It was much too small. With a bursting heart He thought of the home where he made his start; His flanks were heaving, his soul despairing, He flaired again--he was always flairing To find the best way of escape and nab it, He couldn't get out of this flairing habit; He felt at his back the fiery breath Of the Kill Gorge pack that had vowed his death; He turned once more for the shelter good Of the Wan Tun Waste and the dark yew wood, The deep yew fastness of Cowall Itchen And the scuts and heads of hens in his kitchen. The hounds grew weak and The Mail was blowing; Rother said, "Alf, this is bad going!" Past Pemberton Billing, past Kenworthy, He shook them off, he was damp and earthy; By Molton Lambert and Platting Clynes---- But I can't go on with these difficult lines. * * * * * The night closed down and the hunt was dead, Alfred and Rother were tucked in bed; The cold moon rose on a fox's snore And everything much as it was before. Evoe. * * * * * Our Erudite Contemporaries. "'Her feet beneath her petticoat like little mice peep in and out.' Yes, but when Bobbie Burns wrote that the lassies of Scotland didn't wear Louis heels and extremely short skirts."--_Ladies' Paper._ Any more than they did when Sir JOHN SUCKLING apostrophised the "wee, sleekit, cow'rin', tim'rous beastie." * * * * * Our Sleuths. "A Sheffield firm of solicitors have, this week, had stolen from one of the pegs in the hall an overcoat belonging to one of the principals. The solicitor concerned is of the opinion that someone removed it between his arrival at the office the other morning and going to find it in the evening, when it was missing."--_Provincial Paper_. * * * * * The Sandringham Hat. "Many women are making surprise presents of hats to their husbands, and will take great pleasure in seeing them worn for the first time on Christmas Day."--_Daily Mail_. We understand that it will be the quietest Christmas on record, many family men having decided to spend the day in the seclusion of their own homes. * * * * * [Illustration: "WHAT I LIKE--] [Illustration: --ABOUT SWITZERLAND IS--] [Illustration: --THE COMPLETE CHANGE--] [Illustration: --FROM LONDON LIFE--] [Illustration: --AND ALL THAT--] [Illustration: --NEEDLESS DRESSING-UP."] * * * * * [Illustration: _Doris._ "BUT, JIMMY, I THOUGHT YOU CAME TO BUY A PRESENT FOR DADDY?" _Jimmy._ "YES, IT'S ALL RIGHT, SIS, I _AM_ DOING. HE M'NOPOLISED MY ENGINE LAST CHRISTMAS; I THOUGHT HE'D LIKE ONE FOR HIMSELF THIS YEAR."] * * * * * THE HUMOURIST. "Here's Alan," said Cecilia; "good."