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WILD BIRDS OF THE ! NEIGHBOURHOOD.

BLAGKSMITIH'S: I,oNG PURSE.

THE BURNING OF THE SARDINIA.

HOW IT IS IN RHYL.

LOCAL INVENTIONS.

CHRISTMAS ON THE CONTINENT1.

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TRAM CAR EPISODEI

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TRAM CAR EPISODE I "HALVES." There were not many passengers on board the tram-car on a recent, somewhat frosty morning, and the air was still frosty in the streets, despite the fact, that, the lamp extinquisher had left one or two of the street lamps still alight, although the sun had made his appearance for some little tiime. "Trying to air the streets," remarked a facetious gentleman passenger, who from his further ,conversat,ion it could he glean- ed, had been spending a week-end at Craig side* Hydro. "Had a ripping, time, he remarked to a mutual friend, and hope I to come down at Xmas if they can find me a bed. There were others evidently requiring a lift by the tram as was evidenced by the fresh arrivals at every stopping1 place. It was not necessary for those already seated to lift their eyes to discover this fact, the sliding to and fro of the door by the con- ductor was quite sufficient intimation not that the peculiar grating noise of this said door was altogether responsible, but alSI an easterly wind was blowing it made itself felt very keenly, and coat collars were turned up and used for thait purpose they were intended when first invented; that is, for use and not for effect. Despite the cold, however, there, were quite a few jovial spirits in the car. Lis- teners could hear both sides of the "Licensing Bill," the, coming fate of the "Education Biill," and the still more disastrous fate of the Government. The statement that an appeal to the country would be iin March next, was not accepted without some demur, and it look- ed as if the for and against debates would becomei so warm as to entirely forget, the outside climatic conditions. What pro- mised to be a highly diverting, if not in- structive discussion, was brought to aq end by the departure of five passengers, one being the chief leader of the, opposition party; and the arrival of a, very excitable gentleman who had, he proclaimed aloud, "Arranged the night previous for a cab- man to take him to the station, and he had, eividently, forgotten his fare." The conductor was appealed too to hurry up; Ilt4 the pains and penalities which would accrue if the said passenger failed to reach Chester by a certain time, were, according to him, something too awful to contem- plate. Mlore haste less speed is an axiom which was well exemplified on this occa- sion, for the new arrival in searching for a copper to pay hds fare, dropped several coins on the floor of the car. Now the floors of the cars of the Llan- dudno and Colwyn Bay Light Railway Company, Limited, to give it its full title, have either by accident or design, been so made that no coiin so dropped can roll very far. And by the assistance of the con- ductor and one or two obliging passengers, the coins were recovered and returned to the owner. The excited gentleman de- clared he was satisfied there were no more, but added, "What are left can be retained by the sweeper." "Clonmel Street and Railway Station," shouted out the conductor, and there was a considerable diminution in the number of passengers. In faCit, there remained a representative of each sex. Both sat on the same side of the car, and the gaze of both was centred on a certain spot on the floor of the car, and lyng on that, spot edgeways, was what, had' every appearance of being half-a-sovereign. Each thought they were the only one who had discovered this truant coin, and each determined to annex it. He of the sterner sex tried, first of all, by dropping his paper and then regaining it, to pick up the coin at, the same time, but he failed. The door opened, and the conductor announced "Vaughan Street" twice, but neither of the passengers moved. This was somewhat puzzling to; the conductor, for the two passengers were regular cus- tomers, and Ithis was their usual dismount- ing place. He slid, to the door and wait- ed a reasonable time, in fact until the down car passed them at the Mostyn Estate offices crossing, and then decided to col- lect the extra fatre. "Gloddaefth Street," said the lady. "Gloddaeth Street," said the gentleman, and the car rolled on. Several times had the male passenger made attempts to get at. the half-sovereign. He had talwn off his gloves, but without any tangible re- sult, the coin still remained where i)t had' fallen. Now his every movement had b.pn watched by the lady passenger, but quite- unknown to him. Gloddaeth Street corner was reached, the conductor duly an- nounced the fact, and the lady replied with, "Stop at Clarence Hotel." She rose from her seat, and passing her fellow pas- senger she stooped, presumably to fasten a shoe-lace, which she carried out with some ostentation. At length it was. satisfactorily accomplished, and the car' slowed up. As she advanced to the door- way her fellow passenger discovered he had been done, the coin had vanished. He immediately made up his mind and rose to follow her, She stepped lightly from the. car, and he was close upon her heels. The conductor refrained from making any audible remark, but in his innermost mind he had doubtless made his own de- ductions, which were to the effect that he had witnessed the beginning of a love match. Conductors are only human, however^ and their deductions not always to be relied upon. On this occasion he was woefully out of it, for had he follow- ed the pair he would have heard the fol- lowing dialogue: He "Excuse me, Miss, but I wish to claim halves." She: Not for one moment, taken aback by the direct, challenge, replied "I agree, have you change ?" and she handed him a. newly minted farthing!

DRINK AMONG WOMEN.

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