* * * * *

"Perversely enough, whilst Ora's husband was a commonplace though
intelligent attorney, Ora was married to a Montana mine-owner."

_Books of To-day._

This was very perverse of Ora. She might at least have waited till her
first husband had ceased to be an attorney.

* * * * *

_Gentlemen who are losing their employment owing to the War:_--1. The
German Colonial Secretary.

* * * * *

"Identifying battles with rivers is very confusing to the reader who
is not well acquainted with the geography of a little-known part of
Europe. It misleads thousands when the Aisne is mentioned, and it is
even more misleading when the river Victula comes into the
reckoning."

_Birmingham Daily Post._

This is quite true.

* * * * *

Illustration: STUDY OF A VETERAN WHO HAS SENT ALL HIS BLANKETS TO
KITCHENER'S ARMY AND NEVER SLEPT BETTER IN HIS LIFE.

* * * * *

Rates for Zeppelins.

"During the last few days," we learn, "a good many insurances have been
effected at Lloyd's on properties in London against the risk of damage
by Zeppelins." The premium accepted on banks appears to be about one
shilling per cent. But why insure banks? For our own part we would very
gladly take refuge in one of their strong rooms at the first sight of a
hovering Zeppelin.

After consultation with our insurance expert, who has carefully
considered the past record of German aircraft operating over undefended
cities, we now have pleasure in submitting a special scale of insurance
rates which ought to meet the needs of the public. Lloyd's are welcome
to it should they care to adopt it as it stands:--

Hospitals L5 % per annum.
Dogs 2/11 " "
Cats, chickens and
canaries 2/9 " "
Lamp-posts 1/1 " "
Lord Mayors _Nil_ " "

* * * * *

THOMAS OF THE LIGHT HEART.

[_"The Cologne Gazette" tells us that we are lacking in understanding of
the high seriousness of the war; that we use sporting expressions about
it. "The Times," referring to this criticism, points out that, though we
do not pretend, like the Germans, to make a religion of war, our
sporting instinct at least enables us to recognise that to draw the
sword on women and children is "not cricket."_]