e occasion by a neat little
speech expressing goodwill to Ireland, and, much to his surprise,
found himself in collision with the SPEAKER, who observed that this
was not the time for First Reading speeches.

It was rather hard on Lord PEEL, as the grandson of the great Sir
ROBERT, to have to sponsor the Dyestuffs Bill. He frankly described it
as "a disagreeable pill." Lord EMMOTT and other Peers showed a strong
disinclination to take their medicine, but Lord MOULTON said that the
chemists--naturally enough--were all in favour of it, and persuaded
the House to swallow the bolus.

In the course of an eleventh-hour effort to destroy the Agriculture
Bill Lord LINCOLNSHIRE described the PRIME MINISTER'S Christmas motto
as _Tax Vobiscum_; and the success of his jape served as a partial
solace for the defeat of his motion.

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Old Sea-dog (to nervous passenger)._ "ROLL? SHE _CAN_
ROLL! D'YE SEE THEM MARKS ON THE WALL? THAT'S OUR FEET."]

* * * * *

A WARNING FROM THE SKY.

[The latest form of mascot is a trinket-model of the sign of
the zodiac under which one was born.]

'Twas Caution bade me: "Think a while;
Calm thought may prove your saviour;
You've only seen her gala style
And very best behaviour;
What though her form's divinely planned
And rightly you adore it,
Her character's an unknown land,
You'd better first explore it."

But such exploring baffled me--
She had, to my vexation,
No younger brother I could fee
For stable information--
Until at last I noted (worn
Mid baubles weird and various)
A mascot which announced her born
Beneath the sign Aquarius.

An ancient tome declared how this
Implied that, though a beauty,
The girl was careless, slack, remiss
And negligent of duty;
I stilled in time my cardiac stir
And ceased my adoration,
Thanking my lucky stars and her
Explicit constellation.

* * * * *

AT THE PLAY.

"PETER PAN."

_Peter Pan_, the play, must by now have long overtaken the age of
_Peter Pan_, the boy; but, like him, it never grows any older. The
cast may change, but that seems to make hardly any difference. The new
_Peter_ (Miss EDNA BEST) is as good as any of them. Graceful of shape
and lithe of limb, he is still essentially a boy, the realised figure
of BARRIE'S fancy; a little