RIME FAIRIES.

Last night about the country-side

The nimble fairies flew,

And forests on the latticed pane

In quaint devices drew,

The grasses standing straight and tall,

The ferns with curious frond,

And just a peephole left to show

The misty world beyond.

The voices of the murmuring streams

They silenced one by one,

And bound their feet with gleaming chains

So they no more could run;

They hung the icicles about,

And you would laugh to see

Just how they flung the diamonds down

Upon the whole bare tree;

And every little blade of grass

A thing of beauty stood,

And when they'd finished it was just

Like an enchanted wood.

They paused beside the old barn door;

A spider's web hung there

As fragile as a little dream,

As delicate and fair;

They decked it with a thousand gems

Of oh! such dazzling sheen,

It was the very loveliest thing

That you have ever seen!

The sun from his soft bed of cloud

Came pale and timidly;

He knew if he let loose his rays

The mischief there would be;

He woke the sleeping world to life

With finger-tips of gold,

And up from meadow, wood and stream

The shimmering mists unrolled;

He lit the candles of the dawn

On every bush and tree;

The fairies on their homing wings

Looked back and laughed with glee,

"We've made a Fairyland for you,

O Mortals, wake and see."


"It is also extremely likely that the Democrats have induced a considerable number of former Centre voters in South Germany to join them."—Christian World.

"Democrats" would seem to be the German equivalent of "Home Rulers."


Extract from a recent novel:—

"She wore under it a white blouse of thin stuff, snowy white ... the big floppy sleeves gently bellowed in the slight breeze."

It sounds rather a loud dress. Possibly le dernier cri.


"It is like a red rag to a bull to the 'bus drivers to see those lorries running about picking up members of the public.

We are trying to keep our heads, but our shoulders are bending under the pressure, and presently, I am afraid, we shall collapse and find ourselves in the vortex."—Daily Paper.

We should like to see this situation illustrated. Would some Vorticist oblige?