I,
On a Thibetan precipice
(It _was_ Thibet, I think),
A place of snow and black abyss;
We lay on rock--mid wind and sky--
Above a beetling brink.

For lo, along the ridge there fed
The sheep that ne'er a shepherd know
Save the shrill wind of morn,
Five "_Oves Ammon_" of the snow;
I saw the big ram lift his head,
Twin-mooned in mighty horn.

Broadside he turned, a mountain-god
In sweep of coronal sublime,
And the fierce whisper broke--
The Khan of Khot's, he hissed, "_Tak time_!"
And handed me my spinning-rod;
And as he did I woke!

* * * * *

One thing at least is clear, and that's
My empty wall is yet to fill;
Though oft with even's shade
I see that great head from the hill,
Unstable as the Cheshire cat's,
Look down therefrom and fade.

* * * * *

Two quotations from _The Publisher's Circular_:--

"Mr. Robert Bowes (who by the way is in his sixty-seventh
year)...."

"Mr. Robert Bowes is in his seventy-ninth year.... But then he
is much younger than many older men."

So are all of us. Mr. BOWES'S distinction is in being twelve years
younger than himself.

* * * * *

ALL'S WELL THAT BEGINS WELL.

[Illustration: The Mayoress kicks off for Squasham United.

Miss Dotty Devereux for the stage.

A Famous Scandinavian Poet for the Authors.

Her Ladyship for the Village.

Little Rosie for the Ramblers.

A Borough Councillor for the "Old Boys."]

* * * * *

THE LESSON.

I was showing Celia a few fancy strokes on the billiard table. The other
members of the house-party were in the library, learning their parts for
some approaching theatricals--that is to say, they were sitting round
the fire and saying to each other, "This _is_ a rotten play." We had
been offered the position of auditors to several of the company, but we
were going to see _Parsifal_ on the next day, and I was afraid that the
constant excitement would be bad for Celia.

"Why don't you ask me to play with you?" she asked. "You never teach mo
anything."

"There's ingratitude. Why, I gave you your first lesson at golf only
last Thursday."

"So you did. I know golf. Now show me billiards."

I looked at my watch.

"We've only twenty minutes. I'll play you thirty up."

"Right-o... What do you