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( Copyright.)
( Copyright.) A BLAZE OF GLORY. By JOHN STRANGE WINTER, Author of "Booties' Baby," "A Name to Conjure With," "The Money Sense," "A Born Soldier," "Beautiful Jim," Sux CHAPTER XXV. VEttY .VEAll TO THE TRUTH. Eventually Betty decided with herself that, ns she had never confided the truth about L'Estrange to her husband, it was hardly worth while running the risk of enlightening him now. "He is going on a sea voyage and we are just off to the Cape," her thoughts ran. I am not at all likely to see him ag&in. He does not know W ing. and even if he did would not be very likely to speak of having seen me. So I won't say anything. Wing won't ask me whether I have seen anyone I knew or not." At last she left the tea-shop and went back to the hotel. It was then not much past five o'clock, and she suddenly remembered that she had spoken of going to call on an old friend of her husband's. Mrs. Bonningtree. She had a whole hour with absolutely nothing to do but think about things she wanted to forget. So she went down the stairs again and asked the hall- porter to call her a cab. The drive down to Queen's Gate did her good, for the air was fresher than it often is at the most mugey time of the year. She found the house brilliantly lighted up and a fairly large reception in full swing. She glanced at her watch. Twenty minutes past five. Shall you be going back again, lady P" asked the cabman. "Yes, if you like to wait a quarter of an hour," Betty replied. "Right y'are, lady," was his response. So Betty went in to be greeted with much warmth by a very small lady in a very smart tea-gown, who promptly presented a smart young man to her. The smart young man suggested that they should go down and get tea or some- thing, and Betty a moment later found herself descending the stairs up which she had but just gone. Her cavalier fetched her a cup of tea with a lump of sugar in the saucer and a maid-of- honour on a plate. "Such a cram," he said, jerking his head back towards the table, "you couldn't possibly get near. Such a mistake having so many at once, don't you think so? One never sees one's hostess except in other people's houses." "I suppose not. But I don't go to many big parties," said Betty, and then, as she sipped her tea, they discussed similar weighty subjects with much earnestness, until at last Betty said that she would go upstairs again as she must be getting on. The young man rose at once and accom- panied her to the large drawing-room, where she found Mrs. Bonningtree somewhat more at leisure. And then, after talking with her for a few minutes, she bade her adieu and took her leave, the smart young man going downstairs with her to find her carriage. "It isn't a carriage, it's a cab," said Betty, with a laugh. It was the first time she had laughed since the meeting in Bond-street. "I don't think the actual thing matters," said he. But, Mrs. Le Gendre, I may come and see you, mayn't I ? What's your day ? "I haven't a day," replied Betty. "I am only staying in town for a week longer. I am going to the Cape this day week." "Oh, really. Well, I'm sorry. Good-bye." "Good-bye," said Betty. "Does he know where ? "Yes, the Mayfair Hotel. He brought me, you know. Good-bye." The horse moved on and Betty sat back in the cab. The keen winter air was blowing in her face as they went, but she was warmly clad, and the only result was that when she arrived at the hotel her face was like a rose. Le Gendre was already there and looked up as she entered. "Hulloa, little gadabout," he remarked. I began to think you had betaken yourself off for good and all." "What, am I late? said Betty. "A little. But there's time enough. Did you -i) to Queen's Gate ? "I did," she replied, and then began to tell \iin about the party and the smart young man who had taken her in charge. So the awkward moment of meeting him with a secret on her mind passed by, and Betty felt glad that she had decided to keep silence respecting her meeting with L'Estrange. "And, after all," her thoughts ran, "I was very stand-off and cool to Victor. It wasn't as if I had let him make love to me or pretended to him that I was breaking my heart for him or anything of that kind. Victor could never say that I encouraged him in the very least." At last the day came on which they had to bid farewell to Dr. and Mrs. Wittingly, and to leave England behind them. It was by this time bitterly cold and wretched weather, and, in spite of her husband's vexation at having fot his orders for the Cape, Betty could not elp, in her heart, feeling a joyous exhilaration that they were going to find the sunshine, and to try a life which to her would be altogether new. With many of us, and particularly with the young, there is a special pleasure in making a fresh start. Only a few old people, however, there are who, to the end of their lives, keep up the habit of turning over new leaves, but it is a habit that all have had ia the beginning. In Betty it was still very strong, and she turned this particular page in her life with a satisfaction which was almost pathetic. "You don't mind going away a bit," said Le Gendre. in a surprised tone as Betty waved her handkerchief, gaily as a child off for a holiday, to the Wittinglys as they stood on the platform at Euston Station. "I don't," said Betty, turning her great eves upon him. "Why should I ? I'm leaving mother happy, and well, and prosperous, with the nicest man in the whole world to take care of her. What else could I want ? The nicest man but one in the whole world," corrected Le Gendre. jealously. "No," persisted Betty, "the very nicest man in the whole world for mother." Ah, yes, for your mother." and the big Colonel smiled under his fierce moustache, thinking Betty more adorable than ever. They had gone down to Liverpool by an earlier 'rain than the last which would catch the steamer before she sailed, and so were saved the final rush of passengers who streamed on board at the last moment. By that time Betty had made herself at home in the state-room &"otted to them, and, well wrapped in furs, was leaning over the side of the ship watching the new arrivals. "By Jove There's a chap that looks pretty ] sick," remarked Le Gendre, in a Paying tone, and Betty, looking where his eyes indicated. saw with a sudden sinking at the heart Victor L'Estrange in a fur-lined coat just crossing to -the gangway. "Why, Wing." she said, in a queer, far-away J kind of voice, "I believe that's Mr. L'Estrange. Yes, I am sure it is. L'Estrange, however, passed on board without so much as a glance in their direction, and Le Gendre, after a careless remark that by the took of him he must be making avovage for the sake of his health, turned his attention to the passengers 8.;II coming aboard. Betty wa? then-fore able to pull herself together a little ere her husband had occasion to notice that her jubilant spirits had decidedly evaporated. I say, Mirl^e," he remarked, as the big shin began to move, "I believe you're beginning to fed a bit qualmish already, We had better go down to lunch now, and we'll have a bottle of I fizz with it. Betty turned and followed him without a word. She knew, having many a time at Rock- I borough been out in all sorta of craft in the ¡ rerj roughest of weather, that she was not the learft likely to be affected by the motion of the vessel. But the unexpected appearance of V.ctor L'Estrange certainly had upset all her calculations, just as it had nnsteadied hernervew and served to send her heart down, down to rem. l'JlItT' were already seated at their table when L Efftran^ made his appearane in the saloon. Jle had been in his place for ^otne minutes before Le Gendre perceived him. "There's your friend, L'Estrange, Midge," he remarked, cheerfully. Where ? said Betty. "At the fir table, near the dour, with his bock to ns," the Colonel replied. Betty looVed townrds the door. "Yes, I see jjiui," slve said, simply. However, before they left the table he han sappeared, and they did not see him -Ar intil quite late in the afternoon. Then whei 1 ?'ie went to the boudoir for a rest after tea, sb » most ran into his arms. "Good Heavens, Betty he cried out. "Hush-sh. not a word. I saw you come or; Loard. I told my husband that I thought it wad you. One word I never spoke of meeting you that day. I-I thought it better not, there was nothing to be gained by it." "Is he jealous ? "Not particularly; but I saw nothing to be gained. What are y u doing here ? Where are you going ? "To the Cape for a trip, and partly to see if the climate will do anything for my lungs. Where is your husband now ? "Somewhere about. Oh, yes, he is a good sailor, why, of course he is." "No 'of course' about it," rejoined L'Estrange, laughing at her indignant repudia- tion of any weakness on her husband's part. "I've been ludicrously ill myself in my tfeie." "This is my husband," said Betty, in a tone of warning. If the truth be told Le Gendre's very first in-tinct, as he saw the two standing together, was one of intense and furious jealousy. In an instant it flashed upon him that the tall pale girl whom they had met at Schaffhausen had had good reasons for her insane conduct towards Betty. That Betty was not quite heart-whole never occurred to him. That L'Estrange was over head and ears in love with Betty he was certain. Consequently he greeted him with an assump- tion of bonhomie which was absurdly unreal, but which completely deceived both Betty and L'Estrange himself. And then began a period of absolute torture for the girl, who was loyally anxious to be everything to her husband and a time of unutterable misery for the lover, to whom a friendship with Betty was the very acme of temptation. In Le Gendre's own mind a curious medley of feelings jostled one another with persistent tnergy. He saw that his wife, so far from encouraging L'Estrange in any way, seemed to shew a positive distaste for his society. When- ever he approached them, she invariably made an elaborate excuse which would carry her off to their cabin leaving the two men together: after which L'Estrange as invariably 11 four,.J out before many minutes had gone by that it was too cold, or too hot, or that it was time for medicine or a rest, and in turn went away, leaving the Colonel alone. And the Colonel would laugh grimly under his big moustache, and through his brain there would shoot, like a flash of lightning, blasting all and every- thing with which it came in contact, a fierce remembrance of a letter without a signature—a letter asking one question: "Where was his wife on the 3rd of March last ? It happened one day, when Betty had effaced herself soon after L'Estrange had joined them, that the Colonel put a question to him before he could bethink him of any excuse to betake himself away. Did you go straight from Blankhampton to the Soudan ? he asked, suddenly. L'Estrange looked up in surprise. "No, of course not. We were at Danford for a short time." At Danford ? blankly. "Of course we were. Why, I remember you dining with us one night almost immediately after we got there." "Then you're in the White Horse ? "Of course I am. Didn't you know it?" replied L'Estrange, rather nettled to find that he had been daily in the company of another soldier for more than a fortnight without his even knowing what regiment he was in. "No, I didn't know. I never connected you with the White Horse. I went on leave just after they got to Danford. You knew my wife in Danford, then ? "No, in Blankhampton." "And not in Danford at all ? "Not in Danford at all," said L'Estrange, firmly. "But she must have been in Danford when you left for the Soudan," Le Gendre persisted. "She might have been, but not to my know- ledge. I never met her there at all." For a moment there was dead silence between them. Then L'Estrange looked up with a resolute expression on his worn face. "I don't exactly know what you want to know," he said, quietly "but I imagine you are thinking of Miss Brooke, the lady that I was engaged to when you met my mother and sister at Schaffhausen. My mother told me that something unpleasant happened between them, but that she did not know the details. What did happen, by the bye ? I've always felt anxious to know. "I don't know myaelf," replied the Colonel, a little grudgingly. I do know, of course, that she almost scared my wife out of her wits and that I took her away from Schaffhausen at a few hours' notice in consequence." "I am sorry for it. I can't say what Miss Brooke may or may not have fancied," said L'Estrange. "It brought my enjoyment to an end as soon as I got home, or at least as soon as she broached the subject to me. I have nothing else to say on the matter. There is no account- ing for what jealousy will not make a woman believe." I suppose," said the Colonel, deliberately, "that Miss Brooke was unfortunate enough to realise the truth ? "The truth ? said L'Estrange, inquiringly. "Yes that you were in love with my wife The words dropped out one by one like molten lead, and the two men sat eyeing each other for fully half a minute. At last L'Estrange got up and as it were shook himself free of the other. Well, he said, recklessly, "and if I was, what then ? "Just this—that she is my wife 1" L'Estrange laughed out aloud. "Good Heavens, man Do you think I don't know it, that I ever forget it ? Well, she is your wife. You've got her; and are you such a cur- mudgeon that you can't even pity me ? And then he turned on his heel and went away, leaving Betty's husband standing alone. CHAPTER XXVI. WARDING OFF SUSPICION. By the time that L'Estrange had cooled down j to his normal condition of mind he had come to the conclusion that for the rest of the voyage he must as far as possible avoid all intercourse with either Le Gendre or Betty. Le Gendre's few hot words had been sufficient 1 to warn him that he knew something, though unmistakably not all. about his affair with Betty. He felt most strangely of all that he was in honour bound not to make any more unpleasant- ness, or what might possibly be more than un- pleasantness, than could be avoided for the girl he had loved-nay, whom he still loved-with the great passion of his life and he therefore cast about in his mind for some means of keep- ing himself out of her way without letting the breach be too appnrent to everyone on board. It happened that there was on board the Dover Castle a young Dutch Afrikander girl who was returning to her home in Natal after several years spent for educational reasons among her mother's people in the Netherlands. This girl, Aaltje Van Beinthoven, was ex- j tremely pretty and r very attractive, highly educated and accomplished, after the manner of Dutch girls, and L'Estrange happened to have made her acquaintance by doing her some trifling service, during the journey from London to Liverpool. To her he therefore attached himself as far as was possible. She was travelling in charge of an English clergvtnan and his wife, whose good offices on her behalf her father's agent in Liver- pool had bespoken ere the departure of the vessel. With this couple, who were alike jovial and sympathetic, L'Estrange had also made friends during the voyage, so that when he sud- denly attached himself to Miss Van Beinthoven there was nothing at all remarkable in the incident. incident. Everybody on board, excepting L'Estrange himself and Wingfield Le Gendre, was equally well-deceived and kept in the dark; and it ] would be hard to say whether Aaltje van Be in- thoren or Betty was the most thoroughly taken in by the new move. Through Betty's heart indeed, in spite of her extraordinary self- control, there rushed, when she realised that L'Estrange was shewing a more than ordinary interest in the pretty Dutch girl, a pang which might have been jealousy or love, or hate, or some other feeling of passion. Anyway, she choked it down with a firm hand and told herself that, after all, it was only natural, since she was ntarried, that L'Estrange should let his eyes stray elsewhere. And L'Estrange, without seeming to nor-ce anything or anybody else, kept all the time -u oeiur as he could to the Dutch girl's side. and I having once made up his mind that he could not be near Betty without doing her harm, was surprised to find that he had never been more I thoroughly well-entertained in his life. For Aaltje was not only bright and amusing, she was well-read and accomplished, had travelled a good deal for a school-girl, knew all that was going on in the world far more, for the matter cf that, than Betty did was always busy with something or other, either reading or doing exquisite needlework, such as would, though L'Estrange did not appear to know it, have driven Betty into the lowest depths of despair. It happened that L'Estrange was particularly keen on all questions connected with South Africa, and especially with the Transvaal, which was one of the reasons why he had chosen to go to the Cape for his trip in search of health instead of Australia, whither the great Sir Fergus Tiffany had in the fir"t instance ordered him. And so, as the two sat together on the shaded deck, they discussed all the politics of the world to which they were speeding; and he sat spellbound while she told him tales of her life before she went to civilised and decorous little Holland. "You must come up and stay with IIÇ people," she said to him with her pretty foreign accent. 2\ly father and mother love the English and will be delighted to welcome you to Beinthoven's Drift. We often used to have Englishmen, who had come out for sport, staying with us for weeks and weeks together." "But," said L'Estrange, "I don't know your people. I could not drive up to your place one day, bag and baggage, and say Please I know your daughter a little, so I've come to stay.' Aaltje Van Beinthoven laughed heartily. "No, you could hardly do that, though we've had almost the same thing happen to us before now, leaving out the daughter. But my father, and perhaps one or two of my brothers, will come down to Capetown to meet me, and I will introduce you to them and will tell them a little about you, and how you got badly wounded at Omdurman and they will shake your hand and say: You would like to sport. Come to Beinthoven's Drift and we will shew you some of the best sport in Natal.' Oh, I know, that is just what they will say." L'Estrange laughed. "I'd like to come, of course, but I shouldn't have the cheek to come unless you did happen to introduce me to your people; and I daresay when you meet them you'll be so overjoyed at seeing them again that you will forget all about me. I suppose you haven't seen any of your people since you went to Europe ? "Oh, but I have," she replied, quickly turning her blue eyes upon him in mute reproach, as if he had wronged the dear people at home by such a base insinuation. "My eldest brother went home at the time that I did. He was at Utrecht for two years. Then Paul came and my mother came with him and stayed about four months. Paul studied medicine at The Hague. Yes, he might have studied at Utrecht, but he wanted to be under a certain man who lived at The Hagne, because—well—because he wanted to know about some things more than other things. But I never saw father till last year, and then he came and stayed just two months. Father took me to Paris and Brussels and London. He bought me my watch in London." "And which did you like best ? L'Estrange asked. "London, by far. So did my father. He had never been home before. What do you say ? Did he meet my mother out there ? Out there You mean at home. Well, in a way he did. The fact was mother's two brothers went out to Natal to farm, and father happened to see mother's photograph, and he fell in love with it. So he wrote and proposed to mother. He couldn't leave to go to Holland and make her fall in love with him, because he had abso- lutely nobody that he could leave in charge, not without everything going to rack and ruin. So he begged mother to come out to him and risk things being all right when she got there. "And did she?" asked L'Estrange, greatly interested. "She didn't exactly," Aaltje admitted. "She was very doubtful. Father asked her if she would come out on a visit to her brothers and see how she liked the country. He offered to pay her passage but my grandfather would not consent to that. He said if my mother liked to be married at once and go out she could do so." "But I thought you said your father could not leave ?" said L'Estrange. "No, more he could not. Eventually, mother was married by proxy and went out to him," Aaltje replied. "Married by proxy L'Estrange repeated. "Why, of course," said she, innocently. "She could not have gone out else." But what do you mean ? "She was married in Utrecht. A man father knew, who was staying in Holland, took father's place and married mother." "And if she hadn't liked him when she saw him ? he cried. "It would have been awkward," Aaltje ad- mitted. But you see father was very handsome- he is still -and he had sent his photographs home, and he was very, very big and had a huge farm and somehow mother was just as much in love with him as he was with her." And are you the only girl ? "The only girl. And I have seven brothers. Yes, seven brothers, all big, as big as father. My mother is a tiny woman, no higher than my shoulder. I don't think "-she added, looking dreamily away over the vast expanse of glittering waters—"that she has ever known what it was to regret her courage for one single moment. "And your father ? "He adores her. He always calls her the little sea-flower,' because he first saw her looking eagerly over the side of the big ship." For a moment L'Estrange was silent. Then he spoke: Could you do that, Miss Van Beinthoven? he asked. I ? Oh, no. I have no faith. I must see. know, investigate everything. I am very material, you know. I could not love to order, as it were." "But you could love he ejaculated, more like a man thinking aloud than a person idly chatting. Yes, I could love," she said, to the very death, but"—with a quick change of tone— "only the right man only the one man, and him I could not take on trust at a chance. I should have to love first, and trust afterwards. "And to think you are going to live on as African farm, to marry, settle, sink yourself fi a new, rough world," L'Estrange begaw impetuously. Then pulled himself up short, remembering that it was not his mission in life to make this girl dissatisfied with the surround- ings in which she had been born, in which she had been partly reared, and in which, in all probability, she must live out the remainder of her days. I shall meet my fate," she said, very calmly and quietly. There was a strange, faraway, intense look of earnestness in her face which made L'Estrange jump up with a feeling of complete relief, as the bell for luncheon rang out. He wanted to change the conversation, the solemn, almost fatalistic feeling that was fast creeping over him, and the clang of the great bell came float- ing in the air with welcome cheerfulness. They went towards the saloon together, meeting just at the door with the Le Gendres. L'Estrange met the full gaze of Betty's solemn eyes as she followed her husband, and smiled at her. "Good-morning, Mrs. Le Gendre," he said. "They say we shall be in within forty-eight hours. Are you in the sweepstakes ? "No. I hate belting on anything," she replied. "Wing is. though; but 1 tell him he is sure not to win." "Somebody must win," said L'Estrange, am they parted at the foot of the table nearest to the door. Yes. Somebody must win. The words echoed through his heart as he seated himself beside Aaltje Van Beinthoven and watched slender Betty, with her dignified little head all running over with waves of rich brown hair, pass along to her place. And in his case some- body had won but it was not Victor L'Estrange, alns it was not Victor L'sEtrange. lie turned with a start to speak in reply to 1 tho Dutch girl. "Do you know, I didn't hear what you said," he said, gently. "I was look- ing fit someone and thinking of something else. Te]! vie again, please." 1 only asked what hotel you were going to ats ar," she said, s-niling up at him. .— smiled back at her, little thinking that Bc-'ty, i., her distant seat, caught the two smile. an I ■ tcr own construction upon them. V'i-t hotel ? 1 m sure I don't know. Somebody said the Grand wa.s the best." I "Well, it is in a way, but for you the Vine- yards would be the most eomfortable. Re- .nember, you are not very strong. You would I find the Vineyards far mere suitable to you than any other it's cooler there than in the town and-and-" "Where do your people stay ? L'Estrange inquired. "We always go to the Vin/iyards," said she. "Then," said L'Estrange, with decision, "I shall go to the Vineyards also." "In that case you cannot uiss making friends with father and the boys," she said, with a gay laugh, for I shall tell them to ask Mr. and Mrs. Hardy and you to dine at our table this evening. Besides, you will meet them when they come on board." I shall look out for them with interest," said L'Estrange." "Will you? Why?" "After hearing your father's romantic story," he replied, smiling. "Ah, you will understand when you see him, "d still better when you see my mother," said she, smiling in sympathy with his. And it was, indeed, with the very keenest interest that L'Estrange, when the big ship had come to a standstill and all the tenders came fussing alongside of her bringing shoals of powpie all as gay and excited as if they were going to a picnic, found himself eagerly looking out for the men-folk of pretty Aaltje Van Beinthoven. There was no mistaking them when they came—a huge man, bearded almost to his eyes, followed by two big sons as like him as they well could be save that, like Aaltje, they were blonde of complexion, and, unlike their father, they were both clean shaven. The little Dutch girl seemed to disappear for a few minutes, but at last she shook her brothers off and took her father by the hand. I want to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Hardy, she said, indicating the parson and his wife with her other hand. "Mr. Robinson at Liverpool spoke to them about me and asked them to be good to me, and they have been good. They are going on to Durban, and you must ask them to spend the time before they start with us at the Vineyards." Mr. Van Beinthoven swept off his hat and endorsed his daughter's invitation with a hospitable readiness that there was no refusing, and Aaltje, pressing her father's arm, made him turn towards L'Estrange. "And this is Mr. L'Estrange," she said. "He is going to the Vineyards before he goes further up country. He is going to join our table to-night." "Sir," said Mr. Van Beinthoven. "I am delighted to meet you," and then he and his big sons all shook hands with L'Estrange with a mighty grip such as left him in no doubt as to the heartiness of their intentions towards him. Gradually the big ship disgorged herself of passengers and baggage, and the greater part of the world flocked out to the charming Vine- yards Hotel, where the very first person L'Estrange saw when he entered the dining- room that evening was the Le Gendres seated at a little table by themselves. The party, of whom he made the seventh, were quite near to the fierce Colonel and his grave-looking young wife, who was as completely taken in by L'Estrange's manner to Miss Van Beinthovea as he intended her husband to be. It was not, however, until quite late the following evening that i e had the chance of a word with her. Then he suddenly came upon her resting in the great hall alone. "When are you going on?" he asked, abruptly. "I don't know. We are waiting here for orders. My husband thinks it will be Pieter- maritzburg," she replied. "So—well, I mayn't have the chance of speaking to you again. I've kept out of your way pretty well since I found your husband was-well, inclined to be suspicious of me. But, remember, if ever I can do anything to serve you, I'm at your service. Gc^Kl-byo, my lost little darling, good-bye." (To be continued. )
THE MIDWIVES' BILL.
THE MIDWIVES' BILL. It is the opinion of "The Hospital" that the passage of the Midwives' Bill, with only in- considerable amendments, through the Stan- ding Committee on Law of the House of Commons, renders it extremely likely that its progress towards the statute book will not be subjected to any serious interruption, and that the year 1903 will find the women of this country in a position to distinguish, if they wish to do so, between midwives who have received instruction and those who have not. It is satisfactory to find that such thoroughly representative members of the medical profession as Sir Walter and Sir Michael Foster, and Sir John Batty Tuke, took active parts in the discussions in the Committee; and also that, by the admission of Mr. Heywood Johnstone, who had charge of the Bill, it is to be regarded as somewhat tentative in its character, and, as such to be open to amendment whenever sufficient experience of its working has been obtained.
THE BRUTALITY OF RABBIT COURSING.
THE BRUTALITY OF RABBIT COURSING. It is pleasant to be able to welcome a re- vival of the spasmodic attempts which are made every now and then to effect the quietus of rabbit coursing, a recreation of a certain portion of the community which it is a gross libel upon sport to refer to as such. What fun or pleasure there can be in laying terriers on to bagged rabbits unden any circumstances it is difficult to see, but when the wretched rabbits are so suffering from their previous close confinement as to be too stiff to run, and are so scared by their unfamiliar sur- roundings and the noise of the spectators as to become unable to avail themselves of the slender prospects of escape afforded them, the "sport" degenerates into sheer massacre, and it is difficult to comprehend how any self-respecting person can defend it. Of course, the proceedings at some rabbit coursing meetings are conducted upon less offensive principles than others, but it is amazing to find such practices permitted in a country where bull-baiting, cock-fight- ing, and rat-killing in pits are prohibited. and it is a slur upon the good name of the fox-terrier that the breed should be associ- ated with rabbit coursing. If, therefore, the dog-owning community were to interest themselves in the matter, and communicate with the Parliamentary representatives of their districts with the object of seeking their assistance, the last would soon be heard of practices which disgrace the dog world almost a5 much as those who take an active part in a most deplorable burlesque on sport.- "Country Life."
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[No title]
The eleventh annual delegate meeting of the National Amalgamated Union of Shop Assistants, Warehousemen, and Clerks (or the "Shop Assistants' Parliament") will be held at Rutherford College, Newcastle-on- Tyne, on Easter Sunday and Monday next, commenciong at 10 a.m. In addition to the business relating to the organisation, there < will be submitted a number of important resolutions on "Minimum Wage," "Direct Lubour Representation," "The Shops' Bill." "Compulsory Arbitration," "Sunday Trad- ing," "Overtime," "Living-in," and other matters.
ITHE RIGHT HON. LORD KELVIN,
THE RIGHT HON. LORD KELVIN, THE DOYEN OF THE WORLD'S SCIENTISTS. Scientifically, the Twentieth Century has opened remarkably well. Its first year saw the perfecting and triumph of M. Santos- Dumont's airship; the second will doubtless see the turning into practical use of Signor Marconi's system of wireless telegraphy. The extraordinary thing about the latter is that it should have been left to an Italian to invent at all, for it is certain that it was predicted by Lord Kelvin quite a generation I before Signor Marconi's name was heard of. And, indeed, Signor Marconi has himself II stated that after the idea first came to him that the discovery of Hertz might be applied to communication over great distances, he was deterred from experimenting himself by the thought that the same idea must surely I have occurred to one or two of the great | scientists in this country, notably Sir Wm. I Druce <y Lord Kelvin, who were themselves [ experimenting with Hertz's discoveries. Marconi waited for more than a year watch- I ing for the announcement of a system of wireless telegraphy by Hertzian waves. But none came, and so at last he began his ex- periments, with the results known to the none came, and so at last he began his ex- periments, with the results known to the world. Lord Kelvin long ago prophesied the I perfecting of Marconi's system, although it is doubtful whether he ever expected to live to see it; and considering what the veteran Glaswegian professor has done for electrio J and ocean telegraphy, it is really remarkable that he should have left what he saw to be inevitable to be introduced by a young Italian. If he lives till Coronation week, Lord Kel- vin will be 78 years of age, and among his many distinctions is the fact that he has held a University chair for a longer consecu- tive period than any professor now living. In 1846, he accepted a Natural Philosophy in the University of Glasgow, and he has continued to lecture there ever since. Many generations of students have passed through his hands, and all of them have left their alma-mater as practical men of science, while many of his "boys" have attained dis- tinction in many parts of the world. It is said, however, that Lord Kelvin is by no means an ideal pedagogue but, doubtless, that arises from the difficulty one so sur- passingly eminent in his work experiences in stooping to the level of the pupil. A man of half his mathematical and scientific genius would probably make a better teacher, be- cause the difference in the respective levels of toaster and disciple would not be so ob- vious. The fact is Lord Kelvin has a ten- dency to lecture over the heads of his class, and when to this he adds a wreath of tech- mical and obscure words only to be found in scientific treatises, the unthinking youths have a tendency to cheer and bang the tables in a somewhat disrespectful manner, Low- lander vieing with Highlander in creating disorder. This reminds the professor that he j? lecturing to the assembled mathema- ticians of Europe, ia whom his harangue might be understandable, and he then de- scends once more from the transcendental heights to the limited scope of the class- room. The Victorian era has often been, and always will be, described as the most glorious period in the world's history. When the young daughter of the Duke of Kent ascended the Throne of England in 1837, Europe had juSt begun to emerge from the black ignor- ance of slothful apathy of the middle ages. The changes which have transmogrified the peoples, and the conditions of life from the primitive state of sixty or seventy years ago, are not to be grasped in a moment by the generation now in its over-educated teens. When young Thompson (for that was Lord Kelvin's name) left his native Isle of Erin for the shores of Scotland, in 1830, most of the great forces which have borne progress and social enlightenment on their wings were unknown. Steam was in its infancy, and the coach-horn made merry the high- ways of Old England from morn till night. The carriages without horses of Mother Shipton's prophesy, were not much more than a vision to millions of the people, and, as for the telegraph, the telephone, and the two-penny tube—well, they hadn't advanced even to the extent of being a vision. But in this glorious Coronation year the people live in a perpetual blare of social and educa- tional sunshine compared with their grand- fathers of seventy years ago. And where are all the men who have brought these incalculable blessings to man- kind, and have made life in the Twentieth Century worth living? They have nearly all gone; true, their footprints are sunk deep and inerradicably in the sands of time, but their good works, and their effigies in West- minster Abbey and elsewhere are all that is left of them. Of all the universal benefac- tors whom Queen Victoria loved to honour, she left behind her only as many as can be counted upon the fingers of one hand. Not the least conspicuous of these is Lord Kelvin, who gave us the great ocean cable of 1866. Lord Avebury, the founder of Bank Holi- I days, is another grand old man of the Vic- torian era still left among us; and Lord Lis- ter, the inventor of the antiseptic treatment in surgery, is another. For most of the bles- sings given to us during Queen Victoria's reign we have to thank the hallowed dead. It has been said of Lord Kelvin, and per- haps with more truth than wit, that he 'dreams in currents," and that the wonders of the nocturnal hours of other men are to him the merest commonplaces. As far back as memory will carry him. Lord Kelvin has been surrounded when in the sweet privacy of his sanctum, with bottles and batteries, cruicibles and retorts, and all the armoury of the scientific chemist. It would be im- possible here to go through the entire list of the wonderful results which have grown from his experiments, so it must suffice to hint a few of the more important of them. An exceedingly simple (that is, when found out) and beautiful discovery of his effected a complete revolution in the whole system of sub-marine telegraphy shortly after the first cables had completely failed. William Thomson stepped in just at the right mo- ment, with an invention of his for receiving and recording an electric message automati- cally. These instruments were of such a de- licate character that they could be worked at very low pressure. The result was less wear, less tear, less error, and less expense. These instruments are known as Thomson's Mirror Receiver and Thomson's Syphon Recorder to this day. Having now got thor- oughly on the track of sub-marine tele- graphy, he set to work to experiment so as to discover dodges for overcoming the chief difficulties in connec^on with the laying of sub-marine cables. He accompanies the party of prospectors and engineers who went out in the Great Eastern, to make another attempt to lay a permanent cable between England and America, and it was to his in- ventive skill that the success of the work was mainly due. His discoveries constituted what became known as "Thomson's Law," by which all the sub-marine cables of the earth are ruled to this day. Lord Kelvin's work in connection with the Atlantic cables has been an untold blessing to every nation in Europe, and the most important univer- sities and scientific bodies on the Continent and in the United Kingdom hastened to in- scribe his name upon their rolls of member- ship. England, of course, was foremost in the struggle to decorate him, and when he stepped ashore from the Great Eastern, on his return from the successful laying of the Atlantic cable, the Lord Lieutenant of Ire- land created him a knight, the Emperor of Germany, the King of the Belgians, and the Presidents of France and Brazil also decor- ated him with orders, and the proud citizens of his beloved Glasgow hastened to offer him the freedom of tfQ second city of the Empire. The Royal Society of London has presented him with the "Capley" and the "Royal" medals, and has had him for its president for five years. The Institut de France has presented him with their "Prix Poncelet" (2,000 francs), and the Arago medal, and chief among his other decorations is the Helmhotz medal from Germany. He has been four times elected President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, which has also presented him with its "Keith" medal, so that were Lord Kelvin's numerous souvenirs of the esteem in which he is held in the scientific world made to be worn, he would appear when decorated with them, as gallant as a Roberts or Kitchener in review order. Perhaps Lord Kelvin's next most impor- tant invention is his improved compass, for which many thousands of s-torm-beaten and fog-bound mariners have had cause to bless '1 him. The old mariners' compass was liable to error owing to the influence on the mag- netic needle on the iron in the ship. An 81-ton gun, for instance, if placed anywhere in the neighbourhood of the compass would be quite enough to cause it to deviate very considerably from the north. In short, when the captain imagined that the needle was pointing to the Pole, as a well-regulated needle should, it would be merely setting towards the gun. The difficulty of navigat- ing, and the perils of the deep were neces- sarily increased by this chance of error. Lord Kelvin finally succeeded in inventing an improved compass which has been gener- ally adopted by the Royal Navy and the commercial marine. Persons whose business it is to take soundings in deep seas have to thank him for suggesting the use of piano wire instead of chain cable, and electricians owe to him the mirrow galvanometer, which is the most perfect instrument for measuring the force of the electric current. Mariners of the deep are also under obligation to Lord Kelvin for "Thomson's Tables." which assist them in finding the position of their ships on the high seas. Anyone who wants to know what will be the height of the tide at given parts of the Globe at future dates have only to make use of the machine which he has invented for that purpose. Naturally, it will be con- cluded that Lord Kelvin must be as ex- cellent a sailor as he is a University don, and this is testified to by the fact that the Royal Yacht Squadron, an extremely exclusive body (which has not yet even offered its membership even to Sir Thomas Lipton, that most stalwart of yachtsmen), has long been proud to call Lord Kelvin a member, and, of course, there is no man in the club with a finer knowledge of navigating or seafaring matter than he. Incidentally" it may be mentioned, as the boat race is being rowed at the hour of writing, tliat Dot only was Lord Kelvin one of the most distinguished men at Cambridge during his day, but along- side the great feat of attaining to a second wrangler ship, he rowed in the Cambridge boat, and licked Oxford at Putney, and he also carried off the "silver skulls." FMEDK. ANNESLEY.
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Mr. Quin introduced in the Manx House of Keys a bill for the abolition of tied public- houses. Mr. Cowell, member for Douglas, contended that the measure was impractic- able, and doubted if it would be in the in- terests of temperance. The bill was passed, no division being challenged. Lord Francis Hope was on Friday granted a decree nisi of divorce on account of the adultery of his wife, the actress, May Yohe, J with Colonel P. B. Strong, of the New York Militia, whom petitioner and respondent met when they were travelling round ihr J world in 1900..
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LITERARY BUREAU.
LITERARY BUREAU. It is often asserted that Elis Wynn, the author of "Bardd Owsc," is greatly indebted for the ideas which he has in his "Visions of the. Sleeping Bard" to Quevedo's works. Mr. Owen M. Edwards, M.A., in the current number of "Cymru," states that he does not think Elis Wynn is more inbebted to Que- vedo than William Shakespeare is to Holin- shed or Plutarch. Two new works relating to Welsh local history, both popularly written and co- piously illustrated, are shortly to be issued. One is entitled, "Walks and Wanderings in County Cardigan," and is intended by the author, Mr. E. R. Horsfall-Turner, of Llan- idloes, as a modern substitute for Meyrick's history of the county. The other work is "Old Llanelly," by Mr. John Innes, of that town. The authoress of the new novel called "The Power of the Past" is Daisy Hugh Pryce. She is the eldest daughter of the late Rev. Hugh Pryce, rector of Llanfairynghornwy, and niece of the Deans of Bangor and St. Asaph. Her younger sister wrote the story of "John Jones, Curate," and a most interesting story it is, too. "Would Old-age Pensions be Useless?"— The new edition of Mr. R. S. Rowntree's "Poverty: A Study of Town Life," is being published this week by Messrs. Macmillan, and contains, among other fresh matter, an important chapter on "The Probable Effect of Old-age Pensions upon Poverty." Mr. Rowntree's conclusions on this subject will probably excite as much attention as did the more general aspects of his book when it appeared last November. By means of sta- tistics drawn from an investigation of the economic conditions of many thousands of families, the author shows that poverty in general would only be relieved in an infini- tesimal degree by the granting of universal pensions after, say, 65 years of age; and that it is upon the children, not the old folk, of the working classes that poverty falls most cruelly. This startling conclusion may be challenged; but, evidently if established, it will seriously modify certain lines of social reform agitation. In "The Lark o' the Moon," Itfs new novel just published by Messrs. Macmillan, Mr. Crockett returns to the personages of his early success, "The Raiders," and carries on the fortunes of the next generation. These are involved in the outbreak of the "Level- ers," a Galloway agrarian insurrection, which is supported by the wild gipsies with Hector Faa, Silver Sand's brother, at their head; and the last chapter tells the end of the chief of the Romany. HMacmillan's Magazine" for April opens with "A Path in the Great Waters," by Mr. W. J. Fletcher, which depicts, in the form of a story, some of the conditions of life in our Navy in the early years of the nineteenth century. The Hon. J. W. Forteefue has a paper entitled "St. Lucia, 1778," describing the measures taken by the British to protect the West Indies in those troublous times; Mr. Lewis F. Day writes on "Art and Life"; Mr. B. N. Llangdon-Davis, in "Novels with a Moral," takes, for his purpose, a survey of the novel over the whole period of Eng- lish Literature; "Number Five" in "Slaves of the Oar" attempts to describe the fascina- tion exercised by rowing over its devotees; and "The Chinaman" is a complete story by Mr. Rojbin Roscoe. The number contains three contributions in verse: An "Ode to Japan" by Mr. Arthur Christopher Benson,a two-page poem; "Primrose Day" (anony- mous) and "King Drought," by Mr. Will H. Ogilvie. Messrs. Thos. Forman and Sons have favoured us with a copy of their chromo- lithographed plate, "Their Most Gracious Majesties King Edward VII. and Queen Alexandra, in Coronation Robes of State." This plate, which has been prepared in view of the approaching Coronation Ceremony in June next, is a re-production of a picture which was specially painted for the purpose by Messrs. Layfette, Ltd., New Bond-street, London, and which was submitted by com- mand to the King, and received his Majesty's most gracious approval. Their Majesties are represented in full Coronation robes of crimson velvet and ermine, and wear the orders anfcl decorations peculiar to their exalted position. His Majesty wears the in- signia of the Order of the Garter, and of four other Orders, viz., the Thistle, St. Pat- rick, the Bath, and St. Michael. and St. George. Queen Alexandra, seated in a chair of state, crowned, and adorned with a neck- lace of precious stones and other ornaments, displays the Star and Ribbon of the Order of the Garter. The size, 40 x 30, makes it specially suitable for the decoration of school-rooms and other places at the time of the Coronation. The plate is published at 2s. 6d. each, which is an exceedingly low price, considering the excellence of the pro- duction. The April number of the "Windsor Maga- zine" is a splendid Spring issue, well up to the best level of the recent special numbers. It contains the second of Mr. Richard Hard- ing Davis's unique sensation story, which carries the extraordinary plot of "In the Fog" a stage nearer to its "denouement," though what that can be exactly is not yet to be foreseen. Then there is a stirring story of the South Afrcan veldt in Guy Boothby's happiest vein, a nautical yarn of South Polar exploration by Hamilton Drum- mond, the new "Tale of the Stumps" for cricketers, and many other specially attrac- tive fictional items, including, of course, the latest triumph of Mr. Cntcliffe Hyne's re- doubtable "Thompson." The latest score of that most popular heiio is one of the raciest bits of reading in the whole series. In the domain of fact, Mr. Ernest Williams con- tributes a trenchant article, on a subject of arresting importance, under the title of "Our National Peril," and a timely article on the approaching Shakespeare Festival forms an opportunity for a number of finely repro- ducpcl pictures of famous actors in Shakes- peuan "roles"—a very notable portrait gal- lery. Finely illustrated treatment of such varied subjects as "The Mending of Atlantic Cables," "Water Divining," and "The Foot- ball League must not be overlooked; and the new features of the Editor's Scrap-Book, including some racy, short articles by new humorists of real quality, add to wonder- ful value of this bumper issue. A new volume on the "History of the Eng- lish Church," edited for Messrs. Macmillan by the Dean of Winchester, is now ready. This is the history of the Church in the 16th century, from the accession of Henry VIII. to the death of Mary, written by Dr. James Gardiner. Needless to say, this volume, covering as it does the transition period from i the allegiance to Rome, and the formulation 11 of (M.stinctive liturgies under Edward VI., is of the highest interest in view of the present critical discussions in the Church. Messrs. Macmillan will publish shortly a translation of Ostwald's "Principles of In- organic Chemistry." This important work, issued about a year ago, is regarded by Ost- wald as the coping-stone of his work, and he has revised throughout the proofs of the translation made by Dr. A. F. Findlay, in which such mistakes as had crept into the German edition have been corrected. The next volume of Messrs. Macmillan's "Highways and Byways" series will deal with Hertfordshire. It is written by Mr. Herbert Tompkins, F.S.A., who possesses a very minute knowledge of the localities and of the history and tradition connected with them, as well as a keen sense of the county's peculiar charm. The book should bring home to Londoners how much unspoilt scen- ery—wood, river, and lane full of bird-life- I is still accessible scarcely more than a day's walk from St. Paul's. The illustrations, by Mr. Frederick L. Griggs, do full justice both ii i coun^'s architecture and landscape in all their varied phases. Messrs. Macmjllan have issued a separate edition ofl Chaucer "Canterbury Tales," printed from the plates of the Globe volume, 01-JIV P^Per. The book is in length and width the size of a Globe Shakspeare, in thickness about a quarter of an inch. It is, therefore .admirably suited to the ordinary pocket.
EARLY NIGHTINGALES ON PAPER.
EARLY NIGHTINGALES ON PAPER. Cuckoos and nightingales always appear in the daily papers much earlier than any- where else. The fact is not recorded in scientific works on ornithology; but the ex- planation is simple. Half of the people who hear a song-thrush" singing in the dusk are ready to believe that it is a nightingale, and two persons, listening together, quickly con- firm each other's belief into certainty; for, unless you really know the nightingale's music, the mistake is quite excusable, be. cause the syllable "jug," which is ordinarily used to express the nightingale's character- istio note, applies equally well to one of the best that the song-thrush utters. The very early cuckoo, on the other hand, is usually a boy on a gate who is employed to keep the rooks from the sown fields, and gives vent to the "spring-like" feeling bubbling up within him by anticipating the cuckoo's cry. Two neighbours (so I am told) once came home to their respective families and reported very early cuckoos, which they had separately heard. Notes as to locality were subse- quently compared, and it "transpired," aa the newspaper would say, that they must have heard the same bird. Each of them, moreover, had made it answer repeatedly by imitating its call, although at each response the bird went further and further away. The only difference between their experiences was that while one had heard the bird call and answered it, the other had the good fortune to discover the cuckoo's presence by happening to imitate the call (feeling spring-like," no doubt, like the boy on the gate), and the bird immediately replied. It was, he said, only just on the other side of the coppice which divided the two neigh- bours' grounds. At this point light broke in They had both walked down their respective sides of the widening coppice, "cuckooing" to each other! But by that time the very early cuckoo was past recall. It had found its way into "the papers," and perhaps still constitutes the "record" for the neighbour- hood. A cuckoo, probably of this species, was recorded as ea.rly as February 18th by the London Press two years ago, but I live in hopes of hearing the bird so early as that. —E.K.R., in "Country Life."
I REMARKABLE MOVEMENTS OF…
I REMARKABLE MOVEMENTS OF SKY- LARKS. Writing in the current "Knowledge" on Mr. Eagle Clarke's summaries of the migra- tional movements in the British Islands of the skylark and the swallow, Mr. Harry F. Witherby makes the following observations:" "Though a considerable number of skylarks leave us in autumn, their departure does not materially affect the abundance of the species, since prodigious numbers, from Central and Northern Europe, eome to win- ter here. Indeed,, so vast are these numbers that in November, when most of the migra- tion has ceased, our skylark population is undoubtedly at its maximum. It must be remembered, however, that at this time cold and want of food has not decimated them, and the skylark being regularly double- brooded, and often rearing even three broods in the season, increases in numbers in a marked degree in autumn from this cause, ine immigration of skylarks to the British islands from Central Europe in the autumn is one of the most remarkable movements Connected with the migrations of this bird, or, perhaps, of any other British bird. It has been laid down as a principle of migra- tion, that birds invariably move southward in autumn and northward in winter, but in this migration of the skylark from Central Europe the birds proceed westward and possibly northward from their breeding grounds to reach their winter quarters. This immigration begins usually at the end of September, reaches enormous proportions in October, and practically ceases at the begin- ning of November. The birds strike our east coast in extended formation, reaching from the Humber, and even the Tees, to the south coast. Some idea ot the magnifude of this influx may be gathered from the fact that in four years out of the eight covered' by the enquiry, skylarks were observed to. arrive by this route on over twenty days in each October. An interesting fact in connec- tion with the immigration from Central Europe. is, that the passage across the North Sea is invariably performed in the day-time, the birds arriving from dawn until noon. Mr. Clarke does not make it quite clear whether the whole journey is sometimes performed in daylight or not, but since all important migrations are begun in the evening it seems that these birds have been travelling alL night. Sometimes, however, they do not arriye before 3 p.m., and then the very remarkable, but not very uncom- mon, spectacle may be witnessed of two streams of birds of the same specie.s migra- ting in opposite directions. For at this time in the afternoon our home-bred sky- lark, are starting on their journey to their winter quarters on the Continent, and their line of flight is actually crossed by the sky. larks coming from Central Europe."
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Ogdens' Tobaeco Company have promptly replied (says the Central News) to the bonus offer of the Imperial Company, and the Americans have made a sensational bid for British retail support. They notify their intention to give to customers the entire net profit, and also £ 200,000 per annum for the next four years. The Imperial Com- pany's offer is a certain bonus and JE50,000 Iwr annum in cash. During the past two days Ogdens h'&ve despatched oiver 10,000 telegrams.
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