e would lose it if he were called up. The
Tribunal expressed its sympathy with Mrs. Strunski, and stated that
the War, important as it might be, could not be allowed to mar the
future of such an able youth. Total exemption.

_"The Purrsweet Record," August 21st._

At the Purrsweet Tribunal, Messrs. Prongingham and Co., proprietors
of the popular multiple grocery establishments, applied for exemption
for their local branch manager, William Dudd (28, B 1). The chairman
of the Tribunal, Sir George Prongingham, stated that he had had some
doubts as to whether his position as president of Prongingham's, Ltd.,
did not require him to leave the disposition of this case to his
colleagues. They had persuaded him to a contrary view, and certainly
his patriotism could not be questioned. His son Reginald had been
serving gallantly in the Army Pay Department since the outbreak of
war, and he himself had been consulted by the Government on several
occasions. In deciding the case of the applicant, William Dudd, he
felt no bias of any kind, and the Tribunal's decision to grant total
exemption was made wholly out of regard to the young man's prospects,
and not in the interest of Prongingham's, Ltd. (Cheers.) ALGOL.

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Farmer._ "YOU'LL NOT BE FEELING GIDDY, SURR?"

_R.F.C. Officer (on leave)_. "NOT TILL WE REACH TEN THOUSAND FEET."]

* * * * *

THE CONVERT.

There were three of us--a soldier, a _flaneur_ and myself, who am
neither but would like to be either. We were talking about the strange
appearance--a phenomenon of the day--of French wine in German bottles,
and this led to the re-expression of my life-long surprise that
bottles should exist in such numbers as they do--bottles everywhere,
all over the world, with wine and beer in them, and no one under any
obligation to save and return them.

"Well," said the soldier (who may or may not have known that I was one
of those writing fellows), "that has never struck me as odd. Of course
there are lots of bottles. Bottles are necessary. But what beats me is
the number of books. New books and old books, books in shops and books
on stalls, and books in houses; and on top of all that--libraries.
That's rum, if you like. I most cordially hope," he added, "that there
are more bottles than books in the world."

"I don't care how many there are of either," said the _flaneur_; "but
I know this--anot