But the remainder of the Regiment did not seem to see it, so they sent in _their_ resignations, and vanished. Then the Officer from the War Office rode towards Pall Mall. "It won't interfere with me much," said he, "and give the Department less to do. And I can still call myself General--though I scarcely deserve the title, either on or off parade!" * * * * * HOW IT STRIKES "THE CONTEMPORARY." ["Why should not women take the B.A. degree?... Unfortunately the older Universities have resented every attempt at breaking down their cherished exclusiveness."--_From an Article in "The Contemporary Review" for March._] Despotic Dons' dominion Still subjugates us all, They scoff at our opinion, Our purposes miscall; Will no deliverer appear, And is it vainly, as we fear, We hold our meetings every year Within St. James's Hall? Our wrongs, if brought to knowledge, Would surely move your hearts, Degreeless from her College The Wrangler-ess departs; And shall not too the maids, who can Give all the usages of [Greek: an], As well as any living man Be Bachelors of Arts? Persuasive or abusive We fail our point to gain, Disgracefully exclusive These ancient seats remain: But yet a future we foresee When Women will the rulers be, And Men will beg a Pass-degree, Will beg, and beg in vain! * * * P.S.--The pith of our petition Is seldom understood, It is not all ambition, Though this, no doubt, is good; But, speaking frankly, we declare The point for which we really care Is just to gain the right to wear That _most_ becoming hood! * * * * * THE WITLER'S WISION OF WENGEANCE. (IN A SLIGHTLY PICKWICKIAN SENSE.) [Illustration: _Being the Dream of an angry "Brother Bung" after attending the Meeting at St. James's Hall, and trying to soothe himself with a dip into Dickens._] ["He" Lord BURTON, "asked why this drastic, this dishonest, this catchpenny, this gerrymandering Bill should have been brought in?.... They had heard much of late about the Nonconformist Conscience, which was said to be the backbone of the Liberal Party. He firmly believed that the Bill had been brought forward to suit the Nonconformist Conscience, to pander to the hypocritical self-righteousness, and the sham respectability of a certain class."--_Lord Burton, at the St. James's Hall Meeting, on the Direct Veto Bill._] * * * * * Mr. WITLER, the elder, gave vent to an extraordinary sound, which, being neither a groan, nor a grunt, nor a gasp, nor a howl, nor a hoot, nor a hiss, nor a shout, nor a shriek, yet seemed to partake in some degree of the character of all these inarticulate laryngeal exercises. It was a big vocal blend, and a stentorian; it made him pant and turn apoplectically purple in the face, it shook the house, and very nearly "brought it down."