Blokes at the base, they gets their leave when they've bin out three munse; I 'aven't seen my wife and kids for more 'n a year, not once; The missus writes, "About that pass, you'd better ask again; I think you must 'ave been forgot." Old girl, the reason's plain: We are the bloomin' infantry, and you must just believe That the nearer up to the line you go the less is your chance of leave. * * * * * "We cussed at Grosvenor House and some steps in this direction may be expected if the demands of retailers become more rapacious."--_Daily Mail._ It is no good abusing the FOOD CONTROLLER, however, or prices would long ago have been down to zero. * * * * * MAB DREAMS OF MAY. The day-dim torches of chestnut trees stand dreamily, dreamily; In myriad jewels of glad young green, smooth black are the broad beech boles; The fragrant foam of the cherry trees hangs creamily, creamily, And the purpling lilacs and the blackthorn brakes are singing with all their souls! The pinky petals of lady's-smocks peer maidenly, maidenly; Meadow-sweet, donning her fragrant lace, is daintiest friend of the breeze; Hyacinths wild, blue-misting the woods, hang ladenly, ladenly, And tiniest bird's-eye burns deep blue in thickets of tall grass trees! Daylong I lie, daylong I dream, swung swooningly, swooningly, In an old-time tulip of flaming gold, red-flaunted and streaked with green, While song of the birds, of water and bees comes crooningly, crooningly, And Summer brings me her swift mad months with scent and colour and sheen. Winter is gone, I ween, As it had never been! _Dance! dance! Delicately dance!_ _Revel with the delicatest stamp and go!_ _Dance! dance! Circle and advance,_ _Curtsey, twirl about,_ _Shatter the dew and whirl about,_ _Stamp upon the moonbeams--heel and toe!_ * * * * * MORE NEWS FROM THE AIR. THE ALLIES. The other day I was in a country house whose owners are so lost to shame as still to keep pets. There is a dog there which is actually allowed to eat, in defiance of all those _Times'_ correspondents whose sole idea of this stimulating and unfailingly devoted animal is that it is personified greed on four legs. There are two or three horses of unusual intelligence, which no doubt our friend the Hun would long since have devoured, but which, even though hunting is over, are by some odd freak of sentiment or even of loyalty still kept alive. There are rabbits. And there is a bird in a cage against the wall of a small yard. This bird is a chaffinch, which a friend had brought over from France.