“Sailing at 13.30.  Return immediately.”

* * * * *

SONGS OF SIMLA.

V.—­PELITI’S.

  I troll you no song that will hinder you long,
    I pen you no ponderous treatise,
  The theme that I sing is a gossamer thing
    As light as the cakes at PELITI’S.

  Grey roofs mid the pines and a heaven that shines
    As blue as the water where Crete is,
  The malachite green of a misty ravine,
    That’s the balcony view at PELITI’S.

  There are mortals, may be, who abominate tea
    (One’s poison another man’s meat is),
  Who shy at the touch of a crumpet—­for such
    There is music and love at PELITI’S.

  See that G.S.O.2 with the lady in blue;
    Has she noticed where one of his feet is,
  Or the issue that hangs on the plate of meringues
    Which he buys her each day at PELITI’S?

  Here the rulers of Ind, from the Salween to Sind,
    Take their ices and wafers (MCVITIE’S)
  And elaborate schemes over chocolate creams
    At five-o’clock tea at PELITI’S.

  And I think, when we die and the wraiths of us fly
    To that peace which depends not on treaties,
  The joys which we find will but serve to remind
    Of the hours that we spent at PELITI’S.

  J.M.S.

* * * * *

    “Thomas ——­ was fined L5 Lat LOswestry yesterday for selling goods
    to a German prisoner.

    The chairman said defendant had sold goods to the value of 11s,
    1-1/2d.  Where the German had got that large sum of money from was
    quite a mystery.”—­Daily Paper.

It seems pretty evident from the report that there was a good deal of money about somewhere.

* * * * *

[Illustration:  “I’M TOLD SHE’S ALWAYS WRITING TO HER DRESSMAKER ABOUT NEW FROCKS.”

“I SUPPOSE SHE ENCLOSED A STAMPED AND ADDRESSED ENVELOPE FOR THAT ONE.”]

* * * * *

A CRUSADER.

One hears sometimes of pure altruists, but on analysing their purity an alloy is perceptible.  Although their work is for others, an element of personal gratification is present.

Personal gratification or self-indulgence is of course inevitable; as it can even enter into grief and pain; but now and then it is reduced to a minimum:  as, I hold, in the latest activities for her fellow-creatures in which my friend Mrs. Delta has embarked.

During the War Mrs. Delta was indefatigable (I am not often sure of my words, but I use this without a tremor of misgiving) in promoting charities and collecting money to sustain them.  At no time of day was it safe to meet her, for you had to stand and deliver.  There were no privations due to the War which she was not out to mollify or remove, and her ingenuity in discovering worthy objects was uncanny.