and
adoring Georgian doctor's wife. Mr. LYALL SWETE played competently a
poisonous ass of a vicar, and was responsible for the production, which
was admirable.

T.

* * * * *

A Ranker.

Extract from Battalion Orders:--

"The horse and cab of the Headquarters attached to the ----
Regt., A. Coy., for forage and accommodation."

* * * * *

"In the Ascot Double Handicap Hurdle Race, after an objection to
Early Berry for jumping, the race was awarded to Marita."

_Sporting Paper._

Marita, presumably, crawled under the hurdles like a little lady.

* * * * *

"In spite of all traditions about the British love of a tub, we
rarely are acquainted with the proper use of soap and water....
And thus we lay ourselves under Browning's reproach of 'You very
imperfect ablutionist!'"

_British Weekly._

Browning may have written this; but we prefer GILBERT'S version:--

"You very imperfect ablutioner."

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Macpherson (who, having lost half-a-crown in the Strand
and reported the loss overnight at Scotland Yard, on returning next day
to resume his search finds the road up)._ "Losh me--thae Londoners are
awfu' thorough!"]

* * * * *

OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

(_By Mr. Punch's Staff of Learned Clerks._)

I would heartily commend to all good English women and men _The Book of
Italy_ (UNWIN), first because it will help the families of those
Italians who have left England to join their ships and regiments and
will make possible the works of mercy of the Italian Red Cross, and
secondly because it is in itself an admirable book--the most
distinguished, I think, of any of its kind published here during the
War. It tells us something of the great Italian creators and liberators,
DANTE, LEONARDO, MICHELANGELO, MAZZINI, GARIBALDI, CAVOUR--too little
perhaps of MAZZINI, than whom no movement for liberty ever had a nobler
or a saner prophet. Of the good things, besides the contributions of
distinguished Italians (a particularly interesting note on the Italian
Red Cross by Signor GALANTE claims a Neapolitan, FERDINANDO PALASCIANO,
as the pioneer, in 1848, of the Red Cross idea), let me specially
commend the spirited introduction of Lord BRYCE, the eloquent letter of
SABATIER, the memories of FREDERIC HARRISON,