The Advocate.

The stories and poems in the current number of the Advocate are facile but superficial as usual. Ordinarily a number contains a leading piece, which, by drawing favorable comments to itself, serves to buttress the remaining weaker portions of the paper. But in this, the New Year's number, there is no article which is better than the others, all are fair, but none are deserving of much praise.

Under the title of "Tom Morley's Beggary," A. H. Gilbert '01, relates an impossible story, which is later discovered to be a dream. Throughout, the story is smooth and swift, but, in plot and analysis of character, it is feeble. "Miss Carrigan: A Modern," by Lewis D. Humphry '01, is an interesting attempt at character sketching. The author plainly knows what he wants to say, and says it cleverly. "Elizabeth and Priscilla," by W. N. Seaver '00, just fails of being very good indeed. It is carefully planned and well written. But it is not convincing. "Tom's Wife," is a New England dialect yarn of good local color. "In Search of the Conventional," by J. G. Cole sC., is a tale in which the writer attains that which his hero seeks. "Where Poetry Fails," is a very pleasant idyllic sketch, and "Bradford," by Richard Inglis '03, harks back to home-sick Freshman days.

Of the poetry contained in the number, "The Gargagle," by Edward Richards '03, and "Bacchanalian," by H. W. Bynner '01, are both vigorous and rhythmical. The editorials are adequate.