y affairs;
Shall tell them simply, "It is early May,
And here the daffodils are almost old;
About that sentry-group I cannot say----
In fact it leaves me cold."

But, strange, I do not think the enemy
In Spring-tide on the Chersonnese
Was any whit less vile or venomy
When all the heavens whispered Peace;
Though wild birds babbled in the cypress dim,
And through thick fern the drowsy lizards stole,
It never had the least effect on him--
He can't have had a soul.

* * * * *

"Mr. Lloyd George is taking over all the distilleries with
patent stills for munition work. Bonded whisky is sufficient for
two years' conviction."--_Times of Ceylon._

Provided that you take enough of it.

* * * * *

"It was a delight to hear the voices of the children ring through
the class-rooms in songs like 'Orpheus with his Lute' and 'Where
is Sylvia?'"--_Daily News._

We note an error in the latter title. It should, of course, have been,
"Has anybody here seen Sylvia?"

* * * * *

THE NEW DAMOCLES.

[Illustration: John Bull. "I WON'T HAVE THIS THING HANGING OVER MY HEAD
ANY LONGER. I'LL HAVE IT IN MY HAND."]

* * * * *

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

_Tuesday, May 2nd._--The House of Commons was unusually well attended
this afternoon. Members filled the benches and overflowed into the
galleries, and many Peers looked down upon the scene, among them Lord
GRENFELL, formerly Commander-in-Chief in Ireland, and Lord MACDONNELL,
once Under-Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant. All were curious to learn
what the PRIME MINISTER would have to say about the painful events of
the past week. Would he announce that the Government, conscious of
failure, had decided to resign _en bloc_? Or would it be merely pruned
and strengthened by the lopping of a few of the obviously weaker
branches?

Nothing of the sort. Mr. ASQUITH made the barest allusion to the
surrender of Kut--an incident which was "not one of serious military
significance." As for the insurrection in Dublin, there would be a
debate upon it as soon as the Government had completed its enquiries.
The main purpose of his speech was to announce that the Government had
decided to introduce a Bill for general compulsion, and to get rid of
the piece-meal treatment of recruiting to whic