eel of thread.

* * *

At Jerusalem a tree has been uprooted whose fall is locally believed to
presage the destruction of the Turkish Empire. It is only fair to the tree
to point out that if it had known of this it would probably, like the
Government, have changed its mind at the last minute.

* * *

"One of the problems of civilized humanity," says a writer in _The Daily
Mail_, "is the avoidance of pain-producing elements in ordinary diet."
Nowadays it is impossible to eat even so simple a thing as a boiled egg in
a restaurant without the risk of being stung.

* * *

The identity of the gentleman who, under the initials "A.G.," recently
advertised in the Press for the thyroid gland of _Proteus diplomaticus_
remains unrevealed.

* * *

It appears that the Government have undertaken not to engage in any more
war with the Bolshevists, if they, for their part, will endeavour to quell
the peace which is still raging.

* * *

"Englishmen will never forget America," says a Service paper. For ourselves
we had hoped that the American bacon affair was closed.

* * *

A burglar broke into a barrister's chambers in the Temple last week. We
understand that he got away without having any money taken off him.

* * *

A woman who said she had had six husbands asked a London magistrate to
grant her a separation. It is supposed that she is breaking up her
collection.

* * *

Owing to the thick fog experienced in London, last week several daylight
hold-ups were unavoidably postponed.

* * *

With the present fashion in ladies' wear many owners of beautiful brooches
are in the unhappy position of having nothing to attach them to.

* * *

In order to raise funds for the building of a new church-porch in a
Birmingham parish a member of the committee suggested the sale of small
flags in the street. Struck by the originality of this novel idea the
chairman agreed to go into the matter in order to see if it was
practicable.

* * *

A farmer writing from Bridgnorth, Salop, to a daily paper states that he
has a tame fox which guards the house at night and shepherds the sheep by
day. We understand that the Dogs' Trade Union takes a serious view of the
whole matter, but is not without hope of being able to avert a strike.

* * *

The real value of co-operation was illustrated the other day on the
Underground Railway when a lady complained that a straphanger was standing
on her foot. Word was immediately passed d