The Cardiff Times

P. E. GANE, • 38-41, QUEEN. STREET, CARDIFF. 161 & 162, COMMERCIAL STREET, NEWPORT, INVITES YOU TO TEST THE GREAT SAVING ATTENDING THE PURCHASE OF —- FURNITURE FROM LOCAL MANUFACTURERS. GUIDE TO FURNISHING FREE ON APPLICATION

WORKMEN'S TOPICS. BY MABON, M.P, MINERS IN CONFERENCE. u jjj" week, commencing on Tuesday morning losing on Friday afternoon, was held the J0hT*t* 113031 influential, and moat important H in some respects that was ever held j country. Three of the subjects discussed the new Fiscal Policy, the worm disease, tojnew departure of having three distinct Boards connected with the Federation, w and all are worthy of the miners' repre- ijitive3' moatserioas consideration, and will, I ',lid believe, receive the same,' from those U#? the deleates represented. iHje number of of persons represented, and proportion Ambers, as compared with non-membsrs, I those engaged in the mines in the dis- I jj concerned, was the greatest on record. The represented have in them some 515,000 '49iwvf WOfking -n anc' about the mines thereof, of whom are members of the Miners' ^*Jation. Here, then, is not only the largest %%Lioti of working men in the Unitea Kinc- but it also commands the adherence of ..Neatest proportionate number of those ell- in the trade immediately concerned in the > ootid. conference was, as usual, opened by an 48l*.a^dress in which the President gave us v *itti °n Sliding Scales and dealt verv efficiently 'he new Fiscal Policy and the worm disease, ^foreshadowed the necessary raining legisla- for the coming year. As to the Fiscal Policy C0nf<.rence erlgage(i jn one of she finest and v* teniarkable debates that I was ever privi- to listen to and take a small part in. It •io *e,Ilarkable in its ultimate emphatic declara- I 1013 so many representative workiug men True to Free Trade. subject was introduced in a resolution pro- by onr genial and ab'e friend, Mr A. Hednesford, to the effect that the con- Hi j66' having heard the views of the Prime Jbi •t6r and Mr Chamberlain, was of ^'on that aDy new policy foreshadowed h^bese right hon. gentlemen with re- to Protection would be a great mistake, Would probably ultimately lead to the tjj0 °f many of the trades of the country they oralore objected to any new arrangement or •»« a,teration of the Free Trade policy which e*iated in the country for the past 60 years, {j. 1 Policy outlined by Mr Chamberlain, Mr said simply meant that he was going to the food of cattle cheaper at the expense of nR the food of the people dearer, and that ^Dv'ted this country to enter upon a war of w'th all the other conntries of the world. b>u policy might be the voice of Arthur, b. Was the hand of Joseph. If the Empire starve its people at home in order to have Empire abroad, then the days of that Empire °u tube red. Ibi lit friend and colleague, Mr [ Brace, seconded Solution in a racy oration in which he held u *Mr Chamberlain's proposals were as vision- his old age pensions and hi9 three acres ^|. cow. If the gentlemen named wanted to '?ve the industries of the country Jet ,them H Uce a -Bill into Parliament to nationalise £ •11 ways. The great secret why Germany, )j and Belgium were able to carry their £ at infinitely cheaper rates than our- ,es Wa8 becaQse the railways were owned by State, and not by private interests. « 1 this point a most unexpected incident took point 6 which made the debate a more remarkable v still because of the quarter it came from. Brown, one of the leading Scotch represen- »4s es' desired to move an amendment that ft ø", Ðrernature on the part of the conference to tj0h *ny definite resolution on the fiscal ques- Ilia IUttil due consideration bad been given to il Matter by those present and those tbeyrepre- • There was nothing so wrong, though that Mr Brown held that opinion, and e Phairroan, who was perfectly in order and held that Me Brown had no right as an laal to move an amendment which was not et* by the authority of those he represented, atl anhaPPy altercation followed. There Waking unusnal in snch a conference in what 0et* np t0 lh'Si °°'y't Kave Mr Chamber- 1ft *ad his friends cause, withoot a real cause, ^ioice. But Mr Brown, in opposing the reso- io 'n favour of Protection, went so far as av0ur taxing raw material and argued tt). It won't be long before those nations* V,?ers now sending their raw material and manufactured articles into this conntry 5$]v 8°°n be making tho finished article them- Ves And it was felt bv some present that an(j ijeen debater had lost his usual in debate, or he believed not in the that he was expounding. it need not trouble a far less able and man than Mr Brown to know that bnr- Wi* raw mate"a' and partially manufactured 68 w'th tariff, would give those other ktioItariff, would give those other J °tts their strongest reasons for taking that much sooner >ban they would otherwise 0^ they have any hope of succeeding thereby. ^.CQtild not somehow but express the greatest Personal surprise at bearing Mr Brown tbe Poflitiou anc,a,8° 'n arguing *iu and Wales would be the two pro- 3 °f any others in the United Kingdom that q suffer most if it would ever be enforced. *C feols some satisfaction to find in w^ere Mr Chamberlain delivered his 8Peech, so many approving of the l'tCJPtes of Free Trade, even amongst those ^'Rht be considered, to some extent, the recipients of benefits from his proposals. Sentleman who is very mnch in the regards the feelings and sympathies of 'h&nufactnrers and their workmen Mr Plain's unfortunate admission in his at Greenock, on the Wednesday night, as V^ible daty on steel, is deemed very un- °*te by his own followers, considering Was made at one of the centres of the Hun,'ding industry. The shipbuilding trade, something like a hundred \j6J^d workpeople directly, ia absolutely nt «Pon free steel. If, for instance, steel be bought in Gflasgow. or in the Clyde V.S .at as low a price as anywhere else t^ ^orld, there is not the least possibility shipbuilding trade of the United Kingdom ^hle to compete successfully with foreign jM^ding yards—with their lopger hours of and their lowier rates of wages. No tvVd Chamberlain's observations were 3 for the ears of stejel mannfactprew and \j^Workpeople, bnt who, knowing their own so well, have resented the idea as mnch tu*8 who among his own friends consider 6 statement on Wednesday night Was a ftf°rtunate admission for bim to make at V< The fact >8 that Mr Chamberlain s a .complete plnnge into Protection. a*es clearly that it is impossible to be a >^oni3t by halves, and accordingly he puts ^tyits to his Protective proposals. He now u'Si^ cIaarly that the Prime Minister and Rre far more in accord than many ir\^iuk. There is room to fear that so fat ^y^eat statesman like Mr Chamberlain tj *vJ8t"-ke pnjjlic meeting applause fox Boild /^bog-^Qt. Working men so far feel that bi3 ^^8"^and he has sdmitted it— to tax the will inevitably raise tbfc cost of living t Sjw and will also, according to his own *ew aeo, inevitably lower the tVfaKes, and most nndonbtedly cheik the of the country by raising the cost j 41^ *actares, and nothing he has yet said hjts tendoncy to remove these impressions.

^y'^S^d Cut.—" I put in the French phrases here," said the would-be anthor, to .,°°k an air of culture." H'm," re- Vn h»2e cr't«c, '«It would have helped a bit Pot In a little good English here and li

Illustrated Fashions. We have to blame the unpleasant weather for the duloess of affairs in the sartorial world, although there is little to note in the demi- saison. Modes, generally speaking, are never very decided until October is well on its way, although one cannot but observe the way the f ash ions aie tending, and thereby wisely take advantage of the reduced prices that most of the best firms are offering, and get a really well made dress whose cut and fit will always ensure its success, however severely plain the style, One cannot do better than invest tbree to five guineas out of a dress allowance in d. neat-tailor made costume, even although at the first glance this may appear a, piece of extravagance. have A Neat Coat. f generally found that if you go to a well-known tailor of good standing, you will there obtain good material and a good cut, which this season is all the more necessary as cloth gowns show every sign of marked simplicity of style. During the busy season the usual price asked for a tailor- made, turned out by a first-class bouse, places it beyond the means of many girls, but more in order to keep their hands in work during the slack season prices are really reasonable. Of late years the tailor-made costume had rather lost its original character for simplicity and severity, and became a much strapped, tucked, and gauged garment. This year, how- ever, there is every prospect that it will be more on the lines of the old severe type! The neat coat depicted fits the figure of the wearer closely, and has a high storm collar and deep pointed revers of fur. It fastens down the front with invisible hooks and eyes, al thougb half a dozen ornamental buttons give a finish to the front. A Demi-SaitiOn Toque. I The material employed is dull-surfaced black cloth, of a firm make, such as can always be relied on to keep its fit well. We are again to see in our midst the close- fitting long basquel Newmarket coat, trimmed in some instances with heavy soutache braid. The time is already close at hand when the woman with a good natural figure will no longer conceal its gracefnl curves and lines beneath the somewhat shapeless if convenient bolero, but will triumph in a plain tight-fitting coat and a smartly cot skirt of walking length. The true admirer of the tailor-made (amongst whom we may safely reckon the majority of our masculine friends) could not honestly express any satisfac- tion at the elaborate trailing gowns which usurped the name and were not nearly so com- fortable as the original mode. The smart toque depicted is well suited for wear at this season. It is made of soft Drown tulle of a rich tint drawn. There is a chon of cream tnlle at the aide. and a brown osprey tipped with orange. The blending of colours is harmonious and seasonable. We bear much of the increasect crowns which ate to be a feature of ti"- "ow«t miMinery< but I An Afternoon Skirt. 1 as yet the jam pot crown can hardly be said to be an fait accompli." It will naturally take some time to educate our ideas up from the ex- ceedingly fiat plate-like crowns worn last sum- mer to appreciate the more loftv kind of head- gear. In the meantime there is an intermediatft style in which the transition bats show a moder- ately wide crown. The French sailor bat still holds its own, appearing in various forms. One variety shows it in different colourings of feather. bine. green, pink, fawn, black, or white, trimmed with a fligfrt of tiny birds, while a strapping of silk x>t velvet -ta emphasise the contrasting note in the accompanying toilette extends from the back of the hat, passing over the brim and forming a bow or rosettes on the bandeau at the back. which gives the tilt forward over the face that is aboltttely necessary to ensure a stylish effect. Another smart mode shows the bat of burnt straw trimmed with a swathing of one or other of the .pastel coloured gauzes with its big black velvet spots. The gauze, after passing round tbaxrown, is gathered np behind into a rosette and ends. There is nothing so suitable for afternoon or home evening wear with a dressy blouse as the skirt depicted. It is made of black taffetas tucked towards the front seam, where the tucks form a V. The seam is replaced by a line of Open work silk stitching. The lower part of the skirt is finished by a series of narrow nounces. above which is appliqued some handsome silk floral embroidery. The skirt fits the figure closely to below the knees, where it springs out in a fussy fulness. It is slightly trained, and is therefore not suited for street wear. We hear much of the threatened invasion of the crinoline, but we must sincerely trust that it will not intrude its unwieldy and hideous form again in our midst. COQUETTE.

Aa artist gazed on his latest picture with a gloomy faoe. There's no use in trying to get awaj from the fact," he said sorrowfully, "I can't paint as well as I did ten years ago." That a apt it," said the honest friend to whom be made the confession. "You don't paint a bit worse now. Your taste io improving, that's all."

MUSIC IN WALES. BY D. EMLYN EVANS. The Cardiff Musical Festival, 1904. No one having perused the proposed programme for next year s Cardiff Musical Festivai can charge the committee with lack of courage or of lagging behind the times. While the last great master of oratorio, Mendelssohn, is well repre- sented in his unsurpassable Elijah," the Hymn of Praise and Midsummer Night 9 Dream — that wonderful production of a youth of 17—the names of the other acknowledged meat classical composers are conspicuous by their absence, or by being associated with only one or two excerpts from their works. A committee of a four days' festival must be inspired by a considerable amount of boldness and of confi- dence in the advanced taste of the musical publio when it ventures on a programme in which Handel and Bach are only represented by one or two choruses, Mozart by a motet—" Splendente Te Deus," and Haydn and Spohr not at all. On the other hand later composers, past and present, figure largely in the selection made, as it includesElgar's Dream of Gerontius," Saint- Saens' Samson and Delila," R. Strauss' Death and Transfiguration," Schumann's scenes from "Faust," Wagner's Act III. of Lohengrin," Verdi's Requiem, Felicien David's "Desort." and a new work by the conductor, Dr. Cowen. The above, with some minor pieces that are announced, forms the choral section, and, whatever sticklers for the old order of things might say, it will pretty certainly secure the full approval of progressive musicians generally. In the purely instrumental portion we are pro- mised, amongst other things, Beethoven's Sym- phony No. 7 in A Tschaikonsky's Symphony No. 5 in E minor, and his overture 1812 Sullivan's overture to Macbetb," and new orchestral works by El car, German, and Hervey, especially written for the festival. We understand that two other new works, one choral and one instrumental, will be announced later on. Thus, a rich display of modern musical thought is in store for those who way be permitted to be present at the Cardiff Festival of 1904. a festival to which the writer, for one, wishes greatest success. A Novel Advertisement. Welsh musical committees have the reputa- tion, not always without cause we fear, of being somewhat peculiar in their treatment of adjudi- cators and artistes when negotiating for their services, but we think they are fairly oat-dis- tanced in the down-grade race by an advertise- ment which appears in some of the~EngIish musi- cal journals for the present month, and which advertisement reads as follows :— Australia. A musical judge is required for Ballarat, Victoria, 1904 ——. in October —— 1904. South-street musical contests. Grand National Eisteddfod of Australia. Applications are invited from getitlemen com- petent and willing to undertake the duties of judge. Particulars, etc. etc." It is fervently to be hoped that no com- petent musician in these islands will be found willing to so belittle the art and its profes- sion as to offer his services, under such conditions. The Coming Eisteddfodic Season. With the departure of summer-such as it was-and the advent of autumn, eisteddfodic committees are as nsual well to the front with their bills of fare. In addition to the annual fixtures on Boxing Day at Chester and Liverpool, and at I)olgelly on New Year's Day, besides others more or less important but which are chiefly of local interest, there are other special meetings announced which command attention, No doubt the Cardiff competition on Boxing Day will prove attractive, both on account of the very liberal prize offered in the chiflf contest, and the fact that a distinguished Frepch musician will act as adjudicator. The London Queen's Hall meeting in February also shbuld prove in- teresting, and which is really an eisteddfod proper, the programme including subjects in prose, poetry, translations, and recitations, in addition to mosic-vocal, instiumental, and composition, three prizes being offered to brass bands. The total amount of prizes reaches a considerable sum but, fortunately, the commit- tee's venture is to a large extent covered by a liberal list of subscriptions, and which it is trusted will be further augmented. Some of the past eisteddfodic meetings of the London Welsh were not of much service to music, nor altogether calculated to enhance the national character, but others held daring later years in the Queen's Hall have been well- conducted, and made for improvement. Of that class is the eisteddfod now nndler notice, and it is to be hoped that the efforts of its promoters will meet with a substantial measure of patronage and support. The Bag-Pipes as a Wetsh Instrument. If the correspondent who is in loilb. concern- ing this subject will read up Welsh history, as delineated by authoritative writers, he will find that the bag pipes were never adopted by our ancestors, although Gruffydd ab Cyhon intro- duced and endeavoured to popularise them in the j country, or rather in that part of it which was under his rule, viz., Gwynedd (North Wales), on his return from exile in Ireland, where at that time the bag-pipes were in vogue. Edward Jones (Bardd y Brenin), writing in his Musical and Poetical Relicks." 1784. states that the musical instruments anciently used in Wales were five in number, viz., the tclyn or harp. the crwtli or crowd, tbt. pibgorri or pipe. the tabwrdd or tabart, and the corn buelin, cornet or bugle horn. The pibgorn or hornpipes is GO called," so he tells us, because both ex- tremities are made of horn. In blowing, the wind passes through it and sounds the tongue of agreed concealed within.* It has seven holes, and measures about 19 inches in length. Its tone is a medium between the flute and clarinet, and is remarkable for its melody," adding that "this rural pipe is peculiar to the Isle of Anglesey, where it is played by the shepherds, and tends greatly to enhance the innocent de- light of pastoral life."

Andrew Fletcher of Baltoun, in a letter to the Marqnis of Montrose, wr«te :—" I know g, very wise man that believed that If a man were permitted to make all the ballads he need not care who should make the laws vt the nation."

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS. When in the eyes of my dumb friend I gaze— My faithful dog, his head upon my knee- A iixed and fond solicitude betrays The premonition of a devotee: 'Tis then the haunting question I propound— A question asked, but never answered yet— Does that rare insight reach beyond, the bound Wbere those who die forea-ke-us and forget? He might reveal the secret if he dare. And give the fatefql answer which I seek, Of life before and after, whence apd where, Alasl God made him dumb, he can not speak. Lacios Harwctod Foote, t-

THE SEVEN QF HjUfiv At first the baby's fuzzy crown* Protected by its cap Ofdqwn And then the youngster's curly tnojpi That's never known th* barbel's shop, The schoolboy next his head mnat strip, To have a summer fighting clip." No shears the football age profane— The half-back wears a shaggy inane. The first white hairs evOfae a stgb; The bean's convinced that he most dye. Still vain, though older, he s appalled To note that be is nearly bald. Senile, yet sprightly as a grig, He dons the undeceptive wig. Frank Roe Batchelder.

Not very long ago a certain general required the services of a shorthand clerk" and a yanoor fellow in the A.S.C. applied for the post. Are you quick at taking matter dowa ?" asked the officer in question. "Never heard anything too fast for me to get down yet, sir," was the prooopt reply, and on the strength of this he was ap- pointed. The first day he took up his duties the general gave him rather lengthy dose of ma tter, and the young fellow was qiuito true to his boast. He got every word of it down, and departed to transcribe it. Some hours passed, and then the general remembered his new clerk. Going into the man's room be saw the clerk gazing at the book of shorthand characters in; front of him with blank amazement on his face. Something wrODR 1" asked the general. "Yes, sir," aft- swered the man mournfully—" I 90t it all down right enough, and here it is, but tan rbothered if I can renA-a line of it."

x Illustrated Humour. Mr Tnrmat (in London for the first time) Look'ee here, Peggy. Here's 'a restaurant where it sez ye can dine from ti;x- till ni'dnight-six hours 0' steady eatia—for half a crown. Let's try it. Returned Fighter And as I was being carried away in the ammunition waggon, I Listener: Don't you mean the ambulance waggon ? Returned Fighter No, sir: 1 WillS tlO fnll of bullets that they put me in the ammunition waggon. Personal. I Old Botcher (referring, to his drive): I think I am shorter than Mr Spills ?- Youthful and Very Inexperienced Caddy (mie- nnderstanding the query) Yes, sir, and a bit fattere:, too, sir. The advantage of scientific knowledge was illustrated the other day in one of the Northern towns when a group of men were discussing science. The name of Darwin cropped up. when one of the company, less learned than the rest. a%id :— Darwen ? I kna. that place. A've been there mony a toime." "Get out, you stoopid said another. "We re not talking about the place, but the man Hevn't ye Divver heerd o' Darwin? Why, if it hadn't been for him we should all hev been chattering monkeys, and not gentlemen like we are I" Fonr, Bedad 1 I Irish Boatman (relating «,n experience with a former patron) Shure, sorr, an' he was a foine fish, an' just as I was goin' to get him in the net, bedad if the owld rod didn't go an' break clane in four halves. Paw," said little Tommy Figg, on being scolded, ,rI heard Mr;, Watts say that great men's«ons never did anj good. I ain't a great man's son,,am Up; to a late hour Mr Figg's mind haa not found a sufficiently diplomatic answer. In a West End church on a recent Sunday the junior curate was preaching on reasons for com- ing to chnrch. Some oeople," he remarked, "come to church for no better reason than to show off their best clothes." Pausing, and glancing thoughtfully over, bis audience, he added. "I am thankfel dear friends, that none of you have..<^t»e here for that reason." Another Numskull. I American Ladv (at West End garden party) Oh! here is a. real live woou pigeon in the heart of this great city of yours. Quite rus in urbe, is it not ? The Johnny Is it ? You know I never could remember the names of these things. Personally, as a boy, I always went in for rabbits. Doctor Whv, how is this, my dear sir? You ,sent me a note stating you had been attacked with mumps, and I find you suffering from rheumatism ? Patient That's all right, doctor. There wasn't a soul in the boose that knew how to spell rheumatism. Mabel: Do you think a girl should Mswer a, young man's proposal by letter ? Tom Not one letter, but three. Mabel Three letters ? Tom Certainly. Y-e-s. I Compassion. I Mrs Younghusband (who has never scolded anybody in her life bsfore) Oh, owk, I really mast speak to you. Mr Younghusband is always complaining. First it is the soup, then it is the entrees, then the sweets in fact, there is always,, something wrong. T, Cook Really, mtim, I'm very sorry for ye. It mnst be orfnl to have to live with a man tike ttipt. Be was such a little nipper that the ladies bad no idea be was a midshipmauat all, but took him for somebody's "dear little boy in a seven-and-elevenpenny Navy all serge. At last one of them on whose lap he had been sitting and who had' just kissed him, asked And how old is he, ickle dear Twenty-two, puss!' he said, in a voice like a foghorn, And for the rest of theevenmg "ickte dear" was what a horrid little snobj He The astrologer described you exactly and said that I should marry you.—She Don't you think it was a waste of money to consult him ?- He Why ?—She 1 conld have told you the same thing myself if you bad asked me. Little Sammy had been so naughty that he was put into the cellar as a punishment, There WPs. silence for a short time, and then came a loud kicking at the door, and a little voice shouted, "Pa.pa.. you needn't open the door, but I've turned the beer-barrel tap on I" Do you imagine, my love," said a meek look- ing man to his strong-minded spouse, that all these tads, these lectures, ethical and philo- sophical movemepts of yours, bring any real cul. tare and good ?' Yes," she replied, incal- culable good, as everyday I appreciate more what an insignificant creatu-e a. man is I" Astrological QMry.—If the solar orV be ap. parent to our planet the eartb, why should it be I regarded as itswjn ? 1

SCIENCE AND HEALTH By Dr. ANDREW WILSON, F.R.S.E., So. Facts and Figures. Figures, it has been said, cau be made to Drove anything, but I apprehend few of my readers will be prepared to go the length of asserting that there is not all exact and correct fashion of in- terpreting, and, if need be. of correcting, any mass of statistics which may be submitted for cri- ticism. It is, of course, an easy matter to mani- pulate figures to suit a particular end. We see illustrated the same idea when a mau who wishes to bolster up a particular fadofhisowu takes a bit here from science and a bit there and then submits this egregious patchwork as a sample of scientific approval of his views. It is a question this, all through, of honest dealing with facts and figures, of the avoidance of fallacies, and of the absence of intentional faking of the statis- tics to suit a special end in view. Besides, figures, submit themselves to mathematical tests, and if the figures we stari, with are wrong, the facts they relate to will necessarily be distorted. Especially in the region of vital statistics do we find much argument over figures. Questions of population increase or decrease, matters of disease, predominance, and vaccination figures are illustrations of cases in which great care re- quires to be taken in making op estimates of re- sults. There is all the greater reason that care in estimating results here should be exercised, for the reason that a nation's progress (or the con- trary) in health, or in other matters, can only be reahsed and proved through the correct manipu- lation of the details afforded. An excellent illus- tration of the difficulties which may await the investigator in such matters is afforded by the contrary results Free Traders and Protection- ists respectively contrive to elicit from tbeir in- vestigation of commercial statistics. Vital Gains and Losses. I have been looking over some figures afforded by the Registrar-General 's Report for 1901 on our births, deaths, and marriages, along with sundry other details connected with the comparative mortality and loss of population, and the gains therein, in other lands than oar own. The years investigated *re 1881,1891, and 1901. Now in the United Kingdom for these three yeaisrespectively the births amounted to 32'5, 30'4, and 28 0. The deaths gave us 18'7, 20 0, and 17*1 for the three years. There has been a very considerable de- cline, therefore, exemplified in the case of the birth-rate, and a fall, generally considered, in the death-rate. Let us see the case of other coun- tries. The birth-rates tor these years in Austria were 37'7, 37*0, and 36 9 the death rates were 30-6,20 0, and 17*1. For Germany the birth figures are 37-0, 37-0 and 35*7 and for deaths 25*5, 23*4, and 20*7. The French figures are 24*9, 22 6, and 221> for births, and for deaths 22*0, 22 9. and 20 J. Ital; gives as 38 0, 37-2, aud 32 6 for births, and for deaths 27*6,261, and 22'0. It is easy, from a comparison of these figures, to see how each country stands in the way of making good by the births the losses represented by the deaths. A Comparison. But a more effective comparison might be made it a larger period be taken. If we consider the 25 years from 1876 to 1900, and if we take as a standard 1,000 to represent the natural rate of increase of population, the figures show for Bri- tain an increase of 11*9 of births over deatbs for Austria, an increase of 9-3 for Germany, an increase of 12*8 for France, an inciease of only 1*6 and for Italy, an increase of 10*0. These are interesting results, and I do not know that their correctness can be called in question. At least, they come from a source which has at its command the highest available actuarial talent for the conection of fiirures. The case of France does not surprise U8. There the births for years have just balanced- the deatbs. only there are Bigns of an increase of births being represented in the Republic, Germany and Austria have always run Britain closely in the proportion of births as against deatbs, but eve appear to be falling behind somewhat in our productiveness. Apart from these figures, there remains a very important consideration ttere, to which the social reformer is bound to give attention. Mere increase of population cannot by itself be taken as a guarantee of the prosperity of a nation. True, you want units to be added in excess of the death-rate, that you may have a reserve, so to speak, of national strength, apart from the idea that if we are to give support to our Colonies and extend the Empire, we must have the living material for this parpose But there is some- thing more. wanted. We might demand an excess of births and deaths, but we want healthy unit" added to the population, and it is precisely this latter condition whioh, I tear, is not represented to the fall fin our mMat. If the evidence of de- generacy and feeble bodies in our young is worth anything at all. it tells a tale which is worth meditating over. Better for fewer births giving us a healthy, natural backbone, than a profuse breeding of weaklings. This latter idea is pre- cisely that which mere statistics lose fight of, indeed, I do not know that figures have anv con- cern at all with the physical state of the new nnits, At the least we should see that physical decay is reduced to a minimum, for it only means natural weakness when the uofit are bred, and when the population is swelled by unwelcome additions which can take little or no part in the world's work. Germs in Our Rooms. Certain researches recently made on the part of the Boston (U.S.) Board of Health Laboratory are of interest to 118 all, seeing that they deal with the question of germs in our homes. Need- less to say, we are encompassed by a great army of microbes, many of which, happily, are barm- less to us. But the same remark does not hold good of others, and especially is this the case wben patients suffering from infectious troubles have occupied rooms. It was found that, of seven rooms ill houses in which diphtheria patients had been treated, one showed the presence of bacilli. In the case of three hospital wards one also yielded evidence of the presence of diphtheria germs. In the case of consumption, 10 private rooms and 18 hospital rooms were examined. Three of the former and two of the latter showed the presence of the tubercle bacilli. These results represent probably the difference between careful disinfection in the one case, and in- efficient disinfection in the other. But the im- portant point irf the sanitation of the home in connection with this topic is the remembrance of the fact that light and air are two great enemies of disease microbes. What we owe to the action of light in killing bacilli we can scarcely appre- ciate. It is, therefore, all the more regretful to find people exclude g the sunlight from their dwellings for fear of • ruining the carpets." This is really a penny wise and pound-foolish proceeding. Reptile Lore. Dr. G. Leigbton made an interesting communi- cation to the British Association, at Southport, in the shape of a note on the habit of our adder or viper taking to the water. That this snake had such a habit had long been denied, but Dr. Leighton said that in the Scottish Highlands adders were known to swim streams and rivers. Another interesting fact was brought forward in the paper referred to. The smooth snake (Coronella) is known to occur in Surrey, Hants, and Dorset. It is our third British species, the other being the green snake, the adder being the only poisonous one of the three. The smooth snake was known to occnr in Berkshire 20 years ago, but was supposed to have become extinct there owing to the fact that no sDecimen had been procured for a lengthy period. But during the present summer one specimen was taken near Wellington College. Dr. Leighton thinks the smooth snake is more widely distributed than is supposed and he is of opinion that, because of a certain amount of resemblance in the adder on the part of this snake, many specimens are destroyed on the idea that they are really vipers. The Sand Lizard, common near Sonthport, is also a curious animal in respect of its distribu- tion, for it is practically absent elsewhere north of the Thames. Diphtheria Treatment. Anti-vlvisectionists who, of course, raise an objection to any remedies for disease which are obtained by experiment on animals (even if the experiments are practically pinpricks) found one of their arguments on the idea that no such remedies are of any value to man. I know many people who think vivisection isaseiess on this supposed account. They have never taken the trouble to inquire into the facts of the case. The diphtheria treatment by means of the serum (obtained from the blood of a horse which has been inoculated with the bacilli of the disease) has come in for ita share of criticism of the kind to which I allude.^ Now,, it may be reasonably believed that doctors engaged in the every day treatment of diphtheria must be better judges of the value of the anti-toxin treat- ment of the disease than mere out- siders, therefore the statement made in the report of the Metropolitan Asylnms Board for 1002 should be kept in mind by the public. A few years back the death-rate from diphtheria in the board's hospitals was over 30 percent. To-day it haa fallen 11 per cent., and this result is due to the application of the new treatment. There is, indeed, no other possible explanation of the great fall in the mortality. If the treat- ment conld be applied earlv in every case, say. on the first day of the disease, the medical officers say a fatat termination would almost invariably be proscribed. These are facta for the public to consider when the anti.vivisection drum is sounded in their ears.

The latest story of Mark Twain tells how he once scored off a certain Bishop Doane at a time when the bishop was rector of a church at Hart- ford, Connecticut. "I say, Doctor," said the humourist, meeting the rector after service, I enjoyed that sermon of yours immensely. I welcomed it like an old friend. I have, yoa know, a book at home containing every word of it," How dare you, sir,"said the rector, you know you have not." But 1 have," said Mark, in bis most imperturable manner. "Well," said the rector angrily, send the book to me. I'd like to see it." Done," said Mark. The next morn- ing he sent the indignant rector a«opy of Wob. ster « unabridged dictionary.

THE HOUSEHOLD. Here is a very effective frame for a carte portrait. The materials required are a piece of green velvet—as near the colour of ivy as possible -a piece of sateen, and a skein of filoselle silk, all the same shade, some tailor's canvas, card. board of moderate thickness, and a silver butter- fly. First cut out the ivy leaves in card, and arranging them on the board, they form the groundwork of the frames mark lightly round them so that tile groundwork can be cut accu- rately, for it projects at the places where the leaves overhang, rendering them less liable to be broken off. Two groundwork pieces are required, and at e best done by one card being laid over another, and the two cut together. Leave one of these pieces whole, and in the other cat out an oval in the centre. These cards are covered with green sateen. The ivy leaves are cut oat in the tailor's canvas and covered with preen velvet. Embroider the veins on with filoselle silk, and sew the leaves on to the frame. If it is desired to have a glass over the photo, the glass should be glued at the edges to the A Pretty Photo Frame. I back of the pierced card: The two parls. are then sewn together round the edges, leaving au open- ing at the bottom to put the photo in. A ring to bang the frame up by is sewn to the top or, if a standing frame is preferred, a strip of very thick card ia sewn at the back with a piece of black tape across to prevent it from opening too wide. The addition of the butterfly is very effective. I have been asked by a reader who has some soiled oil paintings how she can clean them. Wash them with a sponge and. slightly soapy. water, and dry with asoftrag or chamois leather. Then dip your finger in brandy and water and pass it in circles all over the picture. Repeat the operation with undiluted brandy, then with oil of sweet almonds, and, finally, spirits ol turpentine, taking care not to leave the latter too long on the picture. If the colours do not yet seem bright enough work must be recom- tpenced but this time-a 25 per cent. solution of ammonia should be employed. Rub until the varnish is dissolved without injuring the colours. Now wash in aospy water, rob with olive oil, and wipe with a clean rag. With this method, which demands, skill, patience, and care, freshness and brilliancy are restored in the painting. A new co-tt of picture varnish can be applied. Sailor pasty is very nice. Shred a pound of suet fine, and cut some salt pork into dice- shape pieces. Ha, e ready some boiled potatoes and mince three or four onions small, rub over the whole some dried sage leaves, mix all together, and season with pepper and salt. Prepare some good dripping paste, then cut into squares, and fill each square with the savoury mixture; turn over, and press the edgeB down firmly. Set into a quick oven, and make a little good thick gravy, and when the pasties are done make a hole in the centre and pour in just enough gravy to moisten. These make good pies for schoolboys' dinner, A Novel Pen-Wiper.' i FaK making this novel pen-wiper. take a strip of dark cloth about seven inches wide, notch the edges one inch deep, and roll round till it is the right thickness. Get some bits of bright coloured silk or satin—terra-cotta and green are very pretty—and fringe ont the edges, make two firm tiea -round the roll,of cloth, and wrap the small pieces of silk romd each end, so that the fringes lie over the notched cloth* Secure- with a stitch. Take a longer piece of satin, of contrasting colour, wrap it round so that the other colours show at the end, and slip-stitch where it joins. Make a firm tie of baby-ribbon over the previous ties, and stick a scrap of a flower or a few spangles in the middle of the front. The thick centre part can be used as a pincushion, or a little sachet powder may be inserted before covering. Boots may be effectually waterproofed, with no fear of injuring the leather, by the following method Heat some fish oil. or castor oil, or even tallow, in an iron vessel to a temperature somewhat greater than that of boiling point: then add one-fifth, by weight, of indiarubber cut up into little bit, Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the indiarubber is com. pleteiy melted. Finally, colour the composition with ink. It may be stored in a bottle. One or two applications will make the leather, water- A Charming Headrest. proof for the season. Another advantage is that the boots can be polished with the greatest ease. A reader has been kind enough to send me particulars of a really charming he&d-rest she has just had put together. My correspondent aays "As foundation, make a pillow of wool or feathers about 12 by 18 inches. Take a piece of yellow velvet for the centre panel, which is 10i inches across and the width of the pillow allow for margins besides; The centre is adorned with a spray of Virginiacreeoer in painted poker-work. The rich tones of criirson, scarlet and brown are relieved with touches of fresh-looking green the berries are of a purplish black. Ordinary paint- ing or embroidery could, of eourse, be used, .or a handsome piece of brocade might obviate the necessity for anv decoration at all. Cut a, piece of lining 19 by 13 inches, and tack the panel on the centre. Take a strip of green pongee three- quarters of a yard or so long and sir inches wide draw one edge. Lay the edge on the edge of the velvet, and sew along. Turn over, draw the other edge, and run to the margin of the lining. so that it rises in a light puff. Trim the other side with a similar strip. Sew this front to a back of the plain material. Turn out. and slip in the pillow. Procura three yards of yellow silk cord. Tie a knot one inch from each end and fringe out that inch. Begin to sew it on at the top right-hand corner of the panel, and sew it to the left, leaving an inch or two at the end hang- ing. au- d making a small loop at each corner. When you have got back to where you started, make a couple of ldops to go with the bangifig end, pass to the other Bide of the panel, and make two loops and an end to correspond. There will be nearly three-quarters of a yard !eft be- tween the knots to bang the cushion by." A very dainty dish in Devonshire junket. To v every quart of new milk make lukewarm, add a tablespoonfol of sugar, a wineglassfal of French brandy, four drops of essence of almonds, a bit of lemon peel, a little grated nutmeg, and i four teaspoonfuls of rennet. Mix well, and put into a glass dish, stand aside to set, then cover the top with whipped cream. ETflEL.

v. Looking Forward. r I TMs," aaid the artist, is a battle scene— time, about the year 2000 A.D. The defending force is on the extreme right of the canvas-- I can't see them," observed his friend. Certainty not: they are strongly entrenched Can't see any ontrenchinents." Of coarse you can't. The en trench jaents are skilfully concealed from view." I should think you'd show some big cans or something. Nonsense The guns are disappearing gans, and they have disappeared." Well, how about the attacking force Over here on the left-all under cover. You can't expect tbem to expose themselves to the spectator any more than to the enemy." Well, your picture is a mere landscape." Yes but I take it that's how a battle will look in 2000."

This is a pretty time of night for that girl next door to beplaying the piano remarked an indignant lady to her husband. Oh, she's no retpscter of time You can tell that from the way she'si»iayiog l!l rejoined be.

Welsh Tit-Bits. Neu Wreichion Oddiar yrEingion BY CAORA WO. Historic Landmarks. A constant reader and occasional contribntot to this column writes that be has been screa.U1 interested in the articles which have appeared lately on falconry, and within the last few ÓaJIIl have received the following communication frorr. a correspondent, residing near Llantrisant, it which he tenders his gratitude for the iuterestins papers on Coity Castle, and goes 011 to say ibal it has occurred to him bow little the ordinal) inhabitants of Bro Morganwg know of t&< history of the castles of their coanty, especiaU, the following ^Peterstone, 'Talyfau, Llangwiot (near Welsh St. Donats), Old and-New Castle* Bridgend, Ogmore. St. Qaintains (Llanble- thian). My correspondent farther remarks :—" I haVf for years retained your contributions to Welah Tit-Bits,' aad on going through them end verj few of those historical landmarks have received little more than passing mention. Some time back our rivers and their tributaries were for s time followed up. Why not follow ap the castles, abbeys, churches, and some of the old religious houses which add picturesqaeness anc interest to the beautiful Vale? Information which might be in the possession cf some 0) your readers possibly could be contribated. Woald someone commence with iieaapre There is a tradition that the Magna Cbarta was first drafted there. Is this correct ?" I should have much pleasure in complying with the above request as soon as we have finished with the subject now in hand, and woald be exceedingly glad to receive any reliable ioforma- tion, particularly any local traditions which Mill may be gathered concerning these figures ol past history. The history of a country's caetlea is the history of the country in the days of chivalry, when these strongholds were at their best and the lords thereof "moaarchs of All they surveyed." Hawking. (Continued from last week.) .P' We are told by Hone, one of our greatest com- pilers of popular antiquities, that hawking wac once the amusement of all the Sovereigns o Europe, and was paramount over all other rsral diversions, the post of Grand Falconer bei^g among the higheet places at all their courts; There was once a rich trade made by hawk mer- chants on the Continent, and they were bound by law, under pain of confiscation of their birds, to go and present their birds to the Grand Falconer to any Sovereign for him to choose birda for the King's pleasure before they were allowed to sell any elsewhere. The month of May was the hawking season in this country, and continued for many centuries the predominant rural amusement, which wag followed by all the nobility and gentry at a very great expense. There ia still a place near Cratt- bourne Chase called Hawking Downs. There are any amount of place-names in every counts in Wales in which the hawk is prominent. Dafydd ap Gwiiym mentions the sport, ornaj be he alludes to the Welsh games:— Seithu ei geirw saeth hvnt, A bwrw ei weilch i wybr wynt. In these lines he alludes to Ivor Hael, his patron, shooting his stags with his bow and arrow, and letting his hawks to the wind. It is said of William Frampton, Esq., who flourished in the seventeenth century, that hi was the most active pursuer of this diversion it the West of England, being a gentleman ol family and fortune. He also kept race-horses it; training, and attended regularly at all raCt. meetings, carrying with him several casts of tlu finest hawks tor the diversion Of bis associates. There is a letter still extant which Mr FramptOV wrote in 1682, concerning a bawk which Jtaj been sent him bya friend, -which is very intereet< ing in regard to th's subject, which runs thus:—- "Sir,—The hawke you sent me to keep ia no* a burden, for I have a cast beside, and I cannot get good meet for them, soe that you must dis- pose of her, being a beautiful Moscowy hawka. She is every body's money, from the merchant she is worth £10. I paid Mr Mompesson's man for bringing her down 10a. I havt made her a good conditioned hawke. and killed a brace ot pheasants with her. I woald not do so much fat another man if he would give me J65. Your hawke is' full of flesh and very brisky. John Down, at Newington Causeway, will get you a chapman for the hawke. I have paid Mr CoJt9l for the keen of your getding, and one shilling tC the man. The dog you had from the King it mangy from top to tee, but I hope to care him r but be is notahle to leap over a low stile.—I am, your faithful friend, W. F." The amusement was carried on to snch a height at one period that no gentleman could be cooi- pletely dressed for company without having aglove on his left hand and a hawk sitting on it. H* who bore his hawk in the most graceful manner was deemed the most accomplished cavalier; an6 to please the ladies it was the practice to play flirting tricks with the plumes of the hawks at the same time and in like manner as the ladiet did with their fans. In the old Gentleman's Magazine," March. 1793, there may be seen a com- munication in which it appears from a previous account that in the preceding, September several newspapers contained a paragraph stating that a hawk had been fount" at the Cape of Good Hope, and broughr from thence by one of the East Indit ships, having on his neck a gold collar, on whict were graven the following words "This godJiI hawk doeth belong to his Excellent Majeatk JameR, King of England, A.D. 1610." There i, an account also in the printed edition of Weldon't "Court of King James," of a hawk being lost in 1610, which cfioild utt be recovered, though the fact of its going astray had been made knowr- in all the European CourtSj jand it is presqu&e £ that the bird thus spoken of by Weldon as tos( in 1610 may have been the one found at Cap" Colony in 1793; and could this be so it woull prove that the Welsh tradition about the hawi1 being one of the seven creatures which reached f venerable long age might be correct The Training of Hawks consisted in bringing them perfectly familial with the man, und to be obedient to his vote and command. This was done by vratchiof and keeping them from sleep, and by a continual carrying them upon bis fist, and stroking their and playing with them with the wing of a deaC bird or fowl, and by often gazing and looking at them in the face with a loving and gentle coun. tenance, ..nd so making them acquainted witt tbeir trainer. This first process was called manned. The next was called the lure, that is (t get them to jump on to your fist; then tilt third act was to train them to obey the voice and, lastly, to know the voice and lure so per* fectly that either upon the sounil of the one 01 sight of the other she will gradually come in ane prove most obedient; and it was important tc reward her when-she obeyed the command. The naoies of the different species of bawks. and the terms which were used at hawking, art given in a book which is called "Strutt'i Sports and Pastimes," in which are given variant particulars concerning the value of hawks, lh» fondness of ladies and parsons for the sport, vdi also its antiquity. "Old Nick," The name I, Old Nick," as applied to Sataa is of great antiquity, and it is supposed that W( in this country have borrowed it froa the title of an evil spirit or geniur among the Danes. The ancient German. and Danes say that this genius hal often appeared on the sea and oQdeep rivers, ic the shape of a great monster, presaging imm. diate shipwrecks and drowning the seamer. One of our bards has composed a song on bK visit to our earth :— Rbyw foreo Nic a drodd O'i nytb mewn dillad cochiOQi I edrych s-qt yr o'dd Y ddaeai a'i thrigolion Yn gorwedd yn clawdd Fe ganfu rhvw an meddw, A Nic a dii we&ai'n hawdd, Peth goreu wnes yw'r Cwrw."

It is your aim, of coarse," said a lecturer^ intimate friend, to make peopl. think." Va,* replied the lectuier, in a burst of confidence my business is to make people think tbeythinr —or, rather, to make tbom think I think tfcf} thinkf*: