Flintshire Observer Mining Journal and General Advertiser for the Counties of Flint Denbigh

J?ARMING NOTES. TUB LAMBING SEASON. The after lambing season (says the Live Stock Journal) has not, as yet, brought out any strikingly fresh features, but it is emphasising those which have already been evolved. Thus the lamb crop is now seen to be reduced by the general scarcity of twins —although some very prolific yields have been re- corded—whilst the increase for the year will be further curtailed by the smaller number of ewe3 put to the ram on account of the uncertainties of the position last autumn. Then, again, the root crops are holding out exceptionally well, and the fodder are holding out exceptionally well, and the fodder crops are generally very forward; in the North and W est the "seeds" are promising, but in the South and East they are thin, so that the outlook for summer sheep keep is not free from anxiety, although the layers of all ages kept down for another year may materially alter the position later on if there should be an abundant rainfall with genial temperature. The fine hot and dry weather has made the lairage per- fect for Iambs, although it has rather checked the growth of grass keep, and sheep of all kinds are doing remarkably well. DEEP CULTIVATION. The conclusions come to after studying the subject of deep cultivation, so far as the writer has been able to come to conclusions on such a difficult subject, may (observes Professor Wrightson in the Agricul- tural Gazette) be very briefly stated as follows As a general principle, deep or thorough cultivation must be allowed to be of vast importance. It is, how- ever, not adapted to all soils, nor yet to all crops. Taking soils in the first place, it uppears to be most beneficial when performed upon naturally deep soils of uniform quality, such as alluvial traets or deep, rich clays, deep rich sands or loams of all sorts. It has also been found useful in all cases where a pan exists which prevents the downward passage of water, of roots, and of air. Another important factor is the salubrity of the subsail, and in this connection we call to mind the experience of a Mr. Wilson in Holland, whose failure to deep cultivate with advantage formed an interesting contribution to the pages of the Royal Agricultural Society's journal many years ago. The disastrous effects of indiscriminate deep cultivation in this interesting case were marked by an absolute failure of all crops, and even the inability of the land to grow weeds. The effect was due to the presence of salts of the lower oxides of iron in the subsoil, which, when brought to the surface, destroyed the fertility of the land. The late Dr. Voelcker considered that time alone could restore this soil to a state of ordinary fertility, and lime was also recommended as a means of neutralising the acid condition of the soil brought about by this unfortunate experiment. Having enjoyed the advan- tage of the professorial instruction of the late Mr. John Coleman, we shall not forget his cautions against. hasty attempts at deep cultivation, and the instance he gave of a field, No. 6 on the College Farm at Cirencester, having been injured by subsoil-plough- ing, the injury enduring over a period of many years. On the other hand, the benefits to the Yester estate as well as the practice of hop- growers upon deep, dry lands adapted for hops may be adduced. The cases in which a rapid deepening of the staple by subsoiling or trench- ing should be attempted are probably not very common, and clearly point out that all circumstances should be taken into account before such a course should be adopted. Even in such cases the area experimented upon should be small, and the result carefully watched. Turning to the effects of deep cultivation upon crops, it is certain that while some, such as hops, potatoes, lucerne, mangel, and many garden crops, such as asparagus and celery, demand deep cultivation, others seem to prefer a shallower tilth. We incline to the view that the cereals thrive best upon a firm soil, in which the immediate cultivation has been shallow. It, however, by no means follows that deep cultivation is not bene- ficial to the cereal crops, but it is wiser to give such deep cultivation during a rotation to root crops, and to secure a fine surface with a firm undersoil at the time of sowing corn. The shallow ploughing usually recommended for barley after roots, or wheat after clover, is done with a view to securing fineness above and firmness below the seed, and any hollowness of soil, due to deep ploughing, would be considered faulty. The ordinary course of good farming secures at once a deep staple and a firm condition of soil for cereals. Take as an example of this the case of wheat after clover. The land may have been ploughed nine or ten inches deep for potatoes, mangel wurzel, or swedes. It is then rendered firm by consolidation, due to mere lapse of time, and also by the work of harvesting the root crop, or, it may be in some cases, folding with sheep. If barley is taken the ploughing should not be more pn than 4m. deep. Next follow seeds, which by their nature must further consolidate the soil and obliterate all traces of hollowness. After one or two years the clover root is turned up by a moderately deep plough- ing, and the wheat is either broadcasted on a pressed furrow or drilled after a heavy rolling and repeated harrowing. It certainly would appear to us to be a mistake to subject such land to a deep steam plough- ing. FOWLS FOR FARMERS. Of pure breeds (says the Journal of Horticulture), Langshans may be said to approach more nearly than any other to our ideal farmer's fowl. Its laying average is fully double that of the Dorking it is one of the very best table fowls, having small thighs, deep, full, plump breasts, and is such a rapid grower that early birds are a, certainty. Justly has it been termed a splendid fowl on the table," but it has black legs. Does not this show the folly of the fancy of fashion (call it what, you will, under any term it is as unreasonable as absurd) of the poultry dealers' de- mand for five claws and white legs? Glad are we to know that this stupid fancy is dying out, and that chickens are fast coming to be valued for intrinsic merit and not for a fancy. Selection tells among bhe Langshans as among all other breeds, for what are termed good all-round fowls, or good in every valuable property, without excelling in one at the ex- pense of others, also for grand heavy cockerels, as heavy as a fair-sized Turkey, with magnificent breasts, and flesh as white and delicate as a Dorking. Try the Langshans, say we to every farmer and cottager. Avoid cheap birds; purchase a well-bred cock with four or six hens, young birds now laying freely, and by using other hens or an incubator for hatching seyeralllseful broods could be had this season. Much better is it to do this than to buy sittings of eggs the outlay may be greater, but the result is speedy and certain. „ CALF FEEDING. afe a'| heifer calves that are well bred, and re- member that the only way to form and maintain a o really good herd of dairy cows is by persistent care in breeding and selection. Give the calves a good start, and keep them 10 condition bv careful feeding and perfect shelter. Too often are'they fed well at first, and then so much neglected that some die outright and all of them suffer. A fine healthy calf requires fullv three quarts of new milk daily at first; this must be increased to five quarts by the end of the first week, and so on to quite double that quantity by the end of the first month. Then it should be induced to take gruel consisting of skim milk thickened with oatmeal, and be taught to eat a little of the best meadow hay. From the first it is a good plan to use a little condimental food in milk and gruel, to give tone and prevent scouring and indiges- tion, beginning with a pinch or two, and increasing with the quantity of milk or gruel. Feed frequently, at least three times daily. We are convinced that the common practice of feeding only at morning and evening is the cause of much stomach trouble among young calves. Faint and exhausted from waiting so long for food. when they do get it it is swallowed so hastily that indigestion follows. Often, too, scouring is caused by the use of unwholesome milk. Keep them in a closed snug hovel, opening into a yard with a strip of meadow or paddock outside, into which the calves may run on fine warm days for that nibble of grass which does them so much good. But they must be kept shut in closely on all cold dull days, and always at night. See, too, that the bedding is dry, the floor sound, the drainage perfect. Fre- quently do we see calves in filthy plight from foul bedding, so foul as to show systematic negligence. This is always a cause of suffering, often of disease, and daily attention to bedding and floor must be insisted upon. Let equal care be takea of older calves and yearlings, care with the food, shelter, and bedding. Avoid forcing them too fast; on the other hand keep them in fair flesh, that healthy thriving condition which is usually the result of judicious kindly treat- ment. There should then be nc trouble about hoose, no losses from blackleg or qUL. ter-evil. Always let them have access to rock salt; it is also a good plan to use household salt moderately with their mixed diet.

THE WO I)VIKN,S WORLD. I'l'i cannot but be pleasing to the British mind to know that the tasteful trousseau of the Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe Coburg-Gotha has been made entirely in London. The bridal veil is of old point laco, A Gorman superstition prohibits the bride from donning peafl ornaments on her wedding day, the old saving beint-" The more pearls tha more tears." This, however, only refers to real pearls. MAGNIF/CTCNT beyond all the other lively gowns (says a detailed description in the Standard) is that in which th i, young Grand Duchess of Hewse will b old her first Court in Darmstadt. The train falling front the waist is of a superb silver damask, n anufactured in Moscow, with bold conventional design, and bordered all the way round with a thick ruche of white ostrich feathers. The under gown is of cloth of silver, and presents the appearance or a sheet of that pure Hietal. This opens in front, over a petticoat of white satin glistening with silver embroidery in rare design, with lays darting from each group of the more closely-worked pattern. The front of the Court bodice is of embroidered satin, and the back of the magnificent silver damask which forms the train. The going- away drcs3 of bluish grey camel cloth is very beauti- fully embroidered in old-world shades of worsted, showing a design of roses and subdued foliage. This embroidery appears as graduated points down each I side of th skirt front, and in a shorter trail in the centre. It also ornaments the tabbed revers tapering to the wai-st. There is a vest of shot silk taking in I the tones of the embroidery, and spanned across the bust with a fold to match, fastened with a rosette. I With this will be worn a toque of shaded roses, and a little fichu or cape of embroidered cloth, with, yoke formed of rows of Tom Thumb blue fringe. THE drops designed for the bride's arrival in Darm- stadt is af the finest cloth, in a shade of pinkish fawn the skirt foot, an artistically shaped band of black net, finelv worked in coloured silks and crystal beads in a fascinating pattern of butterflies and floral groups. Single butterflies are powdered over the skirt, and *he same black -embroidered net shows as an under corsage, over which the plain cloth is cut in points to the waist The embroidery appears on the cuffs, and there is a draped collar of rhododendron toned velvet. The toque harmonises, and there is a coat of the cloth, with extremely smartly-cut, revers, worked with the butterflies and flowers, and filled in with a jabot of crc.amy lace. There is also a long wrap cloak of the same becoming material, with yoke and high collar embroidered. SOME of the evening gowns are specially beautiful. With a view to the approaching warm weather, the Princess has comparatively few heavy mantles or coats, but there sre several tan and biscuit fine cloth coats, lined with rich silks and embroidered in braid silk or crystals. The smart cut of these garments is their distinctive feature, and cannot be adequately described by mere words. Among the dressing cloaks is the one specially made for wear on going to the wedding. The material is Gros Victoria," a thick white silk with raised parallel lines. This shows a full collar, continued in to the waist, and there terminating in points, the whole beauteously embroidered in fine silver spangles, with a transparent net border, also silvered. There is a ruche of white ostrich plumes round the throat, and nothing more becoming to the fair young bride Could be imagined. An opera cloak of cream cloth, with a shoulder frill of accordion pleated cream cbiffon, was flecked over with infini- tesimal gold and silver sequins. These sequins were used to form a pretty embroidery, starting from the neck and losing itself in points half way down the cloak. The collar was high and softened with a ruche of the chiffon. Dust or race cloaks, in shot silks, with the bat-wing sleeves, are in excellent taste. IN addition to the items already described, some of the millinery merits a special word of commendation. The majority of the chapeaux provided for Princess Victoria Melita are of the toque shape; but a few wide, brimmed straw hats have a place in this beautiful trbusseau. Flowers are largely used to trim these smart confections, and are particularly appropriate to the coming season, and to the youth of the bride- elect. One little toque, with a crown of gold- spangled tissue, is completed by clusters of powdered roses and a tall bunch of marguerites at the back. These powdered roses are among the prettiest of the novelties of the present season, and have an extremely handsome appearance. They are in tawny tones and in blended shades of rose or reddish mauve, the scheme of colouring being perfectly harmonious, and productive of a singularly rich, yet subdued, effect. Similar roses are used for the cache-peignc of a rather wide-leafed, coarse-straw hat in a charming shade of rose pink. No other flowers appear in the garniture, which consists of a scarf of fine old white point lace, gracefully draped about the crown, and caught at each side in a large rosette. A toque, composed of forget-me-nots and foliage, is softened round the brim by folded bronze tulle, edged with a narrow white border, and raised in front with the effect of an aigrette. A very original hat of petunia-toned fancy straw had the brim bor- dered with single mauve hyacinths, and was finished by large bows of satin ribbon to harmonise. A white fancy straw hat was deftly and artistically arranged with a veil of beautiful white lace and bunches of cherry-coloured roses. A chestnut-brown straw toque", surrounded with bouquets of multi-coloured primula, was completed by an aigrette of gold-em- broidered cream lace. Very fascinating is a toque of green paillasson, trimmed with aigrette bows of pale- blue ribbon-one of the bride's favourite colours—and bunches of lily of the valley. A corded ribbon of the same shade is uned for two large choux, catching in a thick ruche of brown tulle encircling the crown of a wide, brown straw hat. There are no flowers on the outside of this chapeau, but a cluster of roses nestles under the brim at one side, giving a pretty touch to the whole. Equally smart is a toque of tan straw draped with white Malines tulle, and trimmed with six black wings. Two of these are fastened at each side in the front, producing the now fashionable wide effect, and two more lie flat on the toque, sitting in a cluster of pink rosebuds at the centre of the, back. Yet another toque is of cherry-coloured !icv straw, and is trimmed by a full twist of black and white Malines tulle and an aigrette of jet-powdered black ostrich plumes. SCARCELY less varied, important, and handsome than the gowns themselves are the underskirts supplied to be worn with them. The materials used for them are plain silks, broches, and shot glaces, ranging in colour from unrelieved black and white to every shade, primary or evolved, which could be copied or imagined, while those for morning and walking wear are for the most part finished with frills. Of the material the majority arc more elaborately trimmed with flounces of Valenciennes, Torchon, or black lace, combined with ribbons harmonising with tho tones appearing in the silken stuffs. The white cambric skirts show very lovely designs in fine em- broidery, the flounces being either scolloped or van- dyked. Many have frills of fine lace, surmounted by bands of the needle vrork. Dainty dressing jackets are of cream or delicately-toned flannel, white cam- bric, jaquenette, or soft Surah silk. Embroidery, white lace, and coloured ribbons enter into the trim- ming of these comfortable and becoming garments, and are employed with consummate taste and skill. THE pocket-handkerchiefs are by no means the least attractive items of the trousseau. There are dozens of fine white cambric with coloured borders. JThese borders ara in many cases quite works of art, and are composed of an insertion of pale blue, mauve, pink, or green cambric, edged with little scollops delicately stitched on. Lines to match the colour in- troduced appear, setting in the centre of plain white, and one style of border shows alternate squares of white and Turkey red cambric. Then there are even finer white cambric handkerchiefs, edged with narrow black or white lace, beaded with a beading of needlework. For more dressy occasions the lace border is deep, or if the ornamentation be of embroidery that embroidery fills in each corner com- pletely. The handsomest .and most lovely of all the borders is composed of tiny squares of lace and em- broidery, wrought in miniature Maltetie crosses, jleurn de lis, and floral designs. The work is so wondrously fine that all its beauties could only be discovered with the aid of a magnifying glass.

Iffn who carries musical compositions in his hat puts on airs whenever he walks out. MOORE had the petroleum fever when he sung, I Oh had I some sweet little isle of my own '—but perhaps he only meant (as he said) "tweet" ile.

HOME HINTS. I SAUSAQH Pig. toil a breakfastcupful of rice 15 minutes, drain and put it into a basin. Chop an onion, a little parsley, and half-a-dozen leaves of sage mix with the rice plenty of pepper and one whole egg; mix all well together. Take a pound of pork sausages, turn them out of the skins, butter a pie-dish, put in a thin layer of the rice, then tho sausage-meat; pour over the sausage-meat a little hot water, cover the pie with the remainder of the rice, spread it quite smooth with a knife, and spread a little dripping over it to prevent its burning. Bake in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour. BEEF STEAK PIE.-Peel three turnips and three onions, cut them in thick slices cover the bottom of a pie-dish with a layer of turnips, then a layer of onions. Cut the steak in thin strips, about 2in. wide. In each strip of steak roll up a thin strip of fat bacon or pork. When all the steak is used up, cover with a layer of turnips and onions, a teaspoonful of finely- chopped parsley, mint, and summer savoury. Sprinkle a tablespoonful of flour over the top, season with pepper to taste three parts fill the pie-dish with boiling water, and cover with a good dripping crust. Bake in a moderately hot oven one hour and a half. RHUBARB AND RICE.—Wipe the rhubarb with a clean cloth and peel off the outside skin, cut it into inch lengths, and put it in a very clean saucepan, with just a tablespoonful of water, a liberal quantity of sugar, and a few strips of lemon peel. Cover close, boil until tender. Boil a breakfastcupful of rice, in boiling water, a quarter of an hour, strain away the water and well wash the rice in cold water three times let it drain well, then return it to the sauce- pan and stand it near the fire to get warm. Serve with the stowed rhubarb. KIDNEYS AND POTATOES.—Cut a bullock's kidney in slices, quite an inch thick, mix a heaped teaspoon- ful of flour with pepper and salt, dip each piece of kidney in this mixture. Melt a little dripping in a frying-pan, put in the kidney and fry a nice brown; chop an onion, and as much parsley as will fill a tea- spoon, fry these after the kidney is cooked; put a heaped teaspoonful of flour in the frying-pan, pour in a teacupful of boiling water, give it a stir, let it boil three minutes, put in the kidney, cover over with a plate to keep hot while you mash the potatoes. Make a wall of potato in a hot dish, put in the kidney, and serve as hot as possible. GOOSE-FEATHERS, like feathers from other birds, must be prepared for use by repeated bakings, if they are to remain sweet and inoffensive. In plucking, all the softer feathers and down should be separated from the coarser feathers, and the plumage should after- wards be cut from the latter. Then pack the whole loosely in paper bags, and hang in a warm room to dry for a few days. The next step is to bake the bags and their contents in a cool oven three or four times, for half an hour each time, and allow an interval of two days between the bakings for the feathers to dry. The process will then be complete. The softer feathers will, of course, be kept for pillows and the lilie.-Cottage Gardening. DINING WITH DISCRIMINATION.—If one desires to dine with physiological discrimination, the meal should begin with a few uncooked oysters, which are immediately stimulating, nutritious and digestible both oysters and sea fish contain a tonic quantity of iodine and are good nerve foods. With the exception of cayenne the earlier dishes should be mildly seasoned; the entrees may become piquant gradually; iced drink refreshes the tissues of the mouth and throat, which have been heated by the food and somewhat inflamed or, rather, stimulated the liquid coolness counteracts those feverish conditions and prepares the palate for the flavour of the roast or broiled game. The accompanying salad greatly enhances the intense flavour of the roast, while the condiments and salad oil flavour digestion. The dessert sweets tend to regulate the combination of the nutritive elements in the blood, exercising a chemical action not yet thoroughly understood. Black coffee or tea without milk has an astringent effect—that is, it contracts the mucous membrane of the digestive organs, interfering with the flow of the gastric and intestinal fluids, and thus retarding diges- tion. When their effect is desirable, the warmth and stimulus derived from either of those beverages can be replaced by drinking a glass of hot milk and water, swallowed as hot as possible, in large sips, and there is no handicap, as with the tea or coffee. The milk soothes the sensitive diges- tive tract, which may be disturbed by other foods, and the hot' water is sanative; the milk taken without the water would become a solid food directly it encountered the gastric juice, thus lacking the necessary liquid quantity. Children not yet full grown and invalids who are convalescing favourably from some exhausting illness should have a liberal diet in milk, eggs, fruit, vegetables, and such a diges- tible meat as mutton, or not high game. A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF INDIGESTION.—It is a mistake to eat quickly. Mastication performed in haste must be imperfect, even with the best of teeth, and due admixture of the salivary secretion with the food cannot take place. When a crude mass of inadequately crushed muscular fibre, or undivided solid material of any description, is thrown into the stomach, it acts as a mechanical irritant, and sets up a condition in the mucous membrane lining that organ which greatly impedes, if it does not altogether prevent, the process of digestion. When the practice of eating quickly and filling the stomach with unprepared food is habitual the digestive organ is rendered incapable of perfwrning its proper functions. Either a much larger quantity of food than would be necessary under natural conditions is required, or the system suffers from lack of nourishment. The matter may seem a small one, but it is not so. Just as a man may go on for years with defective teeth, imperfectly masticating his food, and wondering why he suffers from indigestion, so a man may habitually live under an affliction of hurried dinners and endure the consequent loss of liealtlJ without knowing why he is not well or how easily the cause of his illness might be remedied. TREACLE PUDDING.—Chop rather fine as much suet as will fill a teacup, put this into a basin, with a breakfastcupful of breadcrumbs, two tablespoonfuls of flour, a teacupful of dark treacle, half a teacupful of milk, a teaspoonful of ginger, and one egg. Mix all thoroughly; pour into a well-buttered pudding- basin, boil one hour. Serve with a little treacle made hot poured over the pudding. SlmING MACHINES.—A few most important points for the consideration of machine operators are given below, and their observance will prevent the loss of valuable time. It will be well to get thoroughly acquainted with the working and all the parts of a machine in fact, every operator should be able to take themachinetopieeesalldput it together again, so that, if an accident occurs, it may be speedily dealt with. The most important consideration is to obtain as perfect a stitch as is possible from a machine, especially so for hemming, as a hem of unequal width, with the thread drawn through unevenly, gives a sloppy appearance to the work, no matter how good the material may be; this, in great measure, is due to bad basting. The tensions, too, may be at fault; they can be regulated to a nicety, and should be care- fully attended to, for upon them depend good or bad results. If improperly regulated, they cause slip and uneven stitching, or the cotton draws through in an erratic manner. The pressure foot is also a source of trouble, and requires proper attention so also does the" feed," which sometimes requires to be sharpened—an operation i that an amateur cannot satisfactorily perform. If it gets worn down too much, the material will not come out straight, and then the best thing to do is to get; a new" feed," Sometimes the needle-plate shifts from its position, and the needle catches at tha side of the needle-hole, which causes the cotton to break or the needle to snap off; get the needle to run down the centre of the hole, and then screw up the plate as tightly as possible, so that it will not move either way. The needle should also be properly set"; when threading, bring the mark at the top of the needle-bar level with the head of the machine and the eye-hole of the needle level with the needle-plate. Some machines thread at the side, others straight in front; but each machinist should know exactly the position in which the needle should be placed.. SHEETS AND PILLOW-CASES.—Wlien a household is a large one the number of sheets and pillow-cases to be kept in order must be very great, and time dannot be spared for sewing the long seams and stitching the hems, as was formerly done. The best way is to buv yard-wide, heavy, firm sheeting, of medium texture, as it wears better than the coarser. Lay the selvedges of the long seam together, overlapping them nearly one-fourth of an inch, or sufficient to machine-stitch each edge. This makes two stitchings of the length of the sheet, forming a smooth, flat seam, which does not rip with wear, as one stitching is apt to do. Pillow-cases can be made in the sitin(I way, but it looks neater and nicer if the ends ara I hemmed by hand.

ART AND LITERATURE, kit FREDERICK LEIGIITON has completed five pictures for the Academy, the "Spirit of tho Summit, seated on the topmost point of a snow-jlad rocky peak; "The Bracelet," a study in delicate greens and yellows Summer Slumber," a girl in pale apricat draperies asleep in a courtyard, beyond which is a landscape seen through the arches of a trimmed box-hedge; "Fatidica," a female soothsayer; and At the Window," a dainty study of a child's head. ANOTHER valuable addition to the literature of folktlore is promised in the form of a collection of Egyptian tales now being written out by the eminent Egyptologist, Professor Flinders Petrie. These have been translated from the pillars and tombs of old Egypt, and will be issued in a series. The first volume will consist of the stories flitch have been discovered of a date prior to the time of Hyksor, and all will have illustrations drawn by another specialist, Mr. Tristram Ellis. THE Irish authoress, known as E. Owens Black- burne, but whose real name was Elizabeth Casey, had a remarkable career and a tragic ending, her death being due to burns caused by the accidental upsetting of a lamp. At 11 years of age she lost, her sight, and did not recover the use of her eyes till she was 18. As a consequence of her blindness her education was much neglected, but as soon as her powers of vision were restored she set diligently to work to make up for lost time. Very soon Miss Casey turnod to litera- ture, and by the time she was 21 one of her tales was published in serial form. At regular intervals there- after novels from her pen were published, and she also became a regular contributor to the magazines. At the time of her death she was only 46. AIR. MACWHIRTER'S best landscape this year has been studied in the Alps: it represents a valley full of rankly growing anemones and gentians, and bounded by snorV-capped mountains. It is called Flowers of the Alps." His other pictures are Fair Strathspey," Subsiding Flood," 'Twixt the Gloam- ing and the Mirk," nd "The Misty Hills of Skye." This last canvas will be at the New Gallery, all the others are at the Academy. IN 1883 and 1884 the number of works of fiction issued in more than one volume was 193. In 1885 and 1886 the number fell to 184, and in 1892 it had fallen to 156, but last year it again rose to 168. An authority on the business of the circulating library puts the life of a library novel at nine months. If they are very successful, their life extends over a year. Mn. MARCUS STONE will show only three pictures at the coming Academy Exhibition, and none of these are of great importance. The chief one is called "A Stolen Kiss," and represents one of the artist's accustomed white muslin-clad maidens asleep in the inevitable green garden seat, and about to be embraced by the equally inevitable lover. Mr. Stone's two other pictures, "Summer" and "Winter," a girl in a pink dress, and a girl in a black and red dress respectively, are much smaller and slighter in treatment. TIIE popularity of Mr. J. M. Barrie's Littlft Minister," of which an illustrated edition was issued by Messrs. Cassell & Company last autumn, is still quite unabated, and the work has now reached ita 33th thousand. lR. BOUGHTON has two pictures this year. The larger, The Ordeal of Purity," an allegory with the stib* title, Be thou chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny," he will send to the Academy while the other, Evangeline," is intended for the New Gallery. Both are excellent examples of Mr. Boughton's delicate colour and dainty imagina- tion, and are painted with all his accustomed skill of hadd. MR. ROBERT CLARK, the senior partner of the well- known Edinburgh printers, recently told an inter- viewer that after the death of Tennyson, so extra- ordinary was the demand for his works, that 26 printing-machines were engaged for three weeks in providing the necessary supply. The popufaritv of the Waverley Novels is attested by the remarkable fact that for the last 30 years "no fewer than 30 hands have been uninterruptedly engaged by this one firm in producing Sir Walter Scott's works. MR. P. R. MORRIS divides his time pretty equally between portraits and subject pictures. This' year he will have at the Academy three portraits, of which the most attractive is that of Mrs. Walmislev, in a white evening dress and feather boa; a landscape, Harlech Castle and a large representation of a quaint May-day procession of children. This illustrates an incident studied in Cornwall, where the spring festival is known as "Flora-day," the title he has given to the picture. SOME one has remarked that a new terror has been added to death since the custom of writing bio- graphies of anybody or everybody whose name is at all familiar to the world has become so universal in its observance. There are perhaps some grounds for a belief that the craze for lives has rather de- clined in the face of a demand for interviews and "character sketches," which, if the supply is any criterion, must be simply enormous. Be that how it may, there are many cases in which a biography is to be desired, or is, indeed, inevitable, even when the sub- ject may not have been placed in the very first rank of eminence among his contemporaries. Very many readers will welcome a Life" of the late Sir James Fitz-James Stephen, and will be glad to hear that his brother, Mr. Leslie Stephen, has determined to undertake such a work. One of the best charac- teristics of Mr. Stephen as a writer is that he never indulges in what is commonly and aptly described as padding," and we may be quite sure that his bio- grajjhyof the distinguished lawyer and man of letters whose story he is to tell will not suffer from a fault that has gone far to spoil not a few of the books of its,class issued during recent years-viz., the inclusion of matters of no general interest, and of no real bio- graphical value whatever. MR. FRANK DICKSEE has only one picture ready, and this, of course, goes to the Academy. It presents a female figure dressed fantastically in green and purple draperies, seated on a copper and gold throne, looking into a crystal globe. Behind are green hang- ings and laurel leaves, and beside the chair is a tripod with a smoking censer and other accessories. The picture will probably be called The Magic Crystal." A small landscape may, perhaps, accompany it to Burlington House. MR. HAMO TIIOIINYCROFT'S studio is as full as ever of work in progress. His marble stati.o of Sir Steuart Bayley, which is to go to Calcutta, is practically complete, as is also his Monument for a Church in Wales." To the Academy he will send five works, a bronze version of his Mower," a bronze portrait bust; two bas reliefs, and an equestrian figure. (TIIE Duke of York has recently given seven sittings to Mr. Walter Merrett for a bust, which has been submitted to the Princess of Wrales. the Duchess of* York, and the Duke and Duchess of Tcck, and has been praised by them as an excellent likeness. It is intended as a present from the officers of the City of London Artillery Volunteers to the Duchess of York. Mr. Merrett has sent it, with four other works, to the Academy. Apropos of the recent revival of the Junius" con- troversy, through the appearance of the book in which the grandson of Sir Philip Francis claimed to settle the matter once for all, we may recall the views of Carlyle on this still unsolved problem, as presented by Sir Charles Gavan Duffy some time ago. I asked him," writes Sir Charles, "if he had ever come to any decision as to the authorship of Junius.' He replied that, in his opinion, it did not matter a brass farthing to any human being who was 'Junius.' I fcjoined that one could not well be indifferent to a question which it was alleged touched the honour of either Burke, Chatham, Gibbon, or Grattan. It probably did not, Carlyle said, concern the honour of Burke and the others in the slightest degree. Persons who dealt with qxiestio&s of this nature seemed to be of opinion, if anyone cared to know, that Philip Francis was the man. The "brass farthing" line of argument was characteristic of Carlyle, who could not understand that kind of interest which is described as academic. No one would be much the happier, perhaps, if it was known for certain who wrote the Junius letters, but Utilitarianism will have to advance a long way before such questions will cease to interest. The" Junius" matter is a small one enough, no doubt, but as regards any profit" that its solution would ensure, beyond the satisfaction of curiosity, it is of as much value as many of the problems in astronomy to which learned mathematicians devote their lives. It does not,, perhaps, matter a brass farthing to anybody, whether the nature of the rings of Saturn can be ascertained or not, or whether Neptune is the farthest planet in our solar system. But these things, though to most intelligent minds probably o! far more importance than" Junius," belong to the same category, if viewed from the crudelv utilitariau standpoint.

AMERICAN HUMOUR. TM man with a 5000dol. policy on his life inter- viewed the manager of the company. If I go ont of the' country," he asked, won't it make some differ- ence in my policy ?" Where are you going ?" "I've enlisted in the Brazilian army." That will make some difference." I want to provide for that." Very good. What premiilm are you paying now ?" Two hundred dollars per annum." All right, we'll make it 150dol. as long as the war lasts." SHE REMEMBERED THE CAT.—A webfoot woman who started to jump into the Columbia river to drown herself suddenly remembered that she had left the cat in the pantry, and hurried back home. She afterwards said: "The idea of my struggling in the water and thinking that the cat was licking the cream off my milk in the pantry at that minute was more than I could bear." FOR CIIARITY.-Binks: We are going to have a novel entertainment at our house next week for chitritv." Slinks: "That so ? What is it ?" Finks: Readings from Dickens. Want to buy a ticket? PINNING HIM DOWN.—She "Why didn't you come around last night ?" He "I didn't get through at the office until so late that I hadn't time to go home to dress, and I didn't like to call in my business suit." She W hy not ? Don't you mean business 9" THE POLITE EDITOR.—Poet: "I have here, sir, a poem which I wish to have printed in your paper." Editor (looking it over) We can't print it to-day or to-morrow. Would it suit you as well at some later date.?" Poet (gratefully): "Oh, any time would be perfectly satisfactory. Use your own pleasure about that." Editor: Very well. We'll trv to get it in somewhere in the sorinc of 1994." A STORY OF THE STREET.— Hittie McGinn was a nice young girl, Whom a masher tried to mash When a good young man gave him the whirl And sent him down with a crash. Now who are you ?" he asked of her, As he rubbed his beardless chin; She smiled and said, I thank you, sir, Hittie McGinn." He banged the masher in the neck, Her favour for to win She answered, smiling at the wreck: Hittie McGinn." Once more he knocked the masher down, And pounded him like sin. This answer did his efforts crown Hittie McGinn." "By thunder, miss," he said, "I don't Young ladies' favour win By killing mashers, and I won't Hit him ag'in." And then she smiled her sweet regard; He took the maiden in, For she had shown him on her card: Hittie McGinn." A READY RECKONER.—"Does this road lead to Evansville ? I asked of an old darkey lounging at the door of his cabin. I reckon it do, sah." Is it far?" "I reckon it am." "Can I reach it by sundown ? "I reckon, so yuse eahly 'nuff." Could you tell me how many miles it is to Evansville ? I reckon I could, sah." How many ? "I reckon I dunno." "But you said you could tell me." "I reckon I could if I knowed." See here," I said angrily, "I believe you're next to a fool." I reckon ynse right, sah," answered the fellovf Hvith a grin that made me want to dismount and kick him. A POOR INVESTMENT.—The old gentleman had let five of his lovely daughters go to that many more or less worthless sons-in-law, and he was watching the sixth one with more care, though whether that ever made any difference in such matters is open to ques- tion. For her, at last, came a young man as the others had come. Don't say a word," interrupted the father when the young man appeared trembling in his presence I know what you are here for, and the only question I have to ask is Can you support my daughter when she becomes your wife ?' Five of them have married, and. I've never been able to declare a dividend on one of them yet. If you can change my luck, young man, I'll set you up in busi- ness and won't charge you a cent." HE OBEYED ORDERS.—Most American women have had embarrassing experiences in social emergencies. Perhaps none was ever more trying than the adven- ture of a lady noted in New York for her courtesy and savior faire. One winter day she started on the train for Philadelphia, taking her seat in what she supposed was an ordinary parlour car. There was but one other occupant, a somewhat stout man, who sat with his back to her. Presently he lighted a cigar and began to smoke. The lady couched and moved uneasily, but her hints had no effect. She said at last tartly: You probably are a foreigner, sir, and do not know that there is a smoking car attached to the train. Smoking is not permitted here." The man, without reply, threw his cigar out of the window. A few moments later the conductor entered and stared at her in dismay. "How did you come here, madam?" he inquired Why where am I ?" In General Grant's private car." The mortified lady's usual tact failed her here. She looked at the dumb, immovable figure and re- treated without a word. THE PEPPERY MAN'S LUNCH.—A peppery-faced man came into a down-town restaurant the other day, sat down and scanned the bill of fare with a critical eye. He had another man with him, who inquired: "'Well, watcher goin' to eat?" "Welsh rabbit, I guess." "Rather indigestible isn't it, to work on?" "Maybe, but I feel like having some, that's all," replied the peppery-faced man. "I tell you what," he went on; "now, I've had dyspepsia for pretty near 30 years. Tried everything-ate nothing but beefsteak, drank nothing but hot water for months-- took no end of medicine-exercised and gave up smoking, and all that sort of thing. But it didn't do a bit of good. I declare, I think it made me worse with thinking about myself. So I just made up my mind to put an end to the whole business and eat what I pleased. What do you think I had for my breakfast this morning? Well, sir, a pork chop, sir a pork chop, and buokwheat cakes with maple syrup OA. 'em, and hot rolls and coffee-pretty good for a sick man, eh? And that's the way I do right along. If I'm sick, why, then, I'm sick, and that's all there is to it. If I ain't sick, why, so much the better. Anyhow, it takes the thing off my mind, you see. What'll I have for dessert ? Well, waiter, see here- got any good mince pie? I think I'll have to have some -nice piece of hot mince pie, waiter, with plenty of sugar and a bit of cheese!" AN OBSCURE CHIROGRAPHY.—A certain lawyer in Boston writes so badly that he cannot decipher his own handwriting when it is cold. Recently a client called upon him, and requested him to write a pro- fessional letter to a certain person, which he wished to read before it was sent. In a few days he received the letter, but could not read a word of it, except the signature. As a final resort he called on the lawyer. I have your letter to Mann and Co., but I cannot make out a line of it." The lawyer took it, glanced it over carefully, and said: "Neither can I." After some deliberation the lawyer asked What was it you asked me to write them about ?" The client related the circumstances, and the lawyer was thpn able to decipher his own letter of advice. A DESIGNATION.—As the visitor was going through a manufacturing establishment he noticed one very careless-looking workman shambling along with a wheelbarrow. Is that a sample of your men?" he asked of the manager. Hardly that's one of our didn't-know-it-was-loaded-gun men." "And what kind is that, pray?" Liable to so off at any time. See ?"