Weekly Mail

PERSONAL PARS. PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC EYE. Lord Battersea has for some time lived a life of retirement. He was at one time among the busiest of men, as is inevitable in the case of a party Whip. Mr. Cyril Flower, as he then was, was one of the best-known figures in the House of Commons, and a great favourite with Gladstone, who eventually made him a baron. He is a handsome man. but at times affects costumes which would make him more at home in the pages of Duida than in scenes of ordinary life. It is interesting, and, perhaps, re-assuring, to know that the Heir-Apparent to the Throne will always have hair apparent, and will not, like his Royal father, be bald. The assu- ranee comes from M. Henri Blanc, the King's hairdresser. The Prince of Wale3 has "abeau- tiful beard," and he will not grow bald because M. Blanc has taken him in time. The King has been bald for twenty years or so. and is, apparently, the despair of M. Blanc, for he will not wear a wig, and he will not use dye. In fact, his Majesty's only weakness is for a scent known as the King's violet," which a lady interviewer—with eome dread of being guilty of lose majeste—confesses struck her as being vigorous." The Amir of Afghanistan's wisdom in send- ing for the Viceroy of India's surgeon to treat his wounded hand is evidence of his appreciation of English methods. He has reason for such appreciation. Sir alter Pyne taught Afghanistan all it knows of civilisa- tion's ways; showed them how to make all manner of things, from candles to cannons; built them factories and warehouses, estab- lisheæ industries, promoted public works. Then, when they got into trouble interna- tionaily, himself pulled them out of it by a personal intercession with the Viceroy. The Amir has every reason to like and trust Eng- lishmen. —— The Star has been cruel enough to un- earth an unfavourable opinion that Mr. Kip- ling was once pleased to express on the Japa- nese Army. "I peeped," wrote the great mili- tary and Imperial expert, "I peeped into the quarter-guard. Fans and dainty tea-sets do not go with one's notions of a barracks." We all know Mr. Kipling's notions of barrack life, which have been admirably summarised as "drinks and profanity." At the same time we imagine (says "Free Lance") that our conduct of the Boer War, when compared with Japan's conduct of the present war, goes a long way to prove that "fans and dainty tea-eets" make a satisfactory substitute. Much anxiety is being felt about Lord Har- lech of Brogyntyn, who is lying seriously ill, owing, as it appears, to a fall in his bedroom. He is now in his eighty-sixth year, and it is nearly 30 years since he succeeded his brother as second baron. On his father's side he is descended from the same stock as the Earl of Arran, while through his mother he can trace his pedigree to Hwfa ap Cynddelw, founder of a uoblo tribe in North Wales, one of whom was Governor of Conway Castle for Charles 1". during the Civil War. The title of Baron Har- lech is taken, of course, from the ruined castle in Merionethshire (now visited only by tourists), rendered famous in stirring song. Sir Squire Bancroft was 63 last Saturday. His first appearance on the stage was at Bir- mingham. in 1861, but it was in the follow- ing year at Devonport, as a member of the stock company of the still-surviving veteran James Doel, that he became an actor in earnest. He made his first appearance in London on the occasion of the opening of the old Prince of Wales's Theatre, under the management of Mr. Byron and Mias Marie Wilton, in 1865. and when, two years later, he was married to Miss Marie Wilton, he found himself cast for a highly agreeable and popular part, which has la-sted him to this day. It was in 1880 that the Bancrofts opened at the Haymarket, and in 1885, having made a large fortune, they retired from the stage. Sir Squire received his knighthood at the Diamond Jubilee. The case which ended in favour of Sir James Duke, while it will have run away with a great eum in costs, will not prove so expensive as some of its predecessors in the list of causes celebro. The action of Lord Suffield and "Lesser Columbus" cost £25.000; and the nartopp divorce suit £10,000. Nothing of recent years has been so heavy as the Parnell Commission, which accounted for £40.00a, tho next biggest after the Labou- chere cases being the Lawes v. Belt case, in which the costs amounted to £18,000. All these, however, are dwarfed by comparison with the Tichborne trial, which cost the The heaviest damages awarded were those in the Oonstantinidi suit, in which the peti- tioner gained £25,000. Rates of damages rank higher now than formerly. Many people will remember the sensation caused by the verdict of £3,503 given against Bond, tho keeper of a London gaming house, run on lines similar to those of the Saratoga Club in New York, which Mr. Jerome has just smashed. In the case mentioned Lord Conynghame. Lord Cantelupe, and General Churchill were among those who had been swindled. —— Fernando Oliveira, the bull-fighter, who has been killed in the ring at Lisbon, was the idol of the Portuguese capital, and was even more famous in Portugal than the lead- ing jockey is in England. Tall, dark, and slim, elegant in bearing and manner, and possessed of quite remarkable courage and skill, he made a handsome figure in the arena. At his benefit Oliveira placed some six or eight lances in each charging bull. He was a magnificent horseman, and it was through recklessly allowing the bull to get too near his horse that he has met his death. —— Oliveira was reported to be a man of wealth, and he lived in great stylo in the most aristocratic quarter of the city. Part of his wealth was derived from the presents showered upon him by admirers—the writer once saw him receive notes, gold. jewellery, j and even furniture and provisions, from rich and poor spectators at a festival perfor- mance. Kisses and caresses were showered on him by the audience, which fled distracted when he fell under the goaded bull and'met his death. The wish which Sir H. M. Stanley expressed in his last illness, that his bones might lie in the Abbey next to those of Livingstone, would, if pressed, doubtless have had the whole nation's endorsement. That the relatives of Livingstone should desire it is very natural; Stanley was the idol, the greatest hero in the world to Livingstone's children. While the world was etill ringing with his feat in dis- covering the great missioner, letters upon the subject were passing between an old "man in Copenhagen, the fairy godfather of all the world's children, and a little maid in Hamilton, N.B. The patriarch was the immortal Hans Andersen; his baby correspondent Anna Mary Livingstone. When I was in Iona," wrote the little one to her dear, dear Hans Ander- sen." a relation of ours gave me a whole sovereign. We bought a beautiful gold locket for Mr. Stanley, and had his initials put on it, and inside is papa on one side, and on the other his four children, in recognition of his finding papa." Those who knew Stanley will not need to be aesured how he prized this love-token from the bairns of the man he rescued; that to the last he wore it as a mascot beyond price. Earl Cadogan's birthday anniversary will remind cricketers of a past generation. notably Lord Avebury and his brothers, of men and matches on the old Prince's ground, which occupied the site of what is now a fashionable residential quarter to which the earl gives his name—Cadogan-square. Prince's was the gathering ground of the elite to an even greater extent than Lord's is to-day. Curious*^ enough, the brothers Prince, who made and ran tho cricket ground, had no idea of the game whose interests they were, accord- ing to their lights, promoting. It would not have done for the Jessop. Lord Avebury's brother, Mr. Alfred Lubbock, remembers one of the proprietors stepping on to the ground during a match and desiring one of the batsmen to be more careful where he hit the ball, as one had "just struck an old lady on the legs." On another occasion, Prince hurried up to Mr. Lubbock in the last extremity of despair. "Ten thousand devils and more," he was muttering. What's the matter?" asked Mr. Lubbock anxiously. "Matter?" he echoed in agony. "Matter? Why, two d-d great greyhounds have just galloped right across the ground!" The enthusiastic welcome given to King Edward at Newmarket, where he is so familiar a figure, has each time something of a deeper significance than his Majesty's presence at any raoecource-evn Royal" Ascot. For Newmarket has memories of 3, very different treatment that was meted out to King Edward's immediate predecessor among sporting kings. Was it not at Npw- market (asks" The King ") that George IV.. then Prince Regent, was practically driven off the Turf altogether, thanks to the out- cry raised over the jockey Chifney's treat- ment of his horse Escape? Never, indeed, since that famous incident has an English Sovereign shown so whole-hearted a love of sport or been so wholly acceptable in sport- ing circles as King Edward. William IV. cared little for racing, and Queen Victoria's early interest in it very soon waned. From quits a different of view also New- market is a peculiarly appropriate place of Royal pastime. Fable has it that James I. himself was the pioneer of horse-racing there, and there is a further decoration of the tale to the effect that the first horses raced were descendants of some that formed part of the Spanish Armada. wreckage.

SIR H. M. STANLEY. HIS EARLY HISTORY STILL A MYSTERY. [BY THE VICAR OF ABERPER G WM.] It has been my privilege to come in contact with some of the most renowned explorers and travellers of our day, such as Stanley, Nansen, Peary, Greeley, Johnston, Sven Hedin, Curzon, Isabella Bishop, Schwein- furth, Landor, De Windt, Drygalski, and others (not to mention officers of the Pales- tine Exploration Fund), but none have impressed me as cast in so heroic a mould as the one whom I have placed at the head of this list, and whom all England mourns to-day. Two or three of those I have named so little impressed me that I even wondered how they could have achieved what they were well known to have done. Neither was one's ideal of an explorer. But a few moments in Stanley's society was enough to convince the most superficial observer that he was in the presence of a very remarkable man, one who possessed in an eminent degree those qualities which we associate with the -great explorers of history—a masculine intellect, a masterful spirit, indomitable will, and unbounded courage. There might be some slight disappointment at first at his stature, but only among those who do not know, or do not consider that among the greatest of our Empire-builders have been men of the inches of Napoleon and Roberts. But that leonine head and those heroic features of which Lord Wolseley wrote so admiringly the other day when describing Stanley's cool daring in battle in Ashanti. and those blue, piercing eyes of which T. P. O'Connor has written with equal enthusiasm, amply made up for Stanley's deficiency in stature. Stanley was somewhat taller than Lord Roberts, but Kipling's lines descriptive of the latter— "little, but wise, he's a terror for his size"— would be applicable also to tho former. I have often been asked if Stanley ever revealed to me hie origin, as if it is likely he would have made me the repository of so im- portant and interesting a e-scret. I-never asked inconvenient questions, feeling 6trongly that there had been too much prying into his early history. I presume we are now to accept the North Wales story as substantially true. though it has by no means met with universal acceptance. If the promised auto- biography is to appear, the truth will be told and the matter set at rest. But if there is no autobiography, and if no authoritative decla- ration is made, the question of the birth and early years of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of the explorers of the Victorian era will be revived from time to time, and the time may come when as many places will claim the honour of being his birthplace as claimed the honour of being the birthplace of Homer. Already two Welsh counties (Den- bigh and Carmarthen) and one American State, at least (Missouri), assert their claims for that distinction. If Stanley was Welsh-born and spent the first seventeen years of his life in Wales and visited it on later occasions, it is wonderful whftt little evidence of his Welsh parentage and connection there was about his per- sonality. Some professed to recognise the Welshman in his buifd and bearing, and even in his type of countenance. For my part, I could not regard the evidence as conclusive, though there is much to be said for it. His speech, to my mind, betrayed no evidence whatever. Sometimes I thought that he pro- nounced a certain word in a way in which Englishmen do not pronounce it and Welsh- men do; but, after all, I am not sure' that there is anything in it. I have never heard among Welshmen a voice of such striking timbre as Stanley's. I came to the conclusion that what was not English about Stanley was American—nothing positively and charac- teristically Welsh. I am not discrediting the story of his Welsh birth (did not Lady Stanley call him her "grand Welsh husband"?), but I am only saying that it is surprising how com- pletely traces of his Welsh origin were oblite- rated in after years. All the obituaries that I have read of him in the London journals gave the Welsh version of his parentage, birth, and early years as being no longer open to question. But there are some things about it that are to me yet a little difficult to understand, and the "Western Mall" in a leader on the morrow of his death said that "his early years are still wrapped in con- siderable mystery." For instance, we are told that Welsh was at the time his habitual language Candidly, I find it difficult to believe that he ever spoke Welsh. "Morien" tried by personal interrogation of Stanley himself to satisfy himself on .that point, but without success. But enough of a subject which, if not cleared up by the publication of an autobiography, will probably always remain a mystery. The "Western Mail" referred to the part he played in trying to induce Welsh manufac- turers to form a syndicate for exploiting East Africa in the interest of their trade. This is a subject of some personal interest to me. It was on the occasion of one of Stanley's visits to Cadoxton-juxta-Neath that he elaborated in my presence a scheme for opening up new markets for tin-plates and other Welsh pro- ducts in that part of the Dark Continent. Not understanding these things, and not being personally interested in them. I suggested to the editor of the "Western Mail" to send one of his best men to interview the great explorer on the subject and to give his views to the world. If nothing came of the scheme (the late Lord Aberdare, if he had been a young man, with the enthusiasm of youth, would, he said, have gone in heartily for it), readers of the "Western Mail" were, at any rate, entertained by a most interesting inter- view from the pen of Mr. David Davies, whose tribute to Stanley last week was one of the finest things that have been written of him. Mr. Davies hance amused his friends, including myself, with srsse per- sonal touches with regard to that interview— t/olling us with what dread he first approached the great African lion's den. how his heart sank withn him when he found himself in the presence of the lion himself, till he was re-assured. as Stanley's stern expression gradually softened, that there was no real danger of his being eaten. From that moment he no longer wished himself back again at Cardiff, but during the rest of the interview, and speeiallY at luncheon, for which he had to remain, when the explorer's charming wife joined in the conversation, Mr. Davies not only breathed freely again, but deemed himself highly privileged in having been sent, on such an errand. He was by no means the first, nor, probably, the last. to enter Stanley's presence with uncomfortable feelings and to come away with feelings very different. Of that interview I heard a little from Stanley himself, who, a great journalist himself, admired the journalistic skill of his interviewer. The fol- lowing is an extract from a letter which I roccived from Stanley some time after the interview nnd before he delivered his address at tho Albert hall. Swansea, on the subject of new markets in Africa:—"It is too lato to acquire any territory in East Africa now, but it is not too late to combine to urge the Government to undertake the construction of the Mombasa and Nyanza railway. If the Welshmen were as eager for that as for the Disestablishment of the Welsh Church, we should soon hear that it was an accomplished fact, and 50,000 tons of rails and ironwork. besides thousands of tons of tin-ware, would go far to give a fresh impetus to Welsh indus- try. I feel more interest in building than in destroying, but, unhappily, the Welsh mem- bers of Parliament do not." The Times" in its obituary of Stanley, whom it called "one of the most striking figures of tho nineteenth century," said "his powers of persuasion were great, his deter- mination to accomplish his objects Napoleonic, and if he made many enemies, he made as many warm and deeply-devoted friends." It is as one of the latter, attracted to him not more by his marvellous career than by his great and good qualities, that I have penned this humble tribute.

FIREBALL AT BRISTOL. Some masons who were at work on a scaffolding at Horfield state that during a thunderstorm they saw what they describe as a thunderbolt coming towards them across the road from the direction of Southmead. Charles Higgs, one ot the masons. lost his balance, and only kept on the platform by clinging to a plank. Others also felt compelled to cling to whatever was j handy for support. What they saw was lik a dazzling ball of fire. It travelled with lightning rapidity, and struck a neighbour- ing chimney. The chimney was demolished, considerable damage being done, and two children in a house suffered from shock.

MOCK MODESTY AT MARRIAGES. The practice of omitting the opening para- graphs of the marriage service was denounced by the Archdeacon of Lewes in a charge to the clergy of the Archdeaconry at Brighton. It was done, he said, from a mook modesty, and at the instance of the kind of people who did not hesitate to discuss divorce cases, and other violations of the Seventh Commandment. Incumbents should allow strangers to officiate only on the understanding that no such mutilation of the service took place.

GALLANT BOY OF THIRTEEN. While William Lionel James, aged nine years, was floating pieces of wood in a pond at an old tar works in Yeoman-street, Dept. ford, he over-balanced himself and fell in. A boy of thirteen. William George Mott, in trying to rescue him was pulled into the water. He could swim a little, and he kept hold of the drowning boy until the latter's struggles compelled him to let go. At the inquest the Coroner complimented Mott on his gallant at tempt to rescue Jamee.

MET IN THE STREET. I AN EAST END COURTSHIP ENDS IN LAW COURTS. The story of a casual meeting which ripened into a friendship and ended in a. promise of marriage was told in the King-" Bench in the course of an action for damages for breach of promise brought by Rose Foster, 27, a cook, residing at Annandale-road, Silvertown, against Charles O'Brien, a lino- leum worker. Mr. Martin O'Connor, for plaintiff, said she made the acquaintance of defendant in 1901. Eventually O'Brien proposed marriage, and was accepted. At that time plaintiff was employed as a cook, and was receiving about £ 1 a week. In the month of August defen- dant induced Miss Foster to give up her situa- tion and go and live in the same house as that in which he lived. Defendant denied having promised to marry plaintiff, but there were letters which left no room for doubt that he had made very earnest promises. The first letter ran:- My Dearest Rose,-Just a small note to wish you many happy returns of this your first birthday since I have known you. I should have liked to give you a small gift, but I trust you will feel that under the circumstances I have no less regard for you, and I hope to re-p;iy you tenfold by doing my best to make you happy when you are my wife.—With best love, CHARLIE. There were several such letters. Here was another:- 9.20 p.m., Dec. 9. My Dearest Rose,—I cannot go to my bed without writing you a line. I have been up the road, but was no better, and I feel I have lost something. If only you knew how I feel you would pity me, but I think as you do—it is all for the best. All my thoughts are centr-ed on you.—With undying love, your ever-loving CHARLIE. P.S.-I feel to-night as I never felt before. Do you want your slippers? Some days later there was a. long letter, in MISS FOSTER. which defendant counselled Miss Foster not to leave her situation, and went on to say:- Never be afraid to tell me anything. It will make me trust you more. I will do the same with you, and if I make a mistake I will tell you, and it will be the means of binding us closer together.—Your ever- loving Charlie (twelve crosses). P.Et-Eat plenty of food, sleep well, and think of Charlie. (Loud laughter.) Mr. Justice Phillimore: Those ladies who are making a noise must leave the court if they cannot remain quiet. Counsel, continuing, said that about Christmas, 1901, defendant grew colder, and j 11: ly broke off relations with Miss Foster and married another woman. Rose Foster, the plaintiff, said that soon after the promise of marriage defendant seduced her, and she afterwards went to live in the same house with him, where the term? of intimacy were continued. About Christmas time defendant was angry with her, and said something about not carrying out his pro- mise. Her father went to see him about the matter, and defendant said he would give her a year's drilling. (Laughter.) Six or seven months after this she saw defendant with another young woman. He never answered her letters, and she believed he had been married a year and Seven months. Mr. Justice Phillimore: What did your father understand defendant to mean when he said he would give you a year's drilling? He said he was finished with me, and did not want to have anything more to do with me. Mr. Martin O'Connor: Had this any effect upon your health?—Yes, I have never been well since. Mr. Justice Phillimore: What does your father do?—He is a. labourer. You ar-e very well dressed for the daughter of a labourer. What is defendant? It has never been stated. He may be a peer or a pawnbroker. (Laughter.)—He is foreman at a linoleum factory at Greenwich. Why have you waited so long before issuing this writ?—I was waiting for defendant to do something. I waited for a year to see if lie would come round. Mr. Justice Phillimore: I see. Tha.t was the year's "drilling." (Loud laughter.) Cross-examined by defendant, plaintiff said they met in London-road. The circumstances of the meeting wero that on a Brink Holiday she and a friend were out walking. They stopped in the street in order that the friend might pin up plaintiff's skirt, and defendant came up and asked if he could do it. He I MS- O'BBLEN. I asked where they were going, and they replied, "To the Crystal Palace." He invited them to have some refreshment with him, and, as a consequence, the three went to a public-house, where they remained from two o'clock in the afternoon until eight o'clock in the evening. Witness admitted that on one occasion her father locked her and her sister and their mother out, because they had stayed out until two o'clock in the morning, dancing in the street to the music of a street organ. In consequence of this, she went to live with her married sister, but defendant objected, because the sister kept several young men lodgers and had only two rooms. She agreed, therefore, to go and live in the same housa as defendant. She denied having disgraced him at a Christmas party by being- in the company of a drunken man. Mrs. Ellen Verrells, sister of plaintiff, said defendant had made a statement to her husband and herself to the effect that he intended to marry Miss Foster at Christmas, and it was arranged that the wedding break- fast should be held at their house. Defendant having asked a number of ques- tions, said that, with all proper respect to the court, he could not restrain himself from calling witness a liar. Mr. Justice Phillimore: But you must restrain your.If. She is a witness, and is entitled to proper treatment. Witness: My lord, may I have a few words with Mr. O'Brien ? (Laughter.) Mr. Justice Phillimore: Certainly not. He was wrong in treating you so discourteously, but you must not reply. Defendant stated that lie was foreman in a factory at Greenwich, and earned three guineas a week. It was untrue that he induced plaintiff to leave her home. When she lost her situation he told her he would do his best to give her lodging and pocket- money. Plaintiff was out of work from August until December, and during that time she had from £2iI to L30 from him. While he was giving her money plaintiff would not look for work. When he told her that he was financially crippled, and she would have to look for employment, plaintiff obtained a situation as general servant. He and plaintiff had a few words in November, and she had accused him of wanting to throw her over. He then wrote the note in which he said he would marry her unless there was any lawful j reason or cause why he should not fulfil his promise. In consequence of information which came to his knowledge, he declined to marry plaintiff. The jury found for plaintiff, and assessed the damages at £ 15. Judgment accordingly.

TRAMS TO PENARTH I SCHEME AGAIN BEFORE THE COUNCIL. A special meeting of the Penarth Urban District Council was hold on Monday night to further consider the question of a tram- way between that town and Cardiff. A deputation of ratepayers, including Dr. Bird, Messrs. R. P. Culley, T. n. Wadley, T. Elking- ton, K. R. Marley, C. Wilson, A. C. Heitzman, Robert Redford, J. S. Shepton, and R. Morel, headed by Mr. Harold M. Lloyd, waited upon tho council with the object of urging them to come to terms with the syndicate for the construction of the track.—Mr. Lloyd stated that there appeared to be an opinion among members of the council that the tradesmen of Penarth were opposed to the scheme, but he had in his possession letters from a good many who were in favour of it. It must be a great convenience to a large number of ratepayers to have a tramway system by which they could get to Cardiff and back at frequent intervals. A deputation representing the tramway syndicate also had audience with the council. It comprised Mr. John Cory, Mr. Day (repre- senting Messrs. Letcher and Co.), Mr. St-raeey, and Mr. Herbert Lewis (Messrs. Lewis and Fletcher).—Mr. Day pointed out to the council that a similar scheme had been before them on a previous occasion, and the syndi- cate only desired that the council might come to such terms as would enable the promoters to put forward such a scheme as would prove to the public that the undertaking would be a profitable one. Mr. Robert Lewis, speaking as one of the promoters, remarked that the late Sir Thomas Morel was the originator of the scheme, and that the syndicate now included Messrs. J. W. Pyman, Harry Cousins, John Cory, Ivor Vachell, and W. J Tatem. They were pre- pared to meet the council in any fair way. With regard to the bridge over the Ely, they were ready to strengthen it sufficiently to carry the tramline. In regard to Cogan Hill, Mr. Lewis stated that the syndicate were prepared to widen the road from 23ft. to 50ft., and had already come to terms with the owners. If the council insisted upon the hill being lowered by 7ft. 6in. the syndicate could not possibly entertain the idea. They were, however, ready, provided the council could agree with the road owners, to lower the crest of the hill from 2ft. to 3ft. With regard to a double track, Mr. Lewis remarked that the Corporation of Cardiff had constructed a single line, with passing places, between tho Western Mail-buildings and Grangetown. If the council were afraid of the traffic being congested within their area. the syndicate were prepared to take the line up Windsor-road, through Glebe-street, and back again through Plassey-strcet. The syndicate were also ready to subscribe £6,000 towards the freeing of the toll on Penarth- road, if the councils interested decided to buy the road from the Marquess of Bute and Lord Windsor. After a discussion in private the council decided to appoint a small committee, which, we understand, consists of Messrs. S. Thomas, Jones, Lewis, and Purnell, to inspect the road between the turnpike gate and Penarth, and report to a future meeting.

RECKLESS HAULIERS. CAUSE A TRAM TO RUN WILD AT TREDEGAR. At Tredegar Police-court on Tuesday J. Lloyd (22) and Morgan Davies (26), hauliers, Trede- gar, were charged with committing a breach of the special rules by conveying a tram on an inclined road without a euffici§nt number of sprags on the 16th inst. at Tredegar. Mr. R. H. Spencer, Tredegar, prosecuted for the Tredegar Company, and Mr. T. E. Edwards, Newport, appeared for the defendants, both of whom pleaded guilty. The evidence showed that, as the defen- dants were leaving their working places in Bedwellty Colliery to take their horses to the stables, they came to a tram which was being filled with rubbish by a timberman named Hamer. They waited for five minutes for a haulier to remove the tram, so that they might pass, but as the haulier was not forth- coming they stated their intention of letting the tram down the incline. Tho timberman in charge of the tram pro- tested. pointing out that they did not know what mischief might ret>ult. They, however, let the tram down improperly spragged, and it ran through two main air- way doors, and the doorman (Hugh Hughes) was so badly injured that ho died the next morning. The verdict at the inquest was one of misadventure. Mr. Edwards appealed to the Bench for leniency on account, of good character, and pointed out that the' consciousness of having caused a man's death by their carelessness was sufficient punishment. The Act provided for a pecuniary penalty where the offence was not wilful misconduct. The Chairman said the magistrates had the power to commit the defendants for man- slaughter. They did not think a fine would meet the seriousness of the case, and com- mitted each defendant for one month in the second division.

OVERLOADING AT CARDIFF. A CARDIFF CAPTAIN HEAVILY FINED. At Cardiff Police-court on Tuesday (before the stipendiary, Mr. T. W. Lewis) Ben- jamin Cox, master of the steamship Coventry, now lying in the East Dock. and owned by Messrs. Edwin Jenkins and Co., Cardiff, was summoned, upon the information of the Board of Trace, for allowing his vessel, laden with iron ore, to be so overloaded on arrival on May 7 at Cardiff from Decido (Spain) as to submerge, when in salt water, the centre of the disc indicating the load-line. Mr. Arthur Vac-h-ell conducted the prosecu- tion for the Board of Trade. The captain pleaded guilty. The Stipendiary asked to what extent the disc was submerged. Mr. Vachell: Three inches and a quarter, your worship, which would mean 4Jin. on leaving Decido. The Stipendiary: How many tons does that represent? The Captain: Ninety tons. What is the freight from there to Cardiff? Mr. Vachell: About 4s. Hd. per ton. The Stipendiary remarked upon the fre- quency of proceedings of this nature against the masters of vessels engaged in this parti- cular trade. They knew that vessels so engaged had been lost. The same owners had been convicted once before, and, without wishing to hear anything further, be imposed a fine of £100 apd costs, or, in default of distress, three months, the distress to be levied en the versol forthwith. His Worship, after perusing the copy of a letter sent by defendant to the Board of Trade, and listening to what the captain himaelf had to say in explanation, told the defendant that in loading hie vessel at Decido, he could not judge by appearances when there was a heavy swell on and the -place exposed to the Atlantic. He ought, therefore, to have taken some check. The Captain said that wae exactly what he had done. His Worship then reduced the penalty to £50.

MARRIED WOMAN ASSAULTED. At Aberavon County Police-court on Monday David John Griffith and John Griffiths, two colliers, of Abergwynfl, were jointly charged with assaulting Agnes Llewellyn, married woman, of Lower High-street, Abergwynfi, and also William Francis Llewellyn, her husband, a haulier, in the employment of the Glyn- I corrwg United District Council, on the 30th of April. Mrs. Llewellyn stated that the defendants "rushed" into her house about ten minutes to eleven on the night in question. Her husband had just gone to bod in an adjoining room, and she was in the act of going to the door, candlestick in hand, to fasten it, when the two men" knocked the candlestick out of her hand and threw her on the sofa. Her screams brought her husband to her assistance, but no sooner had Llewellyn made his appearance than he was felled to the ground with a pair of bellows and afterwards brutally kicked about the chest and back. A lodger, named F.^ans, then came upon the scene, and the defendants decamped. The defendants stated that the woman decoyed them into the house, but this Mrs. Llewellyn denied, and stated that she only knew one of the men, and that only by sight. The Bench fined each defendant £2 and costs for -the assault on Mrs. Llewellyn, and JE1 and costs for the assault on her husband.

LICENSEE SUDDENLY DISAPPEARS. At Aberdare Police-couct on Tuesday Mr. J. D. Thomas, solicitor, Aberdare, applied for the transfer of the licence of the Masons' Arms, Aberdare, from Thomas Giltinam to William Shepherd.—Mr. Thomas intimated that Gilti- nam suddenly left the place about a fortnight ago, and was immediately followed by his wife and children. Numerous inquiries had been made to trace their whereabouts, but without success. The house was now shut up.—In- spector David corroborated the foregoing, and said that the police authorities had no objec- tion to raise as to the conferment of the licence upon Shepherd.—The transfer was, therefore, granted.

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MINOR MATTERS. POLICE-COURT AND OTHER PICKINGS. SINGING FESTIVAL AT PONTYCYMMER, The singing festival in connection with the Welsh Baptists of the Garw Valley was held at Pontycymmer on Monday. The conductor for the occasion was Mr. Emlyn Davies, London. BLAENAVON WOMAN'S OFFENCE. Ellen Cornfield, a married woman, who had been before tho court five times before, was fined 103 at Blaenavon on Tuesday for enter- ing tho Lion Hotel, Blaenavon, in a drunken state. SUDDEN DEATH AT A SWANSEA WORKS. A man named Frederick Corfield, aged 23, living at 28, Crumlyn-street, Port Tennant, died suddenly whilst at work at the Crown Spelter Works, Port Tennant, from rupture of a blood vessel. CHILD DIES FROM SYNCOPE. At an inquest on Monday at Swansea on the body cf Ethel Mary Fox, two years old, a verdict of "Death from syncope" was returned, the Deputy-coroner remarking that it was a peculiar cause of death for a child of that age. HEAVY FINES FOR ASSAULT. Michael Walsh and his wife, Catherine Walsh, were charged at Merthyr on Monday with assaulting Police-constable Cook at Dowlais. The assault was of a brutal character, and Walsh was fined £20, or two months, and his wife £5, or one month. RAILWAY THIEF AT MORRISTON. William Griffiths, a haulier, was charged at Swansea on Tuesdajr with breaking into a, van on the Midland Railway at Morriston and stealing a pair of boots. Defendant plea.ded guilty, and was fined 2Cs., or fourteen days' hard labour. CIGARETTES IN THE MINE. At Caerphilly Police-cwurt on Tuesday Wil- liam John Lewis, Scnglienydd, was charged with taking cigarettes into the Universal Colliery, Seughenydd. The cigarettes were found near the defendant's clothes. Defen- dant was fined 10s. and costs. TREDEGAR WOMAN'S BAD RECORD. At Tredegar on Tuesday Fanny Jenkins, who has a record of thirteen previous c0nYictions, was ag-ain charged with being drunk and dis- orderly. She was ordered to find two sureties in £10 each and herself in £20 to be of good behavious for the next six months, or go to prison for six months. SERIOUS COLLIERY OFFENCE. For unramming an explosive in the Duffryn Rhondda Colliery, at Cymmer, Evan Davies, collier, was fined 40s. and costs at Aberavon on Monday. An accident, it is alleged, was the outcome of Daviea's action, whereby three men were more or less seriously injured, one boy being now in hospital. SLEPT IN PIG-STTES. At Caerphilly on Wednesday David Williams. Senghenydd, was sent to gaol for seven days for stealing a shirt, valued at 3s. 6d., the pro- perty of Robert Court, who residee at 35, High- street, Senghenydd. Police-constable Bcvan stated tnat the prisoner lived a very peculiar life. Although he was only nineteen years of age he would not work, but slept in pig-styes and w.c.'s. CHARGE AGAINST SCHOOL TEACHER. At Caerphilly Police-court on Tuesday Thomas Goshen Evans, teacher at tho Gilfach School, in Gellygac* Parish, was sum- moned by Mary Edmunds for assaulting and beating her daughter, Esther Edmunds, aged eleven years, during school hours, on May 9. Owing to the conflicting evidence the Bench dismissed the case. MAESTEG ASSAULT CASES. At Bridgend on Saturday James Stephens, 56, Ivor-street, Maesteg, charged Gomer Griffiths, Rock Hotel, Nantyffyllon, with assaulting him at Maesteg on May 7. John Hopkins, Model Lodging-house, Maesteg, was also charged with assaulting his wife, Mary Hopkins, on the same date.—Ths defendants did not appear.—The Bench considered both cases serious and issued warrants for defendants' arrest. FATHER AND SON QUARREL. A row between father a.nd son led to William Sheppard, fishmonger, and John Sheppard, his aS6istaut. being summoned before the Newport magistrates on Monday for using bad language in the provision market at 7.50 on Priday morning.—According to the evidence of Police-con-stablo Wright,. there was a dis- pute about money matters, and the son in particular was hasty with his tongue.—lie was fined 21s.. and his father, who was defended by Mr. Lyndon Moore, was discharged. INSPECTOR'S SMART CAPTURE. At Yetrad Police-court on Monday David John Jonea was charged with being a deserter ftom the Carmarthen Artillery Militia-- Inspector WilliamiS explained to the beuch that he had arrested the defendant at 27, Maindy-road, Ton, from a description given for him in the "Police Gazette." A similar caso of desertion from tho Army Corps, Dublin, had been d-ealt with by their worships the previous Monday.—Defendant was ordered to await an escort. TWO BAD NEATH BOYS. At a special sitting of the Neath justices on Saturday two lads named William Richards, of 23, Wind-street, and John George. 19, Wind-street, Neath, were brought up in I custody charged with stealing six tumbler pigeons from a coop at the back of No. 40, Rcsser-street, the property of Mr. Godfrey Wright. The pigeons, it appears, were sold to a telegraph boy for 6d. each, Richards stating that his mother would not allow him to keiep ftie birds at home.—The boys pleaded "Guilty," and there being previous convic- tions they were sent to the reformatory for four years. GILFACH WOMEN'S QUARREL. At Caerphilly Police-court on Tuesday Mary Woods, of Thomas-street, Giifach, and her husband, IIr. Woods, were summoned by Eliza- beth Hughes, of tho Earns street, for assault. Mr. T. J. Thomas, Bargoed, prosecuted, and Mr. Thomas Phillips. Pontypridd, defended. Evidence was given by tho complainant that Woods had hold of both her arms. whilst the wife was pulling her hair and beating her, and also that Mrs. Woods bawled" out in the streets that she (complainant) was the Rhondda bully." The defendant Woods stated that complainant caught hold of his wife's hair and his wife caught hold of com- plainant's hair, and ha interfered to prevent them from fighting. The oaoe was dismissed. THEFT OF A HORSE AT MAESTEG. David Francis Thomas (eleven), of Maesteg, was charged at Bridgend on Saturday with stealing a horse, saddle, and bridle, value £12, the property of Edward T. Hopkins, butcher:, Bethania-street, Macst?g. on May 12.-Polioe-con:stable Davies deposed that he was Fair on the day in question and saw the lad riding a horse about and offering to sell it to a dealer for £2. He questioned the boy. when he said his father told him to sell it for that amount. Ho warned the dealer not to buy it. Witness subsequently made inquiries, and as the result arrested the lad, when he admitted the offence.—Edward T.' Hopkins, butcher, Maesteg, deposed that the horse was in his stable, but subsequently he found that the horse, saddle, and bridle was gone.—-The Bench ordered the lad to receive three strokes with the birch. COMING-OF-AGE CELEBRATIONS. Celebrations on the occasion of the coming- of-age of C. A. H. Longcroft, the heiI: of Llanina, New Quay, Cardiganshire, were held in the neighbourhood of Llanina, New Quay, and Aberayron. The tenants of the estate made a presentation to Mr. Longcroft, a.nd from the hands of the servants, tenants, and friends he received an illuminated address and a brace of guns. A dinner was afterwards given, and in the subsequent proceedings the following took part:—Mr. D. Davies, the Rev. T. Meredith Williams, Mr. C. A. H. Longcroft, Mr. Watkin Davies, Mr. Picton Evans, Mr. Evan Thomas, and the Rev. J. M. Prytherch. In the afternoon tea was given and sports held. Later there was an entertainment, and at night a bonfire was lit at Penllainbaby. YACHT CAPSIZED OFF PENARTH. The Penarth Yacht Club resumed racing on Saturday afternoon, when a prize was given for a race for yachts of the mosquito class by Mr. Harold Lloyd. Four competitors crossed the line, as follows:—The Dragon Fly (Mr. Dan Rees), Anopheles (Mr. Trippe), Butterfly (Mr. Moore), and Gadfly (Dr. Hibbert). When, however, the yachts we "o off the point known as the Seven Sisters th3 Anopheles, in an attempt to get to the wind- ward, was struck by a squall, fouled the Dragon Fly, and capsized. The occupants- Mr. Trippe and a friend (Mr. M'Nair)—were thrown into tho water, but were able to frot on board the Dragon Fly, none the worse for their immersion. The race was soon after abandoned, whilst the Anopheles was towed ashore by a pilot-boat. SHIRKING HIS RESPONSIBILITY. At iierthyr Police-court on Monday James Thomas, collier, Blaina, was sued by his wife, who lives in Trevethick-stre^t, Merthyr, for non-payment of arrears of maintenance, amounting to £48 10s., due under an order made on the 14th of May, 1901. Mr. Harris (from the office of Messrs. C. and W. Ken- phole) appeared for the complainant, and Mr. P. P. Charles for the (:L!1lL1nL-lt •! > pired that the defendant recently took out a summons to vary the ordflr on the ground of the .wife's alleged misconduct, but the summons was withdrawn. It was also stated that the defendant was now living with the complainant's sister. The complainant had received upwards of £30 on policies on which the defendant had paid the premiums, and the Stipendiary advised the wife to take £10 in discharge of the debt. This, however, she declined to do, and his Worship sent defendant to gaol for fourteen days.

LAUGH & GROW )I HUMOUROUS PARS FltO EVERYWHERE. • bt. Maudie, dear, those shoes look tig do they feel on your feet?" „ (TO Perfectly comfortable, mamma. jeet fe1 self): If she had asked me how mY" in the shoes, she would have had IIle. Walter's mamma was very matism, and he was rubbing her a she said: is øCch Walter, it is too bad that mad" a trouble to you." ef Walter replied, cheerfully, mamma, if you are only just allve care how much you suffer." a —— „ 110 jlP' Timson: Wasn't that Goodm^11 asked for you? • to Miss Sharp: Yes; I told the IIlald I was not at home. b". roØ Timson: But suppose he finds out t are? t thO^ Miss Sharp: I'll tell him that 1 1 was you.. RURAL EDUCATION- r0fl04 What do you call those little 1JIbbOl' heaps?" asked the Cockney of the t" Why, them be Humpty TumpS," ploughboy. „ But what are Humpty What the Humpty makes, to "But who is the Humpty?" f-o*. tj Cockney, pressing his hand to his? g t<> Wtey, 'im as makes them tuwP' sure." SENSITIVE. -j eiffi "The health officer advised man with whom we had domestic he was careful to boil the water » his business." J' Well, I asked the milkman what do you tJlink? He got mad and to lick me!" A WILLING UNDERTAKES- #j Mr. Deal, the undertaker, waS n a loss for an answer when anyone to poke fun at him or his profeøBl J day a would-be wit remarked to must be a gruesome business, suppose you undertakers never S man without wishing him dead?'. t. "You are mistaken," replied tl1 j taker. I know some people wboIlJ be perfectly willing to bury alive! THE ULTIMATE RESULT- His Reverence: Yes, I k'ew thflI11^ boys. Tho one was a clever, h&ndsp^ jje the other a plodder—a worker. 4 !ad was left behind in the race \p is poor still. The worker was his widow over £ 60,000! ¡p- Host: Yes; I heard yesterday bright lad is going to marry the ire £ 3 so. A etrange-looking customer ft* head into an auction room and inquired "Can I bid, air?" J, "Certainly," replied the auctionee»^jj|| "Well, then," replied the wag, "I bid you good-night DIDN'T HURRY. fJ1 0$ A German was playing at che3S ? j. of his friends entered the cafe aboU "I bid you good-night DIDN'T HURRY. fJ1 0$ A German was playing at chesa ? Oíl16 f- of his friends entered the cafe abontllf ø ø the evening and asked him how {i The German, absorbed in his game, reply; but, on finishing with an checkmate about eleven o'clock, be ( and said :— .l* "Tolerably well. And how ia it A GREATER TREAT. A lady was discussing preparation' U with her cook, and the subject .jje*1 vT came up. She suggested that the feij better dine on that fare on Ash fp "Oh, if you please, mum." replied "couldn't we have eggs and bacon intte would be a much greater treat." UNDER THE HAT. A working man called at a business, and while he was Kw the gentleman the good-natured him a glass of beer. On hearing t» jjjj man approaching, the man popped over the beer and stood, appareP pr concerned, to receive his orders-^ j settling affairs the gentleman sai^ Will you have a glass of beer, man?" "Thank you, sir," was the rep^ vati' A* Then drink the one under your gentleman answered, and he }e astonished man to finish his beer. WHERE HE WOULD GO- d Not long ago a Gateshead schooling giving his class a lesson in geography' j* eo doing he gave the boys an accoUP City of Durham. He endeavoured lCI"; his description as interesting as pos6' pointed out that the ancient city ccf-t,t dome notable structures, mentioning lt, ¡, dral, castle, and prison. A few his Majesty's inspector paid his an;1 to and put some geography q«csti0no(j;$ same class. Amongst others he as Suppose I visited the City of t0 fy what large building should I be The eyes of one .bright boy spa 'A evidently had remembered at least r of the lesson given a few days h^ promptly replied, "The prison, eir' ONE AT A TIME. ,g A brawny Swede visited a regis^jc^jf the other day to procure a marriag and a couple of clerks to whom he stated his wishes, directed stated his wishes, directed blJll 'Ð6-,M department where dog licences a.re^0ff Ho approached the licence wj^Lgg, dently, gave his name and addL Ji asked what the document wouUl 'r asked what the document would c.03tt It Will cost yon 7s. 6d. a year 0, dog you k.;ep," replied the clerk. re-plied the Swede. lr Why, certainly," continued the c > Don't you want a dog licence?" Val. no," cried the would-be ■f' "Ay kaint afford to buy a doff( Ay want to get. only a wife now.' A YOUNG PHILOSOPHER- The mistress had been nearly half explaining to her class the relatij of certain small coins, and flnally £ e Pufi their knowledge of the subject, them which they would prefer little halfpennies or a penny. One Lttie stantly declared in favour of two na But why?" the taacher wanted "Have I not told you over and °\$0 that, a penny is every bit as goo jd» halfpennies?" øP Yes, teacher," answered the y gft but if Ah lose one ha'penny A still hev another left, while if penny Ah should hev nowt!" AT THE AUCTION. ø4' The auction-room was crowded,, collection of furniture, art, and being unusually choice, the bidding very spirited. During an interval 0 a man with a pale and agitated co pushed his way to the auctioneer engaged him in a whispered Presently he stood aside, and the J rapped attention with his hammer. ilI p Vp Ladies and gentlemen," he eaia. voice, I have to inform you that man present has lost his POcket-^fU-^ taining £ 500. He offers £ 50 for its Instantly a email man in b»^f sprang upon a ohair and cried eicii*5 give £100!"

"WHY DON'T YOU B.1Ø VI-COOOA? V eb0 J Every working man and woman asked this question daily. The opinion of the Rev. F. Sv-ddenham, near Mnnchester, <0 "I like Dr. Tibbies' Vi-Cicoa very it, K V have used it every day. I beU vou represent it to bo. It is bo preferred to tea. coffee, and other « is the opinion of thousands You must have 1 ead the striking tT that ia being publishea daily resP merits of Vi-Cocoa. And yet yott 3 tried it. We advise you to do so Jjjj Dr. Tibbies' Vi-Cocoa can be ob 6d. packets and 9d. and Is. 6d. tnife^' growers and stores; or the Prop ]P, send you free a dainty sample rcceipt of a post-card to 60, Bunhi» don. E.G., asking them to do so.

A "BROODING SNAK& At the Belle Vue Gardens, large boa constrictor from India, in length, has set up housekeeping- r day lust, choosing a warm spot ove e' air inlet, she began to lay. Tn f fr large as a turkey's, are aheU-iess, « and in texture like parchment. 1 perhaps 50, over which the python herself in spirals and begun the ygj, ™ incubation. Success is rare, tn^ fe eggs laid about eight years ago 11 Should this attempt be more baby pythons should appear in months.

DIRECTORS' LIABJXRR*' At Liverpool Assizes on Saturday^ was concluded of tho action ItJj# 0 (fiP misrepresentation on the p South Lancashire Traction and ^0 pany against Sir John Willox, -g. Arthur Stanley, M.P., and Messr^' rto!i- vej* pratt and Jacob and James B- jury found that defendants reasonable precautions to statement* in the prospectus this finding verdict and entered for the defendants, with "dïW