hoodoo;
Browsing on tender grass and camel-thorn
He roamed the plains, as all right-minded gnu do;
But now he eats the bun of discontent
That once was lord of half a continent.

And thou, my child, to whom harsh fate has dealt
A captive's birthright--thou wilt never scamper
With winged feet across the windy veldt,
Where are no crowds to stare nor bars to hamper;
Thou wilt not ring upon the rhino's pelt
In wanton sport. But there--why put a damper
On thy young spirits by recounting what
Africa is but Regent's Park is not.

It would but grieve thee, and, moreover, I
Note that thy young attention's growing looser.
A piece of cake? O fie! my Thomas, fie!
The keeper said, "Please not to feed the gnu, Sir."
And yet it seems a shame to pass thee by
Without some slight confectionery douceur;
So here's a bun; and let this thought obtrude:
What matter freedom while there's lots of food!

ALGOL.

* * * * *

PRO-GERMANISM IN KENSINGTON.

"At St. Mary Abbot's, in Kensington, the organist played hymns
for two hours during the Sunday raid, in which the congregation
joined."--_Daily Mirror_.

* * * * *

The rumour that in consequence of the recent invasion of a popular
sea-coast resort by denizens of the East End the local authorities
have decided to change its name to "Brightchapel" is at present
without foundation.

* * * * *

[Illustration: TRIALS OF A CAMOUFLAGE OFFICER.

_C. Officer_. "NOW THEN, WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS?"

_C. Painter_. "I WAS TELLING 'IM 'E DIDN'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT
CAMERFLARGE, SIR, AND 'E SAYS, 'HO, DON'T I? I'LL SOON SHOW YER.
I'LL MAKE YER SO'S YER OWN MOTHER WON'T KNOW YER'; AN' 'E UPS WITH
THE PAINT-BUCKET ALL OVER ME, SIR."]

* * * * *

_L'AGENT PROVOCATEUR._

A short while ago the following advertisement appeared in the
"Personal" column of _The Times_:--

"Artist (33), literary, travelled, mentally isolated, would
appreciate brilliant, interesting correspondents; writers'
anonymity observed."

Now thereby hang many tales (none of them necessarily true). Here is
one of them.

The Colonel of the Blank-blank Blankshires exclaimed (as all proper
Colonels are expected to do), "Ha!" Carefully marking with a blue
pencil a small paragraph on the front page of _The Times_, he thr