The Cardiff Times

BROOKS' DYE WORKS, BRISTOL, LTD„ FOB SPRING CLEANING. CARDIFTI-BRANCH- 50, COWBRIDGE-ROAD. 1734 18249

WORKMEN'S TOPICS, r. BY MABON, M.P. THE COAL TAX AND OTHER SUBJECTS. 0R6ANISATION WJHE RHONDDA AND ELSEWHERE. I am feetie8 ,Very Klad indeed of the success oi the oQr I of Meetings suggested at and adopted by J ila 8' monthly meeting ia the Rhondda. 'h&t the men are'so unanimously kre Ing to the eftli, and that the meetings Hay BQch excellent numbers. And eJflte8S'°a Dow t,>at they w'" to 3bj#ct 'hat the ultimate success of the »oriy 'D will be secured. I am really J)QeDcQ at a redaction must be made in conse- 1 Wh' u that 'n'1aitoua imposition, the coal '• *• it • BO materially—accompanied &n9>0 j" *"f-h the embarrassing results of the tnj the rtPinnre war~to reduce the price of eoal 3uentj demand for our large coai, and conse- t'le red°ction 'n the wages o' coal tv* '8 corrs'DR before the House of Com- 4Q M 18 Week. The Finance Bill is to come on <o teci ay °'!?ht, and the new clause proposing 'n au Ce *he coal tax from Is to Id per ton will l&cl to a ility come on on Tuesday night, :e'eon ore likely on Wednesday, and that is the Ihend w^y I Bhal) not be able to SotDe of the meetings to be held Je the week. Still, the series will )rhic, Owed up to the end. Never mind the or withoutthe gates who seem to toafc,n at the fact of these meetings ^Oun 80cl1 a storm among the men and iike *ke public. That is because they don't )h the likely< or they are not watchers 4,6 and they cannot—or will not— ia 0)Ji aDRers still ahead. But we have a duty ed-tbey must be told, yea, and to that VetAre N0t Yet "°Ut 0f the W°0d'" lxPUin8mie8 our canae are attry'0? to >he tj '° Pur employers that they are not on >f at all. They should not dream Ott. Conciliation Board, but should '°l Of r"Urn to the Sliding Scale as the regula- ldv, I '%Res in the district. They are not only <4fcen *he employers, bot they have under- tak the -work of advising the men to for- 'ight 11 loaders and to take this necessary and 'nt° their own hands; that their 4hey have already proved conclusively that of, 1 POaPable of understanding the meaning faUed elhlltion, or at least they have miserably Me. ^LDeo,e that they know where to concili- ation t'hat they do say now after oar last k ,IUL not yet seen. want t0 te" 'kege gentlemen at 18 t',a' we think—at least, I think— l'8¡)res beept;ion of the riglits of the workmen we '8 to theirs, and, as to our duties *°hR better. Past rsaalts are our justification. And even though ^tlj6 Pot8,ry comment may not generally accord and commendation which are justly 8till we have the knowledge and satis- the lasting service we have rendered 4441, 1"40W men, and in considering the subject 0tlc concern at the present momeat and speia) aspect wo fnlly ^Uef difference between resistance to wage '°Bs and a movement for advancing wages »*j> ? Periods of industrial reaction. Past I believe, has tanght ns to know *VhS(. to and whsn not to strike to know bov, strike for and what not to strike for. We 'ta1¡]d tha.t to strike on a so-called falling market ^Ver, 1,°°' c°nsidered wise. It cannot, how- *>6^' 8 8*'nsaid that a strike, or the prepared- Noction8'^6' in resisting an offer of wage *UiQg will prevent those markets from !u Prude BKtee^ t^Rt it ia not wise ration1" t £ ) as^ ^or «tJvance(i or improved ^ast(ia,8 on t'10 occasi011 ft downward ,encl. yet it would be better if such an o sh0nneiro^ ns that was committed than complacently accept a reduction in on', inirnam wage. And, finally, let t a, we are not yet oat of the wood." thi, THE COAI TAX. v ,Lni9nitoa8 imposition once more ;ime j III be d e Hoase to be reviewed, and that Drinf°ne ")y "ie t'me theBe ''nes will be JQc,d b» Coalowners and r ^ors are con- » that time, as the workers are and ever ^*1 ttgrt tl1^3 export tax is a misfortune to our j|p*bera a°d to the country at large. The to8 t0 OppOBe » ''tain '°n They have already met at ^aiQ Palace Hotol, London, and ^Moio89' and have passed a »B resolution condemning the ,n'^ there will be in London this l8Ra.tes from all colliery districts B ^berft01* United Kingdom lobbying bl Sir ^arliamentin favour of its abolition. on°Ci! Laboui representative has th ''nR t PaPer a new clause asking that the hav« should be reduced to a nenny, but i^hstnhr>- Very little hope of succeeding. Not- ^rPtegs n1Q8 that Mr Chamberlain tried to tolthjB P°n the minas of the colliery workers th can°nntry tbe South African war, 8tanl86^ t'le P'ac'DK tax upon one of filacer!6 ^nc)ostries of the country, was a B» •hfceri ^ar' ^'s 90n> tha Bight Hon. Austen th^^o a'n' l^0 Present Chancellor of the th ta* w^en'es that proposition and that ttt the eRa nover meant as a war tax, and thus •hottirt,,ltryha" n0 t0 demand that the j 'OR a be removed on account of the war 4 a an end. He suggests now that the tax k*?OQOt Or less permanent one, and on that ah r very little hope indeed of it *«• p° a^eci during the existence of the ^ted t» This, I am informed, has t eh80|a 0 stagnant pool of opposition among OAs* ^ore °-f •t^10 ^'or?' other colliery owners ci'l Vivid and animated opposition. The tion:f0tt of their last meeting held at the ^jfj-coai t n hotel as the colliery workmen's G*' c°tjti a* was held, stated tba» they tax, -Strenuously their opposition to the bln'^huon i am imPressed that the word at j181? on their part is somewhat out of jf^Vety ?aat it will be so nnlass their action is th Hast n character to wiat it has been the very representatives and to A ^or offered a strenuous opposi- Wu^icharrrr^*5 when it was Srst introduced by '•i&k raWn ,'c^s-JKeach it might have been then the not on'y did they fail to appre- P08'tion themselves and became V' di. ,n t^Je matter, but they did their level to 'he workers from fighting the 'He 0,1 W h death—and they succeeded. But Nl|C°^'ervVe We a t0 expect support from j'lj. r^°wners but also from shipowners as sreat shipping trade ia deeply thin and indeed now concerned, as I under. at t t i f, a it. I aboot this export duty on coal. v'hii n?eaDa lower freights for coal cargoes bin on tK coals at foreign stations, In i otller hand it assists foreign ship- What ■*?ncoal ,n the marke»s of the world. veht°">et w '? m°re, to many of tho bewers fitsf .d fro*! ers whom the oolliery owners pre- 'rod,?1 making a fight when the tax was still "t e matter is becoming of deeper Ie of eever interest than eirar to the kt ^WbjCL J™e colliery districts affected bv this SQ 3 effected wages to the amount of '1 s P°r cent' °f value of the coal ,vOhi*0tWard°Kt'1 according to the claims tlj6'd be$5q the employers occasionally, it &«]. Per „ ^et C0nt. While we disagree as to a-nliatl" 't will be more than the 60 frienS V*to tll» other districts. V6f Weigjj p red Onions, the Chancellor of I\I) c'rernl ederUhD. aDd others have made a *he n0» oa'<5n'*tion respecting the ta- shi 8ay tllat taking into consideration ^*1 s> It for foreign ports, including t,, it B!AFI affected the wages of South °f i,.0*' in other co'liery workers to the Db_ ^RQtes, 5 per cent. Junt think "°iir y6ll the wages of all these for 8 Certa'oly i^ is high time to have "R thja j atrenuous action with a view to °f it of °Ur |poat abolished. Day by day the %*ul" Th» 'a narrowing in conseqaence ivi|i» V Ho» l^nited States, and to a very large "loV? aDan Ji America, are closed to us, 'h»n /i? 18 to do without onr supplies. a corm?* th'8 shilling tax is assisting fur,k'lt0,s' anc* setting, a premium *te I 'hi8 er development of Spanish coals, 0,?' anrt ,an Pricos and wages and freights a are still lowering. Manage r

you j lo Ueop mv paying guesta longer » i' Ob T'Jat, aoy rate," said the first land- th^°n fc know," replied the other, leal!™ 80 t,5*t tbey ,00^

MUSIC IN WALES. f By D. EMLVN EVANS. WANTED—" FIRST-CLASS VOCALISTS. That is the cry which comes from Liverpool, and was voiced at the annual meeting of the Philharmonic Society of that city held a short time since. The chairman having remarked that there existed a great dearth ot first-class vocalists," and that while the services of first- clask instrumentalists were not bad to secure, those of first-class singers were very dimcntt;" a, speaker observed that of the sum of £1.253 expended last seasonoDprincipal, £278 wøø paid to the instrumentalists, and £200 to one singer, leaving an average fee of £33 to other vocalists, at which figure the committee could not expect to command the highest talent." In reply it was stated that the committee would be only too willing to pav liberal fees to first-class singers were it possible to get them, but they did not exist;" another gentleman clenching that view of the case by saying that as a. fact there was now no great school of singing." We are not sore that things have come quite to this pass —not in the opinion of the country generally, at least. There are towns and cities, without count-. ing the Metropolis. who are given to somewhat Patronising Airs in snob matters, and one of the Liverpool Philharmonicists said that" if they stepped down from the Philharmonic platform there was m host of secondary talent available." In that particular the argument largely resolves itself, of course, into the question of what implied by secondary talent. Very exceptional1- talent is rare at best. At the present moment the world possesses no musician who as a com- poser can be said to tower above bis fellows and to reach the heights attained by the masters of the past. In the case, however, of mnsical production—or composition—such a. one may be amongst us only that he has not revealed himself as yet to oar conviction. Bat the reputation of the performer—vocalist or instr [1- mentalist-is subject to diBerent conditions. The singer or player muftt make his mark now, in the present. In very many instances the fame of great composers is posthumous. Sebastian Bach, for instance, had been dead and baried nearly a hundred years before his work was appreciated and when Mozart was laid to rest in some unknown grave amongst the little crosses," denoting the mixed burying places of cemetery of 3t. Marx, Vienna, not one friend or relative accompanied his remains to the end of the sad journey. They had not realised or known the greatness of the man, otherwise all the December itorms that ever blew wonld have been powerless tb make them tnrn their backs on tba. little coffin, and leave it to the care of hirelings. Both In Composition and In Vocalisation pre-eminent men (and women) also seem to come in groups—cyelea. We need not enter into details in regard to the former now, but in the latter the names of Grisi, Rubini— after him Mario-Tamburini, and Lablache, and which formed the celebrated vocal quartet of former days, will at once occui to the mind, with those of Titieos—after her Albani-Patey, Sims ReeveB-sncceeded by Lloyd-and Santley in onr own day. Probably we have no quartet of singers at present equal to these. That may be due to fortuitous causes, and years of famine follow those of plenty. No doubt a contributory cause may also be found in the character of modern vocal music, a large propoition of which is not vocal at all, bat written with little or no consid- eration for the voice, and in the rendering of which declamation and force are the main requirements. Wailings many are to be heard that the "bel canto art is dead, and dead it would have been long ae this if the perpetra- tors of vocal (so-called) extravaganzas were to wholly and finally rule for if melody be non- existent there ia nothing to sip jr." Bat melody will not die, nor will the vocation of the true vocal artiste be oat of date or long out of favour, unleis man's feeling and craving for the beautiful is to entirely cease. The prepon- derating influence of Instrumental Music is also an important factor in the present condi- tion of things. With the large orchestras of the present day-and not only large but often noisy and brassy, unless held ander by the iron will and authority of a. masicianly conductor-the poor soloist has bat a remote chance of making himself or herself heard in the unequal contest, unless he or she cry aloud and shout and Jet singing go by the board. As we have it in homely Welsh, it is just a case of trecha treisied, gwana gwaedded." At the above meeting of the Liverpool Philharmonic it was contended that the works presented at present appealed rather to instrumental enthusiasts than to the genera] body of the society, who would like more vocal and choral mnsic the reply to which was that if the society desired to give a bearing ot the best modern works the band was none too large -indeed, those works demanded not only all the present force but also extra instruments. Ulitmately, as we have but little doubt, these matters will right themselves sweet reasonable- ness will nreva.H. and both instrumentalists and vocalists will recognise the fact that they a:e interpreters of the same art, the which cannot flourish aa it should without their cordial co- operation. In regard to the main question the writer would wish to impress upon Young Welsh Vocalists the importance of the lessons conveyed in the plaint made as to the paucity of first-class singers. The subject is not a new one, but one that has been discussed in these columns, and possibly in others, upon many another occasion. The necessity to revert to it does not become less by the efflux of time, but rather the con. trary, seeing that renewed years hardly bring us any acquisitions of note, and that can be looked upon as capable of replacing those of our vocal artists who have reached distinguished positions, but who by the Jawof nature are getting neater and nearer to that period when the active prosecution of the art must be relin- quished. To ascertain what becomes of all the talented and promising singers, young men and maidens, who appear even in our little Welsh world year after year would very likely be an instructive investigation, but we fear not a cbeeriog- Particularly ie there Cause for Disappointment in the class of female voices—soprano and con- tralto. The eisteddfod brings tbem to light, a certain number—both male and female— shins for a while provincial lv. become membere of that numerous but unreal army called semi-profes- sional, and if perchance not soon lost sight of, are It for ever to the ranks of that small band of real aitistes which sojgreatly needs augment- ing. It wouldbardly be fair to blame the eisteddfod for this. When its judges deslare that this soprano it victor in the rendering of a solo from the Measiah," or that baritone of an aria from Elijah," they only announce and attest that they have excelled—speaking more or less comparatively—on that particular air. and not by any means that they are henceforth full-flsdged artistes capable of undertaking their fnll solo part in those or perhaps any other works. The eisteddfod and its adjudicators, we repeat, are not responsible for such an assumption, then which nothing can be much more disastrous to the singers themaelves.whoareeo utterly unversed and inexperienced all to the art a higher demands, nor less calculated to ensure our real musical progress 8S a people. Nor probably are the young and ambitions vocalists themselves so much to be blamed. It is partly their misfortune and the necessities of their case. Early training and the systematica] building up of the all-round artiste are what should be aimed at. Then, given the proper talent, industry, and determination, we may ultimately hope to produce vocalists of what our Liverpudlian friends CAn" first-class" rank.

Patient: Great Scott. Doctor, that's an awful bill for one week's treatment.—Physician My dear fellow, if you knew what an interesting case yours was, and how strongly I was tempted to let it go to a post-mortem, you wouldn't grumble at a bill three times as big as this. iUrs Yonnglove Our cook says those eggs you sent yesterday were ancient.—Grocer: Very sorry, ma'am. They were the best we oonld get. You see, all the young chickens were killed off for the holiday trade, so the old hons are the only ones leit to do the layin'.—Mrs Younglove Ob, to be sate. Of coarav. I hadn't thought of that.

I Welsh Tit-Sits. Wrerehion OoWiar yie Eingien. BY CADRAWD, HANDBOOK TO GlAMORGAN. Âmost interesting little handbook to the topography of Glamorganshire has recently been published by the Scholastic Trading Company, of Cardiff. The writer is Mr Famsworth, late lecturer at the Cardiff Pupil Teachers' Centre, who has always interested himself largely in all that appertains to the teaching of geography. He has dealt with the subject in a most readable and scientific manner, the chapters on the coast, the inhabitants, and below the surface being especially valuable. Brief reference is made to the many antiquities found in the county, and the paragraph on the means of com- munication is remarkably well arranged. The language in which the book is written is such that can be well understood by a child of ten years of age, and the book should find its way into the handa{of those who are interested in learn- in abont our dear old Glamorgan, of which Sir John Stradling, of Saint Donats, who was of a literary turn of mind. and is known as the author of several works in prose and poetry—he flour- ished at the beginning of the seventeenth cen- tury—sang :— For everything that Brittain 'fordea Is here in plenty great; Of every thing that man can wish To wear, and drink, and eat. II This land, the Garden of all Wales, Fat! rightly called it; And Brittain hath not anywhere A better land than this." The University of Wales. The Schoolmaster for May 20th contains a very, interesting article on the University of Wales," which is the title of a book lately written by Mr Cadwaladr Davies and Mr W. Lewis. It ia encouraging to note that the efforts made in Wales in the cause of education are attracting the attention of experts in the pro- fession ontside the Principality. The introduc- tory remarks of the review are worthy of repro. duction. Every village, every hamlet tbrouch- out Wales will in a very short space of time be able to claim its own cottage-bey graduate. The sons and daughters of labourers, miners, iron-workers, tin-workers and artisans, and all others displaying$he required native talent and gifts, will pass successfully along the grades of schooling and learning, from the primary schoo' through the secondary school, and thence to the University College to emerge at the end of the course apparelled in the Welsh Univeraitv vestments, the academic tokens of culture and knowledge. Then catching the inspiration to noble effort and high ideal from home, school, and college, will themselves become teachers, car- rying forward the light first seen burning among the Druidic enclosures, and monastic shrines of early Rritish days. and kapt burning since by poets, pattiots; and scholars—eisteddfodan and societies. The spread of the gospel of Goren art arf Dvsg," has never been wholly neglected. Thongh tanght by conquest that to put their trust in the armonrof war was to rely on a power that failed, the Welsh people have never allowed thair faith in tbearmour of knowledge and learn- inito become dim and faint. In the household proverbs, Goren art arf dysg," the Welsh poeple have always proclaimed the weapon of learning to be stronger than all weapons, yea, stronger even than the knitted gmr. Holding so strenuously, therefore to this belief, it is not surprising that nnder the guidance of great leaders of all times WaleB should have become possessed of a com- plete syptem of educational machinery, from the elementary school to University Courts. It is very refreshing to read the above remarks from the pen of an Englishman. It has taken him many; nectaries to learn, and to be convinced that the Welsh had a history, and that thcoag- ont the dark ages comparative refinement and intellect flourished in Wales. I have no donbt much of thecontompt which the Englishman has been in the habit of pouring upon Welshmen is lecause of the harshness of bis language, and thin is wearing away and fast disappearing since Englishmen have turned their attention tc the study of our language and literature. There is one thing we do not thank Shakes- peare for, caricararing most unfairly Welshmen speaking English. If he happened to hear a Welshman murdering English, he should in fair- ness, before pronouncing judgment, try and find out how an "Englishman treats Welsh. A strong Irish acceot, a Scot:h brogue, a French nasal twang, a Cockney dcawl—how very interesting. But Welsh Ow 'orrid I The Jate Rev. Lati- mer Jones, vicar of St. Peter's, Carmarthen, of blessed memory, used to say that As long the Wefsh people chose to keep their language, a Saxon dare not tern up his nose in contempt without running the risk of having it knocked off," Ten years ago a Minister of the Crown dared to say in the House of Commons that the Welsh were not a nation, but ten years hence we hope to convince the most incredulous Saxon that we should be recognised as a very old and re- spected people, which can affotd to look back with credit to over two thonsana years of struggles and privation in the cause of liberty and justice, and of peace with honour. What small nation in the world to-day can boast of such literature asthe Welah are possessed of. In the age of manuscripts, Cambria rivalled any nation in proportion to its number. Take for example the laws of Howel Ddn, drawn up in the 10th century, of whose wisdom the Record Commissioners appointed by King William IV. expressed profound admiration. And let no one call worthless the Welsh Triads, which are the oldest historical documents any country can boast of; also the chronicle of the Kings of Britain, of the Saxons, and of the Princes of Wales. Our proverbs, again, are exceedingly numerous, upwards of twelve thousand of these ancient sayingB and maxims of the ancient Britons are among our collection. The Mabin- ogioo, which are fall of traits of the original manners of the Britons euro a species of dramatic tales and the origin of romance in Europe. May. May has evet been the favourite month of the the year in poetical description- II From the moist meadow to the wither'd hill. Led by the breeze, the vivid verdure runs, And swells, and deepens, to the cherish'd eye, The hawthorn whitens, and the jaicy graves Put forth their buds, unfolding by degrees, Till the whole leafy forest stands displayed, In full luxuriance. And the biyds sing concealed." Thompson. The Glamorgan triplet saya — Maer merched yn llawenn, Wrth y glasu; o gan dd'wedyd fe ddaw'r haf, Cawn amser braf i ara." THE PROVERBS OF THE MONTH. Said o wenyn os yn Mai eu cair, A dalant Iwyth wyth ych o wair." A swarm of bees, if had In May, is worth eight ox-load fnll of bay. Mai gwlybvrog, gaotho cair, Lwytb ar dir o yd a gwair." A showery May will produce a loaded land of corn and hay. .1 Mis Mai oer a wna n ddi-nag Sgnjbor lawn a mynwent wag. A cold May will make a full barn and an empty churchyard. "Mai oer a fydd yn i&chei ddydd, Yn argoel haf heb fawr yn glaf." A cold May a healthy day, a atgn of summer With little sickness. The above were some of the old people's obser, rations which have comedown to us by tradition. A cold and windy May has always been ac- counted favourable to the corn, which, if brought forward by early warm weather, is apt to ran into stalk, while ih ears remain thin and light. It is delightful to watch the birds just now tiatch and rear their young. The patience and assiduity of the female during the task of sitting is admirable, as well as the conjugal affection of the male, who sings to his mate, and often supplies her place, and nothing can exceed the naternal tenderness of both when the young are brought to light. Towards the end of this month the bee-hives geud forth their earlier swarms. These colonies consist of the young progeny, now grown too numerous to remain in their present habitation, and sufficiently strong and vigorous to provide for themselves. One queen bee is necessary to form each colony, and wherever she flies they follow. Nature directs them to march in a body in quest of a new settlement, which, if left to their choice, would generally be some hollow trunk of a tree. Bnt man, who converts the labours and instincts of so many animals to hi3 ewn nse, provi des tbem with a. more secure dwelling.

41 What's the matter?" asked the optimist; I thought your uncle bad left you a hundred thousand dollars ?" He did," replied the pes- simist, but, confound it, he provides in his will that I've got to use 150 dollars of it to bay him a tombstone.' She I'm glad we went. It was an excellent performance—and for such a charitable purpose. —Her Hasband Yes, indeel. We all feel a thrill of satisfaction when we do something for charity and.gat the worth of one mooey at the same time.

Fashion and Things Feminine. BY MISS IDA MELLOR, A Pleated Walking Dress. The ready-to-wear tailor-mades that can be bought from the modest sum of thirty shillings come valiantly to the rescue of the woman with only a small allowance. The local dressmaker as a rule fails lamentably with tailor work, wherefore it is generally more satisfactory to buy ready-made coats and skirts rather than trust the task of making tbem to tbe cheap seamstress. As regards tailor gkkipl, pleats are affected more than aver, and the flow at the base is imperative, immense width being allowed thereabouts, Tne original of the simple bat smart tailor-made costume sketched is of navy- blue serRe with a band of blue velvet bordering, the loose-fronted bodice; which is set in pleats and tucked at the waist into a kid belt. The little waistcoat is of white Piqne, fastened with small pearl buttons, and the sleeves express the latest cuff, while at the neck are a silk (tie :and an embroidered muslin collar. A Smart Draped Coatee. After a long spell of straight coats and boleros draperies have come in again and the short coats for the sammer are draped in various new and pretty ways, some falliD„ 8ftC.fashion over the waist, others gathered int0 belts. One of the newest and most origiuaj little coats, of draped persuasion, ia sketched here. It is suitable for cloth or glaoe ai|t and is trimmed with silk-bcaid studded with 'silk buttons and further decorated with taesels and cords. A ,very pretty effect is given by the «quare-cmt neck, above which is Peen a veBs of guipure iace. The sleeves are slightly gauged on the shoulders, %nd conclude at the elbows with frills, trimraed with braid, the sleeves of the blouse showing beneath, from elbow to wrist. A little coat, too, worth copyidg., was devoid of drapery, the fronts just crossing one another and fastening with a couple of large buttons, the coat reaching tothe waist-litle in front, while at the back it extended linto a short basque, and was attached to a belt that passed beneath the fronts of the coat. Little collars, faced with velvet, are being introduced again, but thev are vorv diminutive and are cut in one with the coat, the neok of the garment being just rolled over. A Blouse of Baptiste and Lace. Zephyrs, baptietes, cilimbric and lawn-the-,se are the materials on which WO depend largely for the composition of washing blouses, apart from linen, in its plain and glorified form. The new zephyrs ate very dainty-looking, and prettily patterned, delightful blouses being made of pink zephyr, wbile those of cambric, trimmed Withbandsof coarse lace or embroidery, are no less fascinating. The new puffed sleeve appears on washing blouses of all materials, and is obsorvable on the blouse sketched, the original of which is of pa]e blue baptiste with a stole of ivory-coloured lace and a couple of bands of thorn-stitching on the caffs and collar-band, the little turn-over collar bsipg of lace. The Toilet of the Hands. The following is a treatment advised for en. couraging white, soft hands. Wash in tepid wp-ter, and with a powder-puff apply fine oat merl. After washing, dry and rub the hands briskly, Use rattier waimer water at night, and use a nail-brush all over the hands. When they are drv, apply almond paste, and sleep in easy-fitting gloves. To make almond-paste, takes two ounces oach of sweet and bitter almonds Dound them in R mortar to a pasta mix them with half an ounce of cati: soap, cut into five shreds; add two drachma of spermaceti, half an ounce of oil of almonds, and twelve drops oi oil of bergamot. Heat the past gently, and stir all the while. Then remove it to a cool place, and keep on stirring for a few minutes after removal. Useful tools for keeping the handa smooth and clean are a nail-brush, liquid ammonia, powdered borax, and assd or temoo for retaoviug stains.

SCIENCE AND HEALTH By Br. ANDREW WILSON, F.R.S.E, So. 1 A Curious Natural Hrstory Stuily. Amongst the curiosities of natural history study, probably there are none which present more favourable opportunities for examination, and certainly none which excel in interest, those which are found in tbe biography of sjme of our moBt common animals. An illustration of this fact may be drawn from the history of the com- mon lobster. It nsed to be a favourite question in my earherds-yswith natural history examiners to ask a candidate where tbe ears of a lobster were situated. To the oidinary individual this question would seem to be altogether paperflnoua. seeing that in his idea the evidence of the exist- ence of an ear must necessarily depend upon the presence of an outside portion of the organ of hearing In lower life, as indeed in higher existence, the essential part of an ear prtxticallv consists of what may be called the internal palt of the organ of hearing, this part being composed of the organs which receive sounds and the apparatus by means of which those sonnds are transmitted to the brain. As a matter of fact. the hearing organs of the lobster are situated in the first joint, or those next the head and lesser pair of feelers, for, as most readers know, the lobster possesses two pairs of feelers—a shorter and longer pair. When the organ of hearing mtbe lobster is examined carefully, it is fonnd to con- sist of practicably a sac or bag to which water is admitted, and within which the nerves of hearing end. Contained in tbe fluid of this sac, which is also provided with delicate hairs, we find mineral particles which are finown as earstones or "atotttha." A very jurioas point regarding a neighbour of the lobriter, in a shrimp of the family known as Mysis," is found in the fact that its ears are borne on its tail. The Lobster's Ears. An interesting feature concerning the lobster's ears is that wbeh showed that the mineral particles or earstones were simply grains of sand. These sand grains, it was presumed, were picked up by the creatures themselves and placed within the ears. their object bei. to increase the vibta- tions of sound. Hansen, in making some observation on the lobsters and their neighbours examined the ears closely after the moulting pro- cess had occurred. He then found that the ear sacs contained no mineral particles whatever. Later on he saw them carefully selecting particles of sand, but was unable to detect any animal m the action of placing the particles in the ear sees. In order to test tbe question he placed shrimps in filtered sea water, and in the bottom of the vessel strewed some crystals of uric acid. Latex on one of tbe animals monlted and the ear sac on examination was found to contain a few grains of sand, but no uric acid crystals Three hours later, however, Hansen discovered that the new ear sac which had been replaced after the moult- ing, contained crystals of uric acid, but none resembling common sand. The conclusion therefore, became clear, that these creatures actually take np grains of sand and introduce them into their ears for the purposes already described. Some Experiments. More recently another view has been taken of tbÐ ear of lobsters. It is well known that in onr own ears certain parts known as tbe semi-circular canals are believed to exercise the functions of maintaining our equilibrium, and it is certain that when disease attacks this particular part of the ear, symptoms connected with the loss of the power of maintaining the erect position are perceived. Professor Kriedl, a Continental scientist, maintains that the "real use of t&e lobster's ear is that of enabling the animal to maintain its balance in crawling over rocks. It may here be remarked that even if the ear of the lobster discbarges this duty, such a fact would not necessarily displace the idea that tbe ear is the real hearing organ, any more than because certain parts of oar own ears exercise the sense of equilibrium we are to suppose that tbe rest of the ear is practically useless for any other pur- pose. In the experiments of Kriedl, a lobster whose moulting was just beginning was placed in a vessel along with a quantity of iron nting". When the ear had to receive its new complement of ear-stones the animal used the small frag- ments of iron for this purpose. By means of an electric cnrrent the iron grains were directed to the side of the ear nearest thn magnet, when the lobster showed a distinct Ions of equilibrium. Slower movements of tbe magnet used in these experiments produced a curious and irregular motion of the animal, more rapid movement causiqg it practically to collapse. Tbe idea was, therefore, impressed Upon tbe experimenter's mind that the earstonee give to the animal the power of preserving its equilibrium, and that this power inclines to the surface of the ear on which the ear-stonea lie. There are extremely curious results, but apart from tbe latter ex- periments, the; mere fact that a common animal like the lobster posBesies organsof hearing which are relatively easily examined, Bhuuld invest the creatures with new interest in our eyes. Municipal Milk. An interesting volume recently came into my hands dealing with the qaestion of infantile mortality and infants' milk depots. The book is the work of Dr. Me Lear v. who is Medical Officer of Health of Battersea, London. In the work are described tbe means which municipalities, both at home and abroad have adopted with the view of endeavouring to reduce the high mortality present in infant life in onr large towns and cities. At Battersea, for example, a very perfect milk depot exists. On the Continent a very consider- able nnmber of tbess depots have been estab- lished. in France especially. I learn that the firat infants' milk depot in thin conntry was opened at St. Helens in 1899. Liverpool and Ashton-nnder-Lyne followed in 1901. The Bat- tersea depot was established in 1902 that of Leith and Bradford in 1905; while Burnley. Glasgow aDd Dnndee followed suit in 1904. Tbe idea throughout is that of supplying milk which shall be warranted both as rsgards its quality and its puritv as suitable for the perfect tsourishment of the infant. Certainly if children ere not to be suckled by their mothers, tbe only alternative open to 118 is that of seeing that they are pro- vided with a form of nutrition in the shape of milk which shall not merely be nutritious in character bnt free from the contaminations to which so many childish ailments are dae, and especially that terrible ailment of the warm months of the year known as infantile diarrhoea. This last in our great centres of population represents every summer veritable massacre of innocents and it is due practically to the fact that tbe milk npon which tbare fed is con- taminated- in one way or anotnlf, and conveys disease to the bodies of the innocents. Another ideal which is desired, and which shoald be possible, is for the sterilisation of tbe milk to be carried on in the bomeB of the people. All were at present verv far from having arrived near the ideal state, the next best thing f jr the preserva- tion of life is thai people should find an object- lesson in the work and labours of the munici- palities and of medical ofneers of health in supplying infants with their proper food. The Evolution of the Lung. Langs are the heredity of air-breathing ani- maifl and are fouttd passing upwards in the scale of the back-boned animals from the frogs through the reptiles and birds to quadrupeds, including man himself. The frog may be considered to be the connecting link between tbosa animals which breathe air contained in the water by means of and thoe which breathe air directlv from the atmosphere by means of lungs. The frog in its aarlier 3tages, as a tadpole, is practicallv a fish* breathing by gills. Later on the gills disappear and the lungs are developed, but in certain members of the frog tribe we find gills and langs to exist together throughout life. A reader of this column asks if anything is known to science ot the ovulation of the lung. To this question I can return an affirmative answer. The earliest notiea of tha long amongst the backboned animals is a curious organ found in most, but not in all, fishes, known as tbe swimmfng bladder or sound." In ordinary fishes this organ is a closed sac or tube con- taining gas of one kind or another, and devoted to the work of enabling the fishes to rise or sink in tbe water. In certain fishes we find the air bladder communicates with the throat by means of a tube, In othora again we find it divided in two the tube leading to thi* throat being also present. In this latter case'we findit comes some what to resemble the lnngs of higher animals. Finally 'n certain fishes, we find the swimmin<; bladder beoomes an actual lung in that tbe fish takes air directly into it, this air being used to Durifv the blood which is sent to the swimming | bladder, inst as our blood is purified in our own lun^s Other fishes, perhaps more distinctly than ihe frog, show the connecting link between what may ba called the air breathers on tbe oda part and the water breathers on the other. Cer- tain of them are enabled, by virtue of their possessing an altered air bladder in the shape of lungs to exist oat of water, wh.lst, by means of fh« oiilo bv wbioh they are provided they can live fn the water. We thus see that the old proverb about tbe unenviable position of a fish out of water, like most proverbs, baa its very decided exceptions. Personal Magnetism. I bave a query from another reader, who asks whether there is any proof that, wht be calls a power of personal magnetism is resident in the human body. In answer to hIm I may say that science cannot recognise any such power, or quality, or condition, whatever we eooose to fall it. I always understood that personal magnetism was merely a poetic phrase, indicat- ing a. certain force of character on the part of an individual calculated to express bis appear- ance. As for a humau body being capable either to give forth magnetic force, or of being in the slightest degreo inflaenced bv magnets, science has no proof of the correctness of any sach asser- tion.

Why do so many actors insist on playing Shakespeare ?" "I suspect," answered Mr Stormington Barpes, that it's tecaasB they can take all tbe credit if they succeed, and blame the pablio'a lackQf literary taste if foil."

Illustrated Humour. A Musical Tragedy. What do yon think of brass bands ?** asked tie. thinking of the free concerts at the park. "Brass bands are better than none," replied she, contemplatively gaziug at the third finger of her left hand bat why can't I bave a gold band ?" The Worst of It. It's ridiculous for a young man to get mar- ried as soon as be coates of age," said the elderly bachelor. Think to, do you ?" suid:Henpeek, languidly. Of coarse. Why. he's scarcely old enongb to lie bis own master." Well, be isn't if he gets married." Insulting. Lady Palmist: I see by your hand that jou j-bave been married three times. Bachelor Madame. I will not permit any- one to insinuate that I am a hopelesa idiot. Money Order. "Yea can't got a. money order for more than £100, can you ?" Don't You believe it. I got one the other day for £ 200." Through the post-office ?" Yes. My wife, telegraphed, Send me EZOO ,at once. Help. Did you have to help him out when be pro- posed ?" No. Papft did." Happiness. Son I know why little black boys is BO happy. Parent Wby ? Son 'Cause their mothers can't tell when their hands isn't clean. Traced to the Origin. ft Macintosh boasts a good deal aboat his family, doesn't he f" Yea I think he claims that the bead of his family was the original Macintosh that Noah bad with him daring that rainy season." The Explanation. Why ia it a girl enn never catch a ball like a man?" "A man is so mnch larger and easier to catch," -0. Perpetual Motion. Lady Why do you beg instead of working ? Tramp I'll tell de truth, ma/am. I begs ter git money for whiskey. Lady Why do you drink whiskey Tramp: So's ter git up me courage set ga round an' beg, ma'am. The March of Science. Whatever are you trying to do, Pat 1" aaked Lhe squire, who had come across one of his tenants at work upon a weird-looking contrivance of indefinable shape and purpose. Whoi, yer honour," was the surprised answer, sure, ye can see Oim afther buildin* windmill." a A windmill, is it ? said the squire. But ,Oil']} get no wind down in this hollow, Pat." Pooh, yer honoar;" said Pat. Who wants ihe wind ? Oi'tngoin' to be more up to date. Ji'U work the windmill wid 'lectricity or wire- less telegraphy, bed&d." 5» w; Poor Bruta. Heavyweight: I ten you. horseback riding is a great thing for reducing the flesh. Friend You den't seem to be mu.!h thinner. Heavyweight No bat you out to see the horse. Thin Skinned. Proprietor: What made that customer walk out ? Did you offend him ? Shopman I don't know. He said he wanted a hat to suit his head, and I showed him a soft one. Looks Deceptive. She Everybody says you married me only for my money. "He But I didn't. I know yoa look it, dear, but I didn't. Cabby (to driver of wagon loaded with scrap iron) Now. then, admiral, pull on one side. You can't'have all the road.-Driver of Wagon Who are you calling admiral ? You red-faced, cat's-meat wbipper.-(;abby Now. admiral, don't get out cf temper, even if you are taking the Baltic fleet home. When 1 was out fishin' the other day I found a rite See wile Rose. I cum Hoam and stuck it unbenonst in the ole womin's Hair. At first she likken to Fell Ded. Then she cried a few, and then Alowed I onrter No more than to be fooiin' round pickin' Flowars. This last sounded more Nacheral to m, bat I notis she bftd Ripds of Preserves on the. sapper table,

WELSH GLEANINGS. Overheard at a Cardiff ambulance claas last week What are tbe organs of circulation f--< Answer; Money." Asked the other day for a message to a etmt of Sunday school scholars, Mr Evan Roberts replied, Tell them to go to the divine backslid cash the divine Dromises." In a certain churchyard in Glamorganehic^ a vicar's tombstone bears the following extEft* ordinary epitaph :— Uarrah my boys for the parson's fall, For if be'd lived he'd have buried us all I Mr Arthur Clendon, head master of the Dol* gelly County School, has resigned his positional and has been appointed head master of Ac Handsworth Grammar School. < This week's GraDhic has an excellent^ illustration of The Flow: Model of gronp ftHv; the new Town Hall, Cardiff," by Mr PantH; Montford. Tintern Abbey is still being carefully overt, hauled with a view to preventing any furthest ravages of time. A larger portion of tbe abbey, is now open to visitors than bas been the for some time. "The family of William Salesbnry, one of the translators of the Bible into Welsh, says W. T. Stead, made in Germany, doducisg name and origin from Salazborg." The directors of the National Provincial Bank have, through their Carnarvon branch, promised^ a donation of towards the Welsh Maseam, provided it be established in that town. The Rev. Robert Williams, senior carateoC: Llandndno, has been presented to, and has ac- cepted. the incumbency of Llanbedr, near COU: way. Mr Williams' first curacy was at Po He was at one time a C.M. minister at DolJfeUi "I This comes from Llanelly:—A local tady, having sent an order for a joint of mutton to tilt batcher, received the following note; 44 Desc Mem,—I am sorry I have not; killed myself thta week,but you can have a leg off my brotbas^ —Your affectionate, ———-—, Batcher." The three judges of the Federal High Court who have goue on strike are Sir Samuel Griffitb, Sir Edmund Barton, and Mr Justice O'Conner. Si* Samuel is a Welshman an ex-Premier of Queensland, and a native of Merthyr Tydfil. Vandalism is the policy at Symond's YaC That beautiful svlvan glade on the cliffs .bo the Yat leading to Lydbrook-tbe theme of a4 many rhapsodies, the admiration of Americans^ Germans. and other foreigqers. and the pride of every son of Gwent- ia being felled with the aq; of the woodman. Welsh literature is poshing iisway to thecbiet railway bookstalls. A Ovmro's heart was very much gladdened the other day by seeing a pile of a well-known Welsh magazine placed for salflfi upon the Easton Station platform. The sales- man said there was a. great demand tor Weltrir magazines. The iains of Usk Castle, the reputed btrth-V place of Kings, are being repaired, with a view-ofc.. their preservation. A portion of the wall* having been uncovered, the old kitchen is closed. The present owner of the Castle is Alfred Addams-Williams, Llangibby, of Indian Civil Service, and it is said that be pro-, poses to expose the whole of the foundations wi tbe view of restoring the castle to its orie'naf' form. •ir The Times," in its report of the Royal Society's conversazione, refers to some eclrpsjT falides, and then states that equally strikinff and highly instructive, and even beautiful, were," Mr T. E. Heath's (of Cardiff) etereoseopic vie," of the sun and stars as seen by eyes 26 lights years apart (a light-year is many billions of miles). The stars are coloured greenish, yellow, reddish, and other tints-to indicate the various types of atars. The apparatus ought to be Ot great educative value." Tbar 21st anniversary of the establishment of the North Wales University College at Bangotf is to be celebrated on the 1st Joly, and promised to be interesting. Several eminent educationists in and out of Wales have already promised tit attend the celebration, when the deed of the site of the new buildings will be formaUy babdelt over by the City Council to the college authorities. The name of the chapel at Aberoarn, where the Welsh BaptistUnion meetings are to be held this year, is Cae'r Gorlan. This must have beeo suggested by a noetic mind. Has not the time arrived when tbe custom of giving Hebrew names to Welah places of worship should be abandoned;, and the Abercam example followed T Another- Monmouthshire chapel name is Y BabeU, the Calvinistic Methodist edifice near Islwyn'sb~ home, and in the burial ground of which the ashes of Wales' best modern poet are interred. Mr Evan Roberts. Me Evan Roberts seems to be spending a, vertf happy time on the Anglesey coast. His day if divided between rambles along the shore andf rowing about the bay in a small bjat, accom* panied by a boatman. He is fond of musing up and down tbe beach, and may often be seen writing verses in the sand. One that be writer often is Daw cariad f4 God is love While in the open air he frequently bunts oat. into singing. Welsh Chautauqua. Aberystwyth has once again been selected foi the annual meetings of the British Chautauqua, which will be held there on August 3rd-31st. The Alexandra Hall will be placed at the disposal ot the members, and the lectures, etc., will be de- livered in the University College buildings. a.¡ good programme of excursions has been lor. ranged, and the list of speakers is a strong onoj The Congregational Union. The remodelling of the constitution of th« Welsh Congregational Union is now being con" sidered by the members. From the opinions; already expressed the remodelling suggested wilfi bave itee] f to be much remodelled. The report win come un for consideration at this year's annual Assembly of the Union, to be held at Tredegac in July. Why not adopt, in a modified form, th* new constitution of the Congregational Union ofd England and Wales ? Welsh Club for London. The arrangements for the foundation of a Welsh clnb for London are satisfactorily approaching completion. Out of the total sum of 1.00Q guineas in annual income estimated to suffice to defray expenses, the sum of 763 guineas hat. been secured in subscriptions of applicants, and additional applications are coming in daily. Steps are being taken to secure premises ill Whitehall Court, and to provide furniture. Thw officers are Sir J. H. Puleston, chairman, Dr. L. Thomas, honorary treasurer, and Mr W. LJ. Davies, 3. Lincoln's Inn-fields, W,0., hon. secretary. The Primate's Visit. The promise of the Archbishop of Canterbury to visit Wales at the opening of extensions to St. Michael's Theological College at Llandaff recalls the fact tba the visit of the late Primate to Lampeter on a somewhat similar errand waa hla last appearance at a tublic function of any im- nortance. It was expected that the late Dr. Temple would on that occasion have something to say on, the education question, which was jOlt then beginning to become acute, but be contented himself with simple, characterisSfo pleasantries. The visit before that of the Eng- lish Primate to Wales was an occasion of national importance. It was when Archbishos Benson, at the height of the Disestablishment controversy, came down to the Chorch Con- gress at Rhyl to ten his fellow-Churchmen ia Wales that the Church was one and indivisible. Wales saeme to be rapidly returning to the political temper of those days. On the occasion of the visit of the Church ConreiJs 10 Cardiff Archbishop n pstMbpti fQ St. Jgfeay Church v