(_An Appeal to Both Parties._) Still dreaming of the spell of Southern nights, Strange on my homing senses fall the raucous Shouts of Democracy, asserting rights It long ago committed to the caucus; Strange--in a Chamber run for party ends, Busy with private rancours, feuds, ambitions-- The legend that the Nation's life depends Upon her politicians! Yet two things offer cheer: in Ulster there-- Fanatic sentiment, you'll say, and scoff it-- I see a hundred thousand men who care For something dearer than their stomach's profit; Under the Flag they stand at silent pause, True Democrats that hold by Freedom's charter, Resolved and covenanted for the Cause To give their lives in barter! I see young soldiers, too, who serve the KING (For half the wage a Labour Member cashes), Prepared, at honour's higher call, to fling Their gallant dreams away in dust and ashes! I care a lot for any laws they break, But more I care to see what sacrifices Men still are found to face for conscience' sake, Knowing how hard the price is. Ah, Sirs, and must you for a moment's gain-- I look to both your camps with like appealing-- Must you upon these virtues put a strain Irrevocably past the hope of healing? Cannot some gentler means be yet embraced That, when the common peril comes upon her, Such qualities of heart, too rare to waste, May shield our Country's honour? O. S. * * * * * EGBERT, BULL-FROG. "Speaking," said my uncle James, "of dogs, did I ever tell you about Egbert, my bull-frog? I class Egbert among the dogs, partly because of his faithfulness and intelligence, and partly because his deep bay--you know how those bull-frogs bark--always reminded me of a bloodhound surprised while on a trail of aniseed. He was my constant companion in Northern Assam, where I was at that time planting rubber. He finally died of a surfeit of hard-boiled egg, of which he was passionately fond, and I was as miserable as if I had lost a brother. "I think Egbert had been trying to edge into the household for some time before I really noticed him. Looking back, I can remember meeting him sometimes in the garden, and, though I did not perceive it at first, there was a wistful look in his eye when I passed him by without speaking. It was not till our burglary that I began really to understand his sterling worth. A couple of natives were breaking in, and would undoubtedly have succeeded in their designs had it not been for Egbert's frantic barking, which aroused the house and brought me down with a revolver. It is almost certain that the devoted animal had made a practice, night after night, of sleeping near the front-door on the chance of something of the sort happening. He was always suspicious of natives.