om Our Own Correspondent).

War vessels were distributed to the troops to-day in the Piazza
Pledisato."

_Standard of Buenos Aires._

Much better to have stuck to the first idea and given them medals.

* * * * *

The Oxford Ducks.

"Going up a good water they rowed a minute at 32, but otherwise
were only waddling."--_Yorkshire Evening Post._

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Recruiting Sergeant._ "NOW, I CAN TELL CHARACTER WHEN I
SEE IT, SO MARK MY WORDS. IF YOU JOIN NOW YOU'LL BE A SWANKIN' GENERAL
IN FIVE YEARS."]

* * * * *

POPULAR MISCONCEPTIONS.

["Lord Northcliffe rarely sees and never reads a letter, being
mainly nowadays engaged in golf and travel."--_Daily Mail._]

Nothing is more curious in the journalistic world than the widespread
illusion which prevails as to the nature of Mr. Larvin's editorial
activities. The common view is that he writes nineteen columns in every
issue of the _Sunday Swerver_, besides contributing a leading article,
seven leaderettes, three reviews and a "special" political manifesto to
each number of the _Pale Mail Gazette._ As a matter of fact nothing
could be wider of the mark. Mr. Larvin for many years has taken a
detached and dispassionate view of politics, devoting the greater part
of his time to collecting Egyptian papyri, and playing squash racquets,
at which he is remarkably proficient. Although he occasionally inspires
a paragraph in one or other of the papers mentioned, he hardly ever
comes to either office, and is not even known by sight to the office
boys.

Another instance of the wide discrepancy between fact and popular belief
is furnished by the case of Mr. Murbidge, the manager of Garrod's
Stores. Mr. Murbidge is commonly supposed to be an omniscient and
ubiquitous administrator, who holds all the strings of Garrod's in his
hands, and to whom all questions are referred for immediate decision. No
one is more amused at this extraordinary hallucination than Mr. Murbidge
himself. Nowadays he is almost entirely occupied in tarpon fishing,
running a plovers' egg farm on Romney Marsh, and playing the pianola.

Sir James Lignum's appearances at Queen's Hall have led to a host of
misconceptions as to his real interests and accomplishments. It is true
that he wields the _baton_ on those occasions, but he never sees the
orchestra at any other