A TALL ORDER.

“SHANGHAI MUNICIPAL COUNCIL POLICE FORCE.—­Police recruits are now required.  Applicants must be unmarried, of good physique, with sound teeth, about 20 to 25 years of age, not less than 57 ft. 10 in. in height.”—­Weekly Paper.

* * * * *

    “Lloyd’s agent at Chriseiansund telegraphs that
    wreckage marked ‘Wilson Line’ drifted ashore near
    Switzerland.”—­Provincial Paper.

Following the WILSON line the seas appear to be already behaving with unusual freedom.

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    “‘George Eliot’ (Mary Ann Evans), the gifted Warwickshire
    authoress, who wrote ‘Adam Bede’ and several other popular
    works.”—­Daily Telegraph.

We have noticed the name from time to time, and we are glad to know who “GEORGE ELIOT” was.

* * * * *

From a “multiple shop” catalogue:—­

    “SMOKING ROOM.—­The decorations are well worth a special note,
    and are quite unique of their kind, being without a match
    anywhere.”

Surely not “unique.”  We know a lot of smoking-rooms equally matchless.

* * * * *

[Illustration:  THE FIRST GERMAN VICTORY.

[The German Elections have resulted in a signal defeat for the Extremists.]]

* * * * *

[Illustration:  Hostess (to small guest, who is casting lingering glances at the cakes).  “I DON’T THINK YOU CAN EAT ANY MORE OF THOSE CAKES, CAN YOU, JOHN?”

John.  “NO, I DON’T THINK I CAN.  BUT MAY I STROKE THEM?”]

* * * * *

A NEW SCHOOL.

An evening newspaper informs its readers that arrangements are being made for “a school for M.P.’s”—­“a weekly meeting of Unionist M.P.’s new to Parliamentary life, who will receive instruction in the forms of the House.  They will be taught how to address the SPEAKER, how to frame a question,” and so forth.

This intelligence is of particular interest in that it conveys an admission that our new M.P.’s do not know everything.

Interviewed by a correspondent, Mr. Raleigh Quawe, the able young educationist, who, it is understood, is watching the experiment with some concern, said, “While I do not wish to seem to be giving away too much to the gloom of youth, I cannot help feeling that the school may be run on wrong lines unless the greatest care is exercised.  Will the opportunity be taken for testing methods which have been so disastrously absent hitherto from our public school system?  I would urge those in authority to put away the old formulae, and to ensure the introduction of a right spirit in the school by the appointment of young masters endowed with vision and enthusiasm.

“I hope that the worship of sport will not be encouraged.  I was never one who believed that our battles have been won on the playing-fields of Westminster.  I am confident that I am not alone in the hope that the old games at Westminster will be abandoned.