Evening Express

WHAT WE THINK. The old cheap spirit of municipal advertise- ment characterised the debate upon the esti- mates in the Cardiff Council yesterday, and ratepayers will find it to their advantage to discontinue any semblance of encouragement. At election times the most empty criticism of the finanees by cheap campaigners brings a cheer, and rarely has it been our privilege to hear a ratepayer refuse to be blinded to the more important issues by twisted criticisms and easy condemnation, and get on his feet to ask in detail for the remedies which the critic would advocate. If a counter-scheme to bridge the difficulties were demanded in each case we should hear less blatant oratory, and be com. plimented with a dish or two of common sense. The mayor, admitting yesterday that the in- creased rate demanded for the coming year was a serious matter, impartially declared his opinion that Cardiff was the most reasonably taxed and best regulated of any town in the empire. His worship did not vouchsafe this opinion without the facts and figures before him, and without excellent knowledge of expen- diture during the past year and the demands upon the corporation in the future. Mr. J. W. Courtis, one of the council's keenest financien- a professional financier in the sense most desired by the ratepayers—had no hesitation in endorsing the mayor's view by seconding the adoption of the estimate. Mr. Lloyd Meyrick opened the gallery-play which followed by ask- ing why the aldermen could not propound a scheme by which the expenditure could be adjusted to the income-forgetting. in his attempt at sarcasm, that the ratepayers might reasonably ask, "If you are so anxious over it, why not propound the scheme yourself?" No doubt, if Mr. Meyrick could, he would. We next find Mr. Good at his old game—seeking applause from the thoughtless section to which he caters in his public comments by plunging into the debate with a silly side-issue which did not advance the ratepayers' interests one iota, and which was of no possible value to the question under discussion. Alderman Sanders, oblivious to the needs of the day, next looked for a little capital by his allusion to the old sore, "when he was driven off the finance committee," also omitting to mention that the rates had been consistently reduced since he was driven off. whilst the demands upon the committee had enormously increased. Certainly, the alderman did chip in at the conclusion dT his remarks with something of a. practical nature, but if any ratepayer can show us where he can feel any satisfaction of oratory, such as that we instance, we shall be eternally grateful. Those members of the council who boldly faced the fact that Town-hall buildings, tramways' purchase, western sewer construction, roads improvements, and so on, all necessitated by the rapid growth of Cardiff, must mean an honest and unavoidable increase in the rates deserve best of the ratepayers. We should not forget that for the added outlay we receive equivalents worth the cost, and, knowing this, cannot Cardiff cheerfully buckle down to the inevitable and say, "What we require we will pay for" ?

Powder and Shot. Swansea needn't crow when it hears the Car- diff rates are going up. We do get something for our money besides a corporation outing. 0 0 s What is Alderman Sanders's opinion on the fact that the floating balance of the Cardiff Corporation is being sunk? • ••••« It is strange that not even Mr. Good thought of wondering in the council yesterday that the estimates had not melted away during the heat. » "You wait till the end of the four years— they'll have another go then, and show they've learnt a bit!" said a collier's wife in the Rhon- cda, train, discussing the future of the coal trade. Mr. Lushington attributed the large quantity of black smoke which the National Liberal Club has been lately emitting to its having relied too much upon Welsh coal. We fancied they had been burning the Newcastle Pro- gramme. A committee of Liberals has been formed to take over and open new club premises in Roath Park. Roath Liberals object to go to Rumney on the Sabbath, living as they do in the por- tion of Cardiff most remote from Paradise. The state of the weather has caused an ice famine in Paris, and in London the consump- tion daily is abouf, 2,000 tons, or double the ordinary am unt. Cannot the British Associa- tion, as a result of its present sitting, teach us here in Wales to stir our lemonade with the North Pole by next summer? III Miss Qrace Lane's first al)pearan" before the Cardiff public will be an event in the local play- going world. When the house had sat through "The Little Minister" last night, it was agreed that the pretty young actress went further than anybody to make the piece. We can en- dorse the sentiment with lur conviction that we've never seen a more fascinating poutrayal of a delightful character. There are some gems in the Empire pro- gramme this week, between Tom Costello and Edwin Boyde. Costello's ballet-dancing bur- lesque and Boyde's immense make-up as a strong man in his parody of "The Village Blacksmith," set the house going last nitrht like a hen-yard when the eggs have just been laid. Now the Cardiff Horse Show jumping compe. titions are coming off it is a matter for regret that the Selbinis, at the Cardiff Empire tiiis week, cannot enter with their iron horse. The Selbinis can do anything on bikes—yea, they could take a fence and ditch with the best hunter going. The old trick-riding feats are quite eclipsed. Their show strikes us more like Elijah going upwards on a bicycle. »»*»««# The Cathays Workmen's Liberal Club con- ducted their election of committee men yester- day upon municipal lint's. A polling station was established at the club, and members at- tended between the hours of eight a.m. and eight p.m to record their votes. The method proved very successful. There was not one spoilt vote. It is necessary to remark in the lstter connection that a splash of beer dropped on the voting paper did not invalidate the vote. »»*»»»•' There was rather a long wait be- tween Acts I. and II. at the Theatre Royal last night, where a crowded house enjoyed "The Little Minister." And, looking at her programme in the interval, a sweet young thing read, "A week is supposed to elapse between Acts I and II." "I suppose the weak is elapsing," she re- marked, naively, and the hoarse young man escorting her tittered with a sound like a stone- c« ussier. • • • •' • • • The revising barrister settled some nice points at Finsbury on Saturday. One man. whose real name is Thomas Sly, was allowed to retain his vote as Thomas Smith; and another voter was deprived of his vote because the overseers had given his house the wrong number. If we get on like this in Wales when our turn comes we might take the tip and let the house vote instead of the man. • • » • • • • The vigorous letter of the Bishop of Bristol in denunciation of Mr. Kensit may have the undesired effect of increasing the hitter's notoriety—which is being fostered, indeed, in sin- gular way just now. At a Nonconformist school recently one of the examination questions was, "Who is John Kensit, and what do you know about him?" The amount of fame to be won by theological champions among boys under fourteen is indicated by the faot that there was not a single answer. How many in Wales could answer it to this day? How many in Cardiff care? Talking of heroes and heroines, the hero at the Grand this week, in Mr. Wilson Barrett's "Sledge Hammer," gets a thicker kind f life than we should like to come across. The play- goer has excitement and sensationalism enough to dream of for the next month, and the fight at the forge, the scene at the coroner's inquest, and the general results of the villain's awful villainy are given such vivid pourt-ayal that folk last night had to pinch themsel-ea to make sure that they were sound and safe enough to let themselves go when the sfrong vein of good comedy tickled them. »*»••• "The Little Minister" is just as charming to those who have read the book as to those who haven't. Its description as a "romantic comedy" was never better merited, and rarely. have we seen romance and comedy so delight- fully blended. The exquisite air of freshness that hangs over it is accounted for when we remember that this is the first occasion on which the quaintnesses Qf Scottish rural life and atmosphere and scenery have been placed before us on the Cardiff stage. Our only experience has so far been gathered in the aroma of the Scottish whisky at the bar—and that, by familiarity, has lost its quaintness. < The new art poster outside the South Wales Art Society's exhibition in Cardiff has excited a good deal of interest and comment. The Vigilance Society have, happily, taken a prac- tical view of it. They won't renew the "Artist's Model" crusade in this case, for they are satisfied with the interpretation that the unattired gentleman depicted in the poster is on his way to the nearest outfitter's. And he is so evidently in a hurry that Canon Thomp- son himself must feel appeased. But the Art Society missed the opportunity to reap a golden harvest when they omitted to indicate the name and address of the tailor. It does seem possible to conduct a club on [ paying lines without arousing the jealousy of the police. The Cathays Workmen's Liberal Club has just issued a balance-sheet, which shows JB401 to the good. And yet the club possesses a rule by which the steward or stewardess shall cease to supply intoxicated members until they are sober enough to under- stand what Local Veto and Sunday Closing mean, and the steward is entitled to call on any members to chuck the inebriated Liberals out into the bit.ter world when they become obstruperous. « • » • • a The narrative of M. de Rougemont is like Rumour in the fourth book of the JEneid; modest and diffident to begin with, it grows taller as it proceeds. Yesterday the explorer told the members of the British Association how to get What they want out of savages without fric tion or the use of firearms. All that is neces- sary, he avers, is to clap your hands to your hips, put out your tongue, and execute "a few steps of a lively jig to the accompaniment of whistling." Saluted in this friendly fashion the savages will "throw down their spears, and practically place themselves and their know- ledge at the disposal of the white stranger." But it does not do to take all these explorers literally. However useful this information might have been to the Sirdar in avoiding a battle at Omdurman, a Cardiff man who fol- lowed the recipe on a visit to Swansea yester- day only found himself run in and charged with being drunk and disorderly. • The "Little Minister" was not the only good man sorely tempted last n'eht in the. Royal. An awful struggle was raging in another mind, in another portion of the house. It was a con- flict between mind and matter—between the promptings of a soul that soars upon the wings of music unto higher things and the coarse call of a miserabiy-material diaphragm moved by a maddening thirst. Ah. it is not for us to gloat over the issue,an d hint darkly of the influence which must have won! More fitting will it be to exercise the charity taught by the deacons of the kirk. and merely quote the warn- ing from the columns of our Liberal contem- porary, in which the stricken soul made con- fession of the struggle after it had passed. So we read thus this morningThe special music of Sir A. C. Mackenzie, which is per- formed by the orchestra, should not be over- looked by any means, though THE TEMPT A- TION TO WITHDRAW BETWEEN THE ACTS IS GREAT." < < < Mr. W. B. Williams, of Cwmtillery, writes to- day with a brilliant suggestion which he has been able to evolve since the heat-wave ceased. Whilst folk, he says, are highly pleased with the "Express" cartoon, "The Prodigal's Return," they are anxious to see the prodigal before he "went into a far country." They say, "We have him in his rags, Ac., but what were his condition, prospects, surroundings, and so on. before he went away ? He wants another cartoon illustrating this. Per- haps. we can furnish some indication in answer to Mr. Williams without the cartoon. It will be observed that if the prodigal had not re- turned that fatted calf would have grown up into a cow, and the prodigal might have waltzed up and milked it. Since he has returned, no donbt, the powers that welcome him will milk the prodigal instead. As to his previous state, the prodigal was ju?t as ragged when he went, I and, withal, might have worked at the old spot forever without any prospect of the fatted calf. ThatH.1 situation aa we understand it.

Extraordinary Case. FROCK COALED GENTLEMAN AND A YOUNG WOMAN. At Southwark Court en Monday morning William Groyling, 23; Albert Smallcorn, 19; and Sydney Addison, 19, were charged with assaulting and attempting to rob Thomas Terence, a glass factory superintendent, re- siding at 292, Eoy's-walk, Old Kent-road. The prosecutor, a tall gentleman attired in a frock coat, stated that he was going home along London-road about 12.45 on Sunday morning when he was struck under the right ear by Groyling. The other prisoners pinioned his arms behind his back, and attempted to search his pockets. Groyling: Was you not following my young woman? Mr. Taylor: Your young woman? Prisoner: Yes, your worship. The prisoner woman? Mr. Taylor: Your young woman? Prisoner: Yes, your worship. The prisoner spoke to her, and was annoying her. which. naturally, brought me to her assistance, and I pushed him off, and he fell to the ground. SmaUcorn and Addison said they saw the prosecutor speak to another young woman before this one outside the Surrey Theatre, and because she would not have anything to do with him he took out a knife and flourished it. All this the prosecutor emphatically denied. Mr Paul Taylor (to Groyling): Is your young woman in court? Prisoner: Yes, there she is. Mr. Taylor: Let her step forward. The girl, who gave her name as Annie Lister, said Groyling was her young man. She corro- borated all he had said in reference to the conduct of the prosecutor. Edward Collins, contractor, gave Groyling, who was one of his eml110yes, a good character as a steady, sober man. Mr. Paul Taylor said the case was a very unsatisfactory one, and discharged the three prisoners.

AN ECHO OF THE WAR. BRIIISH BLOCKADE RUNNER CONFISCATED. A Cenutral News telegram from New York on Tuesday says.—The United States Prize Court, sitting at Key West, has condemned the British ship Newfoundland, which was captured whilst attempting to run the blockade of a. Cuban port, as a lawful prize of war. and she will accordingly be confiscated by the United States.

PATERNAL PRIDE. At the Thames Police-court Charles Craydon was charged with drunkenness and disorderly conduct. Constable 140 H having proved the offence, defendant, in reply to the charge, said he had "been elevated ever since the Khartoum affair." He had two sons out there, and they had both come off without a scratch. That made him very pleased. Afr. Mead told defendant his conduct had been very disgraceful, and fined him 5s.

FOUND DEAD IN A STABLE. A mysterious occurrence took place in Crieff on Tuesday morning. George Mearns, coach- man to Sir Thomas Boyd. ex-Lord Provost of Edinburgh, residing at Crofiweet, Crieff, was found dead in a stable with a mark on his forehead. Deceased was left in the stable on Mondny night at a la1e hour by some com- panions, and it is not known how he came by his death. He was over 50 years of age, and ieaves a widow and family.

FOUND IN A CISTERN. An extraordinary case of alleged attempted suicide came before Mr. Plowden on Monday at Marylebone. The accused was a laundress named Harriett Bradley, aged 39, who lodged at 12, Botton- road, St. John's-wood. It appeared that while the landlord of the house, Mr. Rigby, was lay- ing down a carpet with the help of a neigh- bour they noticed that water was coming through the ceiling. On going upstairs to ascertain the cause they fOl1nd the accused lying full length on her back in the cistern, dressed in an undergarment and her night- dress. On being questioned by the magistrate, the accused said she had not the least idea how she came to be in the tank; she had no inten- tion of taking her life. "1 had been drinking," she added, "but I had none to-day." Mr. Plowden remarked that her conduct was unintelligible, and he should remand her for inquiries, and for a doctor to examine her. •

ELEPHANT AND CYCLIST. An Elephant's Revenge would form a good title for the small comedy which was acted on Sunday morning near Coombe-hill, on the road between Wimbledon and Kingston, the prin- cipal actors being a huge .trunk-adorned pachy- derm and an eager cyclist. A troop of four elephants and half-a-dozen camels-the chief attractions of a travelling show—accompanied by three deeply-tinted guardians, almost in fact black, riding horses, were proceeding leisurely in the direction of the last-mentioned town completely blocking the road to some dozen cyclists, who were consequently obliged to trudge behind enveloped in a thick cloud of dust. One of their number, anxious to get on, and rejoicing in the possession of a broad white sombrero, suceeeeded in passing the first two elephants, and was about to skip by the third, when the elephant in front, attracted by a small pool of dirty water on his off-side, sud- denly crossed the road, and consequently suffered a collision in the rear from the cyclist. Evidently resenting deeply such an indignity, the elephant dipped his trunk in the puddle, and, swinging it round, discharged the dirty water right over the unfortunate weelman, much to his discomfort, but. to the great amuse- ment of the spectators.. The elephant then marched proudly onwards, and the cyclists discreetly kept in the background until the road widened and gave them more room to pass.

A WIFE'S ADMISSIONS. AL Highgate Police-court, London, Freeman Charles Yalden, an estate agent, of Wightm?.n- road, Hornsey, was charged on an adjourned feummjns with deserting his wife.—Mr. Oharl-^s, solicitor, who defended, reminded theoencil that, upon the suggestion of the bench at Lb) previous hearing, plaintiff and defendant agreed that a deed of separation shonld tie signed, the defendant to make his wife an allowance of 22s. 6d. a week. This arrange- ment the defendant was perfectly willing to keep, but the wife wished to have the terms materially altered. The facts, briefly staled, were that defendant married the plaintiff six years ago. At that time she was a barmaid, and had fn illegitimate son. fcome we3h" ago defendant left her, and removed most of the furniture in the home to his mother's liouse He took two children with him, leavn-j the illegitimate child and the youngest c.h.cl of the marriage with her. He had, howevo-, paid her 20s. a week.—In cross-examination the plaintiff admitted that she sometimes stayed out very late at night; that she frequently w.^nt to a wine-shop in the Strand; and that she had written letters to a gentleman, though she said that one letter was written as a test- letter to see if her husband would intercept it. —Mr. Frank Beal. the clerk, said that the defendant must either show that there was no desertion, or he must prove a specinc act of adultery.—Mr. Charles said that, for the plain- tiff's sake, he wished to avoid going into details, but he claimed that, owing to her con- duct, his client was justified in leaving her. He submitted that the bench could not say that defendant must either live with his wife or submit to the ignominy of having an order made against him. He claimed that there wa^ no dssertion.—The summons was dismissed, Mr. Beal remarking that the bench did not think the case was one in which an order should ber made.

BIRTHS AND DEATHS. At a meeting of the health and port sanitary committee of the Cardiff Corporation, held at the Town-hall on Tuesday morning, Dr. Walford, the medical officer, reported that during the past month the number of births wa.s 436, or 32 per 1,000. The deaths numbered 237, or 17.3 per 1,000, compared with 22.2 per 1,000 in the 33 large towns. During the month 41 cases of diphtheria had been reported, which was a considerable decrease on previous months. The cases were distributed as follow:—Central Ward, 1; South, 6; Cathays, 6; Park, 3; Adams- down, 0; Riverside, 6; Canton, 5; Roath, 3; Grangetown, 5; and Splott, 5: Most of the cases were those of young children.—A letter was read from the Hull and Goole Sanitary Authority asking the Cardiff Corporation to support a resolution at the forthcoming sani- tary congress at Birmingham in favour of cholera precautions being taken at the expense of the Imperial Government instead of by the local authorities.—It was decided to accede to the request, and also to send delegates to the conference.—Eight tenders were received for extensions to the sanatorium. Tbe amounts were as follow:—Mr. James Allan, £22.366 13s. 4d.; Messrs. Powell and Mansfield, £21.894 3s. 5d.; Messrs. Chubb and Co. £21,793 4s. lid.; Messrs. W. Thomas and Co., £20,878 4s. 8d.; Messr-i. W. Symonds and Co., £20.275 8s. 4d.; Messrs. "Turner and Sons, £19,975 93. Od.; Mr. W. T. Morgan..819.200; and Mr. C. C. Dunn, £17,811 19s. 9d.—It was decided that the teniLer of Mr. Dunn be accepted.

Stories of the Empress. SOME INTERESTING AND AMUSING ANECDOTES A correspondent of the "Pali Mall Gazette" describes how five years ago he met the Empress in Milan. He says: I was having a tardy lunch at Biffi's, in the Galleria, when, to my amazement, the Empress walked in unattended and took a table quite near mine. Then fol- lowed a most comical incident. The waiter, a certain Scaletti, whom we had all spoiled by tips and by toojrmch familiarity, came up and said. "I hope you have not come for lunch; it is late, and all the good things are gone." "But," answered the Empress, "I am hungry, and you must give me something to eat." Scaletti went into the kitchen and cams back with the following:—"There is a dish all but ready I can recommend, for I had it for luncheon myself, only it is an expensive one; but if you don't mind the expense and waiting ten minutes you will be pleased with it." It is easy to imagine the amusement of the Empress, and when in answer to a question what the price of the dish was Scaletti said "Eighty centimes" she fairly shrieked with laughter. Then the man went on, "It is all very well to laugh, but you see they give you a handful of rice and some shrimps, they call it risotto alia certosina, and the whole thing costs, perhaps, ten centimes; so our cus- tomers grumble and ordT-r half portions. I'll bring you the same, and if you like it you can have more; but, in the meantime, I have brought you olives, salame, sardines," &c." And so he went cn talking and telling of his family troubles; how his brother-in-law had made for his house a Inck for burglars that thieves could open, but he. Scaletti. could not, and the Empress sr.t there laughing and en- couraging the man to talk. I sat as quiet as a mouse, pretending to be deeply engrossed in my newspaper, and, I hoped, unnoticed, when suddenly the Empress looked up and said, smil- ing "Ah. Monsieur Ie journalistc. ceci n'est pas pour la 'Pall Mall Gazette! I never thought my opportunity for relating the incident would find a pretext in so terrible a tragedy. Would to hea >en that her Imperial Majesty had been less impatient of being watched and followed! An Ill-omened Visit. The Geneva correspondent of the "Times" writes: —I am indebted to an Austrian con- frere for the following. He Ulls nrp that on Thursday the Empress's reader was reading a book of Mr. Marion Crawford's to her, describ- ing the murders resulting from the vendetta in Sicily. I have not read it myself, but be- lieve the title is "Corleone." The Empress was much horrified at the details given by the puthor, some of which strongly resemble those of her own deavh. According to my infor- mant this book had been selected, in conse- quence of a. wish expressed by the Empress to visit Sicily, in the hope of inducing her to give up the idea. Her Love for Seclusion. The desire for solitude had become a passion with the Empress of late years. When in London a few years ago she was always up and about at five in the morning when the streets were empty. She visited Covent Garden Flower Market more than once at that hour, and she walked in Hyde Park immediately the gates were open. Because of its seclusion she lived at the magnificent villa-Tachilleion-she had built for herself at Corfu. There she was wont to walk the terraces alone in the moonlight for hours communing with her own thoughts and brooding over her many sorrows. The last account of her was that a grave affection of the heart was likely to shorten her life almost at any moment. But she never lost courage, and pursued the life of travel and change which had afforded her the only relief from trouble. It is interesting to recall that some years ago-the last season she hunted in England-a vast deal of comment was caused by an inci- dent that occurred when she paid a courtesy visit to the Queen at Windsor. Having lunched with the Queen, she left the Castle for the railway station. On arrival there it was found that there was a breakdown of some sort on the line, and her special train was delayed two hours. The Royal servants brought back word to the Castle of the mishap, but the Empress of Austria was allowed to pass the hours of waiting as best she could on a bitterly cold day, when tha snow lay thick on the ground, in the waiting-room at the Windsor Station. She was there so long, in fact, that she had to partake of a meai in the buffet. This episode provoked comment all over Europe. and no satisfactory explanation was ever offered of the inhospitable neglect with which the Empress was treated. "Mrs. Nicholson." It was said that her Majesty was the first and only Empress who ever set foot on Irish soil. She was warmly welcomed by the Irish people, and on parting left a handsome gift with the Lord Mayor of Dublin for the poor of that city. In London she always stayed at a hotel, where she enjoyed greater freedom than she would have had as a guest in a Royal Palace; but she repeatedly enjoyed the hospitality of the Queen at Windsor. It was under the Eng- lish name of Mrs. Nicholson that the Empress most frequently travelled incognita, and when staying at Biarritz, Cap Martin, or Mon- treux, her habit was to rise at sunrise, and, accompanied by only one lady-in-waiting, to walk distances which would have taxed the J strength of most men.

DROWNED AT ABERNANT. A child of Charles Parker, Moss-row, Aber- nant, was droWNed in the forge pond, Aber- nant, on Tuesday morning. This is the third drowning fatality in Aberdare this week.

THOSE CLERKENWELL CATS. The medical officer of health of Clerkenwell (Dr. Glaister), in a report to the vestry on a seizure of a number of live and dead cats in the parish, adds that "the person named Scott. who owned the cats, and who was removed temporarily to the City-road Workhouse, has been seen by her brother, a gentleman in a good position in Birmingham, who has made arrangements for her removal to his home."

ZiAD GERMAN DOCTOlt. Edward Paris, described as a doctor of medi- cine. belonging to Germany, was charged at the Thames Police-court on Monday with attempting to commit suicide. On Sunday week defendant was seen to jump off the steam- ship Lapwing on her arrival opposite the British and Foreign Wharf, and after consider- able difficulty was rescued, but he again jumped into the water. It was stated that he was of unsound mind, and arrangements were made for him to be taken back to Germany.

DIED ON HORSEBACK. An inquest was held at Trimdon, Durham, on Monday, relative to the death of Nicholas Fletcher Russell, 22, son of Dr. Hugh Russell. The evidence showed that on Friday last the deceased was riding through, the village on horseback when he suddenly fell from his saddle. Assistance was immediately at hand, but when picked up he was found to be dead. The father of the deceased said that his son was an enthusiastic athlete, and in witness's opinion he had carried these exercises too far. Deceased was troubled with a weak heart. Witness believed this caused the death. A verdict accordingly was returned.

ALCOHOLIC GLOVES. Sir John Jackson, the well-known contractor, who is at present carrying out important works for the Government at Devonport and Gibraltar is making satisfactory progress towards recovery from his recent accident. While travelling through Spain Sir John was severely bitten about the hands by mosquitoes. With a view to allaying the pain he was induced to wear woollen gloves stained with a solution of alcohol. On striking a match his hands became enveloped in flames, inflicting painful injuries. The train was stopped, and Sir John was so badly burned that it was deemed advisable to take him back to Madrid, where the doctor of the British Embassy rendered the necessary aid. The danger was enhanced by the bottle containing the dangerous fluid catching fire, and at one time the whole com- partment was in a blaze.

MATRIMONY IN A TANGLE. A miner, named John Codling, of Darfield, was charged "-t Barnsley on Monday with bigamy, and was remanded till Friday. The ease is a somewhat peculiar one. It is alleged that Codling first married as long ago a»s May, 1863. but that after a few years of unhappiness his wife ran away, and Codling, having heard nothing of he" for about twenty years, married again in 1888, under the name of Wilkinson. The couple, however, did not live happily to.- gether, and afte" a few years of domestic in- felicity the wife obtained a ieparation from the accused, alon^ with an allowance. Then, sigularly enough, the first wife re-appeared, and the two making up their old-standing dif- ferences, lived together once again, and Cudling went to the courc and obtained an annulment ot the second wife's separation order. This occurred about two months ago, and the bench, in granting the annulment, said that they had no alternative in the matter, but intimated that Codling would hear further of the matter. The present prosecution for bigamy, therefore, ittheMauet.

Sheep DOb Trials. PROGRAMME FOR THIS YEAR S MEETING. The sheep-dog trials that have now been held upon the Ely Racecourse on a couple of occa. sions are becoming quite an annual affair that is looked forward to with a large amount of interest by local sportsmen. Its favouritism is, in the firat place, owing to the fact that such a rare, good lot of sportsmen have the management of it. There ie no snobbery in their midst, and everything is run on straight- forward, honest, conscieutious lines. Apart from the local executive, we have a great deal to thank Mr. Frank Thomas, Wclifield, Builth Wells, for. Mr. Thomas has a hobby-l would not give tuppence for a man that h;ul not— and that h- oby is sheep-dog trials. It is a very healthy hobby, as everyone will admit, and, moreover, ;1., particularly useful one. We have not, perhapv, so great a following for trials as we :ave for other classeil of sport, but the following is a good and sound one, and comprises some of the very best sporte- mai we have in South Wales. This year we have an addition to the usual prrze-list in the shape of a very handsome bowl, presented by Mr. R. Dewar. J.P.. sheriff of London Mr. Dewar, although he has not so far don2 us the honour of coming amongst us, is well-known to us as a rare good sports- man, with a honourable connection with the sport of kings." Perhaps, it is too much to hope that Mr. Dewar will patronise with his presenrj what Mr Frank Thomas has described as the best sheep-dog trials in the United Kingdom. If he does do so, however, I car assure him that he will have a royal Welsh wel- come from as good and sound-hearted a 10' of sportsmen as he has ever met. The show is I note, advertised for Thursday and Friday, September 22 and 23, and entries will close on September 19. An especially- strong list of patrons has been secured this year, and Lady Eva Wyndham-Quin has kindly consented to distribute the prizes. Mr. "Dick" Williams is, of course, the hon. secretary-how could we do without him?-whi1st the commit- tee are as strong and influential as of yore. 'The events are: — Windsor Stakes —A sheep-dog trial. Open to all comers. First priza, £10 and silver cup, value £5 5s.. given by Mr. Dan Radcliffe, of Car- dim; second prize, £5; third prize, £3; fourth prize, £2; fifth prize, £1; sixth prize, 10s. En- trance fee. 10s. The Tredegar Stakes.—A sheep-dog trial for novices (a novice is a dog that has never won a first prize). First- prize, £ 8; second prize, £4; third prize, £2 10s.; fourth prize..6110s.; fifth prize, £1; sixth prize, 10s. Entrance fee, 5s. The "Frank Thomas Challenge Cup," value £1£1 10s.. kindly given by Mr. Frank Thomas, of Wellfield, Builth. will be competed for by the winners in the Windsor and Tredegar Stakes. This cup must be won three times, not neces- sarily in succession, or by the same dog. Pre- sent holder, Mr C. Rice, who won last year with his "Old Merry." Dunraven Stakes.—For working two dogs at the sarn'3 lime in the best manner according to the opinion of the judges. First prize, £2 and silver cup, value £5 5s.. given by Major Wyndham-Quin, M.P.; second prize..61; third prize, 10s. Entrance fee, 2s. 6d. In addition to the first prize, the winner will be entitled to hold the "Sheriff Dewar Chal. lenge Cup." value £10 10.3.. kindly given by Mr. Thomas R. Dewar, J.P. (Sheriff of London), which cup must be won three years in succes- sion by the same person befare becoming his absolute property. There was a. rumour that Driscoll was back in Cardiff on Sunday, and, indeed, one or two men stated that they had seen him. In- quiries, however, failed to verify these state- ments. although it seems likely from a letter he sent a day or two ago that Driscoll will be in the town during the week. "Three figures'' is the somewhat ambiguous sum alleged to have been parted with by the Hull Club to secure his services. Some of the Yorkshire clubs who experimented with Welsh material cn the opening Saturday of the season have (snys the "Athletic Xtws") dropped their great catches like hot potatoes, as the selected teams for the second Saturday eloquently testified. Driscoll, however, is a player of a stamp much out of the ordinary, and should do a great deal to strengthen Hull's attack. He ha« arrived in the third port, but was reportec not to be likely to turn out till the strict rule about bona fide employment shall have been conformed with. Hull have thus early in the season been fined £25 for a breach of rule, and are likely to imitate the Scotchman and "mak siccar" in future. By the way, there is a probability of another rumpus in the club from the same cause as that of last season— the jealousy of the native talent at the big prices paid to imported exponents of the game. Many people are wondering how this "work- man's" rule will act in connection with the Northern Rugby Union. Fcr the most part. I think experience has taught us that, so far as the Welshmen who go North are concerned, the mere fact of playing fattball is quite enough "work" for them. If they have to work the majority of them would just as soon stay in Wales and "work." One of the first examples of the rule turned up in the Heck- mondwike v. Huddersfield match on the ground of the former at Beck-lane on Saturday. M. Sullivan could not be played for Huddersfield because he was "not in work," and had not done any for three days at least prior to the encounter. Why this young and admittedly clever half-back will persist in running his head Against a stone wall is beyond understanding (says the "Athletic News"). There is, appa- rently, no one to blame but himself, and if he refuses to conform to the rule he will be shut out from whatever football honours come in his way. If he will not help himself the Hud- dersfield Club committee will be powerless to act. They dare not play him. and we are given to understand that the first player of the club that breaks the rule by playing when not entitled will be penalised in a way that will be remembered. By the way, a start was made locally on Saturday, although it was hardly a serious one. There were a numher of Cardiff men who went over to Whitchurch to play a, match with a local eighteen. The result was a win for the side from the Welsh Metropolis by a fairly large score, and. all things considered, they showed pretty fair form. Fifteen against eighteen is always a big hanrticap in football, no matter how strong the fifteen may be or how weak the eighteen are. Ten men to seven in the scrimmage, for example, makes all the difference, and, although when the seven have a- strong three-quarter .1ine behind them but have no halves of any particular merit, the handicap ia. of a truth, all the heavier. Speak- ing of halves, I see young Heaven VNT marrifir' on Saturday morning. witn uiggs and Elln improbables. and Heaven now included in t.- same list. Cardiff's chances in this department do not just now look rosy. The only real test of merit on Saturday waal the game between Treherbert and Leieester. in which the Midlanders were once across the ling better than the Rhondda men. Leicester is a fairly strong team, and Treherbert's show against them must be considered a meritorious one. Swansea were not engaged, neither were Newport, so it is impossible to judge of their respective merits. Of the two teams, however. I fancy the all whites will be the stronger. Aberavon seem satisfied with the performance of their players in the trial game, whilst Llan- elly are positively jubilant, and appear to consider the championship of Wales already settled. True the side won against the local team in absurdly easy fashion—too easy, I am afraid, for the losing side to be any real test of strength. The select band of Welsh runners who travelled to Salford on Saturday appear to have had a lot the worst of the argument. Seconds and thirds fell to their share Tiretty plentifully; but seconds and thirds are, perhaps, the worst form of losing, and are less satisfactory than anything else. Cullum appears to have made a good race of it in the half-mile scratch, at which distance he was at one time one of the best men in the kingdom. The event lay (between Tysoe and Cullum, and a splendid race was witnessed. Tysoe mate the running, with Cullum hanging on, until 300 yards from Some, when the Welshman drew to the front, and 1 many thought that he had the measure of Tysoe. The latter, however, was far from beaten, and he gamely responded to the challenge. Tysoe gradually got on terms with • Cullum, and as they made the straight a shout went up when it was seen that Tysoe was drawing away. Ciitlum, however, stuck well, but he could not hold Tysoe, who, finishing with great dash, won by a cotfple of yards. Wadsley and Cooper, I notice, ran a dead heat in the 100 yards scratch race at Bir- mingham, but on running it off Wadsley won by six inches. Between 3,000 and 4.000 spectators were present at Rochdale on Saturday to witness the match wherein A. R. Downer conceded H. Hutchens seven yards start in a 200 yards race. Downer, who was born in Jamaica-, and won many races as an amateur, is jn his twenty-sixth year, and Hutchens, a champion of a past generation, and one of the fastest runners that ever lived, is nearly 42 years of age. The veteran held a three yards lead round the last bend, but Downer drew level ten yards from home, and won by a foot in 20 1-Ssec. VELSH ATHLETa