Flintshire Observer Mining Journal and General Advertiser for the Counties of Flint Denbigh

HUSBAND POISONING IN HUNGARY. A murder trial which for magnitude and horror could scarcely be matched in the criminal annals of any country is about to begin at Gros-Bescherek, in Hungary. The accused, who number no less than 80, are all womon, and they are charged, either as principals or accessories, with poisoning the hus- bands of about half their number. The whole of the prisoners are natives of a village named Melentze, which is inhabited by a Servian population. If what is stated be true, it has been the practice for many years of the women of the locality to get rid of obnoxious husbands by poisoning them, the drugs used for this purpose being all obtained from two old women, named Sophia Jovanovitch and Anna Minity, who had a local reputation as fortune-tellers. Unfortunately, the last-named of these hags died in prison during the preliminary investigation. These mysterious deaths of unpopular husbands have been going on for the last seven years. It may be mentioned that a similar instance of husband poisoning—although not on ao extensive a scale—happened in Hungary a few years ago.

A LITERARY SCANDAL. The literary world in Austria has within the last few days been plunged into a state of painful excite- ment over an unparalleled literary scandal. Alfred Meissner, the Austrian poet, born in 1822 at Teplitz, in Bohemia, who died four years ago, won fame throughout Germany as well as Austria by an epic poem, 11 Ziska," published in 1846, while his subsequent works, consisting of various poems and dramas Mid over a dozen novels, were almost equally highly esteemed. The first-named poem and several of his novels have reached their twelfth edition. An edition of his collected works came out quite recently, but it was hardly published when another Bohemian author, named Franz Hedrich. who for a couple of years past has been living in Edin- burgh and London, published a pamphlet, in which he claims the authorship of nearly all of Meissner's novels. He asserts that for 30 years Meissner gave his name to Hedrich's works, pocketing the money they realised, and awarding him only a trifle. Hedrich publishes original letters from Meissner to substantiate his own claim to the authorship, and he estimates his pecuniary loss at £ 10,000. To this pamphlet the respected author Robert Byr, brother- in-law of the late Meissner, replies, acknowledging the fact that Meissner had died by his own hand through remorse for having tried to sell to a Leipsic firm under bis own name one single novel written entirely by Hed- rich, who was only a collaborator in some of Meissner's former novels, the collaboratorship having ,bf'n arranged between them, because Hedrich's name was hardiy known, and would not have commanded the same, price in the book market as Meissner's. He was hunting me," said Meissner on his deathbed, like a tiger. He claimed the fortune of my children. He was jpy evil genius during all my life, and I was his prisoner, so that nothing but death remains for me to escape his bondage." It is stated that the sale of Meissner's works after his death realised together only two hundred and eighty-five and a-half marks.

EMIGRANTS AND ROBBERS. Over two thousand Montenegrin emigrants, making the third batch, have arrived in Servia. According to the Standard correspondent in 1-ienna, a fourth batch, consisting of fifteen hundred persons, is on the point of starting. The correspondent says he is in- Jormed that the Servian Government has sent an urgent request to Cettinje that no more emigrants may be sent, as no accommodation can be found for them. Moreover, the Servian peasantry are beginning to grumble at the great number of persons they will have to feed. Robber bands are again rife in Servia, and in whole districts there is quite a panic. Inn- keepers, merchants, and even priests receive nightly visits from organised bands, which threaten them with murder if they do not deliver up all their valuables. Several districts have organised a private police with a day and night service, as the Govern- ment officials cannot be trusted. Energetic remon- strances have been addressed to the Home Minister on the subject. Petitions have also been sent to the Skupshtina urging the necessity of a prompt suppres- sion of these disorders.

THE RABBIT PEST. The rabbit is becoming in some portions of Cali- fornia nearly as great a pest as in Australia. In one of the recent rabbit drives, in which hundreds of people took part, at a place called Wildflower, in Frisco County, the result of the day's work showed a mortality of 12,000. When a drive is resolved upon, a large quantity of fine wire netting, about three feet high, shaped like a V, terminating at the smaller end in a circular corral, is constructed. The opening to the COT&I at Wildflower embraced about seven miles of country, and the object of the party was to get the vermin within the enclosure. When they reach the corral, men with sticks speedily destroy them. The heap of slain at the end of the day was (says the London correspondent of the Scotsman) five feet high, 20 feet wide, and 40 feet long, and contained, as stated, upwards of 12,000 rabbits. The Californian farmers estimate that five rabbits consume as much as one sheep, and they have become destructive to young vines, fruit trees, and, indeed to every green thing.

A MYSTERY OF PARIS. A tragedy, which is still shrouded in mystery, took placi- the other Dight in a house in the Rue Germain- Pilon, Paris, where a journalist named Hippolyte Kichard lived with his mistress, an actress. The pair returned home near midnight, and the landlord of the house heard them laughing. Ten minutes after- wards, however, there was noise of quarrelling in KioharTs room, and the landlord went to the place, but was told bv the actress not to come in-an in- junction which he disobeyed. Going into the apart- ment, he found Richard moaning in pain on a bed. The journalist, on seeing the landlord, cried out feebly that Marie, his mistress, had stabbed him in his stomach, and that he was dying from the wound. A few moments after Richard gave up the ghost. The actress has been arrested, but she maintains that her friend commuted suicide because be had not been sufficiently rewarded for the trouble which he had taken cturing the general election.

DOMESTIC TRAGEDY IN WEST- MORELAND. On Saturday afternoon a young man named Met- catfe shot his stepmother at Longmarton, Westmore- land, inflicting a wound from which the woman died almost immediately. Metcalfe made his escape, but was arrested late the same night at Appleby. Fre- quent qumels had taken place between him and the deceased concerning a considerable sum of money which the latter owned, and which Metcalfe thought should be left by will to him. The deceased married Met- calfe's father nine yeais ago, but subsequently left him until three years since, when she returned, and from that time till her death lived with husband and stepson.

How tf raise bread With your fingers, of course; you should not take a fork.

CHASE AFTER BURGLARS. On Saturday night great excitement was caused in the neighbourhood of Goswell-road, Clerkenwell, when it was known that a number of detective officers of the G division were engaged in Great Sutton-street, close by, chasing over the house-tops in that thoroughfare several well-known burglars. It appears that on Saturday night about nine o'clock Detective-Inspector Leach, with Detective-Sergeant Stephen Murreney, were passing through Great Sutton-street, Clerkenwell, when they noticed that the padlocks attached to a warehouse had been broken, and that the premises bad been forcibly entered. Their suspicions were aroused that all was not right, and soon they found that some thieves had entered room after room till they had escaped from the premises by getting through the trap-door to the roof, passing to tbe next house and entering it by the trap-door. Soon Detective-sergeants Durrant, Fordham, Blight, Kyd, and others went into the house, and the burglars hearing their approach quickly made their exit by the roof. Once on the roof of tho premises, they began to go from roof to roof, threatening what they would do to the officers if they attempted to follow them, whilst they did not forget to throw portions of bricks at them Sergeants Durrant and Murreney, after chasing the men over several houses, at last succeeded in getting hold of two of them, and when about to seize a third one he gave a leap over the parapet on to a building below, and from there he succeeded in jumping into the street, and made good his escape tor a time. The men that SeTgeant Durrant and Murreney had suc- ceeded in capturing made desperate efforts to effect their escape, and at one time it was thought that there would be an attempt to throw the police officers over the parapets of the houses, but the shouts of the officers brought to their assistance Detective-inspec- tor Leach, Detective-sergeants Fordham, Blight, Kyd, and Stanley, and, the men having been secured, were got down into the street with safety, being then removed to the Old-street police station. A search was made for the third man, but it was not till about one o'clock in the morning that Detective-sergeant Maine succeeded in apprehending a man in the neigh- bourhood, whom it is stated has been identified as the person wanted. On the police examining the housetops some jemmies and a dark lantern were found. The three men were afterwards charged with breaking and entering the warehouses with felonious intent, and it is believed that they are old offenders, and that their intention in getting on to the roof of the first premises was to work their way by the roofs of the houses to a gold refiner's, there to effect an entrance.

MR. GLADSTONE AND THE NEW DEE BRIDGE. On Saturday afterooon a special train from Man- chester, containing Sir Edward Wat kin, M. P, Sir Evan Morris, and a number of the directors of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Hall. way, arrived at the New De Railway bridge, and proceeded to Hawarden Castle, where they were met by Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone, and conducted over the ruins of the old Castle and through the grounds. An adjournment was then made to the Castle, where Mrs. Gladstone, in the presence of Lord Acton, Mr. Herbert Gladstone, M.P., the Rev. Stephen Glad- stone, rfctor of Hawarden, and the directors of the railway company, presented Mr. Arthur H. Cochrane, of the firm of Messrs. Cochrane and Sons, of London, engineers and contractors for the new railway bridge over the Dee, with a handsome chim- ing clock, in recognition of his valuable services during the construction of the bridge. Mr. Gladstone bore testimony to the magnitude of the undertaking and to the high engineering skill shown in its con- ception and completion, and said that the bridge and railway were destined to be of very great consequence in their bearing upon the whole of Wa'es and upon all the midland and northern parts of England in its rela- tion to Wales. He warmly congratulated Mr. Coch- rane on the successful completion of the work. The party afterwards sat down to luncheon, and subse- quently returned by the special to Manchester. The journey to and from Chester was made over the new railway, about eight miles in length, connecting the bridge with the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln- shire system of railways, and the new line is ex- pected to be opened in January.

MARRIAGE OF LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE, On Saturday morning the marriage tool: place at St. Peter's, Eaton-square, London, of Lord Edmond George Fitzmaurice, formerly M.P. for Calne, Wilt- shire, and T"ndr-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in 182 and 1883, and Miss Caroline Fitz- gerald, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Fitzgerald, of Litchfield, Connecticut, and 19, Rutland-gate, London, S.W. The bridegroom is the son of the late Marquis of Lansdowne, and brother of the present Yiceroy of India. The Kev. Charles Gore, M.A., chaplain to the Bishop of Lincoln and librarian of the Pusey Library, officiated, assisted by the Rev. J. Storrs, M.A -vic--ar of ,t. Peter's. The church was very beautifully decorated with cut flowers, blooming plants, and tall ferns. The bride was accompanied by her father, who gave her away. Mr. Thomas Hammond attended the bridegroom as best man. The bride- groom and his beat man arrived in good time and went to the side entrance. The bride's mother came next, and last of all came the bride. Six bridesmaids awaited her arrival at the entrance to the church- the Hon. Mabel Waldegrave, Miss Etfa Dunham, Miss Herbert and Miss Margaret Herbert (cousins of the bridegroom), Miss Evelyn Gore, and Miss Ger- trude Rutherford. After the ceremony a reception was given at the town residence of the bride's parents, 19, Rutland-gate, S.W., which was largely attended. In the early afternoon Lord and Lady Edmond G. Fitzmaurice left for Bowood-park, his lordship's country seat in Wiltshire. The presents were both numerous and costly.

STRANGE OCCURRENCE TO MEDICAL MEX. The post-mortem examination of the bodies of the two foremen, French and Tennick, who were found dead at the Leeds Forge Company's works under mysterious circumstances, the insinuation being that they were poisoned by water-gas, on Wednesday of last week, was resumed on Sunday morning, in the presence of the Leeds coroner (Mr. Malcolm) and surgeons representing the various parties concerned. The Home Office authorities were represented by Dr. Stevenson, of Guy's Hospital, London. The post- mortem was begun on Friday of last week, but on that occasion it had to be abandoned on account of three of the surgeons suddenly becoming ill and two of them unconscious. The surgeons being unable to proceed, the band-room, is which the examination had been going on, was sealed up, and the facts laid before the coroner, who, after hearing what had taken place, thought it his duty to communicate with the Home Office, and proceeded to London for that purpose. The Home Office deemed the matter so important that Dr. Stevenson was called in for con- sultation, and directed to proceed at once to Leeds to be present at the resumed post-mortem examination, which was held, not in the band-room as was pre- viously the case, but in a tent which had been put up for the purpose. With this precaution the ad- journed post-mortem was carried out, nothing occur- ring to interrupt the proceedings. At the close, however, Dr. Stevenson took away with him parts of each body for analysis.

ALARMING RAILWAY ACCIDENT. On Saturday afternoon an alarming railway acci- dent occurred at Pontefract. An excursion tiain on the Hull and Barnsley line was proceeding to Leeds at the rate, it is stated, of about 50 miles an hour, when, on passing Pontefract West junction, it ran into a goods guard van. The guard in the goods van jumped out upon seeing the danger, but the driver and stoker kept their places on the engine, which left the rails, tearing up the permanent way. The engine, fortunately, fell to the right, or it would have drawn the train down an embankment. The driver and firemen, and the laden train of passengers, escaped. The line was blocked for several hours.

THE timid cross-country rider is a good-tempered man. That is to say, he never takes a fence. AN absent-minded German professor was one day observed walking down the street with one foot con- tinually in the gutter, the other on the pavement. A pupil meeting him saluted him with, Good evening, Herr Professor How are you ?" II I was very well, I I thought," answered the professor but now I don't know what's the matter with me; I have been limping for the last half-hour.*

One Bezen Wines and Spirits for ONE GUINEA. KItlSTMAS CASES (Spooial) — Throe Bottles Port, v. 'I'liroe Sli n-y, One ^.Lunnu' C^mnpa^-ne, One Gin, One i iramly, One misky, 0;ie Orange a:,tl One Ginger Wine J..r One Guinea; or To Port, Two Sherry, One Whuky, One Gin, lis. All reputed quart "bottles. Sent ties, s -I ease, and carriage free to any Kail way Station in England receipt of P.O.O. to W. "W. HUGHES, the Victoria Wine -any. O.sl.oni St.. Txmioj», E. E-t. lSfio. 9-i Branches. YEEY SPECIAL BARGAIN IN CRUSTED PORTS. The fictoria H iu<> Contpany, 8. OSBORX .-TilKT T. I.IXI.OX. j. E,1,d JifcV., Arc now offerics at an exceptionally low price, l.'Oi •!ozena ru! ,<ThJ> i!: ;i vreU<knowa bouse ot SSartinez, Gassiot «5c Co., oi Oporto, SUM! bottled i.y the "'i*i -Is- I'ra.-1 rin.ii ■' Kavour, and mapni- !*•••• co..ur. The i'o>ti5>.iny c;\n confidently si-.te tL;» is "tlie cheapest iuvvI tino have ever «:{..•• cti. PR.icr-: PEE I>OZ., Bottles and Cases included, sent Carriage Paid to any Railway fetation in England. < £ TxN !!• JAYACE'S «§8U STAMPS 'KS" (niJ>M J> /oynoy. R.C OPEK S PLASTEIIS, a safe and sure cure v ('ifii-rs. and Urouch ;tis. Of aii Ciit-uistj. and QIVEN AWAY, your RUBBER STAMP 'i.111ttY Inn111JÎ.cJ.ié".mc in fn'.I. f-r Monogram, I'n.-loJtejJ Stamps ior Postage, kc.. to Crystal Palace (John Jbond'S Gold Me'lal Marking Ink Works, 7oa, Suuth- puc Jtoad. London, X. Rubber Stamp Agents. We are 75 r cent. ].).,w other makers. Atrents wanted. Send for 1. -!■ T; i: 1 M.iker. a R| F* Pi HuypHurs NEW CANCEB 4miiyiM3 nS^^hroe'Ss- IIu*rH&i» Mr lyi LOISETTE S System '• Of great ad- §B | p W vtming-c to a strong memory inealcu- S a lableaidtoaweakone."—Dr. Buckley. Able to give gist of Loo1: after reading it once."—Rev. J. M. Maedonald, M.A. "Its applieations as numerous as the affain of life.—Rev. J. M.A. (Mareh, lSSn Easily ac- quired and very iii "-Rev. S. Bell, M.A. (Feb. is?3). "Cure of mind wandering, and increase of vocabtilarv. J. Maegregor, M.A. "Top in examination."—T. Tait, M.A. Lessons by Pust in claps at reduced fees Prospectus Post Pres. A. LOISETTE, 37, New Oxford Street, London. 11 Ml ny IIM C for SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD FIELDS. UfilUil L. t i v — i! A i 1C.K- SEA VOYAGES for HEALTHS SARt; to LISBON, MADEIRA, CANARY ISLANDS, and the CAPE. THK n>l TNT! ;> AI'K sTK MERS of th« JL liNSON ST.EAM SHIP C-KPANY (Limited) mil [rum Suutiiaiiijitau every Fridaj for 8ul¿lI, Africa and l/etagoa Bay. C ii!s maiJe at Ln-b m, Madeira, aud CaUl1.T1/ Island*. Return Ticket! issued. For Rates, of PisKr.cre L(onjY and all information to THE UNION STEAM SHIP COMPANV (Limit64J, Onentai Place, SHUT tiain] r TI. and 11. L>-iuv rilnU Street, Londom. cjslsbtilmE: (For the GOLD FIELDS of SOUTH AFRICA). LONDON and DARTMOUTH to CAPE COLONY, NAT A T- MAURITIUS, HAD A GAS CA B, and EAST AFRICA. rr.HE CASTI.E COMPANY'S Roya: Mail Steamer* sail from JL LONDON every alternate and from DAKTMOCTZ on the Friday following. Return Ticket!. Handbook for Passeneen Gratis. Ajiply to DONALD CUKRIE & CO.. 3, Fenehurch Street, LONIIOX, E.C:: 4", St. Enoch Square, GLASGOW; 23, Caatle Street, .L1V¡¡PuOL; 15. Cross Street, MAXCHESTEU. Agents ia allleadlng Provincial Towns. ESTABLISHES! 1833. EV «§ £ CO., Contractors to Hnr Majesty's Government, r,I XUN.I, ROW. I O\!><> '& LIJ'FHPUOL, ■tv.Tvs niid OI'UTINAL Prrer.t■;of m (to W3 B [Til PCI TQ inirlmtis reLIt^ IJ'AIE, PO'J'N'DATr^N. & SHEATHING FELTS, Liberal Disccunt allowed to the Trade. List and I-a -iicu3a.r= froe Iy Post. i-.CN BUIL1-INGS and P.OOSTNG, Sew and SeconJ-Uaii 100 tons'of Iron Roofing in BAi: ill. I'.V'S WORKS. g -'t Brr-no-: Stat-jo' T C.S. ENTIRELY SOLUBLE and NOT FAHINACEOUS. ivALIDS. „ Kicli ia Blood Price 1 C X- 6' TAE\4'J.<( and Bone- rev Bottle, ffi.-firaU.jf forming Elements. FQ i THE HEALTHFUL RLARiKG J HAND-FED CHlLDuK, AND THE PRESERVATION OF IKFANT LIFE. A sample sent post free on application to v G. MELLiN, Marlboro1 Works, Peckham, S.E. A BERDEE-N'" GKAMTE MONUMENTS from £ 5, rcuTiape paid. InP'Tiptiom? accurate and beautiful. PI.IDF and Pric^R froiri J. LK(T(TK, Scuipj" ABERDEEN. 113 ill S3 t 3 P 1 Ifl I @ Churches, tfiUla SI If I Ly ibtSCl Chapels, Mission Ball?, Class and School Rooms, Cricket and La\vn"Tcnnis Pavilions, Shoolinj? Boxes, Farm BuiM- ings. &c. 'oo "i Estimates and FREE OX APPLICATION TO THE LONPOX IRON BUI! TING COMPANY. PAIZK STATION. L. 1* co t- IX S. rj(i\y to cri;i; NEI; vous.NJ-:SS & DEBILITY, jtJL f-i rc-nin tort vicrour. Free, » MXIIS -IKTS. r. -'>.v V k M.. Bedford S.j.. i-ndon.

THE PARS ELL COMMISSION. THE OFFICIAL REPORT.—7096 PAGES: Her Majesty's Stationery < ftice has as yet made no arrangement with the Queen's printers as to the pay- ment for printing the official notes of the Parnell Com- mission. The cost will be very considerable, as the uncorrected proofs have had to bp printed after the judges rose each evening, in time for the sitting next morning. The pages number Tt>96 From these figures some idea may be obtained as to the enor- mous bulk of the printed matter. When the judges' report is made to the Government it will be added to the official account of the proceedings, together with the I'tiison d\irc of the Commission, and the whole will be published in the usual bi :e-book form. It has not yet been decided bow many copies will be issued, but it is expected that the publication will be divided into some dozen volumes. As yet, however, every- thing is i?i Paragraph" have appeared in the press of a misleading character as to the publication. As yet only a very limited ru ruber of uncorrected proofs have been issued for the use of judges and counsel, and of persons directly or indirectly inter- ested. The Parnell Commission report will be the biggest account of judicial proceedings ever pub- lished by the Stationery Ortice, but will not, of course, compare with the report of the Challenger expedi- tion, which was brought out in better style in 40 volumes.

NATIVE INDIAN CONGRESS. Mr. Hume, aeneral secretary and chief supporter of the Xative Indian Congress rnorement, has addressed a letter of complaint to the Standing Committee. He states that he has been forced personally to pay 10,000 rupees towards last year's expenses of the Congress, though the Bo. bay Committee pledged itself to raise JE100 to be remitted to London to Mr. Digby. On the strength of this undertaking he au- thorised the expenditure, but the committee now refuse to ratify their pledge. The Congress might be held for ever in India, but prove fruitless un- less an active accredited agency were maintained in England to din into the li-a.ils of the English public the wrongs and grievances of the natives. If they cannot so combine as to raise yearly and promptly, without being constantly dunned for every rupee, the paltry sun of 30,,000 rupees or 40,000 rupees required tor vi Englistl agency, then this means that their opponents who declared them unfitfor self-government were rifht, and the foonerhe abandons the vain attempt of making ropes outof sand the better. This wail of htt,r complaint a'iords an interesting commentary (the Calcutta correspondent of the 77 mis remarks) upon the iorthcoming Congress, which meets at Bombay during Christmas week. N'ery few, even among the advanced school of English- speaking students and lasers, accept the movement seriously; hence Mr. rlum,s great anx;ety to create a reacting enthusiasm by paid agitation in England. But, as the natives fail t) e.\v?rence any real benefit, they naturally refuse to c< n.r!eute to subsidise a costly home agency to promote needless and valueless agitation.

MINING ACCIDEXT. A mining accident, which it was at first feared would be attended by serious loss of life, is reported from Recklinghausen, in u estphalia. By some cause unexplained 250 miners were buried in the workings on Friday night of last and there was at first a fear that the accid'-nt might have disastrous conse- quences. Food, however, was conveyed to the impri- soned men, and on Sunday the rescue of all of them was safely effected.

WHAT order of merit would the Queen remind you of if you were in a bad humour ? Victoria Orou.

A "SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT." Ernest Norton Rolfe, a ias Ross (or Rossiter) Raymonds, pleaded guilty, before Mr. Justice Charles, at the Assizes at Manchester on Monday, to uttering a forged bill of exchange for £21, well knowing it to be a forgery, and was sentenced to a long term of penal servitude. His career has been a remarkable one. What his real name is nobody except himself knows His nationality is equally obscure. He was first heard of in the United States, where his swindling propensities led him to pass a period of seclusion in Sing-Sing Arriving in this country about 1881, he, by his plausible manners, got himself introduced into the journalistic circles of London, was elected for a brief time an honorary member oi the "avago Club, and also succeeded in getting an invitation to the inaugural dinner of the Press Ciub, held under the presidency of Mr. George Augustas Sala. In this way he got connected with a real (or pretended syndicate of provincial journals, which sent him out to Egypt during the Tel-el-Kebir campaign. Whether the salary he received from this syndicate was insufficient to support him is un- known; at all events he supplemented it by extensive borrowings from various officers engaged in Egypt at that time, none of whom have ever been repaid, and he put himself unaer the same obligation to as many of his journalistic colleagues as believed in him. At the conclusion of the campaign he turned up in Paris, representing himself as the accredited favourite ot Tewtik. stating that the Egyptian ruler was about to visit the French capital in strict mufti for the purpose of raising a new loan, and had selected him to superintend all the arrangements. The propria; or of a fashionable hotel in the Rue Scribe fell under his wiles, and Rolfe, dressed as a Pasha, was installed in a magnificent suite of rooms which were to be used by his master. The landlord went to the expense of redecorating the chambers in Oriental style. 'Ihe servants deputed to wait upon the Khedive (and his ambassador Rolfe, alias Raymond) were clothed in Oriental costume, and practised the Eastern obeisance before liolfe in order that they might be perfect in it when the successor of the Pharaohs arrived, and the chambers were filled with the perfumes of Arabia. At length came the day fixed by Rolfe for the advent of the Khedive. He told the proprietor, upon whom he had enjoined the strictest secrecy for State reasons of all his proceedings, that he was going to the station to meet his Highness, who unfortunately had telegraphed to him that the funds he had sent on to Paris in anticipation of his arrival had been delayed oi route, and lequesting Rolfe to obtain some money for him somewhere at once. Rolfe in an off handed way asked the landlord to oblige him with £ 100. The landlord obl'ged him Ilolfe left the hotel for the station—the only part of his Story which was true and frorr that time until this neither the Ambassador, the Khedive, nor the JElOOhave been seen at the hotel. liolfe next trans- ferred his abilities to Kngland. He secured an intro- duction to Mr. Chamberlain, then went to an orchid merchant at St. Albans, represented himself as Mr. Auatin Chamberlain, gave an order for orchids, paid for them with a forged cheque considerably over the amount of the bill, and received the balance in cash. At Tunbridge-wells he was Mr. James Greenwood, the "Amateur Casual," and got £ 21 on a forged bill of exchange. At Aberystwith he was Mr. BenDet Burleigh, the war correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, and swindled the proprietors of the local newspaper and a local hotel of a sum of money and board and lodgings for some days. At Greenock, in Scotland, he was Captain Kathburn, master of Lord Brassey's yacht Sunbeam. Calling at a ship-chandler's there he told the owner that the yacht was lying at the tail o' the bank," and re- quired some stores. Ee gave a large order for pro- visions, ordered them to be sent down to the Sun- beam, and paid for them with a cheque, purporting to be signed by Lord Brassey, for £110. which was JE30 over the amount of the bill. This E30 Rolfe re- ceived in cash over the counter, and departed. The stores were duly sent down to the tail o' the bank," and bad to be trundled back again, as no such craft as the Sunbeam had been heard of in the Clyde. This disappointment prepared the unfortunate shipchandier for the news which soon came to hand, that Lord Brassey repudiated the cheque as a forgery. In Ballymena liolfe was a secret agent of the War Office, sent over to Ireland to buy horses for the army. He purchased five steeds for JE470. paid for them with a pretended draft on the War Office for £ 525, and received the Balance of ct55 in cash. The draft was, of course, a delusion and a snare, so was the purchase of the horses. Many transactions of a similar kind were conducted by him in various parts of the three kingdoms. Last July he appeared in Blackpool, once more assuming the name of Mr. Bennet Burleigh. Armed with a letter of introduction, supposed to be from Mr. George Augustus Sala, but which had not the faintest re- semblance to Mr. Sala's handwriting, he called upon Mr. William Holland (whose friends in London will regret to hear thst he is at this moment lying dangerously ill), manager of the Winter Gardens. co What cried Mr. Holland, a letter from my old friend Mr. Sala ? Of course I shall be only too glad to do anything for an acquaintance of his." Rolfe s little request was to cash a bill of ex- change for X21. Fortunately for himself, Mr. Holland did not have the money, but he introduced Mr. Bennet Burleigh" to one of the directors o! the Gardens, named Mr. Harling, who, on the faith of the representations made to him by Rolfe, cashed the bill, which was soon after discovered to be a complete forgery. He next visited Boston, in Lincolnshire, where he was li Mr. Melton Prior," the well-known artist. There he attempted to induce a hotelkeeper to cash another bill of exchange for X2 1, but was un- successful. Intimation of this attempt came to the ears of the chief constable of Boston, who promptly arrested Rolfe. On him were found nearly 30 blank bills of exchange, ready to be filled up, and several cheques with the forged signatures of journalists in London, ready to be uttered as oc. casion arose. He was handed over to Mr. Derham, Chief-constable of Blackpool, and it was to the fraud committed in that town that he pleaded guilty. Rolfe had a paramour in London, with whom he shared his plunder, but after his arrest she went back to America. When apprehended he was well-dressed, self-confident, and jaunty when he appeared in the dock ho was dejected, depressed, dilapidated, unshaven, an i very much thinner. He ha.d not a single friend in Court to sympathise w:th him, and looked as if be thoroughly realised the unpleasant- ness of his position. Mr. Justice Charles said society must be protected from the unscrupulous depreda- tions of persons like the prisoner, and he passed sen- tence of ten years' penal servitude.

LONDON VOLUNTEERS. The last of the official returns of the London Volunteer Corps for lssf) were sent to the War Office on Monday, and the figures show that the metro- politan volunteer force generally has experienced the decrease which has been expected. The total en- rolled strength of the artillery, engineer, infantry, and medical staff corps in Middlesex, Surrey, the City of London, and the Tower Hamlets is 31,963 officers and men, a decrease of 347 from the 32,310 returned in 1888. The total of efficients earning the capita- tion grant is lower than last year by 39G, their total being 30,104, and of these 30,054 have earned the full grant of 35s., and 41c the reduced grant of 10s., having performed all the drills, but not completed their target practice. The number of non-efficients is rather greater than last year, there being 1.iLla to compare with 1450. The number of officers and sergeants classed as proficients and earning the extra grant of jE2 10s. each is 2854; of officers passed in tactics ( £ 1 10s. extra), 255 and of signallers, 61. By these returns the London claim for the ordinary capitation grant will be for the proficiency grant, jE7135 for the tactics, £ 382 10s.; and for signallers, JE91 10. The cost of the metropolitan volunteers for last year under these heads will thus be about £ 60,400, exclusive of travelling, brigade, and camp allowances, pay of adjutants and instructors, and cost of ammunition. The largest effi- ciency return is 1133, by the London Artil- lery Brigade; the next beFt being those of the Post Office Hif.es, 1005 2nd London, 1)00; Queen's Westminster, 898; East London Engineers, 890 3rd London Rifles, 873; 3rd Middlesex Artillery, 872; London Irish, 841; 1st West Surrey, 836; 2nd Tower Hamlets, 832: 4th East Surrey, 814; and 21st Middlesex, 806. The largest returns of non-efficients are 91 by the 15th Middlesex, 77 by the London Scottish, 75 by the 3rd Middlesex Rifles, and 73 each by the Inns of Court and London mfle Brigade. The Queen's Westminster has the largest number of men (52) passed in drill, but not in target practice.

PAPA started to wash little Elsie's hands in cold water, but she drew back exclaiming, Papa, I want the water cooked." t; ..l C, ,&

SHOCKING DISCOVERIES. Considerable excitement was caused at Horsely- down on Monday morning by the discovery of the body of a woman in one of h('J arches at the approach to the new Tower Bridge. While a man named Tidley was walking past he saw the woman lying huddled up on the ground inside, and at once gave the alarm to a police-constable. Dr. Whitwick was also sum- moned, and upon examining the woman he pro- nounced life extinct, and she was removed to St. Olave's Mortuary. Dr. Whitwick made a further examination of the body there, and found wounds on the head and eye. Early on Monday morning the body of a fisherman named John Lyall was found nder one of the boats in Macduff Harbour. He was last seen at nice o'clock on Saturday night, when, it is stated, he was the worse for liquor. As he did not return to his home a search party was organised. Lyall was 36 years of age and unmarried. A man of the labouring class, aged about 35, name unknown, was on Monday morning found dead in a yard at Warrington, suspended by a rope attached to his neckerchief. There was a largo wound in his fore- head, but no blood on the lower part of his face. Appearances indicated that the man had been mur- dered. A widow, named Bridget Colburne, was burnt to death on Monday morning at her house in Flamank-street, Birkenhead. It is believed that she set herself on fire while smoking in bed.

RING MILAN S ALLOWANCE. The departure of King Milan from Belgrade has not put a stop to the comments on his Majesty's visit and the probable cause of this. One view is that the King wished to have his financial position clearly defined. His Majesty's own suggestion was that he should be accorded the treatment granted to every servant of the State on retirement, and that he should receive an allowance calculated on the basis of his civil list while on the throne, and on the number of years he had occupied the office of ruler. This the Regents were quite willing to agree to, and no objection was raised by the Government, but the Radical Club, at a secret sitting, unanimously decided to oppose it. In consequence of this decision the Government will not, it is said, now bring the matter before the Skupshtina. There must, however, be other influences than this at work, since the Government is sufficiently strong to be able to command a majority in the Skupshtina, if it chooses to press the matter.

BISMARCK AND KALNOKY. Official information has been received in Constan- tinople concerning the mreting between Count Kalnoky and Prince Bismarck. It is referred to by the Times correspondent, who says the information is to the following effect: The political programme for regulating Bulgarian matters which was pre- sented to Prince Bismarck by Count Kalnoky was warmly opposed by the Chancellor, who sub- mitted to bis colleague that it was not only inop- portune but also impracticable under the present con- ditions of general European political tension. Prince Bismarck is said to have added that if the powder magazine which was to set Europe ablaze was to be fired at all, the torch should not be applied by Austria, and to have used further persuasive argu- ments to convince Count Katnoky that the present situation in Bulgaria might be left alone for some time to come. Prince Sismarck did not see the neces- sity of the European Powers taking in hand Bul- garian affairs at present merely for the sake o exhibiting sympathy with Bulgarian aspirations. In conclusion, the Chancellor is credited with having said that, unless recourse to hazardous action was urgently necessary, time and circumstances might perhaps show all the Powers the wisdom of revising some of the stipulations of the Treaty of Berlin re- specting Bulgaria, and it would be imprudrnt for any single Power to take an untimely direct initiative in a question which might reach a natural solution in pro- cess of time and by the force of circumstances.

THE NOVELIST'S PEARS. Alfred Woodward, greengrocer, of Teddington, sur- rendered to his bail at the Middlesex Sessions on Monday, in answer to an indictment charging him with stealing and receiving, on November 7, 427 pears, the goods of Richard Dorridge Blackmore, well knowing the same to have been stolen. Mr. A. Gill prosecuted Mr. Lyon and Mr. Bodkin defended. The prosecutor, who is the author of Lorna Dooue and other works of fiction, resides at Teddington, and there farms l:? acres of land, on which he grows pears of a special kind, which be sends to Covent- gprden. At the date in question he had in bis employ a man named Tooley as head-gardener. On November 7 two men in the service of tho prosecutor, named Kauffman and Blake, saw the prisoner drive up to Tooley's cottage, receive two boxes of pears, and then drive back with them to his shop. The prisoner left the shop for a few moments, and then Kauffman went inside and induced the shopman to sell him two of the stolen pears, for which he paid 6d. The market price of the fruit was 3s. a dozen. Kauff- man took the pears to the prosecutor. I'ltimately Woodward was given into custody. Tooley was also arrested, and he at once confessed his crime. The jury found the prisoner guilty, but recommended him to mercy on account of his previous good character. The prosecutor also asked that as lenient a sentence as possible should be passed. The Prisoner I am not guilty. Mr. Loveland, after consultation with the other justices, sentenced him to six weeks' imprison- ment, with hard labour

IF a church be on fire, why has the organ the smallest chance of escape ? Because the engine cannot play on it. How HE WAS TO BE TAUGHT.—Mr. Isaacstein (to school teacher) How vas dot leetle Jacob getting on mit arithmetic ? School teacher He is doing nicely, Mr. Isaacste;n. He is in percentage now." Mr. Isaacstein: 11 I-as dot so ? Veil, don't you teach dot poy noddings less than von hundert per cent. He vas too young yet to study very hard." NELLIE (sympathetically): You poor dear! What a narrow escapo And what started the horse ? Clara (indignantly) Well, you know. Will was just helping me out of the dog-cart, and-the stupid horse could not tell the difference between a good-night kiss and a signal to start. And he just started. Some horses have so little srnse." THEUE are persons possessed of such wonderful self-poise and serenity of soul that they naver give way to the vulgar excitement of less evenly balanced minds. A stoiy is told of an old Quaker lady who was informed by a wildly excited man that her house was on fire. Is it ?" she said, rising calmly, and dropping her knitting into her pocket, after she had carefully wound the loose yarn. I thank thee for thy information, and now if thee will just go and sound the alarm I will take my pies out of the oven, and tell the people what to carry out first." THE following letter was recently read out at the meeting of the Skibbereen Union II Dear Sir,—I call on the gentlemen of the Board to the conduct of the mail teacher, one Pat Crowley, who on the 14th Octo- ber gave me a dig of a fist, going within wan inch of killing me outright for no rayson, but the girl he's courtin' being^ parshul with me. (Laughter.) For this rayson he's getting up a conspiracy to kill me, an' all about this widow's daughter, that rathers me nor him. (Great laughter.) For heaven's sake send down wan of yeer inspectors, fearin' he'd kill me out- right, for he's a big, tall, strappin', hearty, comely, cross, dangerous, troublesome, soort of a man, and ought to be in Davy Jones's locker long ago. Signed, TIMOTHY P. O'REGAN, Assistant Porter and Lady Fancier." (Great laughter.) The Committee reported that the love-sick porter's fears were groundless.

ALLEGED SCANDALOUS LIBEL. ACTION BY LORD EUSTON. Mr. Lionel Hart, instructed by Mr. George Lewis, on Saturday made an application to Mr. Justice Field, sitting in chambers, on behalf of the Earl of Euston, son and heir of the Duke of Grafton, for leave to institute criminal proceedings against Ernest Parke, editor of the North London Tress, in respect of a libel upon Henry James, Earl of Euston, contained in an issue of the paper named, dated Nov. 16, 1889, in an article headed "The West-end Scandals." The application was made under the Newspaper Libel Act Amendment Act of 1SS8. Mr. Minton Slater, re- presenting Mr. Parke, did not offer any opposition. Lord Euston was not present, but Mr. Lionel Hart, on his lordship's behalf, put in an affidavit, in which Lord Euston said: "The atrocious libel, that I have been guilty of an impos- sible and unspeakable crime, is absolutely without foundation. It is also without foundation that I have left the country and gone to Paris The application was granted. Immediately after Mr. Vaughan had granted a warrant, Mr. George Lewis, accompanied by his client, proceeded to the clerk's office, where the warrant was at once prepared and signed by the magistrate. The execution of the warrant was en- trusted to Detective-sergeant Partridge. That officer without delay proceeded to the offices of the London Star newspaper, upon which Mr. Parke holds the position of sub-editor. The officer, it is understood, was inadvertently informed that Mr. Parke bad left, and it is believed he left for Mr. Parke's house. In the meantime, however, Mr. Parke had become ac- quainted with the fact that a warrant had been issued for his arrest, and he immediately repaired to the Bow-street Police-station, where he surrendered himself to Inspector Thorne, the officer on duty. This occurred shortly before half-past five, when Mr. Yaughan had left the court. Mr. Parke was pre- pared with bail, but the police were unable to accept it, as the arrest was on a magistrate's warrant. BAIL GRANTED. -AN ADJOURNMENT. Ernest Parke, 33, was brought up on Monday in custody, under a warrant, before Mr. Yaughan, charged with having, on the 16th November, pub- lished a false and defamatory libel in the North London Press, concerning the Earl of Euston, eldest son of the Duke of Grafton. Mr. George Lewis con- ducted the prosecution; Mr. Asquith defended; and Mr. C. F. Gill and Mr. Arthur Newton appeared for parties interested. Mr. Asquith stated that defendant was arrested on Saturday, and there being no oppor- tunity to tender bail he was detained in custody. Mr. Lockwood, Q C., had been instructed with him- self for the defence, and they desired an adjourn- ment for a reasonable time in order to master the materials which would be placed before them in justification of the libel. Mr. Lewis said he should certainly oppose an adjournment. The libel was published on November 16, so that there had been ample time for the preparation of evidence. This was a most atrocious libel, and surely there must have been some supposed proof or jusri- fication before publication was made. Even if a postponemert were sanctioned it ought only to be for a day, anu Lord Euston might give his testimony at the present sitting. Mr. Yaughan considered that thp case ought not to be taken peacemeal. He adjourned the case until the following day at three o'clock, and after hearing evidence as to the arrest he would accept bail in two surieties of X50 for the Ap- pearance of the defendant. Detective-inspector Conquest proved that on Saturday afternoon at 5.30 the defendant came to him at Bow-street, and said he understood that a warrant had been granted against him, and he had come to surrender. He added, I hope I shall be allowed bail. You know I have come here as soon as I knew a warrant was issued against me. I could have run away a week ago if I had wished." He was charged, but made no reply. 'Ihere were several persons present who offered bail. The case was then adjourned, the de- fendant being released on bail.

A GREENLAND LADY. This is from the journal of one of Nansen's com- panions across Greenland: The day having advanced considerably, we determined to spend the night here, and so proceeded to carry our things on shore. This is a matter of a moment, as the natives take great pleasure in helping us; particularly do they vie with each other in carrying the largo bright tin boxes containing bis- cuits and preserves. We hear every time a new article comes on shore their "Eheuah I" This sound expresses an Esquimau's greatest wonder. As we want the boats on shore too, they are sur- rounded by men and women, and with shoutirg and laughter they are hauled up a pretty steep incline. While still in the water they were an object of curiosity, and are now subjected to renewed and thorough investigation. It is not to be wondered at, since they are probably the first wooden boats these people have ever seen. The tent pitched and our work done, we inspect the heathen camp. The tents consist of sealskin, which are placed over a wooden framework of conical shape. We were re- quested to enter, and, pulling aside a double curtain of sealskin covering the entrance, we step into a room lit by a row of steatite, basin-like lamps, filled with blubber, a piece of moss on one side serving as a wick. Although a poor light, still three or four are suiiicient for a tent occupied by a score of people. Some seal flesh is boiling in a steatite kettle hanging over one of the lamps but the Esqui- mau rartly takes the trouble of cooking his food. ("usually he eats it raw. Along the tent wall the benches are fixed. These are very low, and serve as ee-ats, common sleeping places, and work benches for the women. A young woman who has just entered takts a seat on the bench opposite us, and quite coolly puts on her heathenish housedress—that is, she takes off every garment with the single excep- tion of a small hip belt, and then begins to nurse her baby justta.ken out of the amowt," or fur-lined hond at the back of a jacket used to carry children. The mother generally retains the child up to its fourth or fifth year, at times even longer. It is a known fact boys of 14 or 15 have been nursed. The men seemed to be proud of their wives. The four married men, in the tent we visited, introduced their wives to us. On account of the peculiar way in which they secure their bride-viz., rapine, one might ex-pact to find them melancholy and grave, but the four missuses'' whom we learned to know seemed to en;oy themselves and to take their fate quite as a matter of course. When an Esquimau wants a bride he calls at the girl's house with some friends and takes her by force propriety enjoins the heathen women reluctantly to marry. Occasionally the suitor is so strenuously resisted that he is com- pelled to pull his heart's elect out of her paternal home by her hair. Arrived at the bridegroom's dwelling she wears her hair unbound, as a sign of sorrow, and tries repeatedly to run away, but is always overtaken, until after a fortnight she re- signs herself to her fate, and remains with her husband. t Should she not care for her suitor, she contmues running away, until the man becomes tired of hunting her up and lets her go. But if he is deeply in love he does not give up, but resorts to the cruel remedy of cutting the soles of her feet with a sharp instrument. By the time these wounds have healed she has usually relented. Not wanting the man in question under any circumstances, the girl cuts off her bair and runs. As she in this way renounces marriage for ever, the extremity is very seldom resorted to. The men, as a rule, have only one wife but occasionally they take more. The first wife' though, is generally the most important, and she is sure to retain her position, provided she bears her husband children, and particularly sons.

THE SPEAKER ON STRIKES. At Peterborough, on Saturday evening, Mr. Peel, the Speaker of the House of Commons, entertained to dinner about 100 of the employes of Mr. John Thomp- son, the well-known ecclesiastical contractor, who had recently been engaged in making additions to Sandy Lodge, the Speaker's residence. In responding to the toast of The Houses of Parliament," the right hoa. gentleman alluded, among other things, to strikes. He sketched the history of strikes in the fourteenth century, and subsequently, about 1800, things had got to such a pass that it was thought advisable to repeal a statute passed in the Middle Ages, which continued to enjoin many minute regulations which hampered trade. The consequence was all trades were left free. What followed ? Immediately there was great competition amongst the masters, and men joined in their trades unions. From that time to this it had been the policy-he thought they would agree with him the right policy—of the Legis- lature to leave these matters to be settled by the good sense and the independent feeling of the community at large. What the State could not do the men of this country, and the masters of this country, deter- mined to do for themselves. Of course both sides combined; the masters had their unions, the men as well-no blame to anybody. He did not mean to say that our national salvation in this matter was not worked out without fear and trembling and great crimes; but tbe result was that the people of this country were left to do what they liked; trade settled its own limits, and arranged its own details, and he ventured to say that, though we might have strikes in these times, and, as in the last few weeks, of alarming proportions, yet he thought, in the midst of the dark- ness which overhung the trades of this country, there was a rift ot light beginning to show, and peop!e were beginning to see that there was some way out of it much better than the costly remedy of strikes. Referring to the toast, he said if there was one thing in the great Council of the Nation more necessary then another it was that order should be observed. They heard sometimes of forcible applica- tions of what was called the closure they bad heard from some interested quarters that he himself had been rather prone to use that mode of closing a debate. There was no falser charge; there was nothing further from the truth. No Minister dared use that weapon in any spirit of unfairness to a political opponent, and it be ever did it would be at such a cost that he would repent of having used it at all.