th the palms upon the stair,
To my fair.

But I noticed, as I learned to know you better,
And you ceased to wile the victim at your feet,
There was very little silk about the fetter,
And 'twere flattery to say your sway was sweet:
Nay, you made the light and airy shrine of beauty
A centre for the most exacting duty,
And the fealty of the family undoubting
Met with flouting,
As a tribute which was nothing but your due,
As they knew.

Your Papa is getting elderly and bulky,
And he loves you as the apple of his eye,
Yet very little things will make you sulky,
And to meet his little ways you never try.
And I see him look a trifle hurt and puzzled,
And his love for you is often check'd and muzzled;
Yet I think, upon the whole, that I would rather
Be your father,
Than the lover you could torture at your ease,
If you please.

* * * * *

STRANGE, BUT TRUE.

Sir,--Under the heading of "Ecclesiastical Intelligence" in the
_Times_ of Saturday, I read that, "The LORD CHANCELLOR has preferred
the Rev. W.R. WELCH, of Hull, to the Vicarage of Withernwick, East
Yorkshire," I presume the LORD CHANCELLOR knows both the gentleman
and the place thoroughly, and so wisely elects which he prefers; but
to one who, like myself and thousands of others, know neither, it
strikes me that I would certainly prefer the place to the parson,
however worthy. It is, indeed, gratifying to see that the Highest
Representative of Law and Order in the realm, after HER GRACIOUS
MAJESTY, is so utterly uninfluenced by any mercenary motives. I send
this by Private Post, an old soldier, and am yours enthusiastically,

NOODLE DE NOODLE.

_The Retreat, Hanwell-on-Sea._

* * * * *

"BETTER LATE THAN NEVER."--Two Jurymen, says a paragraph in last
Saturday's _Times_, wrote to the Solicitor acting for a female
prisoner, one CUTLER, who had been convicted of perjury and sentenced
at Chester, to say that they "gave in to a verdict of Guilty because
it was very late, and one gentleman had an important business
engagement at home." This recalls the line, "And wretches hang that
Jurymen may dine." The remainder of ELLEN CUTLER's sentence of five
years' penal servitude is remitted. It is satisfactory to know that
these two had the courage of their opinions before it was too late.

* *