The Cardiff Times

I SUNCLAD TOBACCO IS the Best. Try It.

i WORKMEN'S TOPICS. I BY MABON, M.P.

THE MINERS' FEDERATION CONFERENCES. 1 Though Swansea, by some curious oversight 0°bt]e&s, offered no formal welcome to the j^Babers of the Miners' Federation of Great I aift. her citizens were nevertheless greatly e*3ed that they held their annual delibera- within her borders. The Executive Com- j ttee of the miners represent the most power- °ne-class organisation of workers in the °tld. jn fact, they possess authority in a that has had no parallel in industrial By binding the workers in and about mines into one Union, or a union of nlons, as it were. they have, in a sense, fathered to the organisation such strength with "ich they are able to now profoundly influence 8 destiny of the nation, and in a special leD!e have made coal the king thereof. Having 1"tething like this kingly power, it is not to Wondered at that, unlike many simila O\'¡anisations. they are so careful to guard ^Saiost usiDg that power despotically- For I & t know of any other organisation in the utttry that is solittle prone to use its despotic j°^er of strikes in the settlement of its wage ''Putes.and so anxious to have them amicably 8ettled by the means of Conciliation Boards in r*' the wide area under its sway. Most of the thereof are men known to the writer, are men *^amP ^bat *ro alwayJ ap>ng in mind the reflection of Isabella, one It the sacest and sweetest of Shakespearean that It is excellent to have a giant's PeQgth, but tyrannous to useitlike a giant." hci to give to those that lead the Federation f'P due, they have always acted on the Wnciple that power misused is power abused. They have been wise enough to realise that j^ce is stronger than war, and hence modera- and conciliation have been the keynote of !r policy. In fact, the advance in Jlv'lisation, which has come as a consequence to the prole- 'at, brngs the miners' leaders, men ''fQilany circumstanced, face to face with new f*°bletns of far-reaching effect. There are in lb,B rpaks of their organisation thousands of 1. the young men who dream dreams." and hoae awakened intellect and intelligence com- j them to rebel against the squalor in which j 0 many of the workers have to drag out a feary existence, and who are insistent in their eQiand for an immediate application of the ^^ledies which, if too hastily applied, might Prove- worse than the disease. It is, however, function of these leaders, and for the execu- te members of the miners' Unions—and, as jj^ule they do it—to shape the policy of the deration so as to secure what is possible. r W. S. Gilbert makes one of his characters 60rnewhere ask, What is the use of sighing 'tfter Elysian fields when you know you can't Itet Jem," and it is in the spirit of that obser- vation, if I may say ao, that the Miners' Federa- tion has acted in the past and has to do in the future. An(1 one may be pardoned for observ that scant, progr.f? will be made if the e34t-rs of the Democracy in this country ^cenl. rate attention upon the unattàioabl0 J and make that quest their excuse for lifting present possibilities. And lot us hope l^t. We are not far off the time when the aders of working men will, in the same way, a little less visionary when they touch j the region of practical pontics, which, under 0,,p system of Parliamentary government, we ?re gradually and constantly approaching. It js» indeed, full time to pat an end to the rbe- J0ricil excursions that some of our so called abour leaders are indulging in, and are affect- £ and altering prejudicially the true character intent of Labour representation in the "ouse of Commons. j The President's Speech. doubtless one of the great features of this cOnference was the President's speech. It indeed, a great and diplomatic speech. Mr ■^Ooch Edwards at all times is lull of common and is always able to say the right thing the right place. But in this last speech of he appears to have excelled himself, and robustness and vigour of one of the most *t*tesmanlike speeches ever delivered on Labour topics was very marked indeed. His review of tbe industrial situation, as it affects the work- ^n of our coalfields, was naturally charac- ^tised with a note of exultation. The solidi- ^cation of the federation forces in Great Britain, and the growth of the Trade Union '^ea among the workers of the Continent are, "e thinks, factors at which everyone may Sincerely rejoice, since the first makes for Industrial peace at home and the second helps to promote a fairer basis of competition abroad. With Mr Edwards's reference to the attitude Of the Government towards Labour questions, "() real friend of the Government can take ^jpctianr True he did not mince language in Bé\Ying the Democracy would not be content pleasing promises made at election times, he feels with those of us who expect that trord9 are to be translated into actions, and that sympathy shall be something more than mere expression. The Democracy expects ,3 tha.t it shail not only be expressed, but applied, J^d in this desire the Government of Sir Henry ^mphell-Bannorman, I believe, cheerfully concur. Among the many statesmanlike obser- vations the President made was one to the Effect that Old Age Pensions *OUld come if the nation was kept from war 'kTAd war entanglements, for these, ^°ubtless, lay at the root of the difficulties in connection with ^is question. There is scarcely a man in 'his country who would not, in the time of Peace, ascribe to this doctrine, but the difficulty 's to get men to give heed to it when passions O'rL, inflamed by International disputes, trivial In themselves, but exaggerated by those whose idea of jatriotism lies in conquest. With the £ 2-0,000,000 Mr Chamberlain was so cheer- fQily given for the pursuit of his disastrous Policy of aggrandisement in South Africa, the ^opie of Great Britain could have solved many Of the social questions which now seem so difficult of solution. The Old Age Pension 'cheme, for instance, that once upon a time was so simple that anyone could understand It," might easily have been brought from the realtns of fancy into the world of fact. and the Country need not now be resting under the stigana of having thousands of the children Hom it compels to go to school, going there ltl a state of semi-starvation. That war is ^aste was one of the lessons that our President, )4r Edwards, sought to teach, and the sooner "e better we all learn it, the better and the Appier the people will be. lli. conception, also, of what is right and ^rong was excellent. In this Mr Edwards 'ctered greatly from many of those in society, kltd who profess to make nations, and who hemaelTes often go wrong. He thought—and think with him, that it is to the credit of e Working men that in all their great move- -ents they had never gone very far wrong." of course, to him it was largely a question u interpretation of what was meant by \Vroog. If to strive for shorter hours "nd more leisure for the workers in this tq%utry if to fight for higher wages and y^afcer oomforts if to seek better safeguards the lives and limbs of those that toil if fight for better surroundings in the homes th if to look for greater care for • children, who were unable to help them- ves, aad true respect for the aged worker if wrong to do either of these things, < the British workman would plead Uilty/ »• jt was no wonder, indeed, that such a torrent of simple eloquence and od good sense that the conference jumped ^lta ^et with apr lvuse. The conference came on Friday, and tha d«l««ate« left Wales highly delighted with the hospitality extended to them by various parties, notwith- standing the absence of any civic reception. During the closing day matters of very excep- tional character and importance to the whole mining community of Great Britain were dis- cussed, and resolutions bearing upon them agreed to. The debate on The Minimum Wage brought once more the original idea of the Federation into prominence, in which were en- hanced a general minimum in all districts, one Board of Conciliation, and one uniform wage agreement. One cannot but feel that, notwith- standing our recent experience of the immense difficulties in the way of their accomplishment, these ideals are fondly cherished by quite a number of those who called the Miners' Federa- tion of Great Britain into being. Of course, it is the opinion of most leaders of the men that if the Durham and Northumberland miners could be persuaded to join the Federation that the principal difficulty would have been removed. That may be so. But when that is done there will be found other difficulties, probably of greater magnitude and importance, that will have to be grappled with, and to those who really understand the case, the sacrifices to be made to obtain them will scarcely ever be re- paid. The Non-Union Question was, and is, felt to be always with us and with us almost everywhere. This time it was debated in private, and the conference resolved" that immediate steps be taken throughout the country to induce those outside the Federation to join the ranks at once." Now, and sincerely speaking, I do not see how this is to be success- fully done while members of the same Federa- tion are going from district to district to preach various new doctrines. The lan guage used by the propagators of such doctrines against those who fail to see eye to eye with them is a direct means of creating that prejudice against other people, and the natural conseauence is that there is scarcely a meeting of that character held without creating or giving excuses to someone to be- come non-Unionists. Really, the sooner the better that such work should finish. More on this another day.

WELSFTGLEANINGS. t News and Views in Lighter Vein. Granellian," the chaired bard of Blodfa, is a keen cyclist, and has been experimenting with gears. His opinion is thus expressed :— Gear fan i'r gorifynu—un gystal I'r gwasted. yn 70 Gear law, peth sorea fu. Ninety gear at hynt garu. The Cymanfa Ganu Gynulleidfaol Undebol Methodistiaid Calfinaidd Gwent a Morganwg. —otherwise known as the East Glamorgan Mammoth Festival of six thousand choris- ters, has been postponed from October 18th to October 25th, as the first date clashes with the South Wales C.M. Association at Bargoed. The Tonypandy cause ceiebre is likely to loom large at the next gathering of the East Glamorgan Welsh C.M. monthly meeting. Mr W. Williams, Pontygvraith, has given notice of motion that the monthly meeting shail now proceed to formally admit and recognise the Hermon Church, as directed by the Quarterly Association. The current issue of the" Sunday School Times" contains a portrait and biography of Mr John Lipscombe, J.P., Mayor of Newport the chairman of the National Autumnal Con- veont;on of Sunday Schools, the president of the Newport Sunday School Union, aud the super- intendent of the Tabernacle Sunday School. His Worship is a native of Dulverton, Somer- set, a life-long abstainer, an ardent Noncon. formist, and the president-elect of the Free Church Council. A Welsh Academy is required, according to the secretary of Undeb y Ddraig Goeh, if the Welsh language is to flourish and grow, and keep pace with modern thought and modern requirements. Wales must be prepared to make pecuniary sacrifices for her language as other nations do She must found her National Academy, and choose out the men most fitted to carry out the great work from among her sons, and see that they are handsomely remunerated for their services. According to the current issue of Y Drvch," the Welsh-American organ, there is every pros. pect of an American choir competing at the National Eisteddfod at Swansea. Tha choir is being formed under thecoaductorsbipof Pro- fessor Martin, East End, Pittsburg, Penn. sylvania, and the cost of bringing the choir over u estimated at £2,000. It is to be hoped that the venture wiil be a successful one, and we venture to assure our American cousins that they Will receive a very hearty and enthusiastic welcome at the Eisteddfod, Mr W. Archibald Davies. B.A., RD., for three years a Hebrew student at the Univer- sity College of North Wales, Bangor, has won the Elmslie scholarship, offered for proficiency in Hebrew and Old Testament subjects. The value of the scholarship, which was keenly competed for, is JE100 per annum, tenable for three years. Mr Davies is likely to prcceed to research work at Oxford and in Germany. Last June Mr Davies secured first class honours in Hebrew at the B.D. examinations of the London University. Mr H. O. Hughes, whose curtain raiser The Miller of Monmouth, was last week offered to Mr James Welch, and immediately accepted for production at a Newport theatre, is private secretary to Mr D. A. Thomas, M.P., and has written several very clever dra- matic sketches. Two from h's pen, entitled The Nurse and The Escape of Mon- mouth," have been published by Mr Owen M. Edwards. One called I'riends was pro- duced somo years ago at Manchester, and another, a character sketch, entitled His Last St&ge," ha.- been accepted by Mr Arthur Bourcbier. Mt Welch holds a high opinion of the literary and dramatic merits of The MIHer of Monmouth," and anticipates a very favourable reception for the piece both in the provinces and in London. A Patagonian Welsh Musician. The news of the death of Mr William R. Jones (Gwaenydd), once of Trefeini, Blaenau Flestiniosr, has reached us from Patagonia. It appears that be and his little granddaughter had gone out for a ramble,carrying with him & rifle for shooting game. The trigger caught in a branch, discharging the gun, and killing Gwaenydd on the spot. He emigrated to Patagonia 32 years ago. He is well remem- bered in Ffestiniog as leader of the brass band and the clerk of the Rhiw quarry. He was a fine musician and a good leader. Wales and the Mansion House. A friend who has just returned to London from Wales (writes the London correspondent of the Man Chester Guardian "), and expresses his gratification at our Welsh Lord Mayor's in- vitation to the Welsh Industries Association to hold its exhibition and sale at the Mansion House this month, finds himself also reflecting that there are ways in which the work of the association might be better shown in Wales, not that he would wish for a moment to dis- count the work that it has done in the last eight years for the flannel-making and wood- carving of Merionethshire, the quilted silk work of Pembrokeshire, the pottery of Gla- morganshire, and so on. But be remarks that many visitors must be made melancholy by the appearance of the small shops in Welsh seaside places where cheap goods reign as if there were no admirable industries at all among the people- While politically the pre- sent generation has seen a great revival of Welsh Nationalism, it is a regrettable fact, he ays, that in the last thirty years Wales has., in the matter of external appearance and per- haps from a business point of view, been more denationalised than in the three centuries pre- ceding. It is his sanguine hope that a genuine revival of small industries might do something to check the Welsh rural immigration to Lon don. Liverpool, and the coalfield, and also to make Welsh towns far more interesting to the tourist than they are at pxesent, J

Welsh Tit-bits. r Neil Wreichion Oddiar yr Eingion By CADRAWD. Epitaphs. I dare say many. like myself, who have visited country churchyards and secluded old parish churches during the present summer have read many carious epitaphs.. The extra- ordinary virtues, graces, and piety we so often see on these old monuments in our old churches ascribed to the dead have often no other foun- dation than a desire on the part of the living to stand well in the opinion of the world. If salvation depended uponthesculptor's record or testimony, how many of the rich are inheri- tors of the kingdom of heaven? And how little chance the poor have m the next more than in the present world In proportion, however, as panegyric ascends the more deeply may we suspect some glaring vice or infirmity is con- cealed. This mural praise is, of course, by no means peculiar to Glamorganshire, or even to Wales, the land of poets, and where every son of the muse has some time in his lifetime had an opportunity to try his skill on an epitaph. Seeing how his brothers lied, the honest old lolo Morganwg took care to prepare bis own, long before he died, and the following was found among his manuscripts, in Welsh, the translation of which we give here :— In memory of Iorwerth ab Iorwerth* Gwilym, of this parish, stone mason, the bouse of whom, after standing for 81 years under the assault of many a terrific gale, fell into a heap on the 18th day of December. 1826 notwith- standing that, all the material will again be gathered together, leaving all the dross behind, and made into a fine structure, strong, and of skilful and glorious workmanship, established for ever;on the Rock of Ages by the Chief Archi- tect Himself, and never again will it fall orwill there be any sign of decay." Adeilad hardd bardd y bydd—i'w codiad Yn gadarn a chelfydd Ton addien mewn ty newydd Gorfoledd ffaw yn rhodiaw yn rhydd." There is another epitaph written by A Wise Bishop, of the Isle of Man, presenting itself to my mind, which he had, like the old bard of Glamorgan, prepared for to be inscribed on his grave and who will not say but that they had been taught in the same school, had taken hold of the same living hope, and were endowed with the same amount of the uncommon sense which seems so scarce in our consecrated places. In this house which I have borrowed from my brothers the wor:ns, I, Samuel, will recline, by the grace of _God, the Bishop of this Isle, and in the hope of again raising to life eternal. Reader, pause here, and notice here the Lord Bishop's palace—and don't laugh." In Glamorganshire, however, there are glaring specimens of bad taste in this respect; but it seems rather to have been the fashion of a period embracing the latter portion of the 18th, and the first thirty years of the 19th centuries. During that time a spirit of emulation seems to have ani- mated the great in the composition of epitaphs for their departed friends. We shall give here the following, which we copied some time ago at the little church at Gilston on one who died lady of the manor there a hundred years ago. She was the wife of the rector, and her husband speaks of her thus :— I knew her well, and do assert this fact, Exemplary she was in every act; No brighter ornament she's left behind, No heart more pure nor yet more spotless mind. Reader, 1 cannot now be insincere, Tis candour speaks, and friendship drops the tear." Hero we find the flowers of rhetoric were strewn thickly on the tomb. Whether they har- monised with the character of the deceased we cannot tell. This we know. that the period was marked as the lowest point to which religion was sunk in this county of any period since the Reformation, when our churches had no more care bestowed upon them than the parish pound, when the character of those who served at the altar was such as to disgust the people wth the ordinances of t he Church. We often wonder when in the thinly popu- lated parishes In the Vale how, when the gentry spent most of their time among their people, and before newspapers came into being, these people managed to get their news, and how anything like public opinion could be formed on stirring questions which must be cropping up then just as at present. The fact is patent to us through all history, though the news was disseminated, and that (at times) rapidly, and that public opinion, and that of a very decided character toOjCould be lormed, and alaocouid be expressed over a very broad district, How were these two things accomplished? One of the 17th century customs, bearing on these questions, developed itself into an insti- tution which had its headquarters at 80 insig- nificant a place as Sigginstone. Those were days when men drank largely, I will nob say heavily for the word has now a meaning of its own, which renders it inapplicable to the case in question. They drank largely, and their drink (in the country at least) was good whole some home-brewed ale, which it is to be sup- posed did them good rather than barm, even when taken in iarge quantities. At Siggin- stone then the local gentlemen met at a small 'public house to hear the news and espress their opinion upon it In the year 1835 a stranger (it seems) to the neighbourhood met with someone who gave him a few parti- culars of the custom. lie was good enough to embody the information he had obtained in a letter to the Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian." The following are & few extracts, which to us to-day arc most curious and interesting— Sir,—I was lately shown at Siggicstone (a. small hamlet between Llanmihangel and Nash) a very humble cottage in which fiom the reign of Charles I. to the time of the first George the principal gentiemen of that parL of the country from St Donats, Llanmihangel, Llan. tryddid, Boverton, Nash, &c., used to meet to smoke their pipes and discuss politics and pro- vincial gleanings probably a sort of genial confratation such as Bradwardine and the Lairds of Balmawbanple and KilIancruit were wont to celebrate undec the sooty rafters of Luckie Mackary's only apartment, thickly tape&tried with cobwebs." Happening to mention this in the more eastern part of the country. I find there was a similar change-house, called Pont-rhiw-goch, near St Mellons, Llaneurwg, where the families of Treaegar, Cefn Mably, Ruperra, LJan. rhymney, the Van, Llanishen, Euerglyn, &c., used to hold similar meetings, wiob the addi- tion of cock-fighting. How interesting it wou'd be if any log book of these proceedings were found, or any register of the meetings which could furnish some particulars of these ancient clubs. Wnether they were periodical, what liquor tbey drank, whether some of the parties, such as the Stradlings, Turbervills, Bassettj. &c., being originally Normans, conversed on these occasions in Welsh- The chief people in Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire all knew Welsh in the 16th, 17th and 18th centnrjjes. A Mrs TurberviU was famed for her blunder in speech, as well as for other less pardonable propensities. She once made the remark that her husband had made a crocodile to his will and in speaking of Lady Mary Cole, who was said to be as beautiful as a Madonna," described her as having a perfect Mendoza countenance. Mendoza was the great prize fighter of the day. The Reverend Morgan Thomas, who married Elizabeth Mansell, daughter of Lord Mansell, of Margam, in 1721, was a Welsh poet, and translated the English hymn into Welsh for the use of his people at Margam —- While shepherds watched their flocks at night Liw nos bugeiliaid wrth eu praidd, Eisteddent ar y llawr Disgynodd angel Duw o'r net, Yn ddisglaer fet y wawr. Ofni yn ddirfawr yma wnant. Nac ofnwc i,1 medd gwas Duw Mynegu'r wyf newyddion da I cnwi a dynol tyw-' The Venerable Vicar Pritchard, Dandoverv. addressed a Welsh poem to Mr Lewis Manseil, of Margam, and a very good Welshman, and an author who was invalided. It would be an interesting subject to try and ascertain how much English was used in South Wales in fairs and markets a hundred years and more ago, and when the gentry Jjtnoted the Welsh language altogether, k

Fashions and Things Feminine. By MISS IDA MELLER. A Lace Evening-Sac. Dress experts have pronounced in favour of soft, transparent materiab for evening wear, comparatively few brocades and velvets being worn when we consider tbemIIlense number of chiffons and mousse. ines to be seen about. At theatres and soirees where evening dress pre- vails, a gJance around suffices to show that these delicate fabrics are in the majority, and that they are worn ahke by young and elderly, adapting themselves to all ages. The mous- seline frock is usually mounted on soft satin, and it bears, perhaps, trimmings of chiffon, worked up into flowers, 'or touches of lace and velvet-ribbon. Ihe evening-sleeve is a short puff, and the decolletage is finished with a simple fall of lace or a tucker of tulle. Empire garnitures and boleros of pHin or sparkling lace ale among the new evening fashions that arc usetul in "rejuvenating" a corsage that has seen its best days. Tbe lace sac sketched forms a completecovering to a bodice of chiffon or solt silk It is edged all round with iittle frilly oi chiffon, and the neck and sleeves are finished en suite. wlvle a few bows of velvet-, ribbon decorate the latter and also the front of the sac. The neck is swathed with a high corselet, which would he ol velvet to match tLe bows or carried out in the skirt material. Those who jotarney to evening entertainments by rail or ommbus and find, therefore, a dark skirt far moie useful and economical than a light one, might make up the frock sketched in a combination of bright brown crepe de chine eolienne, or chiffon, and ecru lace, the bows being either of the skirt material or brown velvet Eolienne is an excellent material for an evening skirt, of the u-eful type, bearing resemblance to crepe de chine, but having more substance about it The new eolienne skirts are made up with tucks, puffings, and flounces, and also with scroll.trunmiags of their own material gathtre i alter tbe fashion of a narrow bouillonne. Skirts ot Soft materials naturally hang very full, and there is a. fancy for provid- ing them with a deep hem of a more substan- tial fabric, thi3 possibly having about it a light embroidery in siik or paillettes. A Bolero Goat. The manner of tailor-coats is varied, and dainty little boleros-shar* honours with sac and knee. -deep coats, tight-fitting cr merely suggest- in^he curve ot the figure. The cioth skirt find its complement in pnart, little coats oi cloth to match, or velvet or fur. When the coat, is of a different material to the skirt, it is invariably .;hort-a bolero or Russian coat for instance, and the latter may have a short basque. Sealskin, mink. aTld chinchilla coats look very weU with cloth skirts, and for those who cannot afford costly ;urs there are many close imitations in ijluali- and silk cloths that act very well as t.nbst]tutwy The shveriness of chinchilla is cleverly copied in a material re- sembling plush, but perhaps the best imitation fur is the nt*w seal p!u~b, which, at a yhort dis- tance is easily mis'aken fnp real sealskin The little cloth coat sketched is suitable for any of the new imitation furs, for the genuine oelts and for ve! vet. As seen In the picture it is woi n c over a corselet skirt and accompanied by a mink tie a^d muff. The cross-over fronts are cut on a new principle, introducing a little iulness over the bust, and are fastened with three buttons. The collar is faced with velvet and bordered with a band of stitched cloth, which runs round the cross-over pieces, and the sleeves are finished with wide strap-culls but- toned and frilled with lace The hat worn with the coat is trimmed with dyed pheasants' feathers, an enamel buckie aud some-ribbon velvet. Whims of Millinery. In the millinery world there is a good deal of velvet in evidence just now, tho velvet hat trimmed with gol, I galon being considered very smart. Gold tissue also gleams on the new velvet millinery, but to be in good taste it must be charily u'ed. in theshow-iooms of a French milliner may be steu charming hats of black velvet, with round, melon crowns and brims in- clined to a wide boat shape, a sweeping plume, strapped acrosis the stem with a short scarf of g Did tissue, decorating the left; side. Feathers are used in various new ways. On a wine-ied felt hat, for instance, a lotig ostrich feather, dyed to match, is curled round the brim to a circie, with here and th^re a dead-pink rose interposed, and another feat her is circled round the top of the crown, which it completely covers. A Dentist's Hint. Health, it is generally admitted, is largely dependent on cleaniiness, and this applies to the teeth as to other things. There are manv people who, while scrupulously clean and using the tooth-brush night and morning, fail to clean the teeth properly, and are not careful enough to observe that the brush penetrates into all the corners and interstices. Where the teeth join one another, and especially where they are inclined to overlap, the brush should be used with special precision. A dent st's hint for the cleaning of these parts is to use a piece of silk thread, which will clear away all accumulations from I etween the teeth, and is surer in its effect than the bristles of a brush Remaining particles give ready encouragement to discoloration, it not to decay, and should be removed before they have time to do harm. Buns for Tea. The following is a recipe for some nice plain buns. Take lIb, of flour, and mix with it Joz. of baking powder, then rub m two dessert- spoonsful of castor sugar and 2ozs. of butter, and mix all together with a little milk. Roil out the paste to the thickness of a finger, mould it into buns, and bake it. A Nourishing Pudding for Invalids. Beef-tea pudding is a nourishing dish for in. valids. It is prepared by making one gill of be-ei-tea from ilb of beef, then soaking Un the liquor two tablespoonfuis of bread-crumbs for about ten minutes, and afterwards beating all together with a fork. Add a well-whisked ecg, and pour the mixture into a greased mould, standing the latter in a pan of boiling water and steaming it for twenty minutes.

Needed a Sample. Fame has its disadvantages, and some of these their ludicrous sides. An ex-Cabinet Minister tells a story illustrating this. lIe was travelling aud stopped overnight at a little inn kept by an old man and his wife. After breaklast the nlxt morning his host, who had been in a flutter of excitement ever since lie learned who his guest. was, said he would like to., make one small request. before his distinguished orator-guest departed. Couuin't ve, sir," he said, with palpable anxiety- couldn't ye just make my wife an' me a little speech before leaving us 1"

MUSIC IN WALES. By D. EMLYN EVANS. WELSH HARPISTS IN LONDON 140 YEARS AGO. In an article on A Forgotten Concert Room"—viz., that known as Hickford's Room," Brewer-street, London—which is con- tinued in the current number of the Musical Times." interesting references are made to some Welsh harpists (harper was the term tben in vogue, We believe) who figured in the Metropolis, and on the platform of that concert room, which, for thirty-five years during the middle of the eighteenth century was a much frequented and fashionable resort." The first of our harpers' names mentioned is that of John Parry, Ruabon. generally known as Blind Parry," and who, indeed, was the father of the later and historical school of Welsh players on the national instrument It is to him also, as a people, that we are in- debted for the first collection of national Welsh airs extant. After some references to other instruments and their players, we read that "Another stringed instrument frequently beard here—at Hickford's room—was the harp, which had been steadily growing in favour since the middle of the eighteenth century." That it was for many years always spoken of as the Welsh harp and that it owed its intro- ductioa to and popularity with London concert- goers largely, if not entirely, to the eminent harpist, John Parry." The statement that he was born at Ruabon i3 more or less doubtful, but that he spent his early musical life—or at least a portion of his musical life—as domestic harper in a well-known Welsh family," i.e., The Wynns of Wynnstay, is sufficiently well authenticated. We read further that he came to London before the middle of the eighteenth century, and soon attracted the notice of musicians, Handel among the number "—the reader fairly well-read in musical miscellania will remember the alleged identity, and certainly the strong similarity, between the great oratorio master's If Happy Wo (in Acis and Galatea,") and the very fine Welsh air, Codiad yr Haul (The Rising of the Sun) that he devoted himself to popularising his instrument by public concerts and private teaching and that he also wrote and published a number of compositions for the harp, of which, no doubt, his editions of Welsh melodies formed no un- important part. Most of his concerts were given at the above room, and their attractive- ness may be gathered from their number and frequency. He may be said to have invented that form of entertainment now known as the recital, for he appears to have been the first person to give concerts devoted to perform- ances on one kind of instrument." Although he had given many benefit concerts in conjunction with other artistes at the room in Brewer-street before his first series of harp recitals in 1766. the prospectus of that series is of sufficient interest to be reproduced here— with al due apology, of course, to the "Musical Times and its contributor :— By Authority. Mr Pacry bumbly presuming, that by a sole Attention for a long Series of Time to the Welsh Harp, he has brought that Instrument (so much lie Delight of our Ancestors) to a Greater Degree of Perfection than it has here- tolore attained, but at the Same Time re- gretting that the Powers of it are not =o uni- versally known as he conceives they merit, he with great Rerpect proposes to entertain the Nobility and Gentry on the follow rg Condi- tions, wbich he flatters himself will be more pleasing to the Town in general than his annual Concert, by affording him a more favourable Opportunity of evidencing the Baautv and Effects of two Harps by himself and bis Son. than when accompanied with other Instruments. Conditions. To perform seven Mormrgs on two Harps. in Parts once a Week, at Hickford's Great Room in Brewer-street. To becin on Tuesday, March 4th. at Twelve o'Clock. The Subscription One Guinea for the Whole, for which a Ticket will be de- livered for e:ich Morning, to admit cne Gentlemen or two Ladies. No Money to be taken at the Door. Subscribers may lend their Tickets to their Friends, but none to be ad- mitted Without a Ticket. It is somewhat strange that the writer of the article, like some other writers, makes no allusion to the grand old hfrper's blindness. That he was grand we know from the Poet Gray. and that, he was blind we know too well —and a portrait of him, sightless, but seemingly not unhappy, playing his favourite instrument, forms a frontispiece to the late Nicholas Bennett's co'lection of Welsh airs, Alawon fy Ngwlad (The Lays of My Land). Stranger still h this absence of all reference to the harper's blindness, because particular men- tion is made of a blind pupil of his, by name Bromby or Broomley, who. we are told. be- came almost as great a public favourite as his celebrated master." It seems the old concert- roorb was the London home of the Welsh harp in the eighteenth century, so many were the concerts there at which it formed the prin- cipal attraction." Among Other Harpers of Fame who had performed in it. were Messrs Gwyn, Evan Evans, and Edward Jones." The latter only need detain us now, be having established his name, not alone as a distinguished player on the Wehh national instrument, but as an editor and collector, whose services in connec tion with his country's songs have placed him side by side with bis predecessor, John Parry, Ruabon, and his successor, John Parry (Bardd A.aw). Here we are ta;d that be gave his first concert at Hickford's in 1775, at which he had the assistance of "some of the finest artistes at that time in London "—among them the celebrated Muzio Clementi, then in the fir,t flush his youthful fame," playing the harpsi- chord. Mr Jones gained great favour at Court, where a few years later he held at least t wo appointments, one of them being that of Bard to the Prince of Wales "—a term synony- mous, we presume, with Harpist to the Prince of Wales," as we describe the officer in our day, and one filled for many years by Mr John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia), now harpist to his Majesty tho King. Edward Jones's usual bardic name is Bardd y Brenin (The King's Bard). He was a native of Henblas, Llandder- fel, Merionethshire, as he was careful to announce on his t.tle pages. The old place, occupied as a farmhouse, lies at a few miles' distance from the little village of Llandderfel, which is situated on the banks of the Silver Dee between Bala and Corwen.

Crushing. The prosecuting counsel had been very scath- ing in his treatment of the witnesses for the de- fence. So mush NO. that one of these, a young doctor .determined to retaliate. You claim to be acquainted with the various symptoms attending concussion of the brain ?" asked the lawyer. I do We will take a concrete case," continued the counsel. If my learned friend, counsel for the defence, and myself were to bang our beads together, should we get concussion of the brain î" The young physician smiled slightly. The probabilities are," he replied, that counsel foe the defence would." According to Taste. Pat and Tim were working side by side, and enlivening their labour with flashes of imagi- nation. Well, now, if I bad a million pounds left to me, I know well how I'd be spending it," said Pat, letting bis pick against a convenient wall and looking at it with great distaste How would you be doing it ?" inquired Tim I'd go to wan o' tbim big hotels," said Fat, and I'd tell the b'y, Have me called at six o'clock to-morrer morning.' Then I'd go to me room and puil down the blinds, and whin first they called me I'd not answer, and whin they caltedme louder Id say, Go away wid yez. I'm not ooliged to be working, I've got money.' Aw remarked Tim, as he once more began work. Well, what would you do if you were a millionaire ? demanded Pat. Me ?" said Tim. I'd have a half fut more len'th to this pick-handle, and save me poor back. Basklotz You don't mean to say this is the first you've heard of it ?—Subbubs Yes.— Baeklotz Why, it's the talk of the neighbour- hood.—Subbubs Yes, but my wife is away on a visit.

Illustrated Humour. Why Was It ? What do you think of your new lady typist?" That's funnv." What's funny?" The same thing seems to be worrying both you and my wife." Getting Even. This half-crown," began the cashier of the restaurant, as he scrutinised the coin. Is bad, eh?" interrupted the sore-looking patron. Well, it doesn't look very good." Well, just bite it, and if it's anything like the dinner I had it'll taste even worse than it j looks." Watching And Waiting. The dog lay on the floor, quite near to the operating chair," and watched every move- ment of his master as he skilfully plied the scissors round the cranium of the talkative customer. Nice dog that," he went on. He seems very fond of watching you at your work." It ain't that, sir," explained the barber, smiling, "but sometimes I make a mistake, and take a little bit off a customer's ear." To Be Found Evprywhere. Miss Simpleton I understand that in some hotels onp often sees palms about the dining rooms. What kind of palms is the most promi. nent? r Mr Diaewell: The waiter's. Willing to Supply It. Adolphus I am tired ol this life of ease. I want a. lile of toil, danger, txcitemeul, and adventure. Gwennie Oh, this is so sudden But you may ask papa. Then There Was War. Yes," said the reporter, I always carry copy in my hat," I see," replied Fogg, news in a nutshell." t What Did She Mean? Nellie When you were first engaged, what did you do when Harry asked you to embrace him? Stella Why. T was up in arms at the first mention of the idea. Cool And Calculating. So you want to marry my daughter? Well what are your prospects, young man?" I expect lo come into possession of £2,000 in a short time." Why, that's just the amount of my daughter's fortu-ne." Yes, that's the £2.000 I meant." By Way Of a Change. Mistress Will you have your eggs broken, or iu the shell, sir? Lectmer: Broken, please. 1 get them in the shell every night. Quite So. Flora When i was young I bad at least fifty offers for my hand. Fanny Those were what you might call your palmy days, I suppose? A Distinction. She (indignantly): But you had no business to kiss me. He Oh, but it wasn't business—it was pleasure, Following The Rest. What swell dresses those Spendthrift are Yes. I think it must be in the blood. Why, I saw their new baby trying to put his teething ring in hi3 eye the other day. He was under the impression that it was a monocle." A Desirable Proceeding. Mistress (severely): If such a thing occurs again. Norah, I shall have to get another servant. Norah: I wish yer would. There's quite enough work for two of us. Young Borem (back from travelling on the Continent) And so you see I didn't take the advice of that fellow who said, See Naples and die.' "—Miss Sharpe (with a yawn) What a pity. Crabbe To-day, for the first time, I was really delighted to hear Miss Nexdore's piano cfoing.—Ascum Somelh ng worth listening to. >>h ?—Crabbe I should say so. I beard the .Qstalmeot men taking it away.

TALKS ON HEALTH. H BY DR. ANDREW WILSON. About Glands. From time to time readers of this columS have made inquiry regarding the subject of en- larged and diseased glands. This affection is so common that some space may with advan- tage be devoted to its discussion. Another consideration of importance in connection with this topic is found in the fact that popular modes of treatment by poulticing nnd rubbing enlarged glands are not merely useless, but may make matters very much worse through the increased irritation of the glands which°is thus brought about. tn order to more fully discuss this important subject, we may first of all remind ourseives that the affected gLands with which we are dealing are "lymphatic" glands. They are situated throughout the body at large, and are found not merely con- nected wilh the bowel or intealme, and with the absorption of food into the blood, but are also distributed in other regions, and are soeci- ally found in such parts as the groin, the arm- pit, and the sides of the neck. In the latter situation enlarged glands most notably make their presence kuown to us when they become inflamed from one cause or another, and when suppuration on the formation of matter takes place, the glands are apt to discharge the mat- ter, and unsightly scars are left when the pro cess of healing has taken place. Uses of the Glands. These lymr-hatic glands form part of a sys- tem of vessels or line tubes existing every- where throughout the body. It is the duty ot th s system to collect what may be called the overplus or excess of the blood fluid which has been sent out to nourish the bodv, and to con. vey this still valuable fluid back to the circula- tion where it is again utilised in the nourish- ment of the body. This system of vessels and giandshas sometimes been called the absorbent system, because of its duty in absorbing the blood fluid, as has just been described. It may, however, absorb matters wnich are apt to infect the body and so to produce disease. For instance, if a scratch with an unclean needle or h rusty nail be sustained and care be not taken to clean the wound, suppuration is apt tc occur and inflammation to extend up the arm, wh.lst pain will be fe!t up the arm-pit, and the glancs there will be found enlarged- In th4 same way an injury to the toe will produce pain and enlargement in the glands situated in the groin. The medium bywhich this irricatioa has been conveyed is the absorbent system whose minute vessels are founi as we have seen in aii parts of the body. Enlarged Glands. In the vast majority of case3 in which glandular enlargement is m^t with, the cause oj/be swelling may be set down as origin- ating in some scrofulous taint or other affect- ing the body. Scrofula, or "King's evil," as it was long ago called, is a constitutional dis- ease closely related to consumption or tuber- culosis itself, In the case of scrofula, however, the disease process is of a slow-going character, if so I may express it, and does not tend, as a rule, to any severe or sudden changes of an inflammatory kind. We know that scrofula is due to the presence and development of a par- ticular germ in the body, which many phy- sicians are inclined to believe is practically identical with that of tuberculosis. Be that as it may, scrofula is a disease m which the influence of inheritance frum parents is mark- edly seen. The father or moiner affected with this disease is almost certain to hand it on to i he offspring, and it is usually in the children of affected persons that enlarged glands are met with. While the glands of the neck are so H affected, it must not be thought that the other glands of the body escape this ailment, Thosa of the neck being near the surface of the bodvt and therefore prominently seen, naturally attract attention more readily than thos<. deeper seated in the tissues. The Broad Lines of Treatment. I In all matters relating to the cure and preven tion oi cisease it is jus; as important that we s'.ouid avoid doing ihings ca'euiat-ed to make M the disease worse, as to'know what should br. H done to relieve or cure an ailment. Purposely, therefore, I deal first with erroneous modes oi treating enlarged glands; and I beg mothers. who may read these words to pay special at ten- tion to the words I now intend to enforce. Let them. first of ail, remember that scrofula, which is the real cause of the disease, is .1 trouble of a constitutional kind. Practically H it affects the whole body. and therefore there H can be no hope of bettering its local manifes- H tation in ihs glands unless we have succeeded H in curtailing thr- scrofulous tendency itself. H Remember that a great deal can be done it H the affected child is treated in its early history. H It should be biought up in a pure atmosphere, I and should preferrablv live near the sea. There I is something in the 58.1 air which appears tc H tone and brace up scrofulous people. and it is I on this account ihat East Coast places are I preferred, because of their more bracing cha- I ■acter, to places on our West and South I Coasts. Margate, in Kent, and also Broadstairt I are places for example which have long enjoyed I a very high reputation for whal may be cailec I the climatic treatment of scrofulous cases. 111 ■ the nextplace the child's clothing and nourish- I meut should be specially attended to. Faf I iorms an important element in the food of al! growing bodies, and it is especially indicate*) as a necessary article of diet tor the scrofulour child. The child, indeed, should be given Coo Liver Oil or the emulsion of the oil regularly after its food during its earlier years: and th( chemist should be asked to add a little syruj ot the iodide of iron to the oil, so as to consti- tute a more efficient remedy for the affectioi we aie considering. What Not to Do. One must admit that in the ca.se where- glands become enlarged a certain tendency exists for the mother to poultice there, with what seems to her the natural result of bringing them to a head by encouraging the formation of matter and of thus getting rid 01 the condition through ta< bursting of the glands. But as I have showrv this practice not merely gives rise to un- sightly scars, but fails to cure the real dis. ease, which we have seen to be scrofuli affecting the system at large. If, therefore any sound general directions can be laid down at all. it is that enlarged glands should never be poulticed. In the next instance we often find such enlarged glands rubbed witl various lotions or liniments or painted with tincture 01 iodine. All theo",e measures art praclicaliv useless in face of the f act already mentioned that we are not attempting to cure a purely local condition represented by the gland* itself, but have to consider the ouestiou of the general disease which is affecting the body at huge. Note also that whenever Wf. have enlarged gianJ. containing as they dr the eerms of scrofula, they are apt to serve ai centres, whence infection cf olber parts 01 th« body may Oiigmate. Hence all physicians art 8;rODd tbat tne only practical and radical treatment is that which advises that at a cettaii. stage of their development they should be Ie" moved byr a simple surgical operation. Such a proceeding is easily carried out, involves ncz. danger when performed by a competent surgeoi and saves unsightly scars being le'tasmtht case where glands hare been encouraged tc suppurale ani to discharge of themselves Any treatment short of what I have just de seabed may be held to represent merely tinker- ing with the ailment, and in no sense curing it It mothers would bear in mind the variout points I have urged we should find iewer caaa of bodily disfigurement due to suppuration.

Songs for the People Andrew Fletcher. of Sitttouc, ia a letter to tit Maiqmsof Montrose, wroie I know a very wi. mILD thit believed ihat if a man were permitted b miVe 1).11 the ba1JMs he Deecl. not care who shooL make the laws cl the Dation," THE WORSHFOF NATURE. The harp at Nature's advent strung Has never eeased to play The song the stars of morning sung lias never died away. And prayer is made, and praise is given By all things near and far The ocean looketh up to heaven. And mirrors every star. Its waves are kneeling on the strand. As kneels the human knee. Their white locks bowing to the sand. The priesthood cf the sea They pour their glittering treasures forth. Their gifts of pearl they bring; And all the listening hills of earth Take up the song they sing. The green earth sends her incense up From many a mountain shrine From folded leaf and dewy cup She pours her sacred wine. The winds with hymns of praise are loud, Or low with sobs of pain— The thunder organ of the cloud, The dropping tears of rain. With drooping head and branches crossed The twilight lorest grieves, Or speaks with tongues of Pentecost From all its sunlit leaves. The b!ue sky is the temple's arch. Its transept earth and air The music of its starry march The chorus of a prayer. So Nature keeps the reverent frame With which her years began, I And all her signs and voices shame I Ttie prayerless heart of man. ( —John G.