The Cardiff Times

I KEBNICKS PILLS, VEGETABLE PILLS. 7jd, 13§d, and 2s 9d per box. AN UNEQUALLED FAMILY MEDICINE. Sold by all Chemists.

WORKMEN'S TOPICS. I BY MABON, M.P. SILLS AFFECTING LABOUR IN PARLIAMENT. Wages Board Bill. ^i'lr18 'B being introduced by Sir Charles an<3 supported by Messrs Bell, Burns, ab• a» Tennant, and Trevelyan, with the M,0ct, they say, to provide for the establishment jjj boards— with power to fix the inini- i rates of wages to be paid to workers in par- jo 0 ar trades. It is left to the Home Secretary Say for what trades wages boards are to be so that at all events, in the first ht wages boards need be appointed only *hat areknown as the sweated industries la* at industries in which outworkers are employed, and in which the rateof reman- ,0Q is low. A wages board will have, accord- pro t0 tlle Pr°P°se<^ power, if they think ^et> to fix a minimum rate for any single jjj °f work or for any single class of workers a Particular trade. They will have the widest as to fixing a time rate or a piece- 'ate, and as to varying the minimum j^0rding to the kind of work and the class of employed. It provides, also, that A Wages Board My comPOsed of employers and represeuta- eo Of employed in equal numbers, with a chair- by the members or nominated by tb m° Secretary and it proposes to entrust to^Wmentof payment of the minimum rate ^story inspectors. names attached to this proposed measure ^a sufficient guarantee that the proposals stb 8llch that will promote in some way or ^(jer the general interest of the workers of this although it, at present, only proposes K 6al with sweated trades, and, generally the class of workpeople that as a rule iw able, for the want of organisation, to '•^ig themselves. Still, it is very evident that ftc|ass of legislation is very little removed regulation of wages with all its legal ^^neneea. for it proposes that where a mini- fy* wages is established in any district class of persons employed in any kind of 'n any trade any person carrying on 0|, Iaes8 ia tfjg district who pays or offers wages, ^ose behalf wages are paid or offered, at ^Wer than the minimum, or to any person class employed by him in^ that kind of *Rai tllat trade, shall be guilty of an offence Ojj a8t this Act. Or if wages are paid or 1^^ by time where the minimum rate estab- *te -'S ca^cn^ate^ by piece- work, or if wages jjj. or offered by piece work where the mini- **te established is calculated by time, the 8ha11 be deemed to be paid or offered at a .et 'ate than the minimum. person guilty of an offence against this c,? Bllall be liable on summary conviction in tv 6 °f a first conviction to a fine of not less or more than £ 5 for each offence, and in a second or subsequent conviction within IYG&ris from the last conviction to a fine of not 0* tban £ 2 and not more than £ 20 for each Things Must Be Very Bad ^ocnewhere before one can but assume ^rastic legislation as proposed here loorald be necessary to protect the workers. But iOSafe principle? Is there no tendency ved that will undermine trade organisations 'be workpeople themselves ? My fc^^oce teaches that it is very necessary to 3?h* Care ln t^iese matt:ers- No 9 Provisions contain what I am afraid are Very doubtful points. The first is the power to apply for the formation afd. Such applications may be made by rades Union or Trades Council, er by any •^erS0Ds w^° ar0 employers of labour Payees in the trade in the district. It may V^lrt that a Trades Union will know what it ke about in making an application, and 5^jarQG may possibly be urged in favour of a Council if they represent persons in the 1 rade in tjie district. But what Vo, K such a power to any six persons, etc ? M tlfier experience proves that any six persons *^$1 time may be made use of as the in the district, or some of them may need but remind our readers of A**5 done under the Workmen's Compensa. ct. and prior under ^mP'°yers' Liability Act of the contention that such a procedure 3v lftleQtsil to the interests of the workers. k40 th there is the second point-the workers employers are to have equal numbers of c^^tiveB on the board, but to Hiy °sen in such manner as the Secre- State may on each occasion deter- Ntle' 'n default of such choice beiDg j be nominated by the Secretary of -^be cliairman in the same way is to be !*> by the other members of the boards, or by the Secretary of State, and is to L vote *n addition to his other vote ■ning any of the questions coming board should the members thereof °t to to equal. I am naturally anxious Ik0'8'7 a sin^e woid, if possible, against any tljSlVe measure. Still, experience teaches b P°Wer involved here and working among bodies of men has in the past been jV, j^mentallv to their interests. More- to me rather premature to try and pr,noiP'e °' compulsory arbitration h, House of Commons while such a T.|0rity the leading trades, as well as '°nists in general, are so strongly W ""6 tn 0Qts,^e* ^et, should it come through, at|e a law of the land, I would have no °tr 'Q to bring it to a practical i are many wages disputes, large that it would doubtless help to settle long and almost endless industrial 'bat are disgracing us at the present Where workers are well organised. Jib* t. Cheap Trains. I dipe Pose of this Bill is to remove some of to^l«es experienced in London and- other 8 ]Q bousing the working classes by ^*t^tovisions for an ample service of trains O^ai 6n 80 as to Provide a cheaper means of *0^ Cation between the central stations and ^S8,,bucb8- I ^ains Act of 1883, 46 and 47 Vict., I t, means of which a bargain was struck it nation and the railway companies, companies to provide proper and \Jet,n £ tktnen,8 trains for workmen going to tin, 1Dr from their work, at such fares and ^Ppea8 ^etween B'x p m. and eight a.m. as 'to the Board of Trade to be reason* v* *> sijT~ 66,1 no general legislation on this ^883, when the Cheap Trains Act Ob 'thereby the passenger duty was re- mi] fares not exceeding the rate of one ^Uty a reduction from 5 to 2 per cent. S> «rbj°tt and second-class fares in cer ^'stricta, on condition that all rail- should provide sufficient work- °tk at r workmen going and returning «nd 8 aBtlcb fares and such times between K to to J1'111- as may appear to the Board of Provj^_ea80nable. The object of this Bill a|id to « a snfficieut service of cheap „ a-^f»vjtl_x 'or passengers by all workmen's at tlle variona stations up to 8 V^l r,atld t.h m ^tum fare between any central oPo^onter suburbs up to 20 miles. The th^ktv ''sse^ ,'on on the Housing of the Work- tn>ivf0cgly urged the need for cheap Bv -to ran BP t° 8 o'clock iu the 1 I>ai.i to the Board of Trade I *V that 25th March, 1900- it will f a Veiy slight exception, there ■\ *0tninc» ?, raina running up to 8 o'clock Jv 'Ww* ot 's aln« I? t'mo laid down by the Act of ■B cam*hown that the fares charged by M, ^»jbp,agmuch higher than

THE HOUSEHOLD. Distemper has become a very general mode of covering walls of kitchen!! and such like rooms, but it is not so much used to decorate sitting and bedrooms. For the walls of a newly built house it is far better than paper, as the latter will show the damp much more, and new houses are necessarily slightly damp. Distemper decora- tions can be painted on any clean plastered wall, and are quite within the reach of everyone capable of using the brush with any degree of facility. It is only the knowledge of how to set about it which is necessary. The wall must be prepared to receive the distemper by a good coat of glue size over the plaster or paper. The size for distempering may be obtained from any dry colour warehouse. Distemper is made from dry colours, mixed with whiting and glue size as a fixative. When the size is quite dry it will take at least twenty-four hours to dry-take a large long-aired whitewashing brush and apply the colour quickly and lightly up and down the wall. One coat will probably be sufficient. Care should be taken to put the distemper on very evenly, as any fault in this respect will show more when it is dry than when wet. Having thus formed a background of plain colour it is but the work of a short time to arrive at the most A Pretty Frieze, charming decorations in other colours in designs upon it. The simplest way of producing really good effects with distemper is with stenciled patterns. A room With pink distemper walls was rendered most charming by the frieze illustrated being stenciled upon it in pale mauve and pale green. To oom-nence astencil the design must be care- fully drawn on thick brown papec, and then cut out all the spaces enclosed by the lines with a sharp knife. These papers are then fastened to the wall with strong drawing pins and the colour is painted over them on to the wall where the paper is cut away. The papers are then removed and the design is left on the wall, having been painted through the papers. The walls when the distemper is quite finished and dry should have another thin even coat of glue size. When this is dry the walls can be washed from time to time without tbe slightest injury to their colour. «.i„ The appearance of a dinner table is greatly dependant upon its silver, for no matter how lovely the floral decorations may be, if the forks and spoons are dull and dirty it is quite impos- sible that the whole effect of the table should be pretty and nice. It is quite a simple item of household work to keep silver bright if it is given e a slight rub every time after being washed, but when it has been allowed to tarnish through neglect it is not quite so easy. The best way of restoring it is to wash each article in hot water and cover it with a mixture made by dissolving two teaspoonfuls of powdered allum in a quart Of moderately strong lye, and stirring in a gill of soft soap. Any scum which may arise must To Clean Forks. be removed before it is applied to the silver, which must be well covered, and allowed to remain in the mixture for a quarter of an hour. Then wash the silver in warm soap suds and dry. It may then be polished in the ordinary manner. Many people complain while cleaning silver that it is so difficult to really clean forks, and it is for those who have suffered from this difficulty that I have illustrated this home-made fork cleaner. It is manufactured by covering a thin tin or other metal paper knife with two thicknesses of wash leather. This simple instrument can easily be passed between the-prongs of the forka and will greatly improve their appearance. White harricot beans are a very cheap and nourishing form of food, too much neglected in England. They require to be soaked in water with a pinch of soda in it for about twelve hours. Should any beans float they must be thrown away, as this is a sign that they are unfit for eating. Then place them in cold water, without any salt, and boil them for two hours or more until tender. Strain them off and place them in a saucepan, the bottom of which has been rubbed with garlic, or, if preferred, onion. Put the beans back on to the fire and mix in a piece of batter, a teaspoonful of chopped pars- ley, and the juice of half a lemon. Simmer for a few minutes and serve in a hot dish. We have a great many examples of the beauti- ful cut-linen work executed by t be Itahans in the fifteenth century, but this work apparently went cut of fashion as it is not met with to nearly such an extent in the sixteenth century, or at any later date. Tt is. however, I hope, going to be revived now, as quite a number of people are taking it up, doing some really exquisite pieces in this manner. The table centre I have drawn here A Charming Table Centre. is a very good example of the modern cut work. The design is in the first place outlined in fine embroidery cotton, either with outline stitch or, as is more effective, with a 7ery tiny line of buttonholing. The different parts of the pattern are then joined with different lace stitches. Those used in the design illustrated are simply lines of chain stitsh, with occasional little balls embroidered on to them but a great deal of ingenuity and taste can be expended upon these connecting links, making them with all kinds ol lace stitches. When this has been quite finished the linen is cut away from behind the lace 1 waving only the design itself. This kind of work is especially beautiful when applied to table linen such as table centres and sideboard and tray cloths. Not the least of the virtues of that fine old English herb, lavender, is its tonic effect upon excited, trembling nerves, irritability, and irregu- lar duam ago- those moments Of exhaustion when a woman's feelings are utterly undefinable. Two or three teaspoonfuls of the tincture in a cupful of hot water, with a slice or two of lemon, maae a restorative drink that acts like magic, and puts a woman in possession of her best self, ready to take up her burden, be it work or pleasure. ETHEL.

An amoaing incident is said to have taken phtce recently at a well-known cigar shop. A newsboy, having picked up a fag," walked in and, addressing the man behind the counter, said, Will yer give us a match ?" The man behind the counter looked down at the urchin. Look here, young impudence, we don't pay the rent of this place by giving away matches we sell them." How much are they?" the lad asked, Halfpenny a box," said the shopman. The boy put his hapd into his pocket and pro- duced, after a great deal of hunting, a half- penny, and handed it to the man. He received his box of matches, and taking one out lit his fag." Returning the box to the man, he said, I say keep this on the counter, and when a gentleman comes along and asks yon for a match give him one out of my box." Cholly (proudly) By Jove, I'm quite a pro- fessor of swimming, don't you know. I taught Mabel Galey how to swim in two lessons. Jack: Gad. That was a quick throw-down.—Cholly (indignantly) What do you mean ?—Jack Why, she let me give her ten lessons before she learned. "Why. Harold, I'm surprised I You should wait until the blessing is asked." I did ask mine." II You did pIa M Yes: and God Ji»i3 I Go P«lw»dl'

MUSIC IN WALES. I BY D. EMLYN EVANS. EASTERTIDE. The numerous eisteddfodau of various grades and Cymanfaoedd Canu which were held daring the past Eastertide do not seem to have differed very materially from those of similar occasions previously. In South Wales music has been steadily encroaching in the work of the eistedd- fod,and the majority of what are termed eistedd- fodau would be more correctly described musical competitions. It must be noted with satisfaction, however, that there are gratifying exceptions, and that some committees in Gwent and Mor. ganwg do their duty in this direction by having prose and poetry, etc., represented in their pro- grammes, and that fairly adequately Both 10 North and South, Central and Mid- Wales, » the so-called challenge coneorts-" and cham- pion contests still figure prominently, to the certain detriment of the eisteddfod as an institu- tion, to the discouragement of musical composi- tion,and to the ultimate ruin of many a talented singer. As we 4ve probably pointed out before -were it, indeed, not sufficiently self-evident— to make up a programme entirely, or mainly, of any solo, &c., is simply to put a premium upon lethargy and idleness and during the last few weeks we have been witness to the regrettable results of this most mischievous policy. Singers who a few year3 ago gave promise of a bright future have become mere vocal hacks, tramping up hill and down dale, eternally singing the same few songs, with voices strained and hardened, with the artist soul which should be ever fresh and buoyant blighted and seared, and with no higher nor other ambition than-pot hunting. To contemplate a pleasanter picture, no meet- ings are more beneficial, more educational, and we are glad to say more flourishing than the unassuming literary and -1 Musical" Cyfch.wyliau J) annually held amongst the quarrymen of North Wales, some of which have an unbroken record of nearly half a century. These are thned so as not to interfere with the men's weekly labour, being generally spread over the Thursday ani Friday night and the afternnon and evening of Saturday. The prizes in the various subjects are never extravagant, but the competitions are keen and often of a high standard and we recently had to award a comparatively small choral prize at a place lying at the foot of Snowdon, in a contest that would not have brought discredit upon much more ambitious gatherings with a prize more that quadrupled. This was-by no means an exception, and it is in such meetings and their influences that the eisteddfodist finds his best encouragement and consolation. In some cases commendable efforts are made to vary and to in troduce some novelty into the day's bill of fare. An eisteddfod which fills up the whole day from early morning to late night is exbausting all round. The miscellaneous concert, to which resource is had more or less often for the evening meeting, is not seldom a thing of chance, the programme of which gener- ally consists of a dreary succession of well-worn songs whilst the performance of some complete work is beyond the resources of the majority of places. )lbe committee of the Nantymoel Eisteddfod, however, adopted the happy plan of having a night with the harp and pennillion singing in- terpreted by Eos Dar who is facile princeps in that branch, interspersed by apposite observa. tions by the genial and witty Watcyn Wyn, and -last, but not least—by songs contributed by Mrs Martha Harries-Phillips, whose rich con- tralto tones, clear enunciation, and expressive renderings show no signs of decay or wear. Other committees may do worse than by follow- ing the example of Nantymoel. These old penil- lion are worth preserving ? in most instances they carry a moral, and Welsh parents may ad- vantageously have them treasured in the minds of their children. The art of pennillion singing also is one that should not only be preserved,but popularised and probably no two opinions exist amongst patriotic Welshmen concerning the desirability of retaining the harp as our national instrument. In the larger events which have been held in South Wales, the shuffling of the cards brought about what some persons may deem unexpected results in some of the contests but these things are only according to the old rule of nature and the chances of war. It is only The Previously Predisposed Partisan who thinks that his favourite contestant or choir cannot fail to win and it is only tbe small and narrow-minded conductor who seeks to make lame excuses when the result is unfavourable to himself-by attributing it, for instance, to the machinations of the evil one working in such a case, as may probably be asserted, through the medium of those poor people called adjudicators. But in this matter of contests there is anebi^and flow; and a man's cunningness of mind and hand does not last for ever, nor does one ever know what dark horse may be in the field until the race is being run. To the true-hearted, too, defeat does not necessarily imply disaster, total and irremediable. One may have been too confident of his own prowess, and a rebuff may ultimately lead to victory. Nature's Unchangeable Law win remain fixed, however one generation over- takes the other, and the younger grasps the prizes from the enfeebled hands of its predeces- sor and if Wales is to reassert itself, and to make marked progress in the future, it must largely be by means of those now rising or who are to rise after us. We see that what remarks we had intended offering in connection with Cymanfaoedd Cann must be held over for the present.

Andrew Fletcher ef Saltern, in a letter te tIie Murqnis of Montrose, wrote I know a very wise Man thai) believed that if a man were permitted t« make all the ballads be need not care who should imake the laws of the nation."

OVER THE HILtS. Over the hills and far away A little boy steals from his morning*fnsy* And under the blossoming apple tree He lies and he dreams of the things to be; Of battles fought and of victories won, Of wrongs o'erthrown and of great deeds done- Of the valonr that he shall prove some day, Over the hills and far away- Over the bills and far away? Over-the hills and far away. It's 0 for the toil the livelong day! But it mattered not to the soul aflame With a love for riches and power and fans*1! On, O man 1 while the sun is high— On to the certain joys that lie Yonder where Wazeth the noon of day) Over the hills and far away— Over the hills and far awayi Over the hills and far away, An old man lingers at close of clsy Now that his journey is almost dons. His battles fought and his victories won. The old-time honesty and truth, The trustfulness and the friends of youta, Home and mother-where are they 7 Over tbe hills and far away

TOO LATE. One thought there is pursues me 8ft like atr adder stings, One wild regret that haunts mo and angnish And this1 it' hTthat grieve* me and starts tfae øea.1ding tear- That,! had but been kind- when yen were. wtth me here. I sow with eyes turned backwards can see so many times When I, perverse and wilfnl, rang discords in our chimes, „ And now, though I would forfeit all other joys of Fate, To call you back and bless you, it is too lata 1 toe late i Susie M. Best.

No Call for Leisure.-u What, you back to, I work. Pete? When I saw yoa fall off the build- ing yesterday I never expected to see you work again." I t'honght dat, too, boss, but mah wife dQaelet iwt week.J' j .AJ:

Illustrated Humour. I II Was he on his knees when he proposed f" No—I was." HandPa says that if we get married he.11 pay half the expense of furnishing. Jack Well, what about the other half? Mamma Why did you refuse three times to aiarry M. de Bullion ? Wilful Daughter: Because he proposed three times. Brown her 6yes and hair and gown } Brown her daintv little show; Also she's engaged to Brown- That's why I am blue. Another Holds Her Worsted Now. f He: Do you notice how my hand trembles, Miss Julia ? She (shyly) Yes, Mr Samson. He And cannot you divine the cause? She (shyness increasing) N-no, Mr Samson. He Miss Julia, I have a confession to make. Will you hear it ? She (shyness becoming painful as she antici- pated a proposal) If youlfke, Mr Samson. Ho I was out with some of the boys last night, and it was two in the morning before I reached home. American Millionaire: I was rather struck with that young Lord de Broke. I think I shall let Evadne marry him. Mrs Millionaire (doubtfully) H'm! did he ask you how much money you had? A. M. No, he asked me how I got it. {They Closed. I He: Can't you bear how my heart beats with love for you ? She: If you sat a little closer perhaps I could. First Decorator: I advised him to have his house decorated during his wife's absence, as a surprise. Second Decorator Good Then we'll have to do it all over again when she gets back. Miss Vera Oldmayden was hardly to blame For feeling as proud as a Queen; On the swell-hotel register,' after her namet The gallant clerk wro& Suite J.ô." Papa My dear, I should like to see you mar- ried to a man of about fifty-one who could take care of you. Frivolous Daughter: I'd sooner have two at twenty-five, dad __I Not His Fanlt. Tramp: Haven't I met you somewhere before? Gussie If you have, it was entirely uninten- tional on my part, I assure you. "Are you married?" asked the magistrate, j sternly. No, your Honour," responded the man, who had been locked up overnight for intoxication. I got these scratches on my face by falling against a barb-wire fence." Ethel," said Mrs Subbnbs, sternly, K after that young man had caid 'Good-night' to you in the porch lact evening, I heard several sounds like kisses." Yes?" inquired the girl. "Oh, I know I What yon heard was the noise he made pulling his feet oat of the mnd as he walked down the path." Behind the Times. The Power of the Press. She (enthusiastically) ? Tout fistsr looks #ood enough to eat. Jack; She doewl Lawyer: I'm sorry I coaldn't do more for yon. Convicted Client: Oh! don't say a word; three years is enough. ,e Cobwigger I suppose rain affects your church attendance on Sundays? Minister Very much so. There'fs hardly a vacant pew when it's too wet to play golf, Before we were married," said the moamM- looking woman, 1, my husband was a perfect cavalier." Yes," answered Mr Ironjaw, and now he's a perfect caviller." Yon seem to like his attentions. Why don't you marry him ?" Because I like his attentions." The Friend: But what do you object to? He always comes, straight home, doesn't he ? The Wife Yes, but he doesn't always come hom. straight I Tbe artist was painting the portrait of the daughter of the coal baron. In her ball-gown, she was an inspiring study, indeed. How do you like my arms ?" she asked, with that true naivete which comes with great wealth. You have a divine right," he asserted. Yes." she smiled I inherit that from papa." When Nora drooped the roast on the dining. room floor, Ferguson, the politest man in New York, said, When you go back, Nora, please ask the cook if there is any cold meat in the honse." (Exit Nora.) To the company "I beg yon to exense our maid. These accidents happen to ber somewhat over-frequently. She was bred, I believe, a dairymaid, but had to leave that employment because of her inability to handle the cow^ without breajapg off their I

SCIENCE AND HEALTH By Dr. ANDREW WILSON, F.R.8.E., Se. More About Radium. The discussion regarding the at present inex- plicable properties of radium, to which I referred in this column last week, still continues. There has been carried on a battle royal in the ■•Times" between Sir W. Crookes and a correspondent who dubs himself Ignoramus," a title which belies his very acute reasoning powers. At the end of things we are no nearer any exact explanation of the mystery, which is that of the power of radium to continue to give off heat waves in the apparent absence of any source of that energy. A. reader of this column, referring to my remarks on the correlation of forces asks why it should not be possible that some forms of matter should be endowed witn a store of energy compressed into such dimensions that it would last for an in- definite period ? To that remark I replynothing is impossible in the suggestion but according to our present scientific conception such an idea represents a highly inexplicable contingency. My correspondent asks me to conceive a mass of matter, originally a part of some glowing orb, detached from its parent planet and becoming incorporated with the matter of some other world. Retaining all its old heat store, com- pressed and concentrated beyond all human notions, it could be conceived to begin to pa.rt with its energy under the new conditions it will enter in on the new orb, or when brought in con- tact, say. with our atmosphere. This is a very pretty conception I do not know that one can allege it to be unscientific in its character but it is a mere theory all the same which, as far as I know, is not supported by any fact or parallel instance. In one way, it strikes me as being analogous to the famous view of Lord Kelvin regarding the beginning of life on the earth. He suggested that some meteoric body might have landed on our world when it began to cool down, bringing with it some germs or vestiges of early Hfe. This would be the sowing of the seed. Once planted on our earth evolution would do the rest, and out of the lower forms in time develop higher races. Some Other Views, Professor T. A. Everett makes a suggestion about radium which is, in its way, as interesting as it is simple. He thinks the generation of radiant energy that is a heat wave—by radium may be compared to the humming noilie familiar to us all occurring on telegraph wires and poles. The giving off of sound waves, he says, is a res- ponse to surrounding disturbances which ordin- ary bodies do not exhibit. Irregular movements of the air are the cause of the humming, and similar movements of the ether around us are regarded as the cause of the activityof radium. In this view radium is regarded as a mere medium for the transmission of the movements which result in heat. or shall we say, it is also more, in that it probably converts the vibration of the etherinto another kind of energy, namely, heat. I referred lasc week to the other view of Sir O. Lodge. He thinks that the source of the beat is the rapid emission of atoms, which, being easily stopped by obstacles, such as a thin layer of air, have their motion converted into beat. This is all we can say about radium at present, It evidently presents a puzzle for physical science for many days to come. It is interesting, finally, to note how enterprising the short story writer is nowadays. I read in a penny journal the other day a tale which actually had for its central idea the theft by a buiglar of a mass of radium. The result of the attempt was graphic- ally shown forth in the death of the thief killed by the heat rays of the metal. Which Side of the Street P The above question might not be regarded as having any reference to health matters,and would be considered to apply more naturally to ques- tions of locomotion. let, as the British Medi- cal Journal shows, Dr. Thayer, of New York, has made the side of the street the subject of a very interesting disertation. He has been Exam- ining the heath statistics of several streets in his city, comparing the differences between the cases of illness occurring on the north and south sides. The streets, of course, ran due east and west. There was a total population in the selected thoroughfares of 170,000. Examining the mor- tality returns for a year,Dr. Thayer found that the death rate on the north side was higher per 1,000 than that of the south side, and was due to con- sumption,lung inflammation,and kidney troubles. In so far as infectious diseases M'e concerned the south sides showed a slight increase over the north, and the deaths from such ailments served to reduce the difference somewhat between the death rates of the two sides. But the south sides came out at the end of the examination with a difference of nearly 2 per 1,000 per year in their favour. The causes of the difference are set down to what we may call better health conditions. There is more sunlight, and there is more fresh a.ir because people on the south side are tempted to open their windows more frequently than are the dwellers on the north side. The greater number of cases of lung troubles on the north side might be regarded as related to the less efficient ventilation. The due ventilation of bedrooms is insisted upon as a most important factor in the causes of the superior health of the south sides of the streets examined. The Bedroom and Health. Probably there is no more fruitful theme on which a sanatarian might discourse than that of the bedroom and health. It goes without saying that far too little attention is paid to our sleep- ing-zooms. We may have big living apartments, but the bedrooms often appear to be the last item thought of by architects, who plan them in all sorts of corners, and who seem to endorse the idea that it does not much matter where we re- vose-I do not say that the architect is altogether to blame, for the public homologate his views, and, so long as ahonse has fairsizea living-rooms, they seem to accept the small-sized bedrooms as a something which partakes of the inevitable. We forget that we spend a third of our lives in sleep, and that we are utterly at the mercy of whatever atmosphere exists in our bedrooms. When we are up and awake we can procure fresh air when the atmosphere becomes impure. Not so in slumber; for then we inhale the same atmosphere and re-breathe our own breath when ventilation is deficient. The result is that our rest is not productive of the good it ought to confer upon us. We wake up feeling weary and fagged,because our brain cells have been supplied with impure air in place of being nourished with a due supply of oxygen. Therefore it is that the bedroom plays a far more important role in the maintenance of health than many of us are given to suppose. If any teaching can reform the in- sanitary sleeping apartment it will affect a vast improvement in the physical welfare of the race. The Open Window. I meet an increasing number of people who have discovered that they enjoy better repose and an increased measure of health through sleeping with the bedroom window widely open from the top. Continually I am told that there is decreased liability to coldsafter the institution of this practice. Only last week a man informed me of this fact in his experience, adding that at first he did sufter from cold, but in a few days his ailment disappeared, and now he sleeps soundly, while his general health is improved all round. The case of the open air treatment of the con- sumptive is a parallel one to that of the open bedroom window. The consumptive lives day and night practically in the open air. The old idea that night air was specially dangerous has been exploded, and it has been well' said that if the body is well covered the exact temperature of the air which passes into the lungs ia immaterial, so long as it is fresh and pure. This mach is cer. tain, that weak-longed folks sleep in health resorts in winter with the windows of theirrooms i freely open. This is a part of the treatment, and can essential part it is. What 13 curative of the diseased long cannot be bad for the healthy lung, and it might be well for us all to bethink our- selves of the open window as a condition favour- ing health. It seems to me only a matter of getting acclimatized or accustomed to the full supply orfresh air wwhould enjoy. The only practical difficnlty, I see, is that of noise. An open window in a town means disturbance of rest early in the morning, but possibly when we reach a higher stage of civilisation our authori. ties will prevent much of the needless noise that is allowed to be made, whereby repose is dis- turbed, and life often made trrly miserable. The Marriage of the Near of Kin. Tiie degrees of blood relationship which stand as a bar to marriage are, of course, duly set forth in the Prayer Book; but as cousins are permitted to marry, the question often arises, whether the relationship which exists between them can be proved to favour development of disease in the offspi ing-or at least the chance of weakness of physical or mental kind. Long ago I read every- thing I could find on this subject. My investiga- tions extended over many months, and in sundry articles of mine, written at the period in ques- tion I laid down the axiom, as the result of tba opinions I was able to collect, that given good health on the part of both parties there was no evidence to be found that degeneracy of the chil- dren was a condition likely to follow the union of cousins. But-and this appeared to me to contain the gist of the reply to the oft-asked question—if disease or weakness does exist on either side, the nearness of blood, will tend to accentuate and develop such weakness. A recent discussion on this subject has interested me, be- cause essentially t ~e same conclusion is arrived at. The practical result is that if cousins will many they should be specially concerned .first of all, to know that they are free from all physical taint.

to What do you conceive to be the solution of the trust problem, senator ?" asked his constitu- ent. Well," said Senator Lotsmun, the trusts will have to be wiped out, of course, bnt it's got to be done with a c tioroformed rag, so they won't know it." Fuddy t There is one thing about Flanders that I like. He never has anything to say about his aches and pMna.—Daddy No; bnt he's his-aplewffild health.

Illustrated Fashions. TheN ars a great variety of very charming trimmings used on this season's gowns, and these range from old laces to every variety of passementerie and embroidery. Many of these forms of trimming are of great assistance to the bome worker, as quite a. simply ma.de toilet can be rendered very smart by the addition of one or even two varieties. Old brocades which have been up to now considered useless will, when showing a floral pattern, cut up nicely into medallions, which can be used to trim cloth dresses, arranged round the lower part of the skirt in graduated circles framed as it were in wreaths of guipure or narrow lace. Some of the A Pretty Costume. I nftwest embroideries are very weighty in conse- quence of the different materials nsed in their embellishment, and the patterns are for the most part large and effective, while the colours are rich, this gorgeousaess being emphasised by the gold and silver thread wiih which they are often picked out. There are also some very beautiful and also durable raised sprays and garlands of flowers made in a particular kind of tissue, which vsrv closely imitate the real blossoms. The pretty costume sketched is of pale biscuit- coloured voile, trimmed with a floral-patterned passementerie in delicate brown and pink. A neck band of pink crepe de chine and a folded waistband en suite complete a costume which, though simple, is yet elegant enough to be worn on any occasion. There are some truly elegant cloth gowns dis- played among the best and latest models, trimmed with linen embroideries and guipures, while the smartest linen or other washing dresses and blouses have coloured linen galons worked with a pattern in flourishing thread applied in different ways, such as mitred strappings, or for outlining the collar and cuffs, or the stole-like A Dainty Blouse. fronts. Black and white lace makes a pretty trimming for summer toilettes, especially the dainty coloured cotton and muslin dresses. Indeed, nearly all the most successful light dresses still show a. touch of black introduced very lightly into their construction, either in the lace trimmings or in the finishing touches at neck or waist. Several of the newest laces of the moment have painted or embroidered medallions let into them, but these are of a very costly description, and are therefore confined to the adornment of the more expensive gowns. The dainty blouse depicted is of cream silk and lace, and is very smart in design. Blouses are as namerouB and as much worn as ever. and are of infinite variety. For morning weartllere is the simple tucked shirt blouse, completed at the throat by a fine lawn and lace collar, and a silk cravat with the ends embroidered in coloured silks. The afternoon blouse is of silk or crepe de chine, with lace or embroidery liberally intro- dnced, while the evening blouses are of tbe most elaborate description, with all sorts of delicate and rich fabrics intermingled with the most charming effect. It takes a considerable amount I A Morning Toilette. of natural good taste and long training to arrive at a judicious result, as all over-trimmed effect would otherwise mar the tout ensemble. e Sleeves are becomingv ery voluminous beloarthe elbow, and indeed the tendency is ratber to exag- gerate this effect in an undesirable fashion. The x upper part of the sleeve is tucked or drawn closely ( co as to fit the arm perfectly, while the fulness springs out below the curve of the elbow. In 1 spite of the fact that this mode is in vogue, it must be confessed that the ample folds of ma- 1 terial round the lower part of the arm are rather apt to be in the way and hinder the free move- | moot of the wrist and hand. The smart coat and skirt shown in my illustra- 1 tion are made of grey canvas fleekedwith white, with narrow stitched bands of emerald green 1 silk and small tassels of the same colour. The 1 loose coat fits the figure neatly, in spite of itft easy character, and the skirt, which like the J coat is lined with green silk, has trappings finished with oxidyzed battens, smaller but of the same design as those which fasten the coat, It is worn with a straw hat of a burnt shade, trimmed with bright green rosettes, and a qaill la id fiatacross the crown.-The little shoulder capes give a very smart effect to the figure. The skirt is of a convenient walking length. The short skirts are in many instances drawn into a shaped band or impiecement round the hips, bat there are some materials which do not lend themselves readily to drawing. Sometimes the fulness is kept down by strappings, as in this way any over fulness atthe-bips is prevented. COQUETTE.

Tourist Do these racing automobiles Rive you farmers much trouble ? -Native No end uv it. It's got so now that when we see a dark, funeral-shaped cloud approaching, we don't know whether to run fer a gun or a cyclone celiar. Mrs Fortyodd; A man is as old as he feels, but a woman is as old-ae she looks.—Mr Oldbeau: Re^^nwbwn,tba^<^4M»P»y«*7<«»r ■- PVNUM

Welsh Tit-Bits. -0 Neu Wreichion Oddiar yr Eingion. BY CADRAWD. The Old Gwentiah Dialect. For many years I have interested myself is making a collection of obsolete words peculiarito Glamorgan which are still used and only under- stood by theolder inhabitants of the rural districts of Gwent and Morganwg. The language of South Wales is called the Essyllaeg, or the Silurian or Gwentian dialect. Glamorgan, as we ondar- stand the county now, only constituted a part of the ancient province of Siluria, which, in the opinion of antiquaries, comprehended the whole of Monmouthshire and portions of the counties of Hereford and Gloucester. The jurisdiction of the Chair of Morganwg extended over the present Glamorgan. Gwent (or Monmouthshire), and Eaas, which is in Here- fordshire, and preserved the language in its purity, and through this channel we have received the only authorised collection of the rules of Welsh poetry, &c., the System of Gla- morgan, which is developed in "Cyfrinach y Beirdd," and acknowledged to be almost perfect. The language of Gwent, Essyllwg, and Mor- ganwg was the same, and still is, whereyor it la found spoken by the old inhabitants. One of the peculiarities in the old Gwentian dialect is the liberal use of the affix, II ws," which is the reason for the inhabitants of Soath Wales being called Hwntws" by the people of the northern counties of the Principality, and in exchange we call them Deuneudwyr," as they never say dweud," but only deud." A North Wales bard has endeavoured to illustrate our dialect in an eriglyn to a woman of Gwent noted for her discipline over husband :— Wraig o Went a Gorasai ei Gwr. Yn awr y cwnws i'r neu—ei ffastwn, A ffustws ei gefen; Cnocws, tolcws ei dalcen, Pan waeddws, baeddws ei ben. I remember the late John Thomas, of Maestejr, father of Pencerdd Gwalia, telling me why hit distinguished son had not played his harp at the court of Lady Llanover. Pencerdd's tutor upon the harp was one Zephaniah Williams, who was at one time in great favour at the Hall, but his father having been among the leaders of the Chartist rebellion, and punished for his trouble, if not transported, the good lady would have nothing to do afterwards with his son, clever as he was in his performance on the triple harp, and said the old man, Fe ddiciws John ni wrth Lady Llanofer, achos iddi hi ddicio wrth Zepha- niah, a chwarws a diwn iddi byth." l thought this was very pure Gwentian. I would be glad if anyone would supplement the following list with additional old words which are not contained in it Anach.—This word, according to Pnghe's Dic- tionary, and the modern dictionary by the late Dr. Silvan Evans, means an impediment, one that is dull or slow; but in Glamorgan it is used as follows Mae anach gwlaw genti," it threatens rain. Mae yn anach peidio tain," there is a doubt as to whether he will pay or not. Arwain Trwsa.—A primitive mode of carrying bay on horseback The trwsa is evidently from the English word truss. The hay was tied uf in huge bundles and carried by horses, with i man or a woman holding the same from falling off. In some of the most hilly districts then were experts in this employment. Their pro- ficiency was measured by the time it took then to tie the bundle of hay on the back of the horse, land it at its destination, and return to the field for the next. Men and women were often pitted against one another in taking the greatest number to the hayloft of an evening at hay-making, and not unfrequently the gicfai would carry the palm. Amcania.—In Glamorgan for ameana, to esti- mate, or design. Arfeddol '-Por arferol, customary. Arfeit, again, for arfer, custom. Armerth bord aimerth.—A peculiar kind of table to knead dongh npon. Crochan armerth, a special crock in which the uwd is prepared (porridge). One of the central stones i n the bardia circle is called "maenarmerth," and is tran*. Iated perfection stone. Diwarnod armerth, baking day. Bacsa, and bacsau, to trample, Bacsaa yir draed ei 'sana, to walk about in his stocking* Stockings without feet are also called baesaa, Caru yn ei facsau," or yn nhraed ei 'sana/ is a common saying when a young man courts f girl living under the same roof as himself. Balish.-Doting, fond. Bal.-The word is and for afool. Taw, son j bal, be silent, thou fool. Ceffyl bal.—A white-faced horse considered to have less brains than horses without a blast in the forehead. Bwci bal yn wal (in folk-lore).—Where a ghost, appeared in an old mail, with gloomy or dejected look on his face. Bowch fal, in Glamorgan is called Nepwea," a corruption of gwyneb wen. Milch cows art often called by this name. We find the name in the following traditional cottle-caU:Lafi a chornwen, white horned; nepwen drwynog, droetwen lidiog, &c. Biwbo, telyn luddew. — Jew's harp. Thii ancient mouth instrument is described by an ancient bard in the following lines Un a thabwrdd o dwrdd dig, A g&n wan gainc wenynig; Un a biwbaw wen bwbach, Yn nanedd y budredd bach. Briwlacb, briwlach gwlaw maD,-Drizzlint. rain. Buarth ogylch y I leu ad." is a name given t4 the ring, or halo, which is seen about the moot on a misty night. Sycharth, the home of Owev Glyndwr, is called by his family bard, lolo Goch,. Buarth Beirdd, i.e., the resort or rendezvous o( bards. D. ab Gwilym makes mention of Buartfc Baban, which was a lighted stick twisted round the fireplace to divert a child from gettfeg too near the fire. Rhwysg mab a buarth baban, Rhed y dur fel rhod o dan. In parts of North Wales this baby ring or circle is called Olwyn dan. Bwa'r wrach, and Bwa'r Drindod, are namet given in Glamorgan to the rainbow. Betin-llosgi betin.—Tbe turf or surface sward of a field when pared by a particular sort of hand plough, and afterwards dried by the gas and finally burnt. Betingwr, the one who cuts the surface. The word is derived from the Anglo- Saxon be tan," to kindle or mend the fire. The old breast-ploughs used for this purpose are only found now in our museums. Bwla.—An ox that had been kept as a bull for some time and afterwards gelt. Bwdal, and bwdalacs for llaidbwll.—A puddle. Boch astell.—The plough breast. When only wood breasts were used for ploughing, these were called hoelad, because this was nailed on to tht plough until it was worn out, when anothei piece of board was nailed on. Braichgai, what we say in Glamorgan fOt marchogaeth—to ride on horseback. Bara llechwan, or perhaps more properly ii' should be called bara llech-faen, bake-stonr bread. It is also called by some bara pr^rmlyil— mnffin8 and the like sort. Bara lawr, laver bread. This is btill sold M < sort of food on our markets in South Wales. It is made of the sea plant called laver. Bwyd nadrodd (agaric), a kind of fungous ex. crescenee. In other districts it is known ar. bwyd ellyllon. Cortwyn, a crab. It is need to denote < crabby, insignificant sort of person. Ciw, the ox shoe. Cwato, to hide. Fe gwatws rhagthof," bt hid himself from me. Clapasduro, to make a fuss or noise about something. ♦'Pwyglapasduro wyt ti, 'sgenes?"! Why dost thou make such a noise, maid ? Cyrchu llin, applied to a hen when left laying for a while.

Miss Ascum Wasn't that Mr Bonds I sat you walking with last evening?—Miss Coy; Yes.-Mias Ascu-n He's a landed freeholds V of the county, isn't he ?- Miss Coy (blushingly) j Well-er-he isn't quite landed yet. Education," said the impassioned Otatom begins at home." That's where you're off, said the calm spectator; it begins in the tdndergarten.iscontinued in the boarding-eohooif football field. Paris, London, and Wall-streetf and ends in either Sing Sing or Newport." Casey Kelly called me a loyer, but Oi got satisfaction out av him,—Rooney Ye did: —Caeey: Oi did I He knocked oat two av ntf uetti not biu 4&xoobtiDg mrf»r noonflft