world has gone off its axis,
It's nothing but Life and Soul.
To-day, like the books of the Sibyl,
Is waningly dearer still,
As the sunset echoes wibble
From a cloud-clean saffron hill.

Calm is the solemn surface
Of waters that woo the skies,
And tenderly calm is her face
Who gazes with larger eyes
At the deepening purple above her,
While over her, small and white,
There leans, like a courtly lover,
The sweetness of all the night.

All day in the sun we boated,
How can I tell how far?
For years in the sun we floated,
For ages that yellow star
Behind the poplar has trembled,
And down to the wine-dark deep,
While softer day dissembled
The Midsummer call to sleep.

And it's oh, for the neck of the camel,
The ostrich, snake, giraffe,
What though to-morrow I _am_ ill,
To-night I am fain to quaff.

* * * * *

NOT QUITE ON THE SQUARE.--The Story of the Round Table.

* * * * *

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P.

_House of Lords, Monday Night, July 25._--Peers received important
accession of strength to-night. Gentleman long known in Commons as "Old
Mother HUBBARD" been translated, and will henceforward be known to
history as Lord ADDINGTON. His early impression was that he should have
been CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER. Admiration for DIZZY, and respect for
STAFFORD NORTHCOTE; but always thought they were out of place at the
Treasury whilst he sat below the Gangway, fain to be content with
criticising their schemes. Markiss didn't really know what to do with
him. Couldn't appoint him CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER in succession to
GRANDOLPH. Yet HUBBARD felt he must have something. Markiss, thinking it
over one day, recalled the fact that HUBBARD had absolutely safe seat in
City.

"Good," he said. "Let's make him a Peer."

So here he is to-night, swaggering up floor of House of Lords, with
little ambulatory swing of coat-tails, familiar for generations in House
of Commons. Markiss looks on, pleased with fulfilment of his happy
thought.

"Nice old gentleman," he remarked, _sotto voce_. "Prosy when he starts,
and always something of a bore. But he'll do for the House of Lords.
Moreover, have now finally shut him up. Figures are his forte, Finance
his foible. Finance is the only subject that may not be discussed in
House of Lords. So, w