood to have seized the opportunity offered by his
recent stay at Bath to learn Pitman's shorthand, is unfor