mmortal ballad of _Billy
Taylor_, "When the Captain he come for to hear on't, He werry much
applauded what she'd done," and, to apply the lines to the present
instance, "When the POPE he comes for to hear on't," _will_ he "werry
much applaud," the opinions honestly and courteously enough expressed
in this lecture? By the way, "LEO and the Lilly" would make a fine
subject for a historical cartoon. The learned Lecturer took care to
observe, with all the true modesty of the humble flower from which
his name is derived, that he spoke only the opinion of a party, which
party, whether small, considerable, or large, his audience could judge
for themselves with the unclothed optic, as the party in question was,
not to put too fine a point on it, Himself.

* * * * *

[Illustration: DANCING MEN.

"WHAT A CHARMING WALTZ THEY'RE PLAYING UPSTAIRS. (MORE CHAMPAGNE,
WAITER. THANKS!)"

"I'VE ONLY JUST COME--NOT BEEN UPSTAIRS YET. ONE HEARS THE MUSIC SO
MUCH BETTER DOWN HERE. (COLD CUTLET, PLEASE, AND SALAD. THANKS!)"]

* * * * *

"A LITTLE HOLIDAY!"

[It is proposed that 450,000 colliers belonging to the Miners'
Federation should cease work for a week or a fortnight. This,
it is said, is regarded as an "amicable" Strike, not against
the Masters, but to raise the price of coal by producing an
artificial scarcity, and thus avoiding a threatened reduction
of wages consequent upon over-production. This the Miners
call, "Going on Play."]

_Out-of-Worker to Out-on-Player_:--

Who talks of "Solidarity of Labour,"--
A favourite shibboleth in these our days?--
To recognise one's duty to one's neighbour
Is that which all--in theory--will praise.
And Unions are upheld, and "Blacklegs" scouted--
Friends of Fraternity _their_ heads must break
To prove their loyal brotherhood undoubted!--
But _here_ there seems to be some slight mistake.

Going on Play, mate, you of the broad shoulders?
Take holiday awhile from pick and lamp?
Well your hard toil impresses all beholders,
Sweating amidst black seams and choking "damp."
A "holiday," for rest and recreation,
None would begrudge you. But at the expense
Of every other worker in the nation?
I don't quite see it! Maybe I am dense.

A "friendly" Strike, you call it; "amicable"!
Nice sounding words! Strikes mostly mean hot war.
But in to-day's wi