The most insignificant things, I hear, went for big prices; one patriotic lady, I’m told, even going to L5 15s. for a faded photograph of a veteran in the clothes of a most uninteresting sartorial period.  It was in a cheap wooden frame, of a pattern that is quite out of the movement.  Fancy, L5 15s.!

    Did you buy anything?

    In haste,

    Yours, H.

If you have any stout safety-pins, lend me a couple, old boy.  I failed to secure the braces.  They fetched 1s. 9d., which was greatly in excess of their intrinsic value.

There has been no reply from Petherton to date.

* * * * *

JOURNALISTIC CANDOUR.

“Mr. Wells has no master in controversy with ordinary mortals, but I would seriously warn him that arguing with the ’Morning Post’ leads after a certain point to softening of the brain.”—­“Diarist” in “The Westminster Gazette.”

We have always taken a painful interest in The Westminster’s quarrels with The Morning Post.

* * * * *

    “In 1914-15 there was for the first time a surplus of cereals
    of about 27,475 tons produced in Egypt.”—­Times.

For the first time?  Shade of JOSEPH!

* * * * *

    “A Young Lady is desirous of CHANGE.  Has wholesale and retail
    military experience.  Also knowledge of practical.”—­Daily
    Telegraph.

Now, then, HAIG.

* * * * *

[Illustration:  DOING THEIR BIT.]

* * * * *

BEASTS ROYAL.

I.

QUEEN HATSHEPSU’S APE.

B.C. 1491.

  Now from the land of Punt the galleys come,
    HATSHEPSU’S, sent by Amen-Ra and her
    To bring from God’s own land the gold and myrrh,
  The ivory, the incense and the gum;
    The greyhound, anxious-eyed, with ear of silk,
    The little ape, with whiskers white as milk,
  And the enamelled peacock come with them.

  The little ape sits on HATSHEPSU’S chair,
    And with a solemn and ironic eye
  He sees TAHUTMES strap the balsamed hair
    Unto his royal chin and wonders why;
  He sees the stewards and chamberlains bow down,
  Plays with the asp upon HATSHEPSU’S crown,
    And thinks, “A goodly land, this land of Khem!”

  The little ape sits on HATSHEPSU’S knee
    While the great lotus-fans move to and fro;
    Outside along the Nile the galleys go
  And the Phoenician rowers seek the sea;
    Outside the masons carve TAHUTMES’ chin,
    Tipped with the beard of Ra, and lo, within—­
  The ape, derisive and ineffable.