With stunsail booms to every yard,
And flying kites both high and low
To catch the winds when they did blow--
(And away, my Clyde-built clipper!).

C.F.S.

* * * * *

[Illustration: THE LAST CRUSADE. COEUR-DE-LION (_looking down on the
Holy City_). "MY DREAM COMES TRUE!"]

* * * * *

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

_Monday, December 10th_.--One would gather from the hoardings that the
Government wished to encourage the sale of War Bonds by every possible
means. Yet the CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER threw cold water on the
efforts of certain firms to increase the sale by the offer of cash
prizes, and thought it undesirable that this inducement should be
imitated. The advocates of Premium Bonds were a little depressed by
this announcement, but cheered up somewhat on observing that the
conscientious CHANCELLOR has no intention of refusing the millions
already raked into the Treasury by these "schemes of doubtful
legality."

[Illustration: THE BAD BOYS OF BROMPTON AND OXFORD STREETS.]

On the vote for an increase of fifty thousand men for the Navy Mr.