In days of old, when writers bold Betrayed the least disparity Between their genius and an age When frankness was a rarity, An odious word was often heard From critics void of charity, Simplicity or clarity, Or vision or hilarity, Who used to slate or deprecate The vices of vulgarity. But now disdain is wholly slain By wide familiarity Which links the unit with his age In massive solidarity; No more the word is used or heard, No, no, we call it charity, Simplicity or clarity, Or vision or hilarity, But never slate or deprecate The virtues of vulgarity. * * * * * =An Object Lesson.= "Nothing is so suggestive of a faulty education than a lack of grammar."--_Fiji Paper._ "The Vicar was born in Ireland, and lived there many years, and the problems of the Irish are no difficulty to him." _New Zealand Paper._ That's the man we want over here. * * * * * =PRISCILLA PLAYS FAIRIES.= Unrehearsed dramatic dialogue comes quite easily to some people, and so does a knowledge of the ways of the fairy world, but I am not one of those people. Also I was supposed to have a headache that afternoon and to be recovering from a severe cold. Also I was reading a very exciting book. I cannot help thinking therefore that the fairy Bluebell was taking a mean advantage of my numerous disabilities in appearing at all. She rattled the handle of the door a long time, and when I had opened it came in by a series of little skips on her toes, accompanied by wagglings of the arms rather in the fashion of a penguin. Every now and then she gave a slightly higher jump and descended flatly and rather noisily on her feet. She wore a new frock, with frills. _I._ What are you doing, Priscilla? _She._ I'm the Fairy Bluebell dancing. Don't you like my dancing? _I._ It's beautiful. _She_ (_rapidly_). And you were a very poor old man who had a lot of nasty work to do and you were asleep. _I_ (_feeling it might have been much worse and composing myself to slumber in my chair_). Honk! _She_ (_pinching my ear and pulling it very hard_). And you woke up and said, "I do believe there's a dear little fairy dancing." _I_ (_emerging from repose_). Why, I do believe I heard a fairy dancing, or (_vindictively_) can it have been another ton of coal coming in? _She_ (_disregarding my malice_). And you said, "Alack, alack! I do want somefing to eat." _I._ Alack, alack! I _am_ so hungry. _She_ (_fetching a large cushion from the sofa and putting it on the top of me_). Lumpetty, lumpetty, lumpetty. _I._ What's that, Priscilla? _She._ Bitatoes pouring out of a sack. (_Fetches another cushion and puts it on the top of the first._) Lumpetty, lumpetty, lumpetty. _I._ And this? _She_ (_opening her eyes very wide_). Red plums. (_Fetches another cushion._) Limpetty, limpetty, limpetty. _I._ What's that? _She._ Lovely honey.