Adjutant. Then you
can rank beneath him, and he can look after you and the two half
battalions you each of you are supposed to command. You may still call
yourselves Majors--not that I call you so myself. I mean off parade."

But the Majors did not seem to see it, so they sent in _their_ papers
too.

Then the General from the War Office called up the Company Officers.

"Gentlemen," said he, "we shall continue the snubbing, of which you
have had so much experience. You will do all sorts of new work, and
go to all sorts of fresh expense in the near future. Not that it will
increase your dignity--not a bit of it. However, you may still call
yourselves Captains and Lieutenants--not that I call you so myself. I
mean off parade."

But the Company Officers did not seem to see it, so they sent in their
papers and marched away. Then the General from the War Office called
up the rest of the Regiment.

"Now, Non-commissioned Officers and Men," said he, "you have no one to
command you, and no one to pay for your marches out, prizes, and
the rest of it. But don't let that bother you. You may still call
yourselves Soldiers--not that I call you so myself. I mean off
parade."

But the remainder of the Regiment did not seem to see it, so they sent
in _their_ resignations, and vanished.

Then the Officer from the War Office rode towards Pall Mall.

"It won't interfere with me much," said he, "and give the Department
less to do. And I can still call myself General--though I scarcely
deserve the title, either on or off parade!"

* * * * *

HOW IT STRIKES "THE CONTEMPORARY."

["Why should not women take the B.A. degree?... Unfortunately the
older Universities have resented every attempt at breaking down their
cherished exclusiveness."--_From an Article in "The Contemporary
Review" for March._]

Despotic Dons' dominion
Still subjugates us all,
They scoff at our opinion,
Our purposes miscall;
Will no deliverer appear,
And is it vainly, as we fear,
We hold our meetings every year
Within St. James's Hall?

Our wrongs, if brought to knowledge,
Would surely move your hearts,
Degreeless from her College
The Wrangler-ess departs;
And shall not too the maids, who can
Give all the usages of [Greek: an],
As well as any living man
Be Bachelors of Arts?

Persuasive or abusive
We fail our point to gain,
Disgracefully exclusive
These ancient