The Cardiff Times

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WORKMEN'S TOPICS, a BY MABON, M.P THE YELLOW PERIL. |. | '™ 11 "iend^t British workmen and their protesting c°lonS l °0W now exact,y wbat is that the ex' Secretary, Mr Chamberlain, and his of 0 8 ^ave been doing. An immense uamber Ijq. Dr ^e'low-workerB have shouted themselves have86. have sung choruses in public, tbey Jjjg with wondering admiration to Pott*3 auiberlain and Kipling, to Mrs Brown- now9r an^ other pantomimic Imperialists and tSeVh! a te<IlPorary lull of this Imperial delirium Ujj" *°nnd out that they have been put- to^ eir money on the wrong horse." They f?l1nd that they have been the dupes of cos. "a lltan financiers, that their Patriotism and 1:1a) pride have been engineered by astute '*alti' ^•t Empire they have been "to aa"8 18 an ^mPire t0 be run a plutocracy jj ,nfamou3 basis of yellow slave labour. Let li*at the discovery baa come in time. 4°^ J cries of protest are heard—cries tbat j]j_. rotn sources not tainted by even the 'r0tn 6S* SIISP,c'ori of Little Englandism cries tI1 Over the seas, from leading men who are aDfl horrified When, tharafore, such Íl protest against the machinations of the ^la'lfi naa~t,atos °f the Band their protests are "ge& ,e ln the extreme. If the action of the ^thjg etDen of Johannesburg calls the people !?le»8in country to their senses it may yet prove a I in disguise. If British supremacy in I 4oujn Africa really means a free hand for the Itra Pny Promoter, the stock-jobber, and the Ger- bWj ew' then, indeed, all our expenditure of I anC' trea8nre kfts been in vain. But this can yst be prevented, if our national Ml # er 'n Parliament has not deteriorated to I.elt as incredible as it would be disastrous. 13 '° ^care^ that '^e Present Govern- Xo0ll'8 ^0Pe'esa in the matter, and that it will 3?he to the end even to its own destruction. g-51'nin" magnates are reallv the masters of as far as th6 Government and Mr lam are concerned. It is, indeed, some- Ptes. to qualify in decent language their iftjp 1 a*titude with regard to this question of •iott Ltat'on Chinese labour. Before the Sos- 3eote 6San ^Melton, the present Colonial ^ou8ea*y' had given the assurance that the of Commons should have an adequate Jon8UUn!ty *or discussion before the Imperial ^Vas ven t0 lb's S1'^6 departure from tradition. 'aat Friday hs announced that this oppor- ij'otj ■\Could not be extended bevoud the termina- te f tbe debate on the Address. Therefore, „ Ih0113tereat of the people of South Africa and the be debated, like most of 6<it o°Vernment'saehievemer!t». not on its merits, t_'le basis of a vote of confidence. Mean 's' although it may b« argued that it is a It, jj 6n* to the letter of Mr Lyctelton's promise, the 8 abows something very different to •ho^1*14 of Promise when made. And it t*a 0101:0 of the magni- in t of tbe dietinct ImpBrifl interests 14 involved J:l::tl1che demands made by a oominated Executive Of tj, Under the influence of the financial bouses knavaml." is^„ *«i8 is too bad a»rl unless Parliament TiH » «o deceived and bamboozled it I aj thie slap in the face lying down," J bolM the mean ores"rption to pass nnre- it is Really and truly, (IItle y pretext on which frivol "S'a to.decide this vir., issue in a harry is lay. S| If not worse. It i- case of urgency, Lyttelton. South Africans generally bd "We have n'" output," say the that t erg. The returntl f-om the mines show 5ncteaa6 °ntPat of the Rand bas been steadily S068 to an^ of t'a at worthy witnesses tain^e(j at^s satisfactorily cofvincing every open- Tvittiin ,Deraon that the u crease is only kept aja^n,( nn<^a the del'Hrate policy of the 0ne'is"eV "ie intIcduJtic»n of Chinese labour, is in confoimitv with the wishes of £ °&clan? ° ? th0T-„&ova>ai -» gtili, all the inde- th« r, testimony kb»t ceuaes from tbere is to ° °PP03ite effect. it 0tc' Milner says that the Transvaal has a Mk 6 ^>ress- Bat "all the pmminent men on the of this question say No," most em- fa Really. And it has Dotbtng of the kind. In B 00 party, however docile, can fail to resent Cfed 0utraKe upon 'Qtellipsnce, and even on {^^Jjty. I cannot but feai very glad to find pf6 _aionist as well as Libera,! woiknen are pt0^tin" to strenuously protest against this tarn Se^ resascitation of siavery under the pro- °n of the British flag. The Demand for Chinese Labour. tosik ?°ntention nP°n wbicu the mine-owners the 6 ir def"and for Chinese labour is that that th68601 snppJy is totally inadequate, and H ^eve'0Pment of the country is being re- ktded In consequence. Lord Milner appointed the J"101'88'00 to inqnire into the question, and «i0Q °Dort of the majority was a foregone conclu- ej0a 8,8 soon as the composition of the Commis- Was known, as the mineowners had secured ve eitninse majority thereon. Its most qu:or&ant conclusion was tbat there was no ade- ao te SUpply of labour to be got in Central or 8Ba. ern South Africa to meet either the pre- 0r future requirements. This was directly fadicted by the minority report. 6 present alleged labour shortage was esti- the majority report to be 129,000 *ni»Ve labourers for the mining industry alone, Wi -kat an additional 196,000 would be wanted oin the next five vears- Tba minority report 0v#fi that these figures are grossly exaggerated. n February, 1903, Mr George Albu esti- the shortage at 50,000, and stated that if 0j68e could be snpplied there would be a bUze Prosperity in the Rand, in the memoran- QQ¡ presented by the mineowners themselves to Chamberlain at Johannei-burg in the previous Ontb it was stated that in order to return to the same conditions as obtained before the war 52,000 natives more are required." Since 20ft^ary thftt 8QPP1y lias increased by over "le monthI-v rate 'ncrease is 2,000, a jn the course of a few months the conditions reqllired for Mr Alba's blaze of prosperity 1 be completed. But that increase had to be phased by a partial abandonment of the Olicy of increasing Kaffir waes, iii course which ^satisfactory to the mineowners. ih eover* cannot be the least doubt that g labour supply is temporary, and due to arti- and removable causes; mostly to the 'Dt to enforce serious reduction in wages to the ill-treatment and bad feeding and jj °oimcdation which prevail in many of the mines. th rate °* mortality there is almost double lh ^'ch prevail' in other mines, and four times ^at among natives working outside the mines. IJ faccor(*ance w'th returns placed before the the Commission by Sir Godfrey Lagden, in He* i 6 the rate of mortality is 30 per annam< while on the Rand it is 70 I)t The De Beers Company, according to aQ(j aiJieson, will never employ Chinese labour lafe0 ^o^btlesB they can command plenty of PeoB)r' wbite and black, because they treat their of tjj 6 Sir Lewis Mitchel, late chairman lag^ e Pe Beers, as late as the 16th of November ^owi8* '— Some statistics have appeared the mortality in the Rand mines. 1 I the 1\8 difference was that the mortality in 1,000 alld was 70 per 1,000, while ours was 30 per attach a great deal of importance to °^e ent- believe the native question is not 1>1eut ,te*y °* 18 a Question of treat- I'hey411:1 °f care. The natives are but men irUetQare not machines. If we stndy their en- sure when we want more labour 'a the opinion of one of the rational 0laRnatea of South Africa, bat still a g ^agnate and he evefi is of the opinion A'rican mineowners on the Rand I |^i* 8ufi6cient native labour to meet all tre'tel1irelX1eDts if those natives were only 110 Pperly and well cared for. Bat it iBevi- it is not men that the Rand mine- aat' bo* simply, what the Times Q achine8 ^^spondent calls them, 'l muscular 5,h«'Qs' cipit Point of the view of the mine- t;, y. Wa-m. ,t,st is crystallised in that phrase. (Jh, O'e utfiff ro,,»cular machinery," and it is will ih ov'^eilti too. that the lot of the 0f _B°t be » naay be employed bv these men PIen in .very happy oae- Tt wH be thelot laS 89 slavery. They will be em- rotn^1?13' machiues," not as free (iuesM,I>K to thi- Very little bope of ever ™ M6n?le..B*«ve land. This idea of the iW«- Cover th J8 borrible. Aiid after all we" Tril Shed sn^ 11 was for this that Great SVaal blood and treasure in the "■"the war that we were told was undertaken to secure equal rights for all white men," and to release the natives from the slavery in which they were held by the Boers. But since then-only two years since the end of the war-we have discovered that the rights of white men can be equalled by levalling down as well as levelling up. Instead of the francihse being granted to U it landers, it has been taken away from the burghers. Among thos now protesting against the situation created bY Mr Chamberlain leaving the Colonial Office and being repJaced by Mr Lyttelton, and thus making the course clear for the Transvaal Government, tided by Lord Mliner, to rush through the measure no longer restrained by the influence of the home Government, I have a copy of a letter from Major See'y, a Conservative M.P., to the i" Times," in which he says :—" But if the most tangible and visible resclt of all the labours and sorrows of that prolonged straggle (the Trans- vaal War) is to be the importation of Chinese labonrers, whose presence is so distasteful to the inhabitants of the TranuaaJ, then they must needs be forced to work, with every circumstance of ignominy, in strict seclusion, and under con- ditions making them no better than slaves, it will seem that our labours have been in vain, and that it had been almost better had there been no I war." Yes, and 99 per cent, of the workers of Great Britain to-day will say. 11 Yes, a thousand. thousand times better had there been no war." By your permission, Mr Editor, I will again return to this subject.

Illustrated Humour. I hear Jones, the sea captain, is in hard luck. He married a girl and she ran away from him." Yes he took hor for a mate but t'le was a skipper." Funny hew quickly the man who prefers a pipe to a cigar will lay down the pipe to clutch the gratuitous cigar whenever one is offered him. Laudable. Old Gent What would you like to be when you grow up ? Youth: I'd like to be a bricklayer. Old Gent That's a commendable ambition. Why would you like to be a bricklayer ? Youth 'Cause there are so many days when bricklayers can't work. Mrs Ferguson reached over, took a long dark hair off her husband's shoulder, and held it up fot inspection. "That," he said, angry at her implied sus- picion, is from thit horse's mane. I have just been currying him." What made you snppose," the asked, haughtily, that I thought it was anythisg else 1" Hard Lines. Smythe: Poor Bickers has a very hard-hearted wii. Browne What's the trouble now? Sm),the She not only broke the broomstick over his head, bu. made him go to the stores and bay another. "She says she has remained single from choice." That's right. I wouldn't undertake to say whose choice it was. but the broad general state- ment is unquestionably true. lie says that he loves me more than his life, and that he can't live without me." Oh, all young men say that." That may be; bat they don't say it to mc." A Strong Influence. Urm Bond Hill Reading is my husband's greatest passion. Mrs ChesHor Park: W, hat a queer coincidence! My husband is affected in the snme manner every time he reads a bill from my dressmaker. Magistrate: Why didn't you go to the assist- ance of the prosecotor in the light ? Policeman Sure an' Oi didn't know which av them was going to be the prosecutor, your honour! The preacher made great mistake on San- day and lost It good collection." ilow ?" Well, ti-, appointed a bill collector to go round with the plate, iiid b?ess me if evory man in the congregation didn't ask him to ceii again on the 15tb." Not Home to BilJs. Visitor Is your father at Little Daughter: What is yonr name, please? Visitor Just toll him it ifhis old friend Bill. Little Daughter Then he isn't in. I hu-ni him tell mamma if ucy bills came he WMn't home. "Are yon aware," asked thasweet girl gra- duate 08 thiv strolled along the sandy shore, that the moon affects the tide?" I know it affects romantic lovers," replied the young man in the scene, but I wa* under the impiwssiou ft lost its power after they were tied," Good air, will you have sonp or fish?" The waiter askvd in tones judicial. The bungry diner said, I Nieb. You would not be so superficial,"

MUSIC IN WALES. BY D. EMLYN EVANS. GLEANINGS IN WELSH MUSICAL CRITICISM. In a previous number we culled some pickings from the adjudications and criticisms of the Rev. E. Stephen (Tanvmarian), ending with a promise to do similarly upon some future occasion with those of the Rev. John Roberts (Ienan Gwyllt), Tanymarian's coutempormiy, and occupying with him a prominent-or. indeed, a leading- position in that particular direction. Although they differed considerably in various ways- style, natural gifts, and temperament, &c., Tanymarian being by far the more gifted as a composer, while lenan Gwyllt will be remem- bered long and gratefully for his eminent ser- vices is connection with Welsh psalmody and periodical musical literature—it is donbtful, judging from present signs and appearances, whether we shall again see their like or equals as writers of pure musical critiques expressed. in understandable and undiluted Welsh. leuan Swyllt, though not quite possessing the bonhomie which characterised Tanymarian, could nevertheless appreciate a joke, as our first quotation from an adjudication of his will show. This composi- tion," he says, exhibits much thought and a considerable amount of harmonic ability. Pos- sibly there may be more of the latter here than of the gift of producing melody. We felt in perusing this composition that, at though worked out cloverly and skilfully, it yet rather lacked animation-life, or, in the words of Handel j in regard to an anthem by Dr. Greene, It wanted a little air, sir.' To make that story complete it should be added that Dr. Maurice Greene, having submitted one of his composi- tions for Handel's opinion, called one day to ascertain the result; and, when asked, the great Saxon replied, saying he had put it to hang out through the window, as it wanted a little more air-in other words, it lacked melody. Notwith- standing the comparative woodyness of Greene's mnsic generally, Handel had a kindly regard for the worthy doctor, although, when he heard that the latter was giving concerts at the Devil Tavern near Temple Bar, he could not resist saying, Ah, mein poor friend Toctor Greene—so he is gone to de Tevil." To return, however, a man who was not given to the use of explosive language, our next quota- tion from leuan Gwyllt is apropos the bad taste displayed in the mixing up of Sacred and Secular Music in programmes, an evil which is not yet eradi- cated. There's one thing," he tells us, to be condemned, and which should be put aside at concerts which otherwise deserve approval and support, and that ia the singing of religious and worldly pieces higgledy-piggledy. This has often pained us, and we think it wonld be more seemly to keep them apart. Bnt if some of each class are sung in the same meeting, undoubtedly good tastle demands that the one should be given in the first part and the other in the second part of the programme. And if it be in the sanctuary that the meeting is held, especial care should be taken in the selection of the secnlar music which is to be aung. Though no sanctity exists in the wood and stone, the plaice nevertheless is conse- crated to sacred worship, and we hope that onr young people are always mindful of that fact." The following will serve as an example of the valuable advice which so liberally emanated from the pen of this writer- advice which is just as important and necessary now, perhaps, as it was when penned first. "It is best not to part with any motive or idea before developing most, if not all, of its resources. We would wish to impress this principle upon the mind of the young Welsh composer. Hurrying from one theme to another, or but lightly touching this musical thought and that. is calculated to make the compoaitiort flighty and ineffective. Such a composer ia more like a butterfly on the wing, constantly from ons flower to another flower, than to one who dips deep for substantial trea- sure and riches. The mind cannot take in--cannot grasp and enjoy -any idea of which it only has a peep in passing by. The painter does not run through a charming- district by an express train, but fixes himself on a point of 'vantage, and it is not an hour or two that he devotes to the spot, but days and weeks. It is similarly with all artists, and the musician is hot by any means to be an exceDtion" The Word-Painter in Music and those who make the art descend to pictorial or imitative representations are told that when imitations of natural sounds are introduced into acomposition, such as those of the wind, the sea, the lion's roar, the song of the birds, &c., great care should ba taken to be as correct as true to nature-as poasible." The occasion that induced these remarks was acompetiton (or a composition in some such) in the which the notes of the cuckoo played a part and the critic proceeds to say that if the author of this piece has been listening with a musician's ear to the cuckoo, he knows that the notes which he uses do not repre- eent its song in any way. Apart from the fact that the notes are incorrect as to their degree and icale position, he never has beard two cuckoos singing in any sort of thirds to one an other. Many composers of some ability lose sight of this view of the matter." He then refers to two compositions by two different authors on tb6 same tbeme-" The Bard's Visit to Bala," by Togid-in which the echo is made to respond in totally different notes to the strain previously heard. Bearint upon this question, it may be added that in a song to the cuckoo by a talented musician, and which song gained some popularity in its day, the bird ia made to sing up and down the scale, sinking almost as blithely and sweetly as the nightingale." Speaking of the nightingale brings us to an account of Jenny Lind. The Swedish .N ightingale's J, appearance in Cardiff in 1862, and which ap. peared in the Cerddor Cymreig (Welsh Musi- cian) in the March number of that year. The journal was edited by leuan Gwyllt, who at that period resided at Merthyr, but whether the article-in the form of a letter dated from "Bod- ah,w," and signed Arthur Lhryd "—emanated from him we cannot say. We, however, reproduce one paragraph :—" Well, yes, upon my honest word, as Rowlands of Llangeitho said of Wil- liams, Pantycelyn, Will has the singing (Wil bia'r cann). So we may as well cease talking, Jenny has the singing now, and that by a long way, too. Grisi may go when she likes-she bas gone now, as for that Garcia may put her song in her pocket, add her pocket by Titieng may clear off from the platform, and it is useless for little Patti to over-exert her powers in order to win the laurel—' Jenny has the singing she is the crowned empress of song. None can sing as she. Yes, you say, but what is singing ? The best answer I can give to the question is-that which Jenny Lind does." It is admittedly danger- ous to prophesy, and Arthur Llwyd was sadly at fault here both in the instance of Madame Titiens and Madame Patti. Madame Titiens attained the highest position in her-trt, a. position which she retained unshaken to the too early end; and Madame Patti remains with us after a long record of almost unexampled prosperity, and- notwithstanding one or two discordant voices from America—is generally acknowledged to be still in possession of a voice which has naturally lost some of its youthful freshness, but which retains its charm and effectiveness to a remark- able degree. For the present, at any rate, we mast leave leuan Gwyllt, but commending his writings to he attention of oar young musicians generally.

Had Seen It. A deadly affair is football in Ameriea, The captain of a well-known team there was once approached by a giant Irishman, who said that he had been watching the game, and wonid like to try for the team. The captain regarded the man's enormous form. and was impressed. "You have played before?" he asked. "No, sor, bat I've seen how they play it," was the answer. We'll try you next practice afternoon," said the captain, A suit was procured for him and he walked on the field daring the appointed afternoon. Going up to the captain he said, putting on a fierce expression meanwhile— "Now, sor, show me the man and let me at Mm." .c- A woman's favootim vroid is always he last oua.

Illustrated Fashions. I We live too much nowadays in the past or tbe future, neglacting the present with its possi- bilities. This if true of everyday life is also perhaps more so in regard to everyday drass, especially at this season of the year when there is rather a lack of novelty about the modes. Still an advantage way be found in this state of affairs if looked at in the right light, as with the future joys of better and brighter dajs in store we may use onr knowledge of the past fashions in making dainty blouses or the many items of dress which are in themselves trifling, but go so far to achieve the ultimate success of the whole toilette. The many spare hours or half-hours that one has at their disposal when obliged, however unwillingly, to remain indoors owing to the unpleasant atmospherical condi- tions which pibvail outside, may thus be turned to great use, and enable a certain amount of economy to be employed, us it is generally thes6 very dainty trifles and elaborate blouses deco. rated with pretty stituhery and insertions of lace A Simple Dressing Jackat. which make such a hole in a dress allowance when purchased ready made in the shops. One has really nowadays to pay more, particularly for the work used in making the garment and the time thus employed, than for the actual material itself. It vioald be found 110 much more profitable to turn one's skill as a needlewoman to practical account in the fashioning and em- bellishment of our clothes than to waste it in embroidering cushions or counterpanes. Even the simple dressing jacket depicted in my first sketch offers scope for clever fingers in tho conventional designs of the border, which is the only trimming which adorns it. Tbe material used is pink flannel, of a delicate but very becoming shade, and the embroidered pattern is worked in pale green Bilk on a white ground. The atyls of the dressing jacket is vory simple, but also exceedingly pretty and partaking very much of the style of a Japanese kimono. The sleeves are close fitting at the upper part of the arm, increasing in dimensions towards the wrist, where they fall freely, not being confined by any An Evening Toilette. I caffs or wriat bands. The jacket fastens at one tlide, and a cord of green silk with a, couple of handsome tassels midway crosses the unpor part of the figure. Viyella could be used if preferred, although it is hardly so warm as flannel, while some of the charmingly patterned Zenana cloths would make up into particularly cosy garments. Flannelette is of course very much less expensive, but is much lighter, almost requiring a lining to render it warmenousrh. Qnilted satin lined with silk or a thin woolkn material makes a very pretty and very cosy jacket. Very charming indeed is the pretty evening toilette given in my second sketch, and the style is one which not only must recommend itself to anyone looking out for a pretty mode for a new gown, but would prove helpful, I feel ante, for the adaptation or renovation of an old drees. Slepvos in which there is a gap showing glimpses of the upper arm between the shoulder strap and the sleeve proper are quite one of the emarteet features of this season's evening toilettes, and an old sleeve ean easily be eo altered and modified to produce this effect, while a series of lull frills or flounces should depend from the lower part of the sleeve to &boat the wrist. The bodice and skirt are of finely pleated and are A Smart Hat. quite simple in design, a panel of lace or em- broidery being inserted in front of the bodice. There are many pretty materials to be had for evening wear, and dainty silver and gold em. broidered tissues which give quite a fairy-like appearance to silk and chiffon dresses. Beaded nets in various coloured beads ranging from gold and silver to many coloured sprinklings are used for draping bodices or covering them in blouse form for evening wear. One model gown had it draped on the bips in pannier fashien, with the desired result of imparting an air of originality to the toilette. Another, of pale pink satin, had a trellis work of gold, which was most effective, especially as here and there tiny pink and white roses were introduced. Ia purchasing headgear just now it is as well to confine one's selection to something which is smart butsimple, as it is yet too early to attempt anything very elaborate in the way of millinery. A particularly good sample of what I mean it portrayed in my last sketch. the only trimming of the chie felt hat consisting of some bands of velvet and a large feather pom pom. For is also much employed as a trimming on hats, and is sometimes intermingled with somewhat incon- gruous materials, such as fragile lace and dia- phanous chiffon. One does not see so many furry surfaced felts as a short time ago, although some of those in the marquise shape were trnly admirable and needed absolutely no trimming whatever. COQUETTE.

'•'Has the baby had the measles yet, Mr Popps ?" Sh-sh, don't speak so loud. When- ever he hears anything mentioned be hasn't got he cries for it." The club is a. refuse ior homeless married men. So He Stopped.—Landlord's AgeLt What I Still here after the three days' grace I gave you ? -Defaulting Tenant Shure, sorr, an' wasn't it three clear days yer 'onner gave me to git out-" Certainly I did aud they expired yes- teray." Attah, now, an' baveu?'t they been foggy wana all the toime ? Ij

Welsh Tit-Bits. Neu Wreichion Oddiar yr Eingion. BY CADRAWD. Extraordinarily Wet Seasons. The uncommonly long season of raitt we have experienced for such a length of time is not without a parallel in history, though there are but few living who are able to remember such a continuous downpour, extending for over fifteen months with but few intervals. The year 1853 was a very bad season, in which disastrous storms and floods occurred, but the farmers were blessed with an average harvest. The winter which followed was a very hard one, and some nine weeks of continuous frost were expe- rienced with heavy falls of snow. It was during this winter our troops suffered such privation in the Crimea and before Sebastopol. The wettest season on record appears to have been that of 1348, which was most disastrous to the crops, the harvest being a total failure, and dearth and disease consequently ensued. Holin- shed, the celebrated English chronicler, gives the following interesting pasaage in regard to the above year In this 22 yeare (of Edward III., A.D. 13481. from midsummer to Christmasse, for the more part it continuallie rained, so that there was not one day and night drie together, by reason whereof great flouds insued, as great sickness and other, insomuch that in the yeare following, in France, people died wonderfullie in diverse places. In Italie also, and in many other countries, as well as in the lands of the infidels as in Christendom, this grievous morta- litie reigned to the great destruction of people. About the end of August tbe like dearth began in London, continuing so for the space of twelve months following, and upon that insued great barren esse, as well of the sea as of the land, neither of them yielding auch plentie of things as before they bad done. Whereupon vittels and corn became scant and hard to come by." Winter Thunder. Last winter, and at the beginning of this, we had some heavy thunderstorms, and there is A very old tradition which has found a place in our collection of English proverbs,tbat bears upon the subject of disastrous rains and storms in this country Winter thunder and summer flood Bode England no good. May it be that we have not yet seen the worst ? A very familiar Welsh proverb is the following: Gauaf glas, monwent fras which means that a moist or wet winter helps to fill the graveyard. There are some very interesting chronological stanzas to be found in the works of the Welsh poets, giving as some vivid glimpses as to the scarcity suffered by the people owing to bad harvests through exceptionally wet seasons. The Wet Summer of 1648. Un cant ar bymtheg, on-,yd,-waith digoll. Wyth a deugain hefyd, Pan fn'r haf, poen fawr hefyd, Gwae i Iwybrau draw, gwlyboer dryd. Tywydd troe winwydd trwy weini—gwyntoedd Hvd gyntedd y weilgi; Mawr ei chroes, meirion a chri, Rwth rhvfel a rhyferthwy, At this period a county was the world to most men, and the bard of Ardudwy, W. Phyllb, knew vary little about the hardships of his own countrymen in other parts of the Principality, much less of the condition of those inhabiting countries beyond the seas. The harvest of last year was quite as bad as the one of which the bard complains But modern improvements, new inventions, and the woaderful developments over the world at large, together with the wisdom of our forefathers in adopting the Free Trade policy has secured to the overflowing population of this country cheap food, with plenty of it, though what was produced oy the country itself would not keep us aHve for one month. Another cold and wet summer was that of 1556, the description of which iaftiseu in some choice englynion by a lady poet of that period, viz., Catherine ferch Grutfydd ap Hywel :— Gwynt, gwlaw a ddaw, trior ddifri,-a chenliyeg A chynllwyn pob oerni Am waith Duw ni waeth tewi, Gauaf yn lie haf i ni. Gwyliwch rbyfeddod, mi a goeliaf,-belib, Ni wn byth a'i gwelaf; Mae gwynt oer mal gwyn eiraf Mewn cam amser cauol haf. Great Scarcity ;n 1597. Gwyl Fair ar Groglith a. fu-ar nnwaitb Ar union oed Iesu Yn bvnotheg cant a'i w'rantu, Naw deg a saith cofiant cu. Fe droe yr-un flvvyddyn fal drain-at lid, A phob tiawd yn ochain I gael am y feiliaid fain O'r rhyg ctdeg swllt ar hugain. Ed Maelor. The Paets Simwnt Fychan describes in a chain of verses the same hardship and gives the price of corn at Rhatben market, to be three pounds ten the hobaid, or peck, which in North Wales was four Winchester bushels, or nearly zCl a bushel, which could only yield at the ntmost 50 lbs. of meal of the coarsest kind. We should here remark that the grain was ground at this period without the flour being separated from the bran. The sieving of the flour was done at home, a utensil which was found in every house throughout the land a hundred years ago, with bottom of fine network for separating the finer parts of any substance from the coarser. To make sieves in former days was an important industry, and a sieve maker was to be found in every locality, who was called by the Welsh Shon, or whatever his name may be Gweerydd, or the sieve maker. The coarser staff which was drawn from the corn after it had been brought from the mill, was every particle made use of for the people's food, even the peel or ask of oats was boiled to make sucan, or flummery, or washbrew, which during famines was the principal food on which the poorer people lived. Legend of Llangyfelach Tower. The tower of the older church, aa well as the present structure, stands at a short distance from the nave, and a correspondent, who is a constant reader of this column, wishes to know if there are any traditions giving the reason why this old tower, different to any other, has been built apart from the church. The following is the only one I have heard, and if any of the readers of Welsh Tit-Bits know of any other I should be very glad to receive it. Even a different ver- sion of this may still linger in the neigh- bourhood. It is said that the day's work on the Lower, when it was first built,was pulled down each night by the devil and his confederates, who, it was believed, was apparently apprehensive that th6 sound of the bells might keep away all evil spirits. A saint, of now forgotten name, toli the people that if they would stand at the church doors and throw a stone, they would succeed in building the tower on the spot where it fell,' which accordingly came to pass.

'U. J-" MILLIONAIRE'S ECCENTRICITIES. The action in Paris over the will of the late Mr Francis Reubell Bryan, the American millionaire, has drawn attention to the eccen- -tricities of this remarkable man. He was one of the most familiar figures on the Boulevards. Though an American by birth and a Parisian by choice, yet the country be loved best was Eng- land, in spite of the fact that he never lived there. Those who know him say he liked nothing better than to curse his compatriots and French- men, which he did in the purest French. He was a member of the Jockey Club, but did not often appear there. He preferred to spend his evenings at tbe theatre, and finish the night in a club, only leaving when tbe members thought of bed. He bad a reputation in this club for a biting with and an apparently inexhaustible me- mory. Few Frenchmen had a richer store of anecdotes bearing on Parisian life during the last 40 years than he. For thirty years be never went to bed before daybreak. He never wore an overottat, even in the coldest weather, and no one could fix his place of residence with any degree of accuracy. For a long time he rented a flat in the Place Vendome, but never resided in it and when he gave bis pictures, which he described as being very beantifal, though he showed them to nobody, to South Kensington Museum the bulk of him fortune, it will be remembered, followed them-be resided in an hotel. Bnt he changed his hotel repeatedly—whenever, in fact, bis address was discovered.

Setting -Himself- What do yon con- sider the greatest object of interest in Eng- land ?" asked ,tbe .interviewer, Well," answered the great lecturer from abroad, I arrived here yesterday, and Of course," exclaimed the inteiviewer, apologetically, I meant the greatest object of interest next to yovrself."

THE HOUSEHOLD. I Of all the pincushions I have seen none has struck me so favourably as onel saw a day or two ago at a friend's, who informed me it was known as a Gainsborough pincushion. It had been made from a piece of apple-green brocade, some sateen to match,- a piece of pink satin, a yard of fine silk cord, and two pieces of diamond, shaped buckram, 14 inches by 4. If you decide to make this pretty cushion eover the two pieces of buckram with the broaaae and sateen. Make a round cushion of the pink satin, and fill it with bran or wool, then sew it in the centre of the brocade-covered piece, and sew the two pieces together along the edges. Trim all round with tine silk cord, then curl both ends under. They are kept in place by a stitch put threngh the round cushion in the centre. Those of my leaders who are expert in em- broidery will welcome the opportunity they have of displaying their skill in the making'of the satin cushion cover which I am illustrating to- A Gainsborough Pincushion. day. This cushion has been made by the B&me friend who put together the Gainsborough pin- cushion, and I think a description of hers will serve as a complete guide to anyone who wishes to copy her. The cover was made of a delicate shade of old rose-coloured satin, the frill being of a paler shade of the same colour. The flowers were worked in the ordinary way, with well- shaded silks, mostly of white and pale yellow, with bronze green for the leaves. The back- ground for the bird was of white satin the flower was put in with shades of rose chosen to suit th9 background, and a good deal of sheeny blue was devoted to the plumage of the bird. A. thick silk cord of various colours served as a finish to the edges of the cover. I can recommenJ those who have not yet tried drawn thread work to make a start on the square for a bedspread shown in my last sketch, for it is very easy to do, and will serve as an excellent training for more complex designs. For the benefit of those who are entirely innocent in the subject I may say that the design is very coarse linen thread on thick brown Holland, the latter afterwards being cut away where not covered by thread. There are many suitable square designs to be had, but care must be taken to select one that as nearly as possible covers the entire square, leaving but little room for any background. The embroidery itself is executed almost wholly in buttonhole stitch, but first of all the design must be outlined with darning-stitches which must follow every traced line, and should mark all the markings of flowers and veins of leaves. The nse of very coarse white thread makes the button- A Cushion Cover in Satin. holed outlines tand up almost like cord above the surface of the linen. The markings down the middle of the petals of the centre flower may be executed with satin stitch raised in very high relief. In other places small open wheels can be used, an eyelet-like circle baing made in the centre with bars radiating from it to the main portion of the material. The, principal veins of two large leaves are effected by long and narrow openings crossed at intervals by bars in ladder fashion. When all this is done, the bars have to be made which connect the leaves and flowers, and form the real background of the work. Round the outer edges of the square a hold is provided for them by a border of thick linen face braid. This mvst be firmly sewn down to the original linen on which the design was traced before the linen is removed. The bars each consist of two or three strands of thread caught into the edge of tbe work as required and then closely covered with buttonholing. In places where a single bar is barely snfficient to bridge the space effectively, four or five are clustered together in other places is made a bnttonboled wheel by way of a centre for some six or seven bars that pass from it into the main part of the material The making of these bars will come quite familiar to every worker of point lace, but here they have the advantage of being in no way trying to the eyesight, as it is advisable to make them as coar»elv and effective!} as possible I can recommend poulets any tomates, or, interpreted, chickens with tomato sauce. Bone a chicken which is ready dressed for the spit. Place into the body of the chicken a little butter, -— —|- 1, 1 A Drawn-Thread Bedspread Square. pepper, salt and lemon juice, bridle them down with tape. Put some elicas of bacon into a stew- pan, place some thin slices of lemon upon the breasts of the chickens and put them into the stewpan with slices of bacon over them. One hour will be sufficient to cook them. When done, take them up. untape and dish, serving with a tureen of tomato sauce. This is a most delicious sauce and may be eaten with almost any viands. Put a dozen tomatoes into a stewpan with a little white stock, and season with pepper and salt. Stew and reduce tb"'m, and when thick pass through a coarse sieve, and serve im. mediately with some fresh butter, melted and quite hot Coffee Cream is a charming sweet. In- gredients Four ounces of lump sugar dissolved in two tabiespoonfuls of water, four eggs, yolks and whites divided. Add the yolks to the sugar, and let it stand until the sugar is dissolved to this add a teacupful of strongly-made coffee, strain, and when the sngar is dissolved set it near the fire to simmer for about twenty minutes, or until of the consistency of cream, stirring one way the whole time. When ready and cool, have ready the whites of the eggti. beaten to a froth, and stir them carefully into the abov mixture. Also have ready half "a packet of .0 nbome s isinglass, dissolved in a tumbler of hot water. Stir this into the above mixture, and pour all into a well-soaked mould. Another toothsome morsel is Spanish Cream. Mix well together three tablespoonfuls of dry floor of rice, the volks of three eggs, well beaten, and three tablespoonfuls of water and two of orange flower watei. Put to the whole a pint of cream, and set it over the fire in a jug placed in a saucepan of water. Keep stirring until thick, and when cool pour into custard glasses. Serve with finger biscuits. ETBEL. Just for Satisfaction. A working man in the north was the possessor of a rabbit of which he was remarkably proud. The animal attained an unnsaal aiM, and was far more valuable in its owner's eves than in the estimation of more experienced and less biased judges. Rather to the amuserovnt of his fellow-work- men, the owner exhibited his rabbit at a local show. Here, however, the class was far too good for him, and, much to his owner's diagnst, the animal was not even commended." Thinking he had been unfairly dealt with, the exhibitor seized the first opportunity of bntton- holing the gentleman who acted as judge. "Look here. J- he remarked, "I've known you for years, and I thought your opinion was worth having. Just look at my rabbit there. He's twice as Dig as the prize-winners, and I think he ought to have won. Of course, it's too late now, but take another good look atliim, and 20st for satisfaction tell me what you think now." The gentleman stepped up to the stand, took a critical view of the exhibit, and drily observed: I think he would make a really excellent pie,"

WELSH GLEANINGS. I Lord Windsor has been elected treasurer of St. George s Hospital in sucoesaion to the late Duke of Richmond and Gordon. Mr Samuel Smith, M.P., has resumed his Par- liamentary duties in restored health after a severe illness, which prevented his attendance during the greater part of last Session. Lieutenant W. T. Davies, of LlanelJy, who has twice won the gold medal at Bieley, has received another honour, having just been alectad a life member by the National Rifle Aesoc:iat;cm. Bangor boasts of a lady secretary of the local Free Churches Council, Miss Leonora Daviea, daughter of Mr Richard Davies, a local architect, having been appointed to that position last week. One of the three newly-elected British oates of the Royal Academy, Mr Frank Bran- gwyn, was born at Bruges in 1867, and is of Welsh parentage. tie worked for some time under William Morris. A movement has been initiated for the nixing of a memorial stone on the grave of Mr Rowland !,be aQtbor o £ the hymn tanas thf i!*7 £ J' Llanfairybryn," and otbatb, in the churchyard at Holywell. In the coarse of a reminiscent speech in Car. °° 6Ve 0f hia dePftrture foi London to edit The Shop Assistant," Mr T. SneBaar Jones said the first money he ever earned for his literary efforts was for a series of articles on "Life Behind the Counter contributed to the Cardiff Times." There is, it appears, a strong desire among ijondon Congregationaliste that the Rev. J. Morgan-Gibbon should succeed Dr. Goodrich in the chairmanship of the Congregational Union, Fonr ex-chairmen have endorsed the nomination of the eminent Welshman. Though still young- looking, and lacking nothing in vigour, Mr Gibbon has been in the ministry for more than 30 years. The picture entitled Salvator Infantiam" which has recently attracted attention and been reproduced in art journals as being the work of Miss Stacpoole-Haycraft, was painted by Mr. J. Berry Haycraft, the wife of Professor J Berry Haycraft, of Cardiff. Mrs J. Berry Haycraft was formerly Miss Lillie Stacpoole and she still keeps her maiden name in signing her pictures. It was as Miss Stacpoole she bad the honour of painting the Princess of WaJea, then Princess May of Teck. Welsh Wesleyan Methodism benefits largely nntter the will of the late Mrs Jones, the widow of Mr John Jones, of Minffordd, Llangoed. The following legacies hive been left to denomina- tional institutions £ 200 towards the Foreign Missionary Society, £200 towards the North Wales Home Missions, X200 towards the Chapels Fund of North Wales, £300 to the Welsh eburch, Shiloh, Tregarth, zElOO to the Llangoed Church, and a house and five acres of land, valued at £100, to the Beanmaris circuit. A sum of £lOa is also left to the Bible Society. Lord Boston is a Welsh peer, owning an estate in Anglesey, which comprises a considerable portion of the town of Holyhead. He seldom, however, takes part in Welsh affairs, though he was a prominent member of the house party which assembled at Vaynol Park to welcome the Prince and Princess of Wales. His Lordship has now come before the public as the author of a descriptive sketch of the history of the manor and church of Hedsor, his Backs residence. Lord Boston has unearthed no fewer than fourteen old spellings of the name of the parish. By-ths. way, his Lordship might tell us the meaning of Porthamal," the nameof bis Anglesey bom*. A Memory ef Gen. Hugh Rowlands. Not the least effective touch in Co!onel Qoirk's speech at the banquet in his honoar at Cardiff the other evening was his kindly reference to that famous old O.C. of the Welsh Regiment, General Sir Flugh Rowlands, V.C. He commanded the Welsh when Colonel Qnirk joined it as a raw subaltern in 1869. and he recalls how at that time Colonel Rowlands was wont when anything went wronp to address himself to the offenders in the strongest possible terms in both languages I Sir Hugh was equally fluent in English and Welsh. Dr. Griffith John. In a letter which has jast been received from Dr. Griffith John, the eminent Welsh-Chinese missionary of Hankow, he states, We have bag a very good year (1903). I have just been visiting two of the outlying districts, and have beer; greatly encouraged by what I saw and heard of the progress of the work. In one district J baptised 131 in the other there were 54 bap tisms. Our baptisms this year will not be mucl under 2,000-the largest number we have had it one year. The High School is doing splendidly, and the Theological School is turning out some very fine workers. We have, indeed, much to bt thankful for." The Birmingham Bloater." Lord Bean champ, who spoke at Colwyn Bay on Friday night, is one of the most promising young noblemen in the Liberal party. At the age of 26 he was appointed Governor of Victoria, Aus. tralia. and on his return to England married Lady Lettice Giosvenor, danghter of Countesf Grosvenor, who is now wife of Mr Georgi Wyndham, the Irish Secretary. Lord Beau- champ, like Mr Lloyd George, can coin phraeec which stick Hke a burr. Recently, when speaking in the Midlands, he advised his audience not tf hunt The Birmingham Bloater "-the cbaae, be duly observed, being unprofitable. On Friday night he told the Welshmen at Colwyn Bay that every vote givealor-a Tory is a slice oft the workingman's loaf." Very neat.

Aa&riw Fletcher galtoon, in 9 letter t. tilt etarqmp of *catresi, I knew a very vdw. ut I- that I-elieveg thalk If a -man wcr4. rcrmut" sf Kiakr all ti» ballads h4, need csrc wise ?beal^ Nk. tiJK laws cf thr nati £ B."

THE FiRST CROCUSES. A breath of Spring in Winter, thrashes sinking Under the blue of almost April skies, And the first crocuses and snowdrops springing Gladden the eyes. Our eyes they gladden not, and cannot brighter) For he. the young and well belov'd hath croet Into the shadows, Yet the sun shall lighten, Reveal the lost. And the white snowdrop and the crocus golden In every Spring remi ad us Life shall brave And triumph over Deatb, and us embolden, Who near the grave. White snows and the keen frost that binduth Thfc earth as tho' it werr a darksome tomb, Shall stay not Spring, as on her way she windett To ultimate bloom W, J, Tate.

0 CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN! 0 Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done. The ship has weatber'd every rack, the prize tft sought is won, The port is bear, the bells I bear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring; But 0 heart! heart I heart! 0 the bleeding drops ci red, Where on the deck my Capt&in tios Fallen cold and dead. 0 Captain t my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up-for you the flag is AaDg-fer yon the bsgle trills; For you bouquets and ribbon'd traatb.;—for jot the shores a-crowding, For you they call, the swayingmass, their earn faces turning Here Captain I dear father I This arm beneath your bead It is some dream that on the deck You've fallen cold and dead. My Captain does not answer, his lips are palf and still, My father docs not fael mj arm, he bail no unlet nor will, The ship is anchored safe and sound, its Toyagf closed and done, from fearful trip the victor -Mipesum in wit* object won; Exalt 0 shores, and ring 0 bell@ I But I, with mournful tread, Walk the desk my Captain lias, Fallon cold and dead. Wa.1& WÄiU118.