Make a real pleasure of your game and not labour as other sticks than ours would tend to make it. A fond player would like to give anything for a good stick." * * * * * HOME-SICKNESS; OR, THE SINN FEINER ABROAD. (_After "The Lake Isle of Innisfree," with sincere apologies to Mr. W. B. YEATS._) I will arise and go now to Galway or Tralee And burgle someone's house there and plan a moonlight raid; Ten live rounds will I have there to shoot at the R.I.C. And wear a mask in the bomb-loud glade. And I shall have great fun there, for fun comes fairly fast, Bonfires in the purple heather and the barracks burning fine, There midnight is a shindy and the noon is overcast And evening full of the feet of kine. I will arise and go now, for always in my sleep There comes the sound of rifles and low moans on the shore; I see the sudden ambush and hear the widows weep, And I like that kind of war. EVOE. * * * * * AURAL TUITION. The only other occupant of the carriage was a well dressed man of middle age, clad in English clothes, but from many slight signs palpably a foreigner of some sort. Soon after the train started I noticed that his mouth and throat were twitching and I surmised that he was about to speak. But speech is no term in which to describe the queer animal, vegetable and mineral sounds which issued from him. First his mouth opened slightly and he seemed about to sneeze. Next I was conscious of a scraping noise in his throat, accompanied by a slight ticking. It appeared that he was going to have a fit and I regretted that we were alone. The noise grew louder, took on speed and rose in a crescendo almost to a screech. Then a few more scrapes, as of a pencil on a slate, and I began to detect that he was speaking. His lips did not move, so that his voice had a curiously distant sound. Nevertheless the words were clearly audible. The following is what he said in a low, metallic monotone: "Good morning, Sir. I am very pleased to meet you. Can you tell me what o'clock it is? I am much obliged. I wish to descend at Manchester. At what hour do we arrive there? There are few passengers to-day. The weather is fine. I beg your pardon if I do not make myself clear. I do not speak English perfectly as yet. No doubt I have need of much practice. Can I send a telegram from the next station? Is there a good hotel at Manchester? Will you do me the favour----" "Stop," I cried, after having several times opened my mouth to answer one or other of his questions. As soon as I spoke the words ended with a sudden click; the voice descended and became a scrape; at last silence. "My dear Sir," said I, "I shall be happy to give you any information I can if you will ask one question at a time. You evidently speak English very well indeed."