18 APRIL 1969, Page 36

No. 549: The butler's thoughts

COMPETITION

A perennial puzzler for students of Belloc's Cautionary Tales is the question of what the Lundy butler thought of his young master . . . `The Dear Old Butler thought—but there! /I really neither know nor care/For what the Dear Old Butler thought! /In my opinion Butlers ought/ To know their place, and not to play/ The Old Retainer night and day.' The latest news from Lundy indicates that the Scientolo- gists have written to Mr Peter Mills, MP, to see if he has any objection to their possible pur- chase of the island. Competitors are invited to suggest what the Dear Old Butler, were he allowed his tongue, might have thought on this delicate matter (maximum 14 lines). Entries, marked 'Competition No. 549,' by 28 April.