South Wales Daily News

FARM AND FIELD. SPRING FLO WE K ING BURES IN POTS. The spring-flowering bulbs noted below may lie termed everybody's flowors, bse^.use they take up little room, and persons with the smallest amount of glass accOKinaodK.tion may grow them squally as well as those with unlimited green- houses. Except for early forcing fire heaG is not required, therefore the cottager with the light of an ordinary window may be Succc1!3fnl wIth them. In the first place the cultivator ■nust be provided wit It a stock of cle?u pots, old ones being b6tter than now, as unless the latter are well soaked they are apt to undnly dry the soil. The siz moi-t generally useful are" forty-eights," or 4'¡ inches in diameter. For oil use rotten turf of a fibry character, broken up small manure, prefer- ably cow-manure, dried so that it may pass through l sieve, road-grit or cor8e sand, the loam bein in sliglJtiy Uie larger proportjon In snch p, compost a rich root-run i'; provided, and water will oass through freeiy. Use the potting comport in an eveu condition, neither dust dry nor sodden with wet. It is best to mix the com- post some time before it is required in order that that desirable condition may be obtained. In potting, cover the hole in the pot with one good- sized crock. theu a handful of the rougher portion of the soil, afterwards finishing off with the finer part of the compost, and press down moderately frm. When the compost is in the condition above mentioned watering immediately aftor pottiug i. not reqnired, but if the soil be at all dry one good soakiug should be given. Stand the pots close together on a bed of ashes,and place an inverted pot of small size over ea.ch to keep the growth clean, finally burying the pots, bulbs and all, with cocoaout fibre to a depth of four inches. If possible avoid a. covering of coal ashes; the Hulphnr they contain will sometimes do mischief. The object of placing thu bulbs underground is to get them well rooted before top growth takes place to any large extent, as without a good supply of roots there ie, nothing to force the spike of bloom out of its bolb. Hyacinthii make capital pot plants, some of the best varieties being La Grandesstl. Mont E1anc, and Alba. Maxima, whites Von Schiller and Lord Macanlay, reds Duke of Teet:, King of the Blues, and Marquis of Lome, blues; Ball of Gold, Rowland Hill, and Yellowhammer, yellows. Early tulips, like hyacinths, delight in a cool, steady growth. The chief elements in the culture of tulips in pots are light, air, a cool temperature, and plenty of moisture at the roots. A few ood varieties are Vermilion Briiliant, scavlet Joost Van Vondel, dark crimsou P.5ttebakker, white Ophir d'Or, yellow Van der Neer, purpls Ducbesse de Parme, orange red and yellow. .Narcissi are very popular as spring-flowering bnlios. Bulbocodiutn (hloop Petticoat) is a pretty kind for pots. Use six or seven bulbs in a 6 inch pot. Golden Spur, four bnlbs to a 6-inch pat, makes a first rate specimen. Emperor, yellow Empress, yellow and white Sir Watkin, yellow and Horsfieldi, yellow and white, will all do well in pots. Few flowers excel isias in grace and beauty. Their brilliant starry flowers are borne on loog slender temsJ and are in every shade of carmino, crimson, apricot, and creamy white. and they make beautiful pot plants. Freesias ate charming, early-flowering bulbs, and may be grown by every oue, the plants being exceedingly pretty and the blossoms nicely scented. LIVE STOCK NOTES FOR OCTOBER. The manager of the stock farm must not forget that a watchful eye must be kept on all kinds of stock from now onwards. There is in many districts II. profusion of grass in the pastures and meadows, but it is of very tapia growth, and is thereby very watery. Strong store and lull- grown cattle will probably hold their own upon it for some time to come in th6 event of the weather keeping favourabls but if calves of thn year IJxe to be kept progressing they should now be placed on their winter fare. in all C:1aes where they are housed at night it will be as well to keep tbem in tbe yard until ufter bJ,eakf!st, and bting them from the field 0" wet days soon after noon. Tiie dairy cows in cheese-making herds will be falling off in their milk yield, and every effort should be made to assist those IYbic,. are still milking well and are not due to calve for sjveral months. Newly-calved animals, for winter dairy ing, should be brought under covet at nigbt and on wet days. Feeding stock, intended for Christ- mas market?, should be gradually brocght to dry food, and if the weather proves bad are bent in the stalls and yards. Carefully examine the winter sappiioB of fodder, and regulate :md treat the stock accordingly. Since last month's notes were written there has been a loss of straw on a great many stock brmK, and therefore all waste should be carefully checked. At the same time do not sacrifice stock which are likely to increase in price, a3 that would be a mistake. Animals in good condition at the beginning of winter are looked upon, as half-wintered, and there can be no question tfiat, as a. rule, cattle aU through the country are looking remarkably well. Sheep prospects are also looking well, owing to the crops specially grown for their use this autumn, and many breeders will winter as many ewes as usual. H-yre, again, the judicious use of dry food ia to be recommended in good time, as the green footi will do more good and go farther than would be the ease if the sheep had to depend upon it altogether. In most districts the rams are put to the ewes during the pteseut month. It will be as well to reduce stock" in the piggery ai quickly as opportunity arises. Dairy refuse is rapidly tailing I off, and this means a greater expenditure in meat. Place sows to the boars for spring litters, and shelter young pigs from the damp and cpldor weather. TEACHING DOGS TO DIVE. This may not setin a very useful 1\ tcomllj¡,;t. meatot cat very readily acquired; y< t, a« a enfetter of fact it is both useful and fairly easy, Some time ago we gave a few general hints of teaching swimming to dogs, and it will be scarcely necosaary to go over the ground again. In the first place wo will suppose that the dog to which it is wished to teach diviug has already been iG- troduced to the water, and will retrieve anything thrown therein to band. The firnt lesson in div- ing must tabu place i Q shallow water. A very good plan is to get the dog thoroughly familiar with the object to bo recovered, and this mayibe effectually done upon dry land. Then take the dog to the water where it is shallow, and throw the obitiet in so that It may be plainly Been and recovered fairly easily. An excellent article to use is a. small solid indiarubber ball covered with white calico. Rome teachejNnse a golf-ball, but this is touch too hard, thongh fcsing white it.reguires no covering. If a dog is good in the water and a fair hand at retrieving the ball will moat likely be recovered at I the first attempt. If not encourage the dog to make further attempts until successful. At first the article should be so placed that the depth is only a few inches. Every successful attempt nlioofd be met witb an encouraging pat, or a re- ward in the shape of a piece of meat or a biscuit. Be careful not to tho pupil, or the object of the teacher will be defeated. bcrcase the distance from the Dank the next time, not,omitting the Ie- ward. Gradually the dog will have confidence in hiiEBelf and go deeper for tbe otoject of his quest. Dirwctly this is the case, and the ball is recovered quickly and willingly, both distance and depth should be so increased that practically too whole of the body it immersed. From tha.t time it becomes simply a question of time and patience an to the animal becoming a first-class diver. After a, time the pupil willj look upon tbe lesson at the or stream with pleasure, a.nd once this it the case practice will soon make, perfect. DIAIiY OF GARDEN WORK. Week ending October 13th. Flower Garden.-—Rose cuttings of ripe wood will strike freely now. It will be better not to take cuttings of tho delicate kinds, as it will only be wasting time. The suitings should be nboat nine inches in length cut them close under a joint, and if they have a heel of older wood at the bane so much, tho better. It is not much U30 striking cutters of the weakly growers, as they seldom do much good on their own roots. Juat now there is a good deal of clearing up to be done. Dahlias are making a gay Bhow in masy places now. aa a-luo are the perennial sunflowers, oaxJy chrysanthemums, Michaelmas daisies, and tea rose*. Lai'gs" masses of colchicines or aututnn crocuses are vary bright now, and the raontbretias have also flowered well. Belladonna lilies—amaryliia—will flower freely ag-nasrt a, wall, planted in leaf mould, peat and loam, with a litrle sand cover thena five inches deep. If at all possible, give them a position in front of a-forcing frame or greenhouse, and make a suit- able border. The old monthly and Chins, roses have disappeared from a great many gardens, hut .t.tlce plaiHu wall deserve to ba brought to the front ag&in. for though tbe blooms-are not up to .exhibition standard, they are very beanlucil. p-tuiS Garden.—Ripe grappa under gl&« will require to be frequently looked over, in order to remove all decaying berdes. Iu dry weather ,ventil,te freely, and keep the house as dry as possible. Do Dot allow pot "iuns standing tlg"inst a sovrth wall to become dust dry. Cnt off the sub-laterals of yocmg rotfs dose to the stem: as there will be little faur of back eye starting now. If it M necessary to remove pencil trees, do not wait all the lea ves to fall if the wood is ripe and firm. By mcvine now the roots will get ■o work before winter. ■ Youug fruit trees making I too much wood may have the roots lifted now and brought nearer tho surface, auct at the same time place some fresh loam ronnd the roots. Trees kept comfortable at the roots and tbe br&nchcs i i.'uned against a dry wail Me not no liable to insect attacks. When selecting trees sea that tbe main stems are healthy and strong and the bark free from all blemishes", and afterwards do not hliow the spade, to be uscul OVd the roots. Stone fruits, especially peaches, do best iu h, iirta 30il. Vegetable Garden,—Collect up all waste mat- ters and v?ork iu compost. Rubbish, if properly managed, mlike3 excellent manure. There should always be a corner, somewhere out of the way, for storing the waste mattor oi the,garden,.and there should be roam to turn and intermix. Lime has- tens decomposition, and should any bad small !rma at any time earth is deodoriser. After "plantmg tae cabbages for early spring use, sot out any surplus phntB six inches upatt to stand till spring. If showed to remain n the seed bed they bee une drawn and leggy. If the previous crops bavo been troubled with- club, plant on Ire^n -j grouud which has been freely dressed with soot and lime, and previous tb planting dip the i-wi-i in a puddle of liquid manure thickened with soot. Have a pad", itb about six inches of the pnddls 111 the bottom, place tbe plants in this and take them out with the mixture clinging to the root3, juet ia they are wanted. Spinach is not usually transplanted, but if ca.refaUy done youug pla-nta will transplant now. Get out plenty of lettuces on the warmesfsites available. Treneh vacant laud Greenhouse.—Where winter flowers arc, wanted young plants should have bofu started months ago, or they must be purchased now. Many people who own a. greenhouse buy a few plantR for winter blooming. Abcut the noat i rreefnl things are cyclamens, cinerarins; primulas, coroniUa*. genista ficgrans, ericlt hyemali?, E. | gracilis, and E. Wilraoreang. If these ar9 car a- j faiSy watered tuey are not difficult to keep in health. A beautiful winler-fiowei ing plant for a warm greenhouoe ts begonia Giuiie cie Lorraine, Boavardias and tree carnations require a tempera- tnreof55 deg., aud this would toe -too wartn for I camellias, heaths, and chrysanthemums. Tho hitter are always a strong feature up to the New Year, and later if l*te kinds sre grown and kept cool tjJ] the flower9 are opeuing. Do aU watering in the morning now, cliooning fine days as far a¡,¡ possible, 30 that lights may be opened and damp allowed to escape, Ivy-leaved aud zonal gera- mums are very bright during winter if lightly managed they require heat, as the damp soon [ destroys the flowers if grown cool. Window Ga-.de.—Ppr gas-heated rooms the most useful plants art aspidistras, the hardy green-leaved dracsenas, such as D, indivin*, V. iubrs, and D. Brnanti. Irdia, rubbers will also do wnll if tbe roots are kept in a. healthy con- dition and the leaves frequently sponged. Palms, especially Kentias, are alao excellent plants for rooms.

FALL OF A MOTOSCOPE. ACTION FOE DAMAGES. The South Wales Mutoscopo Company, Limited, 72, Qneen-street, Cardiff, were sued in the Weston-super-Mare County Court to-daj by Bertie Lyons, an infant, through Albert West- lake, of Wsaton-buper-Mare, brother-in-law, a.nd nearest relative, for the auin of JE50 damages for personal injuries causcd by the fall of a. muto- scope machine throagh tho negligence of the coiapauy or its servants, whereby plaintiff's leg was broken and other injuries caused, MrVache'l, barrister, instructed by Messrs MOXDU and Lean, Cardiff, defended. Evidence for the plaintiff showed that on May 26th he put a penny in the slot of the Mutossope, but not being tall enough to look into th.) machine drew himself up, and owing to the machine not being secured it topplfd over on him breaking his leg. He was several weeks in hospital and suffered mnh. Witnesses were called. Defendants admitted that plaintiff was entitled to some compensation, but not to substantial damages. It was a mystery bow tho machine could ¡¡av" fallen over. A verdict was^iven for £13 and costs on Ecalo H, to be deposited in tna Post Office Saviuga Bank for the benefit of the boy.

ATTEMPTED MlJllDER AT LEICESTER, DOCTOR SHOT BY A PATIENT. On Monday an extraordinary occurrence took place at Leicester, when a marderou attack was made npon Dr. J. St. Thomas Clarke, one of the oldest and most respected doctors iu the borough, Tho doctor hpd just left his house on London, road, when a mruI named Sidney Kirby, a retired tradesman, went up behind him, drew a revolver, and shot him three times in the back. Kirby was immediately arrested by a police- man, and Dr. Clarke was taken into the snrgery of Dr. Williams. He was found to be suffering from dangerous wounds, a.nd he is in a serious condition. It appears that Kirby was formerly a, patient of Dr. Clarke's, and had been confined II1 an asylum. Kirby had a grievance against the doctor on this account, and bad, it is said, threatened him for some thne. Dr. Clarke was hospital sur- geon, and formerly member of Leicester Town Council, Leicester. One correspondent, in a. later message, aaya :— Dr. Clarke's assailant is a man named Kirby stated to be a, retired tradesman. Kirby fired when within five yards of the doctor, one of the bullets taking effect near the base of the spine. This bullet lia3 not yet been extracted. When seized by two policemen ard disarmed Kirby ig said to have expressed satisfaction with wjiat he had don?, alleging the doctor had ruined him.

SKIN GRAFTING. INTERESTING CASE AT BLACKPOOL I Apropos the recent ctse in Cardiff of skin grafting the following is interesting :— Tbe junior house surgeon at Blackburn Infirm- ary interesting particulars of an operation of skin grafting on the head of Bertha .tirown, a, girl weaver, who was scalped by having her hair caught in the wheels of a icon: at which she was at work. The poor girl when admitted to the insti- tution was prostrate with shock fa&idthe surgeon), and her injuries could not be taken seriously iu hand until Lhe following day. The whole of the scalp had been tora away, and the operation of transplanting skin from the girl's arm tothebead was bfepun as noon as it becamo possible. In all about 20 pieces have now been grafted, and in lmost every case they havo tnken root and effected complete cohesion witb the outer edges of the scalp. The skiri was shaved from thfe girl's arms in very pieces by a razor, and the process will be continued from time to time until the whole surface of the scalp is re-covered. The patticle;1 cf skin are rjot necessarily placed in contact with each other; when applied to the wound, but laid on to those parts which hire in a fit stale to remve Ü. If they take root they gradually extoud, and in time the process of joining is completed by natural growth. rho"e are various methods of skin grafting. In the present case only very small pieces of skin have been utilised, but by what is known as the Thiersch method large pieces of are employed. It is not expected that the girl's recovery will be complete until ahoot 12 müulhs, and no matter bovv successful the grafting it will alw&ys leave a scar, and, of course, to hair will grow on the acalp again. ,.t"'oJ/II::øó"

KAISER'S JOURNEYINGS. PRECAUTIONS FOR HIS SAFETY. Berlin, Sunday Night..—Some interesting particulars are published of the manner ip which the safety of the Emperor is assured duiin/- his frequent jcuxm yines. It may be remembered that five of the Berlin Secret Police were ordered to Cadineu daring bis Majesty's recent stay. One of these officials went about as a. carpenter with a rule in his hand. The second lay by the side of the roads disguised as a tramp, and partook of tbe contents of a gin bottle filled with tea..the thhd \vandfred about the country as a jourueymaji. The superintending official rode about on a bicycle dressed asa tourist, and in this garb gave the necessary instructions to his sub- ordinates withoit causing any suspicion. These officials, of course, were well known to the police ri?(1.r!;rula^le!: of E'bing. In the neighbourhood of Iilsit, Danzig, M trieubnrg, and Rominten, itiso, the secret police adopted similar disguises to conceal thoic identity.—London Daily News. J _u_

SOMETHING NEW IN LOCOMOTIVES There is at ihe Paris Exhibition^a locomotive, constructed for the Prussian Slate P-aihvaya which is attracting a great del1.1 of attention, from if- ilaCt t^!lt 11 is Provided with a superheater which contains nrore than one-fifth of tho total heating surface of the engine. Exact particulars ot what the superheater will effect are yet want- IDg, bet frr.m experience with two previous loco- motives it is assumed (says Engineering ") that k will raise tho temperature of the skwuG, which hM a pressure cf 1751b., t0 625deg. Fahr., at a maximum. As tbe superheater is quite close to the cylinders thia would more than abolish initial •condensation, and would thus obviate a source of waste, which is particularly great iu locomotives, Tbis- engine was built by Mr A. Borsig, of Berlin, and is exhibited at Vmccnnes. The two previous locomotives to which we ha.ve alluded, were built Vulcan Works, at fotetiio. Tiifc.s6> tittftiucii a promising measure of sncceaa, and the present one natutmly embodies the result of the experi- ence gained with the thera, so that the hope is eotratainod that when it is put to work it will be found to be past the experimental stage. -=

SUICIDE OF A WOMAN AT HEREFORD j On Saturday forenoon another woman, Sarah ) Cooper, the wife of the bishop's gardener, was discovered to hava committed saicid9 by cutting I' her thyoat. She had bean peaulis-r in ker manner, declaring repeatedly that people meant to do her 1 harm. A daughter,gsrt IS years, was detained at home to look after her. On Saturday morning she was restless, and while hsr daughter was in the gart.ea 8ho went upstairs, and standing III ui £ lcoking-giass cut he-r throat mth a table knife, there beiug no ft .or thau sis mcur.ottt>. Hue then lay on the bed to din, and was tnare discovered by bar little son. An in- anest Wll. held the same day, and a verdict re- I turned of Suicide while of unsound mind."

DOWLAIS PUBLICAN FINED. ,t°™ £ pn<*ay> at Merthyr Police Court, before Mr 1. Maicnant Williams,.John O'Shee, londlord of the Bute Arms Inn, Horse-street, Dowlais was summoned for keeping hi-s house opwn for the of mtosricants September, and on oar day, the :5üth September. Defendant did not appear. On the first-named date Police- contitables J. Jones and Edward Clinch found four Spaniards in the house. Tbe landlady said she gave them a pint of beer each ItS her husband told her to do 8J. She was not paid money. On t,ia second occasion woman left the house with two bottles of BasB and stone jars containing whiky and rum. Sept. Townsend said the aouse was closed on Saturday. Defendant on the nro- chaigo v,a.; Sued £ 5 and costs, licence to be endorsee orin defau'tone month's imprisonment, and costs, licenw to be endorsed, or in default two months' im- prisonment.

_8 fBISMARK'S LAST WORDS. J" Staudai d Telegram.) ■Berini, Sunday Night.—According to Dr. OtiC; l, Professor of History in the University G'eszaii, the last words of Bismarck were å: 1 foliows:—Dear Lord. I fcelicvo. Hdp Thou unbelief, an receive mo into Thy Heavenlyc; kingdom.

Thk Fountain of YOUTH must ruu freeif it is to run strong and cletti-. Do not clog it at the begin- Jlín with bad, he'vy indigestible foods. Hobt.ics's tT jK is light as well as nourishing, and will ),oi, tax_uhe digestion of the most delicate child. All inrinacious food is injurious to infants unless it has I been previously malted, The baby can derive no nourishment from such feeding, and might just as well be nourished on cocoa-nut fibre 1, or cinders. Compared with the infant's food prepared on old- lashionec. lines Horlick's Malted Milk has two or three tunes u;c.-a nutritive vain than tho best of its rivals. or an chemists and stores. Pricc Is Gd, 256,1. and lis. A free sample, with explanatory maiitev, wiit be c en j on application by Horliek and Co., 34, Far-! rill -(I -In TjcukIoh, 23.0. "A Scmple Pact about" Keating's Cocgh j IjOzengks. Ask throughout the world, in any country that can be named, yon will find them largely sold. 'there is absolutely no remedy thfit is so speedy in j giving relief, so certain to cure, and yet toe most delicate can take them. One "lozenge gireq ease. Sold.in 13% d tins. 1165C

THE AFRICAN PROBLEM. STRUGGLE FOR SUPREMACY. One of the month's magazines contains a re- markable article by Ernest E. Williams, on Africa. With wonderful conciseness, be give a survey of the vast continent, showing the present state of agriculture and commerce and possibili- ties of development in every country. I suppose for some years to come we shall go on speaking of Africa as the Dark Continent. But we shall be doing Africa an injustice. If there is one part of the world more than a-uoth. r into which floods of the light of Western civilisation have been poured of late, and are going to be pouted ia yet greater quantities in the near future, ttuu part of the world is the African Continent. Two years ;ic*o Dm-d Kitchener threw it open from tho north to-day Lord Roberts, assisted by Lord Kitchener, is throwing it open from the south and Mr Rhodes is going to pierce the intervening "loom wilh his railway and telegraph. The work of exploration civilisation itproceedtosni ia other qu-vrters of the continent — iv the trench working down from the north-west, by the British working inward from the west in- deed, from <;vt>ry quarter tho shafts of light are prob-ng the interior of th" misnamed Dark Gon- tíuut. When a. Cook's tour will ta.ke you into the he-art of a continent, it is time to lea.ve off calling it dark. A better name would be the Magnetic Con- tinent for such it is to-day, and t uch it has bebu for all time 3ince the history of the human race began. To-da.y the glamour is potent an ever. They may call themselves scientific ex- plorers, or mi¡:C3ionarÎEs, os emissaries of civilisa- tion,' or mere trading agents by whatever name, the Continant of the Sphinx siill draws meato her. Not long since some half-dozen independent parties were racing to tbe shores of Lake Chad, the while'their respective Governments were pon- dering and quarrelling over the latest practic- able expansion* of tho spheres of interest. The world follows all developments with acute, at tinks with breathless, interest. The Iraleido- fjcooe is ever uhifting now it is the Ji meson Raid in tho Transvaal, now tbe hinterland bt-rngglo witii France and Nigeria, anon the over- lurow of Dervish misrule aud the avenging of Gordon at Khartoum agniu, Fa*hoda is 0" every man's lips; for a year past South Africa. has held our breathless interest. There is not a civilised Power but is more or less drawn into the vortex. Britain's inteiests are paramount, but France is only less embroiled Germany has seized huge territories Italy is there Belgium has inherited from her King the vast lunds of thn Congo Free Stat. >; even decaying Portugal and Spain retaiu their African possessions, aud tho ^nationalities which lack land in Africa he yet » bond of interest in the international muddle in Egypt, in with the Continent, in the hunt for its gold. And for some time yet the African kaleidoscope will continue to scintillate before men's eyes. Faahoda WIU bat an incident in tbe final delimitation of Equatorial Africa, and a struggle may yet blaze out tiercoly and witb momentous issues ere the delimitation of Africa. is finally settled."

NEW COMMANDER-IN- CHIEF. DEVELOPMENT OF THE WAR OFFICE. Whether the appointment of Lord Roberta as Commander in-Chief will inaugurate any changes in the constitution of the War Office is a question for the future. But it may be interesting to pass in rapid review the principal in the very complicated history of tha.t department.The resto- ration of Charles II. naturally socuied to the Crown the control of the army, which had formed one of the main subjects of litigation between his father and the Parliament. But the House of Commons slowly reasserted its sway over military matters. First came—after the Hevolutioll-the annual Army Acts, which authorised the mainten- ance of a standing army. Tilt 1703, however, the supreme control of the Army rested in the bauds of the Sovereign, who communicated his orders as to its discipline aud regulation through a S.-jsretary at War. In 1793 the office of Com- raander-ia-Chief was created. But uatii after the CrimeAn War his position was ill-definedj and military administration WitS shared between the Secretary cf State for War (who was ap- pointed in 1794), the Secreta.ry at War, the of Ordnancc*, the Home Office, and the Treasury, After the Crimean War changes were made. In 1861 the subornation of tho Commandor-in- Chief to the Secretary of State was effirmed. In 1870 the process was carried further by the union of the Horse Guards with the Wax Office, and in 1888, when the military side of the War Office was separated from the civil, the Com- mander-in-Chief bcaml" only the Secretary of State's sole military ndvher. Now,nnaer theOrdet ia Council of 1895, he is only principal military adviser, the Adjutant-General, the Quartermaster General, tho Inspector-General of Fortifications, and the Inspector-General of Ordnance each being entitled to give independent advice in his own department.—" Law Journal."

BRITISH FARM CROPS. WALES TO THE FRONT. The Times in the last of itRpecia.1 crop reports for this season, furnishes some raiding of exceptional interest, inasmuch as the condi- tions shown indicate tile root crops of the cocsnliv (.0 be in a. more promising position than has been tao case at this d&t>! for a number of years past. Alt-hocgh this is so, however, a general deterioration occurred during last month owing to its excoptional dryness. The wheat crop has receded 1.2 owing to the decline of: condition in England, Scotland remaining unchanged, while Wal s is 3.2 better. Barley shows a loss of 1.4, the condition of Scot- land being no less than 4.9 worse, while the Principality, on tb other hand, registers an advance of 1.7. Oats for the whole of Great t Britain are only fractionally lower, a decline of 1 in Scotland being off-set by a gain of 3.7 in Wales. It is noteworthy that with all'these three crops Wale3 has improved, while England and Scotland have either barely maintained then: position or else lost ground. Potatoes declined in all sections of the island, Wales regiatecing a decline of no less than 9.9, and the average for the whole of Great Britain shows a reduction of 6.7. Grasa landB also suffered somewhat from the absence of rain, but in England aloue is that effect marked, Wales, indeed, recording an advance.

TRADE REPORT. BARROW IRON. Barrow, Monday.—There is a very steady tone in the hematite pig iron trade, and the report to-day is favonrabla to a very brisk state of things. For the winter months an increased output of pig iron io being arranged for. although smelters are grumbling at the narrow margin of profit left after the high pri:<3 which are paid for fuel'and raw matarird. Makers are quoting 81s to 83s for mixed BebaDmer numbers net f.o.b. nominal, and warrant iron ia nt 76s 10.1 net cash sellers; 2d less buyers. Business in all sorts of steel, except plates, is brisk, and makers report an active demaud with good prices, with prospects of a. continuance of good trade for a, long time to come. In the shipbuilding trade cbc prospects of new orders are good. --+--+-

RAILWAY DISASTER. OFFICIAL ARRESTED. Hoideibsrg, Monday.—A disastrous railway 1 accident occurred at half-past 6 yesterday even- ing out i^.e Karlstbor Station, a train coming from Ncckergemuend running into a locil tr.in filled with passengers. The three car- riages of the local traiu were wrecked and tfen PV;10¡¡gets are reported to have been hilled, while 24 were severely injured rnr-ny slightly hurt. No authentic information is yet to hand. A railway official has been arrested. The acci- dent arose" froro «hts line being erroneously sig- | nailed clear.—Reuter. n,

LORD CHIEF tJUSTICESHIP, The Attorney-General (Sir R. Finlay, Q.C., M.P.) having secured his seat iu Parliament, it is expected that the vacant Lord Chief Justiceship will be filled up at once. It is understood that tho Attorasy-General has refused the offer of the post.

NEWPORT BUILDERS AFFAIRS./ The first meeting cf creditors to the estate of Frederick Charles Parfitt, builder and contractor, 1. Livsrpoo'itreet, Newport, was held on Monday at the uffices of the Official Receiver, New- port. There were several creditors present, hut no resolutions were adopted, and the^Official Re- caivar remains trustee. The'debtor'a liabilities are £2,537 6s5d,of which £370 is fully secured,and the balance of 9d appears to be due to 56 creditors. The assets are stated to arnonnt to £370 13s Id, and the deficiency is thus £1,?80 19"- 8d. The debtor commenced business in Feb- ruary, 1895, with s, capital of £35. and from time to time has taken large contracts at Maindce and Grififithstown, the IMgøut being one in Febrnar" last to erect eight bouses, ?lOrki!flop, ami 5t:lhles for his father-in-law at Maindee for £2,200. The 'relative has taken possession tinder th(::lConLact, but the debtor estimates that he has ap to the pre- sent Lost £300 by the contract. A contract to erect a hoafee and shop as Griflithstowa forJES92 103 has also ended disastrously, and tbe proprietor has taken possession. With the exception ,,(£1DO profit on one contract, and some small jobs, ;>,ii th contracts have been carried on at e, loss, aria j ti: from nndsr-essimating in tendering, from s'tikes, and from advance in the price oi. materials and wages.

SUBSTITUTE FOR MORPHIA. It ia reported that Professor Draser. the Berlin authority on the use of opiates, has discovered a substance that seems to possess all the soothing principles of morphine, while at the same time, as a. medicine, it is nuacccmpanied by the evil consequences that m&ke the drag a curse. The, substitute for morphine is :;allea heroin.

You OUGWr TO Kxow that Mcldroyd's Gravel Pills are a positive cuix for Gravel. Lumbago, Pains in the Back, Dropsy, Wind, Watar Complaints Diseases of the Kidneys, Bladder, Urinary Organs Stone, Gout, Sciatica, and Ithenmatism. Try one box, if not satisfied money returned, Is j £ d, all chemists. Post free, 1?. scamus.—Hokltoyd's Medical Hall, Cleckheaton, Yorks. £ 143 —7 LITTLE TREASURES.—Kornick'n Vegetable Pi 113 are small yet invaluable. -Thousands take no other medicine. Sold by all Chemists and Stores, in 7M ?3^d, and 2? 91 boxes. 92J5 803e

I TURNING OFF THE GAS. I SCENE AT A CATHOLIC CHURCH. I CARDIFF WOMAN'S EXTRAORDIN ARY CONDUCT, At Cardiff Police Court on Monday Ellen Thomas, aged 49, was charged before Messrs C. Williams and F. J. Bea.van with wilfully and maliciously disquieting a.nd disturbing a. congre- gation of petsous assembled tor religious worship I at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church on the 6th October. Father Cormack stated that the prisoner was in the habit of attending services held at St. Peter's ¡ Romaa Catholic Church. On Saturday night ¡ during the service sue got no from her seat and turned off the ga3 in the west nave, then went to the east end and torned out the triple gas jet there, and then walked to tho centre of the church aud getting on to a bench turned out the lights there as well. The holding was than iu darkness aud the congregation. were frightened, One 18. dy fainted. Witness urdered prisoner out of the church, and told her that if she returned he would call in a constable. For the pwst four or five years, added the witness, prisoner had been troubling the congregation in this way, and he had at length felt bound in the interests of the conl4rega.tiou to see that SOIDt" thing was done to put a stop to these persistent I' annoyances and serious disturbances. Reply ins to questions, Father Cormack said that thsre were about 24 people in the chnrcb, I ut prisoner called oat that tl.lére werts only foar. Evidence was-given by Mary Ann Guise, a member of the church, corroborating that given by Father Cormack. Father Cormack said that three prieStS were engaged in hearing confessions, whilst other members of the congregation were performing their devotions, I Prisoner I atu very Borry aboat it. gentlemen. 'Ihe Bench It was P-, most {oolL, U tbil1 to do. I Prisoner One lady has been a great deal of trouble t;> St. Peter's. She is always running after the clergymen. The Bench We don't want to know anything ¡ about this in evidence. Prisoner Well, I did put a. few of the gases out. I will never do it again. It was fooMsb, I I admit, but there were only a fCh people in the church. Father Cormack I have no desire to press this charge. I do not want to see her punished. All I wane is an assurance that she will not be- have ill this wa.y again. Inspector Durston Oil two previous occasions the woman had been before the Court for being drunk, and she was then cautioned. The Beach (to prisoner) You know congrega- tions cannot be disturbed in this way. We a.re rea.dy to pass the matter over this time, but re- member, if yoa are brought here again yon will be dealt witb and punished. Prisoner Thank yOIl very mach. I will never I go to St. Peter's Church aain,

SEQUEL TO THE TAFF VALE STRIKE. COUNTY COURT PROCEEDINGS. At the Pontypridd County Court on Monday (before hIs Honour Judge Gwilyna Williams) Gaorge Ga'e, Pontypridd, number taker on thu Taff Vale Railway, sued the company for the recovery of J67 in lieu of notice. Mr Roberts- Jones appeared for plaintiff, and Mr Ingledew defended. Plaintiff stated that his wage as numbsr-talcor was 20s. and last August be was suspended for over threa weeks, at the end of which he was toid ho was dismissed. The company refused to give him his wages, and it was alleged that he had coerced and threatened his fellow-worknuMi about the strike, aud had used the company's envelopes and paper for an unlawful purpose. Ha, however, douied having threatened anybody, but ndmHteéi having sent ballot papers to the men by .train and a few of the company's envelopes. The only part he had taken in the 8trike was to issue some of the ballot papers. Plaintiff also denied having called anyone a blackleg." G. Winter Phillip?, a gua rd, stated that Gale had telephoned to him asking if lie had signed the notice, and told him that if he didn't take oarc his name \Vlluld be posted up from Cardiff to Merthyr. Witness then reported Pre matter to the scationmaster at Aberoynon, Othnr witnesses called aid that th. y hwrd plaintiff refer to another workman as a blaek "g." Mr Harland stated that when he learnt that plaintiff was guilty of the offences referred to he discharged him. His Honour said that the poins was whether plaintiff had been guilty of misconduct. Ho did not koow of auy term which was so odious ItS that of a "blackleg," which had taken tho place of the goad dd wort: turn-coat." If, he added, anybody was alled that when he was a boy it invariably mbant a fight. (Laughter.) He held that plaintiff had been guilty of misconduct, and gave judgment for defendant?, wityfi costs.

CHEERLESS MARRIED LIFE. A RHONDDA WOMAN'S EXPERIENCE On Monday at the Pentre Police Conrt (be- fore Messrs E. H. Davies, T. P. Jenkins, and W. .Jenkins) Louiza Davies (23), living at 8, Tyishaf- road. Gelli, summoned her husband, Dito Davie?, for aersisteut crneltv. The parties were married four years ago, and had I two children, the younger being 18 months I old. According to the evidence of the com- plainant, the defendant had beaten her on several occasions during the past fix months. He had tbreatenèd to muider her, and afterwards he found a knife under the pillow iu bed. At mid- night on the 25th ult., being threatened by him upstairs, she opened the bedroom window and cried out Murder." Her father came whi-renpon defendant locked the door aild went back to bed. The complainant with the baby and the other child and her fattier got out through the window. Since then she and the two children had lived with her parent-. Mr James Phillips (for the complainant) produced a bank bock showing that she was an industrious and thrifty woman, the ,H2 deposits therein having been earned by herself in dressmaking. Defendant, in his evidence, said that tho cause of an tho troubles was-due to her jealousy of him. She be- lieved that in the Sunday school he was always fixing his eyea on the girls." The Bench made an outer of 15s a week towards ber majntenance and the children. -L-

MEMORIAL COLLEGE, BRECON. I The annual meeting of the Executive Coai- mitftoe of the Memorial College, Brecon, was held last Friday at the coi ego library. The result of the year's work was submitted by tlJc professors, and shewed that two of the stndeuts ha.d passed the first B D. (Wales), three had obtained their B.A.'s—two with honours—these being Mr James Evans and Mr W. HnrrieB. Thirteen of the students had paiacd in different stages of the Welsh B.A., and two had passed the A.T.S. Nineteen candidates prseDted them3tveB ..to the entrance examination, but on account of lack of funds only bix of theea could be admitted, and of the sii three had already matriculate i. The Col'ege opens this session with 38 students—20 at Cardiff, one at Aberystwyth, and 17 at Brecon, Of these 17 are at different stages preparing for the Weiah B A. at the University Coileges,, five at Brecon prtspating for the B.D.—two for the final, and threo for the- first B.O., while six are preparing for the A.T.S. This report wa.s deemed by the committee to be moat satisfactory and cncoDracing.

ST. DAVID S COLLEGE, LAMPETER. SCHOLARSHIPS AND EXHIBITIONS. The following scholarships and eblb¡ti0!1!!1 ha.ve been awarded on the results of the October exaniiuatiou ;— T. C. Phillips, S, David's College (W. D. Llewelyn Senior Scholarship, £ 50), history; W. Wi^ley Griffith, St. David's College Cl'riheyne, £ 50). theology; Alcwyu Jones. St. David's College (Butler, £ 27 10s, aud Barton, £ 12 Gs Cd), classics Benjamin Davies, St. David's College (Butler. £ 27 10s), mathe- Davies, St. David's College (Butler. £27 10s), mathe- matics W. Vivian Davies', St. David's Coileae (Salisbury, £22 185 4d), history; J. F. 'A. Thomas, BL. David's College 38s 4d), history; J. E. Rowlands, St. David's College (Eldon, £ 22 18s 4d). WelsTTr W. A. Davies, Su. David's College (Phillips, £221, science; David Jones, St. David's College (Phillips, £22), mathematics; J. T. Davies, Lampeter College School (Phillips, £22, and Bares, £ li 15s), mathe- matics; W. E. Thomas, Dowiais, private study (Phillips, £22), history; Gvvilyrn Smith. Rt. David's ordinary; J. W. Stewart, St. David's College (Martha More, £18 6s Sd), ordinary; J.T. Lewis. St. David's College (exhtb, JEi5), ordin- ary; E. Alban Jones, xstmdmeurig Gr. School (Van Mildert, £16 5s od), classics; T. J. Evans, AYhitland County School (Waunifor, £ 11), theology; D Charles Davies, Ystrad- 'nourig Gr. School (Dery, £9 3s 4dj, classics; W Richardson, Dlandovery College (entrance exhibi- tion, £ 8 5s),glassies l> S Keas, LaniDetsi.- College School (entrance, £8 5s), classics; T Ll bell. St. David's College (Havford, £7 15s), theology H J Kingsley Jtiohards, Dover College (entrance, £ 5), classics; M A Hughes, Dlaunelhaiarn, Carnarvon- shire, private study (entrance, £61. ordinary r, T David, Ueauiue School (entrance, £6), ordinary; F: W Morgan, Dolgelly Grammar School (entrance, igb), ordinary ,J K (jdwnrds, St David's College (Eldon, £ 9 3s 4d~). Hebrew V7 W Griffith, St David's College (iilidon, £ 9 3s 4d), Hebrew ,7 XI lidwards, SD David's lidwards, SD David's College (Evan Jones £ 15), Hellenistic Greek.

FACTORY ACT-PROSECUTION AT I NE^TOliT. I At the Newport Police Court on Monday Wrn. Henry .Toues, of 6, Ad, line-street, foreman j:t Mr C H. Bailey's Engineering Works. 1 pC;.1 sde, was fined 40/ and for ench dK.v —for employing Philip Collins, a lad of 15 y.Vr?. up to 9 o'clock on the nights of the 24th and 25th iust., contrary to the provisions of the iTayroi y Acts. Collins started work at 7 a.m. on both days. Mr Lvndon Moore,solicitor for the defence, stated that it was a strict rnle at Mr Bailey's works that boys and apprentices were not to work overtime. There was a strike ou at the time, and there being a pressure of work, which had to be got out to time, the foreman kept the hd workiug without receiving instructions or without the knowledge either of Mr Bailey (who was ill ab the time) or his manager.

FOE Best \Via« in Previsions go to the Direct1 tradiugCo. New Branch, 09 WoodviUe-road f.ow j spen £ 68^-8?e Abcjjbr s its faux Plant CiG.uirTxs'S. pto- nanr.?d by .H.KH. the Prince -d b the bO". 'n- be, vice Ga:- r-tf Kooxum Kills Cockroaches;, Bugs, Fleas Kooxum Kills Cockroaches;, Bugs, Fleas I Cricket*. Ants, Moths, and all Insects. Harmless to animals. Get a tin to day and rid your dwellings of j the pesos. Bo sure and get Kookum, 3d, 6d, and Is ) the pesos. Be sure and get Kookum, 3d, 6d, and Is pest. Id extra.—Duck's Drug Stores, St. John's- i square Cardiff, and principal chemists 6841 103c I business J\bbt.tI5f5. I TO THE FRONT AGAIN. JOHN WILLIAMS & SONS, ¡ CARDIFF, LTD., THE BEST HOUSE IN THE PROVINCES FOR MODE UN IDEAS, WK XL BIND WOOD CHIMNEY PIECES, — — „ V AND STKEL DOORS hre Piaces & Kitchen Ranges. f<>r strong rooms. and Tii° Work "the TWENTIETH CENTURY" SIDE-LOCKING SAFE HEATING ENGINEERS. L0CK8 aUTOMATICALLY CRAFTSMEN mitfCATES^ HE LOCKED OR IRO.NIWORR &BSOLUTEIY SECURE. IT 13 THE BUHGLARS' TERROR." 13> 15, 17, QUEEN-STREET, 10P CARDIFF. SEND FOR CATALOGUES. 9195

I THE LADIES' COLUMN. A COMING WEDDING. Bromptou Oratory is to be the scene on the I6th inst. of tho marriage of Lady Mary Stuart I Keppel to Captain Tagart, of the 15th Hussars. The captain is only just back frcrn the Cane, bearing honours thick upon him. The bride is one of th^ sisters of Lord Albemarle, and a {treat favourite in Society. It is said that members of the Royal Family vviii stLL-cid the wedding. FUTURE QUEENS. The Duchess Elizabeth of Bavaria has, like her elder sister, married a future monarch. She and Fiince Albert of Flanders (who will succeed his uncle Leopold aa King of Belgium) fell des- perately in love, and were married this week. The prince is 26 years of age, aud his bride two j years hiw junior. Her sister, the Dncheas Gabriel!was recently wedded to Prince Rupert oi Bavaria. A LEADING LADY. Mr Penlov's leading lady," Miss Elizabeth Kirby, it, oU' the: stage, Mrs J. B. b'afyall, har husband being the well-Iuiowa author of The Rebels." Miss H'roy made her first appearance at tho Garrick with Mr Wiliard, and subse- quentiy played1 a variety ol: cjraedy roles with Mr F. R. Benson. She scored a striking success in ly Friend the Ptiuco," and later ou was at Dt:.Jv'ij in A Gr-ek Siave." She is a charming actres3 and very popular. MISS BALFOUR. Miss Balfour, sa V"!t M.A.P. is devoted to her brother tttid manages most d his affairs. Let the hall door requirexevaraishiug,the chimney repair- ing, or the roofretilicg itisMiss Balfourwho gives the necessary orders. She buys the carriages and horses, being an excellent jndge of both, and examines a horse's teeth or hoofs with the air of an expeit. Qnito recently Miss Balfour designed and had made a. special brongham to meet her brother's requirements. A PAYING PROFESSION. Ladies who make a speciality of baby's photo- graphy onght to do wel! nowadays, for certainly babies are the most paying patrons of the camera. Some mothers have their infants photographed j' every few months. lipby is trkeri with mother, biby IS t s.keu alone, is tsken laughing, ia taken crying, and bo largely are th3 copies in demand that a dozen aia gose a.t once, provided it is con- siderel gecd. Curiously enongh, meu are generally more successful as baby photographers than women,and yet this i3 a branch in which the latter ought to suceced if they tried. THE SHREWS OF BENARES. The women of Benares show a. decided disposi- tion to carry out a wordy war to its finish, and they will argue at gunit length on every conceiv- able subject. Should two women cammcnee a discussion for which oue is called away on accouut of budaess or a domestic emergency, she discussion for which one is called away on accouut of budaess or a domestic emergency, she does not retire walkiug backwards aud hurling epithets of an increasingly unpleasant nature as I the distance between herself and her opponent grows, Rfter the manner of Billingsgate, but she removes her shoes and places them where she had I been atandiug, with her basket on top. This signi- fies that she is not satisfied, that she does not consider the argument concluded, and to keep I possession of if and of the ground daring her eufJred absence. When her business is settled she hurries back again, puts on her shoes, and puts before her adversary the arguments she has evolved during the interval. THE QUEEN'S FAVOURITE FLOWER. Place a bloom of every species of flower that's blowing and growing before her—the eostliest specimens of exotics, the greatest novelties and ¡ diseoveria:; of horticulture—and she would push them all aside and seiect from the collection a modest, insignificant little white flower —a piece of whito heather. The little flower has associa- tions which noa-i other poafesaen for her. it brings back the days of her youth. Nothing pleaaes her Majesty better than an offering of white heather, and in the seasou her apartments are plentifully decora-tect with this same blossom. Tbe Piiuctssn of Wales eAro has a weakness for simple flower- She has a great distaste for the florists' huge bouquets, aod, respecting this, the [amplest and moat unassuming floral tribntes are presented to her, even at the grandest functions. I Her favourite flower is recognised as the lily of the valley, and bedfi and bothouses at Sajidring- ham are well supplied with thsse fragrant blossoms. A GOOD-FELLOW GIRL'S LOT. The woman of 45 who owns to hpr age, and could therefore presume to give advice to others, was talking seriously to the comparatively young woman of 30. Don't ever allow yourself to reach that stage of nffabiiity," she wns saying, at which people will call you a good fellow. 1 know that inliny a girl likes to have "that reputa- tion, and men are all likely to be attentive to the sort of girl who ia called a good fell aw. She is generally sure of having a good time. Men will take her out, always be glad to have her in a I party, be very attentive to her at dances, and make her seem like a belle. All these rewards tomo to the girl who is a good fellow. Bat I have rarely heard of a man who wanted to marry her. Of coarse, some; ratiii usually doeB marry her. because the girls who are good fellows usually find husbands. But the demand for them as wives is not relatively so gri-at as their popu- larity with men. Girls with half the amount of attention that the good follow gets are going to be married first, Men don't want for wives the women who ato companions. They want women who appeal to their affections, riot to their sense d what is agreefble socially. I have seen good- t fellow giris who watted for yoara to marry, even wheu tyiey had more men around them than the other type of woman who was muied at the end of her first year out" TO OBLIGE A LADY. A writer in the October "Corvhill Alsigazinf, tells the following amusing story of Irish rail- way travelling :—A friend of mine was travelling on one of the light railways, along which Mr Bal- four ran himself with such wonderful rapidity into the affection of the Iiiuh people-the only rapid thing, be it remarked, ever connected with them. Sh, had to what is called change at a I certain station, and the diangs itself merits de- scription. aii(i luggage ii&viug beca carefully deposited on platform, the trfan re- tires about ten yards from the station, whero it sits down and rests for half au houl, after which it to the platform, the passengers and their belongings are replaced, aud when everyone had don,. talking the train moves or.. My friend, having been duly turned out, inquired of a porter whether there, was time to go into the town. '"Well; no, indeed, your Honour," said he. there is not, ieeit, that the tbrsin goes out at iivf, but sure, if it nd be 'ny convenience to ye, mak-5 it half-past," b-, p.dded, politely, thinking she looked disappointed. The lady disclaimed TtV desire to interfere with railway regulations, and went for a short stroll, returning to the platform in time to hear the friendly porter inform an in- quiring jjassange: that the tbrain win6 out ivery day at 5 o'clock, but they'd made it halt-past that day to oblige a iady." It is ras-h, many people think, to travel without a railway guide, but iu Ireland it is equally, if no more ao, to attexepi to travel by one.

A BLUSHING BRIDE OF 57. Grorge Haas and Mrs Gustine DèPP", both grandparents, eloped to St. Loua from West Belleville-, aud wore married in Justice Walker's court. Mr Up""s and ins bride both gave their ages as 57 years. He boasts of 131ineal descen- dants, having uiuo children and four graud- children. Mrs Deppe has been less favoured in this respect, and has but one child and one grand- child living. They came to St. Louis to wed for fear thai thoir grandchildren and children might object After the nurriage both feared that if they were to go home the neighbours mihilt seize ou the opportunity tor merrymaking, and Mrs Haas even seemed to fe-sr that soufe of her new stepchildren might so far forget^ them- selves as to join in sach demonstrations. So they II decided to remain in St. Louis over sn ndt&Y. Tha World."

AMERICANS IN PARIS. I Three Ainerimn,-P, including one, well-dre^-td woman, whcsQ names were refused, were arreted .K.par>»tely the other night on the Boulevard des Capuciija. together with several sailers of ob- jectionable photographs. They were held a, accomplices. Thi woman made an awful scene crying hysterically, and begging the secret agents to let he. go. Owing to the evident good breed- iug and wealth of the three all wnre released after a sc.thing lebuke from the magistrate, who charged the English and Americana with being the reel corrupters of the strcat agency of Paris- i furnishing almost the sole finltucittlencou age. ment to everything depraved going ou in the Frerch cnpital.— The World." j

WORK AMONG FEMALE PRISONERS. The ROC'd work among female pti^sr, carried o;, by Ilts .El)s*.bt*ta Fry 70 years ago still con- tiijues i;t the present d&v. 'fhc Governor of Ay lee- Lrjry Convioc Pnson in hia latest report speaks highly oi the work of the Board of Visitors ap- pointed under the Prisons Act af 1898. The j visitors at present include Adeline Ouch ess of Bedford, L'.?d.v Battewea, and Mr" K. tarr.

STUDY IN SCHOOL JOKES. EXAMINATION HUMOURS. Longuian'a Magazine for October contains A Study in School Jokes." by Miss 15. M. Griffiths, who says :The position of a teacher is no sinecure, feast of all when correcting examination papers. It is a brain-racking pro- cess I know of none more siD. But, like all other trials incidental to the noblest profession in the world, it hau its noble compensations and there is OD: the most obvious, if not the most valuable, wnich also lies hidden lenven-Jike in the doughy substance -A the examiner's task. I have by me a great of school jokes, bona-fide specimens iintom-cion-ly contributed term after term by two schoois with which 1 have had much to do—the one a high school, attended by chil- dren of well-educatid parents the other a large school, where the pupils are drawn chiefly from the lower r.)ioldle class. I mention this because it is interesting to observe the effect of the different home surroundings in tho soit of mis- takes made by these two claswes of children. For exaaaple.tiie illiterate homes of the lower class are responsible for many anachronisms, which are the evident result of a very limited range of thought and reading; while in the mistakes of the higher culild one can often find evidence of & wider and more varied field of ideas—so varied, indeed, that th?y become some- what mixed sometimes, and appear on paper in very uovelltnà 5urpriip combinations. I find that most of my jokes fall very naturally into ona or other of five classes. First, there are mistakes of spelling. These are, of course, the most numerous, and as a role quite uninteresting, exc(,.p-. as eliciting our sympathy by reminding us of oar own early struggles with the unreasonable orthography of the English language. Sometimes, however, they play such amto-iishing prauk-i with the intended meaning of the writer that they are worth recording. The blood in the body is taken by means of tubs to the heart and there dekilled." All alkalies have a soapy feeling." A volcaxio is a burning mountain that has a creator and throws out melted Tock-i." Maidstone i the centre of the pop trade." I came sore and conquered," Uuwhacked alonp Clitumneas Gra-Zis the milk-white steer." The night rat ettmit roling up ragged and brown." 1; Ilib trair, was with grand ideas in all directions." If he earth did not revolt we shouid always have equal nights and dayis." Stored iu some iiouser-house of mighty kings." I have preserved the two following for the ntter confasion of anyone who shall dare to deny that words of denpest wisdom may faii from the lips, of pons, of babes. Tho Inugs Me organs of execration." The soul has tvr > side"?—a dark and a. white, and it bides the white side. The next clafs of mistaJies alre those which are the rosy it of unsuccessful guessing. The mmality of conscious, delibsrate guessing at c-y,tm;natiou-i is perhaps dOl: bfQJ, but I frequently find on inquiry that the perpetrators of snch suspicions looking answers wrote down wha.t they honestly believed to b< facts. And even if they confessed tn being uncer- tain of their ground, which cf us has uot beerf guilty of the same offence under similar haras- sing circa ? At any r,te the practict provides sash an amusing study of youthful in- genuiiy that we may easily forgive the offenders Here ars a few examples :— Q. What do you ardc, rtitand by the folJowiljt —Pig iron, Bristol boaids, lumber trade, shoddy., insnlatois, buffers, lampblack ?" A 11 Pig iron is what they make the nose rings, for pigs of." "Hriltol boards are schools where very posr children go." People who keep pawnbrokers' shops are said to be in the lumber trade." "Shoddy is a kind of drink much used in Ireland." Insulators are,l. I Islanders.' 2. Machines used to freze cream and other liquids to make ice.' 1. 1 People who insult other people.' A buffer is 1. A thing chut buffs.' 2, A hard blow.' 3. A wild animal.' 4. 1 A kind of ox used to plough t he fields in some countriell: h Lampblack is the man who sees to thr lamps." Q. How does 0 differ from the wineothe-i digits ?" A. 0 differs in not having a tail." A school board is a board put to say what things are to be done ia school." A school that girls can go to. They sleep, there." A watershed is a shed for keeping water in." The three highest mountains in Great Britain are Ben Nevis, Ben Lomond, and Ben Jonson." Q. How did William 1. put down the rebel- lions of the English ?" A. He put them down in Domesday Book."

OPEN-AIR. TREATMENT OF CONSUMPTION. On Saturday the Ear) of Derbylaid the founda- tion stone of a Sanatorium at Delamere Forest, Cheshire, which is beiug erected for the treat- lllbotof consumption on the open-air system. The building is to be an adjunct of the Liverpool Hos- pital for Consumption, and has been provided by the joint liberality of Lady Wilcox and Mr W. P. Hartley, of Aintree, the total cost being RIS,000, Lord Derby said the open-air system of treating consumption had been attended with great suc- cess in Germany and elsewhere, and it bad now been established that the disease was not heredi- tary, but was curable and preventible. Three great factors in promoting consumption ivere d¡r dust, and darkness, ana the weapons with which khsy now proposed to fight the disease were light, air, and cleanliness. Tbii was the first public institution of its kind JU EngiFLnd, and he hope(t it would be the forerunner of many others. -4f.o ..I-

RUSSIAN ICE BREAKERS. The RUSiohus are making considerable use ot ice-breakers for the purpose of keeping their bar. hours clear for navigation. In the Far East, at VladtVoBtock, and in the Baltic, potts which wert- formerly qlossd by ice for some months in. the year are now ktpf, open the whole year round. In October of last year the hatDoar authorities at Odessa acqnired a new ice-bxeake- built at New- ",itle-Oll-iyucll at it rost'of < £ 36.000, and of au indicated horse-power of 2,GOO, and daring the coJd weather, when ice threatens to block the harbour, a channel is cut;, for which service a moderate ellarge-i-, made on the vessels which use it. The ice-bresker ia eiso fitted as a salvage ship, so that during the summer time it. y not remain idle.— Engineering."

THE DUCHESS OF SAXE-COBURG. It is said that the wirtowed Duchess will bably spend half hot time in Russia in future, and that Glte of the Imperial palaces will be placed at her div.poial. Possessing, as he does, about & doz -ri palaces, the Czer can easily spare one. and the Duchess is a great favourite at St. Petersbuu; The only unmariied daughter ot the late Dnke Princess Beatrice, is a charming girl,and it is said her mother would greatly approve ot a. marriftge between her and the German Crown Prince. An the Coburg princesses were very popular in Devonshire daring the time the Dake was in resi- dence at Admiralty Honi.e, Devonport, and their family life was as simple and unostentatious as possible.

HUSBAND'S HASTY ACT. Samuel Thompson (25) was remanded at Barv on \tont.ay cnarged with causing the death of his wife by throwing a lamp at her. According to the dfiP°SU!?us._»bicU were taken on Snn- ri^hf nm" a ^7 £ aSi!u'd fl^arr, JJed on Saturday night as to whether a i.tile girl named Ellen &t»y in room for the night. h objected, nutl because deceased persisted ivlipbt at her a ad sec her clothe* -Y-

CANNIBAL ORGIE. News !]"a reached Sydney that some time in wltiol :rope It. who! tl"be of natives in the Admiralty 2,11 w*a annihilaied after a fht with another tube. The victor-, celebrated their triumph by linifting R cannibal fe.-t-t, ai which the bodies of 100 of the victims wer. roasted and devoured YT .I'I.I

||Swee^reath!|| I! CONDY'S OZONISED WATER if $J the Br^\ an« |lr ail Odour prying from JM r O tobPXCC-iea^ otl-r causes. gii .IN THE HIGHEST CIRCLES, if I ft J >V< CiumitU and Uteres. £ f J KkglnSiopperedBctths 2/ «iesi*u/6 Sj ? U! £