* * * * * What the Vicar of Amesbury Inclines to Say. (_Judging from his Letter in the "Standard," September 22, on the Desecration or Preservation of Stonehenge Question._) My friends, for goodness' sake forbear From fussy interference here. Blest be the man who "makes no bones,", And blamed be he who stirs these stones! * * * * * HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF. (_A Thought at the Haymarket Theatre._) The first appearance "of the Personal Devil" Was nigh the Tree of Knowledge, good and evil; And so the Tempter's latest _rôle_ we see Is still associated with a TREE. * * * * * ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT. EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P. _House of Commons, Wednesday, September 20._--Met WOODALL, V.C., crossing Lobby just now on the way to his battlemented tower. Shouldn't have known him--indeed, had passed him, when I recognised his voice hailing me. It had an unusually tinny sound, due to fact that it made its way through the interstices of a closed visor. "Good gracious, WOODALL!" I said; "is that you? I thought it was one of the figures from the Tower taking an airing." "Yes," said the Financial Secretary to the War Office with same vibrating, tinny intonation, "by my halidome (so to speak) it's me: and precious hot and generally uncomfortable it is, too, I can tell you. The things don't fit, you see; borrowed them from the Tower; some a size too large, which is bad; others a turn too small, which, considering they are made in metal, is worse." WOODALL got up, regardless of expense, in helmet, breastplate, things like kneecaps, and a piece of sheet-iron fitted to the small of his back. "What do you do it for, then?" With difficulty WOODALL, V.C., unhooked something in his visor, and, after cautiously looking round, took it off.