Evening Express

j TEKPERATraK j RtlNFACU >lax. Mill jM'eau.jQ a.m. 9p.m.jTotal Fridav \25\ 61 43 54 0 '•'l *001 *00 Saturday |26j 62 47 5J-0 "00 *33 *33 Sunday ;2 *3 44 5fi'0 "32 "001 '32 Monday j'28i 63 49 5^5 "00 *00' "00 Tuesday 29! 68 42 55*0 "04 *00 *04 Wednesday. 30: 71 42 56'5 "00 *00 '00 Thursday. l! '00

Telephone, National. 002: Post-offlce. 95. Telegram*. Express," Cardiff:

Bill Banter's Budget. Th,, rapidity with which the guarantee fund swelled last night at the town's meeting called for the purpose of inviting1 the National Eisteddfod to Cardiff, is another testimonial to the excellent public and national spirit which pen-ados the metropolis of Wales. Within a i few minutes of asking, imarauteed in the room, and further sums hinted nt to the tune of a. Lw hundred more. This energy is likely to come quite up to Cardiff recordl--and Cardiff has a. character for that faithful quality to 10;.e. A few gentlemen whom I came across this morning were quite ea.ger in the Eistedd- focio cause, and, although prevented from at- tending last night's meeting, they assured me they were good for B500 more. and were about to offer it. Hero is a cool thousand ready on the first I day The committee struck last night will have no difficulty in raising a guarantee far above the ordinary necessities even of the Naii: "a.l Eisteddfod. If the National Council deeire a grand juocess for 1899, they can do no better than look Cardiff-wards again. Cardiff has a record of great suceemm which no other itown in W ales can touch, and which few towns in«,the Empire can equal. I don't suppose the eisteddfod council will need reminding of last vearV exhibition and its successes. Talking of the eisteddfod—may we hope in Cardiff to see an improvement upon the usual class of competitions and contributions? An old Swansea poet sendls me up an eloquent ex- ample of eisteddfodic verse (in English). He has put himself in the position of an eistedd- fod competitor writing an ode upon that ever- lasting Jubilee, and in his well-assumed I character is guilty of the following awful spasm — ') God bless our land Be seen on every hand. Love of our country and Our Queen, who doth command Her people o'er the world. And ever be unfurled Old England's Union Jack, And over all the earth May Britain's flag have worth, And love ever expand. For our dear Old England, And loyalty ne'er lack. There is one land above the rest, A kingdom that is Heaven blest, A Kingdom and an Empire, too. A people who are loyal and true. Ruled by our much-loved Empress-Queen. Their loyalty the world h;)th seen, For man" came from lands away Y ictoria to homage pa", Rejoicing in their hearts to see Our much-loved Queen's great Jubilee. HENRY A. W. ROTT. Swansea, June 26, 1897. I give the poem verbatim, as she waa wrote, for any alteration spoils the hilarious effect of Eisteddfodic poetry. Should the poet Rott ever feel inclined to translate his ode into the Welsh toncrue it would be immortalised at any eistedd- fod. Every requirement is there, even to the beautiful descriptive signature at the foot of the stanza. After all. the story circulated of the Mayor of Aberavon proves to be a canard. Let us hope it was not an intentionally malicious one. The mayor did not refuse to make ohEisance before the Queen. If there was any little hitch in the biiud mayor's bow it was due to the gentleman who pulled the string so to speak—our old friend Ebenesser Beavan. Upon the Cardiff mayor devolved the duty of pinching his worship of Alieravon at the proper moment, and of placing him in proper position. I shall be surprised to learn that Alderman Beavan failed. But if he failed, he had the best excuse. It was the Cardiff Mayor's first obeieance to H.ovalty. Tickets to see the mayors of Great Britain make their Court bow would have sold like wildfire for the beneiit of the Royal Hos- pital Fund. had her Majesty been up to snnff- ro use the phrase of old Ben .Johnson. I am informed tha t the mayoral bows were the cutest thing in the whole Jubilee exhibition. All the mayors had been previously coached, and put through a full dress rehearsal, and taught to carry the sword, so that they did not trip over their Court weapon. There was many a Jubilee mayor too stiff in the hinge to bow, in spite of training and prac- tice. Many poor fellows were too flustered, and bent at lunges which they should have kept stiff, and at moments when it was somebody else's turn. Not one of them undertook the charge which Alderman Beavan did. It would have been far better taste, presuming that the Mayor of Aberavon was not pinched at the proper moment, to have said nothing about it. Let the circulators of the maliciou8 story take one day under the unfortunate dis- advantage of sightlessness, and they will learn to be kinder to the misfortunes of feilow- bPing8. Xot having seen the Ca:,diff Mayor since his return from Court, I am unable to relate what may have given occasion for the storr. Maybe the Cardiff mayor failed to unbend his own bow in time to give the tip to his cha.rge- that is, presuming there is a tittle of truth in the tale. Whatever Alderman Beavan may have said in confidence to the Queen should be no matter for public comment. It is surely a breach of £ ood taste to give any personal and private conversations away. Ab IdSl X fttll u-fIj jXwtwuu tKJ rr- sea friends a real good turn. I have dis- covered thi.s item of news:—■ "The Limerick Guardians on Wednesday decided to refuse the Australian Jubilee mut- ton sent them for the inmates of the work- house. The master (Mr. Dundon) said the paupers refused to look at it, and defiantly told him ,.0. He himself had thought of boi ,:ng it down for the pigs. I am about to send by the next post, copies of the Swansea, papers containing the Jubilee mutton wail to the Limerick guardians. The matter is urgent, and I suggest that the Swansea. Corporation second my efforts through the town clerk. Boil the Jubilee mutton down for the pigs, indeed! If our communications only reach the Limerick Guardians in time they will send it along to Swansea—pay on) delivery—-and if a two- penny rate will cover the cost of transport. no doubt Cardiff, with its usual generosity, will subscribe. Talking of the .Tubi'ee, a Metropolitan friend forwards me this unique item of news. He has been searching amongst the records of Jubilee celebrations for some account of it. without avail. lit is worth noting .as an example of honest loyalty, so here it is: — "Dear Bill,—The amusing incident of Jubilee week I have not seen mentioned in the papers, though many people observed it. The day before the great procession a coster- monger s cart made a tour of the decorated streets in the West-end. conveying the owner and party on a round of sight-seeing. The animal that drew it was made gay with a saddle cloth on which was conspicuously in- scribed 'This donkey will praise the Queen at intervals' -—a promise which was kept by a loud braying every few minutes, to the great amusement of the passers by. We are loth to think of it during to-day's heat, but the fact must be faced. The foot- ball season is coming upon u,o¡ by leapsi and bounds, and alas. players are emigrating so rapidly that the Welsh teams must be sadly depleted this season. There will be no one left to play. Can we venture upon an international match with a team of fifteen forwards? Welshmen of any class who are not actually going north are being (sorely tempted. I know to a certainty of teams that will be woefully demoralised, and were I to publish the list of tempted ones who are seriously considering Northern emigration somebody would be startled. 1 will give the world the names in the immediate bye-and bye—but what good will that do? We have to consider the filibustering from the North and its effects as a whole, not amongst indi- viduals. This is what the English Union and the International Board has done for u.s. Upheld the jpriujeiples of amateurism for- sooth They are fast ruining Wales. The North may just as well enrol itself as a dependency of the Principality of Wales. This season Wales will have to consider more seriously than ever how to stop the Northern depreda- tions. We cannot blame the individual players who have yielded to temptation, amI are about to yield The nauseous tyranny to which the Welsh Union still tacitly submits from England is sufficient alone to irritate any Welsh player into leaving. Wales can only protect itself by throwing off the English yoke and meeting the North with its own weapons. And whilst Wales iB, with irritating slowness, humming and hah'ing, it is losing what it may not for years re-gain.

A LOYAL OBEMAK, Hermann Schwarman, although a German, is loyal to the core in matters affecting the Queen of his adopted country, and, after viewiiMf last week's Jubilee procession, he kept it bp all night." lie drank her Majesty's health so often. and emptied so many glasses, that he found, to ] '1r;e his OWIjI. language, he was not quite sober { at five o'clock on the following morning. In this condition of ultra-loyalty Mr. Schwarmann pro- 4 ceeded to walk up Borough High-street. Then, ( according to Mr. S. Frank Hennessv appeared i 011 the scene, ajid snatched at the German's 8 watch and chain, but failed to get the articles, i Frank ran off, but the German ran faster, and eventually he secured his chase. At Southwark on Wednesday the early bird was aent for trial. I

An Imprisoned Jury. INCIDENTS IX A BREACH OF PKOtflSE CASE. Twelve Good Men and True Cannot Agree and Nearly Come to Blows. At a sheriff's court held at Brentford on Wed- nesday an action for damages in a; breach of pro- mise case Speechly v. Wilcock— came on for hearing. Mr. P;rcy Clowas, who appeared for the plain- tiff, Miss Rose Ann Speedily, who lives at Brighton, explained to the jury that the case had been remitted from the High Court. He asked them to give substantial damages, on the ground that his client had suffered great misery and loss of affection, and, in order that the defendant should be prevented from trifling with the affections of other girls. As the defen- dant did not appear in the breach of promise case, judgment had gone by default. The plaintiff, a young lady of prepossessing appearance, said she became acquainted with the defendant, Mr. Clifford S. Wilcock, at Whittle- sea, Cambridge. He paid her very marked attentions, and they subsequently became engaged. On her twentieth birthday he pre- sented her with a set of prayer-books. In the fly-leaf of one he wrote: "Rose, with Clifford's undying love." He wrote her many letters, in which he called her his "darling little love" and other endearing names. Two years after the engagement, which, it was understood, would be a long one, a change came over his conduct to- wards her, and he became -cold and heartless. She wrote to him several times, but received no reply. Her uncle and solicitors then wrote, ask- ing him, if his protestations of love had been sincere, to have an interview with her. In reply he wrote to her: -"I wonder you spend 6s. 81 for solicitors over such a poor individual as my. self. When I am in a position to uphold a com- fortable home I will claim you. I love you as much as I ever did, but you must remember that does not give a roof for one's head or food for one's mouth." In answering this letter, she said :—"My love for you is as deep, as true, and as unchanged as ever it was. But I want to know definitely whether you are treating me honestly or whether you are humbugging." The defendant replied by a long, rambling letter, in which he excused himself from coming to see her in consequence of the bad weather and the state of his pocket. He added—"I shall on no account become engaged to another girl for a considerable period. I am getting much heavier now that the cold weather has set in." (Laughter.) The jury retired to consider their decision, and after an hour's discussion informed the Under-Sheritf (Mr. Ruston) that there was no chance of their coming to a unanimous de- cision. Mr. Ruston: I cannot interfere. You must fight it out. Subsequently the jury sent word to say that they were agreed in their decision, with the ex- ception of one, who stated he was prepared to "stick it out." Mr. Ruston: The decision mwt be unani- mous, so we shall have to keep the jury locked up. ( About an hour afterwards the jury returned and the foreman stated that they were unable to agree. Mr. Ruston: As the defendant is not here vou must be unanimous in your verdict. I can deal with the difficulty in two ways—either by locking you up until you come to a unanimous decision, or discharging you and calling an. other jury. The latter course, however, in. volves a lot of trouble and waste of time ail round. The jury retired again, and after another long absence returned, the foreman stating that they were agreed, and awarded plaintiff JS10 as damages. Mr. Rusto-i remarked that the jury had been locked up for close upon three hours, and had had quite a heated discussion. A Juror: We nearly came to blows. (Lit 1'K!"ht.

THE GERMAX ARMY. CHARACTERISTIC REMARKS BY EMPEROR WILLIAM. The Paris correspondent of the "Morning Post" says: -The "Gaulois" publishes an inte- resting account of a conversation between the German Emperor and M. de Noaiiles. a French Dragoon officer. The latter was on a, visit to his uncle, the Marquis de N oailles. French Am- bassador in Berlin, and was presented to the Emperor at a review. A few days later M. de Noaiiles was dining with the officers of a regi- ment of the Berlin garrison at the regimental mess when the Emperor arrived unexpectedly. He recognised the French officer, and entered into conversation with him. "You see. Mon- sieur," said the Emperor, "how I treat my offi- cers. I share their meals, and talk with them of their aspirations and disappointments. I know them all, and they all know the interest I take in them. That is the correct way to act." "Y ou have a fine Army in your country," con- tinued William II. "I was able to appreciate it when I went to France. Your Infantry is admi- rable. Mine, I think, is not inferior to it. I cannot, unfortunately, say the same of my Artillery. The French Artillery is superior to the German Artillery, but I do not despair of removing this inferiority. On the other hand, my Cavalry, which you have seen, is better than yours. And yet you have a man whose advice. had it been followed, would have given you the best Cavalry in the world. I mean General de Gallifet, whom father and even grandfather always admired, and whose theories they used to put into practice. The exigencies of politics have always prevented my meeting him, but I assure you it would give me great pleasure to talk with him now that he is no longer in active service." The Emperor added that he was very pleased with his relations with the Marquess de Noaiiles since his arrival in Berlin. They were, he said. perfect.

CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING. An interesting clay bird shooting match took place at Llandaff on Wednesday evening, which was well attended by local sportsmen. A valu- able case of solid silver spoons, given by the Normal Powder Company, for free competition was shot for. The shooting proved excep- tionally good, no less than three gentlemen— Messrs. Ovenden. Brooks, and Oliver-making full scores of ten kills straight. In the shoot- off victory rested with Mr. C. Oliver, after a verv close finish with Mr. Brooks, the winner making a run of nine kills to Mr. Brooks's eight. A series of sweepstakes followed the chief event in which honours rested with Messrs. M'Miltan Batten, and Purcell. It should be added that this is only the first of a series of prizes which will be offered fur competition, and to which all local sportsmen are cordially invited.

JTJBILEE STAND. LOSSES. At the ordinary meeting of the Lambeth overseers on Wednesday evening an application was made by Mr. Woodward for the remission of rates which had been levied upon a stand erected in the Westminster Bridge-road for the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee procession. He stated that hetween JB50 and £ 60 had been lost on the structure, and although he did not appear before them in forma pauperis, he thought the sum of J310, which had heen charged a* rates, should be remitted.—The application was granted.

A KING'S ESCAPE. I The Central News Agenc) at Vienna, tele- graphing on Thursday morning, ga,yg: —The King of Siain had a narrow escape of serious accident as he was driving to the station last evening. While the Royal carriage was pro. seeding along Adrassy-street. a hone which was in a. merchant's carriage, which was close by, ihied. The pole of this carriage was near the King's breast, and an accident was only averted < bv the coachman cleverly pulling the- horses uidi I

Turf Talk. GOSSIP AND CHATTFP OF THE COURSE AND FIELD. Few horses of minor character have be"n such expensive subjects to the public as Ophir. 00000000 Lucknow is the only horse the Earl of Warwick has in training. oooooooo Ophir was the sixth 20 to 1 chance to get home since the opening of the racing sea gOD. Shama yesterday made a seventh, oooooooo John Doyle, the crack Irish jockey, got his shoulder dislocated when Peaceful crossed his forelegs and fell on his way to the post in the Maiden Plate, at the Curragh, on Tuesday, 0000000.. Never since he has been a public rider has Chandley missed a mount in the Cumberland Plate until Tuesday. Early in the day he was engaged for Doublet, but gave up to Freeniantle. oooooooo The Prince of Wales expects to be at Stockl ridgo Races next week, and he will be at Newmarket for the Second July meeting, when his colt Ormathwaite will probably run for the Chesterfield Stakes. oooooooo At Newmarket yesterday Sherwood's Gold Wave colt beat Mystic Maiden and Maureen easily over ftve furlongs and Jennings, juno's Frond (W. Bradford) beat Desolee and Anchronie over five furlongs. oooooooo Though Victor Wild's victory has enhanced th& form of Knight of the Thistle it still remains a fact that the brother to Lady Rose- bery is 2st. behind a first-class handicap horse, and surely this form is not suggestive of sufficient class to wina.S10,000 race. oooooooo It was whispered at Kempton that for domestic reasons Mr. A. F. Basset is thinking of disposing of his racehorses at the Second July meeting. It will be a pity if this rumour turns out correct, for Mr. Basset ia a young sportsman the turf can ill afford to lme. oooooooo At this period of the season there is such a plethora of mile handicaps that very few of them obtain satisfactory entries. The J31,000 race at Lingfield, for example, which closed last week. has only nineteen subscriptions, and the result of the failure will be a heavy loss to the fund. oooooooo Cap Martin is being allowed a slight rest with a view to the Rous Memorial Stakes at Goodwood. The next appearance of Champ de Mars will be at the same meeting, and the unbeaten son of Martagon is entitled to a 51b. breeding allowance in the valuable Prince of Wales Stakes. 00000000 The Chester Cup victory of Count Sthomberg now reads as one of the most brilliant things of the year, especially as it was gained under difficulties that would have excused defeat. Piety was only just beaten for third place at Newcastle with 9st. on his back, and Count Sehomberg clearly would hive been in the same place with nearly list, oooooooo There are only eleven entries for the Jockey Club Cup, and this event is an absolute certainty for Persimmon if ho comes fit and well to the post, as there are neither penalties nor allow- ances. Lord Hindlip has entered Limasol, winner of the Oaks; and the best of the older horses are St. Bris, Count Schomberg, Bay Bonald, Love Wisely, and Roquebrune. oooooooo Considering its lack of attraction this year, the Princess of Wales Stakes will be an expensive item for the Jockey Club. With 243 original subscribers, the Subscriptions and forfeits amount to £8,427, so that the fund is called upon for a contribution of ,1. .JO» "If\n the value of the race, The winner will receive JB7,790 clear, the second JS890, and the third £390. 000000000 Surely it is time the Jockey Club followed the example of the National Hunt Committee and the National Coursing Club, and insisted that every animal running under its rules should be named. The confusion which the running of un- named horses causes may be best appreciated by reference to the City Selling Plate at Carlisle on Wednesday, in which there were ten runners, eight of them unnamed. Several North Country owners are persistent offenders in this respect, and there are not wanting those who aver that they find the system to assist them in the deve- lopment of practices which are decidedly "sharp." oooooooo Should Roquebrune win to-day, her career will have been a somewhat unique one, as she will have run but three race3 in as many seasons, and have won them all. She will, moreover, haye converted what appeared a questionable bargain —she cost 4,100 guineas as a yearling—into a good one, as she will have amassed upwards of J612,000 in ht-r trio of efforts. If as good as is reported, and nothing oceurg to upset her in the: race, she certainly ought to win, neither Vales- quez nor Kingsclere appearing really formid- able, while Knight of the Thistle has here a somewhat Illore difficult task than he last had i>Q ( beat Victor Wild with 351b. the best of the weights. oooooooo As a three-year-old Newhaven (who is on, his way to this country from Australia), started twelve times, won nine times, ian second twice, and was once unplaced. Carbine alEo I won nine races as a three-year-old, running ] second twice :Ir,d third twice. Carbine's per- ] formances as a three-year-old were the most con- ] sistent, while Newhaven's wire the more bril- c liant. Newhaven is a mysterious horse, and there is n weak point in his armour somewhere, ( but nc i. _■ can with any degree of certainty ¡ locate it. One day he may be beaten in a ( manner which Ie: vee no room to doubt that he has completely lost form, while the next day he mOlY come out and smother his field, never giving anything else in the race a chance. oooooooo We should think (sf.ys the "Man of the World") we are about as likely to see a match between Galtee More and Masque II. as we are to see another Jubilee procession. What has the Frenchmau done over here to be worthy of mention in the same breath as our Derby winner? Take his form at Ascot. He just beat Earwig, giving him 2lb,. and third in the race ] was Piety, who presented 101b. to the English- brut 1- reoehman. :,1 r. Beddington not only I never tried Earwig previous to the Ascot Stakes, s but was plensurably surprised a.t. his prominent running, and, what ire; more, his bad third in last year's Derby finished down the course in ] a race later at the meeting. We saw Count Sehomberg give Pietv 251b. in the Chester Cup, so, even suppose Masque H. gave Piety a 101b beating— which we do"bt—in the Stakes, it still s makes Count Schon,berg nearly 2st. better than the Frenchman. Thw, then, is the form that is going to beat Galtee More. ( oooooooo It After winning the Queen s Plate at the Cur- j ragh on Tuesday, Kilsidlaghan, the aged son of a Brown Prince and (Tipsy (by Astrologer), dropped dead. As will be surmised from his [tedigree, Ivilsallaghan was bred in Ireland, and came into the posse"ion of Captain Machell as a three-year-old. For that gentleman he won the Visitors' Plate at Ascot in 1893, his only I success out of -ten races that year. In 1894 he ] won the Warwickshire Handicap, and then, 1 being found to possess stamina beyond the t average, he was trained for long-distance races, and participated in a memorable finish for the t Manchester Cup. wherein Shancrotha and Red ::I Ensign ran a dead heat, a neck in front of Progression, who lieat Kilsallaghan a head for a third place. In the same year Kilsallaghan g farried off the Goodwood Cup. and the follow- ( ing spring won the Chester Cup from a large field, supplementing this in the autumn with a b victory in the Doneaster Cup—his last success q in an important event, though he has since won v in Ireland for Mr. M. J. C-orbally. ——•mmmmmi——————» r

BOUND FOB THE NILE, J On Thursday a number of non-com Missioned rl >ffieer« of the Royal Marine Artillery, who are 8 funnery specialists, and have been lent to the Egyptian Government f°r sen'ice in the forth- a son;ing operations up the Nile left Portsmouth ti or London, whence they voyage to Port Said a H the Paramatta. C

—————— ——I Litigation overfaintings h— A GENTLEMAN'S HUNTING AND COACHING ]U TIRES. He is Dissatisfied wit the Portrait of His Wife and fe of His Hounds, In the Queen's Bench DiJion (before Mr. Justice Cave and a spect jury), Messrs. M'Queen and Son?, the Hafaarket, art pub- lishers and dealers, sued MijJ. L. Phipps, of Savernake, Wiltshire, to re^'er £ 280 8s. 6d. for two pictures. Their castas that in Octo- ber, 1895, defendant gave the* an order for the painting of two pictures. Tl first was to be a hunting picture of himself, ij wife, and others on horseback, attended by 6 hounds. This work was to cost 150 guinea^ The second pic- ture was to be a painting ddefendant's wife and some friends on his corf; it was to cost 50 guineas. Plaintiffs engagf the artists; the portraits were by Mr. Spe^lavh, and the animals were filled in by Mr. Wington Bird. Mr. Phipps (defendant) in ) evidence, stated it was agreed that if he did t approve of the pictures plaintiffs must take ifm back. When he first saw the pictures in lotion he was not satisfied with the portraits of 41le of his hounds, nor with that of his wife. Athe hounds were in Orleans in the autumn of I he telegraphed to plaintiffs to send the artis^ver to alter the hunting picture. Mr. M'Qlft came over to Orleans, and was supplied several photo- graphs of defendant's wife, a be took another of himself at Orleans withlis (defendant's) camera. In July or August last year, when the pictures were tendered, hjwas not satisfied with the portraits of his wiffJr of one of hi3 hounds named Watchman. p gave plaintiffs an order to paint his hound D^ntless, but when the picture was finished he cofl not approve of it, and plaintiffs kept it in th<! Possession. In cross-examination defendant dd the portrait of his wife in the coaching pictililvar, not like her, and the portrait of one of H hounds in the hunting picture was not at all pod. Mr. Kemp That implies thitthe other thirty- five were good likenesses. WM* is the matter with the likeness of this hound Defendant: It ia not like F hound Watch- man. I quarrel with nothinjj'ge. Mrs. Phipps, wife of the cpfidant, said she gave the artist two sittings. !f ^ftd previously given Mr. M'Queen a dozen o; ei' photographs. Mr. M'Queen took a photogPn of her when she was wearing a ahunting c: Mr. Kemp: Have you a lmUlg cap here?— Mrs. Phipps No, but I one. Mr. Kemp I should like <8ee you in one. (Laughter.) j Mr, De Burgh, master-of-h{nds, residing at World's End, near Reading, sfed that he gave the hound Watchman to deferrnt< and its por. trait in the picture was not lilthe original. Mr. Kemp Point me out t dug on the pic- ture. Witness proceeded to the pfure and pointed out the dog. Mr. Kemp How do you kill that is Watch- man if it is not like Watchmai; (Laughter.) Witness: Because it has be* pointed out to me as representing Watchman Mr. Kemp: Then somebodj|nist have recog- nised it. Mr. Philip Burne-Jones, of i Paul's Studios, stated that he was a painter, anpad exhibited at the Grosvenor Gallery, the Xewallery, and the Salon. In the hunting pieti.f tile portrait of the defendant's wife looked it had been painted from a photograph, anwas not like the ladv. Mr. Kemp: Your name is fiiliar. But you are not the celebrated liunie-'ae!)? He must be a much older man than you "He is my father," the witnj calmly replied. Is it a difficult thing to pat from a photo- graph?—All painting is difficiK Is it difficult to get a gooi'keness from a photograph?—It is certainly fficult to gat a good likeness. Mr. Edward Taylor, portri painter, stared that he had exhibited at the H'al Academy for 40 years. He was of opinioilhat the portrait of defendant's wife was not Rood one. It looked as if it had not been rJllted sufficiently from nature. If a complai- were made it would not be prudent to disuse with further sittings. Mr. Kemp: Supposing th|a«V would not give tbem to you?—Many aWs would have declined to proceed.. T Then the picture would not '"Malted?—No. Would you charge for it i'that- event?—It has never occurred to me. Some would, no doubt, charjand get paid.- Yes. to* defendomt Mr. Justice Cave, addressing !> -Maca^kie (who was for defendant) inquired Vfct is your point ? Mr. Macaskie: I submit Rt no case has been made out. Mr. Justice Cave What arJ)P issues? You seem as hard-up to discover th- as I am. What was the contract? Mr. Macaskie We were tofv.e absolute dis- cretion. and, therefore, the qftion is whether or not the rejection of the pieties by defendant was bona-ficle. Mr. Justice Cave Where th^'a absolute dis- cretion it does not matter wher1, the rejection is bona-finde or mala-fide. Mr. Kemp I contend that tl ls8ue is whether defendant acted reasonably. The jury found a verdict foihe plaintiffs for the amount claimed. Judgment accordingly, witF°'ts. Stay of execution refused. — -r-

DEFRAUDING A*>UKE. HIS GRACE OF STHEBLAND ROBBED BY A STATfN-MASTER, At Staffordshire Quarter tMons on Wed- nesday Robert Henry BOlle, who was until November last station-Mter at Trent- ham, near Stoke-on-Trent. NO charged with defrauding the Duke of 81terland of two sums of E3 7s. each in Ail, 1895, and three sums of £1 13s. 4d. i the first three months of 1896. It appeal that the pri- soner charged the Duke's shier amounts of £3 7s. in excess of the roper rate for the conveyance by rail of are"engine from Trentham to Euston and bal. It was also shown that the prisoner cóntued to charge and receive from the Duk! cashier at Trentham Hall a sum of f!j 4d. for railway haulage, which was d'ontiuued after March, 1893. The prisoner I -1Sed his com- pany that the hauling had,eased, but re- presented to the cashier of tllDuke that the charge was still required ujthe company, and lie pocketed the money. rhe prisoner is a man of some property, aodje Was arrested on a warrant in March, lie; ilaving at that time retired from the confnys service. The case lasted two days, a! the prisoner, being found guilty on W ediMay, was sen- tenced to three years' penal fvitude.

A GAMEKEEPER'S DIVORCE. SEQUEL TO A REMAR^LE CASE HEARD RECENCY. At the Samford (IPS"jeh¡;, etty Sessions I Horace Moss, coachman to S'Oswald Mose- ley, of Rolleston Hall. Burtit°n"Trent, was summoned for neglecting to nj^tain his wife, Lucy Moss and her child.Reginald Bridger, solicitor, appeared J hehalf of the complainant, a dark-haired good-looking young woman, who occupied1 seat at the solicitor's table. The defenrlat who did not appear, was represented by r. Townshend Cobbold, solicitor. The case s a sequel to the remarkable divorce proJings recently heard before the President the Divorce ind Probate Court, Sir Francreune, known *s the "Hintles'ham divorce !e' in which ft novel point of law was rais' Mrs. Moss gave birth to a child three ieks after the marriage, and her husband. ;<^enying the parentage, produced documqij which pur- ported to show that her sistes 'uu,bund Mas the father of the child, he r*ng forcibly caken advantage of her in Jr1Uar,v, 18%. caken advantage of her in Jr1Uar,v, 18%. VIr. Moss in view of these fal- brought an. xction for divorce in Novembef 1896, on the ground of his wife's admitted f*Conduct and deception before marriage.action >eing undefended, it went by lau't- Subse- luentlv the whole matter waPP'aced before ,he Queen's Proctor, and 4 case was -e-heard. A curious point wainow" raised, Mrs. Moss alleging that her !Usband was -eaUy the father of the childftnd that she iigned the incriminating docJnt produced n the Divorce Court it, thefe.ef that it 'eferred to the maintenance 11 intended to i-llow her and the chilc. It jjs stated for 'lie defendant that he was ar^ to appeal igainst the decision of the liorce Court, ind pending this the case waspumed,

A Fair Equestrienne. 1t DECLARES THAT WOMEN OUGHT TO RIDE ASTRIDE. She Says that to Ride Side- Saddle Hurts a. Girl and Twists Her Body, I had gone to ask Miss Anna Held about the report that she intended to ride in the Row in ma;i's attire, and while the cheers in the Empire auditorium still lingered I followed her into her dressing-room (writes a "Morning Leader" -lady representative). But she looked so charming and dainty that I ehirked the ques- tion, and when she sat down in a lace-betrimmed peignoir to brush out her bright hair I just esked her to tell me about herself. "I wish I could tell you how I love the English," she answered quickly with just a lingering touch of a Parisian accent; they are no good to me. "And the Americans too?" I questioned. "Ah, yes, I went over there for three months and I stayed nine. Oh, how they love me-it was beautiful. I go about in a whole train, only for the company, and know not that I go along, and when I come back in the St. Paul a beautiful suite of iooms is for me on the ship, and the Americans—the dear people—all had smothered my rooms with flowers—so beautiful, so beautiful! I was sorry to leave them, and yet I come to London and all the people love me here. Everyone is so good—oh, I wish I could tell you." Miss Held will be going again to America in October, but before then two months are to be spent m Berlin, and she is to be in Tromille for the big race week, and will get 600f. a night for singing. Thirty thousand francs a month washer remuneration during her American tour. She 13 sorry to have to leave England. For a moment her back was toward me. It seemed a good opportunity—I made the plunge. "Miss Held," hesitatingly, "I heard—you know how rumours get about—I heard you were going 'o ride horseback—astride." There jyas a little still pause. She turned her head quickly to read my face. "Shocking-rou think—shocking?" she said, with head on one side and questioning eye. "Worse than the bicycle you think? But why? I say to mv doctor, I sit on the saddle not straight, nn- body is twisted, and when I have a fall my boot is caught, with the elastics, you know, in my Amazon-my boa bit-and I cannot get free, but hurt myself. My doctor say, "Sit like a man. I did. I was astonished, it was so eaay my body is no more twisted, and I am much more mistress of my horse. I am on the horse; I have more purchase, you call it more command, i ask this physician. 1 ask that. they all tell me I get no harm but much -rood riding this way, but the sideway is not so good—not nearly, not half." "The dress," I suggested. "The dress? But the bicycle dress you do not mind, you say nothing, and cyclists get off and walk in the streets. Why is it different for horse-riding, where it is really far more neces. sary for safety and for control of the horse? I cannot see it—can you?" "So you intend to ride in that way here, Miss Held?" I asked. "Oh. no, not now: not here in England. I find you do not like it. I do not ride for reclame—for people to talk—for notoriety, not at all. I ride connne ca because that is the only properwayforide." "r n France you ride so?" "Yes, in the country only I ride: I like not riding in town3. and in America, too, but here, not if you do not like it—if it is not allowed." "Alia so you must give up your riding here?" "Because it is not good to ride twisted. You ask," -and again this beautful equestrienne be- came excited and emphatic—"you ask just every- one who know and just all the doctors, and they wiH sa-- to you this is the right way and not any other, and you write about it. it is wrong to pretend that sideways does not hurt you."

A DISORDERLY COUNTESS. TRYING TO HIT LIFE INTO HER DAUGHTER. The Countess and Miss De Grammont, of Maidenhead, were charged before the Slough magistrates on AN ednesday with disorderly con- duct at Slough. PQlica-coHahi.Kla. them at abnit a quarter to two in the morning in the High-street, Slough. The countess was standing over her daughter, who wa, lying on her back in the road, shouting, "Oh, they will murder me." He and Police-constable Pearce got the younger defendant on her feet, and she said she wanted to be taken to Bow-street and locked up. The countess said it was all temper, and Miss De Grammont "went for" her, and kicked her. The countess retaliated by striking her in the face. He and his fellow constable parted them. The daughter had a black eye, and her chin was cut, and she threw herself down in the road again. They got her up, and she called them both fools, said they did not knew their duty, and threatened to get "their coats taken off." The countess told him that if he was her footman or butler she would take him by "the scruff of the neck" and throw him out. There were any number of people at their bedroom windows, and later in the morning complaints were general. Miss Ue Grammont: Didn't. you sav to him "Let's shove her over on the other beat"?—No. Police-constable Pearce said the younger de- fendant was screaming "Lock me up; lock me up. Take me off to Bow-street." The Countess said that they had lost the last train from Slough to Maidenhead. Through the Paris fire the back of her house was entirely burnt down, and her daughter's neryes were upset. She, consequently, fell down in hysterics. The evidence is that you slapped her in the face?—That is the case. I was trying to hit life into her. Superintendent Sutton said the Countess said that a distinction ought to be made between ladies and tramps. Tho Countess: I think so, too. The Chairman (Mr. J. Hartopp Nash): Your conduct has been most reprehensible. The very reverse of ladylike- Most disorderly. You will each of you have to pay 40s. and 16s. 6d. costs, with the alternative of fourteen d¡;¡ys,- The money was paid.

CONFISCATED BEER. Some extraordinary cases came before the W est Riding bench in which several excavators working at the new Leeds reservoirs, at Eccup, were charged with offences against the Licen- sing Act. The prisoners were resident at Eccup, and were alleged to have kept beer and sold it amongst the navvies working on the reservoir. According to the evidence of Police- constable Beevers, tbs. t officer received instruc- tions from Superintendent Tebbut to go to the works at E'-cjp drassed as a navvy. Obtaining work at tb-5 reservoir he found, in conversation with the navvies, that beer was being sold in a number of unlicensed houses. On June 21 he went to the house of an excav ator named Cox ith a pieca ot bread and meat in his hand and a.sked to be supplied with drink, for which he paid. There were 21 other men in the house at the tirre, and each had beer before him, and whilst re was there fifteen pints of beer were served by Cox and his wife, and every one was naid f<>r. Other eases Laving been proved, de- fendants were each fined £20, in default a month's imprisonment. Beer and barrels taken possession of by the police were ordered to be confiscated.

AN ECCENTRIC FRENCHMAN. There has recently died at Chateauroux, in the Department of the Indre, France, ah ec- centric poet named Olinde Petel, who was a son-in-law of the elder Dumas. He has left behind him a large fortune, which is-likely to sive rise to much litigation, as several wills of a contradictory character have been found. The poet, it is believed, bequeathed a good deal of his money to the Berry people, among whom he lived.. His poems are not widely read, as they are of a purely local character and refer to the woods and streams, the dales and dells. Firound the different estates or farms owned by M. Petel. The poet always hved in darkened rooms, only going out at night. soon as the shades of evening had fallen he started on pedestrian excursions around the hamlets, and .vas often heard reciting aloud extracts from Homer, Virgil, and Victor Hugo, to the amaxe- uent and amusement of strangers, who thought 110 waR stags-struck or an eminent tragedian rehearsing effects. The peasants, however, knew him well, and when they heard the accents if an incomprehensible tongue or the strophes if the author of Hernani," which were equally unintelligible to them, borne to their cars o'n he midnight breeze, they merely said, "There roes M. Petel, reciting his poetry," and re- turned to sleep, in order to be up and out in sarlv in the morning. The Berry Hamlet or Manfred went a few days since to one of his :ountry houses feeling that his end was near. [Ie assembled his tenants and servants around lim, and preached them a sermon in his dark •oom. enjoining them to live in brotherliness :ogether. and to be kind towards animals and rees. Soon afterwards he breathed his last m the banks of the Bon Janne, a little stream vhich often inspired him with excellent vereet.

Football Poaching. rOM WILLIAMS VISITS THE NORTH OF ENGLAND.. Form of Worcestershire and Cornwall- Two Cricketing Counties Glamorgan Have Shortly to Meet. I have been looking over CuHum's 2m. J6secs. run at the Jockey Club sports, a few days back. The more I look at it the more I like it. for it is, all things considered, dangerously near the record. It is an odd Oil; of distance, and one that has not met with much support; still we find now and again men of the old school having a shy for it. At the distance, one record, of course, stands out by itself, that being the 2m. 13secs. by Myers, at New York, on October 8, -1881. In this country, Pollock Hill holds the record for the distance, with 2ni. 15 4-5secs., which performance he achieved at Oxford on May 8. 1889. Taken in all ways, I look upon C^llum's record as a trifle better than the Oxonian's. In the first place, the Oxford track was a perfect one, whereas at the 'Quins' ground was very rough. Again, Cullum had 30 or 40 men to get round, which I take it would mean at least a second better, and last, but by no means least, he won by six yards. The professional record is held by Cummings, who, at Preston, in 1881, did 2m. 17secs., or just one second more than Cullum. Llwynypia. I understand, have secured some tip-top entries for their professional sports on Monday next, and the probabilities are that we shall see some rare good racing. Bredin, Cross, Hutchings, of Putney, Martin Jones, Failsworth, &c-> are all entered, and have promised to turn out. The 'handicapping, I believe, is in the hands of the committee. They should know all the local men well enough, whilst, for the Englishmen, a good precedent is afforded by the recent Hibernian Sports at the Sophia Gardens. I trust the day wiU be fine and the gate good. Speaking of Llwynvpia reminds me of the losses I hear they have sustained in their foot- ball ranks. J. Evans and T. Williams are both mentioned to. me as being unlikely to help the club next season. In fact, I am toid that already two out of the three mentioned above have left the district. What truth there is in this statement I cannot say. At any rate, if the couple in question are leaving the district, it will be a bad job for Liwyny- pitt, for the nucleus of the team will be gone. The Bridgend Cricket Club are very dis- satisfied with the manner in which their recent match with Swansea is being represented in the papers. I met a member of the Bridgend Club yesterday, and had a long chat on the matter. The point he was anxious to im- press upon me was that the whole thing has been misrepresented. The main point that my Bridgend friend complains of is the way the Western writers are attempting to make capital out of some cock and buIll story about so many runs- having to be added to some individual players. The only thing that occurred in this respect, he savs, was that Geogeglian claimed one more -run than the scorers had down to him, and when he rertonetrated the run, with the consent of the Bridgend captain, was actually added. But that. my Bridgend friend claims. makes no material difference to the total. The real point is that Swansea's total, according to the tuns set down for each batsman, was v. rongly added up. Positively,- he assures me there is no question about any further runs being added to any individual score. On -South Wales A*u*w»iai.ion fooiball looks like having a busy time next saaA. Mr. Axtell has forwarded me a list of engagements, that shows six county games as having to be played. There are also East v. West and North v. South matches, and. probably we shall have an international game in the South, for both the English and Irish matches are to be played in Wales this year. A couple of years ago we had the English match on the Cardiff Arms Park. There was a fine gate on that occasion, and the big crowd that was present was, I re- member, hugely delighted with the fine exhibi. tion given by the Englishmen. Both Cardiff and Swansea have now had international matches. Would it not be possible to arrange for the English match this year to be played on the well-appointed-ground of the Newport Club? If terms could be arranged the ground would be handy for all the hill people, and I should say an 8,000 or 10,000 gate would result. Rain in the Barnsley district unfortunately prevented the Worcestershire and Yorkshire Seconds match from being finished, so we are unable to judge by Yorkshire's second innings if the bowling of the Worcester men, Arnold and Bird, is really so deadly as it seemed in the first innings. In any case the Worcestershire batting was excellent, for they put on 259 for the loss of eight wickets, so Glamorgan may quite make up their mind for something warm when they do meet the hop county. On the other hand, I imagine that the Glamorgan match with Corn- wall ought to be a win for the South Wales county. I suppose this from the result of the game between Cornwall and the Plymouth Garrison, which was concluded at Devonport on Tuesday. The Garrison made 255; and then dis- missed Cornwall in the first innings for 139 and, on their going in again, for 76—the Garrison thus winning by an innings and 40 runs. On that form Glamorgan ought to defeat Cornwall easily enough, although it would be as well to remember that last year the Cornish- men defeated the Garrison by seven wickets, so, perhaps, this week's form was not quite true. Cornwall play three professionals, I see. To-morrow (Friday) is the birthday of Mr. W. M. Douglas, who was born just 34 years ago. His connection with football and athletics gene- rally in the district has been a most happy one, and I am sure I am only echoing the sentiments of all ftouth Wales sportsmen when I wish him many llappy returns of the day. "Jimmy" Michael is "playing the game" to a fine tune in America. Cute young rascal, he knows which side his bread is buttered right enough. The American pressmen, always lavish in epithets. have not failed on this occasion. "The Welsh Rarehit" and the "Columbus of Cycling" are a couple of the titles they have tacked on to the Aberaman lad. It is announced that Michael has taken out his citizenship papers. and that "he will defend the Stars-aild- Stripes against all invaders who are even now on their way." Well, the almighty dollar will do a lot, as we have see,, in Fitzsimmons's eale- a Cornishnian who culls himself an American— but, honestly. I never thought that Michael would forsake his country this way. Now, Tom Linton, go and bring the championship back to Wales. There was some talk at the annual meeting of the 'ilaiuorgan Count j* F.C., as to the pos- sibility of Wales having engagements with the other countries. The whispers" were a sort of seini-offinial, probably the result of chat in an informal manner between the members of the various countries. Personally, I should not like to commit myself on the matter. I have a shrewd suspicion Ei.gland could do better with us than without, but that almighty dignity of theirs stands in the way. Even now, I farcy, it was a great pity that Wales did not bring matters to a head last back end by can- celling fixtures with English clubs. It would have bMn a facer for England, and I fancy would have had the result of straightening matters out. As it stands now, matters can be dragged out to an interminable length, whilst I' the other countries, England in particular, indulge in their struts and cackles of outraged lignitv. I don't suppose they mean any thins* by it, but it amuses them, ynd does not hurt us, so who need mind? Entre nous, I notice that at the recent meet- ing uf the Scottish Rugby Union- the members passed a vote of sympathy re the late Mr. W. H. Gwynn, and instructed their secretary tA tVrite to this effect to the Welsh Union secre- tary. The county cricket championship form is get- ting in a glorious tangle. Gloucestershire have ivon another match now, just to let us know that they are alive. Gloucestershire first of all play Surrey and create a world-wide surprise by defeating them. Surrey after this defeat Lancashire, who play a good jame with Somerset. Lancashire follow this up by simply walking over Gloucestershire, and now the 'Cestrians turn round and plav havoc with Somerset, defeating them by no less than ten wickets. Townsend and Roberts were the Gloucestershire bowlert that did all the damage, the pair monopolizing the bowling and securing a rattling fine average. In the second innings Roberts had six wicket. for 21 runs, and Townsend four for 36, eacl sending down ten overs. WELSH ATHLETE.

A Bad Boy's Diary. HIS EXTRAORDINARY ESCA- PADES ON A BICYCLE. He Quaintly Tells Stories of Love and Loot Which Bring Gaol in Their Train, On Wednesday, at Preston Quarter Sessions, John Riohard Preston, 16, messenger, of Chorley, pleaded guilty to steal- ing £21, the moneys of John Henderson and Co., manufacturers, of Chor- ley, and also to stealing a bicycle, a lady's silver watch, and other articles. When prisoner was arrested a notebook containing a remarkable account of his escapades, and written by himself, was found in his posses- sion. It relates how, after leaving the mill at Chorley on April 30th, he journeyed to London. Then, says the diary, "I had to look round for lodgings, and had to pay 2s. 6d. for one night. Then on Saturday, May 1st. I wandered about from one place to another, but could see nothing but shops and a bustling crowd going to and fro on business, so I wandered on till I came to Middlesex." In the same strain the diary tells how he journeyed from London to Chester, where he could "see no scenery," and so took train to Liverpool, and from thence to Lancaster and Morecambe, where his experiences commenced in earnest. He built a hen cote at a cost at £3 17s. 6d.. and stocked it with poultry. The remainder is best told in his own words:- "For a fortnight I simply looked after the poultry and learned to bike. and enjoyed myself to the full. Then I went to one of the best houses in the town and took lodgings, and in the meantime I tried to sell the poultry, but could not get a customer until Friday, and then I had to let them go for £1. On Saturday I looked in all the drawers in my room, and found a lady's silver watch and a few other useful goods, which I took. Then I went out without paying what must have been an enormous sum. I went to the cycle shon and got a machine for an hour, and did a 'bunk.' It was raining, but I soon left the clouds behind me, and sped through a. most magnificent country beyond all compari- son. I rode to Kendal and took lodgings for a week. On Saturday, June 5, I was out riding my machine in the country, and there was a beautiful young lady, and it joet suited me. It just happened that she got ller foot in" the wheel and was thrown off, and I got off and assisted her to rise, and dusted her dress for her. and she thanked me and we rode together, and had a little conversation, U. T- h.a.ve tOo meet ber on Whit-Monday at one o'clock, and we are going to ride in the country, when I expect to get more acquainted, for to tell you the truth I have fallen in ltove with her." Prisoner's adventures came to an end at Preston on June 21, when he was arrested while try- ing to dispose of the stolen bicyule. The Chairman (Mr. R. M. Wa'mslev) said they could not overlook the fact that prisoner had committed other thefts after he decamped with the money. They were bound to punish him, and he would have to go to gaol for one month's hard labour.

FATHER AND SON. BOTH SENT TO PENAL 71TUDE FOR FORGERY William A. Watts, aged 52. agent, and Wil lillm Watts. 55, clerk, who were convicted at Leicester Assizes on Wednesday for obtaining credit from the National Provincial Bank hy means of forged acceptances, which were altered to represent larger sums than they were irigi- nally drawn for, were brought up for sentence on Thursday. The younger prisoner was sen- tenced to five years' penal servitude, and his father to four years' penal servitude.

REHEARSING THE CHOIRS FOR THE WELSH FESTIVAL AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE Dr. Parry is now on his nightly visits to the various sections (over 40) of his choir which ia to appear at the Crystal Palace, London, on Saturday fortnight. On Thursday in last week Dr. Parry was at Tonypandv, where there wag an excellent section, conducted by Mr. Evans. On Sunday afternoon and evening he was pre- sent at the schoolroom, Cwmavon, where the C'wmavon, Aberavon, and Taibach sections, numbernig nearly 400 voices, were rehearsed. This section possesses magnificent voices, and the leading vocal qualities are very fine indeed. On Monday night Dr. Parry conducted at the Music-hall, Swansea, a rehearsal of 500 voices, which included the Ammanford Male Voice section, the Gorseinon section, and the Pontar- dawe section, all of whom travelled to Swan- sea. by breaks. The singing was of a very high standard, and great credit is due to Mr. W. T. Samuel, of the Swansea section, a3 well as to Mr. Evans. of Cwmavon. On Tuesday night Dr. Parry was at Cynimer (Glyncorrwg), where he. was surprised beyond measure with the choral qualities of the district, which includca Cymmer, Glyncorrwg, Abergwinfi, and Mae~tcg. The latter section walked four miles over a mountain in orller to he pr>).<;ent. On Wed- nesday nig-ht the doetor was at Rhvmney, whore there is an excellent ¡;;eetion, conducted by 1\Ir. Jones. The rehearsal was held in the Baptist Chapel, which was packed to suffocation. This (Thursday) night Tho. Parry will be at Neath, and to-morrow (Fridav) at Penarth. Other engagements will lie found in our advertising column*. The Crystal Palace festival pre- mises to be exceptionally fine. On Satur- day week an open-air concert will be given at the Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, when 500 w.ir.-w, accompanied by four bands. will rehearse the programme to l^e given at the Crystal P:<laco. The proceeds will be devoted to defraying the expenses, of the Cardiff contingent and the members of the band in London.

A STRANGE ACCIDENT' A curious accident has taken place on tha City Railway of Berlin. An infantry soldier on leave of absence was travelling ta Schleswig Station whenJ, troubled by the iieat, he leaned out of the carriage window. Snt liking the look of the other ocOTpantu if the compartment he hung his bag out of -he window as well. Suddenly in passing a signal-post the bag was knocked from his .;rasp. and as the train was at that moment Musing over a garden music-hall, the Deutsche Konzerthalle, which wascrowd-d .vith visitors, the bag unfortunately fell on i man's head and caused concussion of tho> irain. The soldier alighted at the next sia- ,ion—Alexandra Plate Station—and inquired or his bag. which after some delay was duly landed to him, but no sooner was his KV-n- ity thus established as the cause of the in- uries to the man in the garden music-hall han he was promptly arrested, much to his .maxement. He was charged with inflicting evious bodily harm through carele»siie>»