Evening Express

The Bandit Queen. '1-?- Women are not totally unknown to fame as highwaymen, or highwaywomen. to be more correct, but there have been, none more inte- resting than the two treated of here. The one levies npon the rich traveller in the Cau- casus of Southern Russia; the other has proven a thorn in the flesh of Oklahoma authorities. One surrounds herself with an atmosphere of romance; the other is filled with pure "cussed- nesa. They present a curious study in con- trast. Who shall say after reading this story that the influence of woman is not a softening and refining one? There is a modern Robin Hood operating in the Caucasus levying upon the l'idh travellers in that wild region, a modern Robin Hood who should wear petticoat-, but who doesn't. Still, that is her own affair. Before pretty Danelia went into the business the bandits or the Caucasus were rude and un- gentlemanly in tile extreme. They thought nothing of knocking their victims over the head and relieving them of their valuables in tne most prosaic manner. But that is all changed now. Highway robbery has taken OIl a sort of comic opera veneering. It seems almost as though Robin Hood had come to lie in the guise of a woman, and Sherwood Forest htwl been transferred to the mountain fast- nesses of tha Caucasus. A most picturesque. poiiu, and altogether eharrmng creatare is Barbara Danelia. if those wh" ha n, met her in a business w-iy are t. be believed. Her manners arj those of the draw- ing-room. her conversation is a delight to the ear, and the traveller who has met her comes to regard himself as a person specially honoured. "I am delighted to have this opportunity ot meeting so amiable a gentleman." says Bar- bara, after the transfer of property has been completed. And the gentleman will probably assure her that the pleasure is air his. The American tourist who ventures into that wild country in the South of Russia should not neglect to go well supplied with money and jewellery if he wishes to see the Tair Bar- bara at her best. At such times she is bub- bling over with vivacity, wit. and good cheer. She may insist upon his drinking a bottle of wine with her. and if he takes his losses in the proper spirit she may even advance him suffi- cient money to £ -?e him back to his friends. She is herself of gentle blood, and she appre- ciates the usages of polite society in others. So don't forget to take your manners with you, as well as your rash. For centuries the guild of highwaymen has flourished in the Caucasus, despite the spas- modic efforts of the Cossacks and Circassians to inaugurate a reign of peace in that wild dis- trict. Until the coming ot Barbara Danelia the bandits cared for nothing but to secure their plunder in the easiest manner possible. If a victim resisted and it was thought the easiest way to bring him to terms was to cut off his head—zipp! the deed was done. It was effective, but it was not artistic. Nor did the bandits of the old days scruple to rob the poor as well as the rich. There was no chivalry in their make-up until Barbara came, among them. But now the poor are allowed to go in peace, and sometimes their condition is bettered by a meeting with the fair highway- woman. Barbara is now about 35 years old. Ten years ago she disappeared from her home in the vii- lage of Bandza. in the government of Kutals. Just why she left the surroundings which she had previously graced so charmingly*- is not known. The secret is securely locked up in her heart. At any rate. for ten year- she has been the leader of a band of the most polite, gentle, and successful bandits who ever turned the Czar's highway into a no thoroughfare. She has revolutionised highway robbery. It is no longer necessary to use violence. Blood is very seldom shed, and never, unnecessarily. In her present role she has been recognised as the Barbara Danelia who ran away from her home in Bandza. She is a Georgian, and her beauty. therefore, is assured beyond the peradventure of a doubt. Among her own people she is popular, for she seldom levies npon them, but rather dispenses charity among: the poorer ones. She has been identified, but never before a law court, for she is still very much at large, and snaps her fingers at Cossacks, governments. and police with the same confidence in her own good luck which has accompanied her ever since she took to the mountains. iot that the course of her strange love of adventure has always run smooth. Barbara kas had downs as well as ups in her curious tafeer. Four or five times, for instance, the lady was surprised or betrayed and arrested, But her luck never left her. Once her prison door—it was a manor house—was opened at nizht. if not by an angel of the Lord, at least by a friend of the lady. whereupon she rose up and waked away before her accusers could bring her to trial. Another time her gaoler s-it her free and went with her to the mountains, where he is now one of the most fearless daredevils of her band. The third time that Barbara found herself in durance vile nothing happened to help her and, she was duly sent to trial. Her gaoler ( would probably have fallen in love with her had he known that his sympathetic prisoner belonged to the female sex. But as Barbara has invariably worn the picturesque costume j of a male Georgian since she took to the lulls the gaoler entertained an angel. unawares and conscientiously looked after her. The trial, therefore, duly came on, and owing to some curious conflict of evidence Barbara got off. whereupon she returned to her lawless subjects and her exciting mode of life. In her male attire she would never be taken for a woman were it not for her delicate hands and feet. always neatly gloved and booted. She sits her horse as though born to the saddle. She is a dead shot, and can hit the edge of a Russian coin no larger than a 10-cent piece with a rifle bullet at a distance which would not be believed did I state it. The number of strong, able-bodied men whom Barbara has held up single-handed in true road agent style is legion. Sometimes she likes to operate alone, and she always goes heavily armed. Occasionally she meets with stubborn resistance from the lords of creation, and she carries more than one wound as an evidence of her precarious calling. But she never comes off seeonu best. Fancy, if you should be travelling along the roads of the wild districts of Kutais, clothed in the costume of the country, being politely halted m some out-of-the-way spot by a party scarcely larger than your own! Imagine the leader, riding a little apart from the others, doffing his hat with an air of courtly grrace, and in a few polite words, pronounced in a most insinuating voice, explaining that to his regret circumstances beyond his control render it necessary that he should deprive (.you of your money, horse, and valuables, but that he will do so with as littfe discomfort to yourself as possible! You and your companion might instinct- ively reach for your weapons, but it would be no good. In a twinkling every one of you would be "covered." "There, there, gentlemen." the leader would be apt to expostulate. "Let us transact our Jbuïdness as gentlemen should. Will you kindly tarn out your pockets?" After it is all over the leader of the T>and. who is none other than Barbara Danelia. may request you to remain on the spot for an hour or so unt.1 he and i his friends havj had time enough to ^et clear away, and he adds that. should you disobey of his men has order: to blow your brains out, wh1"h he sincerely begs you not to have carried out. You wait impatiently for Lhe hoar to elapse- ages' =eem to have passed1 avay s nce your property left yon; but the I white handkerchief which wis to be hoisted as a signal that you might 'move on' has not yet appeared, and you are beginning to debate w.eh yourself whether you had not better take to your heels and risk the consequences, when all at once the "gentleman" on the prancing charger rides up. raises hi, hat, and says;— "I'm sorry, sir. to cause you still further discomfort; but I leave it to yourself to judge whether I can do otherwise. You can see those traveller; away there on the further en.l of the road? H"ell. we thought we might as well do business wi'h them while they and we are here. We may never meet again in this world, and it would never do for you to leave us in the lurch at such a, critical moment. I mtlst ask you. therefore, to wait till the busi- ness is transacted, and then. I promise you. I will do everything- to further you on your journey home. Is there anything I can offer you in the meantime to sliorten the time—a pack of cards, a bottle of wine. or ■? Only a drop of wine? Certainly. I will tell one of my men to bring you a bottle in a moment," and, grace- fully touching his hat. the highwayman is off. you are provided with good wine and with the 5pecta.cle of a neat highway robbery softened and refined by sweet female influences. and an hour or two later you part politely with your captor, who wishes you God-speed on the way. Occasionally the Russian authorities take a hand. Only last year Police-inspector Eristcff dashed off to the hills, armed to the teeth, and accompanied by three attendants, expecting to cocae back with the bandits bound. The funeral of the inspector did not take p'ace for nearly a week afterwards, although the one sur- viving attendant brought news of his chief and the other members t f the expedition two days after it had set out. Severe ailments demand severe remedies. But Barbara Daniela probably shed tears over the necessity which required such drastic measures, There was nothing else to do. however, which was really a pity. It is a far cry from.the Caucasus of Southern Russia. to the Oklahoma of our own Western country* And yet it it only a ftues- tion of conditions. In her way Dora Cox. who for the tenth time in her brief but eventful life finds herself in gaol at Tecumseh, Oklahoma, is fully as interest- ing as the Barbara Danelia. of the Caucasus. Both are outlaws, both have preyed upon the goods of others. Dora Cox is said to be only sixteen years old. but that assertion may be taken with a grain of salt. But, whatever her age, she is a re- markable person. It is said in the Territory that the gaol strong enough to hold her has never yet been built. B3 that as it may. her numerous escapes seem little short of super- human. She is said to possess hypnotic power. Perhaps that is the easiest way the prison offi- cials can excuse themselves. Dora Cox is accused of many crimes, among them being bank robbery, horse stealing, and selling whisky to Indians. When not engaged in these pursuits she has been up to some other kind of devilry. The story of her career is a story of depravity and crime that has-probably never been equalled in any State or Territory in the Union. Her deeds of daring would thrill the reader of dime literature and cause the heart of the criminologist to swell with a desire to itudy her. She is the most famous female horse thief and outlaw on Oklahoma Territory. There are few men, for that matter, who are her equals. There are many who excel her in what is known in Western vernacular as "cllssedness"- men who have killed thsir fellow man and have no hesitancy in handing a gun with reckldss disregard of human Life. Bat as a horse thief and genuine all-round outlaw they are not her equal by any means. There is but little known about the ante- cedents of Dora Cox, or at least if they are known they are not spoken of. She is described as a pretty girl, with a wealth of golden hair and large eyw. If there is anything in the crim.nal calendar that she does not know it has been put there recently. She has had the i officers of the law searching for her "cores of times. She has been captured and placed in t'je strongest jails in the Territory, but she always managed to escape. The girl has not confined her depredations alone to Oklahoma, but she has made a score of raids over into the Indian Territory, and has driven away some of the choicest hordes tnere. Sho knows a good horse, too. if reports all be trtxs. She knows that a good horsa is a.ways saleable, whiie a poor one in that country could not be given away. She knows, too. that th?re are many persons who buy horses without asking til? I seller for a certificate of ownership; that all they take into <x nsideration is that it is a good animal and is offered cheap and at a price at which they can make a good bargain and good profit. r Whe. re the girl originally came from and why she adopted such a profession is a my, tery. There have been scores of stories tolrl, but none of them are authentic. Apparently she is like Top-y. who "just grew.' Dora has one friend who is certainly good to her. He is Dick Clark, a half-breed OLoe Indian, and if all that has been said be true they make a good team. Both are now in gaol at Tecumseh but for how long not even the sheriff of the county dare guess. He would not in the leas; be surprised it he went to their cells any morn- ing aid found that they had gone. Dora was confined in the King Fisher Gaol a few weeks ago. She grew tir?d of confinement, Sh. longed for the freedom of the plains, and one night-30me say it was by hypnotism—she walked out of the gaol. Whether or not sh. hypnotised the gaoler is not known, but it is certain that she escaped as easily as if the gao had been built of tissue paper. Then began a wild chase for her. Notice- wt re sent to every sheriff in the territory and also in Indian Territory. She was wanted at Of.ce. Dick C.ark was also wanted. He ha., been seen around Klilg Fi-her -the day pre- ceding her escape, and it is believed that he could tell how she had managed to extract herself from the gaol. Sheriffs searched higl a.nd low. They went to every known haunt ol the precious pair in the two Territories, bu: they could not be found. There was a sigh of relief. The sheriffs hoped that Dora and DIck had gone into the Pan- handle country, or to Arizona, or Xew Mexico or anywhere else, but it wa, a m'stake. Near Shawnee last week thev were seen, and after a desperate horseback chase of fifty miles both were captured and taken to the Tecum: eh Gaol. Dora s companions have been the outlaws of the Territories, her home in the gaols, or else the open air. or in the haunts of her bandi' friends. She has participated in scores o! cattle rustling raid*, but she is said not to care tor cattle. Horses are her hobby, but she has not thought it beneath her to help herse'.f to funds which travellers carry along the high- ways in their search for cattle and bargains in lands. There is no doubt that many of tht lands. There is no doubt that many of tht it crimes charged to the girl are fictitious, and also that many of them were committed bv others than herself. But she has to suffer for it. for her title as the Queen of the Oklahoma Outlaws must be kept up by the romancers and by many imitators—for that she has imi- tators of her sex is well known. It is said of Dora Cox that she is a strong friend, that many of her rough friends have been nursed by her wh?n ill. and that she has tended them as carefully and as sympatheti- cally as a nurse in one of the grsat hospitals of London would have done. She is said, too to be generous to a fault, but she is a!s-. spobeu of as a. bitter, vindictive, venarefn'. enemy, a tireless enemy. too. never resting until she has "squared" affairs between herself and her foe. Thus far she has managed to escape the penalty of the law, but for how Ion? no on? know-. The authorities be'.ieve that they have a sure case asiinst her and that they will be succes-ful in placing her where she will not bother them for some time to came.

OUR FREE GIFT OF BOOKS TO EVERY READER OF THE "EVENING EXPRESS." We are presenting gratis to every regular reader of the "Evening Express" one of the following high-class, cloth-bound, and gold- lettared standard works of English literat ure:- Bhaitspeares Complete P.ays and sonnets, "Vanity Fair," by Thackeray; "The Caxtons," by Lord Lytton; "Ernest Alaitravers," by Lord Lytton; "Alice, or the Mysteries," by Lord Lytton; "Ivanhoe," by Sir Walter Scott; "The Scarlet Letter," by Hawthorne; "Mary Bar- ton," by Mrs. Gaskeli; "Lays of the Scottish j Cavaliers," by Aytoun; "Jane Eyre," by Char- lotte Bronte. The books wil, be given away at the rate of 24 every day until every readsr) has received one. Upon the top £ the Sccoud Page of the "Evening Express" each day will be found a number, printed in violet ink. which number will be different in every paper that is printed. Keep this number tili tile fcxlowing day, and see if it is g.vsn in the list printed beiow. If your number is given, take it to either of our offices at Swansea, Newport. Merthyr, or Cardiff, and you will rece.ve either of the above Cook3. If you cannot con- vementiy call, tear off the purpie number and send it to the "Evening Express" Office. Card'ff. with your name and address and twopence towards the cost of postage, ana the book choseti by you will be forwarded t.) your address. Xo person is entitled to a second book, even though ho be the ho.der of a selected number, until every reaaer ll118 received a book. bearing the Following Numbers Printed in Violet Ink on the Top Left-hand Corner 01 Pago 2 are Entitled to a Book:— P IT RCH AS Bit S of SATURDAY'S "Evenir.s 525766 515933 529o80 5:9600 -_u_= 354174 53-348 53<689 ,čaL ¡ 53;;j75 338693 o339G4 542944 543276 543543 543868 c<;7276 548076 543879 519563 5j33/6 554662 355555 556376 537073 559111 560M0 361334 .6'i7u2 363336 564789

The principal attraction at Ynysybwl on Mon- day was the congregational singing festival at i Noddta Baptist Chapel in connection with the Welsh Churches of the locality. Mr. U iiliain Thomas. Treorky, was the conductor. '1 tie morning service, which was. devoted to the children, was presided ever by the Rev. J. D. Jones, and addressed by Mr. W. E. Da vies, the pastor-elect of the New-road Congregational Church. The afternoon service was presided over by the Rev. Theophilus Jones and the evening service by the Itev. Idris Thomas. IT WOULD BE NO BETTER IF THE COW CAME TO *0UR POOR.—If the germs of Tuber-1 culo-is are in the animal that supplies your! nursery with milk, that disease will be trans- mitted to your children. It is in tpe udder and not in the can. Very often the farmer cannot I help it, and the dairyman know& more-than you do about the subject. Fortunately, there is no need to be scientific to take the right course; a remedy is provided in the shaoe of HOFLICK'S MALTED MILK. in which the cow's i product is sterilised, so that it can have no con- j tamination of any kind. Even thi- preventive: would be useless if you were obliged to add milk to the food in order to dilulo it. Rut i Horlick s Malted Milk, unlike most other prepa-; rations, is dissolved in warm water only. Ask your chemist for it to-day. Price Is. 6d.. 2s. 6d., and lis. A free sample will be sent on appli- cation by Horlick and Co., 34, Farringdon-road, London. E.C. L15225 LINSEED COMPOUND for Coughs and Colds, Asthma, and Bronchitis. Of Chemists only. e7l98—5 AN EXCLUSIVE PRESENT.—A. DOROTHY BOX of CHOCOLATE, marked with Name, from Is. 6d., 2s., 2s. 6d.. to 5t. e7000—3 Don't Delay. If you suffer from Indigestion or Dyspepsia, take Gwilym E»t-hs' Quininle Eitte.-s It is the best remedy of the :gre. Bof i-s, 23. 9d. and 4s. 6d. Bffnse substi- stmts, -■ «4919—2 j

COMICALITIES—ORIGINAL AND OTHERWISE. "Speaking of Bright's witticisms," remarked young Softleigh, "why, I could say smarter things than he if I had a mind to, doncher things than he if I had a mind to. doncher know." "Of course you could," replied Miss Cutting. "That's the only thing you lack, I'm sure." "Timmins. you don't seem to be making as much love to the landlady as you did." "Had to ease up a little. She thought she e had me so sure that she put off the scraps and I meat ends for me. as if I were already married to her." "That's a pretty fine chrysanthemum." "It ought to be. It cost me 11 dols. 65 cents." "Somebody swindled you. I can buy a tub- ful of them for les3 than that." "I include, of course, the cost of the carriage and the little supper after the show." Doctor: Your wife. sir. is suffering from genera' functional derangement. Mr. Parvenu: I knew it. Maybe ¡Óe'l1 give me credit with knowing a few things after a while. I told her to quit gadding around to all those swell functions, or she'd be sick. Now she's deranged. Is she liable to be violent, doctor? As the gentleman with the trowel made the few perfunctory dabs customary in the cere- mony of laying a corner-stone, one of the common herd standing on the ground said: "Doesn t handle it as if he were used to it. does he?" "He isn't used to it." replied the other of the herd. "There never were any masons in his family. The best they 'ever did was to carry the hod." "You wish to be excused from jury duty, but you haven't good reason," said the judge. "It's public spirit," said the unwilling jury- man "on the score of economy. I have dys- pepsia. my lord, and I never agree with any- body. If I go on this jury there will be a disagreement, and the country will have to go to the expense of a new trial." "You are excused," said the judge. \r1', Burrows wa- in the drawing-room, but what was said in the nursery could be plainly heard. "What a dear little baby boy." said the visitor. "He has your eyes and nose and smile." "Ye3; but look—see! He has his father's teeth." That aroused Mr. Burrows at once, and. rush- i,ig to the -loor, he ctlled: "Take 'eiii a-,v,-ty from him. Mary; don't let him play with my teeth. I wouldn't have 'em damaged for the world." "Do yez b'lave in frinology?" asked Mr. Dolman, "meanin' be that this sighnce iv te'.lin' a ma.n's charackter be the lumps an' 'is head." "Iv coorse," answered Mr. Rafferty, "There's nothin' gives a better clew to a man's habits than lumps, black eye, patches iv shtickin plashter, an' the rest iv such signs." Lunatics often assume a superiority of intellect to others which is often amusing. A genTlemm, while walking along a road, not far from the lide of which ran a railway, encoun- tered a number of insane people out for exercise. With a nod towards the railway lines, he said to one of them: "Where does this railway go to?" The lunatic looked at him scornfully lor a moment, and then replied: "Nowhere. We keep it here to run trains on." "So you want to be my son-in-law, do you?" asked the old man, with as much fierceness as he could assume. "Well," said the young man diplomatically, standing first on one foot. and then on the otbsr, "I suppose I'll have to if I marry Minnie," Ticket Collector: "You don't expect those boys to travel with one ticket" Fond Mother: "Of course, I do; they're twins." Southender: Waiter, I want a dinner for two. Waiter: Will ze gentleman haf table d'hote or a la carte? Southender: Bring us some of both with plenty of gravy. In a northern village lives a miner, who is much addicted to strong liquor. His wife and child, en often suffer great privations through his drunken and impecunious habits, although he can generally manage to bring seme dainty morsels from the "toon" for his own supper. One Saturday night he returned in a merry mood with a pound of sausage. which he ordered his wife to fry. As the frying proceeded Geord\ slept, and the poor woman, to whom necessity knew no law, shared the treat with her children, and liberally be- smeared the mouth of her sleeping spouse with the fat. Presently he awoke and demanded his sausage. "We". thoo's eaten't." said his wife. and. as proof, showed him his greasy face in v. lookiig-glass. "Sure. Aa must hev," Said Geordy, "seein's believin' Pratt: Have you seen those baby carriages yet ? Pitt: No. What I want is a noiseless baby.

ARNOLD SFAIJRY. "Oh. dear! how T hate these old books!" said Arnold pushing them roughly from him, and walking to the other side of the room. Seat- ing himself on a low stool he sat w;th his elbows on his knees and his head resting on his hards, the very picture of discontent and un- happiness. "Why. Arnold dear, what is the matter? "said his mother, laying down the paper she had been reading and looking at her little boy in sur- prise. "Oh, I'm tired of doing nothing but going to school and getting lessons. I ha-ta these old books!" he »t«id. giving to the poor, unoffend- ing books a look that would have them feel very bad if they had had any feeling. "There are plenty of poor little boys who would be '.cry glad to have the chance to go to school and learn, as you have. so that when they are men they will be better able to csht life's battles, and be of use in the world." said his mother gently. Arnold said nothing, but sat with his head in his hands. His mother v.as too wi-.e to orr.ch a long sermon co him, and so sa d aothing m:ire. He sat quitp still, thinking for a long Eme. and feeling sleepy, put his ar:n on the sofa iear him. and laid his head on his arm. Before long he was in dreamland, faraway from school and book5". He was startled by a voice call ng him. and. raising his head. he saw someone standhix bv ilis side. Corn". ArnohL" said the voice, I want you to forne with me." Who are you?" asked Arnold, rubbing his eye- and staring at the stranger Never mind about that now," was the ui-'ver, but get your coat and hat and come vith me." Arnold did as he was bidden, and soon the -wo ..toed at the front door of the large, beauti- ful house that was Arnold's home. They went swiftly down the front steps, out :nto the street. it. was night. th:y met few ojople that Arnold knew. We are going too far to walk," said the stranger, "so we will take a street car." They rode and rode for a long tinu. until hey were out of the city, and then left the jar and walked for about a mile. Arnold could see they were out in th? country. lot a prosperous farming district, either, where the houses were large and comfortable and sur- rounded by well-kept lawns, where the stabies sheltered sleek, fat jinimals; but a p:acc where :he dwellings were small and mean, and poverty seemed to rulo everything aronnd. Entering through a broken gate of one of I these houses, the stranger remarked as ^hey went up the tottering steps to tha .'toor. "We •.viiI rest here to-night." Arnold said nothing. It seemed as if he had .10 power to do otherwise than what the stranger directed. So O-e followed ir-to th'3 house and upstairs into a room the stranger pointed out to him. Tired out with the long ride and tiresome walk, he soon fell asle?p. thinking of his own pretty little room at home and missing the loving touch ot his mother's hand as she tucked her boy snugly in bed. Hn was awakened next morning early by a leud voice calling him. "Come, Arnold, you've "lept long enough. Can't have any loafers 'round here' Get into yonr clothes and get down here to work." Arnold obeyed, and soon appeared in the little bare kitchen for breakfast, for a dining- room was an unheard-of luxury here. After a scant breakfa-t Arnold ventured to say. "Where is the school ilotisee" I "School house! There ain't no "hool '¡-onnù here What you wan-: that for. anyhow? You've I got to work. bov. No tima for schooling here." Arnold thought of the spurned books of the night before. They would be quite pleasant to I look at iiov:. "I 'spose yen ain't worth much for work— j you look puny and pa'.e, but wo'U soon take that cut of you. To begin with, you might hs that gate cut there. I see the old cow has broken it down. And then them apples is to be sorted and put in barrels and carted to the city to sell. An" there's a lot of wood to be sawed up for kindling. Arnold started for the door to begin his work, but was stopped with "Here! you ain't go .-a' j to work in your Sunday clothes." "But tb is my every-day school suit," pro- t-ested Arnold. "Take em off, I say," and put these oil" was the answer, and a coar.e suit of the jeans was handed Arnold. Arnold worked with a will, and tried to persuade him-elf he would lik, this better than sitting in -chool a'.i day. He surely had a variety of things to do now. But hi; mind wouid tnrn to the school-room; to the play ground; to his own pleasant home, in spite of himself. After three davs of this new life, vmoid thought he ciuid stand it no longer. Pie was in hei. but could not sleoo—ho was think ng of his former life and of his presont one. His mother's words came to him: "There are plenty of poor little l ovj who would be very glad to have the chance to go j to school and learn as you have." He fed as if he would enjoy struggling "ith the hardest problem in fractions, and he cer- tai:;iy would like to study thi rest, of tlI ¡ t :;hapt:-r in history h'-re General Wolfe is plan- ning to capture Quebce. He felt very ignorant' about geogrsyshy. grammar, and h's other: studios; he certainly not iike to gj through life knowing no more about them than he did r' ow. "And I want to see mamma," he said aloud. And at the thought of it all he burs' ia:) tear- that would not be kept back '.ori'i r. "Why. A moid, what is the matter?" said a sivc: familMr voice, near hi n. Arnold jumpod np, riihiiftl his eves. « :w 11' mother sit!ins at tl1? library tabic Ie: :ng the I p:tp-r. He rin to her. crying cut, "Oh. mamma! mamma' I' never sty ;at again! I sbal, be so happy if I on only stay at home Lnól go to school!" Dr, u1C..i. ?. Ar.d th°n Arnold told of ail that had hap- t" him. that fairy sleep has been showing you some -tracge Ihings while in dreamland," said his mother, "and I think she has 'tn'lght you better than I could have done." And Arnold never forgot whit- the fairy had sho wn him.

A WORD WITH YOU. PLEASE! 8ufferers from Gravel. Lumbago, Piles, Paint in tha Back. Dropsy. Wind and Water Cotn- plaice. Diieases of Kidneys. Bladder, Stone. Sciatica. Rheumatism, and Gcut. will find a positive Cure in Holroyd's Gravel Pills. Try a Small Box, and if not satisfied your money will be returned. Price 115. lid., of all chemists, cr sent free for 12 stamps, from Holroyd's Medical Hall. Cieckheaton. Yorlts. Don't be put off. If c you cannot get them. write the proprietor, and a box will be Eent next post. Scotia Restaurant, Duke-street, Cardiff—Finest Mincemeat at Wholesale Prices—Is. Ler ib. For Quantities from 7lbs. to 131bs., lOd. per Jb.; 14tbs. and upwards, ed. per lb. Don't delay. If yon suffer from low spirits. take Gwilym Evans' Quinine Bitters, the best remedy of the age. Bottles, 2s. 9d. and 4s. 6d. Beware of Imitations. See the name "Gwilym E\aii3" on label, stamp and bottle. e4919—5 E\aii3" on label, stamp and bottle. e4919—5 LIVER COMPLAINTS.—Dr. King's Dandelion ard Quinine Liver Pills, without Mercury, are a patent remedy, removes all Liver and Stomach Complaints, Biliousness, Headaches, Sickness, Shoulder Pains, Heartburn, Indigestion, Con- stipation. e-3 LINSEED COMPOUND (Trade Mark) for Coughs and Colds, of proven efficacy, 13id. Sold by Chemists only. e7198—2 The Little English Liver Tonic.—Kernick's Vegetable Pills; dose. one sniali pill; 7jd., Is. 1U1., and 2s. 9d. per box.—Of all stores. A Trinmph of the 'lea Blending Art— PHILLIPS'S 15. 5d. Tea. Have you tried it? It is distinctly superior to the so-called finest tEJls" e2180—3 TMPORTANT TO MARRIED LADIES.—Send I Stamped Addressed Envelope for most Valuable Particulars and Testimonials (which are guaranteed genuine under a penalty ol £ 1,000).—Beware of imitators.—A. DASMAIL, Bos 337, Langdale, Walthajnstow, London. Established half a century. e7104

OUR DAILY CARTOON. Mrs. MURPHY: Well, how did you spend your Christmas?" Mrs. RAFFERTY: "Oh, I 'ad a iligant time, a-washing my husband's shirt."

in Search of Franklin. A T R E i) i a A it s t; H v i YO irs HKMIN" ISC K NOES. Our Tredegar reporter has had an inte- resting interview with one cf the survivors of the expeditions which were sent in search of Sir John Franklin and the ill-fated crews cf the Erebus and Terror in the Arctic regions. This interesting personage is John Hieel, who resides with his genial wife in a homely cot in Union-street, 'x'reaegar, where he has made h.s abode for the la £ t. thirty years. I' Hiooi. although sjventy- years of age, and in spite of the hardships he has gone through, is still active, urd, beyond being slightly deaf, possesses all his faculties, and exhibits splendid intelligence and an extraor- dinary memory. He is a native of Frome, Somersetshire, and has followed the profession of the sea fr-nn his youth. The very sugges- tion of relating his experiences appeared, to revive this old Arctic veteran; his eye sparkled and he straightened hi- be$ £ fptiTi a*: he proceeded with a brusquutiess characteristic of an old salt to tell his tale. "And so you have been in the Arctic I regions?" "Aye. and that I have," said he. "I was I there in three expeditions extending over about six years." It transpired that Hieel joined the crew of the Investigator in 1S47, then beinr fitted out for the Arctic regions, in search of Sir John Frank- lin. Hobert M'Lure 'since Sir Robert Le Meiurier M'Lurei was first lieutenant, aird Fraiitis- Lao. pold M'Clintock (since Ad ,tl, po.d M'Ulinlock) second lieutenant. With this expedition Hieel was nineteen months in the' Polar regions r.s lirst-c'a-s stoker. His-second j expe iition was on board the Intrepid, under the command of Captain Franrh Leopold M'Ciin- Lee His third vi-lt to the Aietic regions i was r.n board ih?< Resolute, again! with Capidin lilciiitc-k, and on this occasion the ships J'cd to re abandoned and the cre vs brought homo in the North Star. "What proof h.iv.e you that you were attached to the;« expeditions?" "Here' my proof," said the old man, extract- ing an aiicicnt-lcoking pi c? c" blue paper from a small tin case, and handing it for the inspection of the pre-;man w.th pardonable pride. This official-looking hue paper was a certificate frcm Sir Francis M'Clintock. and ran as follows:— "John Hieel has served with me in ths Arctic regions for about six years, and has through- out served in the most prominent sleige journeys. T,3 last 0';8 undor T:3, 1,200 miles in extent, has icriou-ly injured his health, and almost cost him hi« life. I found him ens of the most 7.eahus. praiseworthy, and exce' lent. of my ¡1!eked men. and cue who is fully and thoroughly entitled to any benefits cr com- pensation h' services can bestow upon him. —'Signed). F. L. M'C'.intock. commander H..M.S. Intrepid, tender to Re-olute." T'-e-e s'.e'ge journeys constituted the most trying experiences of fh3 expeditions. They were greatly lengthened. us experience increased, from 41 days in the first expedition to 8Q in the second and 1C5 in the third, and Ilieol asserts that on one occasion they were 120 days on the ice. These were among the longest continuous journeys of the kind ever accomplished. And it, must be remembered that t'a? sledges ware drawn over the ice by the crews at an average rate of about ten miles a. day, dogs not being requisitioned on those occasions. For such intense and long- standing labour more than ordinary endurance re..olation were necessary. I "What was the length of the expeditions?" put, in th3 interviewer. "The first extended to nineteen months; in the second we spent two winters and a summer; and the length of the third was about the same. It was," continued Hieel, "while in the Resolute that we picked up a bottle containing papers near Melville Inland, which informed us of the whereabouts of M'Lure, with the Investigator. M'Lure and a sledge party afterwards joined us in onr winter quarters." Suddenly r'sing from his arm-chair, the veteran brought from an adjoining room a large photograph, elaborately framed in gilt. "Here's a thing I am proud of." said he. It was an autograph photo of M'Clintock. "Sir Francis M'Clintock sent me that himself from Halifax. X ova Scotia. Ah! he was a splendid man, and I wouid love to see him once again. He was a good Christian man. Oh! yez, I have seen him since we were in the Arctic regions—once on board the Black Eagle, and once at the United Club House, Pall "Mali." The old man was now in a reminiscent mood, regions—once on board the Black Eagle, and once at the United Club House, Pall "Mali." The old man was now in a reminiscent mood, and continueù :r occasionally slept alorg- side of him in the tt'nt. He treated the men with the greatest respect, and went agi; .S ithrough precisely the same hard- ships as ourselves. His letters are splendid." "Does Sir Francis write to you sometimes, then?" "Ob! that he doef. I hare had several letters from him, and I think a lot of them, too. I very often look at them. He writes I a8 if he were one of ourselves." "What sort of a place are the Arctic regions?" "It's a dreary place, I can tell you. There are icebergs there 800 and 900 feet high float- ing on the surface of the water. We some- times fastened our ships to t £ em. In eome parts animals are numerous, such as musk- ox—a kind of small wild bur-foxes, wild, ducks, and, of course, Polar bears." "I suppose --ou went on hunting expeditions?" "Yes. I fhot a deer on prle occasion; but they are poor -,inimals-not enough of fat on them to grease one's boots. They came in very use- ful, though, for a change of food. I shot plenty of bears in and out of the water. They are big cowards, and will not attack a party of men, but they will tackle a man when he is alons. I saw M'Clintock shoot a bear one morning by the lent door; but he had to put two shots into him before he finished him." "What was your exneriencs of the cold?" "Oh!" replied the old sailor, with a shrug, "is froze everything. The rum. which was several degrees above proof, became a? thick as treacle. When we woke in the morning our eyelids were frozen. and we had to thaw them before we could opto them. We were sealskin clothing, and our boots had a cork sole inserted between the leather to protect our feet from the frost. We had great difficulty with the water. Each man was allowed half a pint a day, and in order to prCYènt. it freezing we kept it in a '-mil vSs.se! next the fianrel we wore; but even then it occasionally froze, "How about your food?"- "We!! tli-tt -,va, all' frozen stuff, and we warms 1 it up by maa'nfe. of consolidated rum ;;e7er:1l degrees above proof. Camphor was put into it to prevent th? from drinking it." "A very nece'sary precaution, very likely," ejaculated the reporter. indeed," said tl:3 old in rin. "When I went nut in the Investigator, we carried coal on the sle-lgo= to cook pur fo^d, bu* it wo< too he">.v-\ and v.e after- wards took rum vit.h us rC rum Was enough to c^ok'food for ten men. We h"rI a'peculiar way cf dealing with pea-soup. We T.'onld make a quantity, sew it im in canvas bags, and allow It to freeze. We then chopped it up with an axe and;-warme:l it up as we used it." A -kcd about the natural phenomena seen in the Arctic rsgion.s, Hieol. said that about this time of the year there v ere 7J davs of twi- light day and night. About the midd'c cf the summer the sun '.hone at twelve .o'clock at night—just rose and dinner! At that time we did net know the day frijxa the night. 1:; fact, we men often lost pH record cf time and could not reckon the days, hut o:;r caolaiu ( kept a chronometer under his armpit to keep it frcm freezing." "D d you have any difficulty in amusing your- selve-: "Not at all. We plav-sd snowballing, cutting holes in the snow and ice building ;-Haw wans, making snow men, and banking up the ships. All this was done for exerel-e. It not do f -r us to stay below. W-e paid visits from one ship to aether, just as people sro vi-iting from house t') house. We had a theatre rigged up on board the Re3c>!ute, and we made up cos- tumes and parforni^d plays. I remember cne play was something about (ecruiting. and we used strip" of coloured paper for ribbons. I have done a bit of real recruiting since then. though.Christinas was kept up in those regions, and pretty lively, too. We even had the plum pudding." "What trophies did you bring from the Polar regions?" "There is very little to be got there except skins. We brought sonje of them. But, look here," said the veteran, reaching a formidoble- lookiug scissors from the wall; "here's a thing th,,it his bee,-i out iiie iii a'il rni, trtvels. Ah!" said he. gazing fondly at the scissor^, "I have cut Admiral Sir Francis M'Ciintock's hair with this. He came to me one day, and said he wanted me to cut his hair. T told him 1 was not an expert at the job. and I had never done anything of the sort lerare. mind; obey orders. John.' said he, ard I did it. Bat that v.-as the first and the last time I ever did a bit of barbering," said John, with a mis- chievous twinkle in his eye. which did net speak well for the tonsorial effect on Sir Francis's hair. "How did you manage about your toilet in those cold parts?" "We did very little of that. Water was too scarce. We rubbed our hands and faces with snow. Only once I remember Sir Francis M'Clintock wash his face with water up there, and he handed me the water to throw away. What do you think I did with it? I went behind the tent and drank it, and felt pretty glad to get it. Tobacco? Oh! we had as much as we liked. Lady Franklin almost piled up the ships with it." "Then you did not find the whereabouts of Sir John Franklin and his erc; ?" "Not during those expeditions, but Sir Francis M'Clintock went out in the Fox and discovered all about them. Unfortunately, I was on leave at the time. or I would have been with that expedition." "Have you been to any other parts of the worH ?" "Oh! yeJ. I was with Sir George H. Richards, K.C'.B., for three years when he was conducting a survey of Vancouver Island and British Columbia. In 1841 I was on board a Government ship on the Congo catching slavers. We were lucky in getting hold of several. We call it 'lucky' because there is prize money in the business. The slave Ships were taken into Sierra Leone and burnt." Having listened to the interesting/old travel- ler for some time longer the preisman bade him farewell, his parting remark being, "I have only one more voyage to ma.ke.

FOOTBALL PRIZEj COMPETITION. — c; .— £100 IFOR THE WINNER. IN Til* ABSENCE OF CORRECT SCLUTIOH. £10 FOR BEST COUPON. SUFPi.liAir, j. 1 A i, ii TZES. !-An ORIGINAL OAHTOON from the "Kfen- ing Egress," by Mr. J. M. 3TANIFCRTH. Framed and Mounted by Mr. A. YRE!ik;, P/iologntpher, Ac.. 12. Duke-street. Cardiff. t—Jib. Tui of AhCHEit'S GOLDEN RETURNS, by the weii-known firm. IIFNRY ARCHER atid CO., 17J. 172. and 174, Borough, Lon- don. S'.E. 3-TilO TICKETS for the Orchestra Stalls or Drew it- the THEATRE ROYAL. Cardiff, to ,-ee "The Belie of New York. I'—TY.O 'l1:;K:8 ror tiie T'.aicony at thai GRAND THEATRE. CardlfT 6 ( k\ Uu Optror st thn Winner*:— MIK 'WESTERN MAIL" MUSIC FOLIO 0 I OF {•<) soyflsi DL'li'i'ri. AND 8A.CH.IiD f 9 j SOLOS. 10 Or either of th« following we'.l-bouna, 111! cloth-oover"?d Standard Works: — 12 BHAKSPEARK'S COMPLETE PLAYS 13 AND SONNETS. 14 [ VANITY FAHi. by Thackeray. lb THE CAXTONS, by Lord Lytton. 16 r ERNEST VTALTB AVMSS. by Lord 17 I Lytton. ALICE, or THE MYSTERIES, by Lord 19 Lytton. 20 IVANHOF.. by Sir Walter Scott. 21 TnK SCARLET LETTER, by Hawthorne. 22 MARY T'ARTON, by Mr?. Oaskcl!. f3 L\TS OF THE SCOTTigH CAVALIERS 24 by Aytoun. 25 I JANE EYRE. by Char:otto Brana Q61 Tueidiy.l COUPON. MATCHES PLAYED DECEMBER :;1. 1898. Coupo.i reaoU ibis office br one p ill. (JI lilt, Ut V Of Play. .L-ln:Ct1vUS for markm; Coa;>o:i -Striko out Bains or losing club and give poiats oi c and »o-»er.. For a draw strike out neither, oa; giTe points if kny. SEM) TWOPENCE IN POSTAGE STAMP3 j Y.iTH EACH COUPON. MATCH i/o'.uts t-cored Poiut* Scored | 1 by u inuer. by Loser. 1- J AHERAVON V- FENYGiiAlG. -'¡ I- ( LEICESTEK V. CAliOlFF. CAliOlFF. N'E o !'OuT MONMOL'TUMHIRKI LEAGUE. DEVONPOKT j" ALBION'S V. LL A NELLY. 1_ NAME j ADDRESS II i CONDITIONS. I h priMe of xioo m oe giieu to the com- "uu tne actual scores in eaeu oi lilt* iii me appended coupon. It no cwui £ jetitor succi»«us m giving the actual scared, will oe given to the competitor wuoae predietioD8 are the nearest, to the actual riisaltd, i-r, in the event 01 a ue. the juoney win no divided. It any of tbe selected matches are postponed or abandoned the ilOO prize will not be awarded, nut under any circumstances the £ 10 will Do or abandoned the ilOO prize will not bt awarded, nut under any circumstances the £ 10 will 06 given to the best coupon. the Supplemental Prizes will be awarded in th* ord'.T given above. Competitors may send in as many coupcna as they like, but every coupon must be accom- panied by 2d. in stamps. The winners will be announced on the Tues- day of each week. Envelopes containing Coupons must be marked outride. Football Competition." No person in the employ of tHe Western I Mail Limited ia allowed to compete. I

"LINSEED COMPOUND" (Trade Mark) of Compound Essence of Linseed, for Coughs and Colds. e7198-1 A Triumph of the Tea Blending Art— PHILLIPS'S Is. 6d. Tea. Have you tried it? It is distinctly superior to the so-called finest 1 teas." a2180—3

For Boys and Girls. The "Evening Express" Boys' and Girl*' Club (established March 21. 18981, is formed lor the purpose of promoting principles cf kindness among young people, and for the mutual interest and instruction of its mem- bers. Boys and Gtrls. wherever resident, are eligible for membership, provided their age be not less than six or more than sixteen years. The Club now numbers 3,306 members. Intending members must fill up the Coupon published every Saturday, and for- ward it to Uncle Joe, "lEvenins Express." Cardiff. Their names and addresses will be published, and each new Member is entitled to a beautifully-designed certificate. Only Club Members are eligible to com- pete for the Prizes given in this olumn. The winners must apply to Uncle Joe per- sonally or by letter. Competitors muse, in every case append full name, address, age, and Club number, otherwise they will be disqualified. Uncle Joe i, always pleased to hear from his Club Members on any matter of interest.

A LLANDAFF HELPER. Palace Stables, Llandaff. Dec. 15. Dear Uncle Joe —I now write a few lines to you, wishing you a merry Christmas, and I have sent you the essay for this week's com- petition. I have also forwarded you sixpence for the "Santa Claus" Fund. I have no more to say at present, so I must close my letter.- I remain, your affectionate Niece. EMILY HOWR. ESSAY ON LORD KITCHENER. Here is an e?say on Lord Kitchener, not by a member of the club:—"Lord Kitchenur of Surder is a irish man but his parents lived in Suffolk when he was born. He went to Egipt to find Gordons corps. Vengens, vengen.; he cried and he had so much vengens that he killed all the kartooms and made a frenchman go home very quickly, a war of terrihel blood wi 1 now come with france and pretty soon there will be no french maps in school as no country will be left. the ladies all love Kit- chenur and my mother says she wishes she could get hold of him it is nice to be brave as you can go to feasts, and eat awful like Kit- chenur." SOME FUNNY ANSWEPS. "Truth" has been busy during the past weeks collecting air.us'ng specimens of schoolboy blunders. Anions the number are the follow- Ing:- "He lead how a man built his house upon the sand. What became of that house?—It fell iMi.ong thieves. What. do we learn from Saul? —The Dead March. What became of John the Baptist?—They iut off his head with the Axe of the Ape sties. "In reply to an examination question on the causes and effects of the Babylonian captivity, a boy made answer that the Jews were car- ried away in fetters on men's backs from Jeru- salem to Babylon, and were there employed as missionaries to convert the Roman Catholics, who sv/armed in Babylon, and were very idola- trous and Jesuitical. "For what was Peter the Great famous?— Cutting off the High Priest's ear. What river v a? it th.it •>" ent out from Eden to water the girden ? -The Serpentine. I Among some examination questions given to a c'.ats of boys was the followingWhat was tha sin of the Pharisees? Eating camels, was one boy's answer. He had read that the Phari- sees strained at gnats and swallowed camels. "What cruelty did Nebuchadnezzar display towards Zedekiali? referring to his putting out his eyes, &e. A boy replied, 'Please, sir, he taught him to say bad words.' I found oil inquiry that he was alluding to 2nd Chronicles, xxxvi., 13 c.. King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God.' LOliGFELLOW'S FIRST POEM. When the great poet was nine years old his master wanted him to write a composition. Little Henry, like all children, shrank from the un.lcr;iking. His master said: — You can write words, can you not?" Yes," was trie reply. Then you can put words together?" Yes. sir." The:1." ,:1id the master, "yon may take your s ate and go out behind the school-house. and there you can find something to write a'jout, and then you can tell what it h. what it is for. and what is to be done with it, and that will be a composition." Henry took his slate, and weqt on. He went behind Mr. Finney's barn, which chanced to I be near, and seeing a fine turnip growing up. hi thought he knew what that was, what it was for. and what would be done with it. A half-hour had been allowed Henry for his first undertaking in writing a composition. In half an hour he carried in his work, all accom- plished. and the master is said to have teen affed.d. almost to tears when he saw what litt e Henry had done in that "hJrt time:— MR FINNEY'S TURNIP. 1 Mr. Finney had a turnip, ( And it grew, and it grev. And it grew behind the barn. And the turnip d.d no liariii. And it grew, and it grew. Till it could grow no taller; Then Mr. Finnev took it up, 1 And put it in the cellar. < There it lay, there it lay, < Till it began to rot; When in daughter Susie washed it And she put it in the pot. r Then she boiled it, and boi'ed it, < As long as she was able; < Then his daughter Lizzie took it, j 1 And she put it on the table. I. < Mr. Finney and his wife j Both sat down to sup; Both sat down to sup; t And they ate. and they ate, Until they ate the turn'p up. ] RATHER A LARGE FAMILY. Pat Dooly was a very poor arithmetician, j and puzzled over the simplest sums. i One day a new acquaintance remarked in I ij his presenc?: j "I have eight brothers." j "Ye have eight brothers?" said Pat. "Then "Ye have eight brothers?" said Pat. "Then I suppose every wan o' them has elgut 11 brothers, too?" i "Certainly." "Arrah. thin." .said Pat, "and how many I 1 parents had the seventy-two o' ye?" WHAT IS A BULLET? Tommie (in search of information): "Is a streamlet a small stream?" His Father: "Yes, my boy." I "I< an owlet a small owl?" ] "Yes, Tommie." ( "Is an egglet a small egg?" l "Yes, yer. you might call it that." "Then what is a bullet? Is it a little bull?"

CADF-TJRY'S COCOA is absolutely pure, heins ] entirely f,ee from kola, malt, hops, alkali, or any foreis-1 admirtnr*. Caution! The pohlio should insist on ha-nas' CAPBTIEY'S—sold only in Packets and Tins- fix other Cocoas are often substituted tor the sake ci e«va profit. e3436-4 ISusmess; gbbrt55t5. STOP —— THAT COUGH BY USnVG A. MOST GIVES WONDERFUL INSTANT SPECIFIC RELIEF Foa IN CMSHS,' WHOOPING C0-»DS' MOffllERSl C0T' r t? n TT p I COUGH SOL^ BY CHILDREN | HifTjiPF i CHEMISTS- TWO SIZES:- I fL | TWO SIZES — Is. lid. and 2s. 9d. vI. sss>jf| Is. lid. and 2s. ad. PElt BOTTLE. PER B0TTL2.

Shakspeare's School- master. t AN APPEAL TO OXFORD WELSHMEN. [P,Y MOItlEX "J It is apparent to every student of tfhak- speare s writings that the Bard of Avon, the grea&st Englishman that ever lived or that will ever appear on this planet, was eariy in life brought somehow into familiar acquain- tance with the fairy legend., of Wales. Wedo not find that English folklore and literature contain any allusion to fairies of a native order. The literatures of Greece and Rome, dealing with supernatural creations, bring the gods and goddesses down to the semblance of frail men and women: In the Shemitic litera- ture the fairies of the Celts of Western Europe have their similitudes as angels. When Jacob slept in the stone circle of Bethel he saw, or he believed he saw. angels or Divine messen gers, some coming down and others going up a ladder. In Egypt supernatural beings- Egyptian ideals—were depicted as having wings, but the Hebrew seer supposed he saw angel3 of a different kind, who, being builders, used bidders. It ij3 interesting to read Justin Martyr's account of the ladder in question. and who it was that stood upon it as the head builder (Colossians i.. 15—16). Now, Shakspeare, in his Midsummer Night's Dream," is familiar with a world of fairies. An English poet who knew nothing of the Celtic world from which Shakspeare drew his supplies says the Bard of Avon "exhausted worlds and then imagined new." and described the new world of his imagination in his "Mid-: summer Night's Dream." An essay could be penned showing that the bard drew his pictures of fairies from the folk- lore of Wales. Queen Mab and her doings, and Pnek. Ac., are essentially Kymric and Bardo- Druidic Mab, or Queen Mah, is an abbre- viated form of the Welsh Mabyn (given erro- neously in the dictionaries as "Mel^yn"). Another form of the name is Mabon. In their I marvellous a:icient cult the bards of Wales believed the sun's body only lasted one year. that it perished at the hands of Black Wings at sunset on December 25, but that his soul, I named Hu Gadarn. or the Invincible Hea, escaped into the sacred boat of the Queen of Heaven iLlong Voel), named Cariadwen. Ced, Nydd, and Gwr-Ach. and that the soul remained in the sacred boat forty hours-over St. Stephen's Day (December 26)—and that on the morning of the 27tli the sun re-appeared, clothed in a glorified new body—that he rc-appeared as a Crowned Babe (Coronog Vaban). His sojourn as /)\ (Wren) in the boat is still observed in the Isle of Man by carrying a bos with a wren in it, and at St. David's Head and Tenby the custom prevailed on St. Stephen s Day down to within living memory. This custom is the venerable origin of Christmas Boxes, full of gifts. In the old guilds of England, when a member of the brotherhood died, it was customary to carry in front of the coffin at the funeral a large lighted wax candle as a symbol of Lhe soul of the departed attending the funeral of his own body. It will thus be seen that Ritualistic practices are much older than the Church of Rome. Other m ucii o- names by which the sacred Boat and Wren were called were Neiv-Ion. Neiv is the Old Webb from which the Latin Navis (a galley) is derived, and Ion is an abbreviated form of the Shemitic Iona (a, dove). In the East the Queen of Heaven, being a sp rit, and yet the transmitter of the essence with which all things are constructed, after being fertilised by Hu Gadarn. as Eilir Dad. was represented as using for her purpose not only a boat, but also a great fish. This great fish went under the name Delphus (womb), hence the fabulous Dolphin, so mysteriously associated with Delphi, the Cathedral of all Greece. In the early days of Christianity re- generation into a new life was symbolically set forth by a new birth from the Delphus, which in Latin is called Navis, Ark. or Boat, In the Christian system the nave of the church is this Navis. or Sacred Ship, conveying its pas- sengers to the Better Land across the tem- pestuous sea of life. The natural and spiritual births are set forth by the Church at the present day by infant baptism and confirma- tion, still called in Welsh Bedydd Esgob, or the Bishou's Boating. In the rite depicting regeneration no water was used, for the Boat (NaTis), as the womb of the Queen of Heaven, was to protect the spiritual voyager from the drowning waters of the dark river Styx (Gwyllionwy). Water is associated in the Christian religion with the naturil birth only. Hence the Welsh monk Pelagius. of Llantwlt Major, persuaded at least the Ancient British Church that the symbol of infant regeneration was unnecessary, 1nd that regeneration symbolised by confirma- tion was the only rite established in the church by Christ, and his Anostles. In the N'ew Testament ths Nave—Church is called Spirit t. John iii., 5; G:ilat;ans iv.. 291 and Ohrist, as a Head, arising from it. This is the 'Head of the Church." In the foregoing I lnye endeavoured to set 'orth the marvellous unexolored Cetic world if ancient ideas whereof Shakspeare trod the horders when he studied and ccmpiled A Midsummer Night's Dream." Mab is an ibbreviated form of the name of the Mabyn, ,he Babe Sun (Ta'iiesun) of Celtic mythology, rhe name Mabyn-Ogion is simply a name )f the bards, as adherents to the Mabyn Dur Mab Sant is St. Mabyn. a name given to he reat festival associated. till the present •entury. with every ancient church 111 Wales, leid originally ;n celebration of the advent of he Babe Sun (Son) of the New Year. Now. it appears exceedingly probable that Shtikespear wa-i made acquainted with the narvelious lore of the Mid-Summer Night's Dream" by the Rev. Thomas Jenkins. M.A.. uwter of the Stratford-on-Avon Grammar School, in the days of Shakespear's budding manhood. I have just made the extremely .nteresting discovery that the said Rev. Thomas Jenkins, M.A., was of St. John's College, Oxford. [ presume it will be easy to ascertain from the looks of St. John's College from what locality n Wales the said Thomas Jenkins went to the :aid college. There cannot. I think, be the slightest doubt that Sir Hugh Evans of the "Merry Wives of IVindscr" is the Rev. Thomas Jenkins. M.A. rhe scene of the schoolmaster and Will in :11e "Merry Wives of Windsor" is, apparently, x re-production by Shakspeare from his memory of one in which he and the Rev. Thomas Jenkins, M.A., were the performers: — Mrs. Page: Sir Hugh, my husband says my son profits nothing in the world at h's books; [ pray you ask him some questions in his iccidence. Evans (Jenkins?): Come hither, William; aold np your head: come. Mrs. Page (Mrs. John Shakespear): Come on. iirrah; hold up your head; answer your master; be not afraid. Evans (Jenkins): How many numbers is in nouns? William: Two. Mrs. Quickly: Truly, I thought there had been one number more, because they say, Od's nouns. Evans (Jenkins): Peac» your tattlings. What is fair, William? William: Pulcher. Mr3. Quickly: Poul-cats 1 There axe fairer 1 things than poul-cats, sure? Evans: Your are a very simplicity. 'Oman, I pray your peace. What is lapis, Williitin., William: A stone. Evans: And what is a stone, William? William: A pebble. Evans: No; it is lapis; I pray you remember in your prain. William: Lapis. &c.-Act. IV. The late Mr. Halliwell Phillipps discovered the examination of little Will of the play is bor- rowed almost verbatim from the little Latin grammar called "The Accidence" in use in the schools in the days of .Shakspeare's youth. The whole literary world would be delighted beyond measure were we able to trace the Rev. Thomas Jenkins, M.A., the Welsh scholar, who probably more than any other man with whom Shakspeare in his youth delighted to associate. He is. too. "Holofernes." who kept a school in the church of the guild at Stratford-on-Avon. It a letter to Ben Jonson. dated West- minster, June 27. 1629. I find Mr. James Howell, author of "Epistolae Ho-Elianae." promising "Rare Ben." in reply, to find him a copy of Dr. Davies of Mallwyd's Welsh Grammar before Christmas Ip. 199). At this time Shakspeare. "Rare Ben's" intimate friend, had been dead thirteen years.

LOCAL NEWS ITEMS. A successful singing association was held at Dinas Cross on Boxing Day, when choirs from Newport (PeOi.1. Caersalem^ Jabez, Glandwr, and Dinas. met at Tabor Chapel, and were con- ducted by the Rev. J. G. Bowen, G. and L.T.S.C. The programme contained some old hymns, now nearly out of date, as it had been the aim of the committee to revive some old favourites. Miss Anthony. The Grove. Caerphilly, with her usual tlioughtfulness for the needs of others, presented all the poor people of Fleur- de-Lis with a good supply of meat for their Christmas dinner. CA?JLE HAIRDRESSING SALOONS 100. Queen-street, and 70. St. Mary-street. el The distribution of Christmas prizes to the F Company (Sirhowy) 3rd Battalion South Wales Borderers took place at the armoury. Sirhowy, Tredegar. on Saturday evening by Captain R. II. Spencer and Lieutenant H. L. Rosser. The annual eisteddfod was held at the Bethania Baptist Chapel, Cardigan, on Mon- day. under the presidency of Mr. W. J. Wil- liams, solicitor. On Monday the inmates of the Neath Work- house had their customary Christmas dinner, which had been generously provided by Mrs' Griffith Llewellyn, of Baglan Hall. The in- mates of the Cottage Homes were similarly treated by Mrs. Gwyn, of Duffryn, on the pre- vious Saturday. Nothing Succeeds Like Success.—The Ca=tle Hairdressmg Saloons are. the Greatest Success in Cardiff. e7224—2 mBTi the invitation of Colonel Thomas 1 hiilips. the deaf mutes residing in the dis- trict of the Rev. E. Rowland's mission iber- dare. were on Monday entertained to dinner and tea at the Armoury. Between fifty and sixty adults attended. A letter was read from Sir W. T. Lewis regretting his inability to he present, as intended, and promising, on behalf of Lord Bute. a contribution of X5 towards the funds of the mission.

A WOODEN LEG Is better than no leg. Things are never so bad but they might bS worse. Half a loaf is better than no bread. A wooden leg is better than no leg A wooden leg will carry us into the fields and lanes, where the flowers bloom, the birds sing, and the brooks babble; but. having no legs, we are at the mercy of any friend who comes along. Cheer up. It may be your Health is queer, and you are depressed and melancholy owing to severe attacks of Ind-gestion, W:nd in the Stomach, Liver Com- plaints, Biliousness, Spasms, Sick Headache, Ac. Our desk is crammed with testimonials from all parts of the world. There are NOT tens of thousands of them, but there are quite sufficient to convince all except the most obstinate. Here's one: Mr. J. B. Fletcher writes from EIddn Villa, 155, Shirley-road, Houthampton :Having derived great benefit from taking your Wind Pills, I think it only right I should furnish you with particulars of my case. In January. 1897, I suffered severe pains in the Stomach After taking several doses of your Wind Pills I was greatly relieved. In January of this year (1898) I suffered excruciating pains in the Back; after taking several doses of vour Piils they afforded me wonderful relief. I could hardly have supposed it possible I could have been so free from pain in so short a time. I shall be glad :f you will make these facts known for the benefit of my fellow-creatures Page Woodcock's Wind Pills are sold by all Medicine Vendors at Is. Ud. and 2s. 9d.. or are sent post free for price by Page Woodcock, Lincoln. el0 •

The anniversary services at Tabor Welsh Calvmistic Methodist. Chapel. Maes teg. were very successful in all respects. The preacher were tne Rev. Henry Pees (son of the late Hl5a-thog"). Dr. Cynddylan Jones (Cardiff), and the Rev. D. M. Phillips, M.A (Tylorstown). Nearly JE100 was collected toward.. the chapel fund.

"If the blood is diseased the body is diseased -Hemember that the blood, whether pure or impure, circulates through the organs of the human body- Lungs. Heart. Stomach, Kidneys Brain If it is, laden with poisonous matters it spreads disease oil its course. In Cas«6 n' .Scrc tula. Scar»T. Eczema, Bad Legs. Skii/ and Biood Diseases, Pimples, and Sores of all kind-, the effects of Clarke s i>iocd mixture are mar- vellous. Thousands of wonderful cures ha V9 been effected by it. Clarke's Blend Mixture is sold everywhere, at 2s. 9d per bottle. Beware of worthless imitations and substitutes. li LINSEED COMPOUND for Coughs and Colds, allays irritation. Gives immediate relief. (37198 4 AN EXCLUSIVE PRESENT.—A DOROTHY BOX of CHOCOLATE, marked with Name, from Is. 6d., 2s., 2s 6d., to 5, e7000 9 Have you Tried PHILLIPS'S Is. 6d TEA.3 It is a. Triumph of the Tea Blending Art and is distinctly superior to the so-called "finest tea- e2180—1 Don't Delay. If you suffer from loss of appe- tite cr sleeplessness, take Gwilym Evans' Quinine Bitters. It is the best remedy of th& age. Bottles. 2s. 9d. and 4s. 6d. Avoid Imita- tions. 6*4919 PEPPER'S OUT NINE AND IRON TONIC embracing, vivifying. sustaining, dispels depression, cures indigestion, neuralgia and all aches or pains. Pepper's, the only real tonic. Shilling bottles. e-5 "ADVICE TO MOTHERS. "-Are you broken in your rest by a sick child suffering with the pain bv cutting teeth? Go at once to a chemist and get a bottle of Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup It will relieve the poor sufferer immediately. It is pleasant to taste; it produces natural, quiet sleep by relieving the child from pain, and the little cherub awakes, as bright as a button. Of aU chemists, Is. lid. per bottle. Printed by the Proprietors. Western ifiil Limited, and published by them at their offices, St. Mary-street, Cardiff; at their offices Castle Bailey-street. Swansea; at the shop of Mr. Wesley Williams, Bridgend—all in the County of Glamorgan at the Western Mail Office, Newport; ak the shop of Mr. J. P Caffrey, Monmouth, both in Hhe County of Monmouth; and at the shop of Mr. Wm Daviea, Llanelly, in the County of Car. marthen. •• fieeBMBJSScfSk-.iSSfc