The Cambrian

rJactr9. ^CHRISTMAS CAliOL. Hail! our happy Christmas time, Welcome we its gladness; With its .nerry strains of joy Vanish gloom and sadness. Sing the song that's ever new, Christ to man is given Lowly to His manger bed Comes the Lord of Heaven, Was it not for He came, Peace and pardon bringing ? Can we help it if we still Keep the joy-bells ringing? Hearts will fill with blissful peace, Love to one another WiLL creep out at Christmas time- Each to each a brother. Hate and discord fly away,— Love alon prevailing. Doubts and fears no more will stay,— Peace alone remaining. Are there some with sorrow bowed, Shares not in our gladness ? Can we not "Iome kindly ray Brighten e'en their sadness? Faces dear >re sadly miss, And our hearts are riven But there comes the cheering thought Of their joys in heaven. So sweet gladness fills our souls, As we tell the story How He came that we might share With Him—in His glory. From each lips good wishes ring, Hearts feel light and cheery, Sunshine smiles on all around Though the day be dreary. So throughout our Christmas-tide Songs of jay keep ringing, For to 1}$ our Saviour came, Peace and pardon bringing. Swansea. FKANCES A. GARDNER.

Varieties, &t. Eve Art -Winkinu.. What laiul is that which might be said to have been made originally from water ?—Iceland. Ella—" Did y -u have any Bermuda lilies tor Easter? Bella-" No but we had some Bermuda onions for dinner." Mv tniud is made up," ejaculated Miss Antique. "I judged so-1 knew the rest of you was," put in her hated rival. Primus-"Does Thorley belong to a club?; Secondus- Club ? Why, that fellow would be blackballed by the Y.M.C.A. A serious need these days is a gas meter that is intelligent enough to know when the family is at the seaside and honest CC\V-—" They tell me, professor, that you have mastered all the "modern tongues." Professor-" All but two-my wile's and her mother's." Wings (on the Stock Exchange)—" Give me a tip, old man what shall I buy?" Wangs-" Buy thermometers; they're going lower every day. Miss Gusher—Andyou are the artist who pa:nted that beautiful picture?" Mr. Palette (proudly) I am." Miss Gusher-" Now, do tell me what it is." Waiter (handing bill of fare)— Like to look at the menu, sir Farmer—" Xoa, noa! Bring us summut to eat. I never reads the paper while I na a-feeding." Romantic Mtss-" Did it ever occur to you what woaderfnl Bights the deep sea divers must behold?" Practical man— "Yes, once. It was when I was at sea in a storm." Youthful* and ambitious Comedian—" By what means did you climb the ladder of success so easly?" Successful Comedian—" By the rounds of applause, young fellow." Good gracious, Freddy, where have you been?" "I fell into the canal, papa." "And with your new trousers on?" No I had just time to take them off before I fell in." Papa.' said Miss Bunkum, here is that flannel shirt of yours. I washed it, and-well, I'm afraid its usefulness is over." Oh, no, my dear I can use it for a pen-wiper." His Financee-" Are you sure you would love me just as tenderly if our conditions were reversed—if you were rich and I were poor ?" He—" Reverse our conditions and try me." I had a strange dream this morning." remarked the first student. "I dreamed of a person I don't think I've thought of twice in my life." Who was it ?" One of my creditors, I have changed my mind," said Mr. Poots, loftily, when h:s wife reminded him that he had promised her a new hat. I pity the one you changed with," said Mrs. Poots, scorn- fully. A small girl of three years suddenly burst out crying at the dinner table. Why, Mabel," said her mother, what is the matter ?" Oh," whined Mabel, my teeth trod on my tongue." Weary Wiggins-" I hear Mugsey has learned to writt." Lazv leary—" Yes, signed a bank cheque the other day." Weary Wiggins—Is that so? How much did he get?" Lazy Leary—" A little over three years, I think." Lady Guest—" I leave this house in an hour." Clerk—" Is there anything wrong, madam?" Lady Guest— Well. I should say so. Why, the next room and mine are connected by a door and you have actually stopped up the keyhole. Seedy Britisher—" I've just read that five hundred and forty million pounds are owned by fifty Americans." Seedy I guess that is sol but I reckon I can't Timember the uame3 of the other forty-nine jest now!" Miss Oldmaid (cultivated pianist)—"Yes, I always play classic music—Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn, you know," Little Boy—" You're j ust like my mamma. She don't play any- thing but the pieces that were new when she was young." Policeman—"Hurry up, ma'am, if you don't want to be run ever and killed." Ma'am (who has been a-sbopping where insurances are given away with a pound of tea)—" Lor'love you, pleeceman, I bin and got me life insured—no fear o' bein' killed Wife Don't you think I have kept up my looks pretty well after our 30 years of married life ?" Husband—" Certainly, there is only one slight change perceptible. At the start you had white teeth and black hair. and now you have black teeth and white hair." Gentleman (to applicant for assistance) Ont of work, eb ? How's that?" Applicant—" Through a shtrike, sorr." Gentleman-" What did you strike for?'' Applicant-"The foreman called me a blockhead, so Oi shtruck him on the nose, and was dismissed." Churchwarden-" Well, Mrs. Hodge, I am sorry to hear that your son has left you unprovided for, and gone away to America." Widow—" Lor' bless ye, it's only what we might expect, after parson reading it out so often o'Sundays— Train up a child an'away he shall go „ T>, a Duff-" Gruff has made a big fortune, I bear." Bluff— II Yes, Gruff always was a lncky dog." Dnff-" And they ten me you've done pretty well yourself, old man." Bluff (modestly)-" Well—yes—so-so. I tell you what it ist Duff, well directed, intelligent effort always pays.") She was talking confidently to her bosom friend. "Now that we are married," she said, "John has stopped drinking entirely. I have not detected the odour of liquor about him since our wedding day." "(Was it difficult for him to stop?" inquired the bosom friend. Ob, no; not at all. He just eats cloves. He savs that is a certain cure. A piereing shriek brought the agitated mother hurriedly from the adjoining room. "What is it, my daughter f" «he excitedly exelaimed. Has this person from New York been uncivil?" "Not intentionally, mother," faintly replied the fair young Bostonian. '"But it was a painful shock. He said 'hippopotamuses' instead of 'hippopotami. Lurd Rosebery. while residing at the family seat, Dalmeny, Ofi the Firth of Forth, arrived one morning at his favourite bathing place for a dip, but observing two old women who were gathering seaweed, he addressed himself to the two old -crones, informing them of his intention to take a bath, and suggested that they should retire. To this one of them replied —" Oh. never mind us, my laddie, never mind us gang an' tak' yer dook." A Victorian journalist remarked to a New South Wales colleagne that his.paper was preparing a reprint of a speech by a certain baronet, but that they had run short of I's. We can help you, said his friend from New South Wales. We are republishing a speech by Sir Somebody Else, and as he left out all his 'H's' we can lend them to you. You might cut them in half and use them for I's. I am so troubled about my husband," said Mrs. Badman, seeking sympathy from the pastor's wife. He goes from bad to worse. He is an infidel and an atheist, and now he says he is an agnostic and doesn't know anything, and doesn't believe anything, and doesn't think anything." My dear sister," re- plied the pastor's wife, you don't know what trouble is. My husband thinks he knows how to cook." Yes, my dear fellow," exclaimed an indignant actor to a sympathetic friend, he persistently called me a confounded ass f" •• Shameful!" cried the S. F., a most inexcusable thing to say!" But he admitted afterwards, you know," the indignant actor went on, that he had made a mistake in calling me that." Shameful!" repeated the too sympathetic friend, who had not been listeninR as attentively as he shonld to the indignant actor, a. most inexcusable thing to say, by Jove, it was." A carious tale of the death of a tiger comes from India. A Southal native was seated on a tree at night watching his fields, when be noticed a tiger prowling and sniffing the air and gradually approaching his porch, until it came under the machan, which it tried to pull down. The Southalee, bold by nature sat fearlessly looking on. considering all the while as to what he should do. Quick as thought be took a. Md-hot imn and as the hungry man-eater with open mouth leaped to catch to hansing leg. he dropped the bolt into if month, amd thetiger^atouceirwsllowed it, with what result it to needleM to sav exceDt that the beast was found not far off the next morning stark and stiff." What we should be interested to kaow in connection with this affair is where the red-hot iron ame from so opportunely. LINti BY A SPINSTER. The girls, since first the world began, Have always sought the ideal; But when they captured their ideal They found him more ideal than real. A SIMPLES WAY. When I with Phvllis fell in love, Did I the realms of verse invade? Or with guitar 'neath moon above Then serenade? Oh, no! A simpler way I learned, That did the Muse's sway deter, And all such fancies overturned— I married her! An actor, who was relating his back country experiences to a Denver Republican said that in the 70's his "first heavy had a narrow escape in a small town. "All the miners were in the theatre. The heavy man had been persecuting a poor maiden through two acts. In the third act he came to the powerful scene.. At last,' he sliid, f I have you in my power, and nothing on earth can save you. I, who was the slave, am now the master.' So saying, he advanced towards the trembling victim,' Mercy 1' she moaned. Mercy!' he retorted. £ You had no mercy for me, and I will have none for you.' At that moment a gruff voice was heard in the gallery, • You blamed varmint, I'll settle with you.' There was a crack of a pistol, and a bullet whizzed near the heavy man. f Plug the son of a gun, boys,' continued the voice, and a shower of bullets saluted the stage villain. He didn't stop long. It the wing he met the stage manager, who was white with anger. • You have broken up the scene he said. 'Well?' 'Gobick to the stage, sir, and wait for your exit.' I guess not.' I tell you I won't have the mun in my company who is so easily disconcerted. Go on with the scene, or you leave the company to-morrow.' That was serious. To be stranded in that for- saken town was calculated to make the heavy man apprecia- te • ™go back/ he said. He tore off his wig just before going on, and stepping down to ^e footlights with an injured expression of countenance, ^• Ladles and gentlemen (there were no ladies there, but that dWn t matter; with your kind permission I will resumetnescene. Before doing so, I want to call your attention to the facthe young lady a.d myself are merely acting parts. In rea lty are the best of friends I hear no ill will for your dISplay of beroic chivalry. I trust, however, that yon will f for if yon should hit me the play the show .^U V any of the gentlemen will meet me(afterthe^show £ McCarty's they will find out I am not a bad fellow. umd cheers greeted his speech, and the play was resum • TO ALL WHO ARE BUFFERING from chronic Kidney and Liver diseases, Diabetes or Bright's disease or any ^harge, and derangements of the human body. ner^ brain general debility, lassitude, loss of memory. want of bra^ pewer. To introduce it I will send genuine 'P^Xt reme^ at charge of a new, cheap and sure cure, the simplest remea^ on Earth, discovered in the Mississippi Valley. Send a sei addressed stamped envelope to James Holland, 25, Hart street, High Haiborn .London. Mention this Daper. [8141

ON CHRISTMAS CAROLS. Sir John Stainer, M.A., Mus. Doc., Oxford Professor of Music, says there is very little doubt that carol singing originated with the mediaeval mystery plays. Originally carols were sung inside the church, round a manger-cradle containing either a real or an imita- tion baby. There was actually a rubric directing that at certain points in this service a procession of young men dressed as shepherds should enter the church, and, on being asked by the priest, What seek ye ? should reply, "Salvatorem Christum Dominum." The tunes which were sung in the church soon began to be sung at home, and one very curious, though natural, result was that they got mixed up with the very, very unspiritual matter of food and drink. One English carol began as follows :— Now that the time has come wherein Our Saviour Christ was born, Thelardersnilodwithbeefandpork, And the garners filled with corn. Another was still more remarkable, because it put the eating and drinking before the more serious part:— And we do hope before we part To taste some of your beer, Your beer, your beer, your Christmas beer. It seems to be so strong And we do wish that Christmas-time Were twenty times as long, Because the Saviour of all people Upon this time was born Who did from death deliver U8 When we were left forlorn." After the suppression of Christmas observances by the Puritans, the people soon began to clamour for the restoration of their great winter feast, though no doubt they thought more of the good living than of the Church services, judging by one of the Restoration carols :— "The butler and baker they now may be glad,. The times they are mended, though they have been bad The brewer he likewise may be of good cheer,. He shall have good trading for ale and strong beer. All trades shall be jolly, and have for relief Plum pudding, mince pie, and roast capon and beef." Most appropriately that carol was directed to be sung to an old tune called The Delights of the Bottel." The suspension of Christmas carolling in England had one effect that all must deplore—namely, the totallos8 of some of the good old tunes. On the other hand, it reduced to a minimum what might be called the mince-pie and roast-beef carol. One or two of jthe old ones, however, remained—for instance, the "Wasaail" or Yorkshire carol. The mystery-plays were also responsible for the rapid growth of a number of curious stories of the Incarnation which found their way into carols. It would be easy to give a large volume of such stories. There were many quaint carols referring to what the shepherds brought as offerings when they came to the manger. In the Coventry mysteries one shepherd apologised for being able to bring only the pipe on which he played, another gave his hat, another his mittens, and so on. With regard to the music of carols, in England we are fortunate in having a good many of them set to original melodies. Where these could not be had the words were sung to well-known tunes, sach as "Green Sleeves." In France the same sort of thing took place to a large extent, but the French had an extraordinary literature of popular songs, and carols were sung to the tunes of these when they would fit them, and when these tunes would not suit choruses from operas and plays were made use of. The German carols were set largely to the Vdkaleider, but they had not the quaint- ness and brightness of the French carols. Of the different classes of carols the first class was that which had for its subject the visit of the shepherds to Bethlehem. The next was that in which the story of the Nativity was localised. This was common in France. Only one example is found in England, and in this the scene of the shepherds' watch was laid on a common near Wakefield. Then a number of carols arose which might almost be described as burlesque, secular words being sung. to sacred tunes, the rhythm and time of which gradually, perhaps unconsciously, and often without any intentional irreverence,, became altered to suit the lighter character of the words. Some very beautiful carols exist, in which appeals are made to the birds or to the flowers to worship the new-born Saviour, the songs of the birds being sol-faed to the notes of the ancient musical scales while another branch of great interest and beauty is that of the lullaby or cradle songs, some of which went back to great antiquity, and of which there are some very fine specimens in Latin. Among these lullaby songs were some which illustrated that curious feature of carol history, a frequent association of tha sacred and secular, which sometimes amounted to burlesque. There was a French carol in which, after two angels clad in white, with fife and drum, were told to Hush! hush 1 make no noise," went on— Then two shepherds, with their toes Thrust in iron-tipped sabots, Walked about with noisy tread Near the Infant Saviour's bed. Hush! hush! make no noise, The Infant sleeps." Then a Capuchin so fat Tried to chant' Magnificat.' But 'ere he could sing a note Joseph seized him by the throat. Hush 1 bush make no noise, The Infant sleeps." Another branch of carol literature consisted of meditations on the Nativity. These, as a rule, were rather heavy aad tiresome. Another branch was that of the Epiphany carols, in some of which the shepherds were represented as greatly alarmed by the visit of the kings, and as rallying round the manger to defend the Infant. The explanations between the shepherds and the visitors were rather curiously detailed. The last branch was that of carols in which the loss of Christmas was lamented. One of these, written in 1661, had the refrain and was set to the tune of Well-a-day," which was used for laments written on the deaths of the Earl of Essex, Robert Lord Devereux, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Queen Jane.

The Editor of the Medical Annual speaks In the highest terms of CADBURT'S COCOA as a beverage and a food for in- valids on account of its absolute purity, nigh quality, and great solubility and counsels the Medical Profession to remember, in recommending Cocoa, that the name CADBUBY on and packet is a guarantee of purit <"60

j BALKED. (BY CUNICO.) [The following story is from the pen of a gputIernnn who has been "for forty years reader of The Cambrian." ] I am a chemist, and when I read the following ad- vertisement, was out of a berth Wanted, an assaver and chemist for a gold and silver mine in X territory, United States. Apply at once, Ac., to I applied at once, and in the course of a few days got a reply, saying my application and terms had been accepted, and also giving instructions for my future guidance, and an intimation that I would be expected to be en route from Liverpool in three days. I need not dwell on the journey to New York, nor upon the one thence to X. Enougii that I arrived at my destination, or rather at the .depot within fifteen miles of it. I reached this point safely, with my kit in good condition—acids, ammonia, and other re-agents—together with the usual paraphernalia of the chemist, all safe and sound, not even the delicate balance in the least damaged. All my impedimenta were left at the depot, while I made tracks in a sleigh, going merrily over the frozen snow to obtain my first view of the mine heartily hoping, as we glided smoothly along to the music of the sleigh bells, that it might prove a veritable El Dorado to those concerned in its prosperity—myself, of course, included. The track I had to follow was a new-made one, through what is poetically called "the forest primeval." Any one with capacity for the work had a fine chance before him, of extracting out of a ten mile stretch of this same forest, such poetry as it contained, or such as the gods had given him the power to discern in it. But with the extraction of poetry out of forest timber I had nothing to do r 1 my work was to be the extraction of gold and silver from anything that happened to contain them. My road was a tolerably straight one, and it had beside the advantage of being- the only road about, so there was not much chance of even a new chum" losing his way on it consequently, in the end, it landed me without trouble safe at my destination. Here I met the usual kind of men, saw the usual sights, heard the usual language, much of it strong, which one must expect to meet, to see, and to hear at a miningr encampment. The energetic boss in charge was full of kindness. He was also full of impatience to avail himself of the mysteries of my craft for his guidance in develop- ing the venture. So, after a look around,, we set to work extemporising a lab. as a home for my chemical « kit," and as a habitation, where ye descendant of ye antient alohemyst" might pursue his once occult art in such peace as the-place afforded. A week's work, put in with a will, and a ready supply of timber and other requisites, did this, and so I found myself soon'back at the depot again, to look after my treasures, in company with a large sleigh, a pair of good horses, and a nondescript j driver of miaed French and other nationalities. Here we found the boss of the railway shanty very mad; when he was not furiously swearing he was frantically holding his nose, and when doing-; neither, he seemed to be on the verga of suffoca- tion. When my presence became manifest to his clouded intellect, an access of redoubled anger j supervened; which, together with his aati-Puritam efforts to make me understand I was the cause ot all this commotion, made this particular part of the Far West firmament rather blue for the time. I, however, soon found out what was wrong, and promptly forgave the poor man his complimentary epithets, so freely bestowed upon various parts of my anatomy. A bottle containing carbon disulphide had somehow become emptied of its contents, and the poor fellow did not like too odour; The pure air of boundless prairie," or, the balsamic breath of forest primeval," had vitiated that man's olfactory sense to sueh a degree, that! he could not appreciate a good old chemical smell when he got in the way of one. I tried to pacify the irate railway boss, by entering into an explanation of the inordorous i nature of the ingredients composing carbon < disulphide, under ordinary circumstances before ] chemically combined, and I was repaid with a leer of the most adamantine unbelief, and the reply < that he a guessed he knew what that thar' stuff was] stuck together with," much better than T did myself. The poor fellow was evidently not bom to < be a chemist, so I left him to see to the packing up, 1 and that Louis fed the horses; and to prepare < generally for our return to camp. This work was soon accomplished, and we made a start for home, content and at peace, even with that grand master of profanity we were leaving behind us. We jogged along comfortably; there was no need to hurify, as we had three hours of daylight before ilS. ] Louis was driving; I was smoking drowsily, lulled 1 by the easy motion of the sleigh, and the rythmic music of the bells. Suddenly I was aroused by something wrong with the horses. They seemed to have been frightened, and were inclined to bolt. Louis tried to check them as best he could, but to little purpose; their fright increased as did their speed also. Louis looked anxious from side to side, then he turned and looked back. In a moment his face blanched to a ghastly hue, as he hoarsely whispered in my ear the word—"Wolves!" A. j- feeling of numbing horror seized me on hearing that dreadful word- I had read fearful stories of people being pursuediby these fiendish animals, and- 1' now it had come to my turn to be an actor in a wolf chase, the wolf being the hunter. I furtively looked at Louis, who was now urging the terrified, steeds forward; mentally took stock of his bodily- strength, and wondered when it became a question as to who should be the first victim:of the wolves,. whether he would be able to cast me out of the sleigh, or I him. A look at his wiry, athletic frame, soon convinced me that in a struggle for life I would be the first one to go dbwn. We had as yet covered but half-the distance to the camp, and the demons behind' us were slowly but surely approaching nearer and nearer. I gazed upon them with, a sort of helpless fascination. They were by this-time near enough for me to make I. out their movements. I could hear snarls and yaps, of anger, as some of the brutes forged their way to the front of the others, eager for the dreadful feast Now they were so near that I could see the glare of their blood-shott eyes, and even hear the pantings of their noisome breaths! I looked at Louis, who, pale and grim, was urging forward the fast-failing horses, when he was. not engaged in looking back at our pursuers. On, on, came the devils of the forest, and I felt that but a few minutes more, and the torture of suspense would have to give place to bodily tortuce inflicted by the merciless fangs of the brutes now so close upon us. Suddenly Isprung to my feet with a cry of joy! This abrupt move- ment of mine startled Louis, who quickly turned upon me with such a look in his eyes as made me for a moment think he was a wolf also, and about to spring upon me I calmly ordered him. to attend to the plunging horses as best as he could, and that I would manage the wolves. Hastily cutting the fastenings of one of my hampers, I brought out a large Winchester bottle. It happened to be a bottle of Liquor Ammonia Fortissim- Our pursuers were now within ten yards of us, arranged in a compact mass; so taking my precious bottle, I hurled it towards, them, throwing it so that it came with a crush down on the frozen snow right in front of their track I The effect produced was most magieal. Nearly every member of the blood-thirsty pack rolled, snorting, yelping, over every other member; and, as an exhibition of wolfish gymnastics, the show was entertaining, if not instructive. I was so utterly delighted with the result of my experiment, nay, more was most truly thankful as well, and now felt master of the situation to such an extent as to burst out in hearty laughter at the grotesque contortions of our once formidable enemies. Louis joined in my mirth when he had glanced for a moment at the circus performance behind us; and even the horses seemed to understand that things had taken a turn for the better. So confident was I now of being able to regulate the chase, that I filled my pipe as I watched about a dozen of the old dogs, who had escaped with partial suffocation only, resume the pursuit of their quarry, evidently bent on revenge for being so suddenly baulked of their prey. I assured Louis that now there was no reason for being in the least afraid of our remaining pursuers, were the number double what it really was; and I begged him to do his utmost to give confidence to the horses, by shewing no fear himself. This I was glad to feel he was soon able to do, to a considerable extent. In the meantime, I had opened another of the hampers, determined this time to introduce a little variety into my next lesson in practical chemistry, as adapted, especially, to the capacities of wolves. I took out a large bottle of sulphuric acid, and poured about a pint or two into a beaker. Waiting till my pupils were within reach, I then threw the contents of the beaker with a sweeping motion over them. Some leaped high in the air, giving tongue to the most frightful yells, then fell grovelling on the hard snow in the most intense agony. They had evidently got some of the acid into their eyes, and were instantly put out of the running. I repeated the dose whenever the remaining beasts came too near the sleigh to be pleasant. Soon I observed such of the animals as had escaped instantaneous blindness, shew signs of uneasiness. These at first would shake themselves, then after a few minutes more of the chase, they commenced scratching, tumbling, rolling themselves about in the most frantic fashion, yelping, and snarling till the whole forest seemed to echo with the frightful din. The agonised animals were now no longer in pursuit, but each intent only on worrying itself or anything else that came within reach. Our adventure was at an end, as we were now within a short distance of the camp; on arriving at which we received many and hearty congratula- tions upon our escape from the frightful fate of being eaten alive by wolves, and the evening being Christmas Eve, our story was interesting enough to keep us awake until we wished each other a HAPPY CHRISTMAS. -+-

A SOUTH WALES PILGRIM AT THE PASSION PLAY.—ARTICLE VIII; (By OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) The Act was not ended. The chilly dawn of the eastern morning breaks on the palace of the High Priest. We see the early maids approach to their domestic work. They proceed to light a fire in the hall, and linger for the pleasant excitement of a chat with the soldiers of the Temple, whom they know have some prisoner in their charge. They ridicule the Saviour, even more than His cruel guards have done. Alas how low a woman can sink I Among, the soldiers we see St. John's gentle face timid he was, but faithful—and are not con- stancy and faithfulness above animal courage. St. Peter, the boaster of last evening,, draws near the fire for warmth, The chilly night has frozen all his bravery during, those hours of coasternation and disappointment. Little wonder that in his fear and flurry he haff no fitting answer for the saucy maid: who points;to him as a disciple of the- prisoner standing so alone and despised among the guard. Ah it is hard to brave the jeers of the majority. It is hard to advocate the downtrodden and scorned. Naturally enough, alas St. Peter swore he knewnot Jesus. Yes; he was ashamed of his Master. Again, no wonder, when the mists were gone, and he knew that Master for what He was, no wonder St. Peter never forgave himself forthat shamefut shame. But, then, cold and tired and frightened, longing to be allowed once more to get a little comfort out of life, St. Peter brazened it cut and said again, He knew nothing of the Galilean." His face was not towards Jesus, yet he knew his Master tamed. Ah that look, that look No ang,er, no contempt was visible in the face of the Christ—only pity, only sympathy, only a gentle re- minder of the words at the Holy Feast. Poor con- science-stricken Peter stretches- out his hand as though to ward off the tender glance that hurt him more than any scourge. No wonder the poor, penitent* impulsive disciple went out and wept bitterly." And that glance, swift and penetrating, delivered,at the right moment, what had it to tell us of the ill-treated Jesus ? Only another glimpse of His perfect unselfishness. Needing all His strength to bear up under the great weight of that unknown woe, His compassionate heart could yet spare its sympathy for a frail half-hearted follower. I do not seem to think a mere man could have spared a fellow-man a thought at such a moment. The unselfishness of Jesus is Divine. Act X.—THE DESPAIR OF JUDAS, The Tableau—Cain a despairing wanderer on the earth. Too late, too late, Judas has found out his mistake. Inborn in his mind is the thought that he has betrayed-an innocent man. Back now, too Late, rush memories of Jesus in the old days of eompanionship.- Dead Sea fruit he has gathered when he took the High Priest's money. In on his soul rushes the- sense of his loneliness; he has outraged beyond hope of pardon the only love that 3tood between him and the desolation of despair. Erom henceforth he knows himself to be a raging wave of the sea,, foaming out its own shame, a wandering star, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever." Gone is all his reverence fur the leaders of the national religion. Gone his fear of man, desire for saae and comfort, gone the greed of money, gone all ] hopesand fears that belong to cheerful human life. ( One ghostly awful figure looms, before, and shuts aut sun, moon, and stars, fieroorse has encircled t\im.in darkness that may be felt. 1 Once more the Sanhedrim, sits in pomp and jircumstance. And what pity have they for the wild maniac who rushes in, seeking to relieve his conscience, by a despairing appeal that they will Liberate Jesus? 1 "As well go stand upon the bench. And bid the maia flood bate his usual height. Never dream, Oh t wretched Judas, That they win be moved to pity." Mad in his impotent despair, Judas flings the money at the High Priest's feet, and rushes from the hall, crying, So shall ye, too, fall with me into the abyss." Quite coolly these bigots dismiss the subject of Judas, and, undaunted, continue to discuss how to put Jesus to death. They might, indeed, condemn, but the power to execute wa&not theirs. Another 1 arm ruled in Jerusalem. The strong, cold, legal arm of Rome held the balance of justice there, and no prisoner could be put to death save by the procurator Pilate, and Pilate's power was supported by. an army of Roman soldiers; men who had conquered the world,, and who had made and unmade Caesars, whose power and discipline kept them the acknowledged, superiors of even these turbulent Jews. Caiaphas himself dare not attempt to put Jesus to death without the. consent of the Roman Governor. But the feast of the Passover drew on apace. These sticklers for religious observanoesdesired to have the execution of Jesus quickly over, so. that they might have leisure to attend, to the duties of the Passover. Gaiaphas says he himself will go to Pilate and secure the death, of Jesus of Nazaretht But if he entered the house, of the heathen Governor, he would make himself unclean, and thus unfit to eat the Passover. Caiaphas and a procession of satellites from the Sanhedrim go to the garden of Pilate's honse. They send a messenger to the door,. up the very steps on which the children crowded to sing a welcome to Jesus when he entered Jerusalem in lowly triumph. An insolent Roman, j, man-servant, to whom the High: Priest of this- inferior Jewish, nation was no vary great person*, opens leisurely the door, and hears their request. With a rude laugh at their scruples, he cries, 14 0, ye cunning knaves* who swallow eamels and strain at gnats! He bangs to the door. and carries the message to. the Governor, while the Jews wait I below. The scene-changes. It is Aceldama, the field of blood. One human—no! one hardly-human figure adds to its. desolation. It is Judas, mad. with remorse,. "mad from life's history, there to death's mystery,, swift to be hurled." The curtain falls, rightly*, wisely; but imagination pictures, all the horror* all the despair. "For me no hope! My crimei. much too. great! the fearful crime no penance can make good.. Too late 1 Tootatet" Sing the chorus. Alas! for Judas! Act XI.—CHKIST BBFOB* PILATE. Tableau—Daniel falsely accused before Darius. The members of the Sanhedrim had to wait before Pilate made his appearance. At last the door of his house leading on to the balcony above the garden is flung back, an escort of disdainful Roman soldiers take up their position, and at length Pilate, the great Roman Governor himself, steps out—every inch a soldier and a gentleman. (I marvelled where in that village he had acquired such ton) He looks down half-puzzled, half- contemptuous, as he questions the High Priest and his party, who are almost incoherent by reason of spite. How could he,—free-thinker, man-of-the- world, half-Sybarite—how could he comprehend all this fuss and worry over some religious hair- splitting. Rightly or wrongly, we seem to take to Pilate at once, because, oddly enough, we know well and exactly how he looks at things. Pilate is an old friend—such a pleasant cynic, such an agreeable neighbour at a dinner party, and one has followed his gallant lead over many a hunting field. Who has a drier wit ? Who a more open hand than he? Surely eternity itself cannot be hard on such a good fellow even though when he has to choose between right and expediency We know well it is not expediency that will suffer. "What Englishman," asks a writer, "who has ever ruled a province in India, where religious ferment was rife, would not have felt tempted to act as Pilate acted. Nay, would not have acted as he acted, without even the hesitation Pilate showed, if the life of some poor devil of a wandering fakir stood between him and the peace of his district." "Would to God," he adds, "that British magis- I trates, even at home in our own land, would give the despised and unpopular poor man the same number of chances Pilate gave Jesus." To the last, Pilate never made himself the willing instal- ment of popular frenzy. He argued against, he denounced it, he resorted to every subterfuge by which he could save the prisoner's life, and it was only when the Sanhedrim threatened to denounce him to Casar, that he unwillingly gave way. Here and there, no doubt, there are among our English magistrates and judges fanatical believers in abstract right, who would have risked the Empire rather than let a hair of Christ's head be touched, but the average English magistrate—especially if the accused was "only a nigger"—would shrug his shoulders at such Quixotism as folly and worse. It is better, they would say, that one man should die, even unjustly, than that everything should be up- set. Life was cheap in the days of Pilate, and a Roman governor, as Caiaphas sarcastically reminded him, thought little of the slaughter of a hecatomb of Jews." At this moment a servant comes hastily in and tells Pilate an urgent message is come to him from his wife. The beautiful Roman lady was very dear to him, therefore her words had weight. She has actually sent to intercede for Jesus, owing to a miraculous dream she had about him. Tell my wife," replies the governor, that I will do all in my power to rescue him." As a way out of his own difficulty, Pilate suddenly remembers that Jesus belongs to Galilee, in the province of Herod Antipas, who is now in Jerusalem for the Passover. Pilate gladly decides to send Jesus to Herod to be tried. He sends Him under the guard of his own soldiers, who at least treat the patient sufferer less brutally than the guard of the Temple. "Up," cries Caiaphas to his friends and to the mob, "We will go to Herod also. At his judgment seat we shall get what we want." Act XII.—CHRIST BEFORE KING HEROD. Tableau-a Samson a Sport to the Philistines." The twelfth Act shows Herod seated on a golden throne in a gorgeous chamber, surrounded by his court. Doubtless his companions were the very men to whose possible sneers the head of St. John the Baptist fell a sacrifice. Caiaphas and his friends had made every possible haste, and were eagely telling Herod of the scene before Pilate" when Jesus was brought into the hall by the Roman soldiers. Herod looks at the Christ before him with the deepest interest, for the superstitious libertine believed that he saw in Jesus. the resurrection of St. John the Baptist. Sadducee as Herod was, yet his fears made him' believe that St John was living after death. While Herod satisfied his curiosity, mine was aroused. While Pilate attracted, Herod repelled. What possible quality could he have possessed which so chained the tigress, Herodias, that, at a later period, she should willingly leave her country, her home, and every luxury behind to cling to him in his-wretched exile and disgrace; That fact must show, that coarse and brutal as the Idumean king was, his character could not have been without some redeeming feature. But his treatment of Christ showed that his nature was degenerating since the time when he unwillingly put St. John the Baptist to death. It was only natural. Herod's sin seems to be the one of all others that most quickly brings the foulest corruption into human nature; for Love, bright arch-angelof God, when he falls, sinks like Lucifer never to rise again. Herod jestg. brutally with Christ. The whole affair seems to him an occasion for vile jokes. He shouts to the gentle Captive, Tell me what I dreamt last night; work a miracle; turn the scroll -with thy death-warrant into a serpent." Little wonder that Christ, upon whose soul the waves of anguish and death are. already beating, answers him not; The soul of that heart-broken Captive is far away from Heroo and his brutal sneers. In the bowed head and downcast face, we read that He was treading the winepress alone. Then Herod thinks to rouse the sufferer by further mockery, so he orders royal robes to be put on Christ, a sceptre to be placed in His hand, and thus to be taken back to Pilate. What," shouts Caiaphas in astonished rage, Is this, then, thy sentence ? Speak the sentence of death upon Him asthelawdemandetht 0 king," he-adds, "take care." My sentence," answers Herod," is that He is a fool, incapable of the crimes you lay to His charge. Let Pilate do as be likes with Eim." Then Herod imperiously motions the soldiers to remove Jesus and clear the court. The priests, mad with rage at their difficulty in getting the death- warrant of Jesus, rush back once more to the Roman Governor. Herod turns his own followers and says, Things have not come up to my expectation. I promised myself a most choice I enjoyment, all about Ged-knoweth-what-sort-of- wondrous tricks; and we saw simply a common- place fellow, and did not hear a sound! from His lips. This man is not John. John spake, and sonversed with a wisdom. and power thatma.de us esteem him. But come, my friends," he concludes, r( this matter hath detained us long enough. Let us make up for lost time with music and song." Act XII.—THE SCOURGING AND CROWNING. Tableau I.—" Joseph's bloody coat brought home bo Israel." Tableau IL-" The ram a ppointed for a sacrifice in the place of Isaac." Again we look on bhe garden of Pilate's house. The Roman Governor had sufficient regard for Jewish prejudices to be willing to Sjoaeet the accusers of JeEms there, so bhat they should not be- rendered unfit for the Passoves lJY close contact with heathens. Pilate igain stands on the balcony of hi s housp, the savage Jewish priesfe below, and with them a bloodthirsty mob of fanatical Jews. The Governor I finds the Sanhedrim too powerful fOJ: him-r-Jesus must be punished. Pilate still hopei3 that he may not have to carry out: the death sentence; but to satisfy his turbulent subjects he orders Jesus to be scourged. Those who. object to the scene that fol- lows aa profane, ought in all consistency to avoid the pictures of the old masters, wherin the suffer- ings of Jesus are so -vividly pourtrayed. That the sceneis most realistic cannot be denied. None of the horrors are kept back- The great wonder is that the dignity of the Saviour should not suffer however, it does not.. The acene has been thus de- scribed :—" The curtain slowly rises. What a view is revealed Alas the painful sight is, lost in a torrent of tears It is a. room in the judgment hall. of Pilate. In the foreground stands the Saviour, disrobed, bound to a pillar* bleeding, bearing the blows dealt by the unmerciful barbarians. What a heart-moving sight "His form presents Only a. few strokes fall after the cur- I tain is raised-yet each pierces our heart. A slight I start at the fall of.each blow, a slight tremor, the expression of pain on the countenance, the gaze directed heavenward—alone testify of what He suffers. While they scourge Jesus, the soldiers sing and shout some doggerel verses that have re- mained in the play. from its very oldest versions (A soldier shouts, .putting the reed sceptre into the I hand of Christ), See here, the very loveliest thing- To ornament our Jewish King I." (Another soldier putting on the captive a soiled, red robe) "Now don the purpte's grand array." (Then around the brows of Jesus, in wanton mimicry of the Emperor's laurel, they twist a thorny wreath of Ifeaves and sing) "And here, a crown made wondroasly Now let the people look at thee I But set it on quite safe and sound. Or efase 'twill tumble to the ground." (To be continued*)

A certain canon reads prayers to his household every night. One morning his new housemaid—she was a country girl, and had only begun service in the house the day before—gave notice, tearfully. No reason was assigned; but nothing could peisuade her to stay in the canon's house where, she said, she had been so grossly insulted. No one could understand the girlbut after much persuasion she explained: I was at prayers last night. I 'eard master say *0 God, who 'atest nothing but th' 'ousemaid. nothing but th' 'ousemaid. LADY GUARDIANS.—-Should public opinion ever reach the point or demanding a more general adoption of the boarding out system it would hardly be possible to stir in the matter without associations of lady workers, and no one could be surprised if some friction were to occur between the Committees of Inspection oa the one hand, and the workhouse officials and guardians on the other. It is precisely on such occasions that a lady guardian, if she were a woman of sense and tact, would prove to be invaluable. Indeed, it would not be too much to expect that if women had their fair share of representation upon boards of guardians, the management of pauper children would be left to them entirely. This may seem to some guardians of the poor an extravagant demand; yet there is hardly one of these worthy men who does n ot consider one woman capable of undertaking the entire care of a number of children in whom he is supposed to be specially interested. If women are capable of working together at all, they are surely as competent to manage pauper children as they are to rule their own nurseries. Even as it is, women, if they were united in some association otsociety might do good service in suggesting to the Local Govern- ment Board points of detail in which regulations now in force might be altered with advantage. It seems absurd, for example, to forbid a union to board out the children of indoor paupers, and yet permit the guardians to keep these children at a workhouse school, perhaps a dozen miles distant from the workhouse. Intercourse between parent and child must be at least as difficult and as rare, in such a case as this, as it would be if the child were placed in another man's family. Questions of this sort, and indeed all the details connected wltb the upbringing of children, can be satisfactorily settled only by those who have not only a considerable supply 01 common sense, and a good deal of leisure, but a natural aptitude and liking for the subject. Male guardians may have the first of these qualifications, but they seldom have the second, and can hardly be supposed to have the third. It certainly seems to us that of all others lady guardians are best qualified to form a sound judgment on the best way of bringing up pauper children, and best fitted to guide public opinion on thIs Important subject.—Lady. Perfect health restored, without medicine or expense, by Du Barry's delicious Revalenta Arabica Food, for invalids and infants, which repairs the most disordered stomach and bowels, the blood, the nerves, tungs, Uyer, brains, voice, and breath, and cures dyspepsia, inaigestion, acidity, heartburn, constipa- tion nausea and sickness even in pregnancy or at sea; hemorrhoids, diarrhoea, dysentery, debility, diabetes, all fevers, sleeplessness, cough, asthma, catarrh, consumption; 44 years' success: 100,000 annual cures. It saves 50 times its cost in medicine. In tins, 2s., 3s. 6d., 6s.; 51b., 14s.; 121b., 32s.; cost- tag about 2d. per meal. Du Barry and Co., Limited, 77, Regent-street, W., London. Sold in Swansea by Taylor and Co.; T. Jones and Co., Waterloo-street; and all chemists and grocers [76

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF SWEDEN, aND NOTES THEREON.—ARTICLE VI. rBy .ALFRKD CHARLES JONAS.] THE BALTIC AND COAST OF SWEDEN. —KALMA.—ME. GLADSTONE, &c. Now finally for Stockholm. I will refer shortly to the south part. Sodermalm (on the mainland), is the least interesting, although its situation is picturesque, standing as it does, on high and low rocks. The chief point of interest is the Katarina Hisseu, i.e., Steam lift, which was erected to save the great trouble and labour of mounting the steepes to the top of this part of the town. An iron bridge, 160 yards long, leads from the top of the lift to Mosebacke, Torg. From this eminence, a splendid view of Stockholm can be had. Of the almost end- less trips or excursions, to islands and lakes, which may be easily taken, it is quite needless for me to refer, and I will only name one that is, to Raga. and Ulriksdal by land and steamer. The tram will take you opposite Haga. The chateau stands on the side of the lake Brunnsviken, but the gardens are the chief attraction, the house itself being in a neglected condition. But what a pretty little lake! I From the chateau, about Ii miles to the north end of the lake, is Nedre Jerfva. Thence to Ulriksdal, a lovely chateau,, situated on the Edsvik, which is a long narrow creek of the Baltic. Now from Ulriksdal through the Lilla Vartan, Salt Sjon and so return to Stockholm. This is a lovely little trip, varied by mountain;, rock, lake and island scenery, and all at a cost, for travelling, of about a half a crown. Before leaving Stockholm, I cannot refrain from, once more, referring to the Stone age, so wonder- fully illustrated in the Museum, and to its bearing on the Mosaic story of the Creation, &c., and here I would like to say, the term. Inspired or Inspiration is, to my mind, an undefined one. Very recently a great deal has been written on both subjects, but it is only to one phase of each subject, I venture to refer. It is clear that the wants of man, over almost every portion of the world, were to a large extent, similar, this from the fact that similar tools. and weapons of stone have been found in nearly all parts of the world. Further, these antiquities cannot be considered as products of a barbarous age, but rather as samples of civilization, as it then- existed over past periods of a less civilized state. But the peculiar part of this subject is, that the Stone age seems to have had an influence over future ages, which no other period had, at least in the sense of a mythical influence, which has penetrated even to our own day. Everyone interested in the subject knows the origin of Elf darts or bolts, while the ancient Egyptians wore arrow heads as ornaments; thunderbolts of the present day are axes and hammers,. &c., of the Stone Age; not less interesting is the fact that during the days of Moses, flint knives,. &c., of the Stone Age were held in even religious awe. Now, with regard to the Creation, &c., Mr. Gladstone has recently given his opinion. Well, perhaps I had better say he has written several papers on the subject. There, of course, can be only one opinion of Mr. Gladstone as to his pro- found knowledge and understanding; his able papers referred to are at once another proof,. if it were needed, of hia unflagging, energy, and, in this re- spect, freshness of thought. Of course, it would be the height of presumption on my part to attempt to criticise the different points of his papers, but I aan at liberty to claim what Mr. Gladstone has allowed all readers, that is to be a free thinker, and so I think that his papers will be to the general reader nearly aa difficult of. comprehension as the main subject itself. At the outset we are told the writer embraces the great modern basis of criticism, viz., that the Scriptures are to be treated as any other book, in the trial of its title; but, later on, as regards the Creation, Mr. Gladstone protects himself behind that style and class of fortification at which he is an adept in erecting, and so does not, so far as I understand him, com- mit himself to any definite or specific statement of his own belief. The Baltic and. Coast of Sweden now claims attention. From Stockholm to Malmo. was my route, by steamer, calling at several ports,, after referred to. At the outset I may say the steam- ship was in every way a good boat, accommodation first-class, cuisine all that could be desired and here I may call attention to a custom peculiar to Sweden alone, summed up in the word Smorgasbord, which consists of. many relishes on many little dishes, and includes two or. three kinds of spirits, these different dishes varying from seven to twice that number, are placed, on a side table. The custom is for each person to go to the aide table, take a small plate and fork, help him. or her self to apjece of bread and butter, then with the fork any of the relishes, which you, place on the bread, and then leave the side table,, and walk, eat and talk. The relishes are as often par- taken of as each person likes this is the prelude or introduction to each meal. It is, of course, noticeable the difference in preparation and the food itself, salted reindeer and raw fish being ever present, as also the national hard thin cake,.which is so strongly flavoured with aniseed but there can be but one opinion—that 18,. the Swede knows how to cook and what to cook. Unlike the voyage across the North Sea, that through the Baltic was beautiful in the extreme—the sea as smooth as a millpond, the nights being grand, the Heavens being brightly lit by moon and stars. The first stoppage was at Kalmar, which is on the coast line opposite the Island of Oland, about 190 miles south-west of Stockholm. This town has a.popula- tion of about 13.000, and is partly on the mainland and two islands. Its very ancient history and interesting relics of bygone years deserve some notice, as it afforded me very great pleasure in, making a thorough investigation, of its antiquities. Through the kindness of a. resident my examination, was made comparatively easy, and the information derived, to me valuable. The appearance of this ancient town is clean and Dutch- like it is well built and picturesquely situated. It was, at one time, a fortified and walled town. From the landing stage, in an almost straight line, the market-place and centre of the town, is reached, where stand the Cathedral, It is in the form of a. cross, the internal arrangements,, as regards seats, have yet atti antiquated appearance, the floor of the centre and west end is paved, with many tomb- stones, the oldest of which bears the date 1598. The east window is, I believe,, a copy of that in Antwerp Cathedral, the pulpit projects from the north-west: end of the chancel, at a considerable elevation, the way of ascent not being open to the view of the congregation; it is a beautiful sculptured pulpit with a magnifi- cient gilt canopy. The altar piece 13 by Ehrenstrahl. The organ-loft stands at the west, end of the building, supported by four splendid1 columns. It was at this ancient town, in 1397" that E?ik, after being elected King of Denmark and Sweden, was crowned* thus uniting Norway* Denmark and Sweden*. It was also this Erik who was, married to Philippa,. daughter of our Henry IV. Turning now to the Castle, the actual date of its building being unknown, I hardly remember seeing a castle which so thoroughly charmed and interested mey and at the same time there was not lacking that mystery which so stimulates one to further enquiry, and so strengthens: that enthusiasm which carries captive a lover of antiquity. The date of the castle's erection is variously stated from 1100 it is quadrangular in form, with towers and ramparts, and has been surrounded with a moat. The style of architecture is an enigma to me and I should much like to hear an explanation of its Eastern-like domes, which so closely resemble a mosque. There is little doubt but that this Castle was in existence in 1200. The keeper, when I was there, was a female, who could not speak or understand a word of any language but her own, and what was as bad, if not worse, she was, to all appearance, an ill-natured individual, who seemed to have no other desire than hurry her visitors from one apartment to another, and so get rid of them. She must have been sorely tried at my visit. The largest room in the Castle is the one where the treaty above re- ferred to was signed. Gustavus the 3rd, in any- thing but a patriotic spirit, used this room as a granary fortunately better ideas have since pre- vailed, and the room has been restored, the roof of which is beautifully panelled. The greatest portion of the Castle is occupied by the collection of antiquities connected with the district and Sweden generally. Among these I may specially name an old oak bedstead, which was used by Gustavus the IV. (Tobe continued.)

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