Dance like young lambs in Spring. 
  That Spring will wane too fast, alas! 
  But while it yet is here,
  Let youth enjoy, or girl or boy,
  The dance to youth so dear. 
  Then pithy JAYNE, my plucky JAYNE,
  Don’t heed the bigot’s cry,
  But meet them, meet them down at Chester
  And teach them Charity!

* * * * *

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P.

[Illustration:  Turning over fresh Leaves.]

House of Commons, Monday, July 28.—­STRATHEDEN and CAMPBELL are amongst the most regular visitors to our lobby from House of Lords.  RAVENSWORTH and UMBRELLA run them pretty close, but come in only a good second.  Moreover, whilst RAVENSWORTH and UMBRELLA rarely go beyond the lobby, STRATHEDEN and CAMPBELL press forward into Gallery reserved for Peers, and there sweetly go to sleep, “Like Babes in the Wood,” says Colonel MALCOLM, turning over leaves of Orders as if he would like to complete the simile by acting the part of the birds.  To-night STRATHEDEN and CAMPBELL leave us forlorn.  They have business in their own House; been long concerned for interests of State as affected by the MARKISS’S persistence in combining office of Premier with that of Foreign Secretary.

“It would be too much even for us,” said STRATHEDEN, in conversation we had before House met; “and,” he continued, “though I say it what shouldn’t, I don’t know any arrangement that would be happier or more complete than if we undertook the job.  What do you say, CAMPBELL?  Would you be Premier, or would you take the Foreign Seals?”

“The Premier place is yours,” said CAMPBELL, gallantly; “at least, it is now.  When we first started in life we used to call ourselves CAMPBELL and STRATHEDEN.  You’ll find it so in the Peerages of earlier date; now it’s the other way about, and STRATHEDEN takes the pas.”

“That was entirely your doing, CAMPBELL, said STRATHEDEN; so modest, so retiring, so thoughtful!  After we’d been known as CAMPBELL and STRATHEDEN for good many years, you came to me and said it was my turn now.  I objected; you insisted; and here we are, a power in the State, an object of interest in the Commons, STRATHEDEN and CAMPBELL in the Lords.”

“A little awkward, don’t you think,” I ventured to say, edging in a word, “for you two fellows to take this strong stand against duality?”

“Not at all,” said STRATHEDEN and CAMPBELL, both together; “we are authorities on the subject, and we say that the MARKISS cannot in his single person adequately perform the dual duties pertaining to his high offices; therefore we shall go and move our resolution protesting against arrangement.”

Pretty to see them marching off.  Always walk on tip-toe; ROSEBERY says it is a practice adopted so as not to disturb each other when engaged in thinking out deep problems; two of the best and the happiest old fellows in the world; their only trouble is that on divisions their vote should count as only one.  CAMPBELL, in whom hot Cupar blood flows, once proposed to raise question of privilege, but soothed by STRATHEDEN, who has in him a strong strain of the diplomatic character of his grandfather, ABINGER.