S-ssh!

The Prime Minister, addressing a Nationalist gathering in Melbourne last night, asked Nationalist members to confine their criticism of him and the Ministry to the party room.

If you WANT a scold me, dear,
    Don't talk out loud.
You know the walls are thin:
You know the crowd
That waits with ears
    Glued closely to the wall.
Please talk in secret—or,
    Don't talk at all.

If you MUST scold me, pet,
    Please shut the door;
Those things that you would say
    I've heard before—
Aye, oft before—but if
    You would repeat
Those ancient bromides,
    Darling, be discreet!
The neighbours! Love, the neigh-
    bors!
Don't you know,
They're waiting just to say,
    "I told you so."
They're waiting just to
    Find we disagree;
And there's an ending,
    Sweet, of thee and me.

If you MUST talk, my sweetheart,
    Then inside.
Why scold out in the street?
    I have denied
Your allegations oft; and oft, and
    oft!
But, if you must repeat them,
    Please be soft.

Sweetest! We have our house—
    Our home to keep.
You know those base intruders
    Who would peep,
And pry and interfere with our
    affairs.
Darling! Don't let us wrangle on
    the stairs.