In these days when the approaching mid-years cast a gloom over the College the forthcoming number of the Advocate shows that there are at least some men who can still take life light heatedly, in fact facetiously. By far the longest story, "A Boola Banish Tale," although suggestive of the outline of a comic opera, is very amusing in its ingeniously extravagant setting and in its clever bits of dialogue. The Chghan, with his painted tin poultry, sneezing twice to call his slave, is a successful comic centre for the tale. The story would be improved by a little more reasonableness of action--not reason; far be that from Boola Ban! Even foolishness, however, has its foolish laws, and there is a kind of absurd orderliness in nonsense. In the story "Getting Agnes," by J. L. Warren '08, there is not enough drawing of character to make one willing to forgive the commonplaceness of the theme. Perhaps it is the attitude of the pedagogue that prejudices me in favor of the Professor, who is not as absurd as he should be to make me sympathize with the decorative Junior. "The Derelict," the one lapse into seriousness in the number, although crude, has promising strength. The author might read Joseph Conrad to advantage. "The Strength Test," by S. Ervin '08, is the kind of article one likes to see in the Advocate. Such light, satirical essays on College subjects, on matters which obviously need reform, but which are perhaps not of sufficient importance to demand more serious treatment, are worth while from all points of view. Nothing is more important in reforming abuses than well-directed and kindly ridicule. Of the verse, the "Ballade of Lost Editors," by W. G. Tinckom-Fernandez sC., is the best. It has unusual knowledge of values and a real poetic flavor. "Rain in the Night," by R. MacVeagh '10, has a strong, sane rhythm, reminiscent in parts of Kipling. "The Holly Tree," by H. Fairfield '10, is an attempt, in rather uneven verse, to give atmosphere to a place which for most of us has not even tradition. Taken all in all the number is a good antidote to take against winter cheerlessness. If it has no warm sunshine it has often a fairly successful lime-light substitute.