Much as I have enjoyed some previous work by Baroness I am unable to hold out much prospect that you will find VON HUTTEN I am glad to say that I consider Magpie Frailty (CASSELL) a specially enlivening book. The scope (HUTCHINSON) her best yet. It is indeed a long time since of Miss OLIVE WADSLEY'S story, sufficiently indicated by I read a happier or more holding story. The title is a its title, does not admit of humorous relief. But it is punning one, as the heroine's name is really Margaret Pye, both vigorous and vital. Certainly it seemed hard luck on but I am more than willing to overlook this for the sake of Charles Ley that, after heroically curing himself of the the pleasantly-drawn young woman to whom it refers and drug habit, he should marry the girl of his choice only to the general interest of the tale. Briefly, this has two move- find her a victim to strong drink. But of course, had ments, one forward, which deals with the evolution of Mag this not happened, the "punch" of Miss WADSLEY'S tale from a fat, rather down-at-heel little carrier of washing would have been weakened by half. Do not, however, be into the charming young lady of the cover; the other alarmed; the author knows when to stop, and confines her retrospective, and concerned with the mystery of a wonder- awful examples to these two, thereby avoiding the error of ful artist who has disappeared before the story opens. I Mrs. HENRY WOOD, who (you may recall) plunged the entire have no idea of clearing up, or even further indicating, this cast of Danesbury House into a flood of alcohol. Not that problem to you. But I will say that the secret is so Miss WADSLEY herself lacks for courage; she can rise adroitly kept that the perfect orgy of elucidation in the final chapter left me a little breathless. Of course the whole thing is a fairy tale, with a baker's dozen of glaring improbabilities; but I am much mistaken if you will enjoy it the less for that. quaint personal touch, which (to anyone who does not recall the cast of Pinkie and the Fairies on its revival) might well seem an impertinence, produced in me the comfortable glow of superiority that rewards the well-informed. But I can assure Baroness VON HUTTEN that she is all wrong about the acting of that particular part. A A CASE FOR RATIONING. "YOUR LITTLE DOG DOESN'T SEEM TO MIND THE WEATHER. I SUPPOSE HIS COAT KEEPS HIM WARM." "I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT ALTOGETHER. You SEE, HE HAS RUM-AND-MILK WITH HIS CUTLET EVERY MORNING BEFORE HE GOES OUT." unusually to the demands of a situation, and I have seldom read chapters more moving of their kind than those that depict the gradual conquest of Charles by the cocaine fiend, and his subsequent struggle back to freedom. Here the "strong" writing seemed to me both natural and in place; ever so much more convincing therefore than when employed upon the love scenes. I have my doubts whether, even in this. age of what I might call the trampling suitor, anyone was ever quite so heavy-booted over the affair as was Charles when he carried off his chosen mate from a small-and-early in Grosvenor Square. Fortunately the other parts of the story are less melodramatic, and make it emphatically a book not to be missed. from all the As it is not Mr. Punch's habit to admit review periodical publications, I oug to say that the case of The New Europe (CONSTABLE), whose first comHappy is the reviewer with a pleted volume lies before me, is book which gives him so much exceptional. In thirty years' exdelightful information that he perience of journalism I never tries to ration himself to so many remember a paper containing so pages per day. This is what I remuch "meat"—some of it pretty ROW solved to do with In the Northern strong meat, too-in proportion Mists (HODDER AND STOUGHTON); to its size. In hardly a single but I could not keep to my reweek since its first issue in Octosolution, so attractive was the ber last have I failed to find fare. These sketches are the between its tangerine coloured work of a Grand Fleet Chaplain, covers some article giving me and are packed with wisdom information that I did not know ages. If you haven't before, or furnishing a fresh view of something with which I the luck to be a sailor you will learn a lot from this thought myself familiar. And I take it there are many other admirable theologian about the men and methods and writers and even, perhaps, some statesmen-who have the spirit of the Grand Fleet. His book fills me with enjoyed the same experience. Dr. SETON-WATSON and the pride; yet I dare not express it for fear of offending the accomplished collaborators who march under his orange notorious modesty of the senior service. So shy indeed oriflamme may not always convince us (I am not sure, for is our Fleet of praise that I feel my apologies are due to example, that Austria est delenda may prove the only or the their Chaplain for my perfectly honest commendation of best prescription for bringing freedom to the Jugo-Slavs of his book. But he seems human enough to pardon the South-Eastern Europe), but they always furnish the reader more venial sins. with the facts enabling him to test their conclusions; and that in these times is a great merit. My own feeling is that if they had begun their concerted labours a few years earlier the War might never have happened; or at least we should have gone into it with a much more accurate notion of the real aims of the Central Powers, and a much better chance of quickly defeating them. The tragedies of Serbia and Roumania would almost certainly have been averted. barely three months old, who subscribed the whole of his life's "Peterborough's youngest investor was Herbert Trollope Gill, savings. He arrived at the bank with his mother, and there was poured out before the astonished gaze of the officials four hundred threepenny pieces."-Weekly Dispatch. We congratulate HERBERT on his patriotism and regret that it should have compelled him to go into liquidation. An historical film, called "The Discovery of Germany," is being exhibited widely through the Fatherland under the auspices of the Government. A further discovery of Germany that she has been fatally misled by her rulers-has not at present received the approval of the Imperial House. ** The German Army authorities have issued an urgent warning to the public not to discuss military matters. Their own communiqués are to be taken as a model of the right kind of reticence. ** An American film syndicate have overcome their difficulty in finding a man to take the place of CHARLIE CHAPLIN. They have decided to do without. ** * In Vienna, so as not to infuriate the indigent poor, tables are stood, have expressed their willingness | apprehension is being felt lest the prac- Lively satisfaction is being expressed among members of the younger set at the appointment of Mr. ALFRED BIGLAND, M.P., as Controller of Soap. They are now discussing a resolution calling for the abolition of nurse-maids, who are notorious for using soap to excess. ** ** Difficulty having been found in replacing firemen called up for military service, the Hendon Council, it is rumoured, are requesting the residents not to have any conflagrations for the present at least. ** * A Bill has been introduced into the Mr. JOHN INNS, of Stevenage, has House of Lords with the object of just purchased the whole parish of admitting women to practise as solici- Caldecote, Herts; but the report that tors. The raising of the statutory fee he had to do this in order to obtain a for a consultation to 6s. 8d. is also pound of sugar proves incorrect. under consideration. ** At Old Street Police Court a man NOTICE. In order to meet the national need for economy in the consumption of paper, the Proprietors of Punch are compelled to reduce the number of its pages, but propose that the amount of matter published in Punch shall by condensation and compression be maintained and even, it is hoped, increased. It is further necessary that means should be taken to restrict the circulation of Punch, and on The Proprietors believe that the public will prefer and after March 14th its price will be Sixpence. an increase of price to a reduction of matter. Readers are urged to place an order with their In consequence of the increase in the price of no longer placed near the window of charged with bigamy pleaded that when A lady correspondent of The Daily Telegraph suggests that tradesmen should economise paper by ceasing to send out a separate expression of thanks with every receipted bill. A further economy is suggested by a hardened creditor, who advocates the abolition of the absurd custom of sending out a quarterly statement of "account rendered." A museum is to be established at Stuttgart "to interest the masses of the people in overseas Germans and their conditions of life." Several Beer bottles are now said to be worth Foreign Governments, it is under- more than the beer they contain, and APOLOGY OF A WARRIOR Lucasta, don't be cruel If my bewildered lyre Seems reft of sacred fire. For if you know what France is The troubadours of story Knew no such woes as we, Whose hopes of martial glory Are built on F.A.T.* With songs and swords and horses They learned their careless rôle, With gay anticipations They feasted ere a fight, Wear out the chilly night. Permits a lyric mood Ice-cold from some O.P., Aurora's heraldry, That spark she fails to waken With which of yore I glowed, Which interests me most- Or marmalade and toast. *Field Artillery Training. A ROMANCE OF RATIONS. "Not like to like, but like in difference." "The Princess." "So marriage is the only thing?" I asked; but I was already conquered. She assented with a regal air. As I went away I saw a new and strange beauty in the problem of Food Shortage. MORE OR LESS. THE fleet of Dutch merchantmen which has been sunk by a waiting submarine sailed, it now appears, under a German guarantee of "relative security" and the incident has been I HAVE always misjudged Victorine -I admit it now with shame. While other girls have become engaged-and disengaged quite soon after-she has SONGS OF FOOD PRODUCTION. received in Holland with a widespread remained unattached and solitary. As I watched the disappointed suitors turn sadly away I put it down to pride and self sufficiency, but I was wrong. I see now that she always had the situation well in hand. IV. THE FARMER'S BOY (NEW STYLE). THE Hun was set on making us fret For lack of food to eat, When up there ran a City man In gaiters trim and neat As for Algernon, he is the sort of man who writes sonnets to lilies and butter-"Oh, just tell me if a farm there be flies and the rosy-fingered dawn-this Where I can get employ, And be a farmer's boy, And be a farmer's boy. last from hearsay as he really knows To plough and sow for PROTH-ER-O, nothing about it. He is prematurely bald and suffers from the grossest form of astigmatism, and I thought that no woman would ever love him. I never dreamt that Victorine had even noticed he was there. One day I heard that they were engaged. It was too hard for me to understand. On the third morning I went to see her. "Victorine," I said, "you have never loved before?" Never," she assented softly. "Now, this man you have chosenyou do not care overmuch for lilies and butterflies and rosy-fingered dawns?" "Not overmuch," she admitted sadly. "Then what is it brings you together? What strange link of the spirit has been forged between you? To speak quite plainly, what do you see in him?" "Yesterday we lunched together, and two days before that he got here in time for breakfast." "And the engagement still holds?" I am no optimist. Before that we dined. Yes, I do not exaggerate. It was my suggestion. One sees so much unhappiness now-adays, and I wished to be quite sure we were suited to one another." "And you are convinced of the sincerity of the attachment?" 66 Why, I feel for him as Mother does for the knife-and-boot boy, and Uncle Stephen for the charlady. We cannot be separated. It would be monstrous." I ceased to be articulate. Victorine suddenly became radiant. 'In khaki dight my juniors fight I wish that I could too; But since the land's in need of hands labour well ་ I'm aware it's not pure joyTo plough and sow for PROTH-ER-O And be a farmer's boy, And be a farmer's boy." The farmer quoth, "I be mortal loth, So if you've got grit and be middlin' fit You shall be a farmer's boy." Of townsfolk game and gay! And you City men put by the pen And hear me what I say:Get straight enrolled with a farmer bold, And the Hun you'll straight annoy, If you plough and sow for PROTH-ER-O And be a farmer's boy, And be a farmer's boy. that the last substitute' sent him for one of 'A Liverpool master carter told the Tribunal his men backed a horse down a tip and landed him in an expense of £50." "We must always be together-at Yorkshire Evening Post. any rate for the duration of the War, Many men have lost more by backing you see. I eat under my meat and he a horse on a tip. In flour and sugar-oh, how far below his ration. Apart we are "THINGS YOU HAVE Gor To Do WITHOUT. failures; together we are perfect. We both saw it at once." CLOTHES AND FOOD." Daily Sketch. I realised suddenly the inevitability This seems to bring the War even of this mutual bond. closer than the PREMIER intended. outburst of relative acquiescence. Germany, in the little ingenious arrangements that she is so fond of making for the safety and comfort of her neighbours, is so often misunderstood. It should be obvious by this time that her attitude to International Law has always been one of approximate reverence. The shells with which she bombarded Rheims Cathedral were contingent shells, and the Lusitania was sunk by a relative torpedo. Neutrals all over the world who are smarting just now under a fresh manifestation of Germany's respective goodwill should try to realise before they take any action what is the precise situation of our chief enemy. He has (relatively) won the War; he has (virtually) broken the resistance of the Allies; he has (conditionally) ample supplies for his people; in particular, he is (morally) rich in potatoes. His finances at first sight appear to be pretty heavily involved, but that will soon be adjusted by (hypothetical) indemnities; he has enormous (propor tional) reserves of men; he has (theoreti cally) blockaded Great Britain, and his final victory is (controvertibly) at hand. But his most impressive argument, which cannot fail to come home to hesitating Neutrals, is to be found in his latest exhibition of offensive power, namely, in his (putative) advance upon the Ancre. Realism. From a cinema announcement:"The management regret that The Lost Bridegroom' missed the boat on Sunday." Guernsey Evening Express. A Family Affair. From an account of a "gift sale":"Alderman - advised the Committee to sell the donkey in the evening, when there would be a lot present."-Provincial Paper. "THE FREEDOM OF THE SEA." HOLLAND. "YOU'VE TAKEN A GREAT LIBERTY WITH ME." GERMANY. "OF COURSE I HAVE. I'M THE APOSTLE OF LIBERTY." THE SOLACE. everyone worth knowing, but projected himself into their careers with so much Mr. William Wood, grocer, of Acton, sympathy and keenness. The first is was very tired. And no wonder, for to the then Prime Minister:-not only had he lost his two assistants, To the Right Hon. H. H. ASQUITH, M.P. both having been called up, but the girls who had taken their places were MY DEAR ASQUITH,-This is only a frivolous and slow. Moreover his errand line to remind you that you lunch with boy had that day given notice. And, me at the Primrose Club on Monday furthermore, the submarine campaign at one o'clock. I have asked two or was making it every day more difficult three friends to meet you, all good to keep up the stock, and the rise in fellows. With regard to that matter prices meant anything but the com- on which you were asking my advice, I mensurate increase of profit of which think that the wisest course at present he was accused by indignant customers. Mr. Wood, therefore, was not sorry when, the shutters up, he could retire to his sitting-room upstairs and rest. His one hobby being reading, and his favourite form of literature being Lives and Letters, he had normally no difficulty in dismissing the shop from his mind. He would open the latest memoir from the library and lose himself in whatever society it reconstructed, political for choice. But to-night the solace could not so easily be found. For one thing, he had no new books; for another, the cares of business were too recent and too real. He sank into his armchair, covered his eyes with his hand, and pondered. Then suddenly he had an idea. If there were no letters of the Great to read, he would himself write to the Great and thus escape grocerdom and worry. If he were not a person of importance, he would at least pretend to be, and thus be comforted. Seating himself at the table and taking up his pen, he composed with infinite care the following chapter from a biography of himself: The year 1916 was a comparatively uneventful one in the life of our hero. The principal events were the marriage of his youngest daughter with the son of the Bishop of Brighton and the rebuilding of The Towers after the fire. Perhaps the most important of his new friends were the Archbishop of CANTERBURY and Sir HEDWORTH MEUX, but unfortunately Sir HEDWORTH has not kept any of the letters. Nor is there much correspondence; but a few letters may be printed here, all testifying to the multifarious interests of this remarkable man, who not only knew THE THEATRE OF WAR. fellow with perfect manners. Nothing but the necessity of my presence at the feast of Hymen could deprive me of the pleasure of seeing your country The town is dull without you. place. Do not stay away too long, I I am, dear ROSEBERY, beg. Yours most affectionately, To Mr. RUDYARD KIPLING. MY DEAR KIPLING,-Just a line to. say how much I admire your poem in this morning's Times. You have never voiced the feeling of the moment with more force or keener insight. But you will, I am sure, pardon me when I say that in the fiftyeighth stanza there is a regrettable flaw, which could however quickly be put right. To me, that fine appeal to Monaco to give up its neutrality is impaired by the use of the word cope," which I have always understood should be avoided by good writers. "Deal" has the same meaning and is a truer word. You will, I am sure, agree with me in this criticism when you have leisure to think it over. Believe me, my dear KIPLING, Yours sincerely, WILLIAM WOOD. To His Grace the Archbishop of CANTERBURY. MY DEAR ARCHBISHOP,That was a very delightful dinner you gave me last night, and I was glad to have the opportunity of meeting Lord MORLEY and discussing with him the of MARLBOROUGH. While is (to use the phrase, now a little stale, | character which I invented for you) to wait and not agreeing with everything that see. Let me say that I thought your Lord MORLEY said, I am bound to speech at the Guildhall a fine effort. admit that his views impressed me. Kindly remember me to the wife and Some day soon you must bring her Miss ELIZABETH, and believe me, Ladyship down to The Towers for a dine and sleep. Yours sincerely, WILLIAM WOOD. P.S.-I wish you would call me William. I always think of you as Herbert. To the Earl of ROSEBERY. I am, my dear Archbishop, Yours cordially, WILLIAM WOOD. To Lord NORTHCLIFFE. MY DEAR ALFRED,-You cannot, I MY DEAR ROSEBERY,-It is a great am sure, do better than continue in grief to me to have to decline your the course you have chosen. What kind invite to Dalmeny, but there is England needs is a vigilant observer an obstacle I cannot overcome. My from without; and who, as I have so youngest daughter is to be married often told you, is better fitted for such next week to the son of the Bishop a part than you? You have all the of Brighton, a most well-bred young qualities-high mobility, the courage |