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7 [ QUEEN AND UNEMPLOYJ&D.

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"WHEN I AM DEAD." I

CHILDREN'S COUGHS.I

- THE ROYAL TOUR. I

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THE ROYAL TOUR. I PRINCESS HOLDS A PURDAH. I The Prince and Princess of Wales, spent & restful Sunday. In the afterno.oo their Royal Highnesses went for a drive in a motor-car, and in the evening attended divine, service at the Cathedral. On Saturday afternoon the Prince laid the foundation-stone of the new museum at Bombay, and made a. speech, in which he emphasised the interest taken by the King and by himself in educational and artistic progress. Immense crowds witnessed the cere- mony, displaying the utmost 'enthusiasm. The Princess of Wales held a purdah reception of native ladies in the town hall. The purdah ia a native ceremony which no mere man is ever allowed' to witness under ordinary circum- stances, but, nevertheless, I was privileged to have a peep at the mysterious ritual. The town hall had been converted into & reception chamber. From the foot of the steps through the spacious apartment right to tha throne, her Royal Highness walked on pricelesa carpetings of pure gold. The walls and pillars were hung with the richest fabrics produced by the gorgeous East. Native ladies in soft flowing garments of every delicate tint of blue, pink, yellow and purple mingled with opalesque effect under the mellow radiance of innumerable 'Lamps. Amid this scene of splendour the Princess, in the simple European dress, of an English lady, sat on a. scintillating throne, an exact reproduction of the world-famous Peacock Throne, erected by the 'founder of Delhi, Emperor Shah Jehan, in the seventeenth cen- tury. Three distinct ceremonies were performed by Parsee, Hindu, and Mohammedan ladies respectively. Half-way up the steps, which were lined with exquisitely-attired! girls sprinkling Rowers, the Princess first sub- mitted herself most graciously to the, Parser Vadhavilevani, which consisted of an egg and a cocoanut being successively passed seven times round her head, and then broken on the ground, the significance of the rite being that in the seven circles of the world, believed in by the Indian, if any evil be fated to assail the person so treated, it may meet with destruction, like the egg. and the cocoanut. ALso that as the breaking of these is productive of good nourishment, so may every evil turn to good. In a. like manner wiater in a dish was taken seven times round the Princess's head, and then thrown away, the significance in this instance being a prayer that not drought but rain, as ia sign of pLenty, be the lot of the Princess. A small handful of rice wa.s next thrown over the head of the Princess, indicating the wish that h'jr Royal Highness might not only have enough iood, but such an abundance that she might be able to scatter it around her. Lastly, the lady performing the ceremonies pressed her knuckles against her own temples till the joints cracked, signifying that evil was thus cracked off the Princess. Her Royal Highness then passed to the top of the steps, where the Hindu ceremony of Arti was carried out. It consisted in holding a little tray containing burning wicks and red powder to mark the brow, -iadicatmg that as red is the prime colour of the seven colours, so is it wished that light and the brightest of brightness may abound in the life of the Princess. At the door there was the Mohammedan ceremony of Ameen, consisting of garlanding her Royal Highness and scattering round her head gold and silver-leaved a-lmonda and other nuts embleJnaiic of the wish, being that smce they yield oil so may the oil of 'peace smooth the course of her life. Ladies then handed the Princess a 'cocoanut in token of the wish that as the kernel gives food, as the nut contains water, ae the leaves provide a roof, as the coir makes furniture, and the shell cups, so may the recipient never lack food, water, shelter, and furniture. So realistic were the native ladies determined to make the ceremony that actual gold coins and real pearls were scattered around their illustrious guest. A specially interesting feature of the recep- tion was the singing of the National Ap.them in the different vernaculars. The groat event in Bombay on Monday was the laying by the Prince of Wales of the foundation stone of the new Alexandra Dock. The Prince devoted the forenoon to paying return visits to the Chiefs. In the afternoon he drove to the Dock, accompanied by the Princess. By turning a wheel the Prince lowered the stone into its pface, the band playing "God blesa the Prince of Wales." The Prince wore a grey frock- coat suit, with a grey topee, and the Princess an exceedingly pretty blue-patterned muslin dress, and a white toque, with a blue pompom. The Royal party, who was accompanied by a number of native chiefs, proceeded through densely- crowded streets to the Yacht Club, where they took tea. A ball was given at the BycuIIa Club in the evening.

!" ROUND-THE-WORLD " TOUR.I

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TURBULENT RUSSIA.

PELTING A PRINCE.

SEAWEED IN KIDNEY DISEASES

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IMISS DOUGrBTY INSANE.

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