The depressing word "calibre," while cheering ARTHUR left you in lowest spirits, but of course you agreed, and then had a toboganning match with FREDDY the next morning before breakfast, and before ARTHUR had left his room. Write and tell me how you are going on. Is any time fixed for the termination of the engagement? I mean, of course, by marriage. Your affectionate friend, MARJORIE. * * * * * MAXIMUS ORELLIUS.--The author of _John Bull and His Island_ has honoured a _South Wales Daily News_ interviewer with many interesting personal details. Mons. BLOUËT has a rooted aversion to chairmen, because "they give a sort of formal tone to proceedings which I don't care for." Poor chairmen! After all, this is only what they are intended for. Perhaps another MAX--yclept NORDAN--can give some explanation for this distinctly morbid dislike. One unlucky chairman is overwhelmed with ridicule because, in an introductory speech, _he actually forgot the French humorist's name_. "MAX O'RELL" contemplates changing his profession to that of playwright, and has already written a play which he airily describes as "a high-class comedy, dealing with the British aristocracy." However, this is not his first dramatic venture, for, says he, "in 1870 I had a comedy produced in Paris, but the war breaking out my play came to what I think was an untimely end. I have been repeatedly urged to write for the stage, but have hitherto been content with the success I have attained in other directions." _Vivat modestia!_ * * * * * [Illustration: "GOLDEN GRAIN." _Sir M-ch-l H-cks-B-ch, Chancellor of the Exchequer_ (_Reaper_). "FIRST-RATE HARVEST, EH?" _Sir W-ll-m H-rc-rt._ "YES; AND HOW YOU PITCHED INTO _ME_ WHEN _I_ SOWED IT!"] * * * * * [Illustration: THE NEW PATENT SPRING-HEELED "BIKE" FOR THE HUNTING FIELD.] * * * * * ROUNDABOUT READINGS. In a recent number of _The Saturday Review_ I read a review of a book of verse, which I need not particularise further, as I am not concerned to affirm or to dispute the justice of the critic's estimate of it. I only refer to it incidentally. The author, according to this reviewer, possessed only the most elementary and commonplace notion with regard to aptness of epithets or allusions. Instances were cited, and we were further asked to believe that with this poet (I quote from the _Saturday_) "the voluble thrush is a family man, and the bibulous bee is a rover." *** That sentence absolutely fascinated me. It continued to ring and ring in my brain for hours afterwards. It became the refrain to everything I read and everything I thought of. There was only one remedy. I promptly applied it, made a copy of verses to suit the pursuing sentence, and was cured of my ailment. * * * * * A FAMILY MAN AND A ROVER.