"Zelania, though she is now the foremost among the world's social pioneers, was practically wrested from Nature by the present generation of men. The Zelanian Isles were Nature's last best gift to the noblest race of her noblest creatures--the gods seeming to have waited for a proper tenantry for these more than Elysian fields. "Zelania, my children, is the John in the Wilderness--the prophesied of old, the prophet of the new. She is the beacon of the present, the divine torch of the future." Oh, that is inspiring! Let's take an amateur "soar." To the Goddess of Justice their prayers are read. To that Goddess Zelanians bow low the head; For she gave the Zelanians, nor seer nor priest, She gave them the custom of Galilee's feast. For rich though her gifts to the present and past, She saved for these Britons the "best for the last." Here built they a temple--'twas built on the plan That he is most noble that's most of a man; They laid as foundations the "love of their kind"; For strength of the structure, firm held they in mind That no fortune or creed, but justice alone, Should ever remain as the chief corner stone. They builded the temple--'twas builded by men Who were called from the shop, from the mountain and glen. 'Twas builded for men--not for some, as of yore-- 'Twas builded of men, from the spires to the floor. 'Twas builded too strong for the strong to transgress, But 'twas builded too weak, the most weak to oppress. Pardon; let's back to Leo's notes, for Mr. Oseba's modest candour better suits this prosy age. SHE CAME--FINALLY. "And the Lord God said, 'It is not well that man should be alone; I will make him a help-meet for him.'" Without irreverence, I would regard this as an excellent idea. Mr. Oseba, say the notes, gave a most pleasing review of the domestic relations of the Outeroos, with special reference to the position of women. The notes on this pleasing phase of the oration were full and spirited, but in boiling down some dozen pages I will array the orator's impressions in my own garb, as though I myself had learned something on this interesting theme. The stronger and more haughty among the Outeroos are called men, while the more frail, gentle and loquacious are called wo-man, which means that in some way these latter are to be "wooed and won" before reaching the final end of existence. In old times, man won these fair creatures in a race for life. They "wooed them" with a bludgeon, captured, and dragged them to a hut, and chained them to the door-post until they were "persuaded" to stew the oysters. But this woman, with a shrewdness she is said to have retained even to this day, cunningly devised a trap into which she knew her "lord and master"--an epithet that has survived the wreck of empires--would place his brogan.