For democracy shies At the artist who tries To express himself subtly or darkly; And the man in the street In a fair plébiscite Would probably crown Mrs. BARCLAY. * * * * * Extract from a sermon:-- "We meet here to-day under circumstances which are not ordinary ... We seem to hear 'the sound of a gong in the tops of the mulberry trees.'"--_The Record_. This must be some air-raid warning by the rural police. * * * * * "On the roads near by 'a Verdun' signposts have been replaced by new ones reading 'A Glorieux Verdun.' The name of France herself might well be altered to 'Glorieux France.'"--_Canadian Paper_. _Vive le France!_ * * * * * From a report of the British Cotton-growing Association:-- "The negotiations with the Government for the development of the irritation scheme for the Gezira plain are still under consideration."--_The Field_. We trust we shall hear no more of this vexatious project. * * * * * A lodging-house keeper at Whitby Saw a couple of Zeppelins flit by; Though she felt a sharp sting, It's a curious thing That she never knew which she was hit by. * * * * * "War conditions have given occasion in Germany for the study of an oedema disease (swelling) unknown in peace times. Among the civil population it has been generally located in the feet and legs, and in more than one-half of the cases studied some degree of facial swelling was present."--_Daily Paper_. This last symptom is especially noticeable in the case of the KAISER. * * * * * "Prior to the meeting [of the Irish Convention] in Cork the members of the secretariat attended in Sir Horace Plunkett's private room, and presented him with a solid ivory chairman's mantle."--_Dublin Evening Mail_. But we are glad to state that the proceedings were quite orderly, and that the Chairman did not need this protective garment. * * * * * GOING BACK. "In these days," I began, but Francesca interrupted me. "When anyone starts like that," she said, "I know he's going to make the War an excuse for doing something rather more paltry than usual." "'Paltry' is not," I said, "a very nice word." "I'll take the phrase back and substitute 'rather less noble and generous.'" "Yes, I like that better. I'll pass it in that form as your comment on what you haven't yet allowed me to say." "Quick," she said; "what was it? Don't leave me in suspense." "In these days," I said, "one mustn't spend too much on railway companies." "True," she said. "I'm with you there in these or any other days."