The Cardiff Times

I WELSH GLEANINGS., I By Lloffwr. Jottings. ThnDiwygiwt (edited by the Rev R. Thomas and Watcyn Wyn) for December has a variety of interesting articles (including one on Dr Saun. ders by Mr D. Ladd Davies, Cardiff), poetry, and editorial jotting's.—With its December num- ber theDysffedvddcompletesits seventieth volume. Tho editor (Dr Herber Evans) has an attractive programme for nextyear.—The Baptist periodical, Seren Gonier, will henceforth be edited by Profes- sor Silas T. Morris, M.A., of the Baptist College, Bangor, and it is expected that under tho new regime it will be of a more literary character than formerly. The organ of the old constitution among the. Welsh Congregationalism, the party headed by the Rev Michael D. Jones and Dr Pan Jones, viz., the Celt, has for some time been in a languishing condition, and at the close of the year makes an appeal for increased subscribers, to avoid extinction. Tartan y Gweitliiwr is full of the Slidmg-scale question and workmen's topics, while the Tyst also devotes a page weekly to the workingman. The Welsh University. The editor of the Gcnedl Qyr&rcig has elicited an important letter on this subject from Dr Isambard Owen; but as an English version- retranslated probably—has appeared already in the South Wales Daily News, there is no need to give more than a bare reference to it here. Tho Tyst for this week devotes a long leading article to the same subject, and justifies its dilatoriness in discussing the question on tho ground that the subject was hardly ripefordiscllssion,and that there are other questions of infinitely more moment to Welshmen." While readily acknow- ledging that to procure a charter for a University in AVales may be highly important in itself, yet we venture to assert that this is the Welsh question of least importance just now in the estimation of the people at large. No wonder, therefore, that some are in doubt as to the wisdom of pushing this forward while other more important questions have not been determined. One of the first questions that arises is Is there need for a Welsh University ? It is too much to expect the nation to give a unanimous answer to the question. We are inclined to think that a very large majority of those who have paid any attention to the matter are in favour of the effort to gat a University, and that because they think there is a need for one but we believe also that there is a far larger majority outside this circle who do not take the least interest in the subject, and it is needless to add that they do not understand it at all. If wa rightly comprehend Mr O. M. Edward's mission, it is his duty to inquire into the whole subject-not only into the plan for a University, but into the question, is thero need for one ? The Tyst then recommends Mf Edwards to consult other people than the heads of the various colleges, as there are some phases of tho question on which the opinion of those unconnected with thu colleges may be more reliable. It goes on :—" The argu- ment of those who oppose the project is that it is unnecessary, and that its establishment would be injurious to higher education in Wales. It is maintained that it will take a long time before tho institution would gain popular confidence, and that the best scholars of the country would go to seek degrees, as at present, in the older univftsities." This argument, the Tyst believes, has not received the attention it deserves, and it advocates prudence and delay. But surely, if some time must elapse before the University gains popular confidence, the sooner it is estab- lished the better, as the necessary confidence will be ensured with proportionate quickness. And why should not the most brilliant Welsh scholars proceed to the older Universities? Thus do the foremost students at the Scotch Univer- sities, and thus do those in the Welsh colleges; the best of those who have graduated at the London University or at Lampeter. The obvious answer to the remarks of the. TySl that while" specialists arflagreed in favour of the movement, while the public are apatbe.tic. is that it is tho duty of the specialists and newspapers like tho Tyst to arcuse the peoplo from their sluggishness and to enlighten them on tho question. The Tyst promises to raise next week some objections to the scheme formulated by the Draft Charter Committee. The Agricultural Conference.' That the position of the Welsh farmer is serious is a proposition which is as irrefragable as Euclid. Ever since Mr Gladstone's famous pronunciation on the question we have definitely had a land question in Wales. The present agricultural depression affects Wales as well as England and the agricultural Conference held in London last wsok has attracted much attention in tho Welsh papers. They condc-mnit with one voice as an unmixed failure; it was nominally a free con. ference, but in reality it was dominated by the landlords. The Bantr says: "Though it pro- fessed to be chiefly a conference of tenant farmers, an unbiassed witness could not resist coming to the conclusion that the future infuence and advantages of the landowners were the strongest elements in the discussions during the two days. On this account wo cannot expect any really beneficial results from it. Before we recur to Protectionism, Mr Chaplin's remedy, the agricultural labourers must be convinced, anJ not merely they, but the crafts- men and workmen of our towns, our miners cf every kind, our cotton-factory hands, as well as the multitude of merchants and tradesmen who were long ago persuaded by Cobden and Bright that tho prosperity cf this country is indivisibly bound up with Free Trade." The Herald Cymraeg, in a leading article on "Necessity and Rents,"incidentally refers to the Conferenco In the Conference of Farmers and Landowners in London last w«.ek, the landowners thought of every conceivable remedy but that cf reducing their rents. According to them, foreign com- petition was the cause of the present depression. The Conference was a painful exhibition of a want of sympathy with the farmers." The Gencdl, in a luminous leading article, in which it analyses the causes of the present discontent and of the depression, condemns the Conference in no less emphatic terms, Great were the expecta- tions that tha farmers of o«r kingdom would by taking counsel with one another last week, perceive a way cut of the present de. pression—a way which would lead them in sight of hope. But the country throughout has been terribly disappointed. It was simply a union of landlords, whose net is to be spread all over the land. Will Welsh farmers be drawn into it ? God forbid." The article'goes on to expose the fallacies of the specious remedies, bi-metallism, and so-called "Fair Trade." The Ityst com- miserated those English farmers who are seduced by the wiles of the landlords. It is not Pro- tectionism that we want, but the three" F's"- fair rent, fixity of tenure, and free sale.

FIRE IH A CARDIFF LODGING- HOUSE. Eártý oil Monday ffiornlng a fire broke out ia the wholesale beer stcres occupied by Mr Wm. Evans, at 34, Herbert-street, Cardiff. Police- sergeant Yelland, who saw smoke issuing from the place, abovo which is a lodging-house, attempted to rouse the inmates, 19 in number, but was unsuccessful. He accordingly broke open tho dour, and, after giving the alarm, happily succeeded in extinguishing the firo. The damage done by the fire was trifling, but had it not been for the timely arrival and action of the police officer the consequences would, undoubtedly, hav- been very serious.

DEATH OF A COUNTY-COURT JUDGE. A Bournemouth correspondent telegraphs that Mr A. H. Mackonochie, County Court Judge, and brother of the late Father Mackonochie, died on Sunday night. Judge Mackonochie was on Monday tobave attended Poole County Court, but when Mr. Fraser, his deputy, arrived, a telegram was handed him announcing his Honour's death. Th Court then adjourned.

THE SLIDING SCALE V. THE MINERS' FEDERATION. By Mabon. Apologising for our inability to send on our weekly articles for the last two weeks, we now propose to resume the discussion of lho above subject for two or three weeks more. The momen- tary importance of the matter to the Welsh mining industry fully justifies such a course being taken. We contended in our last article that the pro- position that wages should regulate prices, and not prices wages, has proved a failure with the Federation itself in the ascending and descending of the scale of prices in the coal trade since 1838. That proposition was supported by them, with the contention that it is not in accordance with economic doctrines to regulate tho price of one commodity by that of another and as labour and its market may occasionally differ in its conditions from coal and the market in which it is sold, it does not appear reasonable that the price of the former should be regulated by the price of the latter. Hitherto this has been the case whenever a Sliding-scale was in operation. The price of every ordinary item of labour, from the colliers' day wage to that of the door boys, is of a fixed standard and so are all other items, from the cutting of the ton of coal to the discharging of the tram of fubbish. Any disproportion of the supply of workmen cannot and does not affect the price list, and the only item which can occasionally be affected by the fluctuations in the number of workmen required is that of the hard-heading kind of work, which is made for so much per yard, Even the price paid for this item is greatly governed by the rate of wages earned at the time by our best colliers. Any undue attempt on the part of either em- ployer or workman to change the price list—that is, to reduce or advance tho price paid for the various items recogmsed in the agreed price list-can be brought before the Sliding- scale committee, and all such proposed infringements not warrantpd by a change of circumstances, are rejected by that committee. The Sliding-scale Committee is thus a Court of Appeal to which either employer or employed can apply against any unjust encroachments by either side on the price list. Once the Sliding-scale is done away with, this Court of Appeal, which has hitherto been the workmen's tower of safety in times of depression, will be destroyed also. Certainly this will be so unless employers and workmen, in the event of the Sliding-scale beiqg allowed to terminate at the end of the year, can be persuaded that wages for a time should be regulated by a Wages Board of the kind that now exists in Duiham and Northumberland. Hence it is the knowledge of the beneficent results derived by workmen from this practical institution, and the consequent loss that will follow its termination, that enables us to come to the conclusion that it will be an un- fortunato day for the Welsh miners when it is allowed to become defunct. It is also our knowledge and experience of men and methods that leads us to another conclusion. that the change now advocated cannot be pro- ductive of any corresponding advantage to the Welsh miner. The moment tho wages paid to colliery labour will be disconnected with the selling price of coal, that same moment will the hitherto harmonious progress of the payer of that wages and the receiver thereof become dishonesty; and labour will have to fall back upon the old and eternal lines of depending upon the proportion of workmen demanding employment and the number and means of employers wanting men. It will be the old brute.force warfare over again each in his turn abiding his time to be avenged on the other, without any attempt to alleviate tho distress or evil occasioned thereby. And, inasmuch, as periods of depression in our commercial circles are somewhat longer than tho successful ones, thus giving the balance of opportunities in favour of the employer, or against the workman, it is impossible for us to regard the new principle as an appropriate remedy for any existing evil that may be in the present system, much less advocating ita adop- tion as an alternative to the Sliding-scale. With regard to the same proposition—" That wages regulate prices, and not prices wages" — tho possibility of its being ablo to maintain the present rate of wages that the Federation of Great Britain is pledged to uphold. Several propositions for so doing have been propounded. That cf the work- men having a. voice in the selling price of coal" was, we believe, the first proposed. When our old friend Mr Haslam, of Derbyshire, honoured the Principality with a visit this, we were taught by him, was the only safe ci\re fpp .the malady cf underselling and reducing wages, and that the Federation leaders bad succeeded in obtaining a "finger in the pie." Since then we have been informed'#frieVb'y a' £ igher authority that the only remedy is not to begin the lowering of prices. Mr B. Piekard, M.P., in his extraordinary latter says, "How comes it that after all the lowering of prices and wages the South Wales colliery owners are ho better off than before the first reduction made in wages a year ago? now comes it that after running all up and dawn in the market they still remain as much in need of reduction now Às before they obtained any. My friends, the reason is not far away. The owners get a reduction of a penny per ton, and they add another penny per ton reduction to that and give it to the contractor or middle man, thus causing their latter condition doubly worse than their former condition. this is always the result of lowering the price of coal. Once begin to lower and no one knows where to stop. Hence our Federation says Don't begin.' Now let us see how our friends have used their power of having a finger in the pie in the selling price of coal to prevent the lowering of those prices. Tho follow- ing quotation is from a trade article on railway contracts, which appeared in the Sheffield Indepen- dent, one of the leading Yorkshire daily papers. In August of this year it said:—" It appears that contracts for South Yorkshire steam coal up to the end of 1888 were only 6s per ton, and at that rate the Ncrth-Eastern Company was sup- plied to the end of 1S89. Miners' wages then went up, and at the end of June the contracts for the ensuing year were raised to 3s 6d prr ton, and fcr the year 1890 the North Eastern had to pay lis per ton. At the beginning of 1891" the contract prices for the North-Eastern, and to other companies as well, were reduced to 10s per ton. At the commencement of the present year another reduction took place. The ccntract price of the North-Eastern, which consumes 860,900 tons of locomotive coal annually, was 9s per ton of 20 cwts, and in three cases as low as éJ. 9d for the sains weight." Hera we have a disclosure of several im- portant facts. They now accuse the owners of Monmouthshire and South Wahs with Laving been tho means of lower- ing the price cf coal, and while this extracts inform us that in the great Midland counties the contract price of coal has lowered a full Is per ton since the beginning of the year 1891. And this has been done in the face of the fact that the President of the Federation asserts that ths secret of success is that the Federation says you must not begin the down grade. Yes, this has been done in the face of the fact that our friend Haslam says that the Federation leaders had succeeded in Having a finger in the pie in the selling price of coal." If that is so, are thes- men not making themselves responsible for the lowering of the prices in their own districts, and unless they can deny the too fvidenfe fact that these reductions have taken place there, the whole structure upon which their professions and protestations are built, comes tumbling to too ground. The fapt of the case is, they have no fixsd policy whereby to govern wages, &nd hence they move thair ground from day to day, trusting that they can continue to psrsuade men tb Hv. iti dreamland.

MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT BYNEA. A Railway Servant Shot at. On Friday night a rumour was circulated in the village of B.ynea that a railway servant had been shot near the station early in the evening. Bynea is located between Llanelly and Loughor] and is the first station on the Great Western Railway branch line to Pontardulais from Llanelly. On the upper end of the platform is located a small cabin, where a railway policeman named J.tm Diivies is engaged in charge of the levt-1 crossing near the station. It appears that shortly after the la»t tip train had left about six o'clock, and before the arrival of the last train from Pontardulais, Davies was seated in his cabin, two ether young men named Meredith and Jenkins—keeping him company. Whilst they wera engaged in a conversation they hoard a gentle, and scarcely audible, tap on tho window of tho door which was secured on the inside by K. movable iron shutter about one-eighth of aaiich thick, and in another instant the loud report of a gun was heard, and tho iron shutter < ver the window was shattered in one or two places. Th* occupants were terribly startled, and scarcely ktew what had happened, but th«y immediately rushed to tho door, whioh tboy found securely fastened on the outside by a wire. Davies and his friends eventually succeeded in opening the door, and raised an alarm. Tho other officials on the station were informed of tho incident and though a,search was made, the perpetrator of th • outrage oould not be found. Inspector Davie« of tho Great Western Railway, Llanelly, was coui- mumcated with by telephone, and he hasten^ to tao spot. The po.ice Were communicated with tut no arrest has yet been made.

BY A LADY JOURNALIST. A Pretty Evening Dress for the New Year Is easily made nowadays, and very appropriate for winter evening parties. I give you the sketch of a little design that will adapt itself equally well to simple and plain as well as the most hand- some materials. As the former will be the most useful to my kind of readers, I will begin by de- scribing them first. The skirt and bodice may be of any soft, light woollen material, like nun's cloth, veiling, beige, merino or cashmere ciepon also. is very pretty. The choice of colours lies between pale green, blue or pink, or the various shades of delicate mauve that now come under the inclusive term of heliotrope, which, however, is not a very good night colour. The full sleeves and wide collar are made of velvet or velveteen, and edged with dark brown fur. Of course black velvet [is best, as it goes with any- thing and everything, but a very dark shade of the same tint as the rest of the dress looks well, as does also a contrasting colour, like a rich red violet, with pale blue a deep green, with pink, and a drirk sapphire blue, with pale green. The front of the bodice should be filled in with t1 fan-like fluting of the dress material, edged with some pretty creamy lace. The sleeves stop short just above the elbow, and the wide collar is round at the back, reaching nearly to the depth of half-way down to the waist. The skirt is finished off by a few of fur round its extreme edge. The advantage of the trimmings of this special costume is that you can convert any dress—a day gown or a rather worn evening one-into quite a new toilette by merely the addition of some velvet and fur, both of which cause but a small outlay. H.ome-made Frames For pictures or photographs are made with com-, parative ease. Get a frame-maker to arrange a wooden frame with abroad pieceof coarse-grained oak between the outside and inner lines of bright gold beading. Have ready a pretty piece of fit- or larch with the little coiies on it. Brush it over with size that is used "for gilding, then with a large, soft, sable brush., lightly lay the goldleaf over every part, softly rubbing it into all the interstices -witti, the brn8)1¡.I, When quite dry fasten it on to the frame, as you see in my sketch, with small nails or brads. The lower frame may be done in the same way, but it also looks rerv I pretty, instead of having the whole of gilt wood, to cover it with velvet in the usual way uf photo- graph frames, laying the spray of gilded oak I leaves and acorns on the velvet, which naturally shows it up much more, even when in alight colour, than the wood can do. The former fashion of leather work lends itself very well to this kind of decoration, but is apt when gilded to look a little heavier than the real leaves dried and gilded. Tight Lacing, I regret to say,lis still a burning question amongst many women. It is quite wonderful that there should still exist so little knowledge of the terrible barm that results from compressing the most vital pirts of the body. It is not to the credit of our sex that it should still be necessary for one of the three leading pictorial papers devoted to .women's interests to have to reprehend the custom of tight lacing, as you probably read about a week ago. I wrote to you last January that a certain size of waist had been declared in Paris to be the fashion, and that was what answers to our English measure of eighteen inches. I begged you also to remember that your waist must be in proportion to your height and size, and that it is simply ridiculous to expect a tall girl to have a waist of the same dimensions as a short one. Corsets are not unwholesome in themselves, until they are transformed into instruments of toifttfre firiE to the poor ribs, then by crushing them inwards on to the lungs, heart, and liver, and also the diges- t tive organs. You are afe&ftfc mat$hin#fy. t and do net expect the works of a certain sized engine to work efficiently in half the space. You would think anybody perfectly insane who suggested such a thing, but you would ruthlessly squeeze the far more delicate corporeal machinery into a space half its natural size, and expect no discomfort to ensue. Indigestion, red hands, red nose, breathlesines, and a host of other inconveniences are the orcUnary results of tight lacing — surely they are enough. There are, however, others far more terrible, and those who are married, and have become mothers after a youth of tight lacing can, if still alivo to tell the tale, speak to the agonies they have endured in consequence of the misplacement of the internal organs from their natural position. I am perfectly aware that young women would never lace tightly were it not for the silly admiration of certain vulgar men for a small waist. As in most things connected with female attire, men admire ignorantly. A small waist is a small waist for them whether it is in or out of proportion to the rest of the figure. The really natural small waist is beautiful, because with it goes a lithe grace of movement in every other part bf the body that never exists in those that are artificially made. A Christmas Greeting Must be the last words you read to-day in my letter. I have had so many kind and pleasant letters from innumerable correspondents for cow nearly two (years that I almost begin to feel as if I quite knew you all. I wish I could peep into the various homes where my letter will be read on Christmas Eve, and tell you all how muoh I hope that you will have, if not a merry Christmas, at least one that will live in your memory as a red-letter day for many years to come. BUSY BEE. Rules for Correspondence. NOTICE.'—Owing to the increasing number of letters that require immediate private answers, which are necessarily longer than those in this column, and entail considerable time and work, a small charge will be made in future for such answers. Letters for inquiry on fashion ot other matters should be addressed to "BCSYBKE," care of the Editor, and should reach the office not later than Tuesday, if an answer is desired in the following week's edition. If an earlier answer is desired, a stamped addressed envelope containing a fee of cue shilling must he enclosed. Letters once answered are not kept. Therefore, if further information is required the original questions must be re- peated. Paper patterns of only those designs given can be supplied on the following- tenns French English Patterns Patterns Complete costume,togiven measures..4/ 1/6 Bodice „ 2/ 0/9 Short Mantlt; „ „ 2/6.1/8 Lenp; Mantlii Jf >t 4/ 1/6 Each application must have postal order and stamps for postage enclosed. Ladies are re- quested to cut out and enclose the picture of the narment required, and tho pattern shall be forwarded in about a week's time. Answers to Correspondents. ULVERSTON JACK.—You are most kind to have sent me the wigs," and I had them toasted for tea. Here in the south we have quite dif- ferent sorts of cakes for tea. I i-hni) keep the recipe carefully and beg you to accept my best thanks. ELSiK.—White is usually worn at a confirmation by the girl candidates. I should recommend you a high long sleeved dress of white nun's cloth, and a small cap on the head of white net or tulle made in the shape of a triangle, a point coming towards the for. head, and a yard-and-a- half long veil fulled into the stright back of the cap. It looks prettiest with a simple ruche of tulle round the edge. White gloves complete the toilette. A HIGHLAND LASSIE.—You will find all directions for making such a working dress as you require in my letter of August 13th, if you send to tha offic for that number of the paper. BUSINESS WOMAN.—I hope by the time you read this that you will have received the pattern from my French cutter. You omitted to send stamps for postage with the 2s for pattern. There are various good ways of washing the hair. Plain soap with a little borax sprinkled over the head when in a lather is as nice as any- thing. So also is a whipped-up egg, which leaves the hair very soft and clean, but it must be very well rinsed out afterwards. You should use a little Macassar Oil to the skm of your head once or twice a week. It does not do to leave it so dry as you describe. Take a small paint brush and rub a little well into the roots. A. R, E.-If you know of a reliable agency in Edinburgh you would do well to apply there. It would be better to advertise in a local paper rather than in The Morning Post, &c., as the time lost in waiting for an answer by return of post is fatal to your chances of getting an engagement. You might get information where to apply from Miss Walker, Principal of St. George's Training College for Women Teachers, 5, Melville-street, Edinburgh. POETIC.—I regret that I do not know the name of the author of the little poem from which I quoted some lines. I copied it from the book of a friend, who also did not know the author's name. Perhaps some of my correspondents will kindly tell we. Replies. By POST.—J. S., Douglas. Miss G., Edin- burgh. L. R., Garstang. Mrs P.. Edinburgh. ABOVE.—Mrs P., Edinburgh. T. A.. Dudley. A R. E., Edinburgh. A Highland Lassie, Pitlochry. Elsie, Lswisham. J. P., Hcswall.

THE OPEN COUNCIL. SourITOHS' CHARGES (0 £ \vy).—The solicitors of a Building Society are entitled, if it, is in accordance with the rules, to make a charge for furnishing an abstract of title, and the fee you name is not ex- cessive, if it covers everything. The conveyance is a separate matter, and they are entitled to separate fees. SCHOOL BOARD (Go.rthrwm).-We are not itwne that a relieving officer is legally disqualified from aotiiij; as member of a School Board, or even member of Par- liament,. Of course the ratepayers who employ him are entitled to forbid his assuming the office it they think fit to do so. LUNATIC SON (Pembont).—A father is liable to eoa- tribute to the maintenance of his son in a public lunatic asylum, if he has sufficient means to do so, which i. a question for the magistrates to decide. The son's age has nothing to do with the liability, nor the fact of his having left his father's roof. We never answer questions by post, and such a request shows that you do not quite understand the purpose of this column, which is not merely to render a service to individuals, but to supply matter of interest or profit to all our readers alike. TENANT (An Old Tenant).—You do not explain quite what it was you left on the premises, but if you left anything there at the request of the incoming tenant, who ngree(I to pay you, ycu are entitled to sue him for either the things or their value. AB!RDAUtAX.—We regret vre HAIVEF no means of furnishing the information you require. When readers write to us after a considerable interval with rcferencdo some obscure- paragraph in the paper, it is Impossible for us to trace it out and ascertain from what source it was derived, or to supple- ment it. L T.- -See above. In all probability the supplementary information you ask for was purposely withheld, as a trade secret. The receipt, is probably a patent. SYLVAN us COBB JUNIOR (.J.W.R.).—We fear ycu have been misled inln mistaking a fictitious name, the airy creation of fancy, for a solid human being. We can only Fdd that ilio above-named gentleman has no connection with Mr hbenezer Lobb, of this office. BILLIARDS (T.T.).—The highest spot-barred break at billiards was 690, by John 1-toberts, jun., at the Giafton-street Rooms, in March, 1889. SECOND COUSINS' MARRIAGE (An Old Reader).—B's sisters are his heirs. You appear to have the idea that raftrri«.ge with c cousin is illegal. That is not so, the old Romish prohibitions having been abolished by Henry VIII. at the time that he estab- lished the Church of England. There is, we believe, something in the Book of Common Prayer against such marriages, but being contrary to Act of Parlia- ment, it is simply a piece of advice to those who may like to accept it, and binds nobody. COAT OF ARMS (H.J.T.F.).—We do not follow your question. What painter's coat of arms do you mean? If you use your own coat of arms as such, you are liable to a tax, but, if you put up some one else's as an oruament or trade sign, you are not. LIKE-TENANT (D.C.D.)—Where property is left to a widow for life, and after her death to the children, she is not entitled to dispose of it, unless she invests the proceeds in good securities. TROUBLESOME Sox (Lazy One).—You cannot compel ? yoiiiig man of 18 to go into such an establishment as you suggest, unless he is either insane or criminal. We do not know of any high-class reformatories, but there are no doubt strict boarding-schools in exist- ence, and you may, if you like, advertise for one. But the proper thing to do is for his mother to turn litm out of doors, if he refuses to work or be- have. On the other hand, if he is really insane a doctor should be called in, to send liiii to the county asylum. You do not seem to be sure what is his real state. KENT RECOVERY (Alpha).-As you have allowed your tenant to remove his furniture from yonr premises, you have lost your right to distrain. You must now take out a summons in the county-court, which will probably be quite as effective. NOTICE AND FIXTURES (Anxious).-If you let your premises by the month, at a monthly rent, you are entitled to a month's notice. Your tenant is entitled to remove his counter and other fixtures put up for trade purposes, provided his doing so does not so damage the building as to permanently injure it. THE PAUPERS' CHRISTMAS (If Not. Why Not?)-We sincerely trust that the paupers at Cardiff and else- where do get some Christmas kindness. Wo believe that a better dinner is ifiven them on Christmas Day, and if they ore not made happy it is the fault of those whom you have selected as guardians, and consequently your own fault. CURRANTS (Daily Rea.(Icr). -Imported currants a1. small dried grapes of a species which originally came to us chiefly from Corinth, in Greece the word currant being said to be a corruption of Corinth. CITY (Ditto).-A city is a town which is the seat of a bishop's diocese, and contains the cathedral. There may be two cities in one diocese, as Bath and Wells, or there may be a diocese without a city in it, as Southwark. Some persons hold that Llandaff, one of the suburbs of Cardiff, is a city. Westminster has always been reckoned a city oil account of the cathedral church of St. Peter, commonly called Westminster Abbey. Again, it is competent for the Sovereign to bestow the style of city on any place by royal charter. (We eongra-tulaie you on your escape from the hated term Constant reader. We have resolved never t6 answer another question under that signature.)

LORD TENNYSON'S WILL. The Press Association states that by will, dated 24-th June, 1884, the Right Urn. Alfred, fir.t Baron Tennyson of Aid worth, Surrey, and Farringford, Isle of Wight. Poet Laureate, ap- pointed as his literary executor his son, Hallarn, now the second Baron Tennyson, and bequeaths hite hifc t*&!H»oritts, literary worl(«, at4 eopyinghts, but the incoatow therefrom during the lifetime of Emily Lady Tennyson*, is to ba applied as provided for the incom.c of the reglQiWYy festatc. Lof'T Tenflyso-i by Bis 'will devised the Aid worth Estate tq the usj vi his wife fur her life, and on her death to his sen Hallam, in fie simple. He devised ths Farrinptord Estate, the Manor cf Priors, and all ot.h"r his real estate, t.) the like uses, and he bequeathed all his furniture anft household effects, and the residue of his personal estate, in trust to allow tho use and enjoyment of the household effects, and to pay the incolllo of tin residuary estate to his wife for her life and, subject to her life interest, in trust for the present Lord- Tenuyscn absolutely. By a codicil uiado 26th April, 1888, the testator revoked the absolute devise of the Aldworth and Farringford and other rt.al estate to his son, and settled the same to his use for life, with the remainder to his first and ether sons successively in the order of their seniority in tail male, with the remainder to testator's grandson, Alfred Browninar Tennyson (eldest son of the late Lionel Tennyson), and to Charles Bruce Locker Tennyson, second son of the lata Lionel Tennyson. Tho gross value of the late Lord Tennyson's personal estate is £ 57,206. Probate of the will has been granted the Right Hon. Haharn Baron Tennyson, and power has been reserved to grant probate also to Emily Baroness Tennyson, named as executrix in the will.

CHILDREN'S HOUR T- ORDER OF THE ROUND TABLE. COLUMN FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. By Maggie Symington. The Happy Week. Happy, indeed, should be the month that holds Christmas in it," says somebody and, we may add, happy the week of those seven days of which Christmas Day is one! Eh, mv pets? So this is the we"k -f weeks, and there is a general stir and commotion everywhere. Bells ring, fiddles sound, there are dances, and parties, and a general mterchange of gifts. I have manag.-d to catch you a few of the good things on the wing. First and foremost, herb is an account cf A Queer Christmas Tree. The queerest I ever heard tell of, but a right dcwn good ono for all that. Once upon a time there was a little Irish girl, named Molly, on board a big ship goiiig to America with her father and mother. They were steerage passengers. The night before Christmas was cold and blowy, and Mully crept up en deck because it was so s;uffy dewn below, and there she sat Cll a rail dreaming of Christmas trees, and wondering- if she w mId ever see one. Suddenly there was a great shock, the ship struck another that was not burning- the lights it ought to have been burning. Molly fell off the rail into the sea. There was a cry of Man over-board Both ships sent out a boat, and the boat belong- ing to the other ship rescued Molly. "Only a kid said the Captain, and left her to the care of the rough sailors. She was nearly drowned and quite unconscious at first, then she ops-ned her eyes and gave a gasp, looked around, and said, There isn't a Christmas Tree after all She fainted away again. Those rough men decided that when the strange little one opened her eyes once more, there must be a Christmas Tree, so they set to work and rigged one up. Thfy over- hauled their chests to furnish the queer thing that was made of pieces of wood, oakum, and green pamt set up in a bucket. There were I large shells from the Indian Ocean, a Chinese puzzle, a Hindoo god for a. dolly, brass nose-rings from tho Pacific Islands, a staffed-marmoset, a string of coral, and an Indian silk handkerchief. When Molly saw this tree sii6 gave a scream of delight and clapped her hands. The gootl- I natured "-ailors danced and sang for her amuse- ment, and a very merry Christmas they had. It was not so merry for Molly's parents on board the other boat, I fear but they found their little girl again when both ships arrived in New York, so everything came right. The Worid at Baby's Feet. I do not know any better definition of Christ- mastide than tl) is-" A whole world's heart at a Baby's feet." j .ook at it. think of it, tern it about as you will, the fact inside those words admits of no dispute. Thoso who wish to enjoy Christmas as it ought to be enjoyed must, in a spirit, lay down their world-weary hearts at the soft dimpled toes of childhood, for the Divine Baby is with us still in every little child. How Santa Claus Came. He is said usually to come down the chimney, as, of course, you all know. I once..saw a picture of a. very UTg, happy-looking Santa Claus stand- ing on a house roof and staring ruefully at a very small chimney, nA if be vvtre asking him- self, How in I to get down that ?" He did no1: come in the usual way in the house I am going to tell you about. H" came in a plum pudding, and for over after the children knew him as the Plum-Pudding Santa Ciaus. It was all arranged behind a curtain, and when this was drawn in the presence of the children, cii a big table covered with a white cloth was a monster pudding, all brown and speckled. It was made of brown paper over barrel hoops, and the plums were painted on it. A gentleman stuck a knife into it, when, lo and beheld, the pudding opened, and up sprang a real living Santa Claus out of the middle of it, and gave gifts to everybody. Pierre and the Christ-Child. Pierre was a little boy living in an old French city. His mother was a widow and kept a small shop. Although Pierre was eight years old, he had never in his life been away from home after dark. V/hen Christmas came his mother said he was big enough to go with her to midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Pierre's heart glowed at the thought of seeing the Christ-Child in the manger. Through the solemn dark. stars glitter- ing overhead, he and his mother walked to the cathedral. It was all wonderful and glorious to him. The cathedral inside was brilliant with many lights, and hundreds of people were gathered there. With an air of great seriousness little Pierre walked by his mother's side along the great nave to the chapel by the steps of an altar, and the re was the inanger they had come to see. A rude wooden structure filled with hay, in representation cf the manger in the Bethlehem I-m, wherfi the infant Jesus was laid. In the midst of the straw in this other manger lay a large waxen doll, smiling out cf bright blue eyes. Pierre had learned the story of the Christ-Child's birth, and as he knelt by his mother's side, he begau to say his prayers in a soft whisper. This is how one !ittle boy had his share in the. Peace on earth, good-will to men, He nearly fell asleep, however, before lis and his mother got home to the little shop in the old paved street. Little Folks' Contributions. I did not think the bright, the beautiful, the holy, the wonderful story of Christmas would have such a depressing effect upon n:y little pensters. Severely moral, droariiy doleful, prosily common-place are most of the little tales sent me, and out cf these I can only pick a very few as suitable for the Column. The brightest little story, as well as the most neatly-written and correctly punctuated is by Edith M. Hart, aged 11. So she wins the beautiful book" The Boy- hood of Christ." Connie Clegg, age 13, wins the second prize, In the World's Garden," for her puzzles. Her capital handwriting deserves especial praise. The following competitors are entitled to Medals of the Order Mildred S. Skeets, Ettie Spencer, Marion E. Whittaker, Frances Dean, Frank Larber, Marion Hudson, and Alfred Newtcn. Highly commended Ethel Francis, Gwen Butterfield, Henry Barber, John Thwaite, and Lizzie Profit. There is too little variety in the stories and puzzles f jr me to fill the Col. with them, but I hcle to use more of them by degrees. The Story of the Mistletoe. 1) was twelve o'clock on Christmas Eve. The mistletoe fairy was fast asleep in bed, when suddenly she felt something bit Ler-a red ball eff one of her enemies, the holly fairy's trees. She saw her enemy standing behind a branch with armful of l&njg. ppiskles and uiiu of. berries', she saw him raise his hand with a prickle, but at that moment a sledge appeared, and in it was a little man m a red mantle, he ha.d &Lig giek bfifniKT. You tsswttohig a tarty as Christmas Evt> ho said. Somewhai abashed, tho holly fairy turned t) go. Mind I d.) not c&ka you in my sack and put yi-u ir. someone's st;-cknif," said Santa Clans (for he it and the holly fairy went. Thank you, Santa Ciaus," the holly fairy went. Thank you, Santa Ciaus," said the mistletoe fairy, I will now repayvou." So sh' twinod a wreath of mistlet ?e/and was putting it cn his Lead, when, just as it was raised, he kissed her right under it. Thus the mistletoe came to le kissed under, and this is the st:-ry of how it was the first time.—EDITH MABY HART, a:e 11, thimblemaid. The Sign of the Golden Apple. Once upon a time I was at an inn where the landlord was wonderfully kind. His sign was a golden apple, which was hung at the end of a Jong pole. The food he supplied me was good and sweet, the drink also was very fresh find nice. I bad a soft, yielding b-ci cn which I e slept well. Early in the morning a party of travellers arrived at the inn. They were very gay and high-spirited, and chatted and sang in the mr'St uproarious fashion. When I asked the landlord for the bill ho only shook his head. Now who was this generous inkeeper ? And who his funny, noisy quests Translated from the German by Ethel Francis, age 16, Damsel. The answer to the above Puzzle will be qriver. next week. Dorothy. I Miss Penning was so horror-struck that she nearly screamed out in church. She had just entered expecting to find her charge, little Lady Dorothy Vere, who had gone on before on Christ- mas morning with her cousin Hubert. Leaving mas morning with her cousin Hubert. Leaving the little lady in the family pew, lie had gone on to take his place in the choir, and now she had disappeared. Left to her own devices, five-year- old Dorothy, remembering Miss Penning's words old Dorothy, remembering Miss Penning's words in a Scripture lesson the day before about tak. mg the lowest place" (the governess, afraid that Dorothy might be proud of her high station, I taught her humility on all occasions). had slipped out of the big pew and gone to sit with the village school children at the bottom ot the church. They stared at her and giggled, but Dorothy took no I notic. Looking round, Miss Penning caughfr sight of Dorothy. She almost ran down the church and seized hold cf her, and carried her back to her own pew. After service she explained I to Dorothy that she had not meant her to act on her lesson in such a practical way.—MILDRBD SOROCOLD SHEETS, age 15, Thimbl -niaid. I The Christmas Stocking. This is such a, curious composition I feel bound to give it without correction :—" Last Christmas Me and my sister thought we would keep awake all night tc watch for Father Christmas. First I fell asleep and in a bit I awoke again and my sister tell asleep, we keep on like that till morn- ing came so w got up .e went to our stockings and I was very pleased to find a big doll poking its head ou't of min-, and dressed so nice then I put it into bed and then I took the other things out of my stocking, and it was a very uice Christmas book full of stories and carols. So no more about my stocking. I will tell you how I spent Christmas Day. I was invited to a very nice tea party and we had all torts of things, so no more at present from your lcving Comrade. Miss KATE BENTHAM, ace 10. please to send me word Wether you geth this Letter or net." Riddle-Me-Ree. My first is in Clyde, but not in Tay. My second is in isthmus, bur not in bay. My third is in crimson, but not in blue. My fourth is in fire, but not in flue. My fifth is in gas, but not in lamp. My sixth is m wet, but not in damp. My seventh is in monkey, but not in wolf. My eight is in island, but not in gulf. My nine is in stout, but; not in beer. My whole is a time of very good cheer. COXXIE CLEGG, aged 13. Geographical Letter Puzzie. My Dear IL:.k<" in Switzerland). My sister (town in Italy) and I have bee. staving with Uncle (town in the Isle of Man). We enjoyed ourselves very much. Every day we had a bathe with our cousins (county in Ireland) and (capital of Victoria). (Capital of New South Wales) came home yesterday. He brought n:e a" (nver in Ireland) as a present. (Cape in Green- land), your loving friend, (Mount in Asia Minor) (Bavin Isorth America), ELLA M. ALLITT, pged 16. Santa Claus Doub'e Acrostic (Prize Award). This easy Acrostic was correctly answered bt 52 little people. The solution sent bv Ernest Wiles, age io, was so beautifully arranged and ornamented with illustrative etch in as innen and ink tnat 1 gave him the prize. Thereof* t'vcrait ofoear old Santa himself holding up a 1 J* °f th? °rder> wllk'!l I very much wish we had time and space to reproduce her. Several young people sent rhyming solutions, and these I have placed first in order of merit in the following list of competitors:—Amy B. Wirci Tom S. Bell, Ethel Joseph, Ethel C. Barber' Giadys Burton, Muriel E. N, Atkinson, T P. Williams, Harry E. Hewitt, Nellie DavKison Nellie r>au. Gwen Buttfrfield, 30the] C. Barber' Florence Clifton, J. J. Anderson, F. T." Hmck! Cecil H. Brondbent, Lilian Richards. Lucy Shear^ man, Nellie Shearman, Alice M. Swaine. Lilia Daft, Percy H. Wykes, Daisy Harris, Eliz. Inman, J. Aspden, Frances A. Abraut. Nellie Howson, Florence B. Barber, Winifred K. Skipton, Nessio Dntton, Edith M. Hart, TrifBe Aspden, Mary Foy, Lottie Shaw- cross, Willie Applethwaite, Henry P. Linnell Fanny Ives Allum, G. E. Hev.son, L. Manning Alice Poole, Margaret H. Greeves, Georgia Aspden, A. Shawcross, Nelly Hammond, Emily M. Syke.s, Ehz. X. Davidsun, Susan E. Kirby Herbert Pickering, Harold F. Butchnall, Annie Rogerson, and Kate Smith. Incorrect Cath. D. Ruttcr, Ethel M. Barnes Mary Smitb, Kate Joy. These are our Vows and Promises. Knights and Esquires must pledge themselves to strive to be brave, true, and honest to be courteous and obliging; defenders of all weak children aud dumb animals, and helpers of thosw who need to refrain from bad language and to say a few kind words or do a kind deed every day of their jives. ijainsei.s MM Thimblemaids must try to be true, sweet, and helpful, modest and gentle to be good and to do good; never to listen to a wrong thing, or repeat one to be kind to dumb ammals and to say a few kind words, ur do a kind deed, every day of their livef. How to Join the Order. Any little reader wishing to join the Round Table may do so at once, and bs sure of a hearty welcome from me. I should like t suggest t9 all new applicants for admisskci that they ea. clti\se six postage stamps in their first letter then a Book of the Order and a c-.py cf th « Song uf the Kound Tabls will b. scr.t with their Cer- tificate these will i*ive them all the information they r.csd, whilst saviny them both expense and trrublc. Rules, Prayer, and Nam? List (which ara always sent with each certificate) may also be had from me separately, on receipt of addressed half-penny wrapper. Book of the- Order, l^.d. post free. Song cf the Round Table- (full inu^ia size, with tonic sol-fa in addition to the ordinary notation), 3%d per c. py post fret six copies, Is 3d. Audress aU communications to ACXT MAGGIE SYJIIXGTCN.. Hunstantaa,

The highest recorded speed now made by a railway engine has just been reported from the United State- where, on the line of the. Phila- delphia a.nd Reading Railway—the New York division—a mile was covered in 37sec., or at the rate of 9734 miles an hour. Nor was this one mile ran the only remarkable part of the perform- ance, for the next mile was made in SSsee., the "third in 39see., the fourth ill 40sec.. fifth in4Isec • five consecutive miles were later on made" in 205 sec.. an average of 87.8 miles an hour. The train was a regular express, consisting of ordinary and Pullman carriages. No special preparation had been made for the run, and it was achieved in face of a heavy wind.

-? Recollections of a London Detective. BY DETECTIVE-SERGEfcNT WM. HOLBORN. "A PRESENTIMENT OF MURÐER." (In Two Parts.) PART I. There are presentiments which one never account for — extraordinary ones w(lch are realised, and some whish are not. Th<:y ?-r'se w*" cannot tell how—just as a tit of depress™ ,wl. seize a, man when his prospects are *t their brightest. But there are other prese*tu^nts ^hich can easily bo traced to their source •ise naturally from the circumstances of the life affected and to be warned by them is more superstitious than to look for rain when l"e sky becomes dark with clouds. The lady whose mysterious -nd I am ♦wmt to Notice had had an extraordinary career, w. that we have nothing to do hers. h j ihird daughter of a county family which s" | not name, but from her youth showed a otrttigo taixture of perversity and strong energy. Sh-e ran Away at eighteen from a boarding school *1 teacher of German and after being captu^" ^n(.J Secluded for a time by her friends she fasC^^ted And was married to a lieutenant in the Arfftf* "e!j husband, seven years later, was killed in W*r> an^ ?rcm chat time she appeared to act pretty1"1"1 she pleased. She had an establishment0'. Own; was looked upon as a. fast, imperIOus woman was always in debt, and yet seemed to want money. Her own ignored1 her existence, but her connecti',O with Oiirt of the first families in the land a certain status and influence, which considerably in her battta with society. J.ll thlll I learned after my tirst introduction to) hpr, Which happened thus A hansom drove up to the City Police Office one day m summer, when I chanced to be "ut of town, and a lady, handsome and aristocratic got out and boldly asked to see our chief. She*0* Out have been much above thirty, and but fof "er extremely haughty manner might have been thought enzaiginq. Her card bore the Øme, "Mrs L. Hartiand." The letter L. st°°Vr Lylia. What passed between her and our I cannot tell, but I understood that she j#*6" great many questions, and would an,WeiT few in return, and finally was reft*rec* to me. bhe wished me to be sent 'or' but that cculd not be allowed, particufrr|y *s I was away on an important mi«.*n» Whiie the case of this fine lady might trifling at the loss of a lap-dog. She refetfe(* Utterly to her high connections; but our of1*' Was firm, and she at length concluded that would v.ait till my return to town. When I get back a note was sent to her. and she cameto the office in a hansom as before, and an hour Kind the appointed time. I was not dres?^ Very particularly, as the weather was warm, a*'1 she seemed surprised and u little disappoint^. tur she said— Are you Detective Holborn ?" Detective-sergeant, ma'am, at yoir service, answered, a little stiffly, for I didn't like her mud1- Sha took the hint and called me "Sergeant "<" the time she remained. For a little I could not Understand what she was driving at but It bmgth she took out a photograph fit genth" uianly-looking fellow of forty or so, iiaoustacip and Dundreary whiskers, and asked me to lool it. 1 gave a start when I looked at it. I itemed to know tli-, features, but had never seen the face with whiskers. The bolcj. jdark eye and "ig brow were the same, and were net to be seen jj;' many taces, so I was pretty sure of the man. The lady had noticed ir.y start, and she said, quiet)y :— "You know the tace, then?" I think so. Is it not Charles Pratt ? Pratt ? Pratt; who is Pratt ? she asked, as only a. woman can ask when she wants a deal of information, and wishes to conceal her object in seeking the same. I took another look at the portrait, and then !\1>1,1:jc! her to excuse me for a moment. I went !nto another room and iiunted out two different portraits cf Pratt-one of which I have already aHulled to. The resemblance was so striking, allowing for tho lapse of time and the change in the out of the hair on the face, that I had no doubt of the identity. I took the portraits with nle, and Mrs Hartland examined them with greit eagerness for some moments, rt)idly questioning ttie all the while as to the origirfal. This necessi- tated my describing briefly the two cases already glVtm in these sketches, and as these involved tha *o«ntinn of Pratt's brother, Hn^ft,' the lady showed the liveliest interest, and eagerly asked if we had a portrait of the brcther also. We had a portrait, but it was not available at a moment's Notice, so Mrs Hartland had to be content with a description of the man's manner and appearance, v.ontrasted with those of his brother. While J gn.c tho description I could see, beyond Poll doubt, that the lady was following &ad recognising every feature and trait of the brothers. It would be difficult to convey a clear Idea. of the expression of the lady's face as I detailed the facts of the crimes, captures, and sentences. There was an exultation there, as of One rejoicing in the power of knowledge, but I Could discern little of disgust, except, perhaps. \\rhen the brother Hugo was mentioned. She took careful notes of all the names and dates in the cases, and when I had concluded I naturally looked for some explanation of her visit, and, above all, expected her to prefer some charge Against one or both of the brothers. Ir did not know the woman. She had energy enough for a fc'-an, and cunning enough for twenty. "I suppose if one of these men were taken again, and convicted of a crime—say for forgery the sentence would be a more severe one ?" she s:tId at last, after she had eyed me a little, and read in my face all that I was thinking. "Forgery to Charles Pratt would probably tnean a sentence of twenty years, but it would depend much upon the circumstances of the case," was my answer. "If you have any knowledge Pointing to such a crime, perhaps you will let us J «ave the facts." "I can say nothing just now, but I wish you to jold yourself in readiness for such a task," she Ilarkly returned. What I know or suspect may lead to nothing, or it may lead to much, but in wither case I am greatly indebted to you for the ^formation you have just given me. Everything ts now clear as day to me." She took out her purse and offered me a sovereign, but I told her that a present could only come to me through the Commissioners. She Said they would never know anything about the Ritt, but I would not have trusted such a woman the length of my nose, and still declined. Then she testily put up the money again and left the PKce, telling me that she might see me again, or send for me before long. I hastened to put these tacts before our chief, Vvbeii his first remark was— Where is Charles Pratt just now, and what is doing ?" I replied that, shortly after his release at the Expiry of his last sentence of fivo years—which j generally means about three years and three- quartcrs--Pratt had disappeared from the Metro Mis, and that he had never been about it since— 4t least his presence was unknown to his old Associates. I had a hazy idea that some one had told me that Charles Pratt was dead, but I could .1 hot remember just then how the news had come tome. His brother I had seen occasionally, but be appeared to have got cut of the disreputable gang, and to be in some kind of business which supported him. I thought I could tind him if I tiled hard; I was not so sure about the other, Charles, and. on the whole my impression waf) that the master rogue was beyond troubling me Or being troubled. I gut no directions in the matter. Our chief appeared to ponder defcphy for some mo- taente, and then said we had bettor wait to I!i\e what information came to us through Mrs Hartland. A very great deal dn- pended upon that simple moment or two's thought. It was the most natural decision m the world for my superior, and I think exactly that which I should have come to had I been in his place, for the province of the detective staff is not to harass known convicts who are at all likJy to do well, but to avoid, as far as possible, evtn a recognition, which is likely co damace their efforts after honesty. Yet I fe.-l as certain that, had the order been different, had I been told to Qnd out Hugo Pratt, and watch him till I dis- covered some trace of his brother, the whole Course of the after events would have been altered. lie fore a month had passed I had remembered the Source of the information about the elder Pratt being dead—it came from one of the old gang then in prison, who in turn gave the name of Hugo Pratt as his authority. Mrzi Hartland never came back to us, or sont for me, or tendered any information regarding the tVatts; but scarcely two months bad srone when I noticed the announcement of her death in the Papers. Thtre were some strange circumstances connected with the death, which had led to the Police being called in, and caused the newspapers to head the case with the wcrds-" Supposed Suicide by Poison." t Mrs Hartlaud's home was in one of the West End streets, and, therefore, we in the City had at first nothing to do with the case. Tha Police did not discover much, but what they did all tended to show that tho aristocratic widow had committed suicide. There were in the house two female servants and a little page, none of the three very intelligent, or able to throw much light on the strange occurrence. Mrs Hartland bad come home the evening before in a cab. She bad been shown into the cab by a. gentleman who bailed the vehicle in Great Victoria-street. She "■\>hea oerfecHy tiobor, and chatting gaily with i. When the cab stopped at address^ S the driver sprang down and rang The bell and then turned to open the cab door and show cnit his fare, but found her stup.dand steeiSy—'in "& word. 16oking as if she had be^n sleepy jr her his arm up to the ™,k5dS £ charg. of by the pag-e and ODe of the ftlmale servants. The cabman had a Ion'" wait for his fa.re. the servants having forgotten "about him in the eXl"itement of puttmg their mlst.ress to bed. Mr¡; Hartland was ih" m'3"girl "entered the room iiext morning she found her mistress Bleep- £ £ the last sleep of humanity. She lay just Ifshe had been left, only her face was rig'd and Xe inste.d of sfe"PP been dead many hours. Mow, in se«rcmng the pocket of their mistress for money to pay the cabman, the girls had turned out an empty two- ounce phial labeled LaManmi—Poison, and bear- war £ carpet. till morning, and was only t0 dead This stupidity on the part of the servants was grossly culpable, for supposing the laudanum to iiave been working on Mrs Hartland then, it might have been possible to have saved ber life. The girls admitted that they were shocked to find their mistress so far gone with drink they had seen her touched with it before, but SlrThr gone as to be helpW. yet the, ,-oolly went back to their supper, and then to bed without once looking into the room to make sure that their mistress was not choking where -he I'he address on the phial was next turned to, when it was found that the chemist s assistant, a lad of 18 remembered perfectly tho laudanum being bought on the afternoon previous. It was bought by a lady, and his description of her aristo- cratic bearing and her person was so minute that Mrs Hartland herself was at once recognised as the nurchaser. Being taken to the house at the W est jfind and shown the deceased, the lad was not so certain of the face, which had changed somewhat in death but on being shown the dress and cl ak and bonnet worn on the previous afternoon by the deceased, as well as the purse she had oarned and used, all his Joubts vanished, and he was prepared to swear that they were the same. BeinS sharply questioned by the coroner as to why he had ven- tured to sell two ounces of laudanum to a stranger without an order from a medical man, the lad could only say that he knew it was against the law, but he did not like to refuse the lady, she looked so important and grand, and that they often sold like quantities to drinkers of laudanum. l'hey came into the shop, he declared, and sometimes eirptied an ounce bottle of the drug before his eyes, and apparently with no evil result, and he had rashly imagined that the deceased was one of that dissipated class. The time of the purchase had been about two hours before thatof the hailing of the cabin Great Victoria-street. If, therefore, the laudanum had been bought with the intention of committing suicide, the whole had been gone about with the greatest deliberation, for the general supposition was that the poison had not been swallowed until the cab was entered. The putting of the empty phial into her pocket instead of simply dropping ft in the cab 3r tossing ,t out at the window argued for a determination rare m women. Then not a hint of the awful truth had escaped the unhappy woman's hps on reach- in" her home. Sho had complained of feal- i"? sick, but had refused to take brandy, though she had before got relief from the same remedy. The medical evidence showed pretty clearly than death had been caused by some preparation of opium, such as laudanum, though, or course there could not be absolute certainty on that point, as there might have be^-n in the case of a corrosive poison. The jury, therefore, would have been quite justified in returning °f suicide, and the coroner, himself a medical man, Est directed them to do so, but there were amongst them several men of suspicious and pugnacious dispositions, and the inquest resulted m an open verdict. The wisdom of this course was demonstrated .not many days later, when the furniture of the deceased lady was being arranged for sale. In turning out the miscellaneous con- tents of her desk there was found » closed envelope bearing the strange superscription— "To be opened if I die suddenly or am killed accidentally. "LYDIA HARTLAND." There was a date written at the left hand pnrner which indicated that the wholo had been penned about a month before. The contents of the envelope were as strange as the superscrip- tlU.'1 j am in fear of death. I have a presentiment 'that someting is to happen to me soon—that I may be murdered. There arc so many ways in which murder can be done without discovery that I hereby direct that should I die suddenly the strictest investigation shall be made into all the circumstances attending my death. I have been ilightsd and neglected, and those who have dons io are in fear of exposure by me. Perhaps I ivrong them in thinking- them capable of taking ny life or wishing me away. If I do, heaven onrive me. LYDIA HABTLAKD There was some contention among the sur- ging relatives of the widow as to who had the Lt claim to her property and therefore the S«a«e given above was not immediately handed trJ us. ° When it was sent in the whols of the rtrcu'mstances attending her visit to the office, Id her conversation regarding the Pratts were Sailed, and my first exclamation was, Coiud Pratts have had anything to do with her was ordered to investigate all the circmn- alinces'attending the purchase of the laudanum a,d the hiring of the cab but the only fresh in- formation I got at was an admission on the part nf the chemist's assistant that the lady had said ?mt the laudanum was wanted fcr toothache. Tie lad recommended some other remedy, and otered to apply the same, whereupon the lady cJ; him short by laughingly saying, It is for a Litleman—not for myself ?" I had little doubt of this information being cor- ctb for it was against the interest of the lad to (6 it he having already stated at the inquest £ i\t he thought the lady a laudanum drinker, and Jwt she wished the drug for that purpose. That v toe the case, the next question was. who was ^gentleman ? Was he the same who h tiled the viin Great Victoria-street, handed the deceased ca,. j(., an(j directed the cabman where to drive t He might be, but that did not bring me a fVnearer laying hands on him. The gentlemen i Mrs Hartlan's acquaintance were legion, as 1 jme a fashionable lady who snapped- her fl^rs at the little prejudices of society but this 5"ltiot appear suggestive and suspicious-no on a I'Those acqunintances stepped forward to claim titv with thu attentive gentleman :n P it 'Victoria-street. I determined to find V ivho among all her gentlemen friends she ed to prefer, as it had not escaped my se0°4iat on the occasion of her visit to us she ty i *orn an engagement ring of a very showy 11 rn. But, before I got anything done in that PitteL,'n one of those curious chance incidents ;lrl bacTtoward, my £ r„t thought,. In w to the chemist's to question the assistant I ij down narrow- street leading to the passe' • which the shop was situated, and thcr"f the narad Pratt -m one of the doors. ™^Twas also an intimation to the effect that ft watt was agent for a great many things, and hfd bis office in that block beside his dvvcll- ia?f j°wouder if that is the Pratt I know ?' was mTr*hnttt?bt as I passed on. r riming back I stopped at the house, and flnol'v ^id my hand on the bell. A woman ""a' Jrrfl the door, very dirty and untidy. I ansvvenr she answered that he was just g. ne oiik but if I would step into the office she ^'wlS'y obeyed, and stepped into a shabby wwim containing a writing desk, a tall .stool, lutie 10 jea(j pencj|) and a calendar. There was a c,? ■ pise to look at, for the desk, as I ascer- r««as locked, and the key gone. WhPti I bad finished my investigation, and sat the only chair the room boasted, the down -n • and"Hugo Pratt stood before me, °Qii:^ strongly of gin, and evidently just smeuinb n public-house. He recognised fetchea ancj t'ne recognition did not do him me at orL-^ facebecame sickly, and the sickliness good. «j*js iinctes and forced him to stagger to the taU sto°l> which he managed to mount and h0«'Youth»ven'fc forgotten me?" I said cheerfully. !fwhateaoQyouwan? ? he at length mumbled, xrl wl <?oV. sober enough, but his voice did not ^trhisW.ands readily. answer n ge0 t^e pratt holding out here was ■ just you Some questicftis. I don't you, an answer them truthfully unless it is expect yo nt bufc j mugt W;im yoU that tZ often more danger and risk in a lie there is Lies are like sheaves of corn ►h«v need » deal of propping to keep them up. 7" LP wfiU heard about that poisoning case ?" Is"PETbv^b £ start that he had heard of it, Lt toa not at all surprised when he answered— bU'N?; -.Wb»t was it r A ladv a widow named Hartland, who was hffrbed—poisoned with laudanum. Kfn^tS ,h^h -iitlV and insinuatingly. add«i. q rxl ih'>o»h* for ft moment, watching me with if eaffern°ssv and then deeided that he did pamfui eagfirn- v had uever beard of her ilnay have met her, of course without know in £ ril si so many .fac-s m this lme, he added, ? vTakinff a ffood job of the lie. n0u Yoa do not know wh,_re she lived and have never been in her house V I sa!d, quickly follow- her house that I remember of," he hesitatingly answered. "But you know the house.. "lhavesodeideathatlmay have had busi. ness with her in some way,' he answered with a There's no harm in that, is there t Pa« You seem to think there is, or I should not need something IrKe a twenty-ton crane to pull thetruth out of you," I angrily returned. Was Mrs Hartland ever in this hOllse 1" How can I tell ? Hundreds come here," he d^Tdcfn't belief it- However, you can have 1\-arn wav of it. I am not satisfied with your eh»u take,on with me. Turn out vour desk and let's see what s m it. We obeyed, and I looked over every scrap of iviner and letter, and book it contained. Among others' was a brief note bearing Lord bed gel ey s town address in Belgravia, and signed by that Gentleman's secretary, Henry Southwell. I dare- say there was no paper in the whole collection which I passed over more carelessly than that note vet it was the most important m the place, had I but known it. When the inspection was over I relocked the desk and put the key 111 my F^:Tfvou have any arrangement to make, now is your time," I suggested. H« said he would need to give some directions to his wife, and wish«d to leave the room for that purpose. I could not allow that, aild went to the door to call her IIL If the door had opened outwards, I should havw banged her heajin throwing it o^n, for she had been listening in the lobby all the while. When she was in the room, and had made some clumsy excuse about looking for something in the lobby, it turned out that all her husband had to say to her was that she might hand him his hat. She did so, and during the moment of the hat changing bands I fancied that he whispered a brief word to her, or was beginning to do so, when I interrupted the communication. I took him a-way, the woman not making much demonstration of regret, and an hour after I sent back for the contents of the desk. The desk was then found to have been opened, and some of the papers burned or otherwise destroyed. Among those which I missed was that brief note from the secretary of ) ord Sedgeley, and I could not con- ceive for what purpose that had been got rid of. I was to get an inkling of the truth before many hours were gone. We thought proper to take Hugo Pratt s wife, too, after her cleverness with the desk—and, after searching the whole of the rooms—four in number—locked up the house. A few hours later I was in the house of the deceased, questioning the servants, who were still on the premises, pending the settlement of a law case which had sprung out of the sudden death. Almost the first question I put elicited an answer which almost made me jump from my chair. "Oh, yes, Mrs HaVtland told us she was en- gaged to be married," said the tablemaid, "and wo always understood that Mr Southwell was the gentleman, He is secretary to Lord Sedgeley." I questioned the girl closely. She admitted that Mr Southwell did not seem very fond of her late mistress, and came but seldom to see her, but that was only etiquette, and Mrs Hart- land's regard for him had amounted to a devouring passion, which the girl supposed quite made up for the gentle- man's coldness. The lady had given him a great many expensive presents, but, so far as the girl knew, Mr Southwell had given his affianced nothing but his portrait. She went to bring the portrait in question, but could not find it. Mr Southwell she described as a very handsome gentleman, but not very liberal with servants. She had heard that he was a great flirt, and that a young lady with a deal of money in her own right had been trying hard to steal his affections from her late mistress. She thought there was some truth 111 the report, for her mistress had always got furious at the mention of the lady's name. Mr Southwell she described as a tall man, about forty, handsome, with black hair inclined to curl, and'slightly tinged with grey. He wore Dun- dreary whiskers and a moustache, and had very fine dark eyes. I determined to see Mr Southwell, and took a cab to the house. The footman admitted that the Secretary was within, but with a great deal of dignity asked for my card, and even hinted that it was by no means certain that the great man would see me after looking at my name. He then left me in the little side room into which I had been shown, and I waited for a full half hour without a sou! looking near me, and with nothing to amuse :ne but the solemn ticking of the mantel- piece clock. Not long after the disappearance of the footman I fancied that I heard a cab or carriage drive off from the front of the house, but took no notice of the circumstance until my patience got beyond bearing, and I was forced to seize the. bell-pull and tug it heartily. The footman appeared, with his dignity very much ruffled by the liberty I had taken in tugging the bell so viciously. t Ah—oh—ah—youah heah still ?" he said, pre- tending to have forgotten about such a low person AS myself. Yes, I've waited half-an-hour and I wish you to tell Mr Southwell that I must see him at once on important business," I savagely answered. Oh—ah to be suah. Mr Southwell ?" he said with affected idiocy in his stare, Mr outhwell has been gone this half-hour nearly. He was sud- denly called away, and took youah cab to go in." I gave the stiff and starched blockhead a drive in the stomach which sdnt him over on his back. and with a loud imprecation rushed out of the house and shouted for a cab loudly enough to bring one from the end of the strovt. NEXT WEEK :— A PRESENTIMENT OF MURDER." PABT II.

NEWPORT BANKRUPTCY COURT [Tuesday—before the Registrar, Mr H. J. DAVis ] RE CHARLES HAWKEY.—^Tins debtor, who has carried on business for three years as grocer and wine and spirit merchant, at 19, Commercial- street, Newport (adjoining the Town-hail), came up to pass his public examination, supported by Mr A. P. Williams, solicitor. He said he paid Mr Gunson £900 for the business, of which B250 was for fixtures, but that ho was deceived as to the nature of the trade done, and found that he had lost £100 at the end of the first six months. Each succeeding half-year he lost money; the last balance sheet, made up on the 27th June, showed an adverse balance oil the six months' trading of £41 13; 3d. There was very severe competition in tho grocery trade in Newport. The trade, in fact, was abominably and senselessly cut. In addition < ta this, ho had to contend with the refusal of the landlord (Mr Mason) to grant a renewal of the lease of the premises except at £280. A London firm found him a purchaser of the business if a new lease could be obtained at £250, but the landlord would not consent. The bank stopped his overdraft, after he had reduced it from £800 or £900 to £50C, and he had to seek protection of the Court. The liabilities expected to rank for dividend were £ 1,59S 5s M. and thy statement of affairs showed a surplus of B238 15s7d. but this estimate waa based on the assumption of the business as a going concern —The Official Receiver intimated that the debtor bad been adjudicated, and the examination was cksed. RE HENRY SAXON.—The debtor, described as a journeyman carpenter, of Wainfolin, Pontnew- ynydd, said, in reply to the Official Receiver, hat he formerly carried en business as builder at Brynmawr, and afterwards $.t Abertillery. In conjunction with his brother, he built: a. chapel at Aberbeeg, and entered into a contract at Aber- tillery for the erection of house property for a Mrs A. E. Wiltshire. He brought an action for breach of that contract, because he lost J6300 by it, but could not continue it in consequence of want of funds. He attributed his failure to the stopping of the contract. The statement showed —liabilities, £4099, Sd and deficiency, £37798 SJ. The examination was adjourned. RE EmvARD BAKER.—The debtor stated that he had been in business in Newport for a number of years, and now carried on a tobacconist shop in Clarence-place. Prior to that he was tenant of the St. Julian's Inn, Caerleon-road, and eleven years ago was in business in Marshes-road, suc- ceeding to a grocery store carried on by his mother-in-law. The failure was attributed to bad trade and losses and the debtor related, much to the amused surprise of the court, how he lost j675 over an accommodation bill his wife had signed in blank in favour of one William Morgan. Ho owed Mr Morgan £9 or £10. and when he called, his wifo offered to pay it, but he said the money might be useful tc her, and would she give him her name on a bill? Mrs Baker fell in the arrtti.^merit, and, unknown to her husband, signed her name, her initials being the same as her husband's, and the bill was afterwards filled up fer JB555 4s 5d. He did not repudiate his wife's signature, but he compromised it for about £ 75—and that, as he admitted, was a. dead loss. Tha liabilities Wfore JB559 7s, and the deficiency JB595 Us lOd.—Ths» examination was declared closed.

DEATH FROM APOPLEXY AT NEWPORT, An inquest was held at the Town-hall, New- port, before Mr Lyndon Moore, borough coroner, on the body of Thomas Friend, 65 years of age, of 13, Aylesbury-street, Crindau, who died suddenly on Sunday" afternoon at the house of Mrs Bartlett. The deceased had some words, so Mrs Bartlett said, with his landlady, and on Saturday stopped at Mrs Bartlett's house. His breath got very bad. and during the night he expectorated blood. Mrs Bartlett applied a poultice to de- ceased's chest, and suggested that a medical man should be sent for. On Sunday noon, finding that deceased was getting worse, her husband was getting ready to go for a doctor, but the deceased preferred to se* Mr Bocth, a neighbour. Mr Booth came, and remained until his death, which was very peaceful.—Emma Moreton, wife of a Cwmbran collisr and daughter of the de- ceased, said that her father suffered from inflama- tion of the lungs some time since, and 20 years age- strained ,a, blood vessel In tho region of the heart.—The inquest was rendered note- worthy from the circumstance that Dr J. T. Thomas elected to be sworn with uplifted hand, according to section 5 of the Act of 1888, and without kissing the book. He said that he made a post mortem examination of the body, and said that the right lung was entirely absent, and the heart and liver were enormously enlarged. The cause of death was effusion of ,ser«R\pn the brain and heart failure.—The jury returned a Verdiot Of Death from natural causes."

PARNELLITE8 ArtD THE GOVERNMENT. At a meeting of the Executive of the Irish National League, held at the offices in Chancery- lane London, on Tuesday night, resolutions were passed, viewing with regret and dismay the fact that a. Government professing a policy of con- ciliation and goodwill towards Ireland had not released the Irish political prisoners, and declaring that their continued incarceration is destroying the confidence of the Irish people in the hemesty and sincerity of the Government policy. Another resoluti n condemned the refusal cf the anti- Parnellite leaders to insist on the immediate liberation of their fellow-countrymen imprisoned ia P ortland.

PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION. Mr Ccnybeare, M.P., presided on Tuesday afternoon over a meeting in Cannon-street Hotel, Lonaon, at which resolutions were passed in favour of holding an international exhibition in London in 1895. A committeo was appomted to promote the scheme by bringing it bcfore the Govrrmnout and Parliament, the London County Council and Chamber crCommerce and the Corporation of the City of London. Wimbledon Common was mentioned m the course of the pro- ceedings as a possible site for the exhibit on.

An historical mansion, to which considerable interest is attached, has just been sold for £ 100,000. This is the Castle ot Ciroy, where Voltaire spent so much time in the company of his antie, the Marchioness du Chatelet, a. blue-stocking pu sang, who translated Newton's Principia" into French. The bedroom and study used by the author of the Hennade," and familiar from the piquant description left us byMdme. deGraffigny, still exist. In the library and picture gallery are several inscriptions in verse, composed by Vol. ■ tairc, extolling the pleasures of study and seclu- sion, The purchaser is one of the richest Of French manufacturers, M. Veillard-Migeon.

i ONE MOMENT. PLEASE.—Sufferers from Gravel, Xmcbago, Pile^, Pains in the Back, Dropsy, Wind and Water Complaints, Diseases of Kidneys, Bl&ddei, tFftaary Organs, Stone, Gleet, Stricture, Sciatica, Khsnmatism, and Gout will fjnrl a positive cure in Holdroyd's G avel Pills. Try a small box. and if not satisfied your money will be returned. Price Is Hi,d. Of all chemists, or post free for 12 stamps from Hol. royd's Medical Hall, Cleckheaton, Yorks. Don't be put off. If you cannot get them write to the proprietor, 3&d a box will be sent next post-. 14&1 SMCTACLKS TO SUIT ALL SIGHTS, as recom* lCendettby the medicaJ profession Taiaish, 5. IIWI- street, Cardiff. YOU CAN'T E, T. No! ALLCOCK'S PORors PLASTERS are not meant for eating, but. they are for an equally useful purpose, and help to prolong life same as eating does. They prevent Coughs, Colds, Asthma, Bronchitis, cure them, as well as Lum- bago, and all Aches and Pains, and in fact are a very breast-plate against such complaints. I BUT YOU eaa mm TKIIV

FUNERALS AT CARDIFF. The Late Mr Tyacke. The funeral of the late Capt. Josenh Tyackflfc who had for some time acted In a general mana- gerial capacity and superintended the construc- tion of the boats for the firm of Messrs John Cory and Sons, Cardiff, took place on Wednes- day. The funeral cortege, which left deceased's residence in Clare-street shortly after 11 o'clock, was attended jby a large ^number of relatives and friends. The body reposed in an elm shell enclosed inan English oak coffin, with massive brass furniture, and wascarried ina Vict-oriacar, followed by four mourning coaches, which contained the following gentlemen Capt. Tyacke. jun. (son), Mr D. J. lvacke (son), Mr Gouch (brother-in- law). Mr R. H. Helher (brother-in-law), Rev C. Griffiths, Dr Gore, Mr John Cory, Mr Herbert Cory, Mr J. Lee. Mr R. Martin, Mr Lewis, Mr Wm. Lewis, Mr J. Knight, Captain Hod^e, Mr James Fen-ier. Captain Harding, and the staff connected with Messrs Cory and Sons' offices. Wreaths were sent by the following Mr J. Cory and family, Mr and Mrs Herbert Corv, employees at Messrs Cory and Sons', Capt. Harding, Mr and Mrs Lee, Mr J. lerner, and others. Tile interment took place at the New Cemetery, the Rev Caradog Griffiths officiating. Mr W. H. Stone (of the firm of Stone Brothers, 5, W urking-streett ably superintended the arrangements of the funeral. The Late Mr Lincoln. The mortal remains of the late Mr W. F. R. M. C. Lincoln, for many years mill manager for Messrs Spillers and Bakers', were interred at; the New Cemetery on Wednesday. The coffin, aa English oak one, with handsome brass mountings, was covered with wreaths, sent by sympathising friends. Amongst those present at the funeral were Councillor Augustus Lewis, Captain Williams, Mr'Lock, Mr John, and a number of employees from Messrs Spillers and Bakers. The Rev J. Williamson, M. A., conducted the service at the grave. Mr W. H. Stone, of Stone Brothers, had charge of the funeral arrangements. The Late Captain Fraser. Amid many manlfestataous of sorrow the mortal remains of the late Captain James Frazer were conveyed to their last resting place on Wed- nesu?jiy. Deceased, wbowmm suach respected Car- diffian, formerly held the poSt of dock-master of the port, his association with the docks extending fcr the long period of 40 years. Death took place on Sunday morning last, in his 82nd year. The funeral procession started from deceased's late residence Cowbridge-road, at 12 o'clock the coach containing the coffin being preceded by a posse of the Bute Docks police, dockgatemen, ana berthingmen, and proceeded to St John's Church, where a short but impressive service was gone through, the Rev. Canon Thompson officiating, assisted bv the Rev — Prothero (Mountain Ash). The coffin, which was of polished oak, with brass mountings, was afterwards carried to the churchyard, a. d there interred in the family vault. By special request there were no wreaths. Among those present at the funeral were Sir Wm. Thomas Lewis, Capt. Pomeroy. Superintendent J. O'Gorinan. Mr Burt. Capt. Osborne, Capt. Rosser, Dr C. T. VachelL Mr T. H. Stephens, Mr D. Morgan (traffic mana- ger of the Bute Docks Co.), Mr Sparks, Mr Rees. Mr Campbell (chief engineer of the Bute DoeW Co.), Mr Harris, Mr Morgan and others The funeral arrangement, which were entrusted to Messrs G. A. Stone and Co.. 11 and 12, Working- street, were efficiently carried out.