r-bus, I saw the fairy queen!

Sitting there upon the rail and bobbing up and down,
The sun was shining on her wings and on her golden crown;
And looking at the shops she was, the pretty silks and lace--
She seemed to think that Oxford Street was quite a lovely place.

And once she turned and looked at me and waved her little hand,
But I could only glare and stare, oh, would she understand?
I simply couldn't speak at all, I simply couldn't stir,
And all the rest of Oxford Street was just a shining blur.

Then suddenly she shook her wings--a bird had fluttered by--
And down into the street she looked and up into the sky,
And perching on the railing on a tiny fairy toe
She flashed away so quickly that I hardly saw her go.

I never saw her any more, although I looked all day;
Perhaps she only came to peep and never meant to stay;
But oh, my dears, just think of it, just think what luck for me
That she should come to Oxford Street and I be there to see!

R. F.

* * * * *

LIGHT ON THE SITUATION.

"Dr. Michaelis is the trusted no-hold-out until their plans
of annexation have been carried out, and they always receive
a gracious telegram in reply. So he who cares to hear knows
what the hour is striking."--_Egyptian Mail_.

* * * * *

JOURNALISTIC HUMILITY.

"Two years ago The Daily Mail begged our sluggish authorities
to study the question of daylight air-raids as well as night
attacks. We pointed out their risk; we asked that the best
means of meeting them should be considered and the best method
of warning the public investigated. The result was that nothing
was done."--_Daily Mail_.

* * * * *

"Of old was it written that they who taketh up the sword shall
perish by the sword, and the written word remaineth."--_The
Daily Mirror_.

But it hath been a little damaged in the interval.

* * * * *

"It may be estimated the Germans opposing our troops represented
an average concentration of more than four men to every yard of
front."--_Liverpool Echo_.

Never could it have been done with four pre-war Germans!

* * * * *

"Up to July 26 1,559 lists had been issued officially of German
casualties. Each list contained 19,802 pages of three columns
p