hout the country. While in the
extreme north it was warm and sunny, in the south snow fell. A violent
hailstorm swept Battersea from end to end; yet in Stornoway the day was
marked by a sky of cloudless blue. Once more the climate of these
islands showed itself to be a fickle and unstable thing.

[The above has been submitted to the Censor, who sees no reason why it
should be withheld from the public; and it may therefore be taken that
in the main it is moderately accurate.--ED.]

Lady A.'s dinner-party at the Ritz Hotel last evening was not a great
success. The decorations of pink carnations were but moderately admired
by her undistinguished guests. The Blue Petrogradese Orchestra played
without particular brilliance. Among those absent without reason
assigned were the Duke and Duchess of W., the Earl and Countess X., the
Bishop of Y., and Mr. Z., the unknown poet.

[The above has been submitted to the Censor, who possessed no official
knowledge of the facts, but considered that the report had an air of
sufficient probability.--ED.]

* * * * *

TO THE UNDYING HONOUR OF A SUPER-PATRIOT.

Commemorate, ye gods, the noble mind
Of Brown (A. J.), a youth of classic parts,
Whose soul was ever faultlessly inclined
To music, verse, and all the gracious arts;
At things of taste, in fact, Augustus John
Was always, and is yet, a perfect don.

But lately I have fathomed deeps unknown
Before in my incomparable friend;
No mere artistic trifler, he has shown
A patriot heart of high heroic trend,
And showered sacrifice with fearless hand
Upon the altar of his Motherland.

I haled him to a "music" hall to hear
The Great Recruiting Song, and watched him wince
And writhe throughout, as though his end were near;
But now I learn that, every evening since,
Brown has been there, in England's sacred cause,
To greet that patriot song with loud applause!

* * * * *

AUNT LOUISA'S SONG SCENA.

Just as adversity sometimes brings out men's strongest characteristics,
hitherto unsuspected, so can amateur theatricals lead to surprising
discoveries of humour and resource. Everyone must have noticed it.

No one had ever credited Aunt Louisa with any dramatic sense whatever.
She is so gentle and so placid. She was always something of a knitter,
and, like all essential knitters, given to sitting a little outside of
life; but si