I don't quite
understand."

"It's a birthday present for you," said Windsor sweetly.

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Humorous Artist._ "I'VE BROUGHT YOU AN ORIGINAL FUNNY
JOKE THIS TIME. A FRIEND OF MINE THOUGHT OF IT."

_Editor_ (after reading it). "YES, IT _IS_ FUNNY; BUT I PREFER THE
DRAWING THAT WAS PUBLISHED WITH IT IN THE 'SEVENTIES!"]

* * * * *

OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

(_By Mr. Punch's Staff of Learned Clerks._)

Three numbers of _The South Polar Times_ were brought out at Cape
Evans, the winter quarters of Captain SCOTT, during 1911. Mr. APSLEY
CHERRY-GARRARD, the editor, has now presented them to a wider circle
under the auspices of SMITH, ELDER, hoping that they will prove "a
source of interest and pleasure to the friends of the expedition." He
need have no fears. Of course a paper produced under such conditions
is in its nature esoteric, and many of its jokes are lost if you
"don't know Jimson." But if you have previously read _Scott's Last
Expedition_ then you _will_ "know Jimson"; you will feel that every
man at Cape Evans in 1911 was a personal friend of yours, and you
will be delighted with this facsimile reproduction of the paper which
delighted them. Personally I cannot read or see too much of the men
who are my heroes; and in a world where an ordinary school-girl is
allowed twenty-seven photographs of Mr. LEWIS WALLER I shall not
consider myself surfeited with two caricatures and a humorous
character-sketch of Lieutenant BOWERS. But there are contributions to
_The South Polar Times_ which have an interest other than the merely
personal. Mr. GRIFFITH TAYLOR, a tower of strength on the literary
side, is really funny in _The Bipes_--a paper (on the wingless bipeds
of Cape Evans) supposed to have been read by OATES' escaped rabbit to
the Royal Society of Rabbits. Mr. TAYLOR, as a recorder of history in
_Scott's Last Expedition_, was, I thought, a little too familiar; in
these and other articles he is much more at home. But it is upon
Dr. WILSON's pictures (both serious and comic) that _The South Polar
Times_ can most justly pride itself. I envy Mr. CHERRY-GARRARD so
prolific and brilliant a contributor. Still more I envy him (and all
his colleagues at Cape Evans) the knowledge of such a man. The more I
get to know of "BILL" WILSON, the more I understand that he was of
the very salt of the earth--a man to love whom was indeed a liberal
educa