... At the twenty-fourth annual contest of the Oxford and Cambridge inter-'Varsity cross-country contest, at Roehampton, Oxford, soon after the commencement, lost much of their chance of winning owing to Harcourt spraining his ankle. The result ended in a win for Cambridge, the two leading Cantabs, Gregson and Churchill, holding premier positions throughout the latter part of the race. Gregson ...

... JFROM ABROADJ Athens The winter season in Athens promises this year to be un usually gay. The absence of the Royal family from the capital has kept Athens rather empty, but with the return of Crown Prince and Princess, Prince Nicholas and Princess Helen from Darmstadt, where they had been for the marriage of Prince Andrew of Greece with the Princess Alice of Battenberg, a spirit of greater ...

... Gossip About Books and Their Makers Mr. Percy Fitzgerald Mr. Percy Fitzgerald, who claims, we believe, to have produced more than two hundred books already, is still busily engaged in adding to the list. His Christmas Days with Boz, which Messrs. Chatto have in the press (and on this topic he cannot fail to be interesting) will be followed by a volume on the famous Douglas case, which caused ...

... The Iris Maiden ...

... By NELLIE K. BLISSETT Somewhere outside in the sunshine a girl's voice was singing a soft little twittering song. Lord Farringford finished his last mouthful of beef-tea and looked out of the window. On the smooth lawn below, a small brown bird was hunting busily for food. It paused in its search at that moment, and, looking up, swelled its minute brown throat in a musical little burst of song ...

... AUTOMOBILE TOPICS. Paris Motor Show This splendid exhibition has come-- and gone, and the world stands much where it did. Owners of 1903 cars have no cause to despair, for they are by no manner of means out of date. Lovely paint, beautiful varnish, luxurious cushions, but no startling novelties whatever, were the predom inating notes, and nearly all there was to see of interest will be on view ...

... ON THE GREEN. Golf in 1903 The year is drawing to a close, and although, for the golfer, no season debars him absolutely from playing his beloved game, and like Tennyson's brook he goes on for ever, yet the end of the year marks a sort of pause in his activities. He has a moment in which to think of the events of the past year with all its crowded hours of glorious life, or bitter moments of ...

... Miss Ghita Stanhope Daughter of Hon. Henry Augustus Stanhope and niece of Earl Stanhope. Miss Stanhope makes a hobby of cats ...

... People of Interest Ghristmas at Sandringham The King and Queen will entertain a family party at Sandringham for Christmas, when the Duke and Duchess of Fife and their children and the Duke of Cambridge will be among their guests. There will also be a shooting party at Sandringham, from Monday, December 28, over the New Year, and on January 4 their Majesties start for Chatsworth. Christmas at ...

... 'I AT THE SIGN OF THE TIMES --l gy g vernede A Painful Dream About Christmas Christmas is upon us. I am reminded of this not only by the receipt of many choice Christmas cards, adorned alternately-- so far as I can judge-- with pictures of Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Consul, and in any case full of the heartiest greetings; but also by a painful dream which beset me last night. I dreamt that it ...

... P. F. Warner, the English Captain A eui/iout 1 hicle fhoto oy ...

... Christmas is a festival of family reunions and home gatherings, and fortunate are those sailors and soldiers who can spend Yule-tide in the midst of relations and friends, instead of being compelled to pass it in some distant land or some foreign station, far removed in body from dear ones at home, though present with them in the spirit. Our photo- grapns snow now jacic keeps Christmas day it ...