The Cardiff Times

I SUNCLAD TOBACCO IS the Best. Try It.

I WORKMEN'S TOPICS- BY MABON, M.P. WORKMEN'S INSURANCE. now become a pretty general opinion IQ insurance of a similar character fcjjj |1 e*ists largely in Continental countries CQJJ | yttately be the one and only logical HjC'U8i°Q to cur Woikmen's Compensation mpl°y«w' Liability Acts of all kinds, nf an^ 3Pec'a*' 'n this country- Seeing Uti* 's is a rational enough view to take of Without in any way, for the moment, Ittiug oneself to the idea, I thought that well to try and find out how the (oD really stands in such of the Continental pdt that are well known, and for the of this investigation one found that for<sign labour statistics were issued by boup Department some few months ago, PtifrL ^av<2 been exceedingly useful for our What struck one forcibly at the h. Qlencemenit of our observations was sLCompulsory ^ature Schemes °n both employers and workmen, who the Principal parties to them, even when ^whemes are arranged for them by the Omenta of the various countries to which j* aPply. in fact, although the tables are rto "lle:1 from official sources, and show the t¡o\\1b and work ing of the different schemes {^^Uced by legislative enactments, in these if countries, for insuring certain classes 0 Population against impoverishment jf from accident sustained 'n the course ibe ork, or from sickness, infirmity, or old age, Co telftte only to those schemes which lire Pulsory, that .a those schemes under which or workpeople, or both, as the case who are required by law to make specific payment? in the nature of pre- in order to provide the necessary funds. ie th regard to insurance against acci. ip thls principle of compulsion has been It led In Germany. Austria, Hungary. France, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Norway. at t, urg, and Finland but whist in most COuntries the range cf occupations to insurance is wide, and comprises &ttj princ'pal manufacturing industries, in ers it is restricted to one or two kinds of °yment only. For example, in France the to ^a^on applies only to seamen in Denmark ftiii}Sfca'Daen and fishermen in Belgium to I^L ers: and in Hungary to agricultural j i,Qst"U On the other hand, besides in- Pti. employments, the German law com- ^68 and agriculture, and the Italian 1 lwS&afaring only. Still, within these various abie occupations the obligation is, as a llel COnfined to persons whose earnings fall 4 fixed sum. Thus, in Germany, all earning more than £ 150 per annum are in Italy the limit for exemption is b 5 'n Norway, £ 60; and in Finland £ 30. 'ther the Austrian nor the Dutch law fixes limit. 1 Insurance Against Sickness. ranee against sickneas one finds is. in Austria, and Hungary, compulsory ix dustrial workpeople generally, while in the compulsory insurance against sicJfc- tigg V the case of miners only, and in th« i Belgium of miners and seamen. "ff^oe- Against Old Age and Infirmity. je;7 system Of Old age and infirmity is most m d HQ %ed in Germany. That country stands to J? having adopted legislation applying be. Working classes geoerally, including ip. ssrvants, though in other countries classes cf workers are similarly insured e*rlier laws, as, for instance, in France ellt't)algium. where seamen and miners are *&<} to old age pensions, and in Austria Ij.^tti^ary, where the sane is true of miners. the most important 'of the existing etQgg Qj compU}sory insurance are those in ^*tjon in Germany and Austria, respecting it be well to give fuller details. AQQident Insurance in Germany and v Austria. e laws in these two countries differ, not regards the range of occupations but also in respect to (I) What con- jw accident for the purpose of com- bl ation (2) the proportions in which the W e*s have to be borne by employers and r*>en respectively (3) the manner in which tj^^ds are raised; (4) tbe scale of compensa- Payable to the various classes of persons Itleans of subsistence are impaired as Iy l'sult of accident. In Austria the kind of accident excluded from compen- 1^ 0,1 's the one which the workman has l|°naily brought about; in Germany the l^ule held good until the revision of the Iq i/111900, when all accidents which are due ^ross negligence or misconduct of the ^ih were also excluded from the area of ^Peosatton. In the earlier period of dis- ^.ef&ent the cost of the compensation in Ger- t0 y's borne by the Sickness Insurance Fund, ^icfa, in both Germany and Austria, the t contribute two-thirds of the premium e*rp!oyers one-third but the period in compensation is paid in the former ktttltry is limited to thirteen weeks, and the »{jeer to four weeks. In Germany the money ift paying compensation beyond thirteen 8 '3 paid by the employers in its entirety 4M 8 'n Austria the employers are allowed to 10 per cent, of the necessary money for L'11'5036 froin ^e workmen's wages. °th countries the funds are raised and t<w ^tered by associations of employers ill q expressly for that purpose. But while by these associations are organised "ti raQes, in Austria the bases of these orprani- ii^.0tls are territorial. The amount of each lc*Ual employer's contribution towards the incurred by his association is fixed t()b: Executive Committee of he association kb len he belongs, and is chiefly dependent qll the degree of accident risk in the trade, tljfc e'ermined by a table of risks prepared by bijj ^sociation, and the amount of bis wages 1 etc. Th6 Scales of Compensation Payable II. follow :—For total disablement the ()n t>ay able under the German law repre Ss vtW° tUlrds ot the ir,jured Person's earn- ^«t in the event of that person being at lot e time entirely dependent on strangers lendance and nursiog, the full amount of ^*<1 is given up to tbe tune of £ 75, actual earnings are in excess of that one-third of such excess is also given. Pension allowed for totai disablement "t ^he Austrian law amounts to 60 per cent. earnings, and in no case is it to If ^60. For partial disablement, the laws Of countries allow pensions, tbe amount ^eP^nds upon the extent to which Persons' earning power has been im- hy the accident, and which often times 1" s trouble in the ascertainment. ^°tlj Case f*tal accidents, tbe law of ^titries provides for the payment of money and of pensions to surviving ehts. In Germany the burial money ii,ea^s °ne fifteenth of a year's earnings; Vij, e 9Utn must be not less than £ 2 10s in while in Austria the burial money compuisory mode is £ 2 2s. In the pension to surviving dependents ^6 4ttiount in the aggregate to 60 per cent, of 't ^ariinnrs of the deceased, while in Austria 50 per cent. The Number of Men Insured. the number oi persons insured under ^5 ^rinaa accident insurance laws was I 38 compared with 18,118,550 in 1893. c Sa-Qie period of ten years the expendil ure ^»Sg^^Petlsation increased from tl,908,190 to ^cl^* In Austria the number insured. persons engaged in tbe mining '^creased in the same period of ten 1 ^6,270 to 2,621.929, and the ex- re trom £ 104,021 to £ 7S0^19, Old Age and Infirmity Insurance in Germany. In Germany a man is supposed to be unable to have earned literally one-third of an able. bodied workman's wages before he is entitled to receive an infirmity pension. and must have paid his contribution for 200 weeks. In order to enable him to receive an old pensIon" he must have contributed his premium for 1,200 weeks, and have completed his 70th year of age. The premiums are paid for every week of emplojxnent in equal sums by the employers and workmen, the amount falling to each being Jd, ljd.ljd, or 2fd. according to the wages class to which the insured person belongs. But the actual amount of wages earned does not alto. gether determine the ciass in which a man is placed the usual and most reliable basis is 300 times the daily wage of the class of the worker insured. The minimum pension for infirmity is S3 per annum, and up to £5. with a subsidiary from the Empire of £2 10s in every case but the pension may reach maximums of £9 5s to £13 10s, and even in the best cases up to £22 10s respectively, according to the duration cf the contributions. Where a person does not Jive to enjoy the promised benefits, or otherwise forfeits them, half the sum of the premiums paid is returnable.

MUSIC IN WALES. By D. EMLYN EVANS. CARNARVON NATIONAL EtSTEDDFOD- ADJUDICATIONS. Part song, for mixed voices fS.A.T.B.), with pianoforte accompaniment. Welsh words, Yr Hafaidd Nos The summer night—by A!afon English words to be adapted by the composer. Prize, £7. In this competition it is satisfactory to find that not one of the compositions is aimless, and that the majority of the ten works submitted are possessed of considerab e merit. In the following remarks they are not taken in the exact order of their estimated respective value, but as they happen to present them. selves* Bustier song is not bad by any means but is somewhat too laborious, both in the vocal and pianoforte parts, to portray the tender teelings of the text. A litile more sim- plicity would have been an improvement. "Bennett," ag*in, i« interesting, bnt rather mechanical. The many effective bits of part. writing command one's admiration, but do not succeed to deeply touch the feelings. Per Alaw is apparently inclined to be a little careless in his composition, as he evidently is in his copy. Whatever is worth doing, is worth doing well is a lesson that young com- possrs will do better to learn early than late- if it be one. indeed, that can be learnt at all after a given time. This writer's pianoforte part is not accompaniment in the proper sense of the term. but the voice parts arranged for two hands—reduced to short score the writer for- getting, too, occasionally, to copy a part out. We do not understand the cadence on Rhy fyr ei chyntun hi "-the example is auoted in the Welsh adjudication—nor can we appreciate the policy adopted where the voices are left to sing alone for nine bars. Egidius opens effectively—good part- writing, and the proper feeling. The second movement is not so spontaneous—more laboured. Neither is it a happy plan to utilise here a motif already used in the first movement. But this is an effective composition as a whole, and correct as to form—change of matter and time for the second verse, the music of the first being repeated for the third verse, though rather too exactly; a different or a more varied treatment here and there, or an added coda, would have been a welcome change, and have added to the general effect. Awenydd." A neat and musicianly open. ing. but the piece as a whole is inclined to be more or 18 scrappy and calch v, especially the swil adar part. The piece lacks in con- tinuity, while some unvocal, chromatic, and inharmonic passages are hardly in character with what is deemed to be a part-song. Tudor is melodious, but his opening phrase in nine-eight time, which is pretty freely utilised ultimately, is rather hackneyed. The work contains nothing particularJY striking except a certain chromatic progression perhaps, and which—or something sufficiently near—we have already been made familiar enough with. Benedict uses the same motif for" 0 falmaidd haf," Distawodd byd," and Y grwydrol chwa." scarcely good form. He has a few progressions and combinations which are not altogether commendable—and which are specified in the more technical Welsh adjudi- cation. But Benedict has produced a good, useful part-song, and one that will probably claim our further attention. Deraint writes very good music, though inclined to be stiff and angular. The modula- tion in bar seven is both eariy and abrupt, and rosaiias—i.e., a figure repeated on another degree—are overdone. In the latter part of the second movement the third of the scale oscillates so much between major and minor that one is not always certain of the composer's intention. Like the preceding, and some other com- petitors in the contest. Cerddgar has no real accompaniment, but simply the vocal parts arranged for the hands. This writer shows considerable ability, but is apparently imbued with the mistaken idea of the new "school," that a dissonance may be resolved anyhow, or not at all. Elaboration in appearance, also, that is. to the eye. may tail to command the ear—the real musical arbiter. For instance, the florid parts of Na tbored saill" look i ather fine, but reduced to actual notes and sounds they are merely two sets of voices sing- ing in octaves, and in effect are thin enough, and not. altogether satisfactory. Still, this is a very passable part-song. Lock," though less strenuous, is not by any means void of merit. The author has a habit, old. but bad. of cutting up his sentences a.t times, giving only a portion to some of the voices, and thus making nonsense and again, a more modcn Welsh, or Welsh-American habit, but not any more to be commended a one, of repeating incomplete portions byd yn hwyr, byd yn ilwyr," etc. Be also corner to a lull tonic cadence at the end of the third line the poet'b semi-colon even, should have been sufficient warning against such a weak and ineffective procedure. The rhythm of swil adar is piquant, though both words and music are carelessly copied. A' ter examining these comDostions more than once, and estimating their comparative de- merits and merits, in my opinion the best is that signed Benedict," and which I consider worthy of the prize. Chorus for female voices (S.S.A.), with pianoforte accompaniment. Welsh words, Aweton yr Haf," by, Anthropos English words to be adapted by the composer. Prize, £6. This is an unsatisfactory competition in every sense, both as regards the number and the quality of the works submitted. Isl wyn's essay is very crude, disclosing anything but an experienced hand, the lower part being particu- larly jejeune and aimless. Anianydd has a much better idea. of vocal part-writing and accompaniment,1 but his phrases are too much cut up. The voices sometimes clash, and at times are in disagree- ment with the instrument. A good deal of inventiveness of a sort is exhibited in tbe piano part, but if anything the figures are too fanciful and overdone. Taken as a whole, mechanical effort is more to be perceived here than spontaneous inspiration. fehelin" has more continuity-is less fragmentary as to matter and workmanship and consequently the work, so far as it goes, is more satisfactory and effective. But here, again, there is but little feeling and awen." What effort there is, is mostly forced, and is therefore unnatural and transient. The four- four introduction to Y mor is largely slow, and the opening soprano phrase, Ar derfyn dydd,' is a note for note quotation from Beet hoven's •' Engedi," How blest are those who love Him." Mebefin's harmonies, too, are not always immaculate. In this cornpetition it is impossible to award the prIze conscientiously, therefore it must be withheld.

Mistress I am not quite satisfied with your references. Applicant: Navtber am J mum; but they're the best I could get.

Welsh Tit-bits. A Neu Wreichion Oddiar yr Eingion By CADRAWD. A VISIT TO GROSMOND. This summer I had the pleasure of visiting a most interesting locality, which I had never seen before, in the extreme north of Mon- mouthsiiire, and at tbe place where the county is divided from Herefordshire by the river Monow. Grosmond is celebrated by being the burial place of a very distinguished Welsh character, who lived in the early part ol the 15th century, who is said to have been a native of Pembrokeshire, but became the priest of Kentchurch. hence probably he was known as Shon Kent. It is puzzling to find a reason why he was buried at Grosmond, and he being minister of the adjoining parish, and iu another county, unless it was that the church at Grosmond, or the part of that church wall, within which it is said he was buried, was being built at the time of his death. According to the tradition of the country, like Dr Faustus, he had sold himself to the devil, on condition ihat the evil one would obey him during his liietime, and after his burial he was to have his body. whether buried inside or outside the consecrated building. In order to outwit the devis, when he felt that the end was approaching, and finding an opportunity to have his sepulchre made within the wall, neither in nor outside the church at Grosmond he arranged that his body should be interred* at that church, where an old tomb-stone without any inscription used to be shown as his monument. Shon Kent's name has always been a terror in Wales to young children. I can well remember when I was a child, and Shon and the wicked one were very near reo lations. Meindia, di, mae Shon Kent yn d'od, paid myn'd y ffordd yna" (Take care, Shon Kent is coming, don't you go that way) i would be quite sufficient warning to prevent a child going alone into the dark, or any place of danger. Starting in the morning from Talycoed under the guidance of "Archddydd Clan Troddi," and having as our companion a very distinguished Welsh scholar in the per- son of Mr Egerton Phillimore — the day being exceptionally fine, the lonely roads which led to the charming neigh- bourhood, the up and down hills were covered during a most edifying conversation and pleasant observations. The hedges were over- burdened with their variety of foiiage of the wildest description, and Mr Phillimore, being an ardent botanist, was continually drawing our attention to some curiosity in nature. the lon and dreary road we were frequently greeted by that beautiful climbing plant, the traveller's joy, in its wild condition in the hedges. In the good old times in this country, when all the labourers bad cottages and gardens, and when they had self-respect, and a love for home and its environments in the country, scarce a labourer's cottage was to be seen which was not covered with the vine, the hop. or the traveler's joy, and like all favour ite plants in these days it had a religious name given it, which is recained in some parts of England at present, namely. Virgin's Bower or Our Lady's Bower." The plant deserves to be more widely known, and should be cultivated more on account of the beauty and freshness of its leaves and delicate sweet- nets and fragrance of its flowers. We arrived before noon at Grosmond, a place until recently governed by a Mayor and Corporation, whose rights and privileges have long been lost. The population of the district seems to be continually dwindling from year to year, and in the last census the inhabitants only numbered 518. The first place we visited was the castle, which is situated on a hill, around which flows the river Monow. The court, the hall, the keep which is circular, are quite traceable, and the walls are still high and very thick, being surrounded by a dry moat. This castle together with the castles of Skenfrith and Castell Gwyn (White Castle) were sold abouteighty years ago to the Duke of Beaufort by the Duchy of Lancaster. A very fine view ot the surrounding neighbourhood is seen from the Castle Hill. The principal residences arc the Lawns, where the family of Walwyn and Trumper, has lived for generations; Campston, which was honoured by a visit from King Charles I.. who dined there while on his way from Hereford to Abergavenny. The Arms of the Vaughans of Breconshire are over the door. Upper Dyffryn is a very ancient house, and one of the most important resi- dences in the Manor. Partysea is a fine building, much more modern in its appearance. The name is a mystery in its present form, but Colonel Bradney, in his History of Monmouth- shire, says that it might have been a corrup- tion of the Weish Parth-isel, which would be a correct description of the situation as regards the Upper Dyffryn, to which it has long been attached. Lower Dyffryn was the seat, for many gener- ations, of a branch of the Cecil family, ennobled in England by tho titles of the Earl of Sahs- bury and the Earl of Exeter. Marlborough House is another good residence, and bears every appearance of having once been an important residence The Goetr-J and Dany- graig are fine dwelling*; the first possessed by the Gabbs. and the last is at present occupied by Mr Radcliffe, the son of Sir Joseph Radciiffe, Bart. The church is one of the finest in its appear- ance from a distance that I have ever seen, built in the ehape of a cross. The tower is octagon, and surmounted by a high spire. There is a peal of six. bells, which I am sorry 1 did not bear, but was told that thej were of very esceliecttone,and when played theirsound among tbe surrounding hills was most charm- ing. The importance of the place in past centuries is apparent in the size of the church, as it seems at present to be far too large for the population, and the nave, which is a very large one, is not used for worship, but as a. lumber room. having been cut off by a wooden screen. Independent of this ulace being the burial place of Shon Kent, it is one of the most interesting old churches I have yet visited. It is dedicated to St. Nicholas, which points to the probability of its having no earlier foun- dal ion than the castle. What interested me very much was the gravestones in the church- yard, as well the tablets inside the church. the majority of them recorded pure Welsh names, and in the first, volume of the History of Monmouthshire, by Colonel Bradney, which contain The Hundred of Skenfrith, we find in tbe list of Mayors of Grosmond, given there, that they were nearly all Welsh- men. The Town Hall is a substantial building, and was made a present to the parish as a corona- tion gift in 1902, being the coronation year of Edtrard VII., by the Duke of Beaufort. There are a few very nice old-fashioned but most comfortable Inns at Grosmond. The town is governed now by a Parish Council. Gwaethfoed, Prince of Cardigan, is mentioned as being the Lord of Grosmond in the eleventh century, but the present castle, it is supposed, has no earlier foundation than the time of Henry III., and The Three Castles, Grosmond, Skenfrith, and White Castle, have always goue together, and the district formed part of that conquered by Hamelyn, who con. quered Gwcnl. Edmund Croucbback resided here, and was Lord of the tnree castles called by the Welsh Y Tair Tref." His second son Henry had the three castles on his father's death, and lived here, and his son Henry was born at Grosmond. Glyndwr attacked Gros. mond in 1405, but was defeated, and 800 or 1,000 Weehmen were slain. There is one theory in respect to Shon Kent —that he was the Bard of Owain Glyndwr. In Baker's Chronicles there is -an account of one John of Kent am >ngst the learned in the reign of Henry III., but the Shon Kent whose hist ry we find in the Cambrian Biography is of much later date. Whatever the discre. pancy there is in regard to this mysterious bard, it is evident that a Shon Cent existed, and that he was a very able poet, as there are few oid Welsh .M8S. which do not contain some poems attributed to him, and from his works we may conclude that he was a Lollard, for they all contain doctrine which is dist nctiy antagonistic to the Catholic laith, One is selected by Mr Charles Edwards in Hanes y Ffydd Grist■'onogol," enticed, Gyv. ydd Yrghyicv> Marwolaet!)." Every line is a just satire on the prolKgate manners ot the Roman Catholic clergy 01 tttose days. Nid cy wir gradd o naddyn Nid oes iawn gyfaill oDd UI) Er neb oi thores lesu Ei lan gyfeillach a'i lu." Shon Kent.

Illustrated Humour. I Reall I" These conjurers are wonderful fellows. I saw one of the best last night. He turned a guinea-pig into a cabbage." That's nothing. I can do better myself. Every night I turn my dog into a kennel." Joke for Joke. A certain Irishman was very proud of a huge buUdog he possessed, and which was his con- stant companion. One day a friend met him without the dog, and looking very disconsolate Weli," he asked and how is that dog o yours doing?" Oll. be jaberg, he's dead The illigant baste wint an' swailowed a tape-measure Oh, 1 see. He died bv inches, then No, sbure, hp. didn't. "He wpntround to the back of the house an' died by the yard Sho Agreed with Him. I Maud No I cannot marry vou." Percy (savagely): Ob, well, there are others just as good. iifmd Better I accepted one of tham yesterday. Equal to the Occasion. Speaking of accommodating hotel clerks," remarked a traveller, the best I ever saw was in a certain town. I reached the hotel late in the evening. Just before I retired I heard a scampering under my bed, and saw a couple of larsre rats just escaping. I complained at the office. The clerk was as serene as a summer breeze. I'll fix that all right, sir,' he said. Front Take up a cat to Boom 23 at once. -k_ Brown's Deserts. I Little Briggs I see Brown has got a handle I to his name at last." Brown's Rival: Quite rigt: £ !w*ya was a mug. Innuendo. Charley is so Poeticat. When I accepted him he said he felt Jike an immigranfc enteriug a new world." Well, he was like an immigrant." What do you meaD 1" Wasn't he just landed?" Poor Dumb Man. Friend Didn't your husband rave when you showed bim the dressmaker's bill? Wife: Rather. w;ifi1(i "'T ^ND h?T did you ^iet him ? „^ivf ^°we(1 hl.m the milliner's account, and then he became simply speechless. Trouble in Store. I Wife (angrily) It seems like one hundred years since we were married. 1 scarcely recol- lect. where and when we first met. Husband (emphatically): I can. It was at a dinner party, and there were thirteen at the table. Then he fled. Single and Double. How many sisters have you got, Willy? Three, and all grown up-" And they are all single?" No, only one the other two's twins." Then He Fainted. Host, a trifle nervous about the effect of his guest's wooden leg upon the polished floor) tfadn t you bet ter come on the rug, Major? You might slip, you know. Major Oh, don't be afraid, my boy I have a nail in the end ol it. An End to Her Purchases. I I Overtaken by a heavy shower of rain, a lady 1 oi )k refuge in a shop, where she employed Lhe time in making some purchases. You seem very quiet to-day," she said to the youth behind the counter. Yes, madam." was tbereply; "just look at the weather. What respectable person would venture out of doors c,n a day like thili 1" Relieved Her Feelings. Mrs Green Now teU me truly, do you believe it is any benefit, to punish children? Mrs Berch ( ertainly. You can't imagine how much better I feel after I've given Tom and Jiimmie a good trouncing.

Jack I knew a, man who stofe a kiss from a pretty girl. He paid the penally for larceny Katharine Ah, indeed and what wa-s the penalty ?-Jack: Hard labour for life. He married the girl. See that, mau there ?" Yes, what about b?m ?" Orit- of our p>eat millionaires, but he's lost his appetite. I lie poor devil lives on milk and c: ackers., Pass the corn beef and cab- bnge, pioase; and praise the Lord First Barnstormer My old daddy used to implore me not to bccome an ctor. Second Banstormer; It was noble of you to accede to his wishes..x

TALKS ON HEALTH. BY DR. ANDREW WILSON. The Care of the Rheumatic. The cold and chill of winter will soon be upon us, and the wet and damp we shall inevi- tably have to face. Those of us who are inclined to suffer from rheumatism will have to be on their guard, if they would by the observance of certain rules of living escape the attack of their enemy. It is not my inten. tion to say anytning tiere regarding the nature of this disease, or the causes to which it is due. I soouid rather like to give readers who are afflicted with the disease some practical ad- vice in the direction I have just indicated. The treatment of a kind talked of as acute rheumatism, let it be noted, ls, of course, a matter for the doctor. It is apt to prove, when severely developed, a very dangerous disease, not only because it is painful and rapidly wears out the patient's strength, but also because of the effects it is apt to leave on certa.n organs of the body, and most notably on the heart. This is the reason why every case of rheumatic fever should be most care- fully watched throughout its progress by the medical man. Diet and Other Details. Where rheumatism has settled down as a kind of lasting state, we then, of course, speak of it as chronic rheumatism. It is in cases of this kind that a great deal can be dene by judicious living to ward off the attack ot tne enemy. In the first place, the rheu- matic should avoid all chance of chill, and look especially to the warmth of the feet. He should be ciothed, summer and winter, m wool next the skin, wearing, of course, a ligi ter gar- ment m summer than in winter. He should take a warm bath tatrly frequently, and an occasional Turkish bath, if he is in fair health, will do him no harm. Let him remember that anything in the way of excess oi tiesh foods is certain to be injurious to him. His diet should consist of light food, amongst which white ash, fowl, and the like are to be enumerated. A large portion of his diet should consist of vegetable matters and the ordiuaryfarmaceous foods (rice, tapioca, etc.), in the shape 01 pud- dings aud the like. Eggs should not be unduly partaken of. bome physicians, in fact, recom- *h&t eggs shouid be altogether avoideu W ith respect to liquor, it would be weli if the subject of rhtumatism obsei ve the laws of very strict temperance, while total abstinence is for many subjects the best rule of all to follow. Beer and stout are absolute poison to the rheumatic subject, as also are all sweet and acid wines. it alcohol is to be taken at all, and I have said it is not necessary, it had better be taken in the shape of a little pure old whisky at meals, the spirit being suitably diluted with a mineral water, such as apolli- naris, whose alka>ine properties are eminently adapted lor the rheumatic subject. Gail Stones. Two very urgent inquiries appear amongst my correspondence with reference to the treatment of gall stones. I may remind my readets that a gall stone is a concretion formed in the gaii bladder, which lies on the under surface of the liver, and is a store house of bile when that fluid is not imme- diately required for digestive purposes. The gal] bladder allows the bile to escape from it by a tube called its duct. If the gall stones are of small size, they will easily pass down this duct, and so escape into the bile. If, on the oi her hand, the gall stone is too large to pass easily down the duct, we can understand that, acting as an obtruction, it will cause intense and agonising pain duang its passage. It is this intense pain located on the right of the stomach where the liver lies which is one of the most permanent features of the affection which we are discussing. Treatment. If medical aid is not to be had, hot fomenta- tions to the part or hot poultices nsed as hot as can be borne may be tried by way of relief, or a hot bath, the water being as hot as can be bourne, and the patient being care- fully watched whilst hs is" immersed, may, in the same way. mitigate the pain. A simple remedy, but one which has acquired a con- siderable amount of confidence in the eves of mllony physicians, is olive oil. In gall stones it is given in doses of five Of six ounces It is generally combined with a little whisky or brandy, and a few drops of oil of pepennint. In many cases this has been known to relieve the pain. and to assist the passage of the gall stone downwards into the bowel. It has also been held that the taking of olive oil day by day in small quantities by those liable to suffer from gall stones acts as a preventive measure. One authority injects the olive oil warmed into the bowel, and finds relief fre- quently to bo obtained" by this proceeding. The amount injected will vary lrom 10 to 15 ounces. Singing in the Ears. Trifling as this ailment may seem, it be- comes a matter of great importance to those in whom it has settled down as a more or less permanent affection It tends to render a person extremely irritable, and this, unfortu- ately, without any cause which is apparent to the outer world. Occasionally, of course, it is associated with deafness, and with certain conditions of the ear. which, happily, are amenable to treatment by the ear surgeon. But in other cases, again, it would appear to have what may be called an internal origin That it may arise, not so much from the ear itself, as from the brain. Of course, the most common cause of singing 01:' rining in the ears is pressure on the drum, and such pressure is most frequently the result of an accumulation of the wax which is the natural secretion of the outer ear passage. Therefore, as a matter of commonsense, the ear should be at first rigidly inspected by way of dis- covering whether or not a plug of wax re- quires to be removed. Sometimes the ringing will arise from some affection of the deeper part of ther ear, and most commonly when some inflammation of the nature of earache has appeared, and has left its effects. In such a case the ear surgeon will give relief, by the comparatively simple means of getting at the ear parts from the tube which passes from the inner side of the drum of the eai*, and opens atthe back of the mouth. Other causes of ringing in the ears are of more complex nature, and, as I have indicated, may originate from deeply-seated parts of the ear or brain. Medical advice is necessary here, but if the affection is of a simple nature, and if it depends upon some little variation or other in the blood circula- tion, there could be no harm in trying the effect of taking twenty or twenty five grains of bromide of potash or bromide of sodium, dis- solved m water,twice daily between meals. One of the two doses might be taken on an empty stomach on going to bed. A Caution About the Ears. Dealing with the ear I should like to add a c»ut;on of a very important kind., namely, that when people indulge in bathing, diving, and swimming they should protect tbeir ears by little pads of cotton wool. The effect of a person diving from a height into deep water is to cause a sudden and great pressure on the drum of the ear, which may have the effect of rupturing it. Note, in the next place that anyone who had suffered from ear discharge, and the drum of whose ear is perforated, ought never to allow water to gain admit- tance to the ear at all. In such a case it is very likely severe ear inflammation will be set up, and many such cases have terminated fatally, because the inflammation has ex- tended to the brain Mothers should particu- larly note this hint in the case of children whose ears have been injured by discharge after measles or scarlet fever. Indeed, no child ought to be allowed to suffer from such an affection present, and on the first signs of the trouble tbe child should be taken to an ear surgeon, whose early efforts will probablv save the drum and preserve the hearing sense from being lost.

With a Reservation. A certain judge is noted for the strict im- partiality with which he arrives at decisions, even when his persona] bias is strongly the other way. On one occasion, having heard a certain famous case. he found himself impelled to give a decision repugnant to his own inclination. Do you mean you think the defendant was not at heart a swindler ?" demanded an inti. mate friend. Well," said Judge X., solemnly, I took that evidence abroad for a week-end with me and studied it. Then I brought i: home and spent more time on it. Then I said in my de- cision So far as the evidence shows, the defen- dant is an upright and honourable gentleman.' So far a the evidence shows,' he re- peated slowly and with emphasis. Then he leaned forward in his chair placed a hand on the other's knee. and exclaimed, with an air of vindication But, my friend, I didn't say I believed it Too Smart. A careless young woman in starting to leave a 'bus dropped her purse. A young man who evidently intended to ieave the vehicle at the same time picked it up and put it into his packet. But his action bad not been un, noticed: Just as he stepped from the 'bus an eid^riy man gripped him by the arm and whispered— If you don't give that purse to the YOUDg lady this insU.nt 1';1 expose sou" Yes, certainly," gasped the astonished youth. Then, with a. grin, I bog your par- don, Hetty you have drLppcd your 011. thank you, J m," she replied, as she took it. I hope you are satisfied." said Jim, turn- ing to the elderly man. The lady is my sister.

Fashions and Things Feminine. By MISS IDA MELLER. A Blouse of Dyed Guipure. It is to be a season of hee-not only white, cream, and 1 lack lace, but guipures dyed to grey, pink, red. blue, and other colours, sothat a lace-trimmed toilette may be carried out entirely in one colour, though gradations of shaue may be introduced. The one-colour scheme is a leading phase of fashion, and a very prettv vogue it is when carried out in soft creamy blue. grey and other delicate colours. A biouse of dyed lace, worn with a corselet costume of face-cloth to match, may be urged as a particularly charming illustration of the prevailing lashion. The lace blouse sketched is of raspberry-pink guipure, in a pale, delicate suade, worn with a corseJet belt and shoulder straps of cloth to match, and the skirt is of the same material. The cape sleeves of lace fall over puffs of raspberry-coloured chiffon, which is used also as a lining to the lace biouse. The design lends itself equaliy well, of course, to reproduction in cream-coloured laca and cioth of a contrasting colour, a charming toilette p.anned on the line3 sketched being carrie i out in reseua face-cloth and ivory- coloured lace. Another new dress, which reverts to raspberry-pink, lias an umbrella skirt- and high belt of smooth cloth, and a b ouse of woollen lace dyed to match, the costume, when worn out of doors, being supple- mented by It wide stole of raspberry cloth, the nged ends of which fall upon the skirt The corselet skirt and pinafore bodice are remaining on, but the skirt is no longer cut so high as formerly, all the best models ceasing just below the bust. This gives a longer and more becom Jllg droop to the blouse, and suits most figures better than the very high corselet that requires only a chemisette above but there are those, ol course, who still successfully wear this form of dress, and complete it by a short bolero frilled or ruclied at, the edge, and falling just on a level wi'h the top of the corselet. One such frock, of pale green chiffon, is much gathered at the w.-list and threaded across the bust with velvet ribbon tied in a big bow in the middle of the back, the long ends falling on to the skirt. This frock has been made for a girl in the early twenties, and for girls a few years younger are some sweet little toilettes in soft silk, with gathered Empire boleros and drawn net chemisettes. A Cloth Bolero Hemmed With Velvet. It is no unusual thing for the untrimmed dress to be more admired than the elaborately befrilled and embroidered costume and even though fashion is lavish in the matter of trim- mings, flounces, waistcoats, and so on, the fact that simplicity often spells success is realisrd, and many a new toilette, fresh from the tailor or dressmaker of authority, is made up without any trimming whatever, or witu the merest reiiei note by way of breaking up monotony of Ina, erial. The coats belonging to autumn cos- tumes display astonishing vaLiety of character, some being long to the knees, others so short that they suggest the arrival of spring rather than October. Variable climatic conditions are generously met by those who minister to the needs of a woman's wardrobe. A uimyde bolero costume recently turned out by an eminent tailor illustrates the success of the dress that has but tho scantiest amount of trimming about it- nothing more, in fact, than a hem of velvet. Built of elephant grey cloth, the corselet skirt is absolutely plain but beauti- fuiiy moulded and seamed, and it is met by a bolero coat of material to match, the right front cut with a point and buttoned over to the left. This becoming little coat is sketched here, and it will be seen is arranged with a couple of pleats on each front, while a Lem of grey velvet borders it all round and frames aJso the wide straps to the elbow-sleeves and the three buttons are of velvet. Nothing could be simpler than this pretty little coat,which might be very well copied n fur, doing away, of course, with the pleats on the fronts. Uses for Old Fur Coats. Fur coats that have passed their best days, and are moth eaten or very much worn in parts, may yet be applied to useful purposes, for pro- bably there wili be sufficient sound pieces to be turned to account as neckties. muffs, stoles, collars, or revers. Strips of fur, narrow or wide, mixed with lace, velvet. or cloth, are now used for muffs, stoles, capes, and other thing-, so that great opportunities are given for dis- posing of cuttings to advantage The fashion- aote waistcoat that appears on so many coats is another medium for the use of strips of fur, and cuttings of caracul, mink, sealskin, and other pelts will find use for themselves as hats and toque3. A Healthy Skin. A skin specialist once observed that. broadiy speaking, aii disorders of the skin should be treated by vapour baths, taken regularly once a day, or three or four times a week, according to the necessity of the cae. To this treatment it would, of course, be necessary to add rigid temperance in both eating and drinking, regu- lar hours, daily exercise, good ventilation, and the use of rain water for ablutions of the skin. In many cases the adoption of a milk diet helps to restore health and beauty, and lemon and water, taken unsweetened, is also recom- mended, while fermented drinks and beating foods generally should be discontinued. A glass of cold water, taken on waking, is credited with the power of brightening the eyes and clearing the complexion, tbe inward as well as the outward bath having its value. Household Hints. A good way of cleaning a stone sink when very black and dirty from the effects of sauce- pans which have stood in it, is to pour a little paraffin on the sink and scrub it well. This moves the black at once. B'acklead in an excellent lubricator. The tip of a lead pencil applied to a squeaking door- hinge or piano-pedal will help to make it easy working again. A shovel of hot coals held over a white spot on varnished furniture will, it is said, help to remove the spot if the latter is afterwards rubbed wilh a soft flannel. Two-thirds of good olive oil mixed with one- third of paraffin oil forms an excellent prepara- tion for preventing a sewing machine from clogging.

That man is so nonest he wouldn't steal a pin." said the admiring friend. I never tLougbt much 01 the pin test," answered Miss Cayenne. Try him with an umbrella." What's become of that cake, Jackie ?" -tsl- ?d mamma st crnly. 11 Oh. I took if to give to » poor boy," sa ;d Jackie." That's right, my dear," said mamma, approvingly. But 1 couidn t find any poor boy," went on Jackie, and so I had io eat. it myself." Novelist- I ve just got a letter from an admirer regarding my latest book. lie says be began to read it in the train the other day, and before he knew ho had gone twenty miles past 1 he station be sbouM bare got out at. Frisnd Ah. I see it sent him to sleep.

WELSH GLEANINGS. News and Views in Lighter Vein. Lord Penrhyn has declined to accept the mayoralty of Bangor for the coming year. Mr D. J. de Lloyd. of Aberystwyth, the first Mus. Bac. of the University 01 Wales. has teft for a twelve weeks' course of training at Leipzic. Mr Gascoyne Darziel, secretary of the South Wales Coalowners Association, is leaving home this week for a three months' holiday, during which he will visit India, where his daughter resides. A Cardiff six-year-old has been for his first nature study ramble, and this is the essay he wrote on his return home:—" Mushrooms always grow in wet places, and that is why they're so like umbrellas." There is no end to the anomalies of tbe rail- way time-table. To catch the Irish boat leav- ing Fishguard a passenger must leave Padding- ton at "1.30 a.m, and if a passenger lrom Ney- land wishes to catch the same boat he must leave at 7 a.m (half an hour earlier), or he will lose it. This (says" The Welshman is an absolute fact. The Rev. J. J. Morgan, of Mold, has com- p'eted ready for publication his story of the life of his father, the late Rev. David Morgan, of Ysbytly Ystwyth, together with the history of the 185SJ Religious Reveal. The wcrk, which ;s to contain portraits of over 150 ministers from various parts of the Principality, pro- mises to be a very interesting book. A Cardiff Councillor and golf player is given to use goif language in hs sleep, and that lan- guage is not of the drawing-room pattern but his better half has learned to to.erate it. On Thursday night last, however, his words were more lurid than usual, He was telling an lmaginaiy companion what he thought of seciet Council meetings. An epitaph commonly met with on Carmar- thenshire tombstones is the following :— Remember me as thou pass by. As thou art now so once was I; As I am now so thou wilt be. Prepare for death and follow me. A wag reading the above on one occasion mischievous.y added- To lollow thee I'm not content. Unless I know which way thou went. The Rev. H. Harris (Afanwy) writes from Treherbert:—You refer to Carnhuanawc as a harp specialist. Tu confirm what you say I send you the following englyn which I am told is on bis tombstone :— Caruhuanawc. cawr ein hywys—ei Nemo, A'i hanes wnai 'n hysbys, Y delyn- —— ai fys. Y mawr wr, yma'r erys. T have forgotten the third line. Perhaps some of your readers will help me. Under tbe title of Revival Records of the Risca Circuit," the Rev. H. Baird Turner bar nearly completed compiling a book that wilf be published before Christmas. The circuit named embraces fourteen towns and villages in Monmouthshire, and in every case the story of the first pioneers has been told with graphic skill. Many of the incidents recorded furnish quaint evidence that the men who planted the Methodist flag in the frontier had indomitable wills and an originality of character that often gave rise to eccentricity. About 70 illustra- tions will present views of every chapel in the circuit, and portraits of past and present workers. It is claimed that there is not a cir. cuit in the kingdom which has witnessed such rapid advances by the followers of John Wesley in the past few years as that of Risc&, and the strange stories taken down from the hps of men whose lives were changed by the Revival illustrates the romance of religion. How Vain is Man." A West Wale resident who is feverishly anxious to be thought a magnate, and is fre- quently a traveller to London and back, rides first-class to a few stations up the line then gets out and books the rest of the journey third class. A similar pian is adopted on the return journey. The scheme would have worked well bawl it not been" spotted some time ago. Llygad y In his presidential address before the Medico- Psychological Association of Great Britain and Ireland on the Evolution of Insanity," Dr. Robert Jones, resident Dhysician and superin- tendent of L.C.C. Asylum at Clavbury, and an acknowledged expert on insanity, states that the dande.ion is caded in Welsh the Devil's eye," and was definitely associated in Waies at a" cure fur demoniacal possession, and insanity generally Dr. Jones is, we think, a native o Carmarthenshire. Is the dandelion known by that name in that county, or in any other part of WaleJ now ? And are the same medicinal virtues attributed it as that mentioned by Dr. Jones. The Devil's eye," presumably, applied to the dandelion flower, its leaf got it the name of dandelion (the lion s tooth), or. as it is called in many parts of Wales. Dant- y-llew." The leaf forms an excellent salad, and is largely used as such, by the poor in Ireland. Blodau'r Grug, The heather flower is the recognised inter- Celtic emblem, for does it not grow in every country affected by the Celt ? Eifion prize engiyn at the National Eisteddfod te Blodau'r Grug is quite worthy of the bard and the subject :— Tlws eu tw, liaws tawel—gemau teg GwmwJ haul ac awel Crog glychau creigle ucbel. F.lur y main—tfiolau'r mel. But the enrrlvn omits to name its subject. an& there is now proceeding in the Welso Press J, lively controversy as to whether on that ground it should not be condemned, The Bute Docks Evolution. Man Ot the Hills" writes -You Cardiff men, who are on the eve, I daresay, of forming a Harbour Trust, and of ruling the great Bute Docks, which will give you so much honour and di stinction, must not forget the part we men of the hills have played in its develop- ment. Cut off our mineral wealth, and where would Cardiff have been t Suppose that we bad arranged to have formed a track from the bilis to Aberthaw, ou" outlet would have been at that unpretending sea front, known only now by its tragedies. Old men are dead who once traffiicked between Minehead and Dowiais bringing ore over. and thence journeying by mules up the hills. This was regarded as the nearest route as the crow flies. Fortunately for Cardiff the Taff Valley was the nature track. Welsh Adjectives and Adverbs. Mr Hopicin Sims, Liansamiet, writes Idiom asserts that in the phrase Royai. National Eisteddfod the word Royal" ii not an adject ve, but an adverb modifying National." I shouid have thought that his grammatical exactitude would in that case have taught him that tbe word should have been H Royally," not Royal." If Idiom's interpretation is to be tolerated, I sha 1 next have to refer to a real big m stake. Idiom's examples although in themselves correct, are net applicable to the case in point. He has palpably misconstrued my example Dyn cad iawn." This was given, not as an instance of euphony or literary taste, but as illustrating an entirely different point. Although tastes differ, Eisteddfod Grenedlaethol Fren- hinol Cymru is the rendering I should prefer. The noun Eisteddfod,' and the adjective Genediaethol form one comp ex idea in th6 mind (i.e., "National Eisteddfod "). If this complex idea is to be further qualified, literary taste requires that the qualifying word should be added to the wllole idea, and not inserted, between its two parts. Therefore we say. Eisteddfod Genediaethol Frenhmot Cymru."

Business Man What do you want ? Applicant: 1 came to inquire if you were in want at an assistant. Business Man: Very ? lT. I do all the work myself. Applicant ? Ah, that would just suit me. Mauistra'e: You broke a mantlepiece orna- ment on your wife's head What have you got to say for yourseb ?—Prisoner It was a pure accident, your Honour.—Magistrate: An accident ? What—didu' vou intend to hit your viie 1- Pt.sui.er Yes, but 1 didnr mean to bieat tlia ornament.