"About this War--come tell me, Sir, If you would be so kind, Just any notions which occur To your exalted mind." "Frankly, I cannot bear," said he, "The very thought of strife; It seems so sad; it seems to me A wicked waste of life. "Thank Father's God that I can say My constant aim was Peace; I simply lived to see the Day (_Den Tag_) when wars would cease. "But, just as I was well in train To realise my dream, Came England, all for lust of gain, And spoilt my beauteous scheme. "But tell me how the rumours run; Be frank and tell the worst Touching myself; you speak to one With whom the Truth comes first." "Prince," I replied, "the vulgar view Pictured you on your toes Eager for gore; they say that you Were ever bellicose. "'Twas you, the critics say, who led The loud War Party's cry For blood and iron." "Oh!" he said, "Oh what a dreadful lie! "'War Party'? Well, I'm Father's pet, And, if such things had been, He must have let me know, and yet I can't think what you mean." "But your BERNHARDI," I replied, "He preached the Great War Game." "'BERNHARDI'! who was he?" he cried, "I never heard his name! "Dear Father must be told of him; Father, who loathes all war, Is looking rather grey and grim, But that should make him roar!" So, with a smile that knew no art, He left me well content Thus to have communed, heart to heart, With one so innocent. And still I marvelled, having scanned Those eyes so full of Truth, "Oh _why_ do men misunderstand This bright and blameless youth?" O. S. * * * * * NEWS FROM THE BACK OF THE FRONT. _Northern France._ As you will see from our address, here we are among the War Correspondents. But there is a mistake somewhere; either there are not enough Germans to go round, or else they--Headquarters, you know--simply hate the idea of throwing the flower of the British Army into the full glare of the shrapnel. Anyhow, we haven't actually been engaged yet, though our Private Smithson has collected three bits of shrapnel and a German rifle; and we have all heard artillery fire (off). Which makes us think that these rumours of war aren't just a scare got up to help recruiting.