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

1 • 6 ii > ?' ,» I .OJ. > ?' ,» I .OJ. cC LORD PORTSMOUTH ON TME „ CIIUECH.. ■ ■ Lord Portsmouth, presiding on Mofciaj at a meeting of the general council of the London and District-Association ;of British and .other voluntary scbdols at the Memorial Hall, in Farringdan-street, reforred- toi what he described as the conspiracy of a large portion of the clergy of the-; Established Church to introduce the doctrines and practices ot the Church of Rome. He felt that the Church of England had by recent events shown herself inca- pable of that general confidence and complete respect which should attach to her. Unless the authorities within the Church could keep their own house m order, other authorities outside would toke the matter in hand, with, he admitted, doubtful advantage to any interest concerned.

ALLEGED GREAT FRAUDS. At Bow-street Police-court on Monday, before Mr. Lushington, Alfred J. Monson, 36, Robert Metcalf, 36, Percival Edward Norgate, and Victor Honour, 4o| the well-known Jerihyn-street money-lender, were charged with conspiracy to defraud. Honour and Norgate were further charged, the first-named with forging, and the latter With causing to be forged. a. bill for £120." Mr. Horace Avory (instructed by Mr: Sims) appeared to prosecute for the Public Prosecutor, Mr. Arthur JNewton defended Victor Honour, Mr. F. W. Tonkin defended Monson and Norgate. M. Avory said he only proposed to prove the arrest of the accused, and ask for a formal remand. Continuing, counsel said there was a charge of forging a bill for B120 against the pri- soners Honour and Norgate, and a (hargEI against aU of them for conspiring to defraud the Norwich In- surance- Union by personating Norgate in order to jet an insurance on his life, some other person repre- senting him, as it was well known that a doctor would aotpass him., Inspector Arrow deposed that on the 24th June lie received warrante for the arrest of the prisoners and an the evening of that May he received a ^telegra m from the prisoner Norgate, followed by a letter, which was received on Saturday morning, arranging to meet witness at Vine-street Police-station. About 4.45 Norgate came to the station, and was at once arrested. Previous to the issue of the warrant witness had been in communication with Norgate, and bad taken a statement from him. On Saturday week last witness found that Norgate ha-d left his address. Monson was brought to the station later the same evening by Sergeant Cunningham. Prisoner had with him a dressing- bag packed ready for travelling, and said, I was just off to the North." The warrant charging him with tonspiracy was read to him, andin reply he said, No bail, I suppose?" Honour's name was men- tioned in the warrant, and Monson said, What. Honour, tooP" Witness then went to Monson a room in Arundel-street, Haymariefc, and took pc s- session of the prisoner's books and papers. At 7.30 the same evening witness arrested Honour at his office, 131, Jermyn-street, W., and took possession of a; quantity of papers, which he found in a safe and cupboard.- In reply to the charge Norgate said, I under- stand Monson said, I see and Honour, when asked what his occupation was, replied, I was a money-lender; since aeowple of months I-imve given it up, and I am buying property now and building"; in reply to the charge of forgery he said, That's a lie in reply to the charge of conspiracy he said, "That's a lie absolutely." Late on Saturday night Metcalf was brought to the station, and witness asked his nanie. He replied, Robert Ives Metcalf.' Witness said, In 1896 you w6re a metnber of the firm, of Lumley, 148, Shaftesbury-avenue ?" He re- plied; "'Yes." He. was then charged, and in reply $aid,N>6 fehance of getting bail?" When the charge Was read over by the inspector he sirtiply said Cross-examined by Mr. Tonkin, witness said he had been in communication with Norgate since March latt, :;a-nd had, frequently seen Mm by appointment. Prisoner had supplied witness with information. Witness understood that Chancery proceedings had been taken by the insurance company to have this particular policy set aside, and he believed an order had been made.. Questioned as to whether the company had not declined to prosecute, witness said he knew they were anxious to prosecute when. he first communicated with them. He further s^id he ilways, regarded Norgate as a prospective witness for bhe prosecution. Witness.hot Recently been in jonnmmication.with itfomiori, but~ some nionths ago Monson eommimicafe# with hfm, and ^had supplied -information which had been laid before the Public Prosecutor. The prisoners were remanded, bail being refused, jxcept in the case of Norgate, for whom bail was Granted in two sureties of £ 100, with notice to the police. Monson's claim to notoriety was in connection with the Ardlamont case in which he was charged with the murder of Cecil Ham- brough, a young man of good family and expectations, whom he had been coaching for li's examination for a commission in the militia. As in the present charge, insur- ances enter into the case, young Hambrough's life having been insured for C20,000 land the policies assigned to Mrs. Monson as security for noney which Hambrough owed Monson. The goung man was mysteriously shot dead wiih his own jiin while out rabbit shooting with Monson and a mail named Scott at Ardlamont, a sfnall sporting ?state' oVi Loch Fyne. Suspicion fastened uplon Mprison, who was put iipon trial for his life at Edin- burgh, where, upon an investigation afsting ten days, he Scotch verdict of Not proven"WHs returned.

HORSFOKD HANGED. Walter Horsford, the young Spaldwiici farmer, 'p was found guilty at Hunts ASSIES Sf murdering ,¡hIS coiisih, Annie Holmes, a widow,bf Sf. !Neots, by Administering strychnine, was execvited in Cam- bridge Gaol at eight o'clock on Tuesday morn- ing. Biliihgton was the executioner, and so far' as can be ascertained Horsford made no confession. He was hanged in the: new exefciition Ihedone specially erected. Several hundreds of people congregated outside the gaol, and after the black flag was hoisted quietly dispersed. Prisoner since his conviction has been watched by special warders'day and night. He Jjas enjoyed .excellent health in prison, „ and h^s both eaten .and slept welh Tndeed, when tn^' doctor offered to nipply him, with, a sleeping draught; Hors- ford idecjmed the,, offer, stating that he had ao jieed of it' as he s)ept souncfly. He read his Bible regularly every day after his conviction, and attended .chapel on Sunday. He was allowed as a special luxury beer and tobacco, and the, only extension of privilege that he asked was that he might be allowed ",11 additional quantity of tobacco. This,, how- ever, coul^^upt, be permitted, itas> he was only ible to sftiolce during Kis exercise in the prison yard. The convict, although he talked freely ya msuiy subjects after his cbiivlct'pn, studiously lvoided any reference to the murder, Unid though'he saw the chaplain thrice daily and frequently con- versed with him, he had, it is understood, up to the ast moment made no confession of his crime. Many )f his. relatives visited him during his last days, jicluding his father and mother, and the last fare- wells were of a most pathetic character.

MR. ARNOLD HILLS, the manager of the Thames Iron Works, is an athlete of some distinction. He won his Blue at Oxford both in football and in sports, and is an international football player. He is now a leader in the Temperance movement, and with Professor Mayo, of Cambridge, is a president of the Vegetarian Society. Mr. Hills is one of the most liberal supporters of the People's Palace, in the Mile End-road, and is well known for his many charities. A FuimiBE disfigurement to Church-row, Hamp- stcad, is threatened, as it has just been announced ■that, in addition to the destruction of the picturesque old houses which took place recently to make room ;or a block of flats, a plot of land adjoining the hurchyard is to be sold for the erection of flats. [he piece of ground is a vart: of the garden of The .u'rns, Frogrial, which for about two years was the residence of Dr. Samuel Johnson.

ART DLITERATURE. IN all probability the most important book ever published on the subject of .geology was Hutton'f Theory of the Earth," which appeared in 1795. A fact not generally known is that at his death the author left an important sequel to it n manuscript. The manuscript mysteriously disappeared until 1856, when the first six chapters were found and presented to tbe,Geological Society. They are now to be edited by Sir Archibald Geikie and given 9 the world. The remaining chapters are, no doubt, irretrievably lost. AMONG the. pictures exhibited at the Paris Salon which have been purchased by the State, is one by Lockhart, a French artist of Scotch descent, repre- senting the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of her Majesty in 1887, at Westminster Abbey. THE acquisition by the Queen of Mr. Holman Hunt's "The Beloved," which occupies the place of honour at the New Gallery, is a reminder of the pro- found admiration that the Queen has always mani- fested for the work of this painter, as well as for that of Sir Noel Paton, some of whose chief examples serve as a background to the table in the Worship- room at Osborne. As far as possible the rule is observed that the Queen's oil paintings should go to Windsor Castle, the water-colours to Osborne, and the black and white engravings to Balmoral, although everyone is aware that the incomparable collection of Raphael drawings formed by the late Prince Consort is preserved at Windsor. The Queen's artistic purchases already this year have exceeded in number and in importance the usual average. IT is difficult to realise that Mr. Algernon Charles Swinburne, whose verse is so instinct with the fire and fervour of youth, haspassed his 60th year. His father, Admiral Charles Henry Swinburne, who died 20 years ago, was uncle of the present Sir John Swinburne; and his mother, Lady Jane Swinburne, a remarkably sweet old lady who died recently at a very advanced age, was a daughter of the third Earl of Ashburnham. Mr. Swinburne, who is admittedly the finest of our living poets, is passionately fond, of children, and may often be seen emerging from at sweet-shop with a packet of sweets, which he will distribute among the clamorous crowd waiting ofiit- side. M. DAtiDET, the famous French author, is extremely fond of books of travel, and although he has travelled very little himself, is never tired of hearing about strange lands and peoples. AN extraordinary discovery of authentic manu- scripts of Rousseau was made recently, says Dalziel's Paris correspondent. About three weeks ago a well- dressed man called at a club on the Boulevard and asked the porter to take charge of a packet for him. The servant, thinking it belonged to a member, put it into a cupboard, where it lay until the next day, when it was opened by the president of the club and found to contain a manuscript (valued at 10,000fr.) and a volume of the Romance de la Rose." THE career of the late Sir Edward Burne-Jonea is curiously interesting (says the Globe) to all people who find a degree of fascination in studying the de- velopment of a strongly-marked artistic personality. There is no possibility of accounting for his posses- sion of rare capacity as a painter, or of aesthetic in- stincts more acute than are displayed by the majority of his contemporaries, by any supposition ef heredity. He came of a family which was not only nndistinguished through many generations by any leaning towards the practice of art, but was by its traditions opposed to all but the most serious con- siderations of existence. He was brought up also in a busy provincial city among sternly utilitarian surround- inITs, and his whole education was conducted with the intention of preparing him for taking orders in the Church of England. Yet, in opposition to family traditions and the training, of years, the iesthetic craving in him was so irresistible that in early man. hood it led him away from the path laid down for him into the profession that he followed for the rest of his life. The turning-point came while he was an undergraduate at Oxford. He met there, and became intimate with, William Morris, who had entered Exeter College on the same day as himself. The bond of sympathy between the two youths, arising out of a close community of tastes, soon became an active influence, affecting them both, and in the case of the young Burne-Jones defining and permanently directing aspirations of which he had before been only dimly conscious. But what, more than any- thing else, finally decided him to become an artist was the fascination of Rossetti's genius. He had seen in the house of an Oxford collector some pic- tures by this extraordinary painter, and they had roused in him the most intense admiration. Almost at once he sought out Rossetti, and on his advici abandoned the University career, and settled in London, intent on developing the one side of his capacity which he knew would lead him to success. Thenceforward his progress was without a break. By the most assiduous labour, he perfected himself in the technicalities of the artistic profession. He became a draughtsman of'rare skill, he gave proof after proof of the possession of a colour sense' of the most splendid kind, he advanced rapidly to the front rank of modern designers, and he gained from the public a degree of recognition not often accorded to living men. His pictures, with their wide variety of imaginative intention and charm of treatment, placed him among the most successful painters of our school, and by such masterpieces as Laus Veneris," the "Chant d'Amour," "The Golden Stairs," The Briar Rose," The Days of Creation," "The Mirror of Venus," and that exquisite piece of fancy, The Wood Nymph," he made a reputation which was as great abroad as in his own country. He took no active part in the politics of art, but many honours, in acknowledgment of his genius, fell, to his share and there are none that he cannot be said to have fully deserved. RECENTLY a rumour has been abroad that there is to be an amalgamation of the Royal Water Colour I Society and the Royal Institute. Why a scheme so obviously unnecessary should appear to be worth discussing it is hard to say. Neither society would be likely to benefit by an' arrangement which would in each case imply an abandonment of an accepted policy. The Old Society" would have to break through its rule of dignified exclueiveness, and the Institute would have to modify its ambitions and. give up its pretensions to act as a centre and rally- ing place for the younger workers in water-colour, and a curious hybrid would result which could hardly claim any real reason for existence. The "Old Society" has certainly nothing to gain by an enlargement of its scope; and for the Institute to surrender the position which it has secured by its continuity of policy and judicious management during the last few years would be simply suicidal. There is much more likelihood of advantage from loyal maintenance of the present condition of affairs than from rash experiments. THE French School at Athens has sent M. Millet to Mount Athos, where, aided by an artist, M. Rousin,' he is making an accurate study of the little-known works of art in the monasteries. M. Rousin is re- producing in water-colour the series of pictures in, the refectory of- the great Laura monastery. The monks are rather difficult to deal with. MORE than 50 years ago a very valuable book wafe stolen from Bishop Cpsin's library at Durham Cathe- dral, to wit, a. splendid copy of the Sarum Missal of 1514, printed at Paris. A few days ago a parcel arrived addressed to the librarian, which-contained the lost treasure in perfect condition. There is not the slightest clue to the sender as there was none to the thief. In any case the. Dean and Chapter, and all ecclesiastical bibliophiles, wiu joice at an event which in the Middle Ages would have been ascribed to miraculous intervention. THE Dudley Gallery Art Society presents, as usual, in its water-colour exhibition, a strange mixture of clever drawings and of works that are too InCornpe.. J tent to be interesting even in a mild way. The best things are contributed by a few artists who are usually to be depended upon for reasonably skilful workmanship. Among these contributors the most worthy of note are Miss Margaret Bernard, Afr Burleigh Brunl, Miss Maud Turner, and Mr. Edward Taylor. The rest display various degrees of efficiency, but do not for the most part succeed in doing any. thing that calls for any particular notice. BBITISH artists cannot be said to have made any very marked success in the Paris Salon this year. To Mr. Z. Coutta Michie, an Associate of the Royal Scottish Acadcmy, and an artist well-known here as a clever painter both of portraits and landscapes, belongs the distinction of having gained the only y medal, awarded; and among the recipients of hon- ourable mentions arei Mr. Dudley Hardy, Mr. Robert Little, and Mr. Burrington. It is to be hoped that a ttiom strenuous effort will l?e ps^de_another year to convince artistic opinion in France, for the assertion abroad of the claims ni Brjttsh art is too important to be neglected ,C ji!6!J .-n-li-i.r", ,i. 1 »

HOME HINTS. CaMEOTA AND TURNIPs.These can of course be used separately if preferred for garnishing (writes Marie in the Agricultural Gazette), but a decidedly better effect is obtained "by using them together. When for boiled, braised,,or stewed meat of various kinds they form an exceedingly nice ganrsh. Pre- pare the vegetables in the usual way and cut them in slices about a quarter of an inch thick, then cut these up either into small neat.dice or, julienne strips, or if preferred stamp them out in pretty, fanciful shapes, or plain rounds, with a proper cutter, after which boil them gently in separate saucepans until sum- ciently cooked without being at all broken. When done enough drain the vegetables thoroughly, and arrange them according to taste. If stamped out in shapes or rounds these are generally placed alter- nately round the edge of the dish,; the turnips being very lightly sprinkled, with a little finely-chopped hot parsley but if cut into dice or julienne strips the carrots and turnips are,as a rule, mixed together, and arranged in tiny heaps with a sprig of crisped or fried parsley between each. Many other methods of arrangement, however, can be adopted with an equally pleasing result, but these must be left to the good taste and ingenuity of the one who is dishing Up;" CUCUMBERS.—Whtn required as a garnish for a jold dish, peel the cucumber and cut it in slices a quarter of an inch thick, then stamp out the seedy oart in the centre with a tiny round cutter, thus forming rings; seasoA these pleasantly with salt, pepper, fine salad-oil, ftiid vinegar, or lemon juice, ind arrange them round the edge of the dish, each ring slightly overlapping ithe other, upon a full close border of fresh green parsley. Or, if preferred, cut the slices very thin and serve them whole, either with or-without the rind according to taste, but seasoned ind arrahged as abori. Slices or ringwof bright red boilted Beetroot and- eaeumber thus prepared -and irranged alternately have a chartiring effect, the three jolours contrasting so-Vrettiy. If intended to ac- 'bovv jompany a hot dish; however, the oethod of pre- paration is altogether different. Peel tfie cucumber, ind, after removing the seeds, cut it'up into half- inch dice;- put these into a stewpan with cold slightly-salted water, and bring to the boil, then skin carefully and simmer gently until the vegetable is quite tender, when it tnuBt be thoroughly drained next return-1 he cucumber to the dry stewpan with a »ood slice <Sf butter, a sprinkling tsf finely-mrnced parsley, a seasoning of salt -and pepper, and a small quantity of fresh lemon joice, and toss over a gentle fife until the dice are 'Well coated; Arrange round the edge of the dish in the fortn of a plain border, or in httle heaps, the tops of those being sprinkled alternately with sifted egg yolk and lobster coral," and a sprig of hot crisp parsley placed'between each. LOBSTER CoEAt;—Carefnlly remove from a fresh hen lobster all the small' beads found-under the body, and commonly known as the spawn, and also the coral or red portion situated in the nedk and down the' back of the fish. Place these on a tin; and i>ake them for a few minutes in a "very thod$rat!e oven until quite dry and crisp;'then pound' them smoothly, pkss through a fine Wire -sieve, and store iii wper- fectly air-tight tiny or a tightly-corked bottie, until reqwe,lt0 use." • JSROWN RASPiNGS.-rGather .together all the odd pieces of byead prugts left over from a meal, and place them ,pn a flat, tin, then bake in, a cool oven until browned x-ight through without being ajt all burnt. When, cold, crush the bread to a powder with a r<Jling-pinr and pass this through a flnewire sieve, after which store in a perfectly dry bottle with a closely-fitting cork, or in, an airtight tin box, and •keeip.iua dry p)ac» until;«quiyed» i» .v.. Prcu'ER^X, iP*Ei>ARJs» ,Ric>i:For a .hftfc. garnish, p«t, pay, |lh- ^ftiine Patna or .Carolina rioe„,which has been weft washed aod drajned* ftnd into two boiling,, slightly salted, water, and boil quickly until the riee is about three parts cooked; then, drain, it; again, retprn it to thef dry, sancepan. with about of freeh huttar and a -light. seasoning of salt and -white pepper, cover closely, and let the saucepan remain by the side of the ,fire until .each grain ia perfectly tender but still unbroken, levve in little heaps round the edge of the dish, the tops being lightly sprinkled -with. -lobster, oorol, or red crumbs, and finely-chopped parsley alter- nately. Jf required as, 8. cold garnish, boil the rice gently in at much, will as it will absorb, then when quite,tender stir in two well-beaten fresh eggs, and when these are just lightly set without ever boil- ing, turn the rice into a bowl with a seasoning of salt and white pepper and 2oz. ot bujtter> and pound the wliole .to »ramoothjpwte, after,which spread it out, in R.-flftt cake .about half-an-incH.Ihjclr, ami leave it until quite jcoldand stiff. When, required, stamp <jut in. small r.oqnds, rings, diamond?,. or..eqitarpe, and arrnngeround the edge.of the dish, a.htfcile, hfcfp.of roughly-cHopped variegated aspic being piled *>p«Jn etw>h, and sprigs of fresh green parley, placed between, Or, if preferred, ehaps it into a plain block pr border, and sprinkle i t,.wita A fine i mature of n^inced,parsley, jifted egg yolk„and lobster coral. Fbjed Bread.—C]ut some stale bread, in Filims, one third of an inch thick, and stamp these out jn sjnall, fancifully-shaped croutons or in, Tinga.jipd.fry them in boiling fat until coloured a lovely brown and quite crisp then drain well and serve at once. Jf a little extra trouble is not objected to, brush the fried bread over with, white of ,egg, sprinkle alternately with sifted egg yolk, finely-chopped egg white, and lobster coral, and arrange tastefully with sprigs, of parsley, RASPBERRY VISEQAR.t-PU t two quarts of rasp- berries in a basin ,$nd bruise the fruit well with a wooden spoon. Pour oyer one quart, of the best white wine,vinegar; stir well and coyer tq keep out the dust fQr two days. Strain off the, vinegar, on to another two pounds of well bruised fruit, leaving; it for two days. Then strain it off into a clean stew- pan, allowing a pound of the best cane loaf sugar to each pint of juipe. Bring to the boil, letting it, boil five minutes after the sugar is dissolved, and,stirrjng frequently when cold. Bottle, and. keep in. a cool .place. >; Ja* MAKING.—Use good aound fruit, allowing lb. of,the beat cane sugar to each pound of- .fruit. It^ is not possible to fix, the time for boiling exactly. After the sugar is dissolved it is put in, with the fruit on top< It takes, from three.quarters to one hqur.. The beat role is to try, a spoonful on a plate, ilf it jellit-s quickly you may at once t-it into, hot gallipots or glass bottles, and cork while hot,, r L f, GINGBB WINE.—TO make wine with cold water is ,a very tedious process, as it must ferment in a warm, even temperature, which is not alwaya an easy thing to manage, && it takes four. or five weeks. Put six gallons of water in a clean tqb, with 161b. of loaf- sugar, §lh. of bruised ginger, 31b, xxf raisins, (he jnice.and the rind of six lemons, .and the rind aind juice, of six oranges. Cover with a piece ofcoarse muslin to keep out flies and dust; stir itifive.or six times a day until the sugar is dissolved, iu,.&,m-a .riii place, until a thipk film, forms on the. tep.kim this off as it rises when it is quite clear and no more film forms, strain it into, a, brandy or cherry cask. ,Leave,covered in the eaaklgr w few days to be sure. that fermentation has ceased, then bung it down. It will be ready for use. in six months. PEACH SURPRISE.—Beat to a cream one small cup- ful of sugar, and one-third cupful of butter, add two well-beaten eggs, one capful of milk; two cupfuls of flour through which is sifted one teaspoonful of sugar, add half a teaspoonful of vanilla. Fill buttered coffee cups one-third full of this mixture, place a large tablespoonful ef peach .preserves upon it and cover with » spoonful of the,batter.. Place in 1 a steamer over boiling water for one hour and a quarter. Serve. warm with cream Alavoured with Manilla. c C»WCERNINGi CURTAINs.-There is no method of juspending.curtains. as handsome; aa gilt or wooden poles anarings, but these cannot always ,be had, and -a. chamber dra-ped, with blue figuredfiateen .on acreaiii ground had scrim, curtains at the windows which were suspended by a pieoe of lath wound smoothly with white mttslin, run-in a wide hem. Adroei the top was a thort, drapery of the sateen-.1 Ii Waa caught npat each side by gathers nfteen inches from the <nd, made diagonally across the cloth) and'tacked id the; lath over the' scrim curtain, -the joini1>g covered by a full rosette made of the iaaterial. ;It wasr alsd caught up atotihe -centre, i which -ngae-twof.gtarettil 'festoons. The ends were trimmed with handknit eom-linen lacer <fl?he. 8Cri-i» enrtains^hung ftee and. mehod, tw, the £ aor.In; draping a chamber with any material, do not use an excess.

1 'J'" ja- ,dfi ruqioujr thifc Dr. (a^rnkt ^j«nd3; filiortly to ictire froin Jiis .pQ8, o.f peeper.,of Printed Books at pn the.B^itiphjiuseufa is untnie.. (I.. A rROCESSios of icebergs sent against the surface of the sun would melt at the rate of 300,000,000 cubic miles of solid ice a ^econd. rt -i

THE WOMAN'S WORLD. TIIE possibilities of attractive and' stylish summer dresses have rarely been more strongly emphasised than in th6 case of an outfit prepared after a lively discussion at a ladies' gathering the other day. One of those present, remarked that she could get up a handsome costume out of any one of the last year's organdies that her friend was threatening to put into the rag bag, provided the material was not hopelessly faded. The owner of the organdies challenged her on the spot, and agreed to pay to some charity the appraised price of such a costume as her friend would evolve out of that bit of wreckage. Will ing to be magnanimous, she sent the best organdie she had. It was rumpled and torn in several places, but there was a large amount of material, and it was made up over a slip of plain taffeta of good quality. The dress was ripped apart and the organdie was put out over night in a damp atmosphere, then brought in and wrapped until it could be pressed. This was carefully done on a soft cloth, with moderately hot ircn, great pains being taken that the goods were pressed straight way of the cloth. It had been cut in the dreadful zig-zags that dressmakers are guilty of when they slash straight across a breadth by a square. A large amount of lace insertion and edging were used on the dress, and these were freshened up by dipping them in soapsuds, patting them until clean, then rinsing in a little starch, water and pulling until dry. A ruffle Sin. deep was cnt from the organdie and sewed upon the silk lining at the foot. Above this was a band of insertion, then a flat band of the organdie, and so on, alternating until the material ex- tended to within about 14in. of the waist line, this space being filled out by the organdie. The waist and sleeves were made up of alternate rows of organdie and insertion. The yolk was outlined by frills of the lace edging, and a row of lace gathered quite full was placed at the head of the lower flounce of the skirt. The collar and tops of the sleeves were lavishly trimmed with the. remaining lace edging. The entire dress was made of. strips, the widest of which was used for the space between the upper row of insertion and the waist line. It took a dress- maker about two days to put this frock together, and when it was sent .home it was universally voted to be one of the handsomest productions of the entire season. The young woman who was responsible for this creation declares that more good dresses are thrown away than the general public has any idea of. The woman gets tired of a dress and straightway can see no good or grace in it, therefore it goes into the rag bag or is otherwise disposed of, and amounts to nothing to any person, whereas a little pains and ingenuity would make out of this organdie a dress that even the most fastidious woman might take pleasure in wearing. When there is grumbling and complaint that there is nothing to wear, it is quite likely to be the case that the store cupboards are full of beautiful materials that only require the exercise of a little patience and good taste to transform them into things of actual beauty. As with the jntention of furnishing something to please everybody, the millinery autocrats have brought out almost every pattern and style of trim- ming that ingenuity can suggest. The sailor has a large family of relatives, some of them exceedingly neat and desirable. One idea is that of a large roll of braid around the edge of the brim. Another sailor has a brim turned up at one side; yet another has the turn at the back, and a third is pinched up, as one wide-awake youth expressed, on the quarter stretch. A wide-brimmed hat with a sailor crown has the front turned up closely against the crown, and the edge of the brim slightly bent forward, forming a sort of pent root, underneath which masses of fine flowers are clustered. Two rather heavy long plumes fall from either side over the back of the hat. Conserva- tive taste and demand are emphatically against the cart-wheel hats, with such enormous masses of incon- gruous trimming, but almost everyone likes a mode- rately wide brim with a small amount of really good garnishing. Full ostrich plumes, broad and rich- looking, are used on round hats of various fancy braids and upon the exquisitely fine and luxu- rious-looking Ltghorns and Milans. There are open or lace like braids made of palm- leaves or some similar material that are charming when trimmed with ruchings or plaitings, or lisse lace or chiffon, with a few well-selected ostrich tips or flowers to make the effect complete. These lace braids, by the way, are almost always overtrimmed unless one puts them into the hands of an expert. The choicest of these hats come ready-made from Paris, and it is a curious fact that one can single out almost at a glance the im- Ksted pattern hats even in a large collection of ndsome models. Brims are indented, curved, pinched -*nd scalloped, and occasionally one sees Crowns with all sorts of eocentric and irre- gular formation. As in their tailor costumes, so in the item of head gear for travelling, the best and most conservative taste de- mands simplicity and plainness to severity. Milan or Dunstable braids, or as a compromise some of the lighter and more fanciful chip or straw hats are simply trimmed with a scarf around the crown, a few loops of the fame and a couple of quills or wings, small and inconspicuous. The style of headgear for the wheel is as clearly indicated as for travelling, but the utter disregard shown to the dictates of good taste is a subject of common remark among the ultra fastidious members of society, who cannot help being more or less annoyed and irritated when confronted with colours and combinations that are continually at war with each other, and attire that is so inappropriately worn. Flowers and feathers have no place on, a bicycle hat. A wing or quills, a scarf or a roll or band of velvet are the only suitable finish. THEBB is grace and favour in having clearly defined fashions, and in following them as closely as is con- gistent with the style, fit, figure, and the becoming- ness to the special individual for which the garments we designed. Ready-mades are wonderfully con- venient, and it is a comfort to feel that one can be supplied off-hand and at a moderate outlay; but the peculiar fitness and appropriateness that characterise i garment created solely with an eye to the require- ments of the customer in hand is likely to be lacking. But if one can lose sight of the fact that there are scores of costumes cut and made on the same plan, there is a goodly number of points in fashion that may be noted with satisfaction. The wide margin allowed to individual taste is one of the comforts of present- day dress. During a half-hoar's promenade on one of our fashionable thoroughfares one may en- counter the long, sweeping skirts, the trailers, veritable street sweepers, skirts of a. length indicating that the wearer's good sense extended as far as the frills on her petticoats, and left her free to make use of her hands for other purposes than holding up long skirts. And how often we meet the trim, well- rigged bicycle riding girl, with her stylish costume. well-shod feet, perfectly fitting gloves; natty hat and faultless shoes. She doesn't need any accessories to make her bewitching, f she is the very, picture, of winsomeness and loveableness—full of good spirits, good health, and great possibilities^ It is so com- forting, this thought that one may consult ease, ,con- venience, and means, and yet not become the subject of criticism or be called unfashionable or out; of date. THE provident woman finds herseli in good Itick this season. If in her wardrobe there are any number of tolerably good dresses she may rcmpdei them into skirts, using the sleeves and other portions for bands or ruffles at the hem of tbe skirt. Her expenditures will then be principally for waists, and these are very easily made out of the enormous amount of material required, a couple of seasons-a,go. She is the wise woman who takes good care of her good half-worn dresses. There is never a time when they are not worth looking after, and with a little careful handling they may fill. what otherwise might be awkward breaks in the preparation of her outfit. Two or three new dresses of novelty materials, or even a couple with a good black skir,t, will tide her over almost any series of- conditions in which she may find herself placed. Of all things, shoi muajt not lose sight of the fact that a really handsome black skirt is one of her most important possessions. With it she can be well dressed for almost any occatsion, in extra dressy waist filling every requirement, while for more ordinary wear a jacket and blouse furnishes a satisfactory costume.

FORTY tons of rust have been taken out of the Menai iron tubular bridge at one cleaning". THIS year's annual conference of thNatJoral ti Union of Conservative Associa tb be held at Bristol on November 28, 29, and SO. c • •

.M_ NOW STRANGER I I 11 "i NO IfE OF YOUIJ OLD FASHIONED, HEAVY, PUNCTURING TYHES FOR ME. A. B. Non-Pnncturable Tyres OR NONE. They are the ONLY light tyres in the world that are fully guaranteed. They only require inflating: every two or three months not every time you ride on as others do. We have a collection of the most wonderfully enthusiastic testimonials that should convince the most sceptical that the OL are far and away the finest tyre on the market. Wrile to-izigli ifor Catalogue, Testimonials and FREE SAMPLE SECTION. TEST THEM and satisfy yourself. The Amalgamated Pneumatic Tyre Cos., Ltd., 140, Clerkenwell Rd., London, E.C. (A Dept.) :I

EDUCATION HERE AND HEREAFTER. All children, said Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace speaking at a meeting of Spiritualists in London the other day, should start equally in life, receiving the same nurture and education. It was a crime not to give the best possible training to a child until, at anJf. rate, it reached adult age, and became an indepen-A dent unit of the social union. Their duty as Spiritualists was to work strenuously for the improvement of the social conditions which would render it possible for all to live a happy life, developing to the full the faculties they possessed, aud preparing themselves to enter the higher progressive life of the spirit world. It was sad to think of the millions of men, women, and children who were yearly sent to the spirit world before their time, through the want of necessary means of healthy life, and by the various diseases and accidents forced upon them by the vild conditions under which they lived. It was a SOnl. burden, too, to the more advanced spirits who had ta take charge of these millions of undeveloped and de- graded spirits, and complete their development. Some form of Socialism was the only complete remedy fox these evils, and Socialism he defined as the organisa- tion of labour for the highest common good.

CHINESE WATERWAYS. It is pointed out in the report of the China. Mission sent out by the Blackburn Chamber of Com- merce, as illustrating the wonderful waterways of the Celestial Empire, that one can start from Shanghai by boat, and proceed up the Yang-tze to Hankow, across Hu-nan to the head waters of the Siang River, thence by a canal connecting that with the Kiu-Kiang, past Kuilin, the capital of the Kwanco province, and down to Wochow, Canton, and Hong Kong, a tour of some 1500 miles, without getting out of the boat. The overland routes are miserable substitutes for highways. And yet at present, in some of the provinces, it is cheaper to carry goods by land than by the waterways, because of the excessive tolls on the rivers. Labour is extra-* ordinarily cheap in China. At several cotton mills visited by the Commission it was found that able- bodied men earned from 3'36d. to 4'55d. (English money), whilst children from eight to 13 years of age got l'36d. to 2d. per day. The new mills of China pay very good dividends. These facts, taken in conf nection with the enormous quantities of raw material produced in the countit, will, in the opinion of the Commission, prove a serious menace to the English c otton industry.

IJT order to save the death duty, Lord Worcester is, with the concurrence of the Duke of Beaufort;, offering the family estates in Monmouthshire foB sale. As Lord Worcester, who it heir to the duke- dom of Beaufort, has no heir, the dukedom will eventually be inherited by Mr. Somers Somerset, sou and heir of Lady Henry Somerset. The estates which are now about to be sold cover some 30,000 acres ot beautiful hill and dale and well-wtltered country, and include in addition to the famous Tintern Abbey, Bupposed to be the finest ecclesiastical ruin in Europe, no fewer than eight castles. One or these is Chep- now where Richard III. and Edward IV. were born, and Raglan, the fortress in which Henry V. first saw light. All the other six castles have most interesting histories. SINCE 1842, the year in which the Qtteett first entered a railway carriage, she has travelled some- thing like two millions of miles. A CIVIL Lnrr pension of £100 per annum has heea granted to Canon Silvan Evans, who is oneotthë greatest living authorities on Welsh literature, ancf has devoted many years to the compilation of ai Welsh dictionary. This is the most complete ancl accurate work of its kind in existence, containing, aac it does, not only the words, but also quotations from: every period of Welsh literature. A SITE has been selected for the Magnetic Pavilion to the east of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich.^ and the building will be proceeded with at once. Tho Observatory authorities contemplate in the comingj autumn the determination of the longitude of Killor-t glin, County Kerry, or some other suitable spot lit the West of Ireland, in order to supplement^ tha determination of Yalentia and Waterville in connec- tion with the western extremity of the great Euro- pean arc of longitude. THERE seems hardly any limit to the of fish o^ many kinds. Carp are known to have lived 20GJ ■ years and over, whilst the case of the Russian pik* that was caught a few years ago with a gold band| round bis tail on which the date 1646 was imprinted! is well known. There are gold-fish that have belonged to one family over 60 years, and do not now; appear mubh larger than when originally placed inf the aquarium, though they are every bit as lively at) ever. In the Royal Aquarium of St. Petersburg there are fish to-day that are known to have beeni there at least 150 years. Some of them are fivaj times as big as when first captured; others have no6 grown an inch. < A FRENCH statistician has been calculating the Erecise amount of exertion dancers go through, and e comes to the conclusion that every quadrille or set of lancers is equivalent to walking a mile and si quarter at a fair but not excessive pace. A walts represents a smart spin of three-quarters of a milej the average mazurka, polka, or pas de quatre" falling short of that total by a couple of hundred yards. The curious discovery has recently been made that light may be procured from common sugar. All you have to do is to get a few pounds of lump sugar ana put it in the open sunlight for some hours. On taking it into a dark room it will begin to glow; faintly at first., but afterwards with quite a bright light.. So strong is this luminous glow, that Panto- graphs have actually been taken by the light. These sugar-light photographs are quite distinct, even'if not uite so clear as ordinary photographs. IT is perfectly amazing to notice carefully how much an ordinary shrub will grow in a single summer. A silver* fir 2§ft. high was lately carefullj measured. It had put forth since early spring 58S new shoots, varying from half-inch to 5in. each. The average was 2in., equalling altogether 68ft. Thc, totaj number of leaves on these shoots was 39,814. Taking the aggregate of the length of each shoot, this verj small tree has in six nionths put on a growth which? if laid in a line, would extend considerably over hall a mile. < i • -1. '.1