Glamorgan Free Press

( Ccjtp. ight.) A MANAGING DAUGHTER. By MRS. J. K. SPENDER, Author of "An Uncanny Experience," "On Her Way to be Married," &c. Mrs. Shuttloworth was nearly fifty years old when a strange ciud unexpected event took place j-1 tier life. I had known her as a widow, and had always appreciated the struggles which she made to support her children. For she was a delicate wolllan-olf) of those who ought to have led an LISY and sheltered existence. She niust have been pretty when she was young, 411,1 still pit-served a modicum of her good Jooks, her hair being of that tint which the French tcr .i blondccndre, ouly needing a ray of sunlight to turn it into gold. It was as yet scarcely tini^d with grey, and her complexion Was of the tint of ivory. In spite of this she was not really sickly, being one of those people whom the public call wiry. And though she had managed to get through a fair amount of work in organising a girls' school, she had never had really much to worry her during her placid existence. She had two children, her eldest daughter being quite of another type. Jenny was in every Wdy a first-class young woman, who prided herself on having taken a first-class at her Oxford examinations, cn holding her own with everyone she met, and on having even her dresses up to date. There was nothing feeble watery about Jenny h-t. the younger brother, who was delicate, resembled it is mother. Mrs. Shuttleworth saw her children mark out line for themselves—the boy following the C'fl; though when they danced and acted charades, and expressed their opinions boldly in defiance of her, she had told me more than ence that she had the feeling of a hen seeing her ducklings swim. Never was I more surprised than when, on **7 visitinw her one day, she confided to me that she "had decided to accept an offer of Siarringe from a man who had cared for her when she was a girl. "He has never married," she said, blushing •nd trembling as if she was still young, "and it will be a home for the children; I must 4onsider that." I did not make uluch remark, for, as Mr. Deane lived in the neighbourhood of Lnscomb, tportt about his eccentricities had reached my •ars. I knew that he was a stern Dissenter, for himself the singular privilege of Slower even conceding the possibility of being mistaken in hit creed. Well," I thought to ravself, "it it not worse than the claim of the Roman Church to the monopoly of a guarantee for a aafe im- •oortality, and it is no doubt pleasant to feel such absolute conviction in the truths which you believe. But I wonder how Miss Jenny will bear hie oracular deliverances of his own opinions. He has remained a bachelor too long, and will keep them all in order with a Yen- geance I am afraid I reflected rather severely on the poor lady, who seemed to me half-stupid to give up her independence. She told me on a eecond interview that Jenny, who was finishing her education at Somerville, had written to her most kindly, saying that what vu for her mother's happinesi would certainly be for here. It was only some time afterwards that I heard the whole truth, in a conversation which I had with the giri, whom I had known from her babyhood. She acknowledged how when her mothfir,i Utter arrived she had burnt her candle through the small hours of the night. "She oughtn't to-she oughtn't to!" she -sobbed. "It it all a mistake, and we should have been so happy together. I as coming home to help her, and we did not want any lIIan intruding upon our privacy. She ought to Pay more respect to my poor father's memory." With all the vehemence of her youth ebe Scented tecond marriages. "She will rub out the memory of all our happy years," she said angrily to beraelf. Nevertheless, though she was disappointed in her mother, the did not allow herself to say 80 when she tat down at last and wrote the letter of which Mr*. Shuttleworth had told me. Jenny had been appalled, but had got ow sufficiently to preserve her composure by the time that the mother's short wedding tour vr" over and the inidtummer vacation had arrived. She bad borne the disappointment of another Announcement tolerably well, though it had involved the breakdown of all her little am- bitions. For she )u°i been scarcely surprised that, a* now it would be no longer necessaryj for her to get her own living. Mr. Deane had decided that it would be better for her to leave the University, as he was one of those men who did not think that Higher Edooation for ■women was at all to be desired. A wave of vexation and disenchantment swept i over her ae she received the news. It did not amount to rebellion, since she restrained herself for her mother's sake. But she said to hersolf indignantly, as she drew herself up: "To think that we shall all of U8, have to submit to the tyranny of that man I I feel sure that he is narrow-minded to im-j becility." She bad repeated to hergelf on her journey homewards that she should not. he able to bear: eeeine ber mother and such a man making love to each other. And she was a>rain on the verge of crying when the thought of her dead father e memory. "Even the ancients," she said to beraelf, with her smattering of classical education, "had! ehrines in which they honoured their dead, but we modem people pride ourselves on for- getttBg." Her eente of the changed relationship-of eomething unexpressed in words, which the knew,she bad better keep to herself, as well ae this supposed humiliation to her father's memory-had goaded her into a state of active I dislike bv the time that a middle-aged, rather •tout bald-headed man met her at the railway station. He was puffing like a locomotive, ae the day was unusually hot, and wiped hit brow ae he explained that Mrs. Deane had asked for Donv-carriage to visit one of her friends, fWinf^an extra reason that her daughters. would be too heavy for e P0. t( J "I walked all the way," he said aj I bought it would be quite expensive o **ke a cab back with the boxes. This allusion to money matters Once upon Jenny, who had fastidious tastes,an who, though accustomed to small economies, thought it vulgar to ?peak of them. Mr. Deane's whole appearance suggested uncomfortable possibilities, and increased thai antagonism which she already felt towards the *nan whom she would have to tolerate in the; itl of lover to her middle-aged mother. Loft affairs in old age are always so ridi-1 eulout," thought the girl, holding her head aj little higher than usual, and answering in monosyllables ae her newly-acquired ttep-i father drove her to the pretty village. The) fields and the hedges were filled with flowers, but Jenny, who was an enthusiastic botanist, forebere to make any remark on them. Then, when they reached the pretty cottage in thej village of Densley, which had been Mr. Deane-oil in his baehelor days, a vague new light began! to dawn upon the daughter. Something in her mother's manner as shej etood at the doorway, having given up the; pony's reins to a little boy who acted as page; mnd assisted in the garden—a boy who, ast Jenny told herself, was almost as self-sufficient; his master-sonietiiin,, in the meek tone of Mrs. Deane's voice, suggesting spiritless! obedience, tugged at the heartstrings of her: daughter. livui that time Jenny Shuttleworth) pitched her standard a little lower. The ideal fcones which lie had ret3entedi were evidently not to happen at all, and her' trial would not he that of seeing her mother; earned n',d petted in a way which would uertstinlv have bven ridiculoit- at her age. It 1 vas to bA altogether in another way. Ever; ¡ce her filler's death Jenny had taken the; widow ut A-r her protecting and sheltering care, .I.d that her mother should now be snubbed J ■andslighted, ignored aid gruffly answered, had! "ever urrurre-i u> her in her wildest dreams. ,j The nvugi n t girl had only been a day ori two in tiie prt tty < o\f» £ a l.e/ore she felt the c'wtagion of the flttii >*pf ere, and began to realise hew women fj'oi:i all time had submitted be treated as inferior beings and succumbed ««*om the force of ciroimstar.ces to the authority of the man. 1Ir. Deane had altered r. »cs of his bachelor jabft*, but expected hit wife and ftep-childran « accommodate themselves to him. As the irl said angrily to herself: rvbody else aightgotothewall.but the com- ileteness of h' existence must erill be rounded nto a perfect "Whole." It is of no use for us to preach if we do iot practise," she thought, remembering a legate at Somerville in which it had been lecided by a large majority that women were to j 3e the saviours of society, and that every reform, even in politics, would in the future ieppnd on them. "Deoidedlv I must do something," she said o herself day after day; but her mother. jtpparent content nent and her step-father'* Exaggeratedly grave manner, his pompous Resumption and his uncompromising attitude, left her more and more in doubt at to the xnct form her tactics were to take, Mr. Deane did not even appear to notice her small attempts at squabbling with him, which I turned on such trifling matters as rearrangement I cf the household furniture, he being cursed with an unfortunately geometrical eye, which was 'always detecting a false line somewhere, and having a horrible preference for light papers and aniline dyes. He shewed beside this a tendency to limit his wife in the way of literaturs and to interfere with her friends, and this gave Jenny another opportunity for shewing fight. "Mv mother always amused herself," she raid, "in the evenings by that best form of history called fiction. You have no more right to interfere with it than you have to prevent her from going to theatres." She was too much set on the need for fighting her mother's battles to notice the deep fold* which began to deepen on Mr. Deane's brows, She could not say with truth that he was ever unkind to tfle woman he had married; she was not exactly afraid of deliberate unkindness, but thought herself justified in meeting his chillines* with corresponding coldness, and in feeling herself reproached by his patronising smiles. "My darling," said Mrs. Deane nervously, "I must ask you not to wrangle with your step- father lie has never been used to it. Am I to make myself miserable by a morbid craving after pleasure? If acting seems to him a form of stimulation which is injurious, and novel- reading a waste of time, surely it it a tmall sacrifice for me to give these things up, con- sidering how good he has been to us all ? But this seemed only a proof of hereditary weakness. Jenny quoted Olive Schreiner and the dream of the oppressed camel which must rise by its own efforts. After s-pending a few weeks at Woodbine Cottage her state of indignant revolt could ,carcelybe repressed—the ugliness and mockery of the whole thing so forced itself upon her young, fastidious sense. Mr. Deane was one of those dreadfully punctual people who*e purpose in life seems to be to correct the incorrigible dawdling enjoy- ment of other*. No one in hi* houae wa* allowed to loiter or dream. Neither wa* there any waste of time over meals, everything being carefully planned, just as it had been during hi* bachelor rlgime, to avoid the sin of idlenea* or unneceasary'discomfort. The ground wa* got over every day in a practical, ordinary, guiaa- book fashion, no time being allowed for WMtafnl effort or desultory talks. When Jenny came down to the breakfast- table the resented the fact that the reproof to herself for the irregularity of her hours seemed to imply a reproach to her mother. "My dear, said Mr. Deane, raising his spectacles and giving a long, searching look at the curly fringe of hair round the girl's fair head, I am afraid your daughter inherits your habits of "npunctuality." Not at all," answered Jenny "it is because I have been working and am tired. Mamma was always unusually punctual. She had no more intention of taking his reproof* than she had of btuahing the onrly fringe into Puritan amootline". Her heart chafed sorely against her fate in having to reeide with this masterful man instead of being allowed to pursue her indepen- dent oareer. "It is all for mother's sake," she said to herself more than once. "I cannot sit tamely by to see her disparaged and overmastered by people who misunderstand her. She will only fold her hands and sit still with the face of a Faint. As 1 ng as this goes on I must stay to take care of her. Oh I why are women so meek ?-it is hateful, intolerable! If they would assert themselves a little, it would be a thousand times better for the men, as well as for themselves." Was Mr. Deane tUtcays to be humoured ? asked the indignant girl. Did be consider the frightful grind of getting a new set of thoughts into a middle-aged woman's head ? Her rebellion came to its height a few days afterwards, when I was sent for to her younger brother, who had borne the hot weather badly. Archie was looking ill, and both Mrs. Deane and I remembered how more than one child had fallen a victim already to the hereditary con- sumptive taint which Jenny alone aeemad to have escaped. I suggested that it might be better for the boy to tpend the winter abroad, at Algiers, or in the Canary Islands, or, if Mr. Deane objected to his wife taking the lad to so great a di,tance from home, I added that there was Davos, which was nearer at hand, though I always considered that Davos was rather a depressing! place. Mr. Deane was more disturbed than I had ever seen him at this idea of parting so quickly with his wife. For, if she were a middle-aged bride, she was after all a bride, and I pitied the poor man, who-though he had tried to shew a conscientious consideration for the children-had been a good deal worried and put about during his few months of conjugal felicity. "Why should not the Downs do just as w6ll for the boy t" he asked, looking up in his characteristic way through his spectacles and trying to hide that he was worried. Now, the Downs, in the neighbourhood of Dansley and the larger town of Luscomb, had been for many years the resort of nurses and children—especially during the summer holi- days—and Mr. Deane's speech grated upon Jenny and made her wince. "You know that poor Archie is weary of the Downs—sick to death of them I" she cried, with a look which was intended to crush her atepfather. "Don't make a to-do about nothing. I hate fusses, you knaw. Your mother and I will talk it over between ourselves." The answer maddened Jenny, who lay awake all that night meditating a coup d'itat. That a sensitive woman like her mother should be sub- jected to what she considered to be such indig- nities made her blood boil. "He is essentially disagreeable," she repeated to herself, and he must be taught his lenon." She was all the more angry because of the state of Archie'f health. The question of change of air for the delicate boy seemed at least to be dropped for the time. "Thit will Denr do," she said to herself in a decided manner; "mother will put up with anything for the sake of a quiet life. She will no more Amax of eschewing this tyrant's eociety for the sake of taking Archie for the necessary change than of disputing his will. She could not guess what was P*8*111^ tor "J her presence at least her itep-father P««rv*d unbroken silence. And if during the next few day. she instantly appeared when anything of importance was being discussed in her absence. it would have been uncharitable to have sus- peoted her of listening at keyholes. The idea of putting hertelf in the wrong, or of being caught in any pickle, never occurred to » I* who was always managing other people. The opportunity which she had been trying in vain to find happened at last one evening, when Mrs. Deane, who had been complaining of headache, retired earlier than uanal, with a quiet "Good-night to her daughter. They had always been a kissing family, but now they parted without a good-night kiss, at if the little mother were afraid to kiss her children. Archie had been looking more pallid than usual that day, and the pictures and furniture of the room swam through a mist of tears as the girl lingered, carefully closing the door, before she found a voice for the passion which had been hitherto carefully repressed. Then she spoke aloud. "Thi* will not do," she said; "it will slowly kill her." Mr. Deane put down the volume of Foster's Essay* which he had been reading, and asked ia ome surprise of whom -he was speaking. "Of my mother," cried the angry girl, no .onger able to keep back her tears. "If you tilled her, I would never forgive you." "I suppose not," said the astonished man; 'but as I am completely in the dark, may I nquire what all this means ? "Oh. I know—I know," she tried to explain jctwsBii ber sobs. Mon are always like that!' They never see when woiu-n are fretting themselves to death. She is grieving about Archie, and if we procrastinate like this, all the time will be lost and Archie will die." He was touched by her filial piety and by her passionate anger, but he did net take Are. He did not even try to protect himself from imputa- tious that were false, though her words seemed to scorch him as she continued: "Many meo marry because they like to have a woman to look after things for them -to look nice at the head of the table, to mae things respectable, and all thixt; but mother is not one of that sort." He waited before he answered, eo determined was he to preserve his self-control. All his life he bad had a perfect horror of "scenes"; they seemed to him not only theatrical and unseemly, but connected with the devil. Women were fond of making scenes, but had to be taught to restrain themselves. It was his duty to set them the example. So he only said, speaking with difficulty, as his throat was dry: "I should be sorry to think that one of the results of the Higher Education was to teach girls to think such things of our sex." She was a little softened, but the remem- brance of the sleepless night during which she had planned to carry matters with a high hand urged her to follow up her advantage. "Archie is ill," she repeated, and then she added in a lower voice: "I believe you are jealous of Archie." For the first time he visibly flinehed. "That is like the rest of your wild ideaa." "Wild or not," she repeated, "if you cannot spare my mother to go with Archie, the boy will die. Oh I cannot bear to see one of my father's children treated as if his illness did not signify! Why did she marry you-oh, why did she marry you ? "Why indeed?" echoed the older man with a sigh, which the irritated girl, bent on accom- plishing her mission, did not even hear as ha held up his hand as if dismissing her. She was a little mollified on the following morning, when she heard that the plans for the winter had been suddenly changed. Her mother was to go to Davos with Archie for some months. She was so pleased with her stop- father that she tried to exchange a pacified glance with him and found it bard to catch his eye. But unfortunately her ideal of perfection was not reached, and new vague plans of breaking I Mr. Deane in during her mother's absence began to dawn upon her. It had not been tufficient to see Archie comforted, or to watch him laying his little pale face clote to hi* mother'* as he fell asleep —aleeping well for the first time' at the news of going away alone with her—not enough to hear the little fellow fidgeting with his quaatkms and !asking hour after nour: "Isn't it time now, mem me P" The very thought of one such battle successfully fought suggested that there were more Waterloos to win in the future. The leaves were lingering on the treee in the Krden of Woodbine Cottage, like the straggling eks of old age, and the golden light of the antumn sunsets fell on the long dusky aisle of Are which led up to the Down., when Jenny found herself alone with her step-father. Both were conscious of a certain queerness, a sort of ahynesa on both sidea, but Jenny was determined that there should be no eenae of oppreeaion on her part and none of the thraldom which she resented. He began by. spending most of his days at his literary club or in work connected with his chapel, seeming to consider that it would be quite sufficient for her to have free use of the pony-carriage, and evidently thinking it quite supk-rftllotim-ft them to say many words to eaob other. Hi* manner at their tttt-A-Uto was dry, stiff, and almost as ollcialu ever, and he spent most of his lparë minute* in occupying himself a* he bad done previous to his marriage. She was beginning to be a little afraid of him now that she was alone, but said to herself: "I won't shirk a thing because it ia unpleaaant." One day, when she saw him at work in the little garden* she demanded one of hit horti- cultural favouritee, though she know that ba gathered them for-so one. "There ia a Bovar," she aid, "which I want to pick. It ia a pity to let rare blossoms always bloom outside; it would look so niee on the drawing-room table." He ignored her, but the repeated her requeat, adding: "It ia usual to give way to women. My mother would often like the Rowers, but she told me ehedid not like to ask for them. He halted, and made some dry observation, but neverthelees she had her flower. On another day, when she had asked some friends to visit her, he told her he was going out to his club. "Your club 1" retorted the indomitable girl. "Do you know that for a married man you spend too much time at your club ? You should go out with us sometimea." Her heart beat strangely aometimea when she ir ade these remarks, and once or twice when he was sharp to her she held her ground decidedly, making a pretence of taking no notice of hie attempts at keeping her down, but examining his books and pictures with an imperturbability which at least equalled his own. "Well. I never he muttered to himself on one of these occasions, and then, after going upstairs and fidgeting about for some time, he positively came down and offered to take her out for a walk. "I am sorry I put you in such tempers," he said on another occasion, "but I am one of the old school, and the Modern Girl is incompre- hensible to me." After this she told herself that ahe waa certainly gaining ground; she loved power, and the idea of gaining it intoxicated her. The nsws came after two months that Archie wa* better, but Jenny urged—perhaps not with- out reason—that it would certainly t>e necessary for her mother to extend her stay. When her step-father sighed, Jand said sadly that "nothing finite could be trusted to, and that everything on earth wae hallowed by the shadow of death,s she perceived that he was growing melancholy, bnt she did everything to rekindle and keep alive his fears. "Otherwise," she said to herself, "he would b) sending for mother at once." He was beginning to be very meek and docile, but he was certainly growing thin. Neither was the girl happy, Amazon though she pretended to be. Determined not to be snubbed, and rejoicing in her success, she tried to persuade herself that her own personal discomfort should not be considered for a minute. She never saw that he too was suffering, for he suffered in dignity, silent and aghast. To do her justice, she did not want to overdo her part, neither did she ever intend to be rude. She could believe that at the bottom Mr. Deane was a kind-hearted man. Of his integrity there could be no doubt, and she was certain, after living with him for those few months, that there was a fruit beneath the husk worth getting at —a certainty which made it all the more necessary for her to persevere in tearing off the rind, for the sake of the patient, meek, much- enduring, unassuming little mother. She told herself triumphantly that her mother wae aaved, and that she hereelf could either go out into the world to get her own living or continue as she was. On the whole, she inolined to the latter alternative, for Densley was a pleasant place, in spite of the drawbacka which liad aet her against it at flrat. Her triumph received a check. For Mr. Deane, who diaappeared, as he said, to pay a visit to an old friend, juat before his wife's expected return, wrote the following surprising letter: "I cannot alter all my ways. I never thought of that in marrying you. I forgot the diffi- culties and complications which might be expected from growing-up children. I can t expect you to part with your children, but I leave you an abundant provision. Be happy with them. Do not inquire after me. I have decided to go to Australia with the friend I determined to visit. You will never discover my address. I have put it out of your power to do so." He had had enough of the family. His loud and self-confident voice would never be heard again in the house. He had borne the unpalat- able truths which Jenny had thought it her duty to tell him, and the poor girl's desire for martyrdom was amply gratified in witnessing tbe^ real and by no means fanciful suffering which this time she iiad unintentionally inflicted on her mother. ('lusts*.]

A Haulier's Compensation Claim at Penrhiwceiber. INTERESTING CASE AT MOUNTAIN ASH COUNTY COURi'. At the Mountain Ash County Court on Mon- day—before His Honour Judge Gwilym Wil- liams—Henry Haines sought to recover 13s pet week from the Penrhiwceiber Colliery Conir pany under the Compensation Act for certain injuries sustained whilst engaged under the re- spondent company on the 30of May last. Mr W. P. Nicholas, solicitor, Pontypridd, (instruc- ted by Mr David Morgan, miners' agent), ap- peared for the applicant; and Mr B. Francis Williams, Q.C. (instructed by Mr Vazie Simons) appeared on behalf of the Colliery Company. Applicant, in evidence, said he was a haulier, and had worked at the Penrhiwceiber Colliery for nine years in all. He was 27 years of age. He was working on the date in question at Boobier's level, hauling trams from the face. to the double parting. A tram got off the rail, and as he was lifting it on again he felt some- thing give way in his inside. He felt a little pain, but still kept on working. The pain in- creased more and, more all the time. Shortly after the accident he examined himself and found a little lump on the groin. He told the master of hauliers that he felt bad after lifting the tram. The swelling increased after he went home, and he went to Dr Jones' surgery, and was examined by Dr Evans. The next day he sent notice to the colliery. That night the doctors failed to reduce the swelling, and he remained under treatment for about a fort- night. Then he was examined by a doctor sent by the colliery and questioned. He told the doctor that he had never been ruptured pre- vious to lifting the tram. Subsequently he re- ceived notice from the company that he was to go to Cardiff Infirmary to be treated. A couple of days after his arrival Dr Sheen examined him with the result that he was operated upon en tie 26th June. Since leaving the hospital he had been unable to follow his employment. Cross-examined by Mr B. Francis Williams: It was not a fact that there was an old lump in the groin previous to the date of the accident. Dr David Evans said he attended applicant on the date, but failed to reduce the rupture. There was no evidence of former rupture. An old lump appearing in the groin might be an indication of former rupture. If fibrous tissue was found it would also be evidence. Dr Alfreu William Sheen, M.D., M.S. (Lond.) end F.B.C.S., said he examined Ifcineg on the 26th June and performed an operation after examination. The contusion of parte indicated hiernia of some standing, but there was evi- dence it had been recently added to. Mr B. F. Williams: There was no doubt there was a rupture of long standing? Dr Sheen: No doubt at all.. Haines having the rupture before, in lifting the tram increased it P-Yes. Would Haines have been aware of the pre- vious rupture?—He would have been extremely obtuse if he didn't. Mr B. Francis WiBiams, addressing Mg Ron- our, submitted that that was not an injury caused by the accident arising out of the course of the man's employment. Mr Nicholas said he did not wish to traverse anything which Dr Sheen had said, but the point was whether the old rupture precluded his clien from recovering. The increase size prevented him from following his employment. Judge: That is so. Mr B. F. Williams stated that what caused the injury to Haines was that he had been suff- ering from rupture before and not because the tram went off the rail—as they constantly do- end putting it back again. An analogous case would be: Suppose a man had a weak heart and was in such a condition that the extra exer- tion may cause death and the man exerts him- self. He dies from an act which would not Injure a man of health and death would be at- tributable to the weak heart. Mr Nicholas observed that the Company had taken the man with all his defects. Mr B. Francis Williams quoted a case tried before Judge Bagshaw at Brentford from the "Iron and Coal Trades Review" in wh'ch a man in tfhe course of his employment cried out 'some thing inside me has gone." Three days later he died from the effects of a rupture in the stomach. At the post-mortem examination cancer was found in the stomach. In that case the County Court Judge ruled that the prim- ary cause of death was due to the weakened state of the part by cancer, and had it not been for cancer death would not have occurred. Mr Nicholas quoted a. decision in a similar case in which the applicant had dis- played symptoms of gout in his system and which had been decided quite in tfhe opposite direction. The judge intimated that he would like to have the parallel cases put before him for con- sideration in arriving at a decision. Any cases bearing upon the caseg before him he would be pleased to receive. Ilebowner found on the evidence of Dr Sheen that there was an old rupture. That the rupture was increased by the exertion in lifting the tram and that this had incapacitated him from follOítVÍng his employment. The decision was deferred.

t feil SCORES OF il^lTESTlMONIALS 2i from persons who SAFE cure- • |:r|.j Has saved their lives when victims of wSf|jKlDNEY DISEASE [ DO NOT DELAY it will cill-eyou IF you IT NOW. Sold Everywftesi 2/9 ^/6 Po r ir, L I

r Hearts of Oak Benefit Society. The Ynysybwl branch of the National Federa- tion, in connection with the above Society, held its annual dinner on the 5th inst., when there was a good attendance of members and their I friends. The dinner, which was up to the usual standard of excellence, was provided by Mr and Mrs D. W. Howell, Windsor Hotel, who, since their advent to Ynysybwl, have established a reputation as caterers of first class dinners. Dr Morgan presided over the convivial gather. ing, adding much to the enjoyment of the even- ing by his geniality and his good humour. The usual loyal toasts having been drunk, Mr J. T. Williams (ironmonger, etc.), proposed 'The Army, Navy, and Reserve Forces." He had no wish to introduce political questions, nor ques- tions of diplomacy into ;he meeting, but if war was inevitable, he believed that the British Army would fight "as one man" and prove itself "the bravest of tibe brave." The Chairman, in responding, said that in his opinion we need fear no foe. Our insular posi- tion makes us a naval people, and he felt proud of our "first line of defence," which is in first class condition. The "police of the sea" are stronger than ever, and as able as of yore, to protect Great Britain from all foreign foes. The Army is also, he believed, a powerful one, and the officers and men as brave as of old. The Volunteers, too, are a most useful body of men, and if occasion should arise, would prove them- selves important auxiliaries to the regular army. The next toast submitted -as "The Hearts of Oak Society," with which was coupled the name of Mr J. T. Docton, of Merthyr, who is one of the oldest Welsh members of the Execu- tive Council. Mr Docton, in replying, expressed his pleasure at being present in the meeting. He bad written to the secretary of the Hearts of Oak Society and obtained the latest par- ticulars, of which we extract the following items:—New members admitted, 1897, 13,969; do., 1898, 15,062; do., 1st and 2nd quarters, 1899, 8,581; total membership present time about 235,000. Income, 1897, f.494,778 18s 3d; 1898, £ 517,592 18s 3d; let and 2nd quarters, 1899, P.272,991 3s Sd; added to Reserve Fund, 1897, £ 134,962 4s lOd; 1898, E155,314 12s 10d, being the largest annual amount which has been added to the Reserve Fund; 1st and n2d quar- ters, 1899, Z8,990 7s 4d; total Reserve Fund, 30th June, 1899, £2,091,003 10s 7d. Siek pay disbursed, 1898, E220,623 18s 7d. The number of members added to the society for the 10 years to 31st December, 1897, was 159,683. In the Convalescent Homes Benefit Account there is a balance in hand on 30th June, 1899, of £9,794 2s 10d. The total olaims paid since th foundation of the society to 30th June laet, make the magnificent total of C5,374,874 Is PAl, out of which 93,624,741 8s 6d was paid for sick- ness and superannuation, all of which goes to show that this excellent society is more flourish- ing than ever. The toast of "The Local Governing Bodies" was afterwards proposed by Mr Abraham Rich- ards, and responded to by Councillors D. Rogers D. W. Howell, and Dr Morgan. Mr Edwin Lewis, who is an ex-delegate, then directed the attention of the meeting to the pre- sentation to made to Mr Robert Jones, formerly treasurer to the local branch. Mr Jones, said the speaker, had, during Ms term of office, proved himself devoted to the interests of the noble society to which he belonged. He had shown himself one of the most enthusiastic and faithful members, working for the society inde- fatigably both in and out of season. He hearti- ly wished him both health and prosperity. Mr Goles then, after & few concise and ap propnato remarks, made the presentation,com- prising a gold-mounted walking stick. Mr Jones suitably responded. The toast of the "National Federation" waa proposed by Mr Rogers (bookseller), Mr Judd, of Treforest (delegate) responding. Mr Coles, who is chairman of the Branch Committee, proposed the toast of "The Press," which was responded to by the Ynysybwl re- presentative of the 'Tree Press." The toast of "The Host and Hostess" was proposed by W. Shepherd, treasurer of the brandh. Mr D. W. Howell responded. During the evening, the proceedings were en- livened by songs, contributed by Messrs Gwilym Roberts, Samuel Rogers, and William Howell#. The singing of the National Anthem brought to a close a most enjoyable meeting.

— -LIT-MBBABMGGGGL1! ILL OLD FALSE TEETH BOUGHT. Many ladies and gentlemen have bv them old or disused false teeth, which might as well be uri2ed into money. Messrs. R. D. & J. B. raser. of Princes Street;, Ipswich (established since 1833), buy old false teeth. If you send your tw-th to them they will remit vnii by return of post the utmost value or, if pre. ferrd, they will make you the best offer, and hold the teeth over for your reply. If reference necessary. apply to Messrs. Bacon &. Co., Bankers, Ipswich. 4907

Pontypridd Ccachbuilding Co. (Prize Winners for Carriages), ARB now offering a large r.umher of Traps 1 arid Carriages of various criptions at the very ioweef prices. Larg-Show Rooms new t)p,u- | CARRIAGE: WORKS Morgan STHEKT, PONTYrl;If>D. r THE PONTYPRIDD Pilll < PUBLISHIN O. (Limited), 'FREE PRESS" BUILDINGS, TAFF STREET, PONTYPRIDD, HAVE PLEASURE TN ANNOUNCING THAT THEY HAVE COMPLETED THEIR ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUPPLYING EVERY DESCRIPTION OF PACKING PAPER AND PAPER BAGS AT PRICES THAT WILL COMPARE FAVOURABLY WITH THOSE OF OTHER WHOLESALE HOUSES. OFFICE STATIONERY AT LONDON PRICES. I The "Free Press" Printing Works is specially built for the requirements of the trade, and equipped with Modern Machinery AND Up-to-Date Type. ACCOUNT BOOKS MADE TO ORDER. EVHRY ESGKIPTION OF BOOKBINDING PROMPTLY EXECUTEDi #