The South Wales Daily Post

-4. PARLOUR COMEDY. 4& A-JL The Counter Flavin Aadorni was chixming, Iterenty-eight years of age 10,000 lire of in- i«oiae as her dowry, md sh« did not take a (feasbend Everv now and then she refused 'OOP- Count,e-* Fiavia rt «i a great deal, ?Lc ipv&ntfed ttie fj»<tiioiis which tie elegant woieaai imitated, she jfeki not attend tir«t repr- v litotioTki at the theatre, bet preferred ••cood p«nonrtaflr«s she did not (»*(-, for (feasbend Everv now and then she refused unte4; Fiavia rt «i a great neal, be ipv&ntfed ttie fj»<tiioiis which tie elegant woieaai imitated, she jfeki not attend tir«t repr- v litotioTki at the theatre, bet preferred ••cood p«nonrtaflr«s she did not (2a.r for f pctArr. did uoi use pains or powder, never was fll. journeved vtxy often, allowed herself t **». courted wp to a certain limit, never poutios liked tht conversation of better than th-u'5 oi womtn, iiad grey I i#jws» dirk eot.iplexi'i'v. -irei brown ba-ir. k Thasafore. siie was ceiled—ri;ftH,ly or k Thasafore. siie was ceiled—ri;ftH,ly or JVt'OIijÇly--I Lave nothing to say about tiiati — -a woaian of ê¡rit. j ? Th* M aromas Ernesto Carata thirty-two I jretirs frM, Had a hu-ndsonw head, with "I L lawsv Mond mane, a short, aristocratic- | *wnv beard, 60 000 hr, 0f income and not h s%fn of a wife. Ho pai,t court to ai! 'lit :1' J 1f'¡.t a certain graceful nondiaianc?. j| <jar:e»d while others were playing cards, did ft »»* cultivate the acquaintance of the eoi os J. & ballet. drove bis hordes himself, did not j £ "*ea.r flower in hi? buttonhole, did nc t I r flower in hi" buttonhole, did nc t j gMironise the fine art, aid not care for music. Oont money to his intimate friends, did not 'Piti' to be elected deputy to Rome. i-o ed ,j„ -the mountains like a platonic member of the ,i -Alpine dlJb. h&d no J,rt" iry proclivipes never wrote love letters, is alwavs in love, r* never in love, L. -.btly or wror.giy Hmesto Ca-raf^ w*ks caliv u a mart of esprit. These two exceptions I beings bsgan, vuaturaulv. like oth" their -!ko aajntHnee. •gopae friend of FJavi-i said to her: iliai "C-arafa is realiv a brilliant man; wbv iou have "him present«vi to you?' And rnesto'a friends Do vol' know the Countess 1 Afiaoritii A brilliant woman. nv dear jfcUow." And this thrice four tiines,'twenty} -tinies, ao ttat Flavia was bored c-nd Ki-nesto annoyed bv it. They tutw each other on | jMogienjj^e, and looked at each other with (ed curiosity rk(, two rare be-ts-s tit Coontess dieepvsred nothing extracr- ^jftary. aid the M-tniuoss shrugged his «^K>ukiKTS jor the Wile re,\sOH. Ujw evnuntr at the-. &.u CArk. the i,-tar, iui-" 4%" pct«ent»td to tfio eountess, in her tw, bv a friend. Few ods w-re exehaugod, ar> 1 those of the «inn>!est, of the kind that are not in the vocabulary of people of esprit. ISflaestp went pny w on, miling ronioativ -upon nmiufacvured f and Fiavia if sha must add another name to the category of focJish a n,.t useless brings alren/iy so large among her ;ieq mi intances. So wlien tfcev met—at the theatre, in society, at festivals, on th* prooaenade—t-hev ex-^hanged A ratJier disdainful how, without ^ekiog to ^pproadi each other or to become better .acqu, ti-u* <«hanc«—that, far from ing a person I d. it, has obstinacies which are ouitei stirpia—made them meet and rermin near each other, tierloree. ?t t<lie mam-tgo of a of Flana. ".rith » frienri of fjrno,<fc(i Hfcaisraoil thdDiaelves to endure e|oh •Otjier mntuarflv. Each one thought now to -sustain the eh^r^ter attributed to her and tM ixim- in not t-o make a, poor figure; and Chere enswed a o-,nnver"tion of paradoxes, ivtorfe*, bizarre CJ (xl. JtlLS »V ?.l S slu- I jendous absurdities, .a ihupky of (iusvr rks tliat endei bv b^wiltiering the two pyro-I te-Sanaiaiis aod pitting tbem into a state cf «rv«isae» fi>r<*ign to their hy.bifcs. Wiuit 't » and diw^r&eahla una! but I kept Bp .vith him," said Fkvia when she was siona. "A wittv and (Msagreeable woman i cut I was not left behind her," .uurmured I tba Tn&rTaess;. Yet tlve marquess n.jit with OO}e fre- ■^Tieiifly to the Louse of the countess, and the counter received him v ;h polite ^ordi*lhr. Both perofttved thl't tl. pe.»ple ,Mud thep. enjoyed the relations that united the most wlttv ffiië. and woman in tha citv; 1.Ly .œiv"l th« slight smiles, the cu-irus Jdttentiou, with which others sought to take part ia thair collating; the care with which wo* reported n witti(S»i said by Fiavia to 3Eraesto, or vjoe wm in short, tit. > per- J ceived that ther weie treated hv t,;te public i B8 staf actors. YV tro they conscious uf pk. v- *»,« » f*rt or of faking truth? That fr cårk point which I shall not illumi- A¡¡,t. but -1 7 ttat the little comedy continued. record with I.ive",am- nnet much interest. B-loagin^ h. rhe far from nurne- IDt ohm of teiliiant peop-c, the two sought rto do precisely tho opposite of whatever all ¡4tJlk "titers did. Ef"-Rto had at the vuy t1r,.t declared! that he would never, never pay court to • «e oomntem. st)d the countess iiad addtd that she forbade him to fail in love with J her, which is quite the reverse of paving1 ,.Court. E."Ue-tf) never sent flowers to via ioiIM1 she never asked him for contiden as t* cugtonmwy bet ween fnVnds. The marquess .7. never felt h D oblige to praiae the Anui'gfmen^ the hair, the ev*»s, or the 0 £ m^t of the counts, and th. counter avoided speaking of him whh her friends. On tbt snbieci of love they wero in accord • tl tv #r«k» eqmllv ill and well of it, skimming the topic light.lv, of course making wdti- octw. Upon matrimony it was the liinie. • T^Sv never b?c<wi8 tender, n.^ver weTe meVn- Choly or pensive. They always feared" to «ntiment after the manner of the crowd 1 bay never hazarded artistic discussions,! never discoursed of poetry. All r?-adv-ma.ie phr»/»es were ban.aued—«111 ijonventioaaaj.ros. axioms, sentence. C. ,a4gsic quotations, lines of poetry, newspaper diction, v.' 'ii^\Ta't\ ev-rv',y1^y i"t-;>eat^ because everv- oedy has rv^ar. l,y saving tliem. I do not *#f piovwrbr- they wei- rigorou^iy pro- At first_ for awhile th-v amused by c:t:ng proverlc- upside do^-n, •* the oosft of causing a uhudeke to the mighty 8r.lon>mt and all other ccdleotovs of proverbial philosophy: out it wua a lest- that sooa be- came common «nd they let it go. Th-' x>»a>iutt8 was aJwavs upon gu-rd. fearing to see a smfls of scorn appear upon the beautiful mouth of the counter tot some involuntary offanoe against esprit on his part. And, on i»iUi other hand the counte;ss was wary as to her words, blushing to be caught in a moment of weakness in which she should Tesemwc too m-udh any other woman. nut bv too craat subservience to tlieir wintation, Fiavia and Ei'nesto began to I btcooie rather tirwomf.that is to say, not to themselves, but toO the peoole who fr-, g qaented them. It ia natural that brill ianr- | have manv exactions, it is natural i> iv 'jV6 a hfe different, from that of tt.at they live a hfe different, from that of th« multitude. For example, when they met » ^rrHSto saluted the counted and st><jSe vriifcn her for on« moment, then took ft irfctlo tun, a.n-1 came back to say something to tier without even stoppn^ long, aut re- taming often, and people around mid that M was right to ao so. heciu:^e she alore v ucder^t%nd him. Thev frwiufcatl'v t together for the same reason—and thi> s ether amnirers of the w-;y counted were t left badjv off, dasappo nte<l of tihe na/urki or quadrille hoped for in vain. When Fbvrt went awav the marquess abt.-it roonu for j, httlt while longer with a bored! j #If; DU. on his overcoat and departed j cccause he had no iongei' invone to talk v-ith. At the theatre Emexto remained mtic-li longer tkm was his duty her box, for it v; vary common to make ;h.nt visits to ladies If some poor mortal, in forn. of a <bik youth t dress coat, rnarnorea.'ly poitshed" jhut front, and the relative crush hat. presented -.JiunseH to the Counfcvss Fiavia—^f tina un- >V.p|»y, but contempt;bio young ilall dared V'-nture the eugtomary compliments—aa iTn- pertinent litfc}*> kugh stirred the lips of the jv-v<rqufcss and a catting reply came from the Tf?f m>:¡th of the c<-»uutess. The result was ths precipitate flight of the young man. Tl:erc was a rumour that, the V-arqness Krttf 2to had paid assiduous court to the young SBncbws Ce»ra (i.-ilbi^u, a v^ry !>eauuful v-mng womun. tall, with sta^ue^que outlines, grnat JcBOBiap exes long goi-den hair, a ^iijwer of womanhood, but. a the way of ifi^iligftnc:. a !l'ÜOS of the ingenious and con^ientioas sort: well, it vf.-m supposed that thb Countess Flaria had exploded than one epigram at the for he 'traseii to hover around the Duchess Ces;M. Assin, the corn teas and marouess had re- vrved to then-elvee the pnviitje of many, *try, ffkany strange ideas, which they never failed 1e |^ni in to e^eeution When all tiie stevwn of carciag-'s was at the Rivien rli ÐMAi Ttavia midr hers turn by the comerr oi Pi^iigotta and go bv the Gorso Vitrorio Kl: ^xr,ftpl; Kr'r^sto <ic_?cri he^J a circle, went bv v,al of tfec Toledo and the SaJvator Rosa and to Tar-^t her. In the wintar seaeon, in mfist (;f t#»e j.«3, fj st'V9 Is, balls, fWf .way ali alone to Sorrerrto, and three <h*9 T?rr;csrto appeared there, bored IV Vh» Crvty. tr fir?* Fiavia had a recep- three <h*9 T?rr;csrto appeared there, bored bw q- Crvty. tr tir a-via had a recep- ilta Juy, fc^en i ill tIp, ot,iaw women, her- f ri-Inds, W w% and heeauee tke majiqueas made fun of day*. The marquess had lost his inveterate hibit of going to hunt every year in Calabria. So, little by little, a certain isolation was made around them the world confessed aloud that in those two was contained the entire wit of Naples, but added, eotto voce, that it was better to leave tne two models of wit to fight it out between themselves. Fiavia and Er- nesto dud not perceive this, ajad when the tardy moment came, in whiøh they found themselves alone, one facing the other, it seemed to them a very simple thing. The public had withdrawn itself-but not in vain was the invention of a.rt for art's sake. i One evening, be it known, in autumn the' conversation, between those two lan<<uished, exhausted!. Not that tfcey found nothing more to say, but a certain fr-er.se of wearinesw more to say, but a certain fr-er.se of wearinesw descended upon them. All the evening their J wit hud sparkled brilliantly, and the eharm- litg episrnun, delicate ironies, courteous im- plications. biting amja-bifetie* had shoirerwl unk"tterniittpntly. Now they were silent. The <x>nnt«(5s extended herself slightly m her arm- chair she WM adorahfe under the quiet lamp- light but the marouess, while i-eoognising this fact, had ths good taste not to speak of it. He was playing with a mother of pearl pen handle. "Marriage is a very fine thing," he mur- mured, with a pretended air of conviction. "For the unmarried, yes," the coxntess quietly retorted. And -she adjusted her lace cravat. Ernesto took a book from the table, read the title, and laid it down again. "Do yon know what they say down there I about us?" "1 do not know. And I do not care to knew." "Then 'tis a sf^n that I ought to tell von. Many- of our mutual friends are agreed in the eipmion that we two are persons of too much wit, ever to marry each other." "Bah the countess, shrujrgino her shoulders. 6 ° i "Ir in order to proye ourselves witty we siiould do just the contrary. What do vou say counters? Tfc would be charming!" ani he cP ene-d the Pungolo newspaper to read the locals. Charming, indeed," she replied, putting out her hand to take the fan. s

DISAPPEARANCE OF MR, CHAMBERLAIN. AMUSING EPISODE IN PARLIA- MENT. Ihe Central News says For some time prior to the division on Sir Henry James's motion on Thursday Mr. Chamberlain appqpred to be ill at eaae. There waa eoiuiderablb excitement while uie Houae was being cleared for the division but, if the member for Weat Birming- y;u' n°t by that time decid*sl upon his line of action, there was still plenty of time for mm to do so. That which ensued constituted u-L orowiling episode of an eventful night. "hen the doors were closed the right hon. undoubtedly in his place, and the doors being locked and the keys m the pos- s8¡)ion of the attendants it was obviously im- (/> £ ,-<iDie for him to eaeape from the Chamber, out, though seen to leave the Houte with the waa not observed to pa^s the wicket with hir Heriry -Tamed and the minoriiy, and, of course, oouid not- then be in the crowded ranks of the majority. Further and finally, his name did not appear in the official list of mem- hers who voted. How Sir. Chamberlain made away with himself i: not exactly a matter of conjecture, but his sudden aural infirmity on rridav, which prevented Mr. Branner's ques- tion from reaching him, hw deprived the pnblio of hi ptrsonul account of his advwitures. The lobbies which are uoed for divisions are, theoreti cally, closely sealed, but there are certain closets ,vhi(-h to gentlemen of res<»uroe a-nd readiness of movement offer prompt release from sudden embarrassment. Some years ago a Welsh Radical, still in the House, took refuge in one ox those cramped havens, and by some meaais got fastened in during the division, with the result that he remaned a prisoner for several hours. Mr. Chamberlain evidently fared much better, for he got clear away. Sir Henry Jamee iq reported to nave shared the momentarr sur- prise causod by the sudden disappearance vi hie j chief.

I THE UNEMPLOYED. 1,750,000 OUT OF WORK. MR. KEIR HARDIE SUGGESTS MEANS OF RELIEF. I Sir Hugh Owen, of the Lucal Government Board, was again under examination be- fore_ the Unemployed Committf-e at the House of Commons on Friday morning. Mr. John Burns ftaia, in deference to the wish of the 1 Committee, he would defer hi lengthy examina- tion of witness to a later period. Witness said his opinion was that guardians at present pos- I se^.sed HutfiCrcnt jxiwer to relieve all persons in a state of destitut-ion applying fi-r relief. He was not prepared to suggest anv modifica- I tion of the Poor-laws. KEIR HARD1E TALKS. Mr. Kfcir Hardie, M.P., was next examined, I He ssau. he wished to correct the impression caused by the evidence of the witness as to the! e^<:iui t0. which distress prevailed. Outside the omcial view of the situation, there was a ur-at dpai of distress. In practically everv- industrial < fiitre there was a more or less permanent un- employed committee composed of Trades' Union | delegates. members of Socialist oigani- j sations, and branches of the Independent Labour I party. From reports made bv those committees j up to the present tim, he found that in Leeds -lVfere 8,000 ^rsOTls unemployed, and lU.tMJ destitute. In I.iverpool there-were 18,000 ii. tiuployed, and 15,903 destitute men, women, and children, apart from poor-law statistics. ii. tiuployed, and 15,903 destitute men, women, and children, apart from poor-law statistics. In JV^ were 5 C0° destitute familiM, t and 3,000 unemployed. The severe w eather had I vf-ry largely accentuated the distress throughout tue cou-Titry. But it would be a mistake to assvane wnen the severe weath r harl passed that distress would quickly disappear In ery lar<re centre of industry, there would be a large number of persons unable to find work, tie put the number of unemployed at not far shor* of a million and three-quarters. As tem- porary means of tiding over the distress he suggested the Treasury should give £ 100.000 to supplement loca.1 efforts. EMPLOYMENT. Ar t?N BT 11 D BURNIE, M.P. L has llotice thafc on an early IT™ •. • ,m<?TS' Thai in the opinion of this House it is desirable that, prospective systematic arrangements .tiouid be madefor, so procticftDle, providma employrnent for the sion rnd,nth tn'e8 °f OXC<?PhionaJ tr»de depres- icm, and that amon^t other neoessarv, useful and productive works furnishing such empioy- men. may with advantage be included th« Con- of^W^ »nd harbovrs J V<ih a to tninimis- ng the fearful loss of life and prorwttv th-ifc place around the coasts cf the United King-

TO THE POLE BY BALLOON. M. Andree, the celebrated Swedish aeronart wh(, panoses to undertake a voyage to the Tl aV? ,a t^fx>n- « the chief engineer of the Stockholm Patent Office. He has exe- cuted mi<nb"r of arrunautical ascents with the assistance of a tund which is controlled by the bwetlwh Academy of Science. He alwava (saya 5e^nmy ^rs^c') ascends alone in a'balloon o. 10,000 cu^.c feet built in Pant unvler the direction ot .Vt. de Fouvrelle and Count Wif>ng-ol First Secretary of the Swedish I>ega- ticn m Pans M. Andree. in 1883. crossed the Baltic from Stockholm, and landed on a de- 'f'1 fCPr'ST'g a of the Finnish rJiipeJajjo. M. Andree's Arctic proposal was explained by him at a sitting of the Aoaderav o. Sciences at Stockholm last week. In the c<irseof his lecture hp expressed his belief that, in view of the favoura bl- conditions which the i*o!ar regions afforded for aerial voyaging, and K-(?eat Pr^'?rws;' lately maae in aeionautics, ffpn "iu make the voyage from Spitzber- rpt ^<orth Pole in about thirty days. 1*0 .vyVv of the enterprise would be a!<n:i. lju.uyy kroner laboufc £ 7,220).

THE BURGLAR AND THE COUNTESS. A burglary was (our Vienna correspondent ^ys) committed on Tuesday night atBuda- S T^r f «ra dino Kandyi, wife of Cotnt Julias, »voke between tw-o and three o clock and saw a roan her bedroom. He had taken olf his bootA, and carried a lighted wax match. When he heard the countess move, h^ e-aid, Dear lady give me some money." hhe rang for hei maid, who came into the room immediatelv wnth a candle. The burglar tried to take it from her, and a scuffle between the two ollowed. The countess remained- in bed, but went OIl ringing her bell at the same time, imploring the burglar not to hurt her maid. Before the servants came, the burglar had found his way tnjoufcli ths ante-room and escaped. He even had time to take with him hiet boote. After he had gone it was discovered that he had taken nwa\' the co«nte«ss diri'r ^f] ttir. rin- ,t i- nj;"U

NOTES FROM THE METROPOLIS. ■■ (PROM OtTB LONDON COEREfiPOTOENTB.] LONDON, FBUJAT^ Thh Chamberlain Incidhst. Mr. Chamberlain's adventure in the divi- aion lobby lak;t night excited the liveliest concern to-day. Journalists, and particularly io-alistic artists, have been specially exer- ciaed in their minds a.s to how they might dress up the incident in sudi a way as to- preserve the proprieties without detracting from the piquancy of an unusually delicate isifcoa&on. It was Mr. Chamberlain's mis- fortune laet night to be too late; that is to say be did not want to vote, but he was not in tame to make his escape from the House. The door was fasteneci, and, the Ser Arms, refusing to open, Mr. uhamberlaia, i waa taken in charge of by another member, who piloted ham into the division lobby ana hustled him into a place of refuge, which would have been described as a cabinet had the incident occurred acroes the Channel The facts of the ca.se became known this afternoon, when members, who had seen Mr. Chamber- tain go into the lobby, but had failed to find his uanle in the division list this morn- ing, tracked him down. I imagine that the pencil of Sir Frank Lockwood found materiai tor caricature at this incident. When the House met this afternoon Sir Frank had some- thing toShQ w, which was passed toSir William Haroonrt, MT: Akers-Doqgjlas, Mr Goschen, and other members, and excited the keenest interest. NOT A Parallel. To tha ererriy, eager to seize the slightest slip of the member for West 13inriingiinm, the ocxasior of his involuntary cabinet confine- in,nt was an occasion of cakes and ale. That bloated millionaire, peer-expectant, and pro- visioner of impecunious Parliamentarians of the right Ministerial colour), Mr. Brunner, i was chosen as the vehicle to convey to the House the delicate circumstances under which Mr. Chamberlain had escaped recording his vote. Mr. Brunner had armed himself with Sir Erskine May's book and an unusoaJ pom- pesity of manner. The aggravating gravity of his recital of the adventurous circum-1 stances was slightly marred by the malapropos intervention of a gentleman from Ireland, who, in tones of pathetic fervour, implored Mr. Speaker to remember that, on a day in 1882 certain members from Ireland were .anwd and suspended from the service of the House for that they, like Mr. Chamber- lain, being present at a division, did not vote. The exquisite simplicity of Mr. Chamberlain's reply demolished the whole elaborately-constructed edifice in a breath. Said the Radical Unionist leader, with the curtest courtesy, "I may explain, Mr. Speakefr, I waii not in the House thn," Mr. Speaker aJso glided out of the difficulty with a judicious admixture of bemgn reproof to the Irishmen who, as he reminded the House, had fiatly defied the authority of the chair m 1882, with an amiable survey of the circumstances, which left no suggestion that Mr. Chamberlain had offeru"'rl, and with a drily humorous peroepfciou of the possibilities of j the situation which flung the House into paroxysms of laughter when he suggested, for; instance, that there are means of escape in the division lobby weij known to member.?. Me. Balfour. I afraid Mr. Balfour will be unable, to address the great meeting in favour of the Tory xuididiites for the London County Council wiiich was fixed fo next Thursday. Hie I uifliie-iiaa is a more sc ions matter than was thought. Miss Balfour, his s-ister. is nursing him devotedly, and the course of the attack is gonng Oil a- favourably as could be exp acted. Nevertheless, it is thought thit quite a k will eJapse before our leader is permitted to resume his public work. London AGAIN in ELECTORAL LABOUR. Nominations for the county counoil elec- dons, were received to-day, and the intense interest taken in the proceedings justifies the hope that the Unionists are sure to, record a swinging victory. General apathy has hitherto been the only cause of their ctefeat. The kindling of enthusiasm, how-ver, liaa been most reuiarkabie in the prt cc litest, and it is rapidly assuming tne form | of an electoral uprising against "Proggery and Jobbeiy." Over 200 candidates were i nominated to-day for 118 seats. The <"ity returns four members, but the other tu are double-barretleid coiistitue>noies. Tories are put up in every constituency, but in several cases the Progressives are running only one candidate, or are allowing judgment to go by default. The only constituency which the Tories are not contesting is South Islington. There their hands are with- held by a tie of honour. Sir Albert Rollit, the Tory member for South Islington, had compromised the municipal position by suffering himself, his chairman, and his com- mittee to lie classified as Progressives. This precludes the Tories from running a candidate, but it leaves a fine opening for an Indepen- dent candidate. The BOGUS Crisis. Ministers, apparently, have not realised the awkward results that may accrue from that I gross imposture, the bogus crisis that was created yesterday. In the first place, they have covered themselves with ridicule by making themselves hysterical over a peril that did not exist; they have mortally offended Lancashire, and are like to lose the seats they gained in 1892, with others. They have also committed the Liberal party to the sornvi economic doctrine that a 5 per cent. import duty is not a protective duty. Fiscal reformers will, therefore, now be able to urge the imposition of moderate import duties for revenue purposes in peace and comfort without anyenedaring to veil "Protectionist" at them. Some surprise has been expressed that Lord (leorge Hamilton's vigorous xpeech was delivered so late in the de-bate. This was not the fault of Lord George, who was in his place all the evening to speak when the Speaker called on him. The LOYALIST Campaign in SCOTLAND. I' Preparations are now almost complete for the campaign which the Irish Unionist Alliance and Ulster Convention League have organised for Scotland. Mr. Farquharson, the Londop. agent of the Union, left town to- day to take up the work of directing the attack in Scotland. Before leaving town, Mr. Far- quharson bad the opportunity of consulting I with Mr. Cox, the secretary of the Alliance, who had come over from Ireland. Eighty I delegates from all parts of Ireland will take part in the campaign. Scotland is arrang- ing to give them a warm welcome, and ladies' reception committees are already arranging hospitality and social gatherings ;n each place to be visited by the delegates. Great meet ings have been arranged for the principal cities. In Edinburgh the meeting is billed for March the 4th, with Lord Tweeddale in for March the 4th, with Lord Tweeddale in the chair, and the Marquess of Londonderry and Mr. Edwin Hall, of Cork, as the speakers. At Dundee, on the following night, the chairman will be Mr. G W. Baxter, D.L., and the speakers Mr. Thomas Pim. jvn., and Mr. W. J. Hurst. The Larl of Fvroll will be chairman at Aberdeen, on March 7, and the speakers will be Mr. John AtVjipscn, ex-Attorney General for Ireland, AtVjipscn, ex-Attorney General for Ireland. and Sir mes Haslett. In Glasgow the City-hall has been engaged for Mai <11 8. Lord, Kelvin will preside, and the speakers will be Mr Thomas Sinclair and Mr. MaJoo?m Inglis.

I SUICIDE IN A CONFESSION AI; SHOCKING DISCOVERY IN A CHURCH. A shocking discovery was made week in a New lork church. Two women heard the sound of a body falling, followed by groans and gasps froni a confessional box in a corner of the church. One woman summoned the assis- I tant sextor). who hurried into the church, and, I opening the eoofe^sioTial, found lying in a heap, with blood fhwing from her wrist and throat, the almost hfedess body of a young woman. Twenty minutes after the discovery the woman was dead. In a pool of blood in the confes- sional was found an, old-fashioned razor. Wiifh this she had almost severed one of her hands, and her throat had been cut from ear to ear. In her clothing was found a pocket-book con- taining fivepenoe, and a letter revealing her identity. On the envelope was written, "I am Catherine Morrison, of 179, East One Hrmdned and Eighth-street." At the address given in the letter, it vas learned that tho I woman had boarded there for six years. Miss ¡ Momyorj it ;s said. w" religious en'thesiairt, I and ,¡1C.:U14 Sho was very •vo:i'tliv.

CRIISIS" IN EGYPT. REPORTS SAID TO BE EXAGGERATED. A Dalziel's telegram from PariB esys:- The "Figaro" says that France is not respon- 'sifcie for any agitation m Egypt, nor does she intend to abandon her rights in that country. There is no change in the situation, and absolutely nothing abnormal has hap- pened, whatever the JSnglish press may have diwovored. The fact is, it was necessary to distract attention at home to matters out- side, and so the FxLgiiA press decided some- thing very unusual was going on in Egypt. But :/rrji-e will not allow herself to De dragged into the discussion. She has stated the facl- aimplfc', which England docs net, unfortunately, always do. The "Poleti" says:—England exiij- ersted recent Egyptian matters, more par- ticularly with regard to the French influence alleged to be at work. The Khedive could not possibly be deceived, by any supposed assurances of French armed support. France used to have rights in Egypt- equal to those of England, but she made a mistake in re- nouncing them in 1882, when she refused to take part in repressing the Arab rebellion. What had been done oould not be undone. It was too late for France to dream of a foot- hold on the Nile. The better policy was to make up for the loss of Egypt by pushing her conquests in Tunis, Indo-China, and Madagascar. THE ASSAULTS ON L";n\'SH SUBJECTS. A Iteuter's telegram from Cairo on Ff says:-At a special Cabinet Council held to- day, under the prwidency of the Khedive, an important decsrfee was passed instituting a special tribunal for dealing with crimes and offences committed by natives against British officers and soldiers erf tive army of occupa- tion, and also against Marines and Bluejackets of British ships stationed :tt Egyptian ports. The now law will only be enforced on the de, mand of the English general commanding, with Lord Cromer's approval, after the Egyptian and Foreign Ministers have been notified. GERMAN PRESS ON THE SITUATION. The "Daily News" Berlin corespondent says —The German papers are beginning to com- ment on the rumours relating to disturbances in Eqjypt. The Radical 'Vossisehe Zeitung'' says tin at young, inwrperienced, and highly-paid British officials are being forosd on the Ejryp- tian people in such a, manner that the popula- tion are naturally irritated, whilst the Treasury w being emptied by the selfish pob'cy of Great Britain. The Great Powers are called upon to resist British arrogance, and to show her that the flag- of England does; not yet rule the world. This attitude, be it said, is not that approved in Berlin official circles. The "National Zeitung" predicts either chaos or very ener- getic interference on the part of England should the Khedive carry his anti-British policy into execution. This paper thmks that as England alone has placed Egypt's finances 011 a solid basis, restoring order, and increas- ing the national javwperity, no Egyptian capable of appreciating European civilisation would think of advocating the retirement of the pre- sent Administration in Cairo.

FRANCE AND MADAGASCA 1, NATIVE SUPPORT FOR THE HOVAS. A Central N e.8 telegram from Antanana- rivo, dated Decereber 31, says ;—From the enclosed dispatoh in the '"Mada- gascar News" of Saturday ast, it seems that the reported enmity of the Sakalava to- wards the Hovas is not of that intense character reported in French quarters. The "News says, "When the soldiers of the rssi'ient general's escort reached Mevr.tanana, on the Betsiboka River, on the way to the coast, after M. Le Myre de Vilers broke off diplomatic negotia- tions with the Government of Madagascar, the officers in command prolonged, on one pretext and another, the stay of the party, and showed no intention of leaving the town. After allow- no intention of leaving the town. After allow- ing a couple of days to pass, the Government of Mevatanana iutimatwl to the party that they must proceed on their journey. Another day's sojourn was asked for and granted. The fol- lowing morning the force refused to depart. The governor informed them that uniess they departed Itefore two o'clock re would have to take steps to obtain their departure. The hiili- tarv drum in the Hova 'Rova' was beaten, the soldieN in the district came into the town, and many hundreds of armed Sakalavas came volun- tarily from the adjacent country to assist the Hova garrison. At two o'clock the French sol- diers were imwn up and confronted by the Hova and Sakalava. warriors. A conflict seemed inevitable. Fortunately, however, the French officers then gave the word of command, and the journey down country was proceeded with, The incident, however, shows that the Iboina Sakalavas will fight under the MaLagaev flag."

GERMAN EAST AFRICA. SERIOUS ASPECT OF AFFAIRS. A Central News telegriin from Lamu, dated January 28, saya:-Mr. Wilhelm, the ex-Free- j;'nd leader, returned to Lami-i yesterday, from Iiammeye, on the head waters of the Tana. After consultation with his travelling com- panion*, Gustave Denhardt and Dr. Haessler, he expressed his belief that the Somali move- ments are part of a widespread Mussulman conspiracy to exterminate all Europeans from German East Africa. The timely arrest of the arch agitator, Fumo Omari, by Capt-nn Ropers alone prevented a. rising near the coast. T II connection with the Somali atiswik, repulsed in October, one of the German missionaries J'1St arrived from Ngao reports that the Somali, 5.000 strong, have already crossed the Tan-a at Koro Koro into the territory of the British East Africa Company, in readiness for a raid in March. The German missionaries at Ngao, with the aid cf the Witu Administration, have thoroughly and effectively organised their de- fensive arrangements. They have more than 7^ rrnj at the station now surrounded by a stockade, and have drilled th« natives to take, their plaoes in proper order on an a.larm being given They have also thrown forward out- posts as far as Merefano to secure the earliest possible intelligence of the enemy's proceed- ÎIi"

AFFAIRS IN RUSSIA. A STUDENTS' RIOT IN ST. PETERS- BURG. A St. Petersburg telegram on Thursday through Reuter says:-Imt night a riot of students, which keDt the police fuily occupied for a considerable time, occurred in th^. ^ewski Prospect. Some 300 young men, after celebrating an annual college festival in joyous fashion, marched down to the Palkme Restaurant, in the Prospect. Finding the place already closed, the students made a great noise, thundering at the doors, which they eventually broke down, and smashed the windows. The police at the doors, which they eventually broke down, and smashed the windows. The police of the quarter tried in vain to quiet them and induce them to disperse, and at length sum- moned reinforcements from oth?r divisions of the city, besides oailing in the assistance of a number of dvormiks (house watchmen) from the neighbouring houses. The students, how- ever, who were flushed with excitement, refused to move, and offered a strenuous resistance to the police. A scries of f--ays ensued, in which severe blows were struck, and the whole ot the street was given up lo uproar and riot. Many of the young men were arrested and taken to I the police-stations. At one time the disturbance wore -o serious an aspect that General Wahl, the prefect of St. Petersburg, came on the scene in order to direct the police force himself. I By three o'clock in the morning the turbulent youths had dispersed, but the street was guarded all night by police, who prevented all access to the vicmity of the falkine Restaurant.

A REPUBLIC WITHOUT A NEWS. I PAPER. A country without a newspaper is in these days a curiosity indeed. Andorra is believed to be the only Hvilised s4-cite in the world in which not a single newspaper is published. Andorra is a little Republic—about 36 miles long by 30 brncA-situal&i on the north side of th, Pyrenees, next the Spanish province of Lerida and the French department of Ariege. It is no minally under the protection of France, but its 14,000 inhabitants speak the Spanish | language. Here, then, is an opportunity for I an enterprising journalist. TIe Mod not be afraid of duels, for, though firearms aw plentiful I enough, it is said that there is not a single in- habitant who could h:t a at o hundred oak

LLANTWIT VARDRE RIOT CASES. HEARING AT THE POLICE-COURT. THREE MEN SENT TO PRISON. At LlantrUsant Polioe-oouirt on Friday the cases against the Llantwit strikers for alleged assault and intimidation were heard, the magis- trates on the benoh being the Stipendiary. Mr. E. John, Mr. P. Dunn, and Mr. E. H. Daviee. M, r. J. E, Spiokett ajppeared for the prosecution, Mr. James JPhfllips defended some of the men, and Mr. G. Maelor Evans (instructed by Mr. Ben Davies, agent of the Miners' Federation) defended others The court was crowded, and greaite interest was taken in the proceedings. AN APPEAL FOR ADJOURNMENT. In the ftrst rase Mr. Maelor Evans applied for an adjournment, as he had only been instructed thai morning, and would have to leave home early. The Stipendiary said tM court had nut for business, and he thought they should go on with some evidence, at any rate. Mr. Biandy Jenkins, J.P., who sat with the magistrates on the benoh, hert: rose, and, speak- ing to the court, said he was <4ie county councillor for that district, and. he heard there was a good deal of feeling in thtis matter. He was not going to take part in adjudicating upon these cases, and would, therefore-, now take the oppor- tunity of suggesting that it would he very ad- visable if an adjournment of these cases were to take place, and then it was 'to be hoped a better sentiment would pravail, and he hoped the men would see that it was for their benefit that while the caees stood adjourned there should be no further row. He did not think it would be a good thing to take evidence, exoept sufficient for an adjournment, and he appealed to the stipendiary to take that course. Mr. Spickefct remarked that he was instructed that when a similar snsrg-es-tion was made and carried out, and the men actually agreed to arbitration, they afterwards game out and re- fused the arbitration The Stipendiary said Mr. Phillips's olient had elected to be tried by jury, a.nd he thought they should take depositions, and then, after a re- mand, if terms oould be arranged, of course the prosecution could be dropped. If both sides had applied for an adjournment the court would have consented. CHARGES OF INTIMIDATION. Evidence was then called. Thomas Jenkins, haulier, Llantwit Vardre, was summoned for intimidation on Sunday week at the Ystradbarwig Colliery. Mr. James Phillips defended.'—James Williams, engine- man, said lie heard a noise on the road hooting and ehouting. He werit to the pit top and saw Thomas Jenkins, who said they all ousrht to be shot. There were only three men on the work John Daviee, George Page, and himself. He told Jenkins he ought to go a.way.No farther evidence being adduced, this ease was dismissed, A further charge a?airtf»t Jenkins for inti- midating George Page, boil or man, was also dismissed for want of evidence.—Mr. Phillips asked for costs, but they were refused. The charge against William Thomas for in- timidation was also dismissed, the only witness for the prosecution, Edwin Bowen, Bryn Cot- tage, Dyhewid, Llantwit, declaring' that no threats were used and he was not frightened. A charge of assault against the same defen- dant wa.. then proceeded with, the allegation being that he pushed the prosecutor when he was standing tt) grftk, but this case was alt-to dismissed. ASSAULT ON THE POLICE. Samuel Williams and William Rees were then cAarged with assaulting Police-constable David Daviee. Mr. Maelor Evans defended. Prosecutor said that on Wednesday he heard a crreat noise proceeding from the Ystradbarwig Colliery, Witness and another constable went through a field, and to the colliery incline. He saw William Rees, Richard Harry (who was not charged), and Mr. Taylor. Sir. Taylor complained of being assaulted by Rees. His hand was bleeding, and he said he had be struck on the head by Rees. The oolhers were coming up fi-am the Ystradbarw ig Colliery They were 30 or 40 yards nearer the coil lory. Witness and Polioe-constable Milton Davies saw a gang of men with sticks and stones in their ha::d, coming down the incline to meet them, so they (the con- siablee) escorted the colliers towards the station* Samuel Williams, who had a stick in hie hand, wa^ one of the foremost, and in the row that ensued he saw Samuel Williams take hold of one man by the throat and heard him say, "I will pive you coming down here to work. You had better get baok." Witness warned him not to get into trouble. Wilb n-i, who was the worse for drink, said he w,vs a better man than witness, and pushed the witness a,way across the raiht. Near the railway station witness caught hold of Williams by the arm and said, "Come on this way, Sam." He refused, and struck' witness. Police-constable Milton Daviee assisted, and then William Rees came forward and struck him. Alfred Jon«*s came on and struck Polioe-constable Milton Daview. Others a*><aulted witness afterwards, and he had a I warm five minutes, but he could only identify those two. ne saw Williams strike several of the colliers on the way to the station, and was pursuing the ^ollWs going to the train. Witness had to draw his staff there and use it. Wi Hiams I should think you did, although I crossed the railway at your request I quietly. Cross-examined: by Mr. Maelor Evans: When attacked there were a dozen at him, and he had come from the battle without a scar upon him. He staffed the men vhen they rushed at him. TTiey were being nearly over- powered. In re-examination, witness said the police awl the work<nen were severely assaulted, and he did nothing except advise the people to be quiet. Blond was flowing freely at the time. Police-constable Milton Davies, a. constable stationed at LlantwitAa-rdr-f. corroborated the evidence of the previous witness, but added that Alfred Jones jumped upon his (witness's) back, struck him in rFe face, and tried to trip him. Henry Nicholis, carpenter, the next witness, said some of the browd he saw were stripped to the waist and in fightinar attitude. Cross-examined: He denied that Mr. Taylor first attacked the men. or that the police drew their staves before being assaulted. Robert Gregory, collier, of Trailwn, Ponty- pridd. stated that he and others were subjected to very rough treatment, even his boy, aged seventeen, being brutally struck on the face. The police endeavoured to persuade the men to desist. Witness was struck by Alfred Jones. In his opinion, the police did not use their staves a m in ut-e too soon, as they were about to be overpowered. Charles Cousins, who WM next called, corro- borated, and added that he was himself struck over the eve by a man named W. Taylor. Be fore deciding this case, the charge against Alfred Jones of !>ssaidting Poliop-wrist&He Milton Davies was taken. The constable described the assault, which had been referred to in hi previOt evidence, and said others had struck him from behind "like madmen." There were eight or nine men attacking him and the other constable, so they had to draw their truncheons. Cross-examined by Mr. Evans: They were overpowered to a certain extent before they drew their staved. Mr. Maelor Evans then addressed the court, awl caned Oliver JeTilcins, P- young man, who said he was «landing in Thomas Lewis's field close to the incline, and saw these men on the level crossing. Mr. T men came up the incline, but ran lock whom they saw the other men. Mr. Taylor took hold of William Rees by the back of the neck and then the police came up. Cross-examined: He went into the field because he heard the row. David Griffiths, builder. Llantwit Vardre, said he was standing at the door of his bouse with a frj^nd, and in consequence of what that friend *ai<3y he went towards the station. On the plitiform. he saw Williams quietly walk across the line after the policemen. Then the policeman put his hand on Williams and them wa." a. bit of a scuffle. Somebody tried to free Williaro-s. Stones were thrown, and th", police struck out indiscriminately. Alfred Jones was struck down insensible. Then, after dealing with others, the Tiolioemani went back and struck the insensible man six or seven times on the head. (Hisses.) Cross-examined by Mr. Spickett: He had no animosity towarda M"r8. Taylor and Evans, the proprietors of the colliery, on aocovmt of an action they had had between them. The Stipendiary Is there any evidence that there is only one mark on Jones's head, because if it is so this man ought to be com- mitted for perjury. Mr. Spickett: I say there is only one mark. Mr. Maelor Evans: I hear the doctor said yesterday that his head was in a. fearful state. Police-constable David Da-vies.rp-caHed, said he examined Jong's head at the Ponypridd. Police-station, and found only one scar at the back of his head. The prisoner Jones (showing his bare arm): And two or three on my arms, bumpe. The Rev. J. Jenkins, vicar of TIantwit- Yardre, said he knew the tJiree defendants, and they were, generally sjieaking, quiet fellows, so far as he knew. THE DECISION. The Stipendiary said these cases had nothing to do with intimidation. It might be that Mr. Taylor and his party were more or less respon- sible for this riot. The jxilioe interfered en the side of order, and neither side had any right to hustle or knock them about Two of the defendants attacked one and another attacked the other, and there was a c ombined attack upon the poli. in which t-hev «*cre fo draw their artAvea and nrotect I their lives. WiUaanaj would, therefore, be sent to prison for a mcT'.ih's bard labour, and the other two to three weeks'. The remaining aniti- midatioQ eases would be adjourned for a fort- night. Mr. Spickett opposed bail, &8 the workmen would not go down next day if tbeie men were at large. The Stipendiary: I? there is any attack upon the police you must apply ftitfber, and we will issue warrants for the apprehension of the men. Mr. Biandy Jenkins: 1 don't think there is much to fear I hope you wiM admit them to substantial bail The Stipendiary: We will take bail in gums of 210 each, or two sureties of £ 5 each. Great excitement pre varied outside the court after the adjournment.

AN INTERESTING CASE. CLAIMING THE BENEFIT OF A MISTAKE. At Pontypridd County-court on Friday (before his Honour Judge Williams) J. Galver, of Ferndale, sued Abraham Shipko of Carding for £ 40, due under an agreement between the parties. Mr. F. Kelly (instructed by Mr. x] R- Davies, Pontypridd) appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. C. J. Jackson barrister Cardiff (instructed by Mr. Frank Williams of Cardiff) represented the defendant-, who a,clmitted t-he claim, but counterclaimed for £ li; 13s. and paid the balance into oowt,- Ü appearv-d that. the plain tiif had bought a PaWilpoking and outfitting business at Fera- dalo fron: the defendant-, and an agreement had been entered into whereby the plain t'n had agreed to take the ptock at cost price, and the pledges at the amounts advanced upon them, the defendant to P'dY £ 500 down :<1..1! the balance by bills of exchange, the defendant agreeing to lease the business premises of the plaintiff for a term, and to allow him £ 40 towards the cost of a new shop front. The defendant had offered to pay him 240, but counterclaimed £ 18 13s. 2d. by reason of a mistake which had been made in the plaintiff's favour at the time of stock-taking.—Mr. KaL'v argued that it was now too late to olaim in respect of the alleged mistake, both parties having signed a memorandum assenting the value of the stock at the amount which l ad been pud: but Mr. Jackson, having called the defendant and an accountant who said that a mistake of JB18 13s. 2d. had iven made in the summary in favour of the plaintiff, his Honour gave judgment for the defend tat on the counterclaim, with costs.

LORD ABERDARE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF WALES. I THE CHANCELLOR WRITES TO DR. OWEN AND MR. RATHBONE. Lord Aberdare, writing to Dr. Isambard Owen, as acting registrar of the University of Wales, in reference to his election as chancellor, says he is keenly sensible of the honour done him and of the generous terms of appreciation in which the election was announced. "It is, indeed, a great consolation to me in my old age," continues his lordship, "that I have been able to co-operate with many others in pro- moting—I had almost said creating—a complete system of education for Walee. Some of these have gone to their rest, leaving behind them a sense of gratitude which will not soon die away, but many remain pursuing the good work with patriotic ardour, and looking to no reward but the progress of their countrv. There is no fear, however, that they will not secure the best of all rewards in the affection and respect of our warmhearted countrymen." Lord Aberdare has also written to Mr. W. Rath- bone, M.P., who conveyed to his lordship the new of the confirmation of the election by the Queen. "The announcement," says his lord- ship, "oould not have reached me through a more acceptable channel than him who has been my fellow. worker for full 40 years in many a good cause, the last, and one of the greatest, of which has been the promotion of higher edu- cation in Wales in all its stages, in the estab. lishment of its colleges, in laving broad and deep the foundations of a system of intc-rmedi ate schools more complete than any existing in the British Isles, and now in its crowning work of a university, the effects of which on the future development of Welsh intellect and character it would not be easy to over-estimate."

MR. GWYNNE HOLFOKD'S MANSION. I, THE RECENT PIPE BELIEVED MALICIOUS. The recent destruction of this beautiful mai-sion -a typical English country ho-ne-waA, it would seem, a wiokcd a/'t of i-o^iaige. but against whom directed it is difficult to conjec- ture. Mr. and Mrs. G wynne Hoifcrd being held in tho highest esteem throughout the country- side. The opinion is gaining ground that the act must have been that of some demented person. The county police, under the able direction of Mr. E. It. Gwynne. the chief-constable of Breconshire, are actively pursuing their investi- gations, and there is hope of a distinct and speedy solution. Mr. Gwynne Holford has offered a reward of JB500 for the conviction of those concerned, should the disaster have been due to incendiarism. Besides the building, many articles of great value were destroyed, n.nd the inmates barely escaped with their lives.

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE ON BALA LAKE. TANDEM DRIVING, FOOTBALL, AND GOLFING. An extraordinary was on Friday wit- nessed on Bala Lake, which is nearly six miles in extent. The ice was so strong that Mr. William Owen, proprietor of the Royal White Lion Hotel, drove tandem with a large party I across the lake and round it, in the presence of several thousand spectators. Football, golf, and other games were also freely played on the lake, amid scenes of great animation.

Mr. John Jose, a magistrate of Cornwall, died suddenly at his residence, Melingey, near Truro, on Wednesday. As a youth ho worked in the Cornish mines, and then emigrated to I Bolivia, where he became one of the founders of the Trocopilla Copper Mining and Melting Compaitv, and its managing director He was al:>0 :i dii'K im- of the

M—MiiW—BW———BMjMMMjgji WELSH HYMNOLOGY > ELOQUENT ADDRESS BY ARCHDEACON HO WELL. On Friday evenjug the Vou. Archdeacon Howell delivered a. most interesting arid elo- quent lecture upon the subject of "Welsh H'n..nolOf:Y" --it tha South Wales and Mon- mouthshire Institute cf SSngineers, Park-place, Cardiff. Ihe gathering wac; held under the ai'wpices of the Cardiff Cymmrodarion Society, and there waa a large attendance, including the I ifoet representative of the WelsLmou of (-Iu-- diff. The chair was taken by Professor Powel, and the proceedings commenced > ltb the sing- ing of a Welsh hynm. Subsequently during the meeting othtr Welsh hymns vere song, vi der the tonductorehip -f Dr. J oaeph Pan y. 3 Professor Powel, in formally introducing Aid deacon Howell, remarked that the societv- wsw leaking a sacrifice to their English friends in asking the archdeacon to deliver his lecture in English, and. "Welsh hymnoiogy was not quite ass easy oven for him to speak of in Eng- lish as it would be for him to speak of 111 I els'h.. (Applaud.) Their Welsh hyinnologv they believed—at ail events, the best part of it—to be the work of poets of a idgh order, was more struok out from natures imbued with a Christian fervour. (Applause.) Ajchdeacoa Howell, who was enthusiasti- cally received, spoke with great power and elo- quence. He said the early sacred music and hymns in the British Church were known but very little. "TaJieem," a, bard of the sixth century, was supposed to refer to something of this kind in words which were familiar to some of theni. In th, fourteenth century the Calton of St. Asaph was said and he translated the Te Deum into Welsh, and he translated the "Te deuiii into Welsh. Ihe lecturer then went on to refer to subsequent psalmists Captain William Middleton, Edmund Prys. "Nicander," and Gwilvm Hiraetog." The old preachers, as some of them might remember, had a way of giving out the verses of Edmund Prys's Psalms with peculiar iropressivenees, vvhich charmed the car and tot.ched the heart in a way not easily to be forgotten. Thentliey came to a very important epoch in the religious history of Wales. From 1684 to 1761 there lived a man to whom Waics was as deeply indebted as to any man of his time. He referred to Griffith Jones, of Llan- ddowror. (Applause.) Me was spokc-n of as the morning Star of the Reformation in Wales, and he was, without exception, the greatest Church- man of the eighteenth century. He was a man of seraphic piety, intense zeal, marvellous energy, great force of aharaeter, strength of con- viction, and exceptional administrative capacity. I He was beset on every side with diflieuities hardly conceivable to them in thetc days; he was surrounded by apa,thy, igoora-nce, and spiritual deadnMS; he stood well nigh, alone among his brethren of the clergy, and worked against almost inconceivable prejudice. (Ap- plause. ) He was the pioneer of tiie great evangelical movement of the last century in Walee. He was a man of whom Welshmen of all grades might well be pn-ud of, and one whom Wales honoured. Devout, humble, and brave-hearted je he was, lie was a true prophet, and saw the needs of his oountry, and with almost unexampled heroism, conseerattd his might to supply them. (Aixplause.) He was the compiler of the first collection of Welsh hymns and psalms from a va.riety of sources published in the Welsh language. (Applause.) The piety of those days was not ov a very ardent type, and the hymns were much of the same character, but they prepared the way for what was soon to follow. (Hear, hear.) In 1717 was born, nea.r the town of Llandovery, a lTIall who had been a mighty influence for good in Wales for the last 150 years. His name was with the highest type of Welsh hymnology-it was Williams, of 1'antycelyn. (Applause.) Wil- liams, of Pantycelyn, waa revered and almost idolized by the Welsh people in every part- of the world. (Renewed applause.) A hymn of Williams was a mystic key to the hearts of Welsh Christians all over the world. (Applause.) Williams, of Pantycelyn, was said to have written more than 1,000 hymns. (Hear, hear.) He spoke in homelj^ words and with a spiritual fervour that set a myriad hearts on fire with thanksgiving and praying. He was a true child of genius crown -d with the Divine afflatus- -simple, yet seraphic, in the sublimity of his own ideas, (Applause.) The religious condition of Wales during the last 150 years and its condition to-day was in many respects more indebted to Williams, of Pantycelyn, than auy other man. (Applause.) Howel Harris was known as a great and magni- ficent preacher in their history, but how many in that audience could quote any of his sayings, whereas the hymns of Williams of Pantycelyn. had become a more widespread religious in- fluence year after year. (Applause.) In every Colony "of the British Empire, wherever the sons of Gwalia were found—and they were to be found in almost every oorner of the civilised I world—(applause)—whatever elsie might be forgotten of Ihe old land and old home, it was certain that few of them bad not carried with them the hymns taught them at their mothers' I knee. He would urge upon all parents in the audience that night, at any cost of pains and patience, to saturate the minds of their children with the choicest hymns. Children were more deeply interested, their perception of moral truth was more finely realised, and their sympathies more powerfully drawn sacred things, by means of hymns titan by any ether way known to him. Let them givo him to teach the children of the nation hymns during the first dozen years of their lives, and let who would have the teaching and preaching of then I afterwards. (Applause.) The hymns of W?.! formed the backbone of religious life in W aes .more than anything else. (Applause) And they formed [I, prominent feature of the rev movement of the last century. (Renewed ap- plause.) A good deal was to be said for the custom which prevailed up to about 30 year* ago of learning by heart tha hyr. then used in public worship. The congregations were expected to know most of the hymns by heart, and for the benefit of those who did not know the hymns they were given out in two lines. To take a hymn-book to church or chapel was a thing almost unknown in his younger days, and those who first did so were regarded as guilty of "cultivating English pn'd,o. I (laughtei-)-anJ, in addition to that, of making light of the traditions of the elders. (Renrwod laughter.) He mentioned that owing to the extent to which hymns were trear sured up in the memory in days past they came to occupy so prominent a place in the religious Hfe of Wales. (Applause.) The present system might, perhaps, conduce at le-i-Ft, ex- ternally, to greater reverence, order, and state- lmess in public worship, but he was not at all sure that they WL-o not sacrificing piety for propriety. (Applause.) Proceeding, the archdeacon said he felt compelled to enter 'his protest against tho tendency to take unwarrantable liberties with their Welsh hymns under the guise of improv- ing lhem--(la.ughter)- -and, secondly*, in the excessive introduction of translatipns into recent Welsh collections. (Applause.) The habit of altering hymns of lafe Yl-ars had become a. cry- I ing evil, and ,eat sacrifices were made to literary fastidiousness. In not a few instances I prettiness and picturesqueness had taken the plaice oi the rugged simplicity and holy inten- sity which .delighted their forefathers, and in this way what \1;\ gained to the ear was Icx-st to the heart (Applause.) He protested against thei miserable tinkering by which many hymns had been emasculated and mangled to suit the tastes of a degenerate age. (Applause-) Often now what had originally been intended to be a trumpet-blast was made into a soothing lullaby. (Applause.) Some of their Welsh hymns were like some of their Welsh ''moun- tai;ps--gmnd, majegticai, and many-sided. Most Welsh hymns were like Welsh piety- I stimulating, realistic, aud intense, lhey might not always pass muster with their hypercritical square-compass men, but thev would be found of natt-rial weight in the balance of the santj- tuary. (Applause.) There was another class for whom fie had only a Platonic love—those witosti highest idea -of a Welsh hymn was a translation from the English. (Applause.) class had been on the increase during the last few years. For Welsh worship to move Welsh hearts with holy enthusiasm, to stir up to their foundation the morals of congregations and to work up feelings to Pcnticostal fervour, iot them give him a Welsh hynm, Welsh in conception, Welsh in expression and Welsh in idiom. (Applause.) There were some, how- ever, who thought tha-t everything English was bettor than anything Welsh. (Laughter) But1 bis countrymen had their own peculiarities, which could not be ignored. Mentally, they were metaphysical—morally emotional. (Ap- plause.) In conclusion, the lecturer deplore-i till" sectional exc1" "c<w,s which prevented a united body of Christ: v. and said that, venm- rcntly, the cnlv platform left them upon which they could stai.-i i Lv side was that of Uliris- ti" psalmody. (Applause.) Mr. Beriah Gwynfe Evans, in proposing a vote af thanks to the archdeacon, mentioned, as an instance of the unoircumscribed character of Welsh nationalism, that when the Welsh Church was being established in Cardiff t.he Welsh Noncon- formist Churches held out the right hand of fellowship, and he remembered on many occa- sions after attending service at his own "chapel going to St. Andrew's, whefe Welsh services were being held. (Applause.) The Rev. T. C. Phillips seconded the vote, whioh was enthusiastically accorded to the elo- quent Welsh Churchman. In returning thanks, the Archdeacon, turning, i apparently with relief, into Welsh, said :Y mae rhywbeth rnwy na. rjarddoniaetih yn yr hen em yuan Cymreig. Oes, oes; y mae. digoaa o north ynddynt i ddryllio y graig; digon o wree i doddi rhew v T)i,maii; a mwy o felusder nag a br<->fodd min anted cr TM-,orHiVv! fyth- troS-rbrv Ihfltii-hem

1" ..) i -NO HGU<S £ EQUALS DOWN & SO Ni 0 FOR RELIABLE HKNITCBE- WHY? Bacause Uay are the LARGEST MAKERS BY MACHINERY IN W MOST EXTENSIVE STOCK TO SELECT FROM, and givc the BEST POSSIBLE VALUE- A VISIT WILL AT ONCE CONVINCE ONE OF THE FACT. Fiture to Suit Cottage or Mansion. d :Free, Carpets Made and Laid ESTABLISHED NEARLY HALF A CENTURY. HIGH STREET AND MORRIS LANE, 9WAtfS»

SHIPPING NEWS. I SIGNALLED OFF THE LIZARD. Feb. 22.-Passed East: Steamers Weimar, from Baltimore for Bremen Opai and Emily, both of Glasgow Stockton, of Penzance Adou- and Alice Depeaux. of Rouen Chanay, of CH.CH Marie Fleurie. of Newcastle; Franco-Beige trawler Eleanor, of Ostend Durward, of Leitii I Beaver, of London; Phosphor, from Baltimore for London, partly disabled; steam dredger Greenock. Paswl West: Steamers Fastnct, of London; Alacrity, of Belfast; City of Venice, of Glasgow Greek steamer Marie Bittern, of Cork; Charloi', of Rotterdam Idur, of Liver- pool; Tu«kar, of Glasgow; Foulah. of Mar seilles Lackawanna, of London. -'XVind, W fresh; weather, cloudy, bassy; sp". snicotb bar., 30'18, steady. SIGNALLED OFF THE MUMBLES HEAD. Feb. 22.—Wind, N.E., light; weather, very hazy and fine sea, smooth.—Received Orders I Steamer Trio, of Newcastle, for Cardiff. Paused East: Steamers Unity, of Liverpool; Erimus, I' of Falmouth; Main, of London Richard Fisher, of Barrow. Passed TVest Steamers Henry Fisher, of Newcastle; Ambrose, of Liverpool. SW ANSEA.-ARRIV ALS. NORTH DOCK. Feb. 21.—T-cnora, 40, Barnstaple, genera!. Marion, e, 67, Bristol, general. Coralie, e, 1,881, Hamburg, nil. Feb. 22. -Hannah, 64, Milford, nil. H. F. lfolt, 52. Bicit ford, nil. Talbot, s, 300, I.iverpool, general, i Alice and Kate, 80. Xevrv, TotatR- Falcon, 53. I Strangford, otatoes. rrinoees Mary, 199, Bristol, geieial. T« witless. 39, Cferlingford, potatoes. Iteward, 146, Chester, pitch. SOUTIf DOCK. Feb. 2L—Marie Eugenie, 74, liegneyille, nil. Feb. 22.—Fereuingen, s, 287, Jersey, nil. Liverpool, s, I 203, Portsmouth, nil. COllièf, s. 125, BVistol, generai. Dorset, 98, Chester, bricks. Agues, 57. Sciily, nil. I PJUXUE OF WALES DOCK. Feb. 22.-To-wrod, a 365, Torquay, nil. Edith, s. 47, Cardiff, tin-plates. NORTH DOCK. SAILINGS. Feb. 21.—St. Margaret, a (W¡J;1n), BPlfast. Charm-, s (GuihoTmtl, Caen. SOUTH DOCK. Feb. 21.—E^linton, II (Stewart), Belfast. 1; (Enksen), Par*. Douro, s (rh omas), Oharente. Ilio Fc.rmoso, s (Read), Bristol. Feb. 22,-Actif. s (Guihomat) Chen. PRINCE OF WALES POCK. Feb. 21.—Hart, 8 (Taylor), St. Nazaire. Alioe Depeaux, s (Lefevre), Havre. Aibis, « (Bargeii), Uu'u. Feb. 22,—Midlothian, s (Jones), Genoa and Le^- horn. ENTERED OUTWArDR.-Februarv 22. Leghorn, Coralie, s, B, Rank, 1,881, Ifuiherford Dieppe, Tcx-.vood, a, B, Portions, 365, G. lA-ard Cherbourg, Navigator, B, Tyrrell, 161, Austin and i Sileocfcs I Granville, Marie Eugenic, F. David, 75, L. P. Jeffreys CLEARED.—Februorv 22. I St. Nazaere, Eira, s, B, 1.800 coal' New York, Chicago City, s, B, 930 general I Dieppe, TorwooJ, II. B, 850 coal I IMPORTS COA8'l'WIF;K-February ??. Annalong, Alioe and Kate, 120 tons potatoes, I.npor- CompIJY I Strangford, Falcon, 90 tons potatoes, Importer.s' Co. Barnstaple. Lenora, 14 tone general Carlingforcl, Dauntless, 56 tons potatoes, W. Lev and Son Chester, Rewanl. 283 tons ptrh, Graigola Company Ot ester, Dorset, 202 tons bricks and slabs, Vivian and Bens lil-istol, Marion, s, general Porthgain, Clara, 60 tons macadam, Highway Board Liverpool, Talbot, s, general, J. Bacon (Limited) Hull, via Bristol. Princess Mary, 15 tlils maize, Tucker EXPORTS COASTWISE.- February 22. I Barrow, Liverpool, s, 70 coal. Shepherd k Co. Guernsey. Forcncigen, s, 580 coal, G. Shepherd and Co. 20 coal, F Lewis Bristol, Marion, s, 5 coal, Pockett's Company Portsmouth. Princess Mary, s, general. Tucker & en, Lrrerpoo). Talbot, s, general, John Bacon (Limited)

GAZETTE NEWS. i:; Mvu vl'TCY ACTS. 1883 AND 1890.— RECEIVING ORDERS. William Lewis, High-street, Ogmore Vale, i Glamorgan, schoolmaster. I Oleophas Harris, High-street, Merthyr Tydfil, p'otographic artist. I Evan Thomas, Georgetown. Merthyr T.v lfii, £ »v*er. Griffith Lougher, Gelli-terrace, Ton Ystrad, rJ.iond.fla, repairer. rJ.iond.fla, repairer. Win. Herbert Cox, Martin-street, Morrislor, 'icrij Tea Exchange, Neath-road, Plasmarl, I both ovansea, formerly grocer, now out ofbusi- FiRcT MEETINGS AND DATES OF J'UBLIC EXAMINATIONS. Jaimei, Vincent terrace and Lion- S t,¡:et c,-i, draper first meeting Ma.rch i 1, at nofts., at the Official Receiver's. Merthyr; public examination March 8, at 10.30 a.m., at the County-court, Tredegar. Margaret Jones and Thomas Jones, trading as Margaret Jones and Thomas Jones, trading as Margaret and Thomas Jones, Margam, Gla- morganshire, farmers first meeting March 1, at noon, at the Official Receiver's, Swansea public examination March 5, at 11.30 a.m., at the Town-hall, Neath. NOTICES OF DIVIDENDS. James Morris, Clarbeston Road, Perrd'7 >ke- shire, tailor first and final dividend 2s. 1 5o-64d. in tho £ payable March 2, at the Official Re- ceiver's, Carmarthen. Thomas Jones, trading as T. R. at Llancaiach, Glamorganshire, draper first divi- dend 1. Id. in the E, payable March 5, at the Official Receiver's, Merthyr Tydfil. BiLrbgra6 Brain, Pentre Treharne-ioad, Lan- dore, Swansea, grccer and greengrocer; fir-1 and final dividend 2s. 8d in the £ payaLic February 28, at the Official Receiver's, Swansea. Henry Rees, lately trading as Davies and Co.. Grove-place, Swansea, residing at Market- street, Llanelly, and lately trading at Oxford- street, Swansea., and at Queen'a-square, Llanelly. painter, glazier, paperhanger, and boust decorator final dividend 1.,fd. in the 1. payable February 28, at the Official Receiver's, Swansea, NOTICES OF INTENDED DIVIDENDS AND LAST DAYS FOR RECEIVING PROOFS. Jeffra Jenkins, Duffryn-streot, FornJalv*, Glamorganshire, grocer March 11. Glamorganshire, grocer March 11. Price Morgan, Liverpool Stores, Dinas, | grocer; March 11. Daniel R. Davies, Wandsworth, Surrey, late | Aberystwith, Cardiganshire, physician and I surgeon Mareh 8. j ADJUDICATIONS. Cleoplias Harris, 88, High-street, Merthy: Tydfil, photegraphic artist. Evan Thomas, Georgetown, Merthyr Tydfil, j grocer. i Griffith Lough or, 7, Gelli-terrace, Ton Ystrad. j Rhondda, repairer. W. H. Cox, Martin-street, Morriston, Swansea, j formeriy Neath-road, Plasmarl, Swansea, now out of business, formerly grocer. William Lewis, High-street, ogmore Vale. G1 am organ shire, schoolmaster.

THE WEATHER. HOCKEY ON THE ICE. An interesting game of hockey was playvd Thursday afternoon on Cranbam Quarry p, iivar west, between teams represent- ing the county of Pembroke and the town and county of Haverferdwest. The Pembroke team were declared the winners, having scored three goals to one. A REMARKABLE SLEIGHING FEAT. A farmer named Mulholland on Friday safely crossed Lough Neagh, from Glenroy to Ram's Island, three miles distance, with a Clydesdale horse and a. sleigh. A similar ieat has not been accomplished since 1814.

SHIPPING DISASTERS. MINOR CASUALTIES. The French brig Dolphin, from Cardiff for Redon with coal, arrived at Castletown Bere- haven, having lost sails, foreyard damaged, and provisions spoilt. A Iiioyd's telegram says:—'The steamer provisions spoilt. haven, having lost sails, foreyard damaged, and provisions spoilt. A Iiioyd's telegram says:—'The steamer Ganges, from New Orleans for Havre, pre- viously reported left by the ti-ig Oceana while I being towed from Corcubion for Havre, has arrived at Queens to\vn in tow of 'the steamer Sargasso. The Sargasso took tbe Hanges in tow on the 20th ISO miles soulh-we-.i- 1;lI1L'" iost her T»r»i'c1

IMPORTANT NOTIC —— HPHE JVett'* Of the. World c°SaP*^0t which Lasc«iii.s Carr, chairman) are issuiu.. in ooo & an American firm who have character oi ait production A UNIQUE WOJttC, Dbscsriptivb Or Tilli i Earthly FootsWs OF i The Man orGa/HOD y J We are pleased to be abl« £ I, the exclusive rights to Ozpoy 0,,o in Swansea Town and District Becorod for Vhe P^at. It i* a jg> regret to ns that we ware t°° ^Mk He'd to be able to ac<|wce «n respect of Neatii and 10^\s The beautiful iua>cU»te°n after mootba-of for which has irrrotved THREE DISTINCT TOORS o( Ui. Hoi/ Land—«.<>, John H. Vinc«nt, vi one by Ja ies W. Le'f Robert E. M. Be-ui, £ conic and landscape deaoripti*«> are written VitM»«ut and Dr. grapha are Parfei. contain* a MAP OF THE HOLY in eight colours, f the journeying ot&& ]3et-hlei»eo to Mount of Olives,, a»d through A«ia Mmof Rome., an d PART 1 ALSO COiTAWS "Harrnony of the Chronological Icdg*» j printed by speeial 'j Author, and cannot be (Iiisewitere save in book. 4 The sixth ;,aii is ,J the office of the 1 21 j' Swansea, or of any oii« °' ° Swansea-and Diatrict. I 6 CONTEND OF 1. Bite ef Housa ofTabitha. 2. Panocaraa of Jhkfia. & Koad in Harfeour, 4. Hobm of St. pow,,Js" 6. Bazaar af Jsfft. 6. Jaffa, from B0401 WANU114 mount carmel 8. Moottt Taboe, „. ))t. 9. Jwtin by Earty Marni«g ia Bedouin CMop, J ll. NaKarHh terms the Eaa*« 12. Skaeet iR N 18. C»)%wut of Virgin* „<>, 14. Court yarrij English-Orpb*1"1^ 15. St Mary's Well. 2(" c'a»^«, Fa-dir.s, Njuareth- This siip^r}^fL pgj+jp* work will cenfjust of x £ q0*f^i part will contain and ic offared on. readers this friends. TO OBTAIN EACH P*rT „„t/' it will be necessary 0 appended coupon togetlier with the rl€ starops. ■J COUPON- oloo i HI.X MAN OF GAL in caah or postage i 0 nelivar, post free, „ Swansea Town aud i our Portfolio of Fhot°%* £ *°? x>«c* If delivered at our {b eluded of any n«ws»? will be « xr C 3S* S 1 X r B I Plea".forw.rd F-WOliol V NlH»9 I I Acidreiss <>; I# f J Printed and Published DAVID DAVIKS, f j .,(" 1" >- Padv rotlt. J

DISAPPEARANCE OF A SOCIETY SECRETARY. A DEFICIENCY OF £ 20,000. The Central News Bi«hop Auckland corre- spondent says :—Investigation into the accounts of the Bishop. Auckland Rock Building Society has now leen completed, and the defcienev resulting from the action of the late secretary to the society itself is over £ 20,000. The de- falcations outside the society amount to a large ,in ge sum, but the exact total will never be ascer- tained. Jopling is still at large, and the I Treasury have now taken the matter up.