The Cardiff Times

Musical and Eisteddfodic. BY MAELGWYN. In Memeriam-dohn Arnold. Another well-known figure has passed away from our midst to join the greater number who have gone before one conspicuous figure we were wont to meet at eveiy important eisteddfod will be with us no more, and Wales may well pour out her tears of grief for the loss of a gifted musician and an earnest, upright man. Ib is as yet too soon for us to realise the grim fact that John Arnold, the most prominent of Neath 'musicians, has really journeyed into the spirit world. We shall not do that until at the next great gathering we shall look around us and find the company which he used to enliven and adorn incomplete. So soon lite passes away." Mr Arnold was one of the most genial men I ever met. He was a man of many parts for he could discuss matters of business, of politics, and of religion with apparently equal pleasure. But to me at least he never appeared so happy as when talking about music and the eisteddfod. And only those who know something of the inner work of the eisteddfod can form an adequate opinion of the services be rendered to the cause of the grand old Cymric institution. He was one of the trusty band of workers who for a period of more than a dozen years made the Easter Monday Eisteddfod at Neath the greatest gathering of its kind on that day, with, perhaps, the solitary exception of the Abergavenny Eisteddfod. Those snonstre undertakings were not always financially successful, but Mr Arnold and the other promoters cared little for that-when there was a deficit he paid his quota, and—imme- diately set about the necessary arrangements for the next eisteddfod. This work, kept up as it was for so long, made the eisteddfod of real usefulness and pleasure to the people for miles round, and the full harvest of the seed then sown has not yet bean reaped. Mr Arnold frequently conducted those eisteddfodau, and he always did It with marked success. I don't think he was often engaged as con- ductor, but. be this so or not, he certainly stepped into the gap that the breakdown of the engaged conductor caused, and ruled the audience with admirable tact. Never did his abilities in this respect shine out more brilliantly than on the night of that memorable Boxing Day in 1891, when the second of the South Wales Musical Eisteddfod committee's meeting at Neath lasted until a quarter to eleven o'clock. The engaged conductor utterly collapsed about twilight, and the audience broke away from all restraint, and, of course, business was brought to a standstill. Mr Arnold stepped inao the breach, but, unfortu- nately, not until the mischief had been done. He succeeded in securing the attention of those in the proximity of the platform, but those at the other end of the Market-hall, noting the collapse of authority earlier, laid themselves to enjoy themselves as best they could for them the eisteddfod was over. Poor Mr Arnold appeared as cool and as merry as ever, but one could not help noticing that be was annoyed at the turn things had taken, for he said more than once, Well, well, I have never seen a thing carried forward in this way before." Some of us hazarded the opinion that had he himself taken up the conducting of the eisteddfod earlier perfect order would have been maintained. Ah was the answer, the committee selected another man, and I did not want to thrust myself to the front. But really things are very bad." This little incident will show the kind of man John Arnold was. As a musical conductor he bad few equals, and in the days when the people down his way took sufficient interest in competitions to attend choral rehearsals he even defeated the Dowlais Choir. Bub I don't think he was sufficiently supported. The young people, who under his direction might have made the Neath Choir a sturdy rival to cur best societies, did not take the trouble to attend rehearsals, and of course the choir collapsed. Well now that he is gone the young people will know they were mistaken. May Neath be successful in finding a worthy Elisha to follow the dead Elijah, and may she, amid whatever triumphs may yet await her, always oherish the memory of the great man who has just been laid to his rest. May the cold earth lie lightly on his breast.

Andrew Fletcher, Saltoun, in a letter to t.lie Marquis of Montrose, wrote :—" I know a very wise man that believed that if a man were permitted to make all the ballads he need not care who should maxe the laws ef the nation THE FLOWERS ANDTHE CHILDREN. Like the flowers of the desert are the children of the town, Save they miss the desert's sunshine and the desert's scanty rain And the flowers hear the bird-songs, though they be all parched and brown, But the children, in the daytime, only hear the song of pain. And the flowers of the desert have at least the sweet, pure air Reaching upwards into heaven, where the stars for aye endure; But the children droop and wither in a fevered whirl of care. And the stars will seldom glitter o'er the alleys of the poor. The angels tend the flowers, and they somehow seem to bloom, But the children of the cobbles ever hunger, often die. Still their child-souls bear the crooning of the angels in night's gloom, And I think they will be happy, up in heaven, by-and-by. HOWARD V. SUTHEBIIAND.

THE HOUSEHOLD. I HERE is liothing so in- satiable as a quick worker; they crave for pastures new with all the avidity of a fashionable woman, who dreads nothing *o much as the » prospect of being bored. People may perhaps say that nothing new can be evolved with a crochet hook. They are wrong. Something can be, and here it is, a pretty piece of work for busy fingers. It is a kind of amalgamated crochet and embroidery, which is exceedingly effective, and has the great advantage of only requiring mexpensive materials that one is able to obtain anywhere. As a cook would say, all the ingre- dients required are quite an ordinary kind of crochet hook, almost any kind of wool or silk that would be suitable for the usual crochet work. and Penelope or ordiuary canvas such as is used for Berlin needlework or tapestry. Conventional designs are of course the most suitable, and there are plenty of these to be had, many in fact that are drawn for chip carvinp and such like work coming exceedingly welcome. No new stitches have to be learnt, the whole departure from ordinary crochet work consisting in the fact that canvas is introduced as a foundation this is a factor in the work which is of more importance than would be thought by this description, but it imparts a solidity, and in fact makes it difficult to believe that the stitches with which it is com- pletely covered are not really stitches at all, but a series of crochet work. It is very quickly got through too and remarkably rich and effective results can be obtained in quite a short time. The method of working is extremely simply; laige pieces are best worked in a firm embroidery frame, but smaller articles may be executed in the hand, although in the latter case it will be a little more difficult to handle the thread properly underneath the canvas. I give an illustration of the manner of applying the principal stitohes in use, as being more eafiily understood than by means of any amount of written explanation. The simple chain stilcii in No. 1 in the group of stitches illustrated may be drawn through eaoh succceding hole in the cauvas or over two or three holes at a time, either in straight row?, zig-za £ on the oross, or indeed following any given lines, curved or otherwise. Then there is the chain stitch, shown in No. 3, that is worked alternately in two rows of holes. The cord stitch is also a very showy, useful stitch by elongating the loops on either side over two, three, or more holes ab a time, the ground is quickly, and to the uninitiated, mysteriously covered. It; )s merely a chain stitch worked over two or more divisions of the canvas on alternate sides if worked loosely it gives a more raised, cordlike effect than when drawn flat on the canvas. The remaining stitch answers to the double or treble of ordinary crochet, according to whether it covers one or two holes in the canvas. It can bo worked straight or slanting, as shown in the illustration. The,needle must be held somewhat flatly against the canvas while working, in order to keep the top of the stitch even and firm. The illustration further shows a design for a round footstool in wools, but in the new Asiatic dye crochet twist (a twisb moat re- markably firm in texture). On fine canvass a most eleganb pincushion could be produced, or top for a circular box. The various stitohes em- ployed speak for themselves. It may be noted that the zig zag chain is introduced with good effect next to the dark chain defining the outer edge of the pattern. The ground filling of chain may, if preferred, be put in on. the straight lines of the canvas instead of on the cross, so as to radtate towards the centre. The straight lines will be found much easier they will not injure the geueral effect of the filling. They should, in any case, be adopted if it is desired to make the pattern into a square instead of a circle, a change that in many cases may be found most useful when putting the design to other uses. How often is the housewife confronted with the difficulty of how to evolve something new or original for the decorating of that most important part of one's house, the windows. She will sit and debate the subject by herself and with her friends until she is tired, and to each fresh sugges- tion she will reply-" No, that would be too much like Mrs So-aud-so," or we did it like that lash year." Now here is a. pretty idea requiring nothing more than a frame njade of two hltlf circles, so joined together is to fit the window. Tapestry of a shade to suit the other furniture, and ball fringe is all that is required, and, with the aid of the adjoining sketch, the whole arrange- ment should be very easily carried out. Nothing prettier or more effective could be adopted for a. landing window, as it does not shut out the light. I end up this week with a description and drawing: of a little case for knitting-needles, made of antelope skin. The lining, as can be seen, is very simple, merely consisting of divided pockets for the different sized needles; the part i that requires the nicest attention is t hft border of classical design. It is best to pierce the holes through the antelope skin with a stiletto before commencing to work, after this ts once done the under- flaking is quite straightforward. Rich Moorish blue silk for the outside of the umiarefl. red for the in, crosslines of white, the ball-shaped ends being worked in yellow silk; this is very effective, and makes a charming little present to give to some industrious friend. EthWu

How IT WoBKS.—Prin.us Your theory about moral suasion with children is pretty enough, but have you ever known it to work ?-Seouodnø Why, yes. I've never had to strike a child of niae rnve in self-defence.

-r- TWO QUERIES. w SHE (severely): How many more times are you going to ask me to marry yon? HB (calmly): How many tnore times are you going to refuse I

That Settles It. The editor of the Texas Galoot is evidently not considered by his townsmen to crowd the lamented George Washington very hard on tl'-> score of veracity. The other day two of his principal advertisers walked in, and said one— Howdy, Major. I want you to answer a question, just to decide a little bet, you know. Now, sir, be so kind as to pay partioular attention, and think before you speak. Did it rain this morning?" Why, of course it did said the moulder of public opinion, much surprised. Exactly much obliged," said the citizen, with a. relieved expression. "You see. Judge Barker here bet me forty dollars that you couldn't tell the truth on any subject and under any circumstances whatever. ann I took him up. Come out and take a drink." And. as the winner further agreed pay his baok subscriptions out of the stakes, the Major concluded to call it square.

A maD Dever feals how small be forotiUmveer liis mother-in-law ijoorn fully him gpi

Welsh Tit-Bits. Neu Wreiohitn Oddiar yr EingUm. IBY O ADR A WD.] Etymeligy ef the Word Celt." There is in the Neath Vale a place called Hendre-Wyddel. Down in this vale of the Llyfnwy is situated Coettrehen, and in the adjoining parish is situated Celydd-lenan, now corrupted into Celfyddifan, so that within a few miles of us, even to this day, are to be found traces of the primitive settlers of the land. So, too, all the Gellis point the same way- CeUi means a grove, arbour, retreat; Gelli Gron, GeUi- lenor, GeUi tir uchel, Gellifid, &c., &c. These Celts were the primitive dwellers of this land-and of a vast portion of the Continent of Europe. The names of the mountains and rivers in France, Spain, Italy, and other places, are in many instances purely Celtic, and though their language (per se) has died away in these countries, yet it is amalgamated with the speech used in I those now, and clearly indicates the prevalence of their language, and wide extent of this people. From Gaul, i.e., tbe modern France, a portion of these CeUiaid came over to this isle to Deffro- bani, in Kent-which word Kent, the late Rev. lis P. LI. understood to be the Celtic word Cant, and Caint, an edge, the edge of the sea, a border -and this islei they called Awion, and which the Romans in after years, to assimulate to their own tongue, called Albion, deriving it from Albus, white, and forming many fictions etymolo- gically on the same. Pliny, in his "Natural History," Bays: "Opposite the Rhine is Britannia, an island famous in the Greek authors, and in our own. Its own name used to be Albion for that of Britannia was applied to all these isles." Here we have the testimony of a very early author who lived at the commencement of the Christian era that this isle was called (Albion. But Ptolemy, the geographer, about the year 150, writes the word Alwion and Eustathius, in~his Commentaries on Dionysius," observes the two different modes of writing it, Alonion and Albion. Now this word is a regular puzzler. Al is a prefix, and sometimes an affix to the names of places, signifying very utmost," "excellent," Al is also a pro-deist offspring, and Gwion is the name of a being or god worshipped by the Celtia-id. Who or what he was there is no finding out, or at least, I have not stumbled on ib yet. But he is a character of immense import- ance in the theology and mysteries of the ancient Druids of this land. He is mentioned oft in the works of Taliesin, and to this day is celebrated in a saying or proverb:—" Gwir a ddywed Gwion Gwd (Gwion of the bug speaketh truth). Near Llangyinvyd Parish there is a spot called Clwydwion, and near Pontypridd is a celebrated place called Gdii-ioion. Taliesin says :—" Alt a fum gynt wion bach." and again, "Wyf hen, wyf Newydd, wyf Gwion," He was most likely a deity among the first people of the land, and they called the land after his name; which, under the term Albion, iscontinued to this hour. But there was, and still is, another name for this isle, Britannia. This is a word which liascausedinnumerableguessesofetymology. Some go to the Phoenician tongue to find its I root, saying it means Barat-Anak, i.e., land of tin, for the Phoenicians came hither for tin. Others derives it from the Hebrew Berith tan, i.e., separation, for, say they, it is separated from the Continent. Macpherson derives it from Gaelic Braid-In, i.e.. extended island Humphrey Llwyd from Pryd-Cain, bright aspect lolo Morganwy from Prydani, beautiful the triads from Prydain, son ot Aedd Mawr Geoffrey of Monmoutb, from Brutus, the Trojan the Irish derive ib from Brittan, the son of Fergus—to say nothing of numerous other etymologists, which would be waste of time to particularize but I muse say I incline (the vioar would say) to the idea of Camden and PAzroD, who say it comes from the Welsh britb, i.e., painted. Mr Llewelyn tells us nob to be shocked to tMfiHfcgfafct we stand here ae the descendants ofted themselves, in other words, tfrttobed but this theory he strongly believed in. Their bodies were, in a common Welsh expression, wedi eu brithio "— painted, or coloured over with various devices. Claudius writes that they painted their bodies." Herodiau says, too, they puncture their bodies with pictures of all sorts of various animals." Ceasar, who saw them 50 years after Christ, says, All the Britani stain themselves with the herb vitrun, which effects a cerulean hue." The plaut used by the British in tattooing was the Glastine, or woad,—otherwise called Vitrun -the glass plant-because it is used in making glass. Its colour was something like indigo, which has superseded the use of it. It is recorded that the ancient Druids had white robes, and afterwards that the different orders of bards, &c., had dtstinct colours for each order—white, green, blue robes. But it is evident that as all the Britons painted their bodies, it must have been the custom among them to go naked, or nearly so. Thus Herodian expressly writes that the North Britons wort) no garments, that they might not conceal the paintings on their bodies. Ovid, the Roman poeb, in his book on Love," calls the Britons expressly Britanos Viredes, i.e., Green Britons. These Green Britons Would be gentle- men of a higher order, known to us by the term Ovabes. The white skin untattooed of course corresponda with the white robe of the Druid. The British women, says Pliny, both old and young, stained themselves with woad to imitate the colour of the Ethiopian, and go naked in their religious ceremonies. How shocking the idea. and we in the nineteenth century may very properly exclaim that if these things were so, what religious ceremonies these must have been, and our priests of the present day what would become of them iu the presence of such an unearthly sight In the neighbourhood of Maesteg there is a place called Y Briihdir, a name very similar to Britain, and corroborative of its derivation from Brith, namely, the Britbdir—on the side of the hill. Some people, from false delicacy, are not willing to allow these things to be so. They wish to make the first settlers of these isles a sort of gods, or a people who started from the ground of themselves, as we grow cabbages. They think it disgraceful that their ancestors should be represented as tattooed, but truth compels us to state that most decidedly it was so, and this feeling of pride is innate some- how or another, and takes a general aspect in nations. Our cousins in the United States all derive their descent from what they call the Pilgrim Fathers." Whisper net a word to them about certain persons sent from this country for their country's good to their land, or you arouse the "dander" of Brother Jonathan.

<- NO CARDS NOW. SciTOB May I take this button-hole as a. token of your friendship ? FASHIONABLE MISS: Good gracious, no, sir Why, that's my new bonnet Button-hole, [ indeed

Life's Whirligig. Interested Friend: And your boys are all educated and gone to themselves, Mr Jones ? Jones Yes, all in perfeshn 1 life in the oity. And who's working your great farm ?" Well, I've got three fellers tryin' t' work it, but makin' mighty poor fists uv ib." Where are they from ?" Perfeshn'l men't starved out in the city."

AN EYE TO BuaiNKss.—AKMit I'd like to paint signs of my patent medicine all over you^ barn.—Fanner Well, whab '11 ye give me ?— Ageut: Fifty-two bottles of the medicine.— Farmer Give me two more bottles and I'll give you a deed of the place. IN TH* MIDST OF IT.—Mr B. (watching his wife arraying herself): You are like a naomlc— always at his beads.—Mrs B,: You alsot lore. Staialwaya wear his («)oowl. <n

A SATURDAY SERMON. just as activity is a positive necessity to youth, rest is indispensable to adults. Never was the value of rest to both mind and body so great ae it is to-day. A century ago the conditions of liv*, were very different from what they are now. There was not that struggle for existence that it so painfully evidenb in our own time. The strain to which the majority of the human race ic subjected makes it imperatively necessary that rest shall be given a proper place as a health requisite. This rest is perhaps even moreneedfal for the sake of the mind than of the body. W ithout proper rest the mind becomes disturbed and agitated. It is because the mind does not get rest enough that over-worked men and women so eagerly accept the ridiculout theories that are advanced one after the othel, with such amazing rapidity. When men and women were not driven so by the anxieties and fluctuations of their daily labour, great religioue systems were founded. But now men and women are so mentally convulsed that rest is not thought of. They know nothing about it. If people rested more they would think more clearly, and, there would not be so many faddists, nor so many extraordinary urns as there are to-day I the perpetual excitement in their daily duties M followed by men and women accepting exciting theories and practising them. Never have suicides been so frequent, and they may in most cases be traced to a want of mental rest. When there is I" little time to spare from money-getting and, amusements, remember the paramount iggggp^M^ q, rest forronid and. todf~»ftad

V AMBER Aijig XMX JPALEALE, & STOUT AGENTS IN Applyfw r\ CASIC TERMS, &c. X. A" o \V>\ BOTTLE PENARTH-ROAD \>^VV ffear the Havan nah Training Ship) N. CARDIFF 15323 N. IS*?* X

(OBTZMANN & CO., 62, 64, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75, 77, and 79, HAMPSTEAD.ROAD, LONDON, W. ALL CARPETS MADE UP FREE OF CHARGE. FOR CONDITIONS UPON WHICH GOODS ARE SENT CARRIAGE PAltt PLEASE SEE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO HOUSE FURNISHING. Contents :-Complete Estimates for Furnishing at B120 and S250, with full-page illustrations; 14 Notes on Furniture, by M. F. Frith, late of "Lady's PictoriaL Articles on Artistic Furnishing reprinted from the Lady." 642 pages, and over 2,000 iflustra- tions, with description and price of every item required in Complete House Furnishing. GRATIS AND POST FREK. 410O

ALL BEFORE US. All before us lies the way, Give the past unto the wind All before us in the day, Night and darkness are behind. Eden with its angels bold. Love, and flowers, and purity, Is not ancisnt story told, But a glowing prophecy. In the Spirit's perfect air, In the passions tame and kind, Innocence from selfish care, Truest Eden we shall find. When all error is worked out From the heart and from the life; When the sensuous is laid low. Through the Spirit's holy strife. When the soul to sin bath died, True. and beautiful, and sound, Then all earth is sanctified, Up springs paradise around. Then shall come the Eden days, Guardian watch from seraph eye* Angels on the beauteous rays, Voices from the opening skies. From the spirit-land afar, All disturbing force shall flee Stir, nor toil, nor sin, shall mar Its immortal unity. R. W. EMERSON.

NEARLY EFFICIENT. LADY OF THK HOOSB Listen, Charlotte. I am eoinc to give a and a dance. Now, you will have to show what you can do, so as to keep up the credit of my establishment. COOK • With pleasure, ma'am but I can only dance the waltz and the polka. You will have to Excuse me from the quadrilles.

Dinny "paid Mr Dolan, "phwat do yez mane to do wid all yer schoolin afther yez get to be a mon I'd like to be a Congressman, replied r6 youngster. Well, bear m moind phwat Ot tell vez. Gom' to Congress an' wurruking sue- Sssful on a jobav br ickla^n'gin^llydgpiTJda enwint'ing; an' tin#*mouidm*Iht kouf

WELSH GLEANINGS. 8 The Bretons, John Jones's first oousins, have through all time been regarded by the French as the fiower of their navy. They maintain this proud distinction to the present day. Mr Jame* Evans! of Tonna, Neath, now a student at Trevecca College, has received a unani- mous invitation to the joint pastorate of the English and Welsh Calvinistic Methodists Churches at Beaufort. On the second reading of the Welsh Disestab- lishment Bill, Sir Frederick Milner proposes to move :—" That this House declines to proceed with the Bill until a religious census has been taken in Wales." Lord Penrhyn has given instructions t:) Mr Young, his chief agent, to add a day's pay to the wages of the 3,000 quairymen in his employment at Penrhyn Slate Quarries, as an indication of his sympathy with them in the distress arising from the frost. In no place was St. David's Day more loyally observed than in Edmburgh, where professors, medical men, preachers, and laymen of all denominations congregated together by the sweet ties of brotherhood. Nearly every item on the programme was carried out m Welsh. Ab no period of its history has the vitality of toe Welsh language been more pronounced than at the present day. The editors of Young Wales-the organ of the Cymiu Fydd-will not be the last to endorse this. The paper will shortly be converted into a'duoglot. Eu hiaith a gad- want." In the list of candidates successful at the recenb law preliminary examination we are pleased to notice the name of Mr F. D. Evans, of Harrow School, son of Mr and Mrs D. H. Evans, of Regent's Parle, London. Mr F. D. Evans is one of the youngest candidates who have ever passed this examination. Mr Owen M. Edwards, of Oxford, who is the chairman of the council of his native parish of Llanuwchllyn, has decided to present the parish with 100 volumes as the nucleus of a public library. Mr L. J. Davies has added another 50 volumes, and the parishioners are agitating for the adoption of the Free Libraries Act. A Carnarvon newspaper declares that a large number of the subscribers to the funds of the Bangor Diocesan School of Divinity, of which the Rev, R. Edmonds Jones is warden, have siguified their intention to discontinue their subscriptions on account of the warden's connection with the Bangor Disestablishment-without-Disendowment Scheme. The Rov W. J. Richards, Penyweru, Dowlais, recently crossed the herring pond," and we learn that lie has been so taken up with the American Republic that he has intimated to his church that he will resign his ministerial charge thereof during thecurrent month, with the view of permanently settling in the United States. Mr Richards is one of the stars of the Welsh pulpit, and his deparluie will be keenly felt. Professor Darlington (who is, as all the world knows, a racy Welsh writer) has said that the thirst fur education is more intense in Wales than in any country in the world. He regards the tact that over 100,000 subscriptions towards Aberystwyth College were received in sums under half-a-crown, and that several poor Bethesda quarrymen contributed their five pounds to Bangor College, as a very significant omen for the future of education m Gvvalia. Sir John Jones Jenkins, who has been in indifferent health for some time, has been advised by Dr. Griffiths, hu attendant, to take a trip to the Continent. He leaves ill a few days. Councillor Freeman, of Swansea, is few days. Councillor Freeman, of Swansea, is about to leave tor Spain with a like object; and Dr. W. Morgan, the chairman of the Swansea School Board, who is now convalescent, is only waiting for the weather to break up before sailing tor the Mediterranean. Writing ef the late Lord Aberdare in the Times, Sir, Charles Dalrymple, M.P., says: "It happened to me to know with what care and trouble Lord Aberdare dealt with the Church patronage of the Crown in Scotland, which, according to the custom prevalent before the Patronage Abolition Act was passed, was vested in the Secretary of State. He took the utmost pains to ascertain everything that oould be known about candidates, and was grateful for information supplied to him from independent quarters, quite apart from political connection with himself." Apropos of the late frost, a local bard, upon being asked for an impromptu upon the occasion of the bursting of a number of water-pipes in a neighbouring house, where, under the trying circumstances, the weaker vessel played the stronger part, delivered himself thus, and sang it to the tune Twrgwyn," which greatly added to the comicality of the impromptu :— Y awfr oil a rhewodd, I-w-bwb, A'r pibau phvm a forsbiodd, I-w-bwb Carlamau Shon gyflymwyd, A diangodd am ei fywyd, Ond Shfin a haner foddwyd, I-w-bwb, GweJl gwraig erioed ni an wyd, I-w-bwb. Hnwain. G. E. J. The Rev. G. Griffiths (Penar), Pentre Esfcyle, who preached anniversary sermons at Horeb, Llwydcoed, on Sunday, is one of the most eloquent of our young Welsh preachers, and those who heard him at the Welsh pub'io meeting at the Parlc-hall, Cardiff. on the occasion of the Welsh Congregational Union meetings will not soon forget the way in which he carried with him that immense crowd. Mr Griffiths is a native of Trecynon, Aberdare, and has worked as a collier, and his only training for the ministry he received at the Trecynon Academy under the Rev. R. J. Jones, M.A. He has, however, been a hard and diligent student ever since, and is one of our chaired bards. The Monmouthshire County Council election on Monday was reduced to the barest proportion- only five contests out of 48 possibles. Evidently the constituencies think well of the county councilors, and deservedly, too. Commercial travellers in the hills note the newer and better order of things for which the county council are primarily to be credited. The chief figure who disappears from the council is the Dnke of Beau- fort. He was not nominated again. During the six years his grace held office, and attended pretty regularly, he never did anything note- worthy. Stop he once discovered, in awesome phrase, that several Dissenters were being pnt on an eduoational committee, and was timorous enough to remonstrate. The way Councillor (now Alderman) Harris, with the leonine nom de plwme, went for that poor old duke in Royal descent was a sight for the gods. As usual, the enterprising reporter. gave the discussion—short, heated, and punctuated with satirical laughter— in the first person. Since then the duke hasnever smelt" Dissenters anywhere. I wonder," writes a correspondent, if every Principal of College in Oxford knows the difference between a cyffylog and a crychydd cam t Professor John Rhys, of Jesus, does. I was travelling the other day," adds the corre- spondent, with the son of a Cardiganshire magistrate of sporting proclivities, who related an interesting story of the time when Principal Rhys was a herdsboy looking after cattle on the slopes of Ptynlymon. The sportsman when going over the farm early in October asked young Rhys if he had seen any oyffylogau (woodcock) about t 'Yes,' said the lad, 'down in the hollow there.' It being too early in the season to expect to find woodcock, the sports- man said it must be a crychydd cam (heron). 'No,' persisted young Rbys. 'it is a cyffylog.' 'But,' continued ithe sportsman, 'do you know the difference between a cyffylog and a crychydd cam 1' • Ob, yes,' responded the lad, a cyffylog is a small bird with a long bill.' The sportsman, however, thinking it too early for woodcock, did not take the trouble to go down to the hollow, bub going to the farm a fortnight later, and finding from young Rhys that the cyffylog was still there, he went down and suo- eeeded in shooting it—the earliest) woodcock he en, tho. IN A rtaty long

Irate Landlady: I want you to take back that folding-bed you sold me, nud I want my money back. One of my boarders smothered to death in it, and he owed me a week's board.—Furniture Dealer: Madam, you have no business sense. If you were in the habit of making your boarders pay a monbh in ftdviaicQ you would have been »w»y atmdi

Our Country Column. Mari(elds. African, and French marigolds, when of good strains, produce flowgrs of great symmetry with markings of a fine^Knd pleasing character, while withal they are easj^to cultivate. Many flower- shows offer prizes *or the French varieties, and probably those who grow for exhibition could not do better than have a packet of the superb gold-striped French marigold as part of the seeds sown. In growing these plants it is desirable to raise them early either on a mild hotbed, or in a greenhouse, and as soon as the plants are of sufficient size they should either be potted oft into small pots or pricked out on a declining hotbed at about three inches apart. The object bf-ing to secure sturdy plants in as hardy a condition as possible, unnecessary heat must be avoided and plenty of air given at all possible times, but they must not be affected by frost. When intended to produce fine flowers, a bed or border should be got into good coudltion by being liberally manured and well worked over, and the soil thoroughly pulver- ised from time to time, and in this respect labour is not wasted in doing the work efficiently. As soon as dangar frmn frost is passed, the plants should be put oL;fc about eighteen inches apart, keeping clear from weeds, and giving water as necessary. Those fyr ordinary decorative pur- poses should be planted out where they are to stand, and should naver suffer from drought, but boyond this little further care is needed. Besides the selected kinds there are others which produce single fluwers, and these make a. grand show, as do also the tall African kinds, some of which produce flowers tb. ^e >ud four inches in diameter. There if also a small species of this family called Tageles signata primula, which produces an immense wealth ot golden yellow flowers, and used for bedding purposes, produces a striking t-fleet, although individually the ilowers are rather insignificant. Preservation and Storage of Eggs. This is the subject treated of in the just issued "Journal" of the British Dairy Farmers' Associa- tion. The golden rules to achieve success in the matter are said to bti (1) cool storage in a pure atmosphere, and (2) reversing the e.198, say, twice weekly. These, 01 course, are not the only points, but they are the essentials. In this matter we are albogebher beaten by foreigners—by those, that is, who annually sell to us øggs of the value of no less a. sum than £ 3,875,639. For every small farmer who indulges in poultry keeping in this country, there are ten on the Continent. To embark in the undertaking requires but little capital, and the returns are quickly arrived at. Fowls kept ou poultry farms have never been made to ptiy but kept as the cottager can keep them-in small numbers—nothing pay3 betters. There is an enormous demand for fresh fg-gs, and a growing one. The facts that have led to the careful considera- tion of this question are that eggs are produced in much greater numbers at one time of the year than at another and in certain years more than others. The object nought to be attained to is not diffieulb to see. With an eye to profit, it is desired to keep over eggs from the time when they are plentiful and cheap, to be sold when they are scarce and dear. This is well in theory, but there are several drawbacks to its consummation. For instance, the effect of age upon an ttgg is to dry up its contents and reduce iihem to smaller com- pass and if the eggs are not turned frequently the white and yolk adhere together. The shell of an egg being porous, evaporation Is constantly going on. In hot weather evaporation is rapid, it, cold weather, slow. Freezing destroys vitality, but an egg has been successfully hatched after having been kept tor 140 days. These are facts worth remembering. Every 24 hours that an egg is kept it loses in weight and subsbance—hence the demand for fresh eggs. The fresher the better. And in this connect ion what an advantage we have over foreigners We alone can supply absolutely fresh eggs and we ought to do so. If upon occasion we must store them, then observe the golden rules indicated above. Fattening, Kn!«*§•, and Marketing Fowls, Fattening means adding to quantity and quality of fiosh, and in three weeks two pounds can be added to the weight of a good bird. Birds being fattened should be penned, or kept in confinement, and in a warm place. Cramming machines facilitate the work, and should be used during the last week or ten days of the process, for which ground oats and Spratt's patent fattening meal are best; and the addition of fat and milk is important. Capons fatten more readily and attain greater size than cockerels. Dislocation of the neck is the usual DRESSED FOWLS (LA KLECHK). I plan of killing, but palotting is the better method. Fatted fowls must always be killed where fatted. To improve the egg trade we require winter layers, larger size and greater evenness, clean eggs, better packing, rapid marketing, new openings. No egg more than three days old is a fresh egg. To improve the poultry trade we require better fowls, early and late hatchings, proper fattening and shaping, neat plncking and packing. Great Britain is spending annually £ 6,500,000 on imported eggs and poulty, all of which might be earned by home producers. Golden Hints for Butter Making. The following list of Golden Rules for a Butter Making Dairy is by Mr James Blytb, of the famous Blythwood dairy Give the cows 21b. to 31b. of concentrated food daily when on the pastures. See that they have accuss to pure water. That they are not worried by flies, nor over-driven by boys, or hunted by dogs. Add a Jersey or Guernsey or two to the herd it will improve the butter. Mine regularly. Insist upon the udders being wiped clean, and the milkers having clean hands and pails. Never mix the milk of a newly-calved cow, or a very stale milker with that from the others. Keep rock salt, or Spratt's salt rollers, in the manger. Always clean out the manger after every meal. Treat the animals with kindness they will amply repay it. Never dip the fingers in the pail when milkiug. In winter never use swedes, turnips, or grains, sour ensilage, musty hay, barley straw, or an excessive quantity of oilcake. Select such roots as carrots, parsnips. and mangolds, the best hay, oat-straw, sweet grass, clover, or vetch ailage, oate, bran, middlings, maize-m»al, cocoanut, (lecorticated cotton or palm-nut cake, cotton-seed meal, Thorley's cake, malt combs. Carry the milk to the dairy while warm from the cow. It must not be allowed to cool, either for shallow or deep setting before pouring into the setting vessels. Strain it carefully. For shallow setting, set in as cool a dairy as possible for deep setting, set as near 40 deg. F. as possible, giving a fall of at least 50 deg1. Take care that the setting vessels and the dairy are thoroughly sweet and clean, and the latter dry, free from draughts conveying' foul smells, and without) drains, tapped or otherwise. In thundery weather use the Cooley system, setting as near 45 degrees F. as possible, the I milk being at 90 deg. F. at least. Skim with clean utensils. place the cream in a deep earthen vessel, and when adding subsequent skimmings stir and mix the whole with a wooden stirrer. In summer churn at least thrice weekly. In mid- winter once may be sufficient, bub if the cream ciiii be quickly ripened, twice is better. Never add sour milk or whey to cream. Before churn- ing strain the cream, heat it in winter, never quickly, to 62 deg. F., in summer cool it slowly to 58 deg. F. In spring and autumn adopt 60 deg. F.—Mr Biyth's Golden Rules for Churn- ing shait be given next week. Answers to Correspondents. John Latey, Sutton.—-Quite recently there have sprung up two additional varieties of the Dorlong-thf, pile and the buff. Both are hand- some birds, but the older variebios-the whibe and the brown—should prove more remunerative. "Agricoia" (Boston).—I think the Ayrshire would find her living in the way you suggest, but she ought not to be turned out before May. Feeding stuffs ought to be a good safeguard against the contingency you suggest. I would remind you to be careful not to contravene any Highway Act. J. J. A. (Fantails).—Fantails would not suit your purpose. They are stay-at-home birds, and would always be hanging about the roof.

Gardening Notes. ♦ Flewer Garden. There is always plenty to do at this season in a garden, but the weather has to be studied and the work so arranged that every operation can be done at the right time. For instance, seed-sowing and plant- ing can be best done when the surface is dry and the land works cleanly. When the soil works freely the roots of a plant can be placed in the earth properly, and the fine, dry soil will fill in around the roots so that they rest in an easy, natural bed, and \vhen sufficient pressure is applied and the neoessary moisture is giveD, whether from below, by what is termed capillary attraction, or from the clouds, or by the aid of the water-pot, root action begins at once, and the final result will not disappoint. So it is with seed-sowing. Many of the annual and other flower seeds are very small, and if sown on rough, steely ground they perish, but if scattered thinly on a well pulverised surface, covered in lightly and made a little firm by pressing the earth down with the head of the rake, every good seed will germinate. In sowing seeds on rough ground, or where the soil does not work kindly, I have found the advantage of covering small seeds with a little fine sifted compost. Provision is usually made for this when clearing up the compost- yard. Old potting soil, mixed with burnt earth or charred rubbish, is very useful for this and many other purposes. Large unwieldy evergreen and other shrubs may be out down as soon as the frost goes. It is difficult to realise yet what damage has been done by the severe weather. Some things have suffered without doubt. I remember, after the severefrost of 1860 and 1861, common laurels, evergreen oaks, and many other tree.3 and shrubs were seriously crippled. Roses were badly injured, especially the standards. Even the Deodar cedars were, in exposed situations, cut down almost to the snow- line and I remember a long avenue of cupressus macrocarpa were killed altogether. A low temperature, when the thermometer falls to zero several nights in succession, means death to a good many choica things therefore, the lesson we may learn is to trust as far as possible, for any effects we wish to be permanent, to native trees and shrubs. Fruit Garden. Figs which have been altogether uncovered will probably have to be cut down to the snow-line. This is a pity, when a little protection would have served. Figs are very whiVesome and are not difficult to grow if properly planted. The roots must be kept under control, and the branches sheltered in winter. Many people put off this sheltering too long. Oh, they say. there's time enough, and the present season, up to Christmas, having been so nllld, no severe frost was expected. Given a warm, sunny wall, and a well-drained, firm bed, rrsde porous with mortar rubbish, and tigs are a paying crop. If over the growth becomes gross, lift the roots. The giouud intended for strawberries, if it was trenched up before the frost set in, will be in capital condition for planting next month, or as soon as the surface is dry. Those who are thinking of planting strawberries with a view to selling the crop had better get them as early as possible. Noble realises well In this way, planted on a sunny bank. I say nothing about its flavour, that is of less importance for selling than size, colour, and earliness and it is imporbant that they should be cleanly gathered and neatly packed in clean punnetn. Appearances have influence upon effecting a ready sale of strawberries. Those who are thinking ot doing any grafting must lose no time now in looking up the grafts and laying then) in damp earth in a cool, shady spot, so that the bark may remain fresh tiil the trees are ready. If large trees have to be regraftad, cut the heads off at once down to within a few inches of the place where the grafts have to be inserted. Look after the bud-eating biros-bultinches and otizei-s-they will soon do a lot of harm now if left to themselves. Vegetable Garden. As soon as the weather is suitable, bring up arrears of planting and seed-sowing. One of the first; things to be done is to sow the onions and I parsnips. Divide and replant rhubarb. It is a -kiid i,el-tlant riiiibarb. jiliiittn(I must have liberal treat- ment. Cover the fflromis with sou.ething to shelter and forward the growth. A good potato for present planting is snowdrop. There are several good types of now. Rivers' royal ashleaf is a good selection, as is also Veitcb's aslileaf. There is sure to be a scarcity of greens after the present severe winter, and everything; possible should be done to raise cauliflower and cabbage plants, to set out early. Very few broccoli will escape the frost unless covered with suow or sheltered in some other way. I have never known broccoli to survive after being exposed to 20 degrees of frost. Spinach will be valuable this season, and so also will turnip-tops. Anyone laa vlng a frame should sow a few seeds of cauliflowers and lettuces, and get tbem on as fast as possible. Forced rhubarb, seakale, and mushrooms will be valuable this season, 111 conse- quence of the destruction among the green crops. Sow mustard and cress as often as required. dress may be grown indoors anywhere where there is any warmth. I have seen it growing on the kitchen shelf. Warmth aud moisture and a flannel base to sow upon is all that is required. Greenhouse. I am afraid there has been a good deal of destruction among the plants in small green- houses. We have had no winter like the present since 1860 and 1861, and since then the increase of culture under glass has been enormous, and many of the houses have not been constructed to withstand a low temperature. Fortunately, plants and seeds are cheap. Never has garden and nursery produce been so che ip as it is now. I hope before these lines appear in type the weather may have settled, and that we may have a genial spring. Cuttings of all kinds may be put in now. Use sandy compost, and the very soft things should be covered with glass. Any- one can make a propagating box or boxes and form a groove for the glass by nailing on a strip of wood along the top of the Iiox or the atmosphere may be confined by laying a <=quiire of glass on the top of the box. The other day I saw a number of boxes of cuttings and seedling-i in an amateur's greenhouse looking splendid they were simply soap and raisin boxes, obtained at a nominal cost from the grocer's and fitted with squares of glass. Frames. The time is close at hand when these may L,, turned to profitable account for raising plants of all kinds, both flowers and choice vegetables. Collections of auriculae, polyanthuses, and primulas may be sown now in the frames. Windew Garden. Cuttings of the blue and white campanula isophylla will strike now. This is a charming p'ant for hanging pots or baskets. Hyacinths and other early-flowering Dutch bulbs musb have water enough to keep the soil moist. — Cottage Gardening.

The Parisiaus say that if anyom-oaatUnctth* merry can-can an AmertoaB Cvn,

The Welsh Press. [BY MYNYDDWR.J The Welsh Chureh Bill. Owing to the delay in introducing the Bill for the Disestablishment and Disendowmenb of the Church in Wales, occasioned by Sir Henry James's motion in the House of Commons, most of the Welsh papers were published either before the Bill was introduced or on the day following. The consequence is that although nearly every paper comments on the question, their remarks are either based on what may be expected or on Mr Asquith's speech only. In some cases no fault is found with the Bill, in others suggestions are made for certain improvements, while one goes so far as to say that it would be a. disgrace to the Welsh people to accept a. measure of so imperfect a character. The Herald Cymracg appears to be the most discontented with the measure, and it gives a list of 10 amendments which it considers ought to be embodied in the Bill, and that if they are not included thousands of Welshmen will be bitterty disappointed. At the same time," it continues. it must be ad- mitted that the imperfection of the measure is to a large extent the fault of Welsh Disestablishes. They should have held a national conference lasb year to consider and discuss the details of the measure. It is now suggested to hold a conference at Aberystwyth some timn before the second reading of the Bill. It will be 'a day after the fair'then. If *Cymru Fydd' is to do any substantial and effectual work, let the con- ference be held forthwith, before the House of Commons goes into committee on the measure. It would be a disgrace to us as a nation to accept such an imperfect measure without a strong protest against it. We are glad to understand that some of the most enthusiastic Welsh members will do their utmosb to improve the Bill. It is the first duty of every patriot to support them, and that in good time." The Tyst advises moderation on the part of the Welsh people in their demands. On the supposi- tion that the new Bill is similar to the eld, it advocates its hearty acceptance, and fears that too much insisting on our part on certain points may do harm. "It must be remembered, "it says, that English Liberals are not so enthusi- astic as ourselves in the matter. They have to be pushed on with rtgard to it-at least, a number of them have. Now, there is a danger of losing the sympathy and support of these if they find that we are obstinate with reference to some things which they, perhaps, may consider comparatively unimportant." It expects, how- ever, that the Welsh members will get the best terms possible, and at the same time give as little cause for the opposition of the Church party as possible by not making unreasonable demands. The Cymro accepts the measure as explained by Mr Asquith, and especially commends certain portions of it. In connection with the allocation of the tithes, etc., it is very emphatic. He (Mr Asquith) refused—and quite properly," it saya, to collect all the endowmenbs together into one sum and then to distribute it according to the number of the population. On the con- trary, the distribution will be according to the receipts of each county, and the populous county of Glamorgan will receive a just share without robbing of their endowments other counties which are poorer and thinly populated, like Merioneth and Cardigan." As may be expected, the Llan is by no means in good spitks at the prospects of the Establish- ment. In its despoudeney and distress it turns to the Book of Common Prayer for comfort, and particularly to the Collect for the Queen in that book. It is confident that the present attack on the Establishment will not succeed. Tha present movement which is on foot in the country," it says, in its nature and spirit, is so contrary and opposed to the fundamental prin- ciples of the Divine government that we cannot. iu the face of the teaching of the above collects aud the Bible, believe in its success." Later on in its article it gives the Church party some sound advice, which it no doubt thinks necessary, otherwise it woutd not give it.' Let us conduct ourselves and demean ourselves," it says, iu the trying struggle m the spirit and according to the rules of Christianity. Let us defend religion in a religious manner." One point is worthy of special mention in the article in the Llan, and that is the small stress it lays on the endowments of the Church. "Let us defend principle," it says, more than circumstances—Establishment mure than Endowment. The ship with the millions of souls that are in it are infinitely JIJOIB valuable than the cargo that is in it and if anything must be lost it must not be the ship but t he cargo. It is the groundless asset tion of our opposers who are envious of our food that wo are struggling for our bread and water." The TJdgorn Hhyddid gives a general outline of the Bill, and is glad to know that it is likely to roceiv* hearty reception from the Welsh members. The Baner, Gwylicdydd, and Seven also make passing references to the Bill. The Rights of Welsh Werkmen. Undor the title of the "Rights of the Work- men of Wales and the Railways," the Baner returns to the attack upon the London and North- western Railway Compauy. It analyses the speech of Lord Stalbudge, which he dehvered at the meeting of shareholders, and characterises it as nothing but "a chain ot misrepresentations of facts." In the face of the declaration of Lord Stalbridge-that by degrees they would reduce the number of monoglob Welshmen in every gang of platelayers to not more than one—the Baner risks, Has a Welsh workman the right to live in Wales ? A man cannot live without food and ctothing he cannot obtain food and clothing without money he cannot obtain money without working aud he shall have no work unless his tongue learns the shibboleth of the Englishman If the Englishman wore compelled in England to learn French before being allowed to use a hammer or mallet, there would be a rebellion throughout the country and why must we Welshmen suffer in silence insult for which the Englishman would fight to avenge it If there is all atom of manhood in us as a nation, we will also avenge this insult to our country, our language, nnd our nation in a very effectual manner but disagreeable to the above company." It strongly urges tradesmen not to have any of their goeds sent by the cotnpany's.sysbem, and hopes thatother county councils besides that of Anglesey will extend invibations to the Midland Railway Compauy to extend its line through North Wales. The Welsh members of Parliament will also he appealed to to oppose all the Bills which the offt>ndiug company may bring btOfore Parlia- ment, and it hopes by these means to bring aboub au effectual change in its policy. The Magazines. The Geninen, for this month, the special St. David's Day number, is full of interesting and instructive reading. The article on Ieuan Gvvynedd. one of the most ardent Welsh patriots of the present century, is very appro- priate at the present time, when the efforts of Welsh Nationalists are about to bear practical fruit. There are numerous other notioes of such eminent Welshmen as Dr. Owen Thomas, and his brother, Dr. John Thomas, of Liverpool, and others, which will well repay a perusal. The Traethodydd maintains its high standard of excellence. Now that the Christian Endeavour Sooiety is beginning to take root in Wales, many would be glad to know more about the commencement and growth as well as the objects of the society. The Rev. J. Moshyn Jones has a short sketch in the Traethodydd which will be. useful and in- structive in that direction. "Charles o'r Bala as a Welsh Scholar," by Professor J. Young Evans, M.A., will also be read with much interest, If not pleasure, by those who have received the useful aid of Geiriadur Charles when searching the Scriptures. Miscellaneous. The Cymro. Llan, and Celt have brief notices of the death of Lord Aberdare. The Celt devotes its leading columns to a consideration of the sliding scale which will come to tui end at the end of this month unless arrangements are made to the contrary in the meantime. In expressing its sympathy with the workmen, the Celt hopes they will fighb their battle reason- ably and carefully, but determinedly and zealously. If possible let the scale be retained, but get a fair one." The Tariom has a sym- pathetic article on the late Rev. J. Wyndbam Lewis, who it considers was in the front rank of preachers. The Goleuad has a novel suggwstiou with respecb to the debts of Calvinistic Methodist chapels, and if its explanation is correct, the suggestion is well worth the consider. ation of those who have the welfare of their denomination at heart. The national awakening which Wales is experiencing at the present moment is making itself felb in various ways. One of the most nobiceable is the introduction of Welsh into the English weekly journals published in Wales. One of the best local weeklies pub- ished in South Wales, tho Carmarthen Weekly Reporter, has lately made this departure, and it has now a very well-written Welsh cohimn reviewing Welsh literature and Welsh movements generally appearing every week.

-0- A Busy Wife. II Do you know tbis woman f asked a lawyer of a negro who had been summoned to testify before the court. "Yes, sah; I know her." Do you know her intimately ?" No, sah j kaintsay that I do." "How long have you known her r Well, I got acquainted wid her a short time before I married her." She's your wife, then. Thought you did -not know her intimately ?" '• Dab's what I jackerlated." I don'b understand, then, how she can be your wife." Well, yer see, sah, she 'longs to de church, de singin' society, de Sisters o' de Sacred Broom, de Daughters o' Ham, an' two or three little side shows, ?5r 'oman whut is kep' so busy, sab, ain't got^ojjiftie ter fool erround home."

GOSSIPS' CORNER. Only one man in 203 is over 6fb. in height. Even children of four or five in Burmah smoka long cheroots. Cardinal Vaugban has been going into sooiety a good deal in Rome. Ib is now 33 years since the first English oriokel team visited Australia. It is estimated that the population of Europe doubles itself every 660 years. A West of England musical festival is pro jected at Plymouth next autumn. Tokio, the capital of Japan, has doubled its population within the past 20 years. Freezing water in rock crevices often split 01, immense boulders from the sides of cliffs. An American journal announces paper gloves and stockings, the latter selling at three oents the pair. Letters and parcels by post have in all proba- bility frequently conveyed the infection of influenza. Frenchmen, it is stated, are anything bat satis- fied at the slow growth made by their language of late years. Mr Clement Scott says there is no profession that, as a rule, is healthier or longer lived than that of acting. Strong opposition is being expressed in legal circles to the practice of granting judges twelve months' sick leave. The Bishop-Designate of Hereford has become a vice-president of the Church of England Waife and Strays Society. The Hon. Dudley Marjoribanks, only son of Lord and Lady Tweedmouth, attained hit majority on Saturday. The English Constitution appeared to Sieyes, Brissot, Mirabeau, and even to Robespierre, the ideal of political systems. It seems the Government have spent a sum ot £ 7,000 in the proceedings taken to obtain the ex, radition of Jabez Balfour. Once in a lecture on a Sunday, at Glasgow, Professor Blackie shocked the Sabbatarians by singing a verse of a Scottish song. The smallest egg in the world is said to be that of the tiny Mexican humming-bird. It it scarcely larger than a pin's head. The Transvaal has a population of nearly 50,000 Englishmen and Cape Colonists, as against a population of about 15,000 Boers. No Burmese lady, from the highest to the lowest, appears in public without holding in her hand or in her mouth an enormous cheroot. Mr Julian Tennyson, who is stated to be a grand-nephew of the late Poet Laureate, is an- nounced to make his d6but as a vocalist shortly in New York. Eton boys, according to one of the school, masters, have now discarded Lytton, Thackeray, Dickens, Fenimore Cooper, and gone baok to their old love Scott. The common American coon (remarks the Spectator) is a slave to an unusual form of eti. quette. It will wash everything which it eats, it there is any water near. Some excellent photographs of the bottom of the sea have lately been taken, by the aid of a newly-invented lamp for burning magnesium powder, under the water. There is no use in mincing the matter the English music-hall is still the home of rampant, blatant, and incredibly brainless vulgarity." go remarks Mr William Archer. Influenza, says a doctor, is due to the presence in the human organism of a baodlulfbowft as the bacillus of Pfeiffer, from the nama of its the coverer, Professor Pfeiffer, of Berlin. The Chicago Post-office has several eleotrie machines for stamping letters and oaaoeHim stamps. Each machine does the work of six men, and stamps 28,000 letters an hour. Less than a hundred years ago salt was taDcI in this country to the extent of threepence per pound, and was then a much rarer commodity than most of our present-day luxuries. Some of the doctors say that the falling-off in the custom of eating fish during Lent is bad fo4 the general health, the old custom of starving during this season being on the whole good fat mind and body. In the Court of Appeal in Dublin the othet day. counsel stated a point which the Beach ruled against him. Well," said be, if it please the court, if I am wrong in this, I have yet anothes point that is equally as conclusive." Mdme. Patti has bad a great reception at Nice. It was impossible to book seats for La Traviatt," every place having been bespoken long before. The prima donna sang divinely, and appeared like a star in every sense of the word, for she was radiant with diamonds. A Japanese book begins where ours ends, and consequently, when we read a book, we turn 1Ibe. leaves from right to left but the Japanese are forced to turn them from left to right. We make our references at the bottom of page; the Japanese place them at the top. M. Fremont, a French expert in chemistry, has succeeded in proving experimentally that watef maintained for 20 minutes at a temperature ot 80deg. C. loses all the pathogenic micro-organism; it may have contained without being deprived of its gases and without involving any precipitation of the contained salts. From Sheffield comes a story of the indignant householder and the plumber. The former con. eluded a somewhat free unburdening of his mind to his plumber by exclaiming, You plumber. ought to be sent to Siberia to learn how to laf pipes properly." With a sigh of relief th* plumber replied, Well, sir, we are usually told to go to a much warmer place than that." Some years ago a tame long-haired goat formed part of the regular orew of a passenger steainei running between an English and a Continental port. After a time, the Customs authorities; discovered that it wore a false coat many sizes too, large for it. The goat's own hair was clipped very close round its body were packed cigars, lacp, &c., and then the false coat was skilfullj. put on and fastened by hooks-and-eyes. An eccentric woman in Trenton, New Jersey, who was known to possess a large sum in United States bonds, died on Thursday. She told hot relatives that the bonds had not been deposited in a bank, but were concealed somewhere in the room. After she was dead a search was mader but proved fruitless. When the body was being prepared for interment the back was found to blt covered with porous plasters, and upon these being removed bonds to the value of a quarter of a million dollars were discovered.