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WORKMEN'S TOPICS. .
WORKMEN'S TOPICS. BY MABON, M.P. PARLIAMENT-AND FACTORY LEGISLATION. Th. Government Sneaking Out of the Berlin Conference Recommendations. long series of Factory Acts which °?Ve been passed since the beginning t)f the present century constitutes one 0 the most important chapters in »h,e history of English legislation. } lh P"ncip^e that the State has a right to with the labour of women and j^ydren, if the moral and physical well- g of the community demands it, I?8 been conceded, and although 1 e naale adult labourer has yet been left to to his own exertions as a trades -monist to put any limit to his hours of toil, protection, extended to those on whose ^"Operation he is dependent has to a veiy extent effected a reduction in his °*king hours also. THE MORAL AND HEALTH ACT. The first law enacted with the object of tegulating the period of labour in factories the so-called Moral and Hpalth Act J 1802, generally styled Sir Robert *Ws Act. The havoc made by J^demic diseases among the working children *?r°Ughout the factory districts of Man- drew attention to the hardships which they were made to work. J»lper children from the South were trans- ited in large numbers to the North, where J?«y were pent up in the factories day and 5j§^t, and kept to long hours of labour, j^ork was carried on without intermission, I d the sanitary conditions of the building which it was performed were shocking. I 8 a natural consequence serious epidemic were frequent in Manchester, and ,he whole population becamc alarmed. In a Board of Health was appointed, and l°n pointed to the overcrowding of ths **ctories as being the direct and chief source the evil. In 1802 an act was passed Enforcing regulations as to the sanitary ^Mition of work-rooms anc^ the hours labour for children. But, unfortunately, "is only applied to those called parish apprentices, i.e., those sent from the wcrk- rOllses, and it was not till 1815 that protec- l0ft was extended to the children living Jftder the care of their parents. In 1844 *^ord Ashley brought in a bill prohibiting and children from working ty wjSftfc. And, again, in 1847, a Ten Hours' III was carried, by which women and #°Ung persons were restricted to ten hours a legal working day to begin noteaflier han 5.30 a.m., and to end not later tnan .0 p.m. However, the series *f Factory .ACts culminated in the Act of 1878, which "e now propose to amend. Some of the Iterations under consideration are of the Neatest importance among them the pro- positions to raise the age at which that class children called half-timers should be allowed to commence work at factories and Workshops. EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN. J?16 present time of employment is as °Uows •'—(a) In textile factories for young and women :—The period shall be *01)5 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., or from 7 a.m. to P m. on Saturday from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. J manufacturing processes, and 1.30 for U employments if one hour is allowed for ^fcals otherwise at 12.30 and 1. Or, if the J°rk begins at 7 a.m., it shall end on Saturdays at and 2 P m' respectively. °r meals, two hours at least on week-days, *5^ on Saturdays half an hour, must be rj*°wed. Continuous employment without a time cf at least half an hour not to eXceed four hours and a half. Now, the e,l*ployment of childien under ten years of is for half-time only, in morning or f'e^noon sets, or alternate days. The ^rking day is the same as mentioned* tV°Ve *or younS persons. But a child of «is description cannot and must not be etnployed for two successive periods of kBeven days in the same set, Aether morning or afternoon, nor '011 two successive Saturdays, nor on Saturday in any week if he has already P11 one day been employed mere than four ft°urs and a half. Nor shall a child be etllployed on two successive days nor on the Blurie day in two succesive weeks. The half arrangement in non-textile factories is e same as the foregoing; continuous g^ployment without a meal not to exceed ve hours; and no child under 10 shall be employed. A DISCREDITED GOVERNMENT. ^OW, it is a matter of great surprise for e and all others interested in improving moral and physical condition of these ^udren to find that the Home Secretary not followed the recommendation of the Conference in preventing children °m working before the age of 12, and it is to be hoped that discussion in the will result in raising the age at which a ^niers be admitted to workshops factories. It is well known also that the Ending committee on trade declined in ra*se the minimum of age of half-timers factories and workshops. The opponents this reform, backed up by the expressed ^Pmions of the Lancashire factory operatives J^oiselvcs, and believing that those of us "■ti° Were favour of the improvement will v. | carry, as we will do, our advocacy of it ack to the House of Commons when it will -f'^Ppear there, have taken us to task— i myself especially—for venturing ° vote upon the matter in a direction Ohrv, Pposite to the views of the representatives .I the workpeople themselves. Some of eSe gentlemen can see no better or other for our doing so than the fact that be Lancashire operatives voted against us ^r' the eight hours' question at the Liver- Pool Trade Union Congress. What but the °ry ingenuity of one of the proprietors of Cardiff contemporary could have in- such a reason, cr could have devised 8Uch means of attempting to place class c\f workmen against another, and °d knows that I have no enmity towards a _°dy of m«»n who are apparently well satis- ed that the course they took upon that ^ccasion was the enly one which conduces to Protect and preserve the best interests of trades they belong to. Neither have I T? slightest sympathy with their present I whether real or otherwise, to justify the actions of the present Tory overnment. In my opinion, the course Government is taking in this matter "In prove to be a general misfortune to the ta.use of humanity, and to the best interests the working classes here and throughout; *rope. Yj.This question will again come before the "°use of Commons soon after Whitsuntide report. In the meantime it is ouv duty to and put clearly before the country what "111 be the effect of the committee's decision h be endorsed by the ^-ole House. Should this happen it will c^mpletely discredit the recommendations the Berlin Labour Conference in the eyes all Europe. For if England, which has hitherto shown herself foremost in protect- the physical, moral, and educational interests of women and children working in victories, totally declines to recognise to any by legislation the conclusions which s'le, in conjunction with the cther nations ^presented at the conference, arrived at as le basis of internaticnal action what be expected from other countries inclined to move in the right direction ""an ourselves ? Can they be expected to feel afiy obligation to act in this matter ? I fear llot. Such a result then, as I have already sktted, would not only be a general misfor- to the cause of humanity and to the best interests of the working classes here ^d throughout Europe, but the main inten- fcl<>ns of the conference, in pr emoting which 'e luvvc a greater interest thar. any other 1 COuHtry, von Id be entirely frustrated. I will refcui-u to thia subject r.«s,t week.
HE KNEW.
HE KNEW. MRS BROGAN.—-An' phat do ye' think o'th' ola chair now, Mister Daley? Oi had the sate caned. Ms DALE?.—Och, L-edad an' it's much im- proved it should be. Oi had th' same experience meself in me early days.
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What was it the aeronaut said when he fell out of the balloon and struck the ea.rth with his usual dull thud fJ He remarked that it was a bard world.
THE SWANSEA NATIONAL EISTEDDVOD.
THE SWANSEA NATIONAL EISTEDDVOD. BY DR JOSEPH PARRY, University College, Cardiff. Our ancient competitive festival, which comes off this year, is entrusted to the loyal care of our national friends at Swansea; and the arrange- ments made by them bear testimony that they are faithful to the original and fundamental aims of this noble old institution, uamely, the promotion of Welsh music, Cymric literature, and of the sons and daughters of Cambria and the whole proceedings, which are en the grandest scale, are all to be a faithful exhibition and demonstration cf Wales and its people. THE MUSICAL ADJUDICATORS. The committee are faithful to those living musicians who have and do still contribute some- thing to the dignity and history of Yr Eistedd- vod," and not ignore them as some anti-national committees have done in the past by bringing instead musicians of not even their equal artistic reputation, and surely of no experience whatso- ever. Our Swansea friends are faithful to many of our tried and proved Welsh musicians, without in the least shewing prejudice to outsiders. The official adjudicational bench, I believe, consists of Signor Randegger, my fellow-student for threo)happy years; Mr Wm. Shakespeare, Mr John Thomas (Penoerdd Gwalia), my old pupil, Mr David Jenkins, and myself. Now, this will, I think, be admitted to be a national selection, though there are other deserving and experienced old eisteddfodwyr whom we should personally be glad to see on this judicial bench. THE VOCAL ARTISTE3. Here, again, our friends of the committee— with, I should have added, our veteran Eos Mor- lais at their head—have shown the same loyalty to our established and our rising Welsh artistes. Tho following list proves their loyalty, as well as their breadth of mind and recognition of other artistes of world-wide reputation. Here is the list :— Sopranos. Madames Nordica or Valeria, not yet final. Madame Mary Davies, for two concerts. Madame GIanSrwd Thomas, for two concerts. Miss Maggie Davies, of Dowlais, for two concerts. Miss Marian Evans, of Swansea, one concert. Miss Minnie Robinscn, of Swansea, cne concert. J Contraltos. Miss Eleanor Rees, Neath, two concerts. Miss Hannah Jones, Swansea, two concerts. Miss Kate Morgan, Dowlais, "ne concert. Miss Adela Bona, Carmarthen, ono concert. Mrs Polly Jenkins, Swansea, one concert. Tenors. Mr Edward Lloyd, for one concert. Mr Ben Davies, of Swansea, for one concert. Mr Maldwyn Humphreys, cf Machynlleth, for two concerts. Mr Dyfed Lewis, Ystradgynlais, for two concerts. Mr William Evans, Morriston, for one concert. Basses. Signor Foli, for two concerts Mr Lucas Williams, for two concerts. Mr David Hughes, Swansea, for two concerts. Mr Dan Price, Dowlais, hr one concert. Mr John Walters, for one concert. Surely such a list speaks eloquently of the committee, and points with equal force to many a previous eisteddvod that betrayed a jealous disposition towards Welsh vocalists. This array of artistes does honour to our country and our old and dear national festival. THE BISTSDDVOD CONCERTS. In coming to the evening concerts we come to one of the main supports of our institution. I see our gorsedd friends frowning, aad shaking their snow-white heads, so I must stop. I gather there will bo two miscellaneous concerts and two oratorio concerts. Gounod's 1 Redemption '—This highly devotional oiatorio is one _f the works now under rehearsal for one of the concerts. It i" its composer's French Messiah. Its orchestration shows Gounod's usual mastery ever all the resources of the orchestra. The Emmanuel, by Dr Joseph Parry, is the other oratorio uuder rehearsal for concert pur- poses. I must feel delicate and speak pianissimo of this work. I can venture to predict that its massive and contrapuntal choruses will, at the Swansea Eisteddvod concert, receive the finest rendering tver yet received by the themagnincent choral forces collected in the Swansea. district, and the severe and thorough drilling which they will have undergone by their veteran conductor, EOS MORLAIS, will be a rare treat of honest choral singing in store for the thousands who will fill the Pavilion at this, like all the other, eisteddvod meetings. It is but rare in our short life that a composer can have the intense joy of quietly sitting to bear such a performance, and under such an efficient and experienced a choral conductor as will be our lot at Swansea. The three parts of the work, such as (1) The Creation, (2) Paradise, Fall, and Restoration of Man. (3) From Bethlehem to Calvary, dealiug with the life of our Saviour, His birth, ministry, miracles, persecutions, crucifixion, aud resurrection. This comprehensive scheme, as arranged from the im- mortal and Miltonic work, Yr Emmanuel, by Hiraethog himself, will, under Eos Morlais' baton, receive the fullest justice. THE ORCHESTRA will be conducted by oar genial friend, Mr W. F. Hulley. He is now organising a fine band, so that the instrumental part of the programme will also get full justice. In the miscellaneous nights they will doubtlafe contribute valuable items from the pens of our great masters. THE COMPETITIVE MCSIC. The same wisdom is shown here the selection is comprehensive and varied a chorus from Mr Jenkins is one of the chief features, and "The Pilgrims (for male voices), chcsen by and pub- lished at the special request of the committee, will be here heard and in competition for the first time. co this eisteddvod has been the means of bringing out this new male voice chorus sug- gestive of a. band of holy pilgrims (1) on their pilgrimage to Jerusalem, (2) at the foot oftho Cross, (3) as they rise from the Cross, (4) and finally on their return from the Cross re-kindled with holy zeal and love. The whole of Wales looks forward with fond, hope of celebrating an eisteddvod worthy of its best days. That this hope may be realised is the ardent wish of all true Welshmen.
HE WAS OFF.
HE WAS OFF. He was getting a shine on his boots as he leaned UiP a8?",nsfc the post-office building, and, observing that the bootblack had a black eye, he remarked I am afraid you are prone to belligerency, my son. ii that's them ?" asked the lad. You e been engaged in a physical con- test. I don't catch." "In other words, you resorted to muscular force where argument would no doubt have been far better." The boy rubbed away for a while, and tried to straighten the kinks of the several expressions,and then suddenly looked up and queried Oh you mean my black eye, don't you?" "Of course 1 do." "You mean that I've bin in a fight?" Yes." And got licked ? "Perbaps. It is very sad to see one so young walking in the path which leads to sin and dis- grace. "You're off, old man—way off!" replied tho lad, with a good deal of spirit, as he chucked his brushes into his box. I wasn't scrappln wid none of de kids. Seven big fellers was a robbin' of a man on Second-avenue de odder night, an I jumped in an' saved him an' his boodle, and got dÏ8 eye for me reward." Oh, that's it Then I am sorry to have said anything. I hope I didn't hnrt your feelings. Here's a nickel extra." My feelin's was hurted, sir, but dis makes it all right. Scrap wid a kid Never, sir "1 hat's right, my boy A brave boy will not fight when he can avoid it." "No, sir, and besides, it was his elbow he hit me wid, and all by accident, and de way I did lamb de stuffin' outen dat messenger boy and make him holler would bev made your hair climb right ut>! Thankee, sir; I'm alius open to advice!"
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VERY AUPIBLE.—Oussie Cholley, how do you like my new trousers ? — Cholley Gvvacious, Gussie Do you have them in your room when you go to bed ?—Gussie: Certainly: why not ?— Cholley Oh, I—aw dont see how you can sleep with the racket. Bah Jove, I don't,
THE FOREIGN CATTLE TRADE.
THE FOREIGN CATTLE TRADE. Government Inquiry. THERE has just been issued the Special Report of the Departmental Committee on the Transatlantic Cattle Trade. The condi- tions under which live stock are brought over sea have long been condemned, and Mr PLIMSOLL, the seamen's champion^-has been one of the most zealous among the advocates of reform. Some time since South Wales readers were startled by the revelations made by H A Practical Farmer in his weekly agricultural letter to the Cardiff Times. From this and similar reports it appears that the sufferings to which the poor beasts are subjected are of the most horrible kind, and that for the sake of common humanity steps should be taken to put a summary stop to the needless cruelty too often exercised. One would have thought that when an animal had become disabled by a broken limb or back, it should at once be put out of its torture by a merciful death. The stockmen in charge of the live cargo, however, thought other- wise. The animals were insured, and while the insurance money would be paid on account of all animals lost at sea, or which died a so-called natural" death, nothing would be allowed for an animal killed to put an end to endless torture. Thus it was to the advantage of the shippers that the beasts should suffer prolonged agony rather than that they should be at once slaughtered when suffer- ing from disabling accidents. It appears from the present report that the insurance companies do not now make it a condition of their policy that no beast shall be slaughtered, and the committee very properly recommended that every care should be taken to remove the impression which certainly exists among cattlemen that insurance agents desire them to keep suffering cattle alive, and will not pay the policy if they are slaughtered on board." The force of the denial is, however, very much lessened by the fact that the insurance companies pay the cattleman a gratuity for every animal landed alive." Thus it is to the cattleman's direct interest to prolong a beast's sufferings if there is any hope that it can hold out to the end of the voyage. Though the report, too, states that the charge of systematic cruelty has not been proved, it contains sufficient evidence that the beasts are subjected to an enormous amount of needless suffering. This will be at once apparent when we see that occupying a prominent place among the committee's recommendations is one requir- ing every vessel engaged in the trade to be supplied with a sufficient quantity of fresh water with proper means for its distribution amongst the cattle. That it should have been deemed necessary to make any such formal recom- mendation in itself speaks volumes. Then, too, we find it admitted that a considerable percentage of animals are suffocated when the hatches are battened down, a necessary precaution during rough weather. One of the witnesses examined testified that on one occasion half the cargo was found lying dead from suffocation. Another fruitful cause of suffering and loss is inadequate fittings. In some of the ships the I cattle are penned on the deck, and not only suffer from wet and cold, but when heavy seas break over the vessel the pens are demolished, the cattle get loose, and are washed about from side to side undergoing terrible injuries and suffer- ings. When the weather abates it is found that most of thv animals have been swept overboard this, however, entails no actual loss to the shipper as the case is covered by insurance. The less fortunate animals which have escaped drowning are found to be suffering from broken limbs, and, as already pointed out, it has been the custom to let these linger in agony rather than risk the loss of insurance to the shipper or the gratuity to the cattle-men by slaughtering them. In one ship, with a cargo of 600 cattle, no fewer than 519 were lost in this way. ThEf cattlemen, too, are proved to be in many cases totally inexperienced. They are also independent of the ship's officers and not subject to their control. The ship's officers, on the other hand, have no direct interest in the animals nor in minimizing their sufferings. All the captain has to think of is to reach his port of desti- nation in the shortest possible time. Thus, while he knows that he could abate the animals' sufferings by a slight deviation of course to lessen the "rolling" of the ship, it is against his interests and those of his employers that he should do so. Strangely enough, the com- mittee, though they refer to this fact in their report, make no recommendation and offer no suggestion. This is the more remarkable when we are told that considerable mor- tality amongst the cattle from exhaustion" is due to want of consideration on the part of the captain. Still, if the recommenda- tions made are carried out in their entirety, the result will be mcst beneficial. The importance of the traffic is such as to demand attention. The amount of capital already invested is enormous, and growing year by year. One firm alone, that of the Allan Line, Glasgow, has over a million of money in the business, while other firms arc continually adding to their fleets of cattle ships, at an outlay of £80,000 and j3100,000 per vessel. The growth of the trade may be judged from the following figures. In 1877 the United States sent to British ports 11.523 cattle and 13,120 sheep, and Canada sent 7,639 cattle and 10,275 sheep. In 1890 the imports from the United States were 294,391 cattle and 384,646 sheep while those from Canada were 83,588 cattle and 121,309 sheep. In 1877 the trade was confined to Glasgow, Liverpool, and Southampton last year Bristol, Cardiff, Hull, London, Aberdeen, and Dundee all shared in it, Liverpool taking the largest share. So im- portant and rapidly increasing a trade surely demands in the public interest that every precaution should be taken not only to lessen the sufferings cf the live cargo, but to land them in the condition which will best and soonest fit them for the butcher.
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Horace Greely wrote an execrable band. He once dismissed an employe by letter, and after- wards found that the man had termed his letter of dismissal ono of recommendation, and the third party, unable to decipher it, believed it to be a recomnjeodatioD, and twk the mail into his employ.
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EIGHT HOURS' QUESTION.
EIGHT HOURS' QUESTION. From a Practical Miner's Point of View. (BY A MINING CORRESPONDENT. J In all mining districts throughout tbe country at the present time the eight hours' question is the principal topic of the day among underground workmen. Let us ascertain the views of some of the leading advocates of the movement upon the matter. Mr Tom Mann, in reply to a special commissioner the other day, upon the subject (and his faithful ally Mr Ben Tillett smiled con- tinuous approval of his sentiments),, said— We want an Act of Parliament empowering the local authorities to enforce an eight hours' day in any dis- trict where a certain majority, say three-fifths, of the adult workers, whether trade unionists or not, in any trade or calling, make application to them to do so. It is manifestly unjust that the workmen who wish for the reform should be obliged to wait for it until their fellow-workers in other trades and in other parts oi the country have been educated up to it. Take for example the case of the miners. Here you have the Miners' Federation, led by Mr Piekard, and the Northumbrian and Durham miners, represented oy Mr Burt and Mr Fenwick. continually hammering away at one another on that very point. If my pro- posal were adopted, the Federation, which wanto the eieht hours' day, would be able to have it without forcing that boon upon the Northumbrian and Durham men, who do not wish for it; and thus putting a period to their differences, they would be able to combine against the common foe, the capitalist. Let us consider this proposal from a practical point of view, and we will see how detrimental its adoption would be to the interests of the masters and the welfare of the workmen. Assuming that in tho Mertbyr district the local authorities are empowered legally to enforce a.n eight hours' day. Here then all the collieries in this particular district would work about two hours per day less than those in Aberdare or the Rhondda, where the miners had balloted against the principle or a legal hours' day. Two hours less per day would of course mean nearly two days per week stoppage, consequently would not this enforced idleness considerably handicap the Mertbyr colliery proprietors ? As the innova- tion would inevitably injure tho masters financially, would not the bad effects of the legis- lative interference with the prosperity of the works also injure the men in the long run ? Is it not likely that a portion of the workmen would "seek fresh fields and pastures new" in the dis- tricts where they might obtain liberty to earn more wages? And would not the influx of workmen from districts governed by the new law be objectionable to the miners in collieries where liberty reigned supreme ? And, consequently, would not overcrowding re- duce the wages of all in these works owing to the trams being distributed among a. greater number and a greater demand for work Moreover, in Northumberland and Durham the collieries work double shifts, or about 15 hours per day on the coal. These have declared most emphatically against the proposal that the Legis- lature should regulate their hours. Then we have to face this fact—in certain districts in South Wales, where three-fifths of the miners have voted for a. legal eight hours' day, the collieries are winding coal or actually working only six hours per day or at least seven in Northumber- land they work fifteen or raise coal fifteen hours per day. What Parliament will ever be so foohsh, so unjust, so tyrannical as to enforce a prepos- terous proposal of the kind ? If Messrs Mann and Tillett knew more about colliery matters, I believe they would not have allowed such senti- ments to emanate from their lips or to appear in the r-ress. When we confine ourselves to bouth Wales we find that the majority of the miners' representatives arc in favour of Mr W. Abraham's proposal, namely, that there should not be more than one shift of eight hours per day on the coal, or, strictly speaking, eight hours from bank to bank, which of course would reduce the working hours to seven or six. As Mr David Morgan put it at the recent conference at Cardiff, the col- lieries would then be winding coal two hours less each working day, provided they were kept goinp at full swing. Now here arises a very important question—what would become of the thousands of miners employed in various counties in England on the second and third shift They work double shifts on the coal in Durham and Northumberland, and in a large number of collieries in the Midland counties. What would become of them if a legal enact- ment prevented their working only one shift on the coal ? It is a question that inevitably faces one in considering impartially the important eight hours' system as suggested by the majority of the members of tho bouth Wales and Mon- mouthshire Federation. Mr David Morgan says that the double-shift system would unquestion- ably be enforced in a number of collieries in South Wales if Mr Abraham's proposal were made eompuleci-y in the different pits. Mr Morgan simply echoes the expressions or the sentiments of thousands of miners in South Wales. What is the remedy ? Pass a law to prohibit colliery proprietors from putting more than one shift on the coal ? No; that will never do. If Parliament do that it would delay seriously the opening out or the development of collieries, especially new ones. It would ruin coal industries in various parts of the country, and throw thousands of persons out of work. There is no getting Over the fact. Perhaps it will be interesting to thousand of miners In South Wales to know the mode of working the ooal in Durham and Northumberland collieries. A good deal of discussion took place upon the matter at-the conference. All the pits there are supposed to draw coal for ten hours, and the work is managed as follows:—"There are two shifts of coal hewers, the first shift being supposed to go down at four a.m., and to stay at work till they are relieved by a second shift which goes down the pit at 10 a.m., or exactly six hours after the first shift. The pits, as a rule, com- mence drawing coal at six a.m. and finish at four p.m., working 10 hours One shift of lads is supposed to wwk the pit for 10 hours, but all lads under 16 years must, by the Act of 1872, only be employed 54- hours per week; hence it is the duty of the overman to arrange that these lads have one short day of four hours if six days a week are worked. He must therefore commence on Monday and give the lads in turn their short shift, so that by Saturday he may have got each lad his 54 hours for the week. It will be seen that the first shift men go down the pit two hours before coal-draw- ing commences. With regard 8 to the lads over 16 years of age employed for 10 hours per day underground there is no donbt in my nnnd that the adoption of Mr Abraham's Bill would confer a boon upon taem. Mr Abraham's pro- posal is infinitely more satisfactoy to the majority of the miners than that of Messrs Mann and Tillett. There is no clause in the measure of the hon. member limiting the hours to be worked per day on the coal to eight. Mabon is an enthusiastic opponent to the double and treble shift systems on the coal, but the hon. gentleman has been wise enough to omit from his Eight- Hours' Bill a limitation of shifts. The double shift system has been in vogue in a, large number of collieries in England for a considerable number of years, so a sudden compulsory reduction to one shift would affect the interests most prejudicially of hundreds of large families in those districts. I don't think there should be any fear of the in- troduction of a double shift on the coal in South Wales if Mr Abraham's Bill were passed. It is a well-known fact that there is a very great grievance among honest miners, or those who are fighting for a fair day's wage and a fair day's work, in consequence of their fellow-workmen remaining behind in their stalls for several hours after the usual time for generatly ceasing operations.
A WELL ONE MILE DEEP.
A WELL ONE MILE DEEP. Some months age a company which had been formed at Wheeling, West Virginia, for the pur- pose of developing that city, began drilling a j sear°h °f petroleum or natural gas. A of over 4,100ft. has been reached, and in this distance a dozen thick veins of ccal are said to have been passed, while petroleum and gas have both been struck—though not in paying quantities—and gold quartz, iron ore, and many numerals have been brought to ttie surface. The officers of the G-eological Survey au Washing- ton having become interested in the matter, according to a Wheeling despatch, the hole will be drilled to a depth of one mile. Then the Government will take up the work under the direction of two expert officers of the Geological Survey, and drill into the earth as far as human «jl^ill can penetrate. The idea is to take the tem- perature and magnetic conditions, as far as pos- sible, by means of an instrument constructed for the purpose.
[No title]
Mdlle. Granier, the well-known French actress, who is now on a professional tour, has met with an amusing adventure. It happened at Mar- seilles. In one of the little pieces she plays by herself, she has for accessory the lay figure of a man, skilfully articulated and dressed in a tra- velling suit, with which she dances. The figure during hor voyage was enveloped in a tight-fitting covering. On reaching Marseilles, it was left in the luggage room, with other things. The curiosity of two of the railway employes being aroused at the sight of it, they took off the covering, and re- solved to play a jcke on their comrades. They placed the figure In an armchair at the desk of the cashier and shut the door. When the employees on night service came, they opened the door and were surprised to see a man sitting down before the cash-box. They immediately closed and locked the door and ran for assistance. A policeman ar- rived, revolver in hand, believing, like the em- ployees, that he had to deal with a dangerous thief. He caj^^d on the figure to surrender and follow him to the station. As it did not obey the summons, the policeman shut the door and went in search of reinforcements to surround the place, and thereby prevent the. culprit frcm escaping. The door was again opened, the armed force entered, and it was not till they had suddenly pounced on the poor lay robber that they dis- covered the joke. AT the HBCI/AMET.—" Phew These oyatahs are vile. Taitht like coppah." Yes. Just like London oysters." "Reahly! Waitaii, » 4asoa moah pyatebs."
: FACTS FOR FARMERS.
FACTS FOR FARMERS. Current Notes on Agriculture. By a Practical Farmer. ACCOMMODATION LAND. The land letting auctions generally prove to be in favour of landowners. This spring, consider. ing the farmers' outlook, land let this way has on the whole realised prices as high, if not higher than I have ever seen it. To outsiders this gives the impression that farming is in a prosperous state, an impression, however, very wide from the mark, as those who have anything to do with farming can testify. The prices realised for grazing land is no criterion to judge the state of the agricultural industry, if anything these accommodation land sales, when high, indicate often quite the reverse and it would be a fal¡(e conclusion to arrive at because of the keen com- petition of farmers to secure grazing land this spring that it is good times with them. It will naturally be said that when there is any extra demand for any commodity it implies that there is an improvement in the trade where that cem- modity is wanted, but it is not so with accom- modation land in ordinary times. When we come to mquire why there has been suchademand this year for every field to let that had a suspicion of keep, we find it was because of the very bad- ness of the trade done in farm products. In my letter of last week I gravo an outline of how various stocks on the farm have been selling during this spring. Horses ex- cepted, the demand has bee/ very poor. and. prices ruling accordingly, Cho farmer has been unable to sdl except at a great loss. With no keep at home after a long and severe winter, late spring, with snow in the latter part ^f May, for choice he selects what he hopes will turn out to be the lesser evil, that is, renting some grass land, even though much abeve its legitimate value, it these auctions. If. trade had been brisk, as it was last year, and had we enjoyed an ordinary winter and spring, one half of the pre- seut renters would not be in the market for such land, and let in such way. Many of our leading landlords are averse to the mode of land-letting by public auction. They consider it derogatory to their positions as good landlords, and only in extreme cases do they resort to this system. So great is the aversion felt by some of them that they prefer to keep their land wholly idle rather than resort to this mode of letting. One case of this sort came within my knowledge some seven or eight years ago. A gentleman having two farms valued at nearly j3500 yearly tenantless, and failing to meet with suitable tenants that would accede to his terms, preferred to let them wholly idle for two years, and during that time derivo not one farth- ing from them. But for this aversion to public auction he would be in pocket for over jBl,000, as the land on those farms was mostly all grass land. This instance is, however, an exceptional one. FARMERS' FOLLY. Other landowners are not of this mind. Their main object is to find a way that brings in the most money, and when they have grass land suitable they take advantage of the competition there is naturally attached to public auctions, with the result of generally securing much more than they would otherwise have obtained. The extent to which farmers bid against one another at these sales is almost incredible. Striding in- stances are afforded of the absence of unity amcng fanners as a class. One such took place in my neighbourhood not I Tig since. One gentleman lets annually by the above mode. The whole of the land is under 20 acres, and is let in three parcols. This land is only third-rate quality and would be worth, if let in the ordinary way, about 14s ts 15s an acre. On theoocasion referred to the attend- ance was very small at the auction, only three persons putting in an appearance—each wanting a lot. Now it could be reasonably supposed they would have it at their own price, and such would have bean the case if they had used common sense and come to an understanding beforehand. But this they did not do. When the first lot started there was some spirited bidding, which lasted till the finish, each having secured a lot at over £4 an aero. WELSHMEN NOT THE ONLY FOOLS. In this matter of increased prices for accom- modation land I learn that Wales is no exception. Scotland also is in the same predicament, a fact easily accounted for, as thoy, like the Welsh farmers, have a large amount of store stock which they are unable to dispose of without loss. They therefore attend these auctions to secure some grazing land, with the result that much unhealthy competition is caused. From an account of the state of things in Scotland I make the following extracts :— Beginning at the far North with twelve parks at Laurencekirk, the property of Sir John Glad- stone, Bart., of Fasque, competition was keen,' and the rents, as compared with last year, about 28 per cent. up the parks at Stracathro 15 per cent, up while the Middlehaugh parks, near Pitlochry, let for the same as last year. Berwickshire, and around Duns, show a good return over the whole, witn some extraordinary advances, rising in on« case to 70 per cent., and reaching in others to 54 per cent., 46 per cent- 33 per cent., 21 per cent., 11 per cent., and 10% per cent., without a single reduction to indicate a depressed state of matters. Ayrshire, on the_ other hand, has no rise to record. The Dumfries House parks (Marquis of Bute) hardly made last year's prices; parks round New Cumnock fell 18 per cent., and other grazings W) per cent, from last year. What are known as the Border grass parks have obtained very encouraging results, Broad Meadows realising 54 per cent., TweedhiU 46 per cent., Abbotsford 28 per cent., others 15 per cent., 13 per cent., and 772 per cent., while only one, the Nenthorn grazings, fell V/„ per cent. Dumfriesshire again, where a large proportional area is devoted to grazing, shows more fluctuation in the prices, one landlord obtaining an advance of 45 per cent., while another suffered a fall of 10 per cent., but in most cases bidding was keen, and only in a very few instances was thereany difficulty in finding tenants. One fortunate proprietor, who obtained a rise of 20 per cent. last year, must have been surprised himself by another rise of 5 per cent this year. It may be added as a not irrelevant fact that the Dumtriesshire proprietor, who made a rise of 45 per cent. on his parks, has also let a farm of 200 acres at an advance of 57 per cent. on the present rental. So much for agriiculturen Dumfriesshire. THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SHOW AT DQNCAISTElt, The entries for the 52nd annual country meet. ing of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, which will be held at Doncaster from the 20th to the 26th of next month, are now closed in all departments, and from the figures which have been issued, the meeting appears likely to prove of exceptional magnitude. The total amount of space allotted in the implement department is 12,743 feet run, exclusive of open ground space, as compared with 9,078 feet at Plymouth last year, 15,602 feet at Windsor m 1889, 10,743 feet at Nottingham in 1888, and 8,217 feet at New- castle in 1857. With the exception of the exhibi- tion at Windsor the entry of implements is, in fact, larger than any since the year 1884, when 12,904 feet were allotted at the Shrewsbury meeting. The total entries of live stock (horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs) are 2,240, as compared with 1.769 at Plymouth, 4,014 at Windsor, 1,875 at Nottingham and 1,833 at Newcastle. The entries of live stock are thus nearly 400 in excess of any previous ordinary meeting of the society, notwithstanding the operation of a new rule limiting to three the number of entries in the same class that can be made by any exhibitor. There are 717 entries of horses, 669 of cattle, 649 of sheep, 205 of pigs, and 789 of poultry, besides 55 of cheese, 189 of butter, and 36 of other produce. Twenty-nine candidates have entered for the competitions of butter-makers for the society's prizes and certifi- cates, to take place in the show-yard from Tuesday, the 23rd, to Thursday, the 25th June. 25 shoeing-smiths practising in the society's district E (i.e., the county of York) will compete for the prizes offered for shoeing hunters and agricultural horses on the Tueaday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the meeting. Arrangements are in progress for the delivery by experts of lectures on dairy matters and on horse shoeing in the course of the week. The meeting, therefore, promises to be of unusual interest, and the pre- sence at it of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales will doubtless ensure a very large attendance of the public.
[No title]
Little Boy Mamma, may I give what's in my savings-bank to that be»gar-man ? Mamma: You dear little cherub. Do you want to give all of that money your uncle gave you ? There was over a dollar. "I spent some of it, mamma." Did you ? How much is there left ?" There's a 25 cent piece left, but the candy man said it was bad." WEEBB SPEECH WAS SILVER.—Loving wife: Now that you are ruined, Henry, I will disclose my secret. For years I have been saving up, and now .(pouring a shower of sovereigns into his hat) this may tide you over. Husband Ob, my dar- ling, how did you manage to do it? Wife: Easily enough Every time you said a cross word to mo I pub sixpence into a box.
WELSH GLEANINGS.I .
WELSH GLEANINGS. I By Lloffwr. j The tradition relating to the services ren-1 dered the Welsh army by robin redbreast may be new to many of my readers. I, there- fore, give it in the words of a correspondent to a London journal. It may interest some of your readers to know how the Welsh treat the robin redbreast, or, as it is more commonly known in Wales, 1 the robin goch.' This little bird is held in great veneration in all parts of Wales. Mothers teach their children never to rob their nests or to kill une of them, and a boy who is caught doing so is looked down on by his companions as a mean, contemptible fellow. The familiarity with which this little bird is treated by the country people is amazing. It is no unusual sight, in some of the country farmsteads, to see several of these birds feeding in the house, no one ever thinking of molesting them. I knew of one old lady and gentleman to whose house a couple of robins came regu- larly for their food for seven years. The explanation for the veneration in which this bird is held by Welsh folk is this :—Accord- ing to tradition a Welsh army once lay on a part cf the heights of the Berw-yn range, and a drummer, who had eaten his supper on his drum, had left some remains of it there and had gone to sItep. In the small hours of the morning a robin alighted on the drumhead, and made such a nsise by picking crumbs from it that the sleeping drummer was aroused. He perceived the enemy advancing, roused the cajnp, and the Welsh defeated their foes. So to this day Welshmen tell how the robin saved their army." The following note from the Monthly Magazine, will interest Welsh antiquarians Lately were discovered at Cadogan Hall, near Wrexham, four suits of iron armour. and a skeleton of a very large horse, de- posited in a dry, sandy soil in the side of an artificial mount within the ancient castlc walls. One of the casques, or helmets, differs from the rest, and bears a striking resemblance to the iron bonnet of Bulkley, on the tomb at Beaumaris. The armour was complete in helmets, gorgets, or safeguards for the neck, an iron apron in front, with a cuirass for the back, annexed to the apron by hinecs. The suits were evidently knightly, the hooks and hinges being ex- tremely compact and well executed. The position of the horse's head was singular, being placed on the coats of mail. Cadogan Hall stands on an elevation on the terrace of Offa's Dyke, is a very ancient edifice, and was ennobled by the residence of a succes- sion of Welsh chieftains." The Cardiff Free Library bids fair to become in course of time one of the best collections of books in the country. At present there exists a friendly rivalry be- tween the University Colleges as to which shall possess the best library of books relating to Wales. Cardiff University College, in purchasing the SALESBURY Library, played a masterly stroke, but since then seems tc have been content with the laurels thus obtained. Meanwhile, the Cardiff Free Library authorities have felt that they should have a word to say on the matter, and through the instrumentality of Mr BALLINGER, the Chief Librarian, and Mr Councillor THOMAS have just succeeded in adding materially to the value of an already im- portant collection of books possessing special interest to the Principality. The Tonn Library at Llandovery has long been recognised as one of the best private col- lections in the country, and though it may possibly have suffered somewhat from neglect since the time of REES, Tonn, of literary fame, it still ranks deservedly high among the libraries of the Principality. The complete collection has just been pur- chased for the Cardiff Free Library, and will form no inconsiderable portion of the fittings of the new buildings. It wtnld. not be out of place to remind the richer portion of the community at Cardiff that money is not actually overflowing the coffers of the Free Library, and that any assistance which might be rendered by out- siders to meet the additional expense now entailed would be most welcome. There is, for instance, an admirable opportunity afforded the merchants at the Docks, who are just now reaping a rich harvest, to show their loyalty to the town by coming* tc the help of the Free Library Committee at the present juncture. # The National Eistcddvod Committee every year throws away a sum varying from J3800 to £ 1,500. I learn that the Swansea Committee have just decided to accopt a tender to erect the pavilion for this year for £ 1,400. The eisteddvod will list for four days, so that the committee pay rent at the rate of 9..350 a day. This is, on the face of it, a huge waste of money. For the sum expended on pavilions during three or four years, and for which there remains absolutely nothing to show, a substantial building could have been provided which could at a nominal cost have served the purposes of other committees for years to came. Wales is not so rich, anil as a rule the pockets of the bardic fraternity are not so well lined, that a, sum of over j21,000 can thus year by yroar be thrown away with impunity. In this fact alone there is a streng argument for a complete and radical reform of Eisteddvod adminis- tration. Until some central representative body is entrusted with supreme control, the national festival of the Welsh people will never occupy the position it deserves nor confer the benefits the nation has a right to expect from it.
PRE-HISTORIC REMAINS IN GLAMORGANSHIRE.
PRE-HISTORIC REMAINS IN GLAMORGANSHIRE. In view of the visit of the British Association to Cardiff in August next, it is intended by the Cardiff Naturalists' Society to form a record and unap of the pre-historic and archaeological objects of Glamorgranshire. A committee of the British Association has been appointed to promote similar wcrk throughout the kingdom, and in the record to be formed by the Caroiff Naturalists' Committee the cbjects of the British Association will be kept in view. The committee invite the assistance of those who are interested in local archeology, and who, by offering information, may help to advance it. Their intention is to include the ecclesiastical and castellated buildings of the county, to be divided under two heads, viz., those of pre Norman periods and those of post-Norman periods. The committee, which consists of Mr C. T. Vachell, M.D. (chairman), Mr W. Ronnfeldt, Major E. R. Jones, Messrs T. H. Thomas, EJwin Seward, James Bell, R. W. Atkinson, John Storrie, and Profesoor Powell, desire more particularly to promote inquiry in relation to the first division. Under this head Glamorganshire may be expected to yield a record cf more than ordinary in- terest. Among the objects to be included in it are — 1. Bone caverns, jit dwellings, lake dwellings. 2. Tumuli, barrows, mounds. 3. Camps, entrenchments, dykes (pre- historic, British, Roman, Danish, Saxon.) 4. Roman or British roads and trackways. 5. Stone circles, dolmen, cromlechs, monohths, rocking stones, slabs. 6. Standing stones, altars, and buildings (or portions thereof), inscribed with letters or ornament, Roman, Celtic, or Saxon. 7. Places where spear ,and arrow-heads, arms, pot- tery, urns, tilos, coins, fibulae, &c., or human remains cf supposed pre-Norman date, may have been discovered. Information relating to pre- historic and archaeological remains to be of service for tbe British Amloclation's immediate purposes should be sent to Mr Edwin Seward, R.C.A., recorder for the committee, not later than June 20th.
COLLIERY DEVELOPMENT INf THE…
COLLIERY DEVELOPMENT IN f THE RHONDDA VALLEYS. A Visit to Clydach Vale and Mardy. [BY OCR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Those who have not visited Clydach Vale for the past ten years would be surprised to see the improved state of the valley at present, and the numerous lengthy rows of commodious workmen's cottages on both sides of the road leading from Llwynypia to the Clydach Collieries, situated about two miles a way in the extremity of the vale. Clydach Vale branches off from the Rhondda cn the left as one travels from Ponty- pridd up the valley, and its big mouth is conspicuous to spectators as the train slackens speed just before steaming into the Llwynypia station. It is during the past decade that this district has become comparatively populous. It is a picturesque vale, a.nd it is stated, very rich in seams of steam coal of excellent quality. About a mile of the read from Llwyuypia is uphill, and being some- what rough is unpleasant to vehicles and pedestrians. But wnerever ono finds veins of good coal in abundance, development of the mineral soon takes place, and workmen flock to the place to settle down, however difficult the access tc the neighbourhood might be. There are now, including the new pit, which has just been sunk to the "Middle Yard," an excellent seam of steam coal which has proved of splendid quality, three shafts, the new one being used as an upcast and the other two as downcasts. Sinking operations in connection with the latter were com- menced in 1871, and the 6 feet seam,locally known as the Cambrian, was reached in the beginning of 1875. The rapid development of this seam brought about a rapid increase in the population of the district, and there are now about 1,4-00 workmen employed at the works. The output of coal during the past year was 423,000 tons, and the number of tons of coa! raised daily when the collieries are in full swing is over 1,200 tons. From the bottom of the shafts to the farthest stalls, or strictly speaking the face?," the dis- tance is about 1,500 yards, and the mine throughout is ventilated by the most modem system and the latest Schiele fan 20 feet in diameter. The pit heads are con- structed of iron, the design being generally known as the lattice, and are 62 feet in height. There are no safety hooks adopted to prevent overwinding, the management believing that such appliances might render the enginemen less careful. Although these hooks have obviated considerable damage to pit heads and the I machinery, and prevented loss of life through the overwinding of the cages at the different col- lieries, it is seriously contended by experienced officials that probably the accidents would not have occurred had the appliances not been in use, and c >nsequently lessened the responsibility of the enginemen. But the fact that overwinding has oc- curred in consequence of the failure of the brakes on being-applied to the drums of the engine in many collieries whilst the cages were in rapid motion, is unquestionably a proof of the utility of the invention. In the sinking of the new pit, which reached the coal about the beginning of this year, an incident ot very great importance co the management of colliery sinking operations oc- curred on reaching a depth of about 350 yards. It will be remembered that in sinking one of the Ferndale collieries an explosion of firedamp took place whilst the sinkers were blasting the Gorllwyn rock, and four of the workmen were killed. The late Mr David Evans, Bodringallt, agent of the Ferndale Collieries at the time of the accident, paid a special visit to Mr Prichard, M.E.. head managerof the Clydach Collieries, for the purpose of explaining to him the unfortunate experience he acquired whilst blasting operations were being carried cut in the Gorllwyn Rock at the Fern- dale Colliery. A huge volume of pent up gas had, it appears, been liberated by the dislodge- ment of the rock, a.nd this being wholly unex- pected, the workmen descended the shaft soon after the shot had been tired with comets or naked lights as usual. Before they had gone many yards down, a fearful explosion occurred, killing the four men. Mr Prichard, therefore, exercised every possible precaution 0n approach- ing this particular strata, and enforced the use of safety lamps upon the three shifts of workmen, or all who had occasicn to descend the shaft. In addition to the adoption of safety lamps all the shots were fired by an electric current from the surface. After a few shots had been fired and a huge quantity of the rock dislodged, Mr Prichard and a number of sinkers on being lowered slowly down the shaft found a state of things precisely as the late Mr David Evans, M.E., had anticipated and described. They immediately ascended, and in twenty minutes the pit was full of fire-damp. The contractors, Messrs Jenkins and Son, Fern- dale, then laid down a three-inch pipe to ven- tilate the shaft and bring thft gas straight from the mouth of the strong blower in the roek below to the surface. A reservoir was constructed between the brick lining of the pit and the strata and carefully cemented. It appears that the gas issuing into this, or causing the powerful blower, comes from the unworked seams of coal two or three hundred yards beneath. Although the blower was a, temporary impediment whilst I sinking a. portion of the pit, it is now utilised to light the pit top, and by-and-by the manage- ment, it is stated, will convey the miners' enemy in pipes to the different screens where a large quantity of coal is frequently being tipped in the night or after darkness sets in. The vein which the company have just commenced opening out is called the No. 2, but they intend shortly sinking to the 5 feet and the Gellydeg. which, it is anticipated, are of work- able thickness and of vood quality. These well- known contractors have none their work at these collieries most satisfactorily, ar.d this large pit, which was completed by them in February last, was commenced in June, 1889. It is named No. 3 and is 490 yards in depth and 21 feet in the clear. No coal or debris is raised through the upcast, though the shaft might be utilised for that purpose. All the huge quantity of mineral is lifted through the other two shafts, a pair of double-deckers being used, by means of which two loaded trams weigh- ing about 35 cwt. each nett being raised and two empty ones lowered simultaneously. The engines are commonly known as a pair of double- forties," tho machinery altogether at the works having been made and fitted up by the well- known firm, Messr Llewellyn and Cub;ii, Rhcndda. Valley. A single line belonging to the Taff Vale Railway Company branches off from the Rhondda main line and runs up to the collieries. The first section, extending about 700 yards, is a steep incline, and a tail steel rope is attached to the train of waggons as a safe- guard In case cf accident to the locomotive in conducting her heavy load down. A few years ago a powerful engine ran wild down this gradi- ent. but fortunately she was thrown off the rails by a safety point on a curve leading to the Rhondda branch. The tail rope is therefore an indispensable and admirable safeguard. There are in the district 650 workmen's cottages, and two large hotels, and a board school. It is said that tho new works will in a few years produce quite double the present output of coal, and consequently the population and the wealth of the district will probably inciease proportionally. In the neigh- bourhood of Mardy, situate in the extremity cf the Rhondda Facb Valley, sinking operations are about to be commenced by the proprietors of the Mardy Collieries in which five different seams of ooal are now being developed. The new pit, which will be sunk about a mile higher up the valley, will be used as an upcast, but, neverthe- less, will be utilised for the raisiug of coal. Con- sequently the output of coal. which is now about 1,4C0 tons per day, will be considerably augmented, for in the new shatt two trams of coal will be run uncoupled into the cage. A number of workmen are now employed constructing a line about a mile in length to the spot where the new shaft is to be sunk. The new works will probably give em- ployment to ever 1,000 workmen. Considering the colliery development which is being carried on on a most extensive scale in the Rhondda Valleys it is not improbable that the enormous population in these districts will still be considerably greater at the expiration of another decade.
GENIUS AND ART.
GENIUS AND ART. Sir Frederick Leighton, president of the Royal Academy, has written as follows to a correspon- dent who wrote him on the subject of genius, as to whether there w;«s each a thing genius in art without a hard apprenticeship:— "2, Holland Park-road, Kensington, W., May 8th. Dear Sir,—In answer to your letter of the 4th inst., I write to say that nothing considerable has yet been dsne in this world without the I bestowal of infinite pains.—Yours faithfully, FBKDKHTCK LXIGHTON." Replying to a. similar inquiry, Sir John E. Millaie says:—" I have no belief in what is called fenius, as generally understood. Natural aptitude do believe in, but it is absolutely worthless without intense study and continuous labour." without intense study and continuous labour."
[No title]
A little girl at a cheap sohool in the North, who had brought with her only one penny to pay the weekly fee of twopence, was sent home by the mistress for the other penny. In a. short time the schoolroom door was jerked open by a red-headed Highland woman, leading the little girl by the hand, and, advancing towards the desk, she shook her fist in the schoolmistress's face, bawling out a.t the pitch of her voice, Hoo daur you charge tuppence for the lassie when she's only gotten ae e'e ?" Jones: It's the most curious case on record. Brown Tell me about it. Jones Well, you see. he kissed his wife in the dark, supposing it was his sister. She kissed him, supposing it was his brother. They embraced each other for ten minutes before they discovered the real state of affaire. Now they are both trying to get a divorce for kissing each other. Gay Old Gentlemau (to boy on twelfth birth- day) I hope you will improve in wisdom, know- ledpo, and virtue.—Boy (politely returning com- j' pliro":1t. totally unconscious of Same to you. nr.
---I THE STORY OF A LADY ARTIST.
THE STORY OF A LADY ARTIST. While one-half of Paris is crushing in the Salon of the Champs Elysees, and the other hatf s-ming in the rival Salon of the Champ de Mars, it may be a relief (savs a correspondent of the Globe) to leave them both to themselves, and to pay a quiet visit to the home of a well-known ladv artist, whose talant is equal to her popularitv. Mdlle. Louise Abbema dwells on a fifth story in the Rue Lafitte. Her apartments, like her studio, is fitted up in the Japanese style, for. as every- body knows, she is a great admirer of the semi cmhsea Asiatics. She dresses in masculine fashion and smokes cigarettes when at her easel, but she is none the Jess a lady and eschews all idea of what is called female emancipation. Because I have taken to painting," she says, "some ingenious people imagine that I go in for women's rights. Nothing of the kind. I have been asked times out of number to join the strong-minded sister- hood, but I have always refused. I can understand lady artists in fact, I will go farther and say that painting is essentially a. female occupation. But I can't under- stand lady doctors. To dabble with dead bodies is not proper work for woman. Her place is not at the School of Medicine, in the Palais de Justice, or the Chamber of Deputies. Art, on the contrary, is her sphere. because she possesses every quality to ensure success. And if I demand that girls should be admitted to the School of Fine Arts, it is not on account of female enfranchisement, but solely because they would be able to receive lessons from our masters, and thereby have an equal chance with the male students of becoming good artists, which is not the case at present." After this little preface on art and women in general, she proceeded to relate her own particular story. You are probably aware," she began, "that I am the grand- daughter of Louise Coutat, the actress of the i? rangais, and Count de Marten, who was an am- bassador under Napoleon I. Although of Dutch origin, my childhood was spent chiefly in Italy. It was there I acquired a taste for painting. One day I read in the papers that Rosa lionheur haa been decorated. What ?' I exclaimed to my father, 'a woman can obtain the cross of the Legion of Honour ?5 This decided my fate-I resolved to become an artist and gain the Red Ribbon. Fortunately my parents made no opposition — quite the reverse, they did all tbev could to help me, and I set to work. I came to Paris and took drawing lessons of M. Devedeux, for I must tell you that I did not begin to paint until I could draw well I then went every I day to the Louvre to copy the old masters. One afternoon a painter stopped in front ot my canvas, and, after examining it, asked my mother, who was with me at the time, permission to give me some advice. He came to our house and gave me some lessons, and it is to him I owe the first knowledge of painting I possessed. His name Carolus Duran. I next entered the atelier of Chaplin, but painting after conventional models and poses did not suit me, and I finally decided to study at home. The first painting I sent to the Salon was the portrait of my mother. I was then lbV2 years old. It was not till some time after that I painted the portrait of my father, which earned for me the decoration of the palmcs academiquts. Since then I have exhibited every year at the Salon. I do no belong to any society, not even that organised by female painters and sculptors. I cannot admit that they should hold exhibitions of their own. because they lead the public to conclude thtft they ha ve not the courage to compete with artists of the stronger sex, which is a decided mistake." She prefers painting portraits and decorative panels, especially the latter. I adore decora- tion," she says, "and have painted no end of large panels for museums and palaces. As regards portraits, I have done hundreds of them. That of Sarab Bernhardt deserves special mention. The first time I went to the Salon I remarked Mdme. Bernhardt, whom I did not know then. She was gazing at a landscape, and had a small cane in her hand. I looked at her attentively, and said to myself, I will paint her portrait when I feel equal to the task.' Being the granddaughter of Louise Coutat. I know most of the leading actors and actresses. I got myself presented to her, and she consented to sit to me. Strange to say. the portraits are exhibited at the Palais de l'lndustrie in the very same room where I first saw her. From that moment up to the present we have been fast friends. I was led to paint on decora- tive panels three other actresses of the Frangais. Here is how the idea edtered my head. It was during the inauguration of the monument raised to Corot at Villi d'Avray. Mdme. Baretto" with her hands laden with flowws, recited some verses written for the occasion. Never did that charming actress look so captivating, and I resolved to paint her thus, and to call the portrait Spring. Subse- quently I decided to complete the four seasons. Mdme.Samary furnished me with Summer, Mdme. Sarah Bernhardt sat for Autumn, Mdlle. Reichen- berg for Winter. I afterwards painted two large theatrical pieces representing Tragedy and Comedy, which a.re now in America." She next described her manner of working. She seeks until she finds a subject suited to her, much in the same way as a dramatist seeks for his plot. As soon as it is ob- tained she sketches it on her canvas. She then studies all its bearings. If they be good, she makes 110 change and begins painting jf ny, she destroys the sketch aijd tries another. works rapidly at the beginning and the end. but often comes to a standstill in the middle, when she feels inclined to begin afresh. She is par- ticularly desirous that her painting shall show no sign of fatigue. I do not, as some persons believe, work in masculine attire," she continued. "I work in my every day dress, and do not even wear an apron. Here is how I pass my time I rise early, and take a lesson in fencing, or a walk or a ride in the Bois, accompanied by my favourite poodle, for I am fond of exercise and adore animals. I then return home, breakfast, and paint for the rest of the day, summer or winter. When it is too 'rk to paint, I turn to sculpture. After dinner I put art aside. I do not go often into society, although I have numerous fricndc and acquaintances, and receive invitations every day. Sometimes I go to the theatre, but only when I know the jierformers and take an interest in them. In the summer I go to the seaside or tha country, but only for a few weeks, because I have too much work to do to remain longer. My apartment, as you will per- ceive, is not very extensive, and I have often thought of taking a villa in the Avenue de Vil- liers, which is the fashionable quarter of all artists of note, but I have lived here for 15 years, and so happily that I cannot make up my mind to quit it. I have decorated it myself with my own brash, and there is not a panel which does not recall to mind the image of some dear relation cr faithful comrade of bygone days." So the conversation ended, and having grace- fully conducted her visitor to the door, she re- turned to her easel to give the finishing touch to the portrait of a celebrated cantatrice. She has not yet received the Red Ribbon which she covets so eagerly, but there is a fair chance of her setting it at an early date, and then she will have attained the height of her ambition. In the meanwhile her exhibits in this year's saloon are highly admired, though they cannot be said to surpass hor previous productions. Recently there was some talk of her getting married, but it was mere rumour, and she prefers single blessedness. Her precise age is only known to herself.
MUSIC AND FORM.
MUSIC AND FORM. Mrs Watts Hughes, of the well known Isling- ton Home for Little Boys, contributes to the current number of the Century an exceedingly interesting account, accompanied by rrrasi curious and beautiful illustrations, of the" voice figures which have excited so much interest in scientific and musical circles. The method of producing the figures is exceedingly simple. On a thin indiarubber membrane, stretched across thebottoiu of a tube of sufficient diameter for the pur- pose, is p;>uroci a small quantity of water or some denser liquid, such as glycerine, and into this liquid are sprinkled a few grains of some ordinary solid pigment. A note of music is then sung down the tube by Mrs Watts Hughes, and immediately the atoms of suspended pigment arrange themselves in a definite form—many of the forms bearing a curious resemblance to soma of the most beautiful objects in Nature-flowers, shells, or trees. After the note has ceased to sound, the forms remain, and the pictorial repre- sentations given in the Century show now wonderfully accurate is the lovely mimicry of the image-making music. Mrs Watts Hughes's voice-figures" are, however, interesting not only as curiosities, or even as things of beauty, but as suggestions that the relations between sound and form may be more intricate and intimate than has hereto- fore been supposed even by the most careful and enterprising investigators. I must say," writes the experimenter herself, "that as day by djy I have gone on singing into shape these peculiar forms, and, stepping out of doors, have seen their parallels living in the flowers, ferns, and trees around me; and again, as I have watched the little heaps in the formation of the floral figures gather themselves up and then shoot out their petals, just as a flower springs from tbe swollen bud—the hope has come to me that these bumble experiments may afford some suggestions in regard to Nature's production of her own beautiful forms, and may thereby aid in some slight degree the revelation of another link in the great chain of the organised universe that, we are teld in Holy Writ, took its shape in th* voice of God."
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..-----Samuel's Sentiments.…
Samuel's Sentiments. Samuel on Telephones. I read the other day a most extraordinary boolt published in Chicago, and called "Caesar's Column," in which the author att.empted t' depict the world as it will be in the next century. He foretold the most wonderful advances in electric science, which, if they ba but one-hundredth part realised, will put to shame the wonders which have astonished the present generation. In a hundred years, says the author, men will have discarded railway trains and will do their journey- ing by means of air-ships, a form of travelling whereby the. run from London to New York win be accomplished in a trifle over 21 hours. In the twentieth century when a man wants t* know the news of any particular coun- try he will merely touch an electric button on his table and all items of interest will appear upon an electric tablet, which will form an ordinary adjunct of the future breakfast table. At present, how- ever, we have to put up with such inven- tions as electric light and telephones, the latter of which is producing in the English people an unexpected result. Men who, prior to the introduction of the telephone were considered m i 1 d mannered and good tempered are now observed to be ir- ritable and cross- grained. TELEPHOJTK. They have used a telephone, and the result hat been this transformation. This is how it comes about. A man goes to the telephone to speak to so&M one at a distance. He rings up the central office and, knowing the attendant is a lady, says very politely, "Will you give me 452, please ?" He gets it and at once says, Halloh, there," AT ONE END OF TELEPHONE. which is answer- ed by a repetition of the two words. Then the con- versation proper commences, and for a brief space all goes welL Then things be- gin to go wrong, and such remarks as What's that yousay?" "Don't shout so. "Wby don't you speak plainly?" are to be heard at in- tervals. Both speaken are getting irri- tated, and adjeo- tives fly around each end of the telephone at -a tremendous rate. By the time the conversation is finished, if it ever does finish, both people are in a downright bad temper and ready to quarrel with anyene who gives them the slightest epper.tunity. For the remainder of the day they are more or less irritated, and when they arrive at their domestic establishment they grumble at every- thing until the mistress of the castle is glad to get them out of the house and off to the club. And all through the telephone. Though I am at present on the telephone my name does no* figure in the official list of people supplied with the useful but irritating machines. Perhaps this article may induce some company to remedy the evil and fix one up in my best room. Telephones occasionally produce bombshells at surprise in the arena ot the world of commerce. Someone rings up at the office of Mr Jones, and Master Thompson, aged fifteen, goes to the in- strument to reply. Asked what strikes him as a peculiar question,he, not knowing who is asking, says What are you getting at ?" to find out two minutes afterwards that his smartness is likely to be expensive owing to the fact that the querist is one of the most important of Mr Jones's patrons, and has a strong objection to being checked by an office boy. Occasionally things go wrong in the central office, and a number belonging to some one else is given with the most absurd and, at times, annoying results. And it is awkward when a gentleman rings up the private telephone con- nected with the house where his inamorata lives, and he, under the impression that he is talking to her, makes some impolite remark AT THE OTHER END. about her mother, whr, happening to have gooi to the telephone on hearing the bell. learns the opinion her future son-in-law has of her. The en. gagement is off shortly afterwards, tb. two blighted (more er less) beings swear ing vengeance on and avoidance of tela phones for the future. Yet with all their disad- vantages telephones a.re a decided boon to th* present generation, and if our forefathers hatf been told that we should have such y existence to-day, CAN'T BE noXE BY TELEPHONE. they would have thought the notion as wild the air ships of Ccesars Column. To be able tt speak from London to Paris as it were by ma cninery is an extraordinary thing, and prove» beyond all doubt that electric and other kindreo sciences are even yet almost in their infancy. SAMUEL: His SENTIMENTS.
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A Nebraska stockman recently told the story of a ride he once took on the back of a buffalo, neai Fort Wallace. Nebraska. Returning from a hunt alone with the hind quarters of two young bullf over his shoulder, he accidently ran into the herd again and was surrounded before he realised hit situation. My dodging in and out almost caused a stampede," he continued. I kne* if a panic, took place among the beast- I should be < rampled to death. I suddenly deter- unned ou a bold stroke, and edging up clos« to a snaggy young bull grabbed him by the lonf h&ir of his foreshoulders and swung hi^fcelf on t: his back. The bellow that came from use fellow'; throat made me wish I had not decided on^uch » risky push for liberty. The bellow was taken u| by the rest of the herd, and soon we were flying along at a terrible rate of speed over gulches, UJt hill and down. I was blinded by the sa-nd threw* up by the hoofs of the herd, but with close J eyes1 bung on like grim death. For half an hour tb. animals kept up a terrific pace, and during tha* time my legs were almost crushed out of inv boot- by the flying crowd. I began to think my time hat come. I was so weak I could scarcely kef-p mj seat, and was about to let myself fall from tin back of my buffalo when I succeeded in scraping some of the sand out of my eyes. I saw then thot we were running parallel with the railroad track: and as the bank was high and steep the amuiah had not ventured to climb the incline. The beast I was riding was closest to the track, and I k-res if I reached the top of the embankment I "houli be safe. I pulled myself together the best I could and prepared for a spring. I got my feet on hit back and jumped for the embankment. I leaped at the right time, for the movement of thr young bull's body sent me flying half way up thy bank; where I was safe in the sand. For five weeht afterward I was confiued to my bed." A gentleman travelling en a journey, having a light sovereign, which he could not pass, gave it to his servant and desired him to pass it on the road. At night he asked him if he had pasaed the sovereign. "Yes, sir," he replied. but I was forced to be very sly the people refused it at breakfast and dinner, so at » turnpike where 1 had f^urpence to pay, T whipped it in betwem •wo half-pence, and the icac put it io his pockot w& mens saw i.