Part 37 (2/2)
They say the Greeks, resolved to have an English King, in consequence of the refusal of Prince Alfred to be their monarch, intend to elect Lord Stanley. If he accepts the charge, I shall lose a powerful friend and colleague. It is a dazzling adventure for the House of Stanley, but they are not an imaginative race, and I fancy they will prefer Knowsley to the Parthenon, and Lancas.h.i.+re to the Attic plains. It is a privilege to live in this age of rapid and brilliant events. What an error to consider it a utilitarian age! It is one of infinite romance. Thrones tumble down, and crowns are offered like a fairy tale; and the most powerful people in the world, male and female, a few years ago were adventurers, exiles, and demireps.
JENNY KISSED ME [Sidenote: _Leigh Hunt_]
Jenny kissed me when we met, Jumping from the chair she sat in; Time, you thief, who love to get Sweets into your list, put that in: Say I'm weary, say I'm sad, Say that health and wealth have missed me, Say I'm growing old, but add, Jenny kissed me.
A WAR MEDLEY
THE WAR, WEEK BY WEEK [Sidenote: _Walter Emanuel in ”Punch”_]
August 12-October 7
The foresight of the British Public in refusing to subscribe the large amount of money asked of them for the Olympic Sports in Berlin is now apparent.
Wilhelm II is said to be extremely annoyed in his capacity as a British Admiral that he is not being kept fully informed as to the movements of our Fleet.
The coming generation would certainly seem to be all right. Even children are taking part in the fray. The Boy Scouts are helping manfully here, and at Liege the Germans, we are told, used nippers for cutting wire entanglements.
The London Museum is open again. The Curator, we understand, would be glad to add to his collection of curiosities any Londoner who is still in favour of a small Navy.
”Cambridge public-houses,” we read, ”are to close at 9 p.m.” Such dons as are still up for the Long Vacation are said to be taking it gamely in spite of the inconvenience of accustoming themselves to the new regulation.
Reports still continue to come in as to the outbursts of rage which took place in Germany when the news of our partic.i.p.ation in the War reached that country. Seeing that we had merely been asked to allow our friends to be robbed and murdered, our interference is looked upon as peculiarly gratuitous.
There would seem to be no end to the social horrors of the War. The Teuton journal, _Manufakturist_, is now prophesying that one of its results will be the subst.i.tution of German for French fas.h.i.+ons.
According to the _Evening News_ three elephants have been requisitioned from the Zoo at the White City by the military authorities. In Berlin, no doubt, this will be taken to signify that our heavy cavalry mounts are giving out.
A somewhat illiterate correspondent writes to say that he considers that the French ought to have allowed the Mad Dog to retain Looneyville.
The German papers publish the statement that a Breslau merchant has offered 30,000 marks to the German soldier who, weapon in hand, shall be the first to place his feet on British soil. By a characteristic piece of sharp practice the reward, it will be noted, is offered to the man personally and would not be payable to his next-of-kin.
It is reported that the Kaiser is proceeding to East Prussia to a.s.sume the chief command there. In Petrograd the news is only credited by extreme optimists.
Mr. Lloyd George's statement that ”The Prussian Junker is the road-hog of modern Europe” has, we hear, had a curious and satisfactory sequel.
Large numbers of adepts in the art of pig-sticking are joining the Sportsman's Battalion, which is now in process of formation.
A regrettable mistake is reported from South London. A thoroughly patriotic man was sat upon by a c.o.c.kney crowd for declaring that the Kaiser was a Nero.
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