I suppose that what a CRAWFORD doesn't know about Roman society may fairly be dismissed as negligible. Therefore the name of J. CRAWFORD FRASER (in association with Mrs. HUGH FRASER) on the title-page of _Her Italian Marriage_ (HUTCHINSON) is a sufficient guarantee that the local colour at least will be the genuine article. And it happens that the scheme of the tale, the union between a Roman of the old nobility and an American girl, makes the local colour of special significance. It was just this matter of doing as the Romans do that _Elsie Trant_ found at first one of life's little difficulties. There is a very pleasant scene of the dinner-party at which she was formally presented to her husband's family; the contrast in atmospheres between that of the new-risen West and that of the severely Papal circles to which _Prince Pietro_ belonged being suggested most happily. I wish, though, the authors had been content to leave it at that, as a social comedy about pleasant people getting to understand one another. In an ill-inspired moment, however, they decided to have a dramatic plot, and truth compels me to say that this is a dreary affair, tricked out with such dust-laden devices as secret marriages, missing heirs and concealed papers. There is a steward person who alternately is and isn't the rightful Prince, as we delve deeper into the revelations. Finally, if I followed the intrigue correctly, the long arm of coincidence brought it about that _Elsie's_ mother was the eloping wife of _Pietro's_ uncle. Frankly, all this bored me, because we readers could have been so much more profitably engaged in renewing our Roman memories under such expert guidance. But of course this is a merely personal opinion, which you may not share. * * * * * AUSTRALIAN CORPS. "Sydney.--Timely rains have saved the early corps." The later ones also are now quite recruited, thank you. * * * * * "French Official.--Between the Argonne and the Meuse our heavy huns destroyed an enemy blockhouse in the region of Forges." _Evening Paper._ Stout fellows, these German renegades. * * * * * "Henley (near).--Gentleman offers land, piggeries, poultry-houses to lady or gentleman as guest. Pleasant home."--_The Lady._ _The gentleman to the lady_: "Will you occupy a piggery or a poultry-house?"