Evening Express

The Making of Matches. A VISIT TO THE FACTORY AT LLANDAFF. The Process of Manufacture Carefully Followed from Commencement to End. This article does not refer, as some of the readers of the "Evening Express" might at the first blush suppose, to the practice in such favour with elderly matrons who have eligible daughters on hand, but the subject which will be found written about below is of a more "striking" character. On Tuesday one of our representatives was conducted over the pre- mises of the Crown Match Works Company at Llandaff, and followed the evolution of the marten from its embryo state into its condition of full-blown maturity. The works are most substantially built, and are conveniently situated on the side of the Glamorganshire Canal, which will be largely used by the com- pany for the carriage of their goods. In order that th(, risk of fire should be reduced to a minimum, the buildings are constructed almost The Box-cutting Machine. ?-? entirely of non-inflammable material, and the various rooms are entirely separate, so that if a fire broke out in one there would be little probability of the conflagration extending to the others. The process of the manufacture of a match is very interesting. The Crown Match Com- pany receive thousands of splints (which are each from 4in. to Sin. in length), neatly packed up in boxes. These splints (which, by the way, are manufactured in Canada) are placed in wood filling machines worked by female opera- tors. The machine is an ingenious piece of mechanism. The splints work down into grooves, and by the use of a lever are forced between the bars of a frame called the dipping frame, being mechanically brushed en route. About 100 of, these frames are filled per day by this machine. The ends of the splints protrude on each side of the frames, the reason for the use of the latter being that for the dipping pro- cess it is necessary to keep each match free Wood-filling Machine. -¡- from contact, with its neighbour and to allow of such a space that each may be fully coated and yet there be no danger of the igniting com- position clotting the heads into one mass. After the frames are tilled, they are placed on trolleys and taken into a heating-room so as to facili- tate their absorption of paraffin, each match having to be dipped into molten paraffin scales before they are tipped with the igniting com- position This latter process (the investing of the splints with their explosive heads) is car- ried on in the same room as that in which the wood is made more inflammable by paraffin. The chief element in the igniting mixture of the ordinary matches is common phosphorus, com- bined with one or more other bodies which readily part with oxygen under the influence of heat, while chlorate of potash causes the sharp explosive sound. The igniting agents One of the W&x Drums. I are made into paste with glue or gum as an adhesive, and this is spread over a stone to the depth of J'ii. to âin. Each frame is then taken by the operator, and ..the tips of the

-? -???--?-?-? _?-?_ The Progress of Cardiff. ,,00.0. ?..O. j I

I SITE FOR THE TOWN-HALL. Councillor Shackell and the Value of St. Mary Street Frontages. [BY OUR SPBCIAL CORRESPONDENT.] "Great bodies move slowly," is a truism old as the ages, and the Corporation of Cardiff, without deserving the adjective in any shape or form, have assimilated the movement only too completely. They talk about Cardiff as an enterprising town," said a citizen to me yesterday, "and so it is, but there are a lot of old women on the council." "As witness the Town-hall sites controversy," I interjected. "Just so," was the reply. "They meet, and consider reports, and refer back for more information. Then they meet again, and want more light, and so it goes on for years." "Personal interests, eh?" "That's it," was the emphatic response. "Times are changed since the old Roman rule — When none were for a party (or for personal interests), And all were for the State. Exactly a year ago Cardiff public men were discussing the pros and cons. of St. Mary- street as a site for new municipal buildings, having been engaged on that pleasant occupa- tion off and on for years, and on Monday last the corporation commenced the process anew, once more referring the matter back to com- mittee. A great deal of this by-play is the result of the neglect practised by members of the council in the matter of informing them- selves on the questions they discuss. What shall be said of the egregious blunder made by Mr. Councillor Shackell in discussing the value of St. Mary-street sites? Mr. Shackell spoke without book, and made .statements which were absolutely incorrect. In the course of his speech, he said: — The action of the council in not firmly deciding what it would do in the matter had had a paralysing effect upon property in St". Mary-street. For instance, four or five valu- able sites adjoining the Western Mail-build- ings were put up by auction the other day, but there was no bidding whatever, and an attempt which had been made to let the pro- perty had also proved unsuccessful." The blunders contained in the above quota- tion, from whatever standpoint judged, are inexcusable, especially as Mr. Shackell might j have ascertained from the public press that his allegation respecting the auction was without foundation. The following letter from Mr. J. E. Gunn puts an entirely different complexion on the matter: The "Western Mail" Property in St. Mary Street. TO THE EDITOR OF THE '• EVENING EXPRESS." Sir,—My attention having been called to the speech of Mr. Councillor Shackell at yester- day's meeting of the Cardiff Corporation, it is I my duty, as the auctioneer acting in the matter of the sale of the "Western Mail" property in St. Mary-street, to say that there were several biddings at that sale, and that the last offer was for JS16,000, which did not reach the re- serve. Since the proprietors have decided to offer the property for letting on lease many applications have been made fof- it and Offers submitted. So near have those offers come to the price required that I have little doubt the sites will be let within a short time. I may add, without expressing an opinion as to the best position for the new Town-hall, that the offers made very nearly approximate to the estimate of value of St. Mary-street frontages set out by Mr. Lascelles Carr when discussing the sites question last February.—I am, &c., J. E. GUNN. Cardiff, Feb. 20. It will be interesting to re-call the fact that in an interview with Mr. Lascelles Carr, pub- lished February 7, 1893, in connection with the new municipal buildings question then under discussion and the proposed lay-out of corpo- ration property, four sites, with 20ft. frontage to St. Mary-street and 40ft. depth, were esti- mated at an annual value of B250 each. Alder- man David Jones was also interviewed on the subject, and he, on February 10, put the value of such sites (with 19ft. frontage, but a greater depth) at J6200 each; while Mr. J. E. Gunn prepared an estimate, which Was published on February 17 last year, in which, taking as his basis of calculation the rents obtained for ad- jacent properties, he placed the annual values of the four sites at £ 900. One is inclined to agree with the cry for more light in one respect, and that the light derived from what other towns have done. Councillor William Lewis, I observe, has come back from Portsmouth a convert from parish- pumpism, and is now dissatisfied with the present site. It would pay Cardiff to transport j the whole of the corporation to Portsmouth, and plant them in front of that magnificent Town-hall for a, day—it would, as I remarked" last week, be a liberal education in matters t municipal, and would result in real economy. At present the Cardiff Corporation are simply frittering away endless time, money, and oppor- tunity preparing and rejecting plan after plan, considering and referring back scheme after scheme, all the time shadowed with the danger I. of being committed to the stupendous folly of building on the present site. Cardiff Architects and the Town's Development. An important contribution to the discussion of the development of Cardiff will be made at the opening of the session of the Cardiff and South Wales Architects' Society to-night, when the president (Mr. Edwin Seward, F.R.I.B.A.), in an address on The Architectural Growth of Cities," will open with a perspective of a re-modelled Cardiff, which will probably seem like a dream to Cardiff town councillors. The plan herewith will give our readers some idea of Mr. Seward's proposals, but those who are fortunate enough to have received invitations to the meeting, which will be held at the Lecture- hall of the Institute of Engineers in Park- place, will have the matter still further illus- I trated by lantern views and plans, especially prepared for the occasion. I Law Courts at Cardiff TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING EXPRESS." SIR,—As this subject was under discussion yesterday at the meeting of the general purposes committee, and as 1 was allowed to state to the meeting the views entertained on the subject by the Incorporated Law Society of this town, may I be permitted to set forth in parallel columns the proposals of the borough engineer on the 16th of October, 1893, and those of our society yesterday ? THE BOROUGH ENGINEER'S I THE SOCIETY'S PRO. PROPOSALS. POSALS. Two assize courts. Two assize courts. Third court for use by a commissioner at assizes, the recorder, the coroner, the county quarter ses- sions, and the stipendiary I sitting on Board of Trade cases. Two retiring rooms for Three retiring rooms judges. I for judges with direct private access to the courts, but each room communicating with the other, and each having a lavatory. Bar robing room, with Bar robing room, with direct communication direct communication to therefrom to civil and all three courts, and hav- criminal courts. iug a lavatory. J Boom for ■barristers' Room for barristers' clerks. clerks. Three consultation Two consultation rooms • rooms. for each court. rooms. for each court. Grand jury room. Grand jury room on Ante room. first floor, with separate entrance and exit for wit- nesses. Ante room. Balcony in criminal court, communicating solely with grand jury room. Two rooms for wit- nesses attending the grand jury-one for males. the other for females. Koom for witnesses and Room on ground floor jurors in waiting. for female witnesses in waiting, with lav. tory. Boom on same floor for male witnesses in wait- waiting, with lav. tory. Boom on same floor for male witnesses in wait- ing. I Female witnesses' room I Separate room oil same and lavatory. > floor for jurors in waiting. A solicitors' room. Two rooms on same floor for use by solicitors in taking witnesses' state- I ments and for conferring with their clients. Law library. One large room for law library, in which the could be kept, and n ine small room adjoining 10 quiet reading. Note. The library should be in close con- tiguity to the courts so as to afford convenient I access by the judges and their clerks. Koom for High Sheriff Room for High Sheriff, and Deputy-sheriff. with lavatory. Suitable closet and lava- There should be closet tory arrangements. and lavatory accommoda- tion sufficient for user by persona attending, the courts while justice is tory arrangements. and lavatory accommoda- tion sufficient for user by persona attending, the courts while justice is being administered, Magistrates' clerks' de- partment. Clerks' office. Waiting-rooms for wit- In addition to the above nesses. accommodation for ad- Two police-courts. ministering justice at the Consultation-room for Town-hall, provision barristers, solicitors, and should be made for two witnesses. police-courts, magis- Clerk's g eneral office. trates' clerks' rooms for Magistrates' room. witnesses in waiting, re- Strong room. tiring-rooms for magis- Room for stipendiary. trates, and consultation- Coroner's inquest court. rooms. Anti-room to above. These need not neces- sarily be in the present Town-hall, but might be placed, with police-station and cells, in a block near the Town-hall. If you, will kindly publish the above the public will be able to see that the Law Society's sug- gestions are not far in excess of what the borough engineer deems necessary, and are not open to the observation made by Alderman Rees (as reported in your to-day's issue), that to carry out all Mr. Hill desired they would want not only the present site but another site also." —I am, &c., G. F. HILL. I Cardiff, Feb. 20.

If you dread the damp weather and cutting east winds of the coming season, brace your constitu- tion by taking a course of Gwilym Evans' Bitters. Bottles, 2s. 9d. and 4s. 6d.

??-? ..? ?.? I CARDIFF THEATRE ROYAL. I On Tuesday evening, at the Cardiff Theatre Royal, Mr. C. W. Gaithorne's company gave another brilliant representation of Mr. B. C. Stephenson's comedy-drama "Impulse," and as might be expected from the success of the first night's production, the house was again crowded in every part. To-night (Wednes- day) and Friday night, the talented company will present Burnand's humorous comedy "The Colonel," and to-morrow (Thursday) and Saturday "Impulse" will be repeated. A

The Bishop of Llandaff conducted a confirma- tion service at Maesteg Church, in the parish of Llangynwyd, on Tuesday. The church was crowded, and 89 candidates were con- firmed. We have no sympathy with people who a.iways complain of being ill and miserable and out of sorts, when a course of Gwilym Evans* Quinine Bitters would soon set them right. Sold in 2s. 9d. 0ttles. ? -=-??

i Henry Brookes, a Newport boilermaker, was at work upon the steamship Crimea, lying in Messrs. Mordey and Carney's dry dock, on Tuesday morning, when he slipped, and, fall- ing into the hold of the vessel, sustained severe I injuries. A FAIR, BEAUTIFUL SKIN.—Sulpcdirae Map gives the natural tint and peach-like bloom of a perfect complexion makes the skin smooth, supple Everywhere. c r$us>iws £ j I u FOR RELIABLE FURNITURE At Really Marrellous Prices, go to ¡- ?.. BEVAN AND COMPANY (LIMITED), BBGISTERED AS 'THE CARDIFF FURNISHERS.' Who, as the Largest Furnishers in this part of the Kingdom, are prepared te 3kow a mxaeh LARGER SELECTION, and to serve yon at far LOWER PRICES than any of tkeir ompetitors. For the long period of Forty-four Years has this Business been uninterruptedly earrieii and its increasing popularity and the proportions it has attained afford the strongest possible proof that the highest satisfaction is given to its numerous patrons. FIVE "JjJUNBRED jgUITES I (Dining, Drawing, or Bedroom) TO SELECT FROM, at Prices Trying from £ 5 17s. 64 to £ 52 10s. each. THE THOUSAND JgBASS AND JRON B EDSTEADS, Having been Purchased before the recent Fifteen per Cent. Advance, will be Sold at Old Prices. MANY MILES OF FLOOR CLOTHS, LINOLEUMS, & CARPETS, AT LOW FIGURES. -?- PIANOFORTES AND ORGANS At such Prices as to defy competition by any Music Warehousemen iepenie*^ upon the Sale of Musical Instruments alone. ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUES GRATIS. DELIVERY OF ALL GOQDI FREE OF CHARGE. BUY OF YOUR OWN COUNTRYMEN. BEYAN AND COMPANY, "THE CARDIFF FURNISHERS," CARDIFF, NEWPORT, AND JpONTYPOOL c A_ ?'\ 1 J PERKINS BROS. & CO., ST. MARY-STREET AND WYNDHAM ARCADE. CARDIFF. GENERAL IRONMONGERS AND COMPLETE HOUSS ? FURNISHERS, Now invite Inspection of their NEW SPACIOUS SHOWROOMS, which contain one of the FINEST SELECTIONS of HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE to be found in the whole of South Wales, occupying 7,500 square feet. EVERY ARTICLE AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST FOR CASH. "?, r DINING-ROOM SUITES From R4 1"h. 6d. to 20 Guineas DRAWING-ROOM SUITES From £ 5 5s. to 25 Guineas. I BEDROOM SUITES From £ 3 10s. to 30 Guinea). An ENORMOUS SELECTION of BRASS a.ad IRON BEDSTEADS and BEDDING Unrivalled in Ca-rdiif. A LARGE STOCK of CARPETS and RUGS, FLOORCLOTHS, and LINOLEUMS in ALL WIDTHS. MATS and COCOA MATTINGS to SELECT FPOM, FENDERS and FIRE BRASSES. PERKINS BROS. & CO., ,;) ST. MARY STREET AND WYNDHAM ARCADE, CARDIFF. E3K2 J rr l-n.'hi ■■ 'tri |-| -!■ -fifci ,| mt*il SwOMW m in ?'?-i'h, ,m,,n,. ,t poll ???? To LADIES.- IMPORTANT. ?; '?????!t? TRY ????????' pATENT DIAMOND ????? ?"?? LINEN Ini NAMEL, FOR GLAZING, PRESERVING, AND BEAUTIFYING SHIRTS, COLLARS, CUFFS, &c., .? !????. ? Eqnal to New, without the use of Glazing '???y??. Irons and Hard The process is simplicity itself. The Linen ia StM-ched and Ironed in the usual manner, and who 1 «„«] £ i|. ugj Pal'^EXACTLY resembling ^Which i? seen ONLY ON BBAND NEW LINEN. In brief, the Face -KXACTL Y iesemDuns wiat wmcn is the PATENT LINEN LNAMEL. perfection of appearance ls^^D|^e^soi:iCITED TESTIMONIALS. Sold by Grocers and Chemists in 6d. and Is. Bottles, and to large consumers in i, b andl Gallon Tins nt So Y Is. gd., and 3s. 6d. Carriage paid. Sample (per post), 7Jd. and Is. C TT TTUSS, jgUTE JJOCKS, QARDIFF, SOLE PROPELETOB. Covered by Eoyal Letters Patent in Great Britain, France, and America.

? I Matrimonial. A forloni figure she was. She was fit- ] ting on her trunk at a landing on the fcknk.'> of Red River, waiting foor the down '-oat. About her was a group of amused mt sympathetic bystanders, and she was them her ?tory "I answered it in good faith," she said. 'Here is his advertisement. I cut it from t matrimonial agency paper." ■Sli» took the clipping from her pocket And i d it aloudl, her black eyes snapping da Jig ruuinly: — "I ant a widower, 34 years old. 1 live, with mv two little girls, upon mv cotton plantation. I have 1,000 acres, more or less, my own unencumbered property. situated Oil the beautiful Bayou StT Loucas. I have a nice cottage home embowered, in •Vioes, with gardens, chickens, cows. harness and Kiddle horses, ilowers, fruit—every com- fort except a wife. With a view to supplying the deficiency, I ask a corre- spondence wrt-ii '<i()mc respectable young lady, hoping to persuade her to "Shore my cottage, gentle maid. It only Wint8 for thee To add it sweetness to its shadt And happiness to me." References exchanged. Alexander Graville." "I answered that, advertisement," s^i.d the black eyed giti on the zinc-oovcred trunk. I "T was a teacher in a small private Fchool in New York. The work was hard; the pay was poor. 1 had a stepmother at hoiibe and a houseful of small half brothers and sisters. I wanted to gee away. 1-1 —liad had f, disappointment "—the black eyes tiUed- "M)d I was unhappy. I had read 'Jane Eyre' and I—really thought that man might te another Rochester. We corre- eponded. He gave the postmaster a-s refe- rence. I wrote to the poostmas-ter, and he answered that Mr. Graville's character and standing were all right. He had a good farm, he was honesi and Nid his debts. "Mr. fJravilk wanted me to come on and be married at his home. T drew what money I had saved out of the savings hank, si >ld rav watch and name- on. My stepmother was glad to get rid of me. I got] We yesterday. XLe bittl said he would meet 1 me at this landing—it would be a pleasant ride out to his cottage. I had written a. letter just before I left, saying when I would arrive. I found nobody to meet me. I asked the way to Mr Alexander Graville's. Nobody could tell until an old darky sung out: 'Dab white 'oman, mus' mean ole Sandy Gravel. He live back here in the swamp, but he ain't got no ca'age to send for nobody. Got nuthin but er eyart. Hit's here"now. His son Ben driv' in to git some provisions.' I answered it in good faith, she said. Here is the advertisement. "'Has he a son?' I asked. "'Got a swarm of 'em.' was the answer., 'All done married but Ben.' "My mind misgave me, but I had no place J to go to—no money, so I hunted up Ben and told him I WAS yoin J to his iUubbWx Wucuul. I He wa-s a freckled, patched, stupid-looking young man. He looked at me with' eyes and mouth open in amazement, and was so bashful that I refrained from asking ques- tions. I never hinted to Ben that I had oome on to be his stepmother. "On we drove, over stumps and roots and gullies—through mud and swainps. It last we drew up before a dingy, twe-roomed house with a shed at the back. A few scruggy peach trees and a, neglected grape- vine were the only green things in the yard beside the weeds. A woman was milking a scrawny cow in front of the ga,te. She had her back to us and a sunbonnet on. Two shock headed, barelegged children sat on the fence. They gave the alarm when they saw a stranger in the cart, and a man, who had been squatted in a fence corner holding off tho calf, got up and came toward us. 'That's pap,' said Ben. "He looked nearer 60 than 35. He was grizzle and snaggle toothed; his neck was red and wrinkled. He came up to the cart. He was agitated and chewed his tobacco wonderfully fast. I gqt up from the Hour sack. "'I am Amelia Jones.' "He turned very red a.nd told his ttm to carry the sack of Hour into the house. "'I waen't- expecting you,' he said. 'It's so long since you wrote.' 'You have deceived me,'I burst out. 'You said you had a nice home, embowered in vines and fruit trees. You said you were 35. You said you had only two little girls. You said you were 'No, I didn't,' he interrupted. 'I said I had 1,000 acres of land—so I have—though a big part of it is swamp. Acres don't make folks rioh in these parte. This ain't New j York. I said I was 35. I didn't say I was a few years over, for I'm spry and young enough for any woman. I said I had two litle girls livin with me—said nuthin about the boys. They're all big fellows and married and gone, 'oopt Ben. As for the house, ain't that a good house?—double pen and a shed Ao boot! Don't leak unless it rains and got a first-olas-3 chimney. And ain't there a vine? And what's the matter with them peach trees -ain't there fruit?' 'And do you imagine any young woman in her senses would marry you and live hero?' j I cried. "'Do n Well, there's no imagination about it. There's three women have married me and lived here. Two of 'em's dead and buried, and yonder stands t'other. I couldn't hear from you. T you was plavin l~: « xiUEutcee trick.: couldn't wait nohow. i So I married Miss Susan Barnes, and if you I say she ain't a. young woman in her senses, why, she' 'Why, I'll show her—that's what I'll do,' I said Mrs. Graville Ko. 3, dropping her milk pail and rolling up her sleeves as she came to the side of the cart. 'I begged Ben to drive me back to the river, and here I am—waiting to take the first boat. I've played the fool, and I'm punished. It's crushed all the silly romance out of me. How I I'm to pay my passage I don't know. I'll offer to do chambermaid's work. "But this Miss Amelia Jones was not forced to do. 'Ole Sandy Graville' came to the front. He proved to be not such a bad Jot aftar all. He rode up presently on a bony mustang and promptly gave the little 'Yankee schooluiaim' enough money to pay her passage back, with an additional sum to cover the expense of her coming. He had drawn on his cotton crop. He looked cast down and sheepish. Be ex- plained to his friends in this wise 'I was a fool-a. doggone fool, but I meant it ail honest. I put a kind of rose colour over things in that advertisement.. It's the way yon do in the papers, so that young post- master said. He put me up to it. He wrote the ad and the lflh-er". I really epected to marry her, but I'd give my promise to Susan in a kinder joky way. And he hold me to it. I didn't hear from t'other one. Bayou was up and orittera all in the r>>w, and I ain't been to post-office in full six weeks. I'm awful sorry to disapT>int the girl, but, Lor' sakes she never would 'a' suited. Nice looking—-a fair daisy- but Susan could jes' go all around her doin housework, let lone takin a hand 'in the crop, in the press of choppin out or cotton pickin. Miss Jones did not return to New York at once. She remained in the neighbourhood several weeks, hospitably entertained by old Captain Stewart, a war veteran, and his wife. Sbe very nearly decided to become the governess of the captain's little granddaughter and cast her lot with the "big hearted southerners," as she called us, in spite of h&r experiences with the eccentric widower of Bayou St. Lucas. But one day there came to her a letter with a New York postmark. On seeing the hand- writing Amelia turned first pale, then rosy red. It was from the recreant lover, and he asked to be forgiven and taken back. Womanlike, she was ready to forget her wrongs. She took leave of the friends she had made under such queer circumstances and returned to her northern home. A month later she wrote to Mrs. Stewart; "Congratulate me, good friends. I am mar- ried to Jack and happy as a queen Tell thi.% pleae, to Mr. 'Alexander Graville.' He may suffer some lingering remorse for 'disappointing' me, and I bear him not a bit of ill will.Ma.ry E. Bryan, in Atlanta. Constitution.

"It sounds a funny job perhaps, but that is what I am: A ma-ker of misfits. A thriving firm in the boot trade employs me to make boots and shoes that are not of their regular stock patterns. These are sold as bargains as 'misfits'—special orders which, for some reason or other, customers have rejected. 'You don't care about any of these? Well, have a look at this pair then,' the assistant will say. 'They are a misfit order from our City establishment, and which, though they a.re worth twenty- five shillings, I can offer you at eighteen and-six.: You know the fondness of the I public for a bargain, sir, and SJX tiroes out of seven, if the boots fit, the customer has them. There's no swindle about it at all; the shopman has only to tell a very white lie, and the customer goes off perfectly contented. It's only a case of flattering their vanity, and making 'em believe they have dropped on a soft thing.' "Cassell's Saturday1 Journal." A recently-established school board being in want of a caretaker, whose duties com- prised the t'l&aning of the school, adver- tised for the same ,and offered the magni- ficent salary of 5s. per week. There were eight applications, one of which was couched in the following terms:—'Moulton. — Sir,—I want for apply for caretaker for the new school. I am very clene, honest, good-loo king, carefull, a,lld hardworking. If you sees fit to give me the place, I will do it for half a crown for I think 5s. is to much. I will find coal my-eif, seem as how you want to save poor folks' money- If you think I will do I will be very gla-l to dene tho gen- tlemen's booiis, and find my own brushes.-— I am yours, "One Short of Half-a-Orown." P.S.—Man wants but little here below, Nor wants that little long, But five bob a week for cleaning a school Is coming it rather strong.

??=-?-= LIVER COMPLAINTS.—i^r- King" I/andlxon a>vl Quiaine tVirer Pills, wither Mercury, are a potent remedy remove all Jjiver £ ;?•* STOMACH C«m- Tilaintfj, Biliousness, Headache, oickne3Sj Shoulder taina. Hear tfenrs, I*digesti03» CeaatifcaUon.

:-??. '\?' ? SWEET ???iií?}: Violet bad always been of a romantic dis- position. Perhaps it was the effect of her name. She used to feel bitterly aggrieved with fate because her eyes were brown in- stead of blue or blue-gray or blue-black. But she religiously trained her brown orbs to look as melting as if they had been blue; she parted her hair in the middle, and let a few curls-put up over night—escape about her forehead. She was devoted to white muslin gowns and simplicity in general. Violet was given to the keeping of sou- venirs. She had a whole scrap-book full of dance-cards, menus, german favours, pressed flowers, scraps of poems, and the like. And—for there was a methodical streak in her nature—there were a few words writ- ten beneath, "Souvenir, for the assistance of faulty memory." For instance, beneath a carefully pressed and mounted white rose was the inscription, "June 9 '83; High School graduation; from bunch given by Will L. M. Gave him one back." And beneath a bit of blue ribbon were the inspir- ing words, "Worn by me at pionic, Sept. 11, '85. Jack has a piece, too." It may be add-ed that Violet never opened the book of souvenirs save for the purpose of adding another to her collection and cataloguing it, neatly. Violet was 26 and still a sweet, senti- mental person when Horace Vanderhoff a.nd his uncle came within her circle of acquain- tances. It wa,s rumoured that Horace would inherit his uncle's fortune eventually. He was a rather impulsive, somewhat poetic youth. He had written sonnets, it was said. He looked like Goethe, at any rate, I and had a pioper scorn of conventions, Th I fondness for moonlight rambles, and a lik- ing for the wonds and the sea.. And Violet s friends said, "At last," with great meaning when they saw Horace's infatua- tion for Violet. He wrote her verses (all of which were duly entered in the souvenir book), and Violet read them with an unwonted little thrill in her sentimental heart and an unusual softness in her brown eyes. He brought her flowers—-not the hothouse blooms of con- i vention-.but little, shy things hat grew in the wocwls. and that should mean to her that even his walks were full of thought of her. His uncle sent occasional bunches of what- ever costly blossoms struck his eye at the and all Violet's friends said it was pleasant of his uncle to help Horace's suit on, but that Horace understood Violet's romantic temperament better. Horace brought Violet his favourite books to read, and sometimes she tried to. When she didn't have time she merely looked unutter- Collirl yon care for an old man, do you thinK? -I.- able things and begged him not to-mind if she couldn't, say much about them she could never speak fluently of what affected her deeply. In short, Violet' was a little humbug—a pretty one, too. Much «« she loved romance she loved the good things of this world more. She was invited to a water-pionic. which was under the auspices of Horace and his uncle. The latter, by the way, had de- cidedly been more attentive to the fair Violet of late. When they met. Horace gave her, with a.n "unutterable" look, a little button- hole of forget-me-nots, while almost at the same moment his uucle presented hpr with a "pray of lovely yellow roses. Blushing and dimpling &II over she pinned the roses, UMUI mmiwa———i^———z_L_z L; into her bodice, and then, when he wa,s not looking, with a I'm-so-sorry-I-can't-help-it- look at Horace, pressed the little blue flowers to her dainty lips, aad then slipped them within the folds of her dress. It was a very gay party, and a merry discussion a.rose as how they were to divide among the boats. Anyhow, it resulted in Violet finding herself with the uncle in the stern of one boat, and Horace in another with a new arrival—a Miss Augusta de Million. Across the shin- ing water they looked at each other with a long, sad gaze of "wild regret." Now, what is a girl to do in those cir-: cumistances ? Mope and pine for the ab- j, sent, or amuse herself with the present? Violet, being a, fin-de-siecle girl, very much ? went for the present, especially when he I wore the semblance of a rich, old man, who smiled and simpered gallantly at her feet. "How good of you to amuse an old man like me, dear girl, he cried. 'Old Why, you are quite young—just the right age for-" and down went the long, curving lashes on the rosy cheeks. "For what ? Ah! you little flatterer Now, be honest, and say you would prefer Horace here?" "Indeed I would not." with an odorable look out of her brown eyes. "I don't, can- for young men." "Could you care for an old man, do you think ?" I oatinot tell you what was her answer, bpt all I know is that when the boats all reached the landing stage on the island where they were to pic-nic, she had pro- mised to be an old (rich, bien entendre) man's darling. It was pretty to see the way she played with her Oj.d man at the un- cheon, like a merry, little kitten, attending to all his comforts, and yet with such a. pretty little pathetic move at Horace every now and then a* if to say "Am I not behaving with sweetness and self-denial." The next day, at his usual hour for call- ing, Horace came and told her he had some- thing to say to her. he looked a little white as he made this anounoement, and Violet paled a little too. As usual, she was very sweet to behold, and greeted him with an entrancing look, but when she saw that look on Horace's face a sudden and quite uncom- mon feeling struck her. She said, hastily, "Please, please, don't say anything." "I must," answered Horace, huskily. "I cannot JJO on this way any longer. When "I must," answered Horace, huskily. "I cannot go on this way any longer. When I see you, sweet and highminded afti w honest as the day" f "No, no, you must not," protestni I Violet. Pity for him and a strong, hitherto | unfelt desire to be sincere made her go ain. "I am not those things. I am afraid I t know what you are going to say. Pleflse 1 do not. It is no use." j "You do not know," asserted HoraiM, | "and it is of use. I cannot be insincere wAfci f you. It is imjHMt"— "Nor I with you. Do not go on. I OlD not what you think. I am not simple and honest. I am—don't say that you want to marrv me—for I am engaged to your uncle since yesterday. That's the sort of woman I aIn I" Horace looked a.t her with a curious Ù(J'ht | in his eyes. "I'm awfully sorry, Miss Kent," he said, in conventional tones, "to have forced jfou into a perhaps unpremeditated annoum (ce- ment of your engagement. I was going to tell you that I was reproaching my sell for not having told you before-that I am going to marrv Miss Augusta de Million. I v didn't! feel quite square about it—for you and I have had a slight affair of the heart, you know. But I'm glad you a.re going lo marry Uncle Max. lie's a trump, if ho is as poor as a church mouse." "Poor she cried. "Yes. by my father's will he is my gnar- dian till t am twenty-five. I attain that age to-morrow, and the handsome allowasncc made him by the will to look after me ceases." "And Alton Towers?" "Is mine——" and he crossed to the pfano and asked her to sing "Robin Adair" to him. Before he went away he asked for a flowet from .her belt with as much earnestness a4 if the announcement had not been made. And Violet gave it graciously enough. But she made no entries in "her souvenir Isooh that night. ? Printed by the Proprietors, DITTIES OWKN AND 0. (Limited), and published by them at their jiorkf Tudor-road. Cardiff at thei* Offices, Castle Bill&! street, Swansea at the shop of lir. WESLEY rVli- LIAMS, Bridgeud-alI ia the Countyef Glamorgan, at the "Western Mail" Offices, Newport, at tU shop of Mr. J. P. CAFFBEY, Monmouth, both iljtM County of Monmouth and at the shop of HirO DAVIES. Llanelly, in the County of Carmarthen WEDNESDAYS FEBEUABT 21, Mi

? .J¡<f, matches, protruding from one side, are simul- taneously submerged in the igniting mixture and quickly withdrawn. The same thing having been done with the tips on the other side, the frames are again placed on the trolleys and taken to the drying-room, where they are allowed to remain until the tips are tho- roughly hardened. The long double-headed matches are then taken to the packing-room and cut in half by knives, and afterwards filled into boxes, which are subsequently sorted out and packed into dozens and grosses ready for sale. The preparation of the wax vestas is even more interesting than the manufacture of the common matches. The wicks or stands (sometimes miles in length) are placed on large drums, which are fixed at some dis- tance on each side of what is called a jacket pan. This pan contains molten stearin, and the fine cotton threads are drawn through the stearin, whicn has some proportion of paraffin stearin, which has some proportion of paraffin threads, agglutinating them to irregular hard :£?,?,?.¡jo.Z"???.y?? strands, which are smoothed and rounded to the required size by being drawn through iron plates perforated with holes the size of the required taper. The tapers are out to the match lengths by hand-worked machinery and set in dipping frames, when the same process of coating as in the case of the ordinary match is gone through. There are sixteen threads in each match. The factory, it may be mentioned, is fitted up with all the modern conveniences, the rooms are well lighted and healthy, and there is every indication of the business, which is unique in the annals of Wales, being a great success. The boxes are enclosed in very pretty labels bearing the words, The Royal Match," The Welsh Match," and "The Cardiff Match," and the matches themselves will bear comparison with any sold at the same price.