Vansittart's "Oriental
Fantasy." It deals with a youthful bride who has just been attached to a
Persian hareem. In the garden at dusk she finds a young English
traveller (who has just told us what a _penchant_ he has for "women,
women, women"--he is very insistent about this), and being caught in
conversation with him is placed by her lord in a sack and consigned to
the deep; but not before she has explained in fluent verse that in the
circumstances this abrupt end to her young career has no terrors for
her. But for this courageous attitude on her part I should have
experienced greater relief when the hero appeared next morning in his
pyjamas and indicated that the regrettable incident was a figment of his
sleeping brain.

I thought I detected some good lines among the Englishman's remarks
(though I did not like his voice), but I prefer to study poetical drama
at leisure before attempting to pass any comment on it. I may add that I
don't suppose that that engaging actor, Mr. Fred Lewis, has ever
previously played the part of a Persian slave with a taste for
philosophic recitation; and I hope he never will again, for, frankly, it
is not his _metier_.

O. S.

* * * * *

[Illustration: [_Circular from head office of a London bank to its
branches:_ "Suggested that the Cashier should drop his cash-scoop as a
warning to the remainder of the staff that a forged cheque is being
presented and that they are to detain the presenter."]

The cashier at our Goldstead branch has the misfortune to drop his scoop
accidentally when cashing a cheque for his worthy mayor of our select
suburb.]

* * * * *

A SPORTING CHANCE.

It is generally in the spring that I begin to notice how big my accounts
are growing. I don't know why this should be, unless it is because I
haven't paid any during the previous year. At any rate you must take my
word for it. I have the accounts here.

Then, again, it is a most remarkable fact that whenever one has bills to
pay one finds there are other things to be bought.

A few days ago I discovered that my tailor wanted thirty pounds. I also
discovered that I wanted a lighter overcoat and a raincoat. It was a
nice problem.

On occasions of great difficulty like this I always consult Edith. Edith
might have married me if it hadn't been for Henry. Had she accepted me I
should probably have gone in for something. As it is I just go on
exis