The Cardiff Times

OETZM ANN & CO.. i' COMPLETE HOUSE FURNISHERS, 62, 64, 67, 69, 71. 73, 75, 77A. 79. HAMPSTEAD ROAD, LONDON, W. J 61, GRAFTON-STREET, DUBLIN 75, UNION-STREET, RYDE. S.—3ft. Iron Bedstead anil Bedding complete, £ J with Woven Wire Mattress, Wool Mattress, Bolster and Feather Pillow Uuder Blanket, 2s 6d pair of real Witney Blanket*. 7s lid pair of Cotton I sheets, 3s lid Coloured Quill, 2-; lid Down Quilt, 6s 3d. A j»S.—4ft. 6in. Black sn<l Brass Bedstead and 4:0 Bedding complete, with Woven Wire Mattress, Wool Mattress, Bolster, and two Feather Pillows Under Blanket, 4s pair of real Witney Blankets, 14s 9d pair of Cotton Sheets, 7s 7d White Quilt, or Art Cretonne Bedspread, 8s Ud nowlI Quilt, 10s 9d.

WORKMEN'S TOPICS. _I By MABON, M.P. SPAIN. Mining Concessions and Royalties. Mining concessions in Spain are granted by the Bute, through the Civil Governor of the provinces In which the concessions applied for may be Jituated. The general conditions are that there be free space and no prior claims. It is not Beoessary for the petitioner, whether he be a Spanish subject or a foreigner, to prove the lonatenoe of ore. Tbennit of measurement adopbed in alloting these concessions is what they call a rectangle of 100 metres square (i.e. one hectare). This again is tailed partunancia, and a mine may contain any lumber of such rectangles, not less than four. barge and free spaces of irregular form frequently tccnr between the mines. When these contain loss than four partenancias, or are of direct form that they cannot be self-dividod into partenancias, hhey are termed decasias, and are granted to the fcrst of the concessionaires of the mines surrounding the space, who may petition for the tame, or should they renounce their claim, then to the first petitioner. These concessions, whether they be of mines and demasis, are granted in perpetuity subject to an annual payment to the State of a surface tax of 4 pesetes per partenancia for iron ore. Oddly enough, there is no obliga- tion to woik the mine, and the title once granted definitely cannot be cancelled except through ton-payment of the surface tax. Certain periods and conditions are stipulated for the demarcation of the concessions by the Government engineers, for lodging protests, and for other formalities. The laws governing Spanish mining are the law of 6th July, 1859, as reformed on March 4th, 1868 (b) the regulation application of same, dated 24th June, 1868; (c) the "Decreto basis," or basis for a new mining law, dated 29th December, 1868. The "Decreto basis" has been conceived in a much more liberal spirit than the law of the 4th of March, 1868, and it is in many points in direct contradiction thereto. But there having been no Hew law passed as was contemplated to work out the principle of the new basis, it can easily be Men into what a confused state and entaglement Spanish mining legislation fell and remained in lor several years, and the interminable series of Royal orden and judgments of the Council of the Btete, which oftentimes contradictory, when Attempting to clear up the disputed and doubtful taints. In the case of the Bilbao district there is an additional drawback, When the laws of 1868 Ivere framed, large open coal workings were Unknown, and the regulations previously made being only suitable to underground workings, kike it difficult to have them carried out there. Year after year a new law, adapted to modern requirements, is being promised, but is not forth- coming. Still in justice to existing laws and tegolations, it must be said that they, especially an compared with the mining laws—not the Mines Regulation laws-of this country have been conceived in a liberal spirit; their Inain object beingto seour& flrtffly tbv poaeessions Of the concession to the concessionaire, subject to o minimum of restrictions. The mining conoes fions, however, gives no right to occupy or use the surface land. but empowers the concessionaire to erpropriate it in the event of his not being able to come to terms amicably with the landowner. The taxes paid to the Government and local authorities in respect of iron ore in this district of Bilbao are as follows :-(a) Surface tax, 2 pesetas (2IJ 81"d at present Exchange) per hectare (c) port tax, 75 pesetas, or 6d per ton ship tax. This Is 10 far the case, though we find that a new tax on navigation is now under discussion in the Cortes. We were informed that so great has been the improvement effected in the port and the river between Fortugalete and Bilbao during the last 15 years, that instead of vessels drawing from fifteen to sixteen feet of water during the spring tides only, at present, and at 1 high water of all ordinary spring tides steamers drawing 22 feet and at teap tides 18 feet can pass out freely. Another improvement has been that the freights to the Bristol Channel have been deduced from 10s 6d to as low as 4s per ton during the tame period. In fact, until a comparatively recent date, the exportation of iron ores from Spain was pro- hibited, and the duties on imports of iron were to heavy that these also were almost made pro- hibitive. By a law passed in 1841 the importa- tion of pig iron was permitted on payment of 6 teals per quintal if in Spanish ships, and 8 reals per quintal if in foreign ships, with 2 reals port charges. So that up to the year 1860 the annual output ot iron ore in Spain did not exceed 50,000 tons a year. On the 10th of January, 1860, the export duties on minerals were abolished, and the export of Spmish ores then became possible, and very soon afterwards overtures were made by various firms engaged in the iron industries of Great Britain and other countries with a view to the acquisition of mineral properties in Bilbao district. Pig Iron Industry of Spain. Although the production of pig iron in Spain is A tolerably anoient industry, it never until 1870 Cot much above 50,000 tons, and in the period between 1860 and 1860 it bad sensibly declined Instead of making progress. The pig iron of the country of late years may be said to have been limited to the provinces of Biscay and Decido. and were for the most part smelted with charcoal >0 various small iron works situated in the provinces. In 1880, however, new iron works Were being erected at Bilbao, projected by an English company, and consisted of two blast furnaces of a larger size than any part of the country, and they were designed to smelt the Bilbao ore with coke obtained from England. These works were sold before the completion to the Marquis de Mudela. There are at present three groups of blaet furnaces in the Bilbao AiFitricb-the San Francisco Company with four furnaces, the Altos Hornos Company with four furnaces, and the Viacaya Company with three furnaces. The £ )tos Hornos Company converts tbe whole of the ake of pig iron into manufactured iron and Meal, while the two other works sell the great bulk of their output as pig, and this explains the I hot that in some recent years the exports of pig Iron from Bilbao have been so large. The oub- Put of pig iron from the three works in 1893 was ts much as 205,000 tons, of which 88,500 tons were produced by the Altos Hornos Company. At one time it appeared exceedingly probable j that Bilbao would enter the field as a large pig Ron exporbing district, and some writers went so lar as to point out that its resources for this pur- Pose were almost unique. If the anticipation had ever had any justification it has not yet been verified by results. The export of pig iron from Bilbao in 1880 was 3,725 tons, ""d that year the export trade practically atarted. In 1890 the exports rose to 67.446 tone. But they have never again touched I \h.. figure. Aud in recent years they have fallen .1 considerably the shipments in 1893 were only KZIO tons. The fact seems to have been that 'he oMb of fuel and the shipping dues seriously handicapped this Bilbao district in such a Competition. The people there were at one time strong hopes that the cost, or rather an mcreased cost, in the mining of looal ores would aid in the success of some of the local iron-making •Werprises. That, after all, is not likely to come about. But what will come about, in all trobability, and shortly so, is a decrease in the of fuo) far the purpose, and especially coke, till hist month this district depended almost jatirely f„r its supply of that kiud of fuel upon ;im] especially South Wales. But, very •traogti to say, that when the Iron and Steel "ktiiut*. visited that district some months ago, iu the river a large German steamer I a oargo of 2,000 tons of German coke— the first consignment of a much larger contract, and the first contract that the Bilbao district ever made with Germany for coke. But unfor- tunately for us in the South Wales coalfield, it will not be the last contract by a great many— for at present in all events—they have sold coke in this first contract of Sheir's for 2s per ton less than the lowest price ever received for Welsh coke. Why and how can this be so I cannot explain, still the fact is by far too potent to allow it to pass by without notice. In future, if the Westphalian Coke Syndicate of Germany can supply these cokes, which appeared to be of a good quality, in any fairly large quantities, they will share with us largely in supplying Spain with coke.

Songs for the People. Andrew Fletcher, of Saltoun, in a letter to the Marquis of Montrose, wrote I know a very wise man that believed that if a man were permitted to make all the ballads he need not care who should mako the laws of the nation." THE PERFECT LOVE. Lips of rosy coloured hue, Eyes that sparkle like the dew, When the golden morning light Melts the vapours of the night; Kindly eyes that always smile Free from every taint of guile. Voice that thrills with wondrous power, Charming every toilsome hour; Voice that permeates the heart With a joy sweat songs impart When the singers live and dwell In the songs they sing so well. Touch that moves the sorrowed heart- Bids new hopes and aims upstart I Tonch one feels but to aspire In Life's batble ne'er to tire; Gentle, kindly, soft and light Blessed with feelings infinite. 1 Thought that lives but to bestow Joy on all whom she may know; Thought that never pains, and yet Has cause an action to regret- All for others she does live- Selfish ne'er quick to forgive. Life that brings to earth a sign Of the Life that is divine Ne'er a shadow on her past- Safe from scorn or bmitt-,d,s blast; Radiant, pure, meek as a dove, As mirrored thus—a perfect love Newcastle-on-Tyne. W. C. THOMAS.

ACROSS THE STEPPES. (A Russian Soug.) The plume-grass waves on the sunlit steppes, In the breezes 'tis bending low, The sun is on high, the songsters fly, The glad wind soft doth blow. And all the world is glad, love, But, oh, my heart in aad, love, When far away from you, With love my heart beats true I I fly I fly t Across the steppes I fly. Upon my steed to you Shadows of gold on grassy plain, Bespeaketb that night is nigb. The purple of cloud-tbe day's death shroud. Hangs lovering in the sky, And all the world seems sad, love, But, oh. my heart is glad, love, When I am near to you, And your heart, sweet, so true Ere night shall fall, And bright stars deck the sky. I shall be. love, with you ALFRBD H. HYATT.

DEAN FOREST AND WELSH CROWN LANDS. Official Report. Mr Stafford Howard, commissioner In charge of the woods, Royal forests, etc., in England, furnishes some interesting particulars as to the receipts from Dean Forest and Crown lands in Wales. The income of the former derived from sales of forest produce amounted in the year 1895-6 to jB6,539 3s IOd, and certain surface rents amounted to 21,959 6s Id, the corresponding rents in 1894 5 being £ 6,524 13s 7d and B1.M6 10s 7d respectively. Besides the income derived from the surface, the mineral royalties of the forest are considerable, amounting for the year to 30th March last to £12,33210d 8d, the receipts for the previous year being £ 10,863 6s 6d. The last two years have, however, been under the average of the last ten years, which is JB13,502 8s, Mr Howard remarks that considering the extremely dull state of the coal trade generally, it is gratifying to find that in the Forest of Dean the output has been considerably increased as compared with the preceding years. The output of coal on which the Crown received royalties in the year was 874,182 tons, and in the preceding year 783,814 tons. By the Acts of Charles n. and George III., the Crown is entitled to have 11,000 acres of the Forest of Dean enclosed for planting. The quantity at present enclosed being only 4,665 acres, the Commissioner has taken measures for the immediate enclosure of an additional 2,000 acres. By enclosure up to the limits of existing powers and replanting, it is hoped that a future income to the Crown may be provided for, and in the meanbimea much-needed aid to looal rates will be contributed in consequence. The amount of Crown rents and duties collected dnring the year on account of Crown property in Wales was £ 13,206 69 7d, and this amount con- sisted of-fee farm, quit, and unimprovable rents, JB1,697 10s 2d; rents of land, shooting, etc., JB5,864 4s and rents of mines (one-half carried to capital), 27,644 12s 5d. The aggregate receipts for the preceding year was j315,282 6a lid. In his report of the preceding, Mr Howard referred to the representations which had been made to him in favour of carrying out planting operations on parts of the Crown wastes of Wales. The small plantation which was formed atSyobdant is doing well on the whole, though, as was to be expected, the severe winter of 1894.5 and the very dry weather experienced both last year and this, in the spring months, bave proved fatal to many of the young trees. Communications have been made to various owners of common rights upon the adjoining mountain of Maentwrog with a view to arrange for the planting of a portion of the ground by the Crown, but as yet the necessary consents of the parties interested have not been obtained, some of them being altogether opposed to the idea. The subject, however, has not been dropped, and communications are still proceeding with the object of securing agreement if possible. There seems to be a misconception in some quarters in regard to the extent of the power of the Crown in this matter. The area of land in Wales, of which the Crown has the abso- lute freehold, is comparatively small, and may be left out of account in considermg any general scheme of planting. The Crown has the soil and freehold of a considerable area, but it is subject to common rights over the surface. Planting could be carried oub in this common land only with the consent of the owners of the farms to which common rights attach, or by some scheme I of enclosure and regulation. In the absence of consent by proprietors, the alternative is to acquire compulsory powers, by statute. Mr Howard doubts whether a planting scheme carried out under such conditions, and against the will of the local people interested would be successful and cannot recommend it. If the local proprietors and occupiers were favour- ably disposed and willing to Rive their aid, there are some p'aces no doubt upon the Crown wastes whioh might be planted with a reasonable pros- pect of success. The revenue from gold in Wales has kept up during the year, but the returns from the mines have exhibited great irregularities, thereby confirming the opinion formed from previous experience that the gold deposits in Wales, being uncertain and in pockets, require to be worked on a reasonably large scale, with sufficient working capital, in order to secure satisfactory results.

When I m.iriit- yen, he said, "I thought you were an angel." She looked at him coldly. "I inferred as much," she said. (There was something in her tone that told him there WM trouble in store for him. From the very first you seemed to think I could manage with scarcely any clothes and less to eat."

THE HOUSEHOLD. OVERS of those beautiful strips of fine Japanese em- broidery, which seem to be all the rage just now, have every opportunity of turn- ing them to useful and or- namental purposes. There are stolls which hang down to complete the gorgeous toilette of a Mandarin, and are to be obtained very inexpensively, but many people, while admiring their beauty, are at a loss how to use them in a decorative fashion so I give a suggestion in this week's column for the way in which a pair could very well be applied in the manufac- ture of an artistic and pretty cushion. Of course the colour of the background depends a good deal on those used in the embroidery, but A JAPANME BJrlBBOIDBBY CUSHION. I a certain tone in blue or yellow generally answers the purpose. This should be in plain good satin, and the strips laid on edge at either side with a tiny edging of gold galloon finishing them oft at each end with stiffly-made rosettes of ribbon. I think anyone following these instructions will find the cushion a great success. Now that so many ride bicycles in a simple and ordinary way we cease to feel content with that performance whioh at the commencement seemed so dangerous and difficult to attain, and So where you will through the country you will nd that where tbere is a lawn at the disposal of the younger members of the family there will they try to do fancy riding and various tricks." A good many bicycling Gymkanas have taken place this year, but nevertheless I fancy few hints on how to arrange a series of competitions of this sort will not be unwelcome to many country hostesses. It's a capital raison d'etre for giving a garden party of the kind that would be more weloome in the autumn than in the blazing sunshine. A seventy-yard course is a very good size to mark off, and lots of little coloured flags dotted about give a very pretty effect. For the egg and spoon race a certain number of obstacles require to be placed about; empty ba rels for choice, for merely holding an egg and spoon is easy enough if you do not have to twist and turn your machine at the same time. In the carpet bajar" race the girls have to hurry off to the oarpet bag left 70 yards from the starting-point—band boxes do just as well-get off, change their hats, tie a scarf into a sailor's knot. and buckle a belt round their waist, get on to their "bikes," and return again. Eating a cracknel and drinking a tumbler of water after a 70 yard run is perhaps the most amusing of them all to the onlookers, but decidedly trying to those who take part; in fact, I think you should always have a friend at hand to give you the necessary slap on the back should the powdery cracknel take its way into the wrong corners of your throat. All this will be found a very amusing way of spending a bright autumn day in the country. A friend of mine is very fond of giving supper parties, and seats from 20 to 30 guests round small tables, some for two and some for four, and anything prettier than the appearance of her room just when wo are about to go into it is rarely to be aeon. She has table cloths specially made for tbe purpose; they are of a plain white linen with a hem- stitched bor- der, and large slits cut and button holed round; through these slits she runs coloured rib- bon of the exact width, tying it into bunches at the corners. The idea really occur- red to her, she told me, through the difficulty of keeping cloths on TABLE DECORATION. I small tables when guests moved them about. and the effect is quite charm- ing. Orange, turquoise blue, and apple- green are the colours that she ohiefly chooses, and this scheme of decoration is further carried out by the small table-centres of fine grass lawn with a border of drawn thread work and some slits run through with narrower ribbon to match than in the table cloth, and little pots of ferns are put into white sabin bags and tted up with bebe ribbon. Supper parties are delightful things to give and much more easy to accomplish than dinners when the minage is at all limited. You can do so much of the preparation yourself beforehand, and can leave so mnch more of the waiting to your guests afterwards. There are so many cold dishes which can be artistically arranged, and are qnit6 delioious to eat, and the preparation of which do not bring up" the books in such a fashion as to make hospitality a terror to the housewife. Here is a pretty idea for menu cards they are cut out of cardboard with a sharp penknife after one or other of the designs here given. Care must be taken to make the outline edges of the pattern very smooth and well finished off. When all this is done they should be illuminated after the fashion of an old Missal," prestine oolours being used, and the edges marked with liquid gold. PRSTTT MENU CABDS*. I After this is done they have a very rich. artistic appearance, and are most decorative laid on a white cloth. It's as well to note, however, that ecclesiastical patterns should be avoided, for in this style of decoration it would be eminently unsuitable for secular purposes. Reference to supper reminds me what an excel- lent addition a really good salad is to such feativi. ties, and we are such a stupid nation over the pre- paration of dishes of this kind. Take for instance tlbis-Salade a la Dumas what oould be more delicious or more simple to prepare! Cut into ooarse shreds or thin slices one small cucumber (previously pickled), one small cooked beetroot, three cooked potatoes, and four fresh tomatoes. Set these on one side, and prepare a dressing as followsRub one bard-boiled yolk of egg through a sieve into a salad bowl, add a table. spoonful of Tar tare sauce, one small teaspoonful of salt, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Mix and work in gradually two tablespoonful of salad oil, one of French wine vinegar, and a dessertspoonful of anohovy essence. Add the prepared vegetables and mix carefully. Dish up In a clean salad bowl in a raised form. Place the heart of a nioe French lettuce in the centre, ornament with chopped hard-boiled eggs, chopped chervil and parsley, a few French capers, and you will have a salad of which any French chef would be proud to olaim as his chef d'eeuvre. ETHBL.

"STARBOARD AND LARBOARD." — The words starboard and larboard," as used in the nautical vocabulary, are from the Italian woras • qQesta borda that side." Abbreviated, «« u kJT>° Phrases appear as sta borda and "orda," and by corruption of languages were aoV6n^0te^ starboard and larboard by r'Dglisb sailors. These two words sound so rrmcn alike thab many errors occurred, causing "A ,ac°idents so years ago an order of th« Admiralty discontinued tbe use of larboard ana snlMtituted port." Starboard is the right °f a ship; port, the left. The starboard' colour is green, port is red.

In Tintagel Churchyard. A SHEAF OF EPITAPHS. The following epitaphs may be seen in Tintagel Churchyard PHILADELPHIA SLEEP. Died Ang. 18th, 1793 aged 40. Here lies a careful, loving wife, A tender, nursing mother, A neighbour free from brawls and SttMe A pattern for some other. Death overtook me unawares, Though I am much lamented. It*was decreed and done with speed- It could not be prevented. The change from the general description of the first quatrain to the egotistical I am," and the finale of the second is delicious. ELIZABETH BROWN. Died 22nd March, 1878 aged 50, Now she sounds Immanuel's merits Through tbe heavenly plains above Joy celestial she inherits, Swimming in redeeming love. DOROTHY PANTKB, MIDWIFE. Died October 30th, 1765. Aged 86. On harmless babes I did attend While I on earth my life did spend, I readily with care and spend Did help the helpless in their ueed, Many from pains my hands did free, Yet none from death could relieve me My glass is run. my hours are past. And yours are going all too fast. The conscious author of this appropriate verse proudly appends his name, thus BY THO. SMITH. JOHN PARSONS. August 24tb, 1794. I oould not decipher the inscription, but give the date to show the age of tbe church and churchyard. On a stone dated 1732 :— Born dust and ashes we So frail a thing, we men,1 For We are born to die, And die to live again. In this case the author evidently thought brevity the soul of wit. JOHN HEUINGE, Buried April 8th, 1702; aged 23. The body that here buried lyes. By lightning fell death's sacrifice; To him Elijah's fate was given, He rode on flames of fire to heaven. Then mourn no more, he's taken benoe By the just band of Providence. 0, God the judgements of thy seat Are wondrous good and wondrous great; Thy ways in all Tby works appear As thunder loud, as lightning clear. At the bottom of this stone, carved in a scroll, the following verse is appended Dear Friend, bebold, when this yon see, Remember God where'er you be, For friends and love and all must die, And so shall all that pass hereby. On a stone beaded W. ABTBOR, 1739, aged 44, appears the following :— Rest here awhile, my dearest part of me, I'll shortly come, ly down and rest with thee; Divorced by death, some time we must remain, But time will come when we shall meet again: When ye trump sounds to call ye saints from rest, Then we with them together shall be bleet. WILLIAM JOHN, March 11th, 1741. Atatis Suse, 37. Weep, brethren, weep over your friend, Bestow one graceful tear On him who was unto his end True to his country dear, By which he stood like Sion Mount Till death his life did end, For money could not him corrupt- He was true to hIS friend. A man of mark, evidently, and of virtues all too rare in our day and generation. MARTHA ROUNSWKLL, Nov. 6th, 1812, aged 62. Mercy, good Lord Mercy, I cry- This is the total sum. For mercy, Lord, is all my suit- Lord, let Thy mercy come! REBECCA MILL J OBit GARD, aged 2 years, 1833, Just entered on the stage of tifa, Disease as'ailed my frame, Ended at once my mortal strife, And sent me whence I came. I will only give one more, bnt I think this is really worthy on account of the excellent and appropriate manner in which two verses have been moulded on and joined to one taken from Gray's II Elegy. OJ JOSEPH AVJIBT, Surgeon, Bosc&stle, died August 26th, 1828, aged 44. O'er thy low tomb with sympathetic heart Thv friend would pour his simple, sorrowing laJ. Who saw thee writhe beneath affection's smart, And pitying watch thy lingering life's decay. Oft has thy skill dispelled disease and grief, Oft health restored has bleBsed thy soothing care, Oft from Ðby love distress would find relief, Oft would the poor thy generous bounty share. No farther seek his merits to disclose, Nor draw his frailties from their dreadj&bode There they alike in trembling hope repose, The bosom of his Father and his God. There must have been a great number of dead bodies washed ashore here during the last century from shipwrecks, but I must say I was astonished to find only one record of suoh cases. This was a simple ship's lifebuoy nailed to a rough wooden oross, the buoy itself having the inscription painted in black lettering on a white ground. The body that lay beneath was that of a young Italian boy, the only one drowned at the shipwreck of a large Neapolitan barque. One morning while at Tintagel, a foreign lady, a visitor, made a splendid wreath of garden and wild flowers, and placed it on this grave. I was very much touched with this mark of sympathy for one who lay cold and silent, far from the blue sea and snnny skies of his native Naples. (Requiescat in pace). It was also very instructive to note the changing fashion of the Christian name. Rarely nowadays do we drop aoross suoh old fashioned names as Scelena, Tanizin, Thomazin, Digory, Charity, Faith, and others. They have made room for the Ethels, Mauds, Beatrioes, or Ellas. We hear the children of tbe gutter calling each other Cyril, Gwendoline, Hubert, Percy, Wini- fred, or Eileen. Tempora mutantur, nos et martamur in illis. Among the surnames some bore the trace of Spanish extraction, probably relics of the Armada prisoners, who remained in the country they came to conquer and intermarried with the heretic Cornish. Of such names are Gard, Jago, Krago, José, Jose, Rodrique, and others. Eglosilian, Egioskerry, and other places as unmisbakeably betray Welsh origin. There are many other noticeable points about this romantic region, but for the present this will suffice. I stood on lofty Tintagel, and gazed out on the deep, And mused on Vivian's magio spell that Merlin wrapt in sleep; And wondered if that sea should rise from mystic prison free To gaze with eyes of wide surprise on modern mystery To note Tintagel's crumbling wall, to find King Arthur fled The fair dames wrapt in earthen pall, the table knights all dead No stirring joust or tourney gay, no glint of helm or lanoe, No jocund sport or minstrel play or sparkling festive dance Gone e'en the echo of his age, gone witchcraft spell and charm, Gone gallant squire, knight, and page, and rous- ing trumps alarm. And I still wonder what he would think. Doubt. less he would say tbe times are out of joint, the race degenerated. MAOTE ANXMO.

They Were Married. By reason of his skilful manoeuvring and great adroitness, Mr Billings had hved to the age of forty.nine without becoming a benedict. But in an unguarded moment tbe disciphne of a life- time availed him nothing. It was on a May morning that he strolled into a garden with Miss Tennie M'Ginnis, a spinster of forty-eight. They sat down on a garden bench and Mr Billings unwittingly said— "See thorobios building their nest in that old apple tree ?" II Ob, Mr Billings!" But Billings seemed to have lapsed into idmcy, rambling on— Don't you love to see the little birds mafcer II Oh, Mr BitJiiiffs, how you do taik 1" Really, MiM M'Gimub, I——" Oh, Mr Billings 111 Why, Mlss-" Oh, Mr Billings 1" "No, but really, Miss M'Ginnis. rm in earnest. I love to Oh, you naughty man And did you bring me out here to tell this to me 1 Oh, Mr Billings 1" Why, I only said that I loved Oh—oh—it's so sudden What shall I say I-I-snppose you'll joat make me say 'Yea.' I—I—ob, George Why, 1-1-" II My George Why, woman, 1- "I suppose I could be ready in a month if you really insist on it, dear Georee See here, Miss » Hush, darling someone is cpming." ,>nl,^hen. Le.,r hos6 and hostess appeared, Miss M Gmnis blushed and said with downcast eyt's- Wo're engaged." And Mr Billings hadn't the nerve to deny it, and they were married.

Our Country Column. a Rabbits on Poor Land. As rabbits thrive on very poor land, and will also live to a great extent on the refuse of a garden, anyone occupying a field or two, or possessing a small garden, can rear a considerable number; but until quite lately in this country they have only been kept by rabbit fanciers, who feed their pets on food regardless of cost, or by boys, who sometimes neglect and half starve them, and who are quite ignoranb of the proper way of managing them. If their flesh is to cost much less than the food which produces it, they must, like sheep, live principally on grass or green food, and the best way to enable them to do this is to keep them in movable hutches with open wire-net bottoms. They can then graze the grass themselves, and it is only in this way that very large numbers can be kept together, as they taint the air and die of different diseases if ktpt in buildings; When this plan cannot be adopted, rabbits are kept in fixed hutches and their food is brought to them and it is because so many Cottagers on the Continent each keep at least two or three does, and know how to feed and manage them, that they are able to send us millions, which leave them a good profit after paying tho cost of the long journey and the middlemen's profits. The best variety for the above purpose is either the wild rabbit or a cross between that and the silver-grey. Preparing Land for Fruit. Deep preparation by ploughing or trenching is necessary in all soils, and preferable before frost comes on. First oome the deep, rich loams from sandier to a heavier olass, called unctous (or brick eartb). These are the best for apples, cherries, pears, plums, and all bush fruit. Where the soil is mixed with flints or small stones, it is equally good, provided there is a depth of three or four feet before rock, cbalk. or clay is reached. In heavy land requiring drainage, fruit succeeds where the water does not lie in the winter, and heavy sound apples are grown, and good cherries. Plums do not succeed for long where heavy soil exists but on hill sides, with an exposure to the south or west, plums and damsons do better. A ohalk soil is almost prohibitory for fruit, but at the base of chalk hills cherries do remarkably well, and towards rivers or streams generally found in such strata; deep loams, with or without gravel, make suitable spots for orchard plantations. Where the chalk is overlaid by a sufficient depth (three or four feet) of good loam, it is better to avoid trees, and plant raspberries, currants, gooseberries, cob nuts, and strawberries, because, although the trees will grow well for a few years they must fail when they have ex. hausted the top soil, and drought is usual over chalk. The presence of elm trees and robust timber of other kinds indicates a good fruit soil, and where the Spanish chestnut succeeds in woods, the finest kinds of apples can be grown to advantage. A further indication of the possi. bilities of the soil cati be gathered from the fruit trees in cottage gardens, where they usually get scant attention. In a fruit district nearly all the soil is suitable, the stony banks being utilised for nuts, damsons, and red ourrants the deeper soils for apples and pears the flat lands for cherries and the large open fields for raspberries. Avoid exposed places, and take all advantage of the shelter afforded by wooded hills, woods, and exist. ing trees, and plant belts of Scotch and Austrian fir, with larch as burses, where desirable. When the orchards are grown these may be cnt down or thinned. Light, sandy land will grow plums and red currants. Trussing a Fowl. Our illustration represents a fowl as trussed for roasting, according to the plan pursued for the table of the highest lady in the land. The manner in which this is done is so superior to that ordinarily adopted that it is worth a detailed description, the mode of operating being that which is followed by the first-class West End poulterers. The dresser takes the dead fowl, and cuts across bile skin at the back of the nock, about 2% inches from the body. The knife is then passed under the skin, down towards the junotion of the neck with the body, making a flap out of the skin of the back of the neck. This exposes at once the bones of the neck, which are then cub aoross -tvbere they join the body. The crop can then be readily extracted, and the skin of the froat of the neck quite out across, when the head and neck are at once removed What may be regarded as a great improvement in the preparation of a fowl for the table is often followed. This improvement consists in the removal of the merrythought, which is done almost with a touch, the point of the knife passing between it and the flesh of the breast, when it may be taken away without even the smallest quantity of meat being attached to it. The object gamed in the removal of this bone is to allow the flesh of the breast to be cat away more conveniently, and in longer slices, in carving. After the removal of the head and neck the finger is passed into the interior of the body, and all the structures that can be reached by it are loosened, the fiuger being passed round the interior as far as possible. This should be thoroughlv done. The fowl is then laid on the table tail upwards, and & some- what deep and large incision is made straight across the body, between the tail and vent. This cut enables the finger of the trusaer to be placed round the bowel, a loop of which is pulled out, and the knife, being placed under the loop, cuts out the vent without the slightest difficulty, leaving an opening sufficiently large to enable the fingers to be passed into the interior to seize hold of the gizzard, when, if the loosening in the tront has been properly accomplished, the whole of the interior of the fowl, including the intestinee, liver, lungs, and heart are drawn away in one mass. This method of operating is much more expedi- tious, more oleanly, and infinitely more workman- like than that usually followed. Should the fowl have been one of extreme fatness, a little rolling of the body under the hand before beginning to draw it suffices to loosen the gizzard from the large mass of abdominal fat whicu is occasionally present in the interior. II. To complete the trussing of the fowl in the manner shown in the figure, a trussing needle eight inches IOPR, threaded with tbin strong string, is requisite. The legs being brought into the position shown in the drawing, tbe needle is passed through the leg, close up 10 the joinb, then through the body and the leg on the other side, and pulled out; the fowl is then turned over, and the needle, still carrying the string, is passed through the joint and the pinion of each wing, when it comes out close to where it was first put into the fowl, and the two ends of the string are tied tightly together, keeping the legs and the wings in position. To secure the ends of the legs, the needle, with the string attached, is passed through the body close to the backbone, over the leg, and back through the body under the end of the breast-bone. It is then tied, and tbe fowl presents the appearance shown in our figure, the knots io the two strings being shown. The ends of the toes are cut off, and it is oustomary with the best poulterers to remove the extreme point of the pinion and the small fold of loose skin which is attached to it, before trussing, in order to prevent these becoming scorched in cooking. It is needless to speak of the superiority of this mode of trussing over that usually adopted. No skewers, which have to be removed before it can be served on the table, are left in the fowl, nor are any large incisions made in the flesh, letting out the goodness of the meat. The strings that are used are cut and drawn away without trouble, and do not interfere with the carving of the fowl. It is needless to say that the breast-bone should never be broken, as it is impossible to carve a bird satisfactorily when that has been done. The ease and rapidity with which a fowl may be prepared for roasting in this manner is remark- able, and its neat and attractive appearance not the least advantage. Pruning. In pruning, experts differ, bnt we strongly advise standard trees to be left a year before cutting back—except in the case of plums and damsons, which may be cut hard at planting or in February. The heads of standard trees should have three or four good shoots placed like the spokes of a wbeet at regular distauces, and these, when cut back to six or nine inches, throw out shoots to form the basin-shaped trees desired-the cub being made at a bud pointing outwards. Half. standards and two year old trees are planted largely they do not require stakes, and one cut to form trees with four to four-and-a-half feet stems. We strongly recoommend the planting of apples upon the paradise or dwarhug stock these are cut back to one foot from the ground, and form bufch-like trees that produce very handsome fruit. After two years of pruning they only require to have the crossing boughs and the small thin shoots taken out from the centre of the trees. TheyllOOn bear freely, and owing to the nature of- the stock and their proximity to the heat of the soil, the fruit becomes large and cararies a good colour. These trees are only sow beginning to be known, but every amateur: should plant them as bushes or Pyramids, in preference to those on orab stocks. So fertile are they that trees that have been Planted two years have produced fruit worth from five to ten shillings per tree. Pears upon 'he Oninoe stock nu be planted in deep rieh soils, but with caution. Due consideration should be given to all the points likely to effect the culture, sale, or use of the fruit to be grown. Onions, The crop should be harvested as soon as ripe, and the bed trenched up roughly, as onions can be grown on the same ground for several years. We know one place where a heavy crop has been taken every year for the paat 14 years, and with- out injury. Brown Globe, White Spanish, and James Long are useful kinds for general sale, the last. named keeping good until onions are in again, if hung in a cool, airy, and dark place. Speaking generally, it does not pay to grow garlic, as there is but little demand, but eschalots pay well on fairly light soil, as they are always in request, A deep, rich, fairly light soil suits this member of the onion family it should be deeply worked and heavily manured. The roots should be planted during February, in rows about a foot or, per- haps, rather more apart, and the sets should be nine inches asunder in the rows As soon as the foliage turns yellow in August the crop should be lifted and hung up in a cool, airy place to dry, and when this is secured the eschalots are ready for sale. Before finishing with the onion family, it may be well to note that as a profitable tran. saotion it does not pay to grow Tripoli or other winter varieties, that garlio does not pay unless the sale is assured beforehand, and that leeks do not pay unless they form part of the rotation of crops in extensive market gardens.

PAST EVENTS IN OUR ISLAND RECALLED. OCTOBER 19TH. 1710—(Anne).—Sir Simon Harcourt was made Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, and the Duke of Ormond Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. 1715—(George I.) —The Earls of Derwentwater, Nithsdale, Carnwath, and Winton, and Viscount Kenmure joined Mr Forster, the Pretender's general, with about 200 Scotch horse they had raised iu Nithsdale and the west of Scotland. 1719-(GPOrge I.).-The surrender of the Castle of Messina (Sicily) to the Imperialists this day was hastened by the British Fleet, under Sir George Byng, which took and destroyed several Spanish men-of-war in the harbour. 1781—(George III.).—Surrender of Yorktown, America the British, under Lord Corn- wallis, bad captured Yorktown in August, but after sustaining a disastrous siege were forced to surrender to the allied American and French Army, under General Wash- ington and Count Rochambeau. 1836-(William IV.).—A commission was ap- pointed to report on a general system of railways for Ireland. OCTOBER 20TH. 1714-(George I.)—The King was crowned in Westminster Abbey. As the procession was passing in Palace Yard some crowded soaffolds fell, killing and injuring several people. 1720—(George I.)—Sir John Norris arrived at the Nore with his squadron from the Baltic, and brought with him John Law, the con- triver of the Mississippi scheme. 1799-(George IlL )-The Duke of York evacuated Holland. 1827-(George IV )-Battte of Navarino. The Turkish and Egyptian fleets under Ibrahim Pasha were defeated by the British, French, and Russian fleets under Admiral Codrington. This action, fought to secure the independence of Greece, resulted in the annihilation of the naval power of Turkey, 62 out of 70 sail being lost. OCTOBER 21ST. 1727-(George II.)—Lancelot Blaokburne, Arch- bisbop of York, was made Lord High Almoner. 1745—(George II.)—The Habeas Corpus Act suspended-lon unanimous enthusiasm per- vaded England to oppose the Rebellion- 60,000 volunteered to take up arms. 1805-(Georgt- III,)-Battle of Trafalgar, Spoitt- the French Fleet of eighteen sail, and the Spanish Fieet of fifteen sail, together with five frigates, under Admirals Villeneuve, Alava, and Gravina, were defeated by the Euglish Fleet of thirty-three sail and four frigates, under Lord Nelson, who fell in the action. Nineteen of the enemy's sbips surrendered during the action, and one was sunk. 1815—(George III.)—Riots of sailors at Sunderland for iucrease of wages. 1816—(George III.)—A new silver coinage waa issued. OCTOBER 22ND. 1715—(George I.)—Several persons were seized at York on suspicion of favouring the Pre- tender. 1716-(George I.)—A Proclamation was issued prohibiting all trade to the East Indies but by the India Company. 1717—(George I.)—Col. Heury Luttetel was shot by an assassin as he was riding in a hackney chair to his house in Stafford-street, Dublin. He died the next day of his wounds. 1764-(George III.)—Battle of Buxar. The Nabob of Oude and the Mogul army were defeated by Cui. Munro. 1793-(George III.)—The State trials for con- structive treason commenced. The Attor- ney-General, Sir John Scott, opened his charge in a speech of nine hours, 1796—(George III.)—Tbe British abandoned Corsica. OCTOBER 23RD. 1714—(George J, )-Matbew Prior, the British Minister in France, presented a memorial to that Court requiring that the Canal and New Works at Mardyke should be de- molished. 1732-(George II.)—The King granted a Com- mission to the Lords of the Admiralty empowering them to erect a Corporation for the relief of poor widows of sea officers, and gave £ 10,000 towards it. 1736—(George II.)—A treaty was concluded for keeping a body of Hessian troops m Bntish pay. 1739—(George II.)—War was declared against Spain. 1819—(George III.)—E*rl Fitzwilliam was dis- missed from the Lord-Lieutenancy of the West Riding of Yorkshire. OCTOBER 24TH. 1715 (George I.).—Mr Forster, with his North. umbrian*, joined the Pretender's force under Brigadier Mackintosh at Dunse, ten miles from Berwick. 1720-(George I.).—Lord Chief Baron Gilbert was made Lord Chancellor of Ireland. 1722—(George I.).—Ten thousand men were voted for the Naval Service. The Duke of Nor. folk was committed to the Tower on fcuspioion of being concerned in a plot to bring in the Pretender. 1805-(George III ).— Dissolution of Parliament. It met November 16th, 1802, and its chief Acts were the continuation of the Restr;c. tion Act. the impeachment of Lord Melville, and the Abolition of the Slave Trade. A new Parliament met on December 15th. OCTOBER 25TH, 1720—(George I.)—Robert Lowther, late Governor of Barbadoes, was taken into the custody of a messenger, by order ot the Privy Council, for his arbitrary and tyrannical administration of that island. 1799-(George III.) The Rajah of Tanjore (Hindostan) surrendered all his power to the British. 1804—(George In.) The conquest of the Mahratta chief Holkar's possessions in the Doocan was completed. 1808-(George III.)—British troops landed at Corunna, Spain. 1809-(George III.) Celebration of the jubilee of the King's reign throughout Great Britain, 1812-(Georgc III.) Capture of the British frigate Macedonia by the American frigate United States. 1825-(George IV.)-The Comet steam-packet was run down by the Ayr in the Clyde.

Visrron WO, Charlie, I hear you went to school for t.lie iirst time this morning. What did you 1f"\lU ? CHARLIE I Oh. nuffen at all t VISITOR Nothing CHARLIE No there was only an old woman" there, and who kept asking me to tell her how to spell a lot of silly things—cat and dog and rat and things like that, and I told her, bnt I told her I wasn't Boiiur to teach her any mora.

Men and Women of the Day. Lady Jeune. Lady Jeune is well known as a leader of the society that she so frankly criticised. Her house in old-fashioned Harley-street in London is not a gilded abode of wealth, but as a salon where the notable men ana women of the day gather it has few rivals in tho British capital. The lions of literature and art go there to rub shoulders with the wearers of ancient titles. Dukes and duchesses, bishops, Cabinet Ministers, and even Royal personages are to be seen there, though not a few of the guests may be secretly afraid of their clever hostess's tren- chant pen. She had a serious tiff, a year or so ago, with the Duchess of buthertand, in con- sequence of a published paragraph describing that lady's alleged literary ambitions. These the Duchess vigorously disclaimed, and sbe is said to bave stigmatised Lady Jeune as an offensive tattler." The latter proved her ability, however, to hold her own against the attacks of her ducal antagonist. Lady Jeane was a Miss Stewart. Mackenzie, a member of the Scottish family whose head is the Earl of Galloway. As a girl she was married to Colonel Stanley, a son of Lord Stanley of Alderley. After her first husband's death she married a clever young lawyer, Francis Jeune, the eldest son of the late Bishop of Peter- borough. He has since been knighted, and is now President of the Probate and Divorce Division of the High Court of Justice. Besides her social duties and her literary work, Lady Jenne is deeply interested in philanthropic work, and has organised several charities whose field is among the poor of the London slums. She is an intensely practical woman, with a strong sense of the responsibilities of wealth. The waste of money in mere vulgar or frivolous ostentation is the modern social blemish at which she haa always pointed her sharpest arrows of criticism. Miss Mary Wilkins. Miss Mary E. Wilkins published A Hnmble Romance and Other Stories several )tears ago. Long before the stories had been gathered into book form A Humble Romance appeared in a Scottish weekly — where it had been copied, donbtless, from the American periodical in which it originally appeared—and al- though the author was then unknown, the remarkable power of the story was appa- rent. Then came "Pembroke," which Mr Hamilton W. Mabie was the first to pronounce the greatest piece of tio- tion in America since 'The Scarlet Letter. "The Long Arm "was viewed mainly as an experiment and as a sort of by-play to the author's legitimate art; bnt disappointment has been felt with Miss Wilkins's new book. It is a thousand pities that after such a work as "Pembroke" a production like Madelon should have been published. Miss Cissy Loftus. Pretty Miss Cissie Loftus was the rage of the season when she made her first appearance at the music halls two or three years ago while little more than a child. The story went that she had run away from school to satisfy her passion for the footlights. The halls were packed with people who thronged to hear the clever and pretty child imitate tbebestknown of the London stars. A runaway match to Gretna Green — or rather to Edinburgh — was au appropri- ately romantic seal to put upon the begin- ningof her professional career. In a quiet little church in the sedate Sootcbcapi tal Miss Loftus was mar- ried to Mr Justin H. McCarthy, and the union has been one of rare happiness. Not long ago Mrs AlcO irthy published a charming volume of verse, and it is likely that she will share yet further in her husband's literary pursuit?. She has already written several short stories for The National Press Agency." Alec Hearne. Alec Hearna is.very definite in his judgmpnt of matters interesting to cricketers. Mr W. G. Grace, in his opinion, is undoubtedly the best of the amateur batsmen, and A. Ward of the pro- fessionals. Of the bowlers he is inclined to consider Mr C. J. K-irtrigfht and Mr C. L. Townshend as the leaders, fast and slow, with Richard- sou (fast) and Mead (medium) as repre- sentatives of the "professors." Upon the subject of hard hitters, Hearne has nohesitintion in class. ing Mr C. I. Thorn. ton as the most powerful wielder of the willow ever seen. He thinks the Bir- mingham, Trent Bridge. Taunton, and Brighton are the best pitches be has played upon, with Gravesend as the easiest upon which to score lUll". UniVr.iqity oricket a. of course, first-class, with the exception, Alec thinks, of their bowling, whioh is often very tame. If the latter were but up to the standard of their batting and field ing, they would lose very few matches. Cricket all round, however, has greatly improved of late. Some of the reasons for this are because we have better wickets, keener play, and greater competition. Australian orioket, Hearne thinks, should rank next to English. Their besi teams were the 1880, 1882, and 1884 elevens. Mr H. G. Wells. Mr H. G. Wells is a comparatively new addi- tion to the ranks of those who live by imaginative writing. Mr J. M. Barrie was, all unconsciously, his mentor, for it was by following the sugges- tions contained in When a Man's Single" that Mr Wells secured a. footing as a writer of m'ddle artic!«s," contributing first to the London Globe, aotl than chiefly to the Pa.U Mail Gazette and to the St. James's Gazette. His work attracted the marked attention of Mr H. B. Marriott Watson, and through him he came under the influ- ence of that vigorous stimulant of seedling authors, Mr W. E. Henley, to whom "The Time Machine" is dedicated, and to whose buoyant good opinion its completion is largely due. The Wonderful Visit" and The Island of Dr. Moreau" have been his latest successes. Mr Wells iR 28 years of age, and was born at Bromley. in Kent, where his eduoation began/ He studied science, chiefly zoology and geology, at the Royal College of Science. But for the accident of a violent hemorrhage from the lnngs, he might still be engaged in educational work; but his illness rendered a more sedentary life imperative, and he turned to journalism.

Won His Bet. A bewildered looking farmer stood in the centre of Haymarket-square looking at the trolley wire. The electric oar. came along and slowed up. They rang the bell and shouted at him and ordered him to move. He still kspt looking at the wire and making inarticulate sounds with his lips. "Get off the earth, you Jersey calfshouted the tuotorman. The old man was fairly bumped by the slow moving car before he moved. Then he jumped up and said, I did it, by thunder, where's my money ?" He looked round cautiously, and then he said "You seen a. red-faced feller with a white mous- tache waxed I want him. He bet U1" 85 I couldn't look at that ere wire three minutes and count 200. I've done it." Did you put up the money r Sure," was the reply. Dmgdong went the bell.

At Aston not long ago the parish schoolmaster from mere curiosity put the question to the scholars, What is nothing V A pause ensued, until an urchin, whose proclivities for turning a penny were well-known among his scbool-fellows, >got up and replied, It's when a man asks you to hold his horse, and jusb says Thank you.' During the last 50 years Great Britaiu has been at war more frequently than any other nation. The total number is 40 wars for 50 years.

Cardiff Exhibition Eisteddfod. By Maelgwyn. I had aften wondered why the great Eistedd. fodau in the Rbondda, in Monmouthshire, in West Glamorganshire and Carmarthenshire, and in the extensive distriot known as the hills were so poorly patronised by the people of Cardiff. After attending the Eisteddfod at the Cardiff Exhibition I wonder no more. Ye cannot know what ye have never felt," we read in Richelieu," and of a verity the people of Cardiff do not know what an Eisteddfod is-they have not felt the electrical influence of a mighty crowd of Eisteddfodwyr assembled together to witness a contest between the champions—choral, band, or solo-whose names have become famous, a crowd who next morning will eagerly scan the papers to learn what the adjudicators said about their favourites and their most dreaded opponents. The apathy of the townspeople seemed to cast a gloom over everything. Mabon tried his best to imagine himself and his audience at Portb, or Rhmney, or Aberdare, but it was of no uae, the audience could not be worked up to the old pitch, and as a result almost everything was deadly dull. The programme, too, was drawn out in a manner that would have been worthy even of Abergavenny, and everybody felt depressed. I must admire the committee of the Eisteddfod, who, under these chilling conditions, looked as happy as, well, let us say, as Simeon Stylites on the top of his pole. The custodians of order, too, and the turnstile and the door-keepers were a splendid set of fellows, who never took advan- tage of the fact that they were dressed in a little brief authority" to lord it over the public- they were as courteous and kindly a body of men as I ever came in contact with. When the National Eisteddfod is next held in Swansea the committee would do well to hire the whole of the men who were "on guard at Cardiff last week. The smaller musical competitions may be dis- missed in a very few words. The test pieces were in no instance such as would warrant us in saying that the best singer would be certain to come out first in his or her particular competition. I am not saying this in detriment of any of the victorious competitors' performances, and it is no doubt true that there is as much ability—artistic and natural—required to sing a ballad as to interpret a big operatic or oratorio solo. Still, those who have had most to do with Eisteddfodau refuse to admit this contention, and I for one fully agree with them. It is not by singing trivial drawing-room ballads that such singers as Gwyn. alaw, Llew Dowlais, Ivor Foster, Dan Price, and Edith Parry—to mention only a very few names —came to the front, and the Cardiff committee, I think, would have done better had they selected something from the classics. Mr David Jenkins has been the vie tim of many a severe criticism of late, but his adjudication on the juvenile choral competition was masterly. There was not lacking sympathy with the losing choirs, but there was the unmistakable determination to point out to them their faults and to award jhe prize to the choir that had fairly won it. And certainly Mountain!! Ash won that prize. I never remember hearing a body of little people sing better. Their performance was simply charming, and, moreover, as highly artistic as could be reasonably expected. The great choral competition was at no time the chief attraction at the Cardiff Exhibition Eisteddfod, for, evidently staggered by the award at Llandudoo, several of the leading choirs had signified their intention of holding aloof from the contest, and tbo Eisteddfod Committee were assailed in a section of the Press with a persistency and a vehemenoo that were alike unfair and undeserved. Everyone, it need hardly be said, expected Llanelly to win, although one could not but admire the pluck of little Pontypool in entering the lists against one of the acknowledged leading choirs. The victory- of the tmplabe town representatives was very popular, although the remarks of Mr Cowen that the losing choir had doua as well or nearly so as the best choir that competed at Llandudno, is likely to produce no end of controversy amongsb the friends and enemies of certain choirs. In one breath the adjudicators tell us that the Llandudno contest was the finest heard since the great competition in London in the Jubilee year, while in the next we are led to believe that it was very small pota. toes indeed. Truly we live in a wonderful and a changing age. Of the choral competitions, that for male voices was admittedly the best and the most exciting. It was generally expected, notwithstanding the big entry, that the Mountain Ash Choir would not be far from the prize if they only did themselves justice. Mr Tom Glyndwr Richards often proved himself one of the most capable conductors in the Eisteddfodic world by the extraordinary viotories which the Pont ycymmerChoi r repeatedly gained under his leadership, and now tbat be has removed to Mountain Asb, bis right hand bas by no means lost its cunning. The performance of the choir at Bridgend last July was really astonishing in its grandeur, and such as to lead anyone to believe that the singers could do anything in the vocal line that was required of them. Not only is Mr Richards an accomplished conductor, but be has under his baton one of the finest combinations of male voices that have ever been heard. All the business arrangements in connection with the competition had been com- pleted long before the chair ascended tbe platform, aud hence there was nothing In the nature of a bustle everybody know his exact position and took it. The choir, it has been resolved, will not compete at the Mountain Ash Eisteddfod next Easter Monday, but all being well they will certainly put in an appearance at the Newport national gathering, and possibly at a couple of the great Eistedfodau that will intervene.

THOSE GIRLS AGAIN. FIBST AOTBKSS Why, haven't you heard, dear, I'm engaged for one of the principal parts in Beauty and the Beast" ? SECOND ACTRESS How nice And who plays Beauty ?

MAJDNG IT SiMfM.—" My good woman," said the learned judge, yon must give an answer in the fewest possible words of which you are capable to the plain and simple question whether you were crossing the street with the baby on your arm and the omnibus was coming down on the oppo- site side and the cab on the left and the brougham was trying to pass the omnibud, you saw the plaiDtiff between the brougham and the cab, or whether and when you saw him at all, and whether or not near the brougham, cab, and omnibus, or either, or any two, and which of them. respectively, or how it was." A TEMPERANCE DMNK.—Refreshment Con- tractor Of course, you'll have some of this at your temperance fete. Taste it-isn't that prime ?—Vicar It has a pleasant taste. What ¡ do you call it 1—R. C. Roman punch.V. H'm, ha I I don't know it leaves a bad taste in the mouth.-R. C. Oh, we'll manage that; we'll call it sherbet on the meau.-V. Well, yon may put it iD. Couldn't you make it a little stiffer, eh AN AGGRAVATING REMARK. — Sometimes," remarked Methuselah to his favourite great-great- great-great-great-great-grandchild, sometimes I wish I had died young; gay in my sixth or seventh century." Why, grand pop ?" Well, it is peculiarly annoying to me to hear my 94th wife say, as she does every day or two, 4 You are serfcaioly old enough to know better,

WELSH GLEANINGS. Mr S. Smith, M.P., has left for the United States. He expects to return about the middle of November. The lateLord Kensington enjoyed theclu. ming- characteristic of being half all Irishman, ao Euglish peer, and aWeIgh landlord. The leading sermon in the October number of the Dysgedydd is contributed by the Rev. ELwyo Thomas, of Newport, on the subject Is lifa worth living ?" A letter placed upon the judged desk at th. Porth Police Court the other day was addressed, evidently in error, to "Mrs Justice Williams." A few moments afterwards when his Honour too* his seat, the discovery occasioned no little amuse- ment, while the judge, with well-simulated indignation, demanded to know who it was that had dared call him an old woman The headmasters who bave been appointed tf tbe Intermediate schools of Glamorganshire are so numerous that they have decided to form an Association of the Headmasters and Head. mistresses of the Glamorgan County Schools.' Mr W. Jenkyn Thomas, M.A., the headmaster of the Aberdare School, has been appointed secr& tary, and ib has been decided to hold the firtff meeting at Cardiff on November 7th. When the telephone was first introduced into South Wales, it was possible to get through, for a football result between Cardiff and Newport, i. a minute and a fraction—generally a small fraction. Now the performauce is much more elaborate. On Saturday, to get a final result from Newport to Cardiff, occupied 17 minutes, timed, as "Old Stager would say, to the tick" of a faithful watch. In those early, uuregeneraU days, the trunk line was in the bands of a private company now it is in that of a Department. Judge Gwilym Williams has dropped pretty sharply on some solicitors appearing in his CoucA during recent months, and on Saturday he in. formed the legal emissaries at Pontypridd that henceforth if they were not in Court when their cases were called 00, those cases would be struck out, for the time of the Court was now greatly wasted. When tbis rule comes to be enforced we shall doubtleai witness a series of sanguinary encounters between the unhappy litigants and their lawyers. A large number of friends congregated at the Cardiff G.W.R. Station on Saturday night, and the welcome extended by them to tho Rev. W. Lewis (Pontypridd) and the Rev. John Pugh (Cardiff), on their return from South Afrioa, waa hearty in the extreme. Both gentlemen bnv. much benefited in health by their four months' tour in the Cape. Brother Pugh" looked especially hale and strong, and the white troploaJ helmet which he wore made him a prominent object, and suggested the query whether the headgear was the gift of President Kruger. The Rev. Edward Hawkins, canon of Dandaf, and one of the best and largest-hearted vicars St. Woolos, Newport, has ever seen, ten years ago selected a sunny spot for his grave in tha beautiful cemetery topping tbe hill at Newport and would go of a quiet evening and look around at the spob where all that was mortal of him waf to lie. A vicar at Kirk Braddon, IMle of Man, excelled in the mcmiiUo mori by erecting a tombstone to himself eleven years before h< died. He was modest enough to leave a laref blank space tor the enumeration of his virtues, and the local gossip records that the euloginn was duly filled in. Like Canon Hawkins, the Manx man of God was also vicar of his parish fat over 40 years. PontJrpridd is jubilant at the sucoess of itl musical representatives at the Cardiff Exhibition Eisteddfod. First prizes were taken by tb, Ladies' Choir and the Temperance Philharmonic Choir (led by Mr Thompson, who, uatil some months ago, worked at the Great Western Colliery), whilst tbe Tabernacle Juvenile Qboir took a second prize. The success of the Lagum Choir, conducted by Miss Annie Williams, « especially gratifying, and to no one more so than Caradog, the veteran conductor, who may fitl, be described as the father of the choir, and Mr Maddock?, who trained the choir and acted as its conductor at tbe Llandudno Eisteddfod. The journey of the special train conveying Sir Wm. Harcourt from Ebbw Vale to Rhymney last week was a record one. It was fully 5,30 p.m. when Mr J. W. Holn.e?, Comity Hotel, made arrangements with Mr C. L. Morris, London and North-Western Railway, to put 011 the special, and it actually left Ebbw Vale Station at a quarter to 7. This, for a local station, is a highly creditable performance, and both Mr Holmes and Mr Morris deserve special praise for their energetic action. On Thursday Mr Morris received a letter written by Sir William himself thanking him for his courtesy and the facilities be placed at bis disposal. Principal T. Witton Davies, of the Midland Baptist College, Nottingham, writing with refer- ence to a recent note ill this column that a Welsh candidato who presented himself at the entrance examination last week was rejected, and an English candidate, who took fewer marks, was received in his stead, explains :—" First of all we were not empowered to receive more than two candidates. The third young man who is referred to by your correspondent waa received under special circumstances. He was strongly recom- mended to our college by an influential Baptist Church in London as having accomplished a really remarkable work. Thab he oame down somewhat low in the list is due to the fact that he had no early advantages, and our committee were of opinion that a young man who, under his circumstances, had made such progress, promises unusual progress in the future. I ought to add that the marks he gained for his written sermon, as likewise for reading and delivery, were just double those gained by the young Welshman who took higher aggregate marks, but whom the committee did not see theii way to admit, I am not aware that anyone member of the committee was influenced in their decision by the fact that the one admitted was aD Englishman. I heard nothing so that effect, and as I am a Welshman it is not at all likely that 1 was influenced so. I should like also to point out that there was an Englishman rejected who took higher marks than this promising preacher, but he did not seem to the committee to have in him the making of a preacher and pastor, so that the aforementioned Englishman was preferred not only to a Welshman who took higher marks, but I also to another Englishman who did the same. I may also point out that the one first of aU on our list and accepted is a native ofBarry Dock, and has spent all his life there or at Panarth. I can only say that sucsh complaints made of any English college by Welshmen do not ma.ke it easier for Welshmen to gain admission into colleges io England. We reject Englishmen even though in some cases they have had higher marks in Latin, Greek, &0., every year, and I am not aware that any of them have made such complaints. I want my fellow-countrymen to rise at least to the level of the English, as I am sure they are 011 their | level and even above them iu very many things.*

A SATWiDAY SERMON. We are all in the habit of measuring soo. cess by products, whilst the point Is-how art the products consumed, and by whom, and what sort of lives are passed by the producers} So far as mechanical improvements pom more wealth into the lap of the wealthy, mors luxury into the lives of the luxurious, and give t fresh tarn to the screw which presses on the hvet of the poor so far as our inventions double and treble the power of the rioh, and double and treble the helplessness of the poor, giving to hitB that hath, and taking away from him timt hath nob even that which he bas-so fur these greol material appliances of life directly tend to lower civilisation, retard it, distort, and deprave it. And they do this, so far as we sptmd tho most of our time in extending and enjoying the. appliances, and Vtóry little time in preparing fos the new conditions of He they impose on us, and in remedying the horiois that they bring in tholr air"iD. FKKDKHIOK HARRISON,