Rhondda Leader Maesteg Garw and Ogmore Telegraph

FAMOUS WINTERS. In 1269 the entire width of the Baltic Sea was by sledge. In 1339 a great many per- sons v ere frof/en to death in England. In 1409 the Danube was frozen up from her source to her estuary in the Black Sea. In 1469 all vines in Frarce were killed by frost. In 1609 and 1639 the port of Marseilles was frozen over, and there was great suffering and distress. In 1709 prance was ice-bound from north to south, the xce extending for miles seaward. Large num- bers of birds and animals died of cold.

AN ANCIENT QUESTION. The drink question" was far from being Unknown in ancient times. "Bee" was the Egyptian "wine god," and he had no lack of devotees. The laws against drunkenness in ancient Egypt were oeveze, and offenders were "able to imprisonment and flogging. So the taverns were chiefly kept in the back streets of towns and cities. We learn as much as this from inscriptions on tombs and other records. Th-era are pictures of vine cultivation quite S°00 years old. Seals, too, with the image of ■*3«s engraved on them, have been found buried ^ith mummies, probably as charms. His por- trait is not flattering, 6ince he is represented as a hideous object having a huge body and tasked head.

THE FLY'S FEET. The ability of the fly to walk along the ceiling 1Dr up and down a pane of glass made it the sub- ject of scientific study for years. The scientists at first thought its feet were furnished with sue- tion pumps, so to speak, little valves that clung to the ceiling on the same principle as that of !°e wet leather disc that boys lift"bricks with. When they found that this was an error they thought that the fly's feet were supplied with a kind of sticky oil that enabled it to hold on. But careful experimenter discovered that while the J^et exude a fluid it is not sticky, and so that theory had to be given up. Finally this same (jlCperimenter hit on the truth. He found that the feet of the fly are covered with minute hairs each fly has about 12,000 of them—and that the fluid that comes from thenlC d abIes the fly to y^alk, head down, on even the smoothest surface, j?y capillary attraction. The fluid on the fly's teet forms a sort of connection between the feet "rid the surface the fly walks on, and the attrac- tilorl thereby established is strong enough to sus- a¡!1 several times the weight of the fly. When |t is Se6n apparently making its toilette by rub- lng its feet together and all over its wings and ack it is simply puttine its feet in order.

» OLIVE TREES. In Syria some remarkably ancient olive-trees ave been found whose ages are established foe- tid question. A trust deed exists which re- ntes to an orchard covering 490 trees, near aq^Poli, Syria, the trust deed having been issued ^•|,years ago. Though the trees look aged, they ni i ar of fine quality in abundance, and] e likely to maintain their productiveness for n any hundreds of years vet. An olive grove ,e.ar Beirout is admitted to be the third largest lve farm in the world. Syrian fruit farmers ,>? extending olive culture with much zeal and Qect. One farmer recently set out 300,000 ees. in a block for commercial purposes. The j^thods of grinding the olives for oil and pick- n8" the fruits are peculiar. Neither the Joinders nor pickers receive wages, but are paidi percentage. The pickers receive 5 per cent. J the actual fruit picked, and the grinders get Per cent, of the fruit ground.

EXCITING SPORT. There is no more thrilling sport than bar-. Zoning the devil-fish, the giant ray a manta, ijM?h has its home in the Gulf of Mexico. are very gruesome in appearance, STow to a large size, some measuring from tlmiV? rJ'° eighteen feet and weighing more it t After the fish is safely harpooned, is tle^Uires infinite tact to bring it to land. It °r 1,nuaua' f°r the fish to run for three hour» oa-?ore, an<l they can tow a ten-ton sloop quite When they weaken they are pulled near 10 boat and despatched by another harpoon a rifle-shot.

BLOODLESS CONQUEST. The contrast between terrible war with- &11 itI suffering and the glory so readily accorded to it and bloodless conquest is eloquently drawn in the following passage from the Memoirs Re- lative to the State of India," which WaTrert Hastings wrote on his last voyage home. It appears in "Selections from the State Papers of J the Governors-General of India (Oxford Black- well, and London Constable): The conquest of a foreign principality, which had added half a million of pounds sterling to the national income, a- splendid extension of dominion, and a large store of lucrative offices to Ministerial patronage, though purchased with the blood of thousands, maintained with an enormous expense of fortresses and military gar- risons, and the hazard of national disgrace with the loss of it, would have crowned the warrior, by whose fortunate valour it was won, with deathless glory; and votes of Parliamentary thank's, bonfires, and illuminations would have proclaimed his praise and the public triumph. A bloodless accession of public income, gained by the silent operation of official arrangement, perpetuated in its duration, and fixed in its value by its inherence to the essence of the State itcelf, unencumbered with military eetablish- ments and frontier defences, and ministering subsistence to a whole people both in its imme- diate distribution as a necessary of life and by the returns of a foreign commerce, is allowed to sink unnoticed in the blended accounts of the general treasury, because it was not produced bv any of those efforts of the mind to which human pride has affixed the claim of renown, and in which every man appropriates to himself a share of the national glory.

Proposed Hall at Tylors- town. To the Editor of the Rhondda Leader. Sir,—In last week's issue I find that the Rev. R. Hughes was among the news- paper correspondents, and his closing sen- tence is a defiant call on an opponent to reveal his identity. If that were done, perhaps he would disdain taking anv notice of an ordinary layman's arguments He claims the right to criticise every design that will endanger the moral tone of the neighbourhood. That, surelv, is the right of every true citizen. But that does not justify an onslaught wherein appears the cloven hoof of a personal attack on an individual. Are we to imply from his action and words that the morality of Tylorstown was neglected before his advent to the place? He and the writer Deacon must be closely connected. Both are harping on the topic, "Variety Hall," and Mr. Hughes covers the weakness of his position by the statement that he has -conclusive information which he is not bound to reveal. He can please himself on that point, but his argument would be stronger if this information were forthcoming. I will not take any space to defend Variety Halls. As a. supporter of this new hall I am not called on to do so. These, like many institutions, can be misused. Church officers of all have urostituted their authority to mean ends. How often has the singing school" been the actual downward step to the young? The Insti- tute in our midst has also been made re- sponsible for the degradation of certain individuals. Indeed. I shudder to think of the many dastardly actions done under the cloak of religion. Now then, if halls in their being misused call for condem- nation, the same course of action must be meted out to these others. Mr. Hughes complains that the ques- tion of skating rink is held in the back- ground. Does he smell another evil? Is this form of recreation also to come under the ministerial ban? Where is the evil of it? There is surely no difference between skating under cover, and doing so in the open air. I have not indulged in rinking, but having looked, in at three local rinks, I may tell Mr. Hughes that he would find it difficult to name any recreation that is conducted in such a becoming and decorous manner. '1 9 Jir. Hughes asks whether the rink is a promised compensation for support of the hall. Well, as rink and hall are parts of one project, their interests are inter-depen- dent. It is even so in the churches, and therefore such a course of action in busi- ness should meet with approval from him. There are churches in the Rhondda Fach where one fund has. been found helpful to the shortcomings of another. If the ministry fund is down and another is strong, things will turn out all right when the balance sheet appears. It was a thousand pities that the work- men failed to gain a sufficient majority to build their own hall. Many of our chapel-goers voted against it under the mistaken idea that it would affect the Institute. But I maintain that the objects of the. hall are not antagonistic to the Institute, much as the latter needs some opposition. Does the rev. gentle- man countenance all that goes on there? It is well-nigh become an annex of his church. As to the threat of coming to closer quarters on the rink question, that reveals either, a, spirit of bravado or childishness, and so calls for no more comment. One word more. Mr. Hughes says that the revision of prices in the Valley halls suggests to some minds All adagio move- +w,i fne' Promoters of this hall will W rllm • °,r t le suggestlon contained ,At n*cely expresses the idea of the piompters. Allegro might appear more suitable, if regarded from the point of dividends. But as the rev. gentleman Poses in the role of a musician, let us accept his term. Adagio means deliberate expressive and sustained action. So I am informed by a little chap who is get- ting music lessons. The term, therefore, appears to convey that the promoters will maintain such an action in their project They will be grateful to the keen minds'' who created this great idea. de1!? I°!ihn?ion'1 }i-pe Mr'- Hu§hes deal with the question apart from any individuals associated with it. He failed in his letter last week. The latter por- tion is an ill-concealed sneer at a certain individual, an action hardly flattering to a minister. CYMRO. To the Editor of the Rhondda Leader. Sir,-In your last week's issue there is ome interesting correspondence regard- ii g the above which has drawn forth vigorous criticism. From what I can gather, one of the principal points in the controversy is the proximity of the pro- posed hall to a public-house, which is, in my opinion, a very grave objection. A suggestion for a site having been asked for, I have no hesitation in recommend- ing a very desirable spot on the top of Penrhys mountain a few hundred yards from the Isolation Hospital in the direc- tion of Forth. This spot is an admirably sahibrious one, and, I believe, the foun- dation would be as firm as a rock, as the nearest rubbish heap is at Pontygwaith, close to the motor platform. The site I refer to is, I am told, equi-distant from several public-houses in both Valleys, so that the hall would favour no drink shop in particular. There is a farm adjoining, where a plentiful supply of new milk and fresh eggs could be obtained bv those desiring refreshments, and as most of the patrons of the hall would be colliery workers, their boxes and jacks would be very serviceable, and they would have the satisfaction of knowing that they were supporting a home industry. As many of us like to take our pleasures seriously, perhaps some of our spiritual advisers could attend at the hall to give a short address at frequent intervals. If the hall is to be used as a library and institute, the walk up the mountain would be very health-givine. while if it were to be used for various entertain- ments, the latter could be arranged to finish at 7.30 p.m. so that the people might be safely back to their homes before the warning note of the eight o'clock curfew sounded. If the Penrhys site does not meet with popular approbation, I believe a site could be obtained on the Llanwonno mountain near to the engine-house, and the tip railway" might be requisitioned. A journey of tranis could be fitted with seats for the passengers, and adjustable roofs could be used in wet weather. One advantage of having the hall on the Llan- wonno side would be that people attend- ing funerals to Llanwonno Cemetery might find it an optional resting place after the performance of the obsequies. I have been considerably grieved to note the bitter feeling that has been generated during the hall controversy; but perhaps both sides will sink their differences and accent one of my pro- posals. It will be fatal to the welfare of the country if the present state of tension Is i j continue much longer—I am tol<3 there is a highly electrical atmo-

I The ROATH FURNISHING Co. THE request the pleasure of the ¡ company of I ROATH I ALL ENGAGED COUPLES FURNISHING THOSE INTERESTED FI N | YOU ARE 1 I INCLUDED D\ Artistic Furnishing in thir C009 9 at their SHOWROOMS The Great Cash J CHURCH ST., ABERTILLERY, AND EASY PAYMENT » Furnishers, where some sensational value in Furniture is being Taff Street, Pontypridd, offered, and where Rock-bottom Prices are Church Street, Abertmepy the chief feature throughout their High street, Bargoed. entire establishment. Payments arranged to suit each purchaser Headquarters .-42, City Road, Cardift. I

GRAND CHAIR EISTEDDFOD, MAESTES. Tuesday, August 2, 1910. Aggregate Prizes, £ 200. Music—Dr. S. COLRRIDGE TAYLOR, London Preliminary, W. THOMAS Esq., Treorchv; Brass Bands—TOM MORGAN, Esq., London Literature-" Gwili Ambulance—Dr. D. J. Thomas,"STantyrc-el. CHIEF OHORAL-" Hark the deep tremendous Veice (Haydn). 1st. prize, 470. 2nd, £ 20. SECOND CHORAL-" The Lord is my Shepherd (S. Davies, G &L., Maesteg). Prize, £20. MALE VOICE—"Spartan Heioes" (Dan Protheros). 1st. Prize, zg20. 2nd £5. JUVENILE CHOIR-" Over the fields of Clover (Adam Geibel). 1st prize, £ 6. 2nd Z2. BRASS BANDS (2od Class) Memories of the past" (W. Rimmer). 1st prize, £10. 2nd £ 5. 3rd ACTION SONG for Children-lot prize, Z2. 2nd tl. SOLOS-ls. each. PRYDDEST Prize. 2es. vr-h handsome Chair. Ambulance Competition, £ 4. Together with substantial prizes for other musical competition, Essay, Recitations, Englyn, etc. Full particulars, see programmes 2d. each, from the Secretary, J. P, JAMRS, 16, Brynmawr Place, Maesteg, Glamorganshire. r IN EVERY HOME YOU'LL FIND 4; f) "MY OWN" SELF-RAISING A H FLOUR, I THE BEST FOR PASTRIES, V FI CAKES, TARTS, ETC. TRY JT, a A. ,.ia& Sample IL I IN EVERY^WM^c^^ol PACKET OF | HOAH

Timothy to the. Churches of Ferndale. To the Editor of the Rhondda Leader- Sir,—In your issue of the 7th inst., you kindly gave me a small space to vent my feelings with regard to the performances carried on at the local and the con- nection therewith of some of our fore- most members as well as deacons of the Nonconformist Churches. I expected someone to take up the cudgels in defence, but was disappointed. What is the matter with us all ? Are we afraid to have daylight thrown on our doings? There is a goodly amount of shouting among us about the management of the affairs of the Federation; now I think that for costly management our Institute will go down with any concern in this line, that is, if it were all brought to light. I do not think we need use the words picking and plucking about the "Federation—we are going very well in mismanagement. I understand that the Tudor pictuio people have already given a beaefit even- ing to one of our disabled workmen and that a large sum was handed to him, and that they are getting up another for a Tylorstown man. Now, when shall we be able to give a benefit, according to our liabilities and assets, and without treat- ing shabbily the firm of Messrs. D. Davis and Sons, who have backed us to the immense sum of £ 15,000? It will take us about 500 years to be able to give a benefit to anyone, and say it is our own money we are giving. I shall have more to say after the holidays, with your per- mission.—Yours, &c., TIMOTHY.

Death of Mr. Timothy Davies, Ferndale. The death took place on Sunday of Jfr. Timothy Davies. a well-known figure jn the public life of Ferndale. He died s-r-l- denly at Bournemouth, where he had ge s-e for recuperation. Deceased was one i the best-known deacons in the Sbrij, Wales Calvmietic Methodist Association, having been chairman of the deacon' section in the association and monthly meetings. He was a. member of the last School Board in the Rhondda, chair it r. of the overseeys for nine years, treasurer of the first Liberal Club in Ferndale. and of the local hospital. The bu/ial tal:<?s piece on Saturday afternoon at Fernda1-.

Cwmparc. The holidays passed off very quietly zt CwmparCj a large number attending the j singing festival at Treorchy on Monday Ihe Cwmparc Dramatic Societv organised a brake drive to Cefn Ydfa, which VT s very much enjoyed, Mr. Gwilym Joms temg m exceptionally good form ?s chaperone and mirth-provider. On Tue day, Cwmparc patronised the local eis- teddfod practically en bloc. and secured a. good share of the prizes. Several poople have desired ue to make a recommer- dation to the'local Institute Committee *9 la;Pow it to remain open on Bank- Holidays, as it would obviously be a boon on such occasions to home-staying foJk. Arrangements could easily be made far substitutes for the usual caretakers. A very successful concert was given st- Park Hall on Thursday evening last, under the auspices of Miss Hannah Owm't; Juvenile Choir, Mr. T. C. Morgan in the chair. The hall was well filled. The chtir eang "Come Fairies,1' "Mark the MenV Elves," and "Over the Fields of Clover^ in excellent style, and solos were given by r Middleton, Miss Maggie W<I- jhams, Miss Sally Jones. Miss Gwladys ^vanK> Miss Edith Davies, Miss Edith Jones, Miss S. J. Lloyd, Miss Edith Wat- kins, and a duet by Misses Annie and Lee a Jones. Miss Louie Lacey gave selecticir:? on the aceordeon.

I. G«EAT^WEL8HREME0Y^B DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE RELIEF FROM £ DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE COUGH i DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE IN 5 MINITF- 1 DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE for Coughs 1 DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE FOR CCFDS 1 DAVIES'S COUGH MIXLT'RE FOR ASTHNR R DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE FOR B^NN"R> 1 DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE FOR HOARSENEST 1 DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE FOR LAFIUENYA I DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE FOR COUIFH* I DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE FOR SORE TT-R 1 DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE MOST SOOTHINS I DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE Waras the Che,- I DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE DISSS UIE PH\TL\, I DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE for SINX4 B DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE fo^ fflc SNEAKER, I DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE BVCHEMI^VI^TW A Ell Hi »|F ona,e*i DAVIES'S cnnrS U.V^SI HtJGH DAVIES, 3 Ora £ £ >NMklrM wIThi8kei*» Moustache and Perfect E*i SSSS ssustsns

THE ORIGIN OF NAMES. I How lightly names have come we can see ft]?.?1 William, the Cook easily W J1?0 Cook. "A couple of short- litiP6 hens, a joint of mutton, and any pretty ^2"^ kickshaws, tell William cook," are 1:1tree Shallow's instructions for dinner. Simi- ^r-stopher Sly calls Cicely, the maid to :0iCoianTHack'e't, ^at old wife of Wincot, ■tlav -Ij ackct. Among colliers of the present irig surname is not very important, carry- is a a,r -lese weight than the nickname. There 'it'll an attorney's clerk asking a young Aft€j.arri 'woman where Adam Green lived. l>0ur5 1T,a"y fruitless inquiries- of her neigh- ^eHl\r ? much pondering of heart she sud- out: Dash my wig! Whoy, /ey ther! Ye should 'a axed for Ole '-<to u1}xl."

» THE VALUE OF PEAT. lesson in the utilisation of peak ltl ftr a<3 /or the last few years been carried on ?cres orth-Ea^tern Germany. Some 16,000 a moorland, known as the Friedeburg 1 tha 6 frying reclaimed, and the peat used of electric power. The land is by settlers, who at the same time and sell it to the electrical supply riddle with works on an island in the J?ntra] 0:t the .bog. It is expected that this '&ht „ P°wer station will supply electricity for .Power for a region of thirty milee oHen 41Tr-eady BUPPbes electric light to 'fe ]D' illielmsiiaven, and several other large towns and cities.

0q COCK-CEOWING CONTESTS. is a very popular sport in the tf °ia]l ^ricts of Belgium and Germany, more 'he miners, who are keen poul- b^Te,rs *or that purpose. Sometimes a bird j, to crow 250 times in half an PUTPose. of matches, however, variftfmany interesting provisions so as to give sport. In some cases prizes 7? for the bird which crows sixty, O^st't}.1 or times in half an hour or loss f6^0' An^ crows. above or below -latino A crowing contest is an SCeT1e- The birds are placed in cages, "'Qt "Wilers with scorers, sit on a bench in tot Prow is recorded carefully—not by led c°urse—and at the end these are and the prizes distributed.

—— + ,P^KET'S MUNICIPAL HONOURS. ^°ipal council of the French town of for time ago voted a large sum of to t of erecting a bronze j>Q famous chimpanzee named Charie- PW- Otirtf years the chimpanzee, which 'St1"' tad J? Grenoble by an African ex- the freedom of the town, h^v. Fto enter practically every house vjself to anything he fancied in !Nt oSa. t eh°ps- The chief reason of oncft ,.5^ reSard for the chimpanzee was v a child from drowning in a 8^inffT^n6 flad se6,n everything, and for over the top of the well f0« ?l a moment. Descending by the Vh^iofeiy r the burets, he grasped the child, tj* Si? ^.back \° her friends. bis popularity by spend- V in rf-ff childreT1's hospital of the JV wards and amusing' Kf v?Ke aU very fond of him. thri^i^ u? ebimpanzce held that of the town fol- to the grave.

sphere between Hallites and Antl-hallites. and that" Deacon "passes A. N". Other" as if the latter had a ticket-of-leave hanging out of his pocket. Let an end be put to this unnecessary friction, and let not King George V.'s reign, which has begun so auspiciously, be marred by internecine strife. In the interests of peace.—Yours truly, KILLJOY. -< To the Editor of the Rhondda Leader. Sir,—A letter appeared in your last week's issue from the pen of the Rev. Rowland Hughes, B.D., making reference to my first letter. I regret that the atten- tion of the rev. gentleman was only drawn to the matter at a belated hour, as many of his enquiries, coming as they do about half a day after the fair," have been answered in my letter to "Deacon" last week. However, I will attempt to deal with the various points as they occur in your correspondent's letter. It is stated that I have been misinformed concerning his remarks on the proposed new hall. In my letter I mentioned that the action of the syndicate had been criticised as an object of personal gain. If the rev. gentleman did not make a statement to that effect I will admit that I have been misinformed, but as I received the infor- mation from many members of his con- gregation, I do not think that it casts any reflection on me. x can assure your correspondent that 1 am quite able to perceive that a private variety hall is not quite synonymous with a pubile hall such as was voted some time ago. This point I dealt with last week, showing that the ballot of the workmen was not conclusive, and that in order to ensure progress in the matter private enterprise would be necessary. When was this hall voted upon and by whom? I do not know whether this ¡ question is asked seriously or not; if so, it its a splendid example of unconscious humour. If the new hall were being built out of the ratepayers' money, OT were to be supported by compulsory con- tributions deducted from the workmen's wages, I could understand such a ques- tion but as the expense of building the hall is being borne by the membevs of the syndicate, and the supporting of the hall ¡ is entirely optional, I do not think a referendum necessarv. v I made no reference in my first letter to a skating rink, as I advocated the hall for holding cantatas, operettas, &c. How- ever, as the rev. gentleman mentioned that he has conclusive information that there is to be a skating rink, I may take it that it is so. Personally, I see no harm in the hall being used to cover the rink, but at the same time, if the rev. gentle- man means to suggest that the profit of the rink, if any, would be given as a perquisite to Sympathiser," I can assure him that I have no such mercenary motives. I am reminded of a certain quotation All seems infected that the infected spy, As all seems yellow to the jaundiced eye." But why this unseemly attack upon a skating rink attached to a hall? Let us turn for a moment to the Library and Institute, which received an excellent tribute in "A. N. Other's" letter last week, and of. which the Rev. lVIr. Hughes is a member. Connected with the Insti- tute is a billiard room, where innocent young men spend a portion of their money in return for the delight of wielding the cue. I have been told this amusement remunerates the Institute to the tune of -moderately speaking-R40 or R50 in six months—by no means an insignificant por- tion of the whole of the Institute's revenue. Is the billiard room needed to cover the Library and Institute? If the rev. gentleman maintains that the pas- time of billiards is less likely to endanger the moral tone of the neighbourhood than skating, I can point him to a young man who previous to entering the Tylorstown Institute knew nothing about billiards, but has become. so fascinated with the game that he now frequents public-houses having billiard tables. My friend has mentioned that he shall be at closer quar- ters when next he faces the rink. I am very pleased to hear this, as I am sure he will be convinced that it is unnecessary to entertain the idea of moral danger. With reference to the compatibility of my vocation and position with my theories of good citizenship, I do not admit that the patronising of the new hall would be a negative manner of expressing those theories. I believe we can give expres- sion to ourselves in many directions. If we wish to attain commercial and educa- tional success, there are at present ample opportunities and facilities for doing so in Tylorstown, and these facilities will still exist after the erection of a hall. Even the keenest business man or the most ardent student cannot afford a ignore for ever the claims of healthy recreation if he would preserve a well-- balanced and unbiassed mind. In my opinion, the man who devotes all his time and energy to nothing else but business, or the one who oscillates between his house, his worlE and chapel, is just as likely to be one-sided as the man who gives too much time to recreation. If the religious environment of the district is not sufficient to teach the people moderation in recreation-which, I affirm, is beneficial-then I do not think that the people are to blame. The rev. gentleman next talks rather sarcastically of the counter-attraction to the public-house idea, and draws atten- tion to the fact that the locale of the hall constitutes it a veritable public-

MEMORIES OF DISRAELI. Gathorne Hardy, First Earl of Cranbrook: A Memoir," edited by A. E. Gathorne-Hardy (Longmans and Co.) is particularly interesting in its mention of Disraeli. At his death Queen Victoria wrote to Hardy: The Queen longed to hear from Lord Cran- brook after our terrible loss of our beloved friend, Lord Beaconsfield, for he was so kind to the Queen during his pleasant visits here in times of much anxiety, that she felt sure he would ieel for her in what is a dreadful and irreparable loss. For whether in or out of office she could always turn to dea.r Lord Beaconsfield for advice and help in so many things. He was a real friend, and oh! so wise, so cairn, and so kind. The Queen feels the loss more and more. At first Hardy disliked his leader: Disraeli's conversation is far from striking, and there is too much striving to be epigram- matic, but he gives or rather confirms the idea that I had from his writings, that he is a clever man. He seems too vain and full of self-esteem to talk freely, lest he should lose ground, but his remarks, on men especially, seem to me equally clever and just, though perhaps my agreement with them may lead me to think more highly of them than I should. When he knew him better he wrote: He was a rare and remarkable character, and, as far as I had to do with him, a sure friend, and to be relied on as such. He was not a bit- ter enemy, as many supposed, and could forget and forgive private wrongs. Public criticism and animadversion he took for granted, and was never galled. He was not the impassive sphinx drawn by some, and sitting by him I have noted feelings to which outsiders deemed him impervious. In the course of my career I often differed from him, but where there was time he was always ready for discussion, and not ashamed to give way if convinced. I owe much to his kindness, and as far as I know never failed to do my best in his service, especially when specially called upon, as was often the case. His life will attract attention in future times, and it will be recognised that his heart was with and for England and the Empire.

SCHOOLBOY RECOLLECTIONS. In a most entertaining book, Eton Under Hornby" (Fifield), "0. E." among his reflec- tions has many a delightful story to tell of his life at school in the seventies: To whistle and chirp like a bird was one of the amusements of a certain master's division; and so, when a real bird came and perched by the window and gave a little song, X rounded blindly on it like a fury, and shouted out "A hundred lines! It was all over with him alter that. << I'1 the head boy at a certain Dame's" house, a nervous youth was unex- pectedly called on to read the evening prayers, and failed to find the place in the Prayer-Boob. At last, in desperation presumably, and feeling it necessary at any risk to break the "horrid silence," he drew his bow at a venture, and o- ft was the Absolution, the Remission of Sins;' which, as the rubric ordains, may be pronounced by the priest alone. A lively sense j j mappropriateness of JJie selection per- vaded the amused audience and oppressed the mind of their victim. The Absolution ended there was a further shuffling of leaves; and then a second time he drew his bow at a venture and read. It was the_ Prayer for Rain. Now, as luck wouid have it, the night was a very wet one, and even as the supplication was being made for H such moderate rain and showers," there was the din of a most immoderate down- pour on the skylight overhead.

INDIAN PICTURES. Miss Maud Diver is intimately acquainted with India, and in her novel "Candles in the Wind (Blackwood) paints rich, vivid pictures like the following with great success: Sunday came round; a day of ethereal beauty and faint fragrances—violet, wild-rose, and scented broom; a day when otorm-clouds of any kind seemed inconceivable, an insult to the spirit of Spring. For on this morning of May the ecstasy of life resurgent triumphed in orchard, ^mulberry grove, and cornfield; in fairy tendrils of_ young vines; and in thickets starred- with wild roses ranging from palest dawn flush to the sunset's crimson. The sweep- ing plumes of birches dropped golden rain; and every tamarisk bush in its scarlet tasselled splendour seemed a-fire with God." The whole mide valley lifted heavenward a pseon of light and colour and sound; the Gilgit river thun- dered through all the length of it, with the re- sistless power of -the 001a, its green waves scatter- ing diamonds for spray. And on either hand the enclosing hills struck upward in barren majestv. Above the rainless region patches and strips of forest loomed darkly, and above that again I I .1 11 r stainless splendour of snows. One those rare days when earth and the glory of earth seem a vision of "love made manifest"; when hope is translated into Faith, and Faith itself into a radiant assurance of things not On every hand the same glad quickening of life and hope. Even the changeless hills eeemed mysteriously aware; .and the sombre pines car- ried grey-green shoots, like Christmas candles. Far overhead, larks in their hundreds filled all heaven with ecstatic song, answered near at hand by the liquid note of the golden oriole and the languid "koorakoo koo, koorakoo" of doves among the pines. A crystalline morning, full of delicate, atmospheric lights and shadows; the sky itself so frail an azure that the utter- most blue white peaks seemed to fade and dis- solve into dreams on the edge of eleep; a morn- ing when merely to breathe was to draw in the fulness of life; when the manifold 'beauty of earth made itself felt like fairy music, that can- not find its way into chords and keys. I can see you're worried about me, deaT," eaid the very sick man. Oh, not at all," re- plied his wife, promptly. But why do you look so gloomy, then?" "I was wondering whether my sealskin eacque would be considered mourn- ing." Rector: "I did not see you at our social gathering last week, 'Lisbeth. Why was that? 'Lisbeth: Well, I had a little frathering o' my wn last week, sir." Rector: "Dear me! Where '■yas that? 'Lisbeth: On the back of me neck, sir." It is a great misfortune to anyone to conceive and cherish the idea that he is not as other men ire; that he is of finer clay and of superior rder of nature, and requires certain special dis enaations of life and a particular ordering of -•ente in relation to himself to enable him to idure this mortal pilgrimage at all.

——————— house aniiexi. When the hall was first mooted, the counter-attraction was kept well in the foreground, and every endea- vour was made to obtain a site which was not in the immediate vicinity of a public- house. The rev. gentleman proposes as a site for the hall the place where the work- men have in the. past held their meet- ings. I-can assure him that this site and many others have been tried for without avail, and the site selected is the only one obtainable. At the same time, I do not think it was necessary to make the innuendo that the site which he pro- pose;:1 would be unsuitable because it would be nearer to another public-house than the one now considered. With regard to the. final point in the rev. gentleman's letter, I am afraid it has been a "shot in the dark." The pro- posed site of the hall does not consist of an old rubbish heap as he suggests—even a cursory glance would have been suffi- cient to have avoided the pitfall—but native soil extending tiown to a depth of 8 or 9 feet to the solid rock. Evidently, the rev. gentleman does not credit the members of the syndicate or their archi- tect with having ordinary intelligence, as he imagines them "ha ving the worry of prospecting in a rubbish heap. This is a piece of conscious humour, but unlike the hall, it is without foundation. I must now conclude this rather long letter in the language of the rev. gentle- man, that he is unfair to me by rushing into print without ascertaining the facts involved.—Yours trulv, EDWIN J. REES.