Goddess, hear me--oh, incline a
Gracious ear to me, Lucina!
Patroness of parturition,
Pray make this a special mission;
Prove a kind inaugurator
Of my votive incubator!
Seventy eggs I put into it--
Each a chick, if you ensue it.
Pray you, let me not be saddled
With a single "clear" or addled.
See! the temperature is steady.
Now then, Goddess, _are you ready?_
Hear me, Goddess, next invoking
You to keep the lamp from smoking,
And, the plea so humbly voiced, you're
_Sure_ to regulate the moisture?
Oh, Lucina, 'twill be ripping
When we hear the eggs all pipping!
When no chick the shell encumbers,
Goddess, hear their tuneful numbers!
Then, O patroness of hatches,
We will try some further batches.
Goddess, hear me!--oh, incline a
Gracious ear to me, Lucina!
* * * * *
"MATRIMONY.--Two young, respectable fellows wish to meet two
respectable young girls, between the ages of 20 and 30, view
above.--T.S.R. and E.C.P., Clematis P.O., Paradise."--_Melbourne
Argus._
If marriages are made in heaven these respectable young fellows have
selected a really promising postal address.
* * * * *
"Nine petty officers were landed from the damaged German destroyer V69
and brought to the Willem Barrentz Hotel, Ymuiden, to-night. My
correspondent engaged them in conversation at a late hour. After some
Dutch Bock beer they rapidly recovered their spirits and began to sing
Luther's well-known hymn, 'Ein Feste Bung.'"--_Provincial Paper._
Very appropriate too, but wouldn't a loose "Bung" have pleased them even
better?
* * * * *
[Illustration: A PLAIN DUTY.
"WELL, GOODBYE, OLD CHAP, AND GOOD LUCK! I'M GOING IN HERE TO DO MY BIT,
THE BEST WAY I CAN. THE MORE EVERYBODY SCRAPES TOGETHER FOR THE WAR LOAN,
THE SOONER YOU'LL BE BACK FROM THE TRENCHES."]
* * * * *
[Illustration: "STICK TO HIM--STICK TO HIM!"
"I'LL STICK TO HIM, SIR. BUT WHICH ONE DO YOU MEAN?"]
* * * * *