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

= LITKHARY ClfAT. Lady Esher, whose Eusband was one of the editors of "QueenscvVictoria's Letters," is a poetess of considerable repute. r 'J' .H13 H;/>. Much interest attaches to >Sir Henry; Brum- mond W our s "Reminiscences," a work which Messrs. Macmillan have in active pre- paration. The work is now being printed, and will probably be published soon after Christmas. The Shakespeare Memorial Committee 'have received a legacy of 93,000 under the will of the late Mr. Richard Badger, of East- bourne, for the erection of a memorial to the poet in London, "as the centre of the Eng- lish-speaking race." Mr. Baring-Gould, who has just published a, volume of Devonshire stories and legends, is exceedingly fond of peacocks. Their cries disturb the peaceful village of Lew Tren- chard, Devon, where the novelist and his forebears have resided" for centuries. "The Graphic" for December 14 contains an interesting article, from the pen "of Mr. H. Pfeston-Thomas, on the Alpine Club and;its record, illustrated by portraits of all: the Presidents and of the principal mountain peaks which have been ascended by members ,of the Club. The Countess of Warwick is said to be 'writing her social memories.' The work will,, it is expected, prove of an exceptionally, interesting character. Her ladyship has occu- pied a very prominent position in English, society, and she has now decided to give to the public her experiences of the world of fashion, and her reminiscences of many lead- ing personages who compose it.. She will not. deal in any way with the political movements? in.. which her- interests are now absorbed, but will confine herself to society matters. The enterprise of press-cutting agencies is marvellous. Not long ago there was published a volume "On the Death of Madonna Laura." This publication led a press-clipping bureau in: America to, address a post-card to Petrarch, care of Mr. William Heinemann., In this postrcard Petrarch is urged to send; five dollars if he wished to know "how much publicity his work is receiving." A poet-card addressed to "George Eliot, Esq." reached Mr. Fisher Unwin the other day in connec- tion with a new -edition of "liomola." A book of clever verse is "Hamours of the Eray," by Mr. Charles L., Graves (Smith, Elder, and Co., 3s. 6d. net). Many of., the I poems have appeared at various times in different periodicals. Mr. Graves' work is clever, and bears thfr stamp of originality. Best of all. it is light-hearted, merry, and witty. For Mr. Graves there is humour in most things, politics,, golf, music, news- papers, and people. His verse goes for the most part with a cheerful lilt, whieh of itself is inspiriting, and th -little book wilt be found a capital companion for the dull i days ? both before and after ChrijstmaSt '1 Why on earth a sub-committee of the, Lon- don County Council should brand "Tom; Brown's, Schooldays/' as "tmsuitable for school, use, remains; a- mystery,; • ;There are few, ( boy a' books which teach t a better;, less on, or are as likely to help in the making of, hrav§, manly, and high-,principled lads. Everyone kno»;s that. "Tom Brown" is a story of Rugby School unider th<? headmaster- ShIP of Arnold. Victorien Sardou, the great French dra- matist, who has just had a new play produced, in Paris, was for eighteen months a medical # student. He threw up the profession for Journalism. To earn money for bare. necfessi- ties he did a little of everything, ftjr very »ipaU pay. He wrote hjs first play in, a tiny > back attic, illuminated by candle-light. Mr. Clark Russell, at a very early age, -wAs apprenticed by his father to the sea, but before the term expired he abandoned the life in disgust. It was his misfortune to sail with a very objectionable specimen of the master mariner, and the years which have enabled him to write such glowing yarns of the sea were, at Ihe time, years of great un- bappiness. Lord Cromer's work on "Modern Egypt," "which is being eagerly aaited, will make its appearance early in the New Year from Messrs. Macmillan." The author states that his object" in writing this book is twofold. In the first place he wishes to put on record an accurate narrative of some of the principal events which have occurred in Egyptandirt the Soudan since 1876; and in the second plaice to explain the results which have ac- crued to Egypt from the British occupation of the country in 1882. ■■ In Mr. Tom Gallon's Christmas story, "Christmas at Poverty Castle" (Eveleigh ■" Nash), there is plenty of the Christmas spirit. There is an ogre in it whose heart is as hard as, or even harder than, Scrooge's; but it is melted at last—is- not this a Christmas book?—and the ogre be- come a regular Santa Claus, making himself ,a.nd everybody else happy. Mr. Stanley Weyman was educated at Shrewsbury. School, and some time ago he spoke at the school speech-day. Mr. Wey- man referred to the romantic and imagina- tive faculty. In our day, he said, all wa-s known, and the mind of the grown-up, if it "would fasten upon the marvellous, must pass beyond the material, world. But with a boy it' was different; even his games consisted in the main of a magnificent belief. Mr. '1 Weyman pleaded for the, cultivation of the romantic spirit in boys by impressing upon them the picturesque facts of history. Mr; Edward Arber intends issuing, under the general title of "A Christian Library," a series of reprints from the masterpieces of European Christian thought and devotion. The volumes will be published monthly by Mr. Elliot Stock, and will vary in character and size. The first will be "A"Brief Dis- course, of the Troubles at Frankfort, 1554- 1558," attributed to William Allingliam, and forming practically a lost chapter in the yeligious history of England". One of the most charming of "nature: books" for children is "The Fairyland of Living Things," bv Richard Kearton, pub- lished bv Cassell and Co. It is illustrated by delightful photographs taken by Mr. Cherry Kearton. There is no man better qualified to write a successful Nature study book than Mr. Kearton. He possesses aft intimate acquaintance with the everyday life and habits of the things about,- which he is -writing, and is, familiar with the royal road to the imagination and understanding of his juvenile readers. 4 He does not- burden the child's mind with a multitude of dry facts, but arouses its interest, and A; a whole- some thirst after knowledge and the way to1 acquire it. "The War in the Air" should be a subject after Mr. H. G. Wells¡ own heart., It is the title of a new story in the style of his scien- tific romances, and will first appear as a serial in the "Pall Mall Magazine." It de- scribes, we are told, a "fierce intercontinen- tal campaign, in which dirigible war balloons play an important part." A favourite book for boys, "Ben Burton, or Born and. Bred at Sea," which has been allowed to fall out of print, is now being re- and will no doubt have another lease fi 11 Kingston, ,and is ° incident aijd adventure. Messrs. lieher?°n k(nv> Maraton and Co., are the pub- 16 er. 't. -Hi: 'IJ

h VEGETABLES WITHOUT CULTIYA- r TION. A Chicago gentleman is showing the posei. bilities of city farming on a half-acre lot, corner of one of the streets. Several rows of corn planted in June matured early, potatoes were ready to be gathered after ninety days instead of the usual 110, and tomatoes were ready in ninety days. His plants were neither cultivated nor irrigated. In the autumn an eighteen inch mulch of horse manure is placed on the soil and allowed to settle during the winter. This lasts for four years, and prevents evaporation of moisture. Let- tuce and radishes are planted on the surface, corn, potatoes, and tomatoes in the earth be- neath the mulch.

"FIRST QUALITY" CATTLE.' There is not the slightest doubt that quality and early maturity should be the British farmers' watchword, but unfortu- nately the number of cattle entering our markets entitled to be called "first quality" is very small. They rarely reach half the number of animals exposed at any particular auction or fair. But with sheep it' is diffe- rent. Sheep well managed and cared for are very profitable and excellent fertilisers, and practically any breed will give good results, provided sheep of good quality are selected and early maturity fostered by liberal breed- ing. No animal of the farm gives a better return for food consumed than a well-grown lamb or yearling sheep.

THE OX WARBLE FLY. One of the great points in warding off 'the attacks of the ox warble fly is to prevent the egg-laying on the cattle by th-e female, said a gentleman who was giving a lecture on the subject to the Gloucester County Chamber of Agriculture. A strong-smelling mixture, objectionable to the fly should be applied to the hides of cattle in those regions where eggs were likely to be deposited. A good mixture for this purpose was: Train oil, one gallon; spirits of tar, one pint:; and flowers of sulphur, one pint. If the fly succeeded in depositing its eggs, and the maggots once^got* an entry into the body, the only remedy was to destroy the warbles when. they appeared, and this, he said, might be done by plugging up the small holes, through which the war- bles breathed, with softie sort of grease or sheep dip. ——<<—

THE CARE OF SHEEP. — Tegs or hoggs being wintered at grass need ,I great attention as. the old year departs, and when that season is wet, there is all the Dlore trouble. They never do well when their jac- kets are wet. Neither are they any the better for being housed. What may be done however, is to provide a sheltered field where dry, sound lying ground can be found>( serve a little sweet, unheated hay in racks night and morning, and to feed just as liberally with proper trough food as the ani- mals will make clean work .of. Crushed oats, split' peas, cotton-cake, may be given in equal parts ad lib., and are good food to pull the flock through. Sheep, thrive best on quite young 9 ass, and seldom come out in good condition at spring after over-much coarse herbage has been left for the winter. f..

fc REGULAR MILKING." < Cows like to be fed and. milked at regular times. If milking is delayed they frequently become uneasy, and the irregularity may cause considerable depreciation in the amount of milk obtained. Cows wh|ch are left too long without milking get very dis- tended udders, and may suffer considerable pain. Very heavy milkers have some lines be milked three times a day. Over-stockinw v' or allowing the udder to become unduly <Ji^' tended with milk by failing to milk a, cow previously to exposing her for sale at a mar- ket or sale, is a common but cruel practice.

j, MANURE CARTING. Work of this character can always be done* in hard, frosty weather, says the "Rural j World," and where the mistake is too often made is to miss the early opportunities- opportunities that may not occur again. Under the heading of manure carting, rrot only comes carting yard dung, but the haul.. ing of ditchings, compost, gas-lime, common. lime, and all artificials that will keep, and against a busier time. Even soot, which will keep for months, may w-ell be drawn home now, for it may, at this season, be got all tht; cheaper and all the better. No fertllise-ri in the top dressing line is more cheap and use- ful, if it is genuine, than this, whilst none is so easily and commonly adulterated..

I EPITOME OF NEWS. Mies D. Laurence was elected to the Hamp- stead Borough Council for the Belsize Ward. Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry arrived at Amsterdam in order to receive the German Emperor. The record number of 5,059 sacks of mails were shipped by the Majestic for New York at Queenstown. The pavilion of the Surbiton Golf Club at Long Ditton has been entered and ransacked by thieves. Low prices— £ 25, £ 34, and £ 65—were paid at London auction for some imperfect Shakes- peare folios. The King and the Prince of Wales have sent gifts of pheasants for the use of the patients in Guy's Hospital. The Brazilian Chamber has passed the third reading of the bill establishing compulsory military service. Dr. Ernest Brenner (Basel) has been elected as President of the Swiss Confederation for the coming year. I Over a thousand people were invited to view the progress of the Franco-British Exhibition at Shepherd's-bush. For hitting a medical student with an egg at a Suffragette meeting at Newcastle, James Dickson was fined 5s. At a special matinee at His Majesty's Theatre Mr. Oscar Asehe and Miss Lily Drayton revived "The Taming of the Shrew." Mr. Winston Churchill has left for Gondo- fcbro after a successful shooting expedition at Nimuli, British East Africa. "The lack of fireguards was chiefly respon- sible for the death of 1,600 children last year," said the St." Pancras coroner. A. National, Council of Church School Teachers has just been established as the result of a conference recently held in London. A pauper named John Ewart, who died after twelve months' residence, in Liverpool work- house, left a banking account of £ 133. While addressing the Reichstag in; Berlin, Count Kanitz (Conservative) was taken ill>$jsd had w-, be: assisted out of the Chamber. A blackbird's nest has just been discovered in a hedge at Castle Cary, Somerset, with the old bird busily engaged hatching out three eggs. Miss Ellen Altham who never passed a night outside the village where she was born, has just died at Grindleton, near Clitheroe, aged over ninety. The body of Ewart Lawson Newcombe, fif- teen, has been found hanging to the rafters in an outhouse at his home in Gordon-road. Swindon. As a result of the high price of coals, the Lamgloan Iron Works, Coatbridge, have issued ja notice, intimating that over 300 men will stop work two weeks hence. The traffic returns of the L.C.C. tramways that the receipts during the week ending November 30 amounted to C29,644, bringing the total for the year up to £ 1,100,879. Sir J. Ward, the New Zealand Premier, is to urge the reduction of the Prese cable rates between Britain and Australasia via. Vancouvef from lis. to 4d. a word. Against British exports for November of £ 41,993,893, showing an increase over last year of £ 1,726,070, American exports were £ 24.'554,600, increase £ 3,565.800. According to a medical journal, which has been analyses "sixteen patent medicines, the cost of all to the vendor is 2s. 2d. and to the purchaser £4 3s. 6d. Testimony to the mildness of the season is to be seen in Lord St. Levan's garden, at Mara- zion, Where there is an apple tree in blossom for the second time this year. WíniHn Baker, manager of a West Broriiwich bank, and director of the West Bromwich Albion Football Club, was found in his bed- room over the bank premises shot dead. Sarah Windell, eighty, of Millward-street, Bow, was cooking fish on an oil stove when-it is supposed—the fat boiled over, and set her clothes alight. An American journal calculates that Harry Lauder,, the music-hall artist, has been "snap- shotted'* at least 10,OOO times by amateur photo- graphers during his stay in New York. The Jewish Historical Society will, it is stated, hold a celebration next July of the fiftieth anniversary of the admission of Jews to the English Parliament. The occupant Of H-ighcliffe Castle is Sir Alfred Cooper, not Sir Edward Cooper. It was Sir Alfred Cooper who so generously lent his house to the Kaiser for his English holiday. Two French trains came into collision on the line from Vesourl to Besancon, near thé" station of Vallerois-les-Bois. Five persons were killed and fifteen injured. The end of a topmast, believed to be that of the Gatesgarth, wnich disappeared, with a crew of 20, when sailing' between the Mersev and Bristol, has been sighted in Cardigan Bay. Waiting to be operated on in a Brussels hospital, a young man became so nervous that he went into an empty room and hanged him- self with his pocket-handkerchief. Ten seed stacks and one wheat stack, toger with the outbuildings, were destroyed by fir £ at Brazier's Farm, St. Osyth; near Claeton-on^ Sea. The damage is estimated at £ 2,000. at Brazier's Farm, St. Osyth; near Claeton-on^ Sea. The damage is estimated at £ 2,000. A large ketch in excellent order has been picked up in the Firth of Forth by the Northern Lights steamer May, and towed to Granton and beached. The bows are marked "A.A.63." A half-starved tramp who was arrested in Paris for loafing has been discovered to be the heir to £ 36,000, which a relative left him some three- months ago in ignorance of his where- abouts. Conciliation boards, consisting of Govern- ment officials, railway officers, and drivers and guards, have been appointed, to settle the differences in the strike on the East Indian Railway. The rector of the. University of Heidelberg- has issued an order prohibiting the stamping of feet with which the students are accustomed to greet their professors when they enter tha lecture rooms. The skeleton of a man has beeh found in the wall of a house which is being demolished at Homburg. It is supposed to be that of a wealthy merchant who disappeared mysteriously some fifty years ago. Mr. Lloyd-George has arranged to visit Cardiff on January 24, and the freedom of that city will in all probability be conferred upon him at a public luncheon on the afternoon (t, that day. "The Christian," the biggest theatrical success of the year, was moved to the Shaftes- qury Theatre in order to make way for the Lyceum pantomime. Mr. Hall Caine's play will run for a long time yet. Forty Crimean and Indian Mutiny veterans, living in Guildford and the immediate district, were entertained at dinner. Messages were read during the dinner from the King and Miss Florence Nightingale. James Alfred Ridley and George Campbell were committed for trial at Birkenhead on charges of making and issuing counterfeit coin. The police unearthed a complete coining factory, worked by the prisoners, at Manchester. The Admiralty propose to spend £ 100,000 in dredging the River Medway between Chatham and Sheerness, the intention being to make a sufficient depth of water to enable the largest chip afloat to pass up the Medway to the Chat- ham Dockyard. The Canadian subsidy of £34,000. paid sinde 1891 to the steampship line between Vancouver and Australia, has been discontinued tois" being regarded as Canada's answer to what is described as the hostile tariff legislation of the Commonwealth.

TWO MIGHTY SCORERS. "RANJI" scores on the Cricket Field, but GAMAGE Scores in Holb. THE FOR ALL t CHEAPEST and BEgT HOUSE Q SPORTING REQUISITES GAMAGE'S or HOLBORN.WW Write or call to-day for comprehensive Catalogue of 200 pages^ sent post free anywhere on receipt of a post-card. GAMAGE9 Ltd., cater liberally for all SPORTS antS GAMAGE9 Ltd., cater liberally for all SPORTS and GAM£It, I .THE. lu BATS. Half-cane Hndle. size 6 3/11; men's, 411, All cane" 4/11; men's, 4/11, 7-6. Superior All cane, men's 9/6, 11,6, G-amage's Yorkshire" Driver," warranted 14 tr, Gamage's selected Referee," guaranteed 18,(J. The "Grama ge" patent double-spliced bat, specially selected blades 21/- CRICKET BALLS. G-amage's Australiaii," Catgut sewn 5/. Dark's 3-seain Match 5/- Gramage's Keferee 3-"eam Match 4". Composition Balls, youth's, 8d.; match size, 5joz., 10id.; "Eclipse., m^jbch size, 1/9. Postage 3d. CRICKET BAGS. The All England," with two handles. 3/11. Tapestry, with two straps 5111. Ex. quality, leather bottoms 6 11. The Marylebone" 8/ 9:6. All Leather (Handsome Bag) 26/6. CKICKET NETS. With Lines top and bottom, Poles, complete 8'3, 9-, 10/- With Liues top and bottom, Poles, wita Two Side Whips, complete 17/9^5/10, 22/- complete 17/()lÚ, 221. J STUSSPS. /o'ished Ash. boys' 28in 2' men's. 2/6. Super Brass ferruled, 28in 2/6; men's, 3/- Solid Br»ss Tops-. men's, 5 3. Super Quality 5 11,6 0, 7/9, 8/ ft 6. Postage, men's 9d,, boys' 6d. BATTING GLOVES. Strong Leather, Enbbfr. BQ}'s'.3,9. Men' 4/- Postage 3d. GAUNTLETS. <Jhamo;s J^.afher,ventilated, men's, 2'9; boys', 2/6. Super Quality ditto „ 3,6; „ 3/3. LEG GUARDS. Moleskin Guards boys', 3/3; mfen'8,3 6. Buckskin „ „ i/G; „ 4/11. FLANNEL TROUSERS. 7 7 V Special Job Lines, all sizes 4/11 Super Quality, White or Grey 7111, 9;11, 1 6: CRICKET SHOES. Brown-Canvas, Sewn Leather Soles 3/11. Bro^n Calf Shoes 4/6. Extra Quality, Fine Calf 6A1,7A1,911. White Buckskin Boots or Shoes 10/6. Best Quality 16/6. Postage id., below 10/- Send size when ordering bytpo IP. TENNIS RACKETS. i"'<'t.. Cedar Hand'p, full size, 3-'ll; Fish Tail S'ft. The Gamage *• Hiampion,"6/9; "Referee ,J 9(. Gamng-e's "Holborri 11/6, 'I'he ■' Gramage (guaranteed? .18/6 The "Demon" (SJ.azeuger's] 116 Ayie'a Chaiapioa" u/l TENNIS BALLS. The "Gamage," the Bl"t Ball in tha Market, warranted, regulation siza and weight per doz. log. Ayre's Champion" „ 12V Slazenger's "Champion" „ 9/1 The "Referee." Felt covered and Cemented Vh Gamage's Practice V1 POLES AND NETS, complete, from 9/- The "REFEREE" (Regd.) TENNIS SHOE. With the New Steel Spikes for Wet and Slippery. Wsatker. Tan, Calf, or White BucksMn 1216, H/5. 1ft Brown or White Canvas Shoes, with plain or corrugated Rubber Soles, from !/&. CRICKET AND TENNIS SHIRTS. All Wool Flannel 3,11 4,11, 5,,U. The Club Shirt, coarse canvas 2;6,3IG. (Whtte, Pink, or Bias.) Orders over 10s. Carriage Paid unless otherwise stated. ft. f. mm, ltd.. bolborn, London, e.s-

WORKHOUSE FIREWOOD; The Local Government Board have sent a ciicular to London Guardians, stating that representations have been made to the Board as to the injury to persons employed in the manufacture of firewood from the sale by Boards of Guardians, at a price be- low the market value, of firewood produced by the labour of workhouse inmates. The Guardians should carefully avoid em- ploying pauper inmates in such a manner as to cause so much competition with any par- ticular trade as to render it difficult, if not impossible, for the independent labourer in that particular branch of employment to earn a living. The Board consider that fire- wood should only be sold by Guardians at a fair market value, and in such a manner as will not bring about unfair competition.

SAILORS AND CIGARETTES. Dr. Presley M. Rixey, Surgeon-General of the United States Navy, has recommended in his annual report that an order be issued by the Navy Department forbidding the use of cigarettes by all persons in the navy under 21 years of age. It is stated that in three months the crew of the battleship Missouri, numbering 700 men. used 1,500 books of cigarette papers, 1,2001b. of smoking tobacco, and 37,000 cigar- ettes. None the less, 48,000 cigarettes and 15,0001b. of candy, together with 1,0001b. of navy plug chewing tobacco and 30,000 cigars, have been loaded on the Culgoa,. in, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, as a part of the canteen supply.

FALL OVER A CLIFF. Mr. Oldbury Burne, of the Imperial Tele- graph Service, Calcutta, who has been spend- ing his furlough at Torquay, was sitting at the edge of a high cliff at Babbacombe when, in attempting to rise, he fell over. His body was found 120ft. below, suspended by one foot, which was held fast in a cleft in the ruck.

KILLED AT HIS OWN DOOR. On Sunday afternoon a group of youths were amusing themselves by throwing stones at the front door of a house in Red-Lion-street, liieh- moixi. occupied by a man named MeEwan. McEwau opened the door to remonstrate, when, it is stated, one of the youths struck him twice, first on the body and then on the forehead. MeEwan fell to the ground, and on being picked up was found to be dead.

SCENE AT A STATION. There was a thrilling scene at Battersea-park Station on Saturday. Passengers waiting on the platform noticed a well-dressed young woman and a man in conversation. Suddenly there was a ciy, A man on the line!" followed by a woman's: shrieks as a train entering the station passed over the spot where the man had been. The man escaped death in a remarkable manner. The engine of the train struok him as he lay across the metals and hurled him out of the path of the wheels. He was only slightly injured. The woman was detained to give a full, accoupfc of the occurrence. The woman, Kate Sophia Hall, a widow, was accused at the South-Weetern Police-court on Monday of attempting to murder Alfred Charles Bowker, a painter, of Gladstone-road, Batter- sea. The woman, it was alleged, pushed Bowker off the platform in front of the express. At great risk of his own life one of the railway company's employees, named James Wilson, leaped down on the line and pulled the man out of danger when the engine of the express was almost touching him. Mrs. Hall asserted that Bowker tripped and fell accidentally. She was remanded to enable the Treasury to undertake the prosecution.

j/ STRANGE WONDERFUL QUEER CHRISTMAS CUSTOM. On the. eve of Christmas, Day it was cus- tomary at York to. carry mistletoe to the high altar of the cathedral, and proclaim a public and universal liberty, pardon, and freedom to all sorts of inferior and even wicked people at the-gates of the eitv, to- wards the four quarters of heaven. A VALUABLE THERMOMETER. A thermometer can be bought for a shil- ling, but there is one used at the Johns Hop- kins University, in the United' States, known as Professor Bowland's thermometer, which is valued at £ 2,000. •> The gradations on the glass are so fine that it is necessary to use a microscope to read them. VILLAGE THAT IS RISING. The mountain village of Artigue, in the Luchon region, is being gradually raised in elevation. Forty years ago the village. w £ j £ not visible from Luchon. Now it can • i>e clearly seen, and bids fair to become a strik- ing object to the entire plain of Luchon. It is believed that the mountain ledge on which it stands is slowly undergoing a rotary move- ment. THEY NEVER SPEAK. f. The Trappist monks of the Abbey of Geth- semane, 48 t miles from Louisville, in the State of Kentucky, do c not speak to each other except with the, fingers,; they 'eat but one meal a day, and do not read newspapers. When one of their number dies he is buried without a coffin, and a fresh grave is at once dug, to await the reception of the next that dies. A CURIOUS ALMSHOUSE. The most "curionis almslfouse in England is St. Mary's Hospital, a,t Chichester. There eight old la.dies live actually in the church, a fine old building dating from ,1580. It was originally a monastery, but Queen EBWbeih turned it into an almshouse to endure as\mg as almshouses exist. The old ladies have two neat little rooms each, down the sides of the main church. They each have a coal supply, a kitchen range, water, and gas. At a chapel daily services are held. The choir stalls are beautifuIlyMeasfced old oak, the original seats that the monks us,ed; WAILING FOR THE DEAD. The coronach, 01: mournjng for the dead, is still heard in some parts of Scotland as well as of Ireland. It is, a yeir$, chant, cries of lamentation being > mingled with remon- strances addressed to .the departed for leav- ing his friends and relatives. In some re- mote country districts of both Scotland and Ireland professional "keeners"—that is, old women employed to sing. the praises of the dead—are still to he found. 5 TOLD AT A GLANCE. The peasants in Brittany would seem to be verý frank and'-hottest, for "oil''Certain' 'fete days the, young ladies appear in red petti-1" coats with white and yellow bidders round them. The number of borders denotes the portion the father is willing to give his daughter. Each white band represents sil- ver, and denotes one hundred francs per an- num, while each yellow band denotes gold and betokens a thousand francs a year. Thus, a young maaa who, Ire)a face that pleases him has but to glance at -the trimmings of the: petticoats, and he can learn what amount of money accompanies the sweet wearer. < «"-st If x ",111 — ALL WHITE. At CricheJ; neaj^.Wij&bprn^, As situated a property known aas'the White Farm, the place, being kept quieupl, to its title; The soil is chalk, the gates and palings are painted white, the outbuildings and walls are whitewashed, and when the white ducks go pattering through a puddle they stir up the chalky, mud. The flora and the doifteisticated fauna of the farm are mostly white. At the White Farm there, are not only white cattle, but also white hor'ses", white pigs, a white donkey, white poultry and white ducks. Wbit-e- rats,,and guin#a-pi@#i £ rQ( also to be found t-lier e. ?, r. !L' A GIANT ICICLE. During a severe winter large icicles are quite common objects, but the record one for Britain was recently seen1 at Broxburn, in Linlithgowshire. There" i r ap aqueduct over 120 feet in height. In vyet weather this oSftx.ii o\erflou<"s, and duriiig. tl^e< severe wi li- ter of, 189o the water falling to the ground g'rpdun 1 b bn111 up. a heap of ice,, and after three nights' succ^ssiSe frost a complete ificlp was formed,^ measuring 122 feet in leriph. This pales 'into insignificshce when compared- with the -gi^nt icic'les that are to be seen at Niagara during a hard winter. -it is ho uncommon s'lght to sec. m 300 feet in height a^n^-SO^feet thick. GOSSIP'S 33P.IDLF,. Olieite*prints Walton with- a 'Bridle, .To.v;r:" oHs .tongues wlieri they be idle." This is the" inscription on an iron hooping, with a piece projecting inward to lie upon the tongue, still preserv<il in, the ancient church of Walton-uppn-ThaJries, in Slm-ey. \Tradi3iion says that, this bridle was lefcaturies -X, j tJte:t(lar !cé"of":b:is':ha vi:nC lost a, valuable estate through the idle stories of a: nefgRSourV-"thfS fcnrfous instrument was in use it was s?am§timesf called a "brank," and was put upon the head of the offender and padlocke^ behind; the wiearer was th^n led tnrou'gh'' the town, and publicly proclaimed a ''gossip", in loud tones, that all might hear and be warned. MONUMENT TO A LIE. While other nations build ihonuments to the memory of men who have done great and noble deeds, the Dyaks of Borneo heap up a pile of thef'benches' of trees in' iSieifiory of the man who has uttered a great lie, so that future generations mfty know of 'his wicked- ness and take warning from it. The person deceived start the "tugong bula," as it is called, by heaping up a =, large number of branches in some conspicuous spot by the side of the main road. Every passer-by con- tributes to it, and at the same time curses the man in memory of whom it is erected. The Dyaks seem to have agreed in consider- < ing a lie a most disgraceful crime, and a, liar a man who deserves the curses not only of his own generation but also of people yet un- born. A few small branches, a few dry twigs, and leaves—that is what the "tugong bula" is at first': But'day bv day it increases in sjze. Every passer-by adds something to it, and in a few years5 time it becomes a large arid imposing monument. VENISON FOR THE LORD MAYOR. It is not generally known that venison warrants are sent to the Lord Mayor jot Lon- don and sh<'riffs bv command of the King twice a year. In July Warrants for bucks are issued, and in December for does. In the year 1101 the King then reigning granted and confirmed by charter, that "the citizens, of London shall have all the rights and privi- leges to^the hunt in, the Boyal demesnes as well and as full as their ancestors had. Eventually the citizens were debarred from ,enjoying the chase in the Royal parks, and it was ordered that the Lord Mayor of Lon- don and the sheriffs should be supplied an- nually with so, many deer from the Royal parks and forests.

GOOSEBERRY BUSHES BARRED. The Board of Agriculture, with a view to preventing the further spread of the Ameri- can gooseberry mildew, have issued an order prohibiting the importation of any goose- berry bush or currant bush. The order, which is already in force, will not apply to any bush imported on or before January 31 next, if a licence is obtained from the Board of Agriculture and is produced to any officer of Customs when the plant is landed. The | American mildew first made its appearance in Ireland in 1900, and since then has appeared in various parts of England, chiefly in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. Y. j 'j

A BOON TO FARMERS. Gas-lime is, if used properly, a boon. to fiirthers located' within measurable distance of an important town, where the waste material may be obtained, as the supply is usually cheap. If used fresh for arable land in full doses and unmixed with compost, it should be applied about five months before the following-on crop is sown. Then it has time to lose its sulphur, and yet remains otherwise all that can be desired. For meadow land, before being applied, it re- quires mixing with earth or compost for half a year or so. I I.

AGE OF A FOWL. The appearance of the legs is often the readiest guide. A rough, scaly condition is a sign of age. The whole body of an old fowl appears more heavy and mature, and there is an older look about the face and head readily detected by the expert. In males the length of the spur shows the age quite closely. Some poultrymen judge by the plumage, says "Farm Life." Lift up the wing and, push aside the feathers of the sides, when in the case of a young hen you will find a long down, light, close and arranged regularly between the other feathers which cover these parts of the body. Through the skin, which is of a delicate rosy tissue, the small blue veins will be apparent. In a hen over a year old the down and the veins will have *dis. appeared, and the skin will be white and dry, and slightly rough and mealy in appearance.

A GREAT DEAL OF WASTE. There is often a great deal of waste in feeding sheep in its folds. The roots are besmirched by the boggy soil being trampled in the trough, while the troughs are all too often left to catch the rail) and become messy. Troughs with hoods, are recom- mended, as they save their contents from being spoiled by an inflow of rain or dirt. Hay should never be served to last longer J than for half a day, whereas it is somytinies gi'1fe.n to last for days. To put cake or corn into a dirty trough is a sure way to waste a part of it. In these short, da-rk, wet days of December it takes a careful shepherd to keep the troughs passably clean and the folds ,in decent order. o

KILLED BY A WHISTLE. At an inquest at Dudley, Worcestershire, on Rosalir Parsons, a girl of four, it was 1 shown that "he had died through swallowing a small metal whistle, which the doctors were unable to extract. She could not take any food, and gradually died from starva- tion. A verdict to this effect was, returned

COSTLY APOSTLE SPOONS. At Christie's rooms a set of 12 James I. silver gilt Apostle spoons were submitted for sale. They were catalogued as "the pro- perty of a lady of title," and were dated from 1606 to 1620. There was an opening bid of only £ 46. This wa-s increased to £ 100 I but the hammer did not fall until £ 4,80: had I been called.

LEAP FROM A STEAMER. A startling incident occurred during the home- ward voyage of the P. and O. Company's 'Indian mail steamer Egypt, which called at Plymouth on Saturday from Bombay. A second-class passenger named Jones, who had spoken of being tired of lite, shot himself with a revolver and jumped overboard. A boat was immediately launched, but no trace of the man could be found.

Dr. Presley M. Rixey, Surgeon-General of the United States Navy, has recommended an order forbidding the use of cigarettes by all persons in he navy under 21 years of age. It is stated tli,t \1) three months the crew of the battleship Missouri, numbering 700 men, used 1,500 books of cigarette papers, 1,20010s. of smoking tobacco, and 37,000 cigarettes.

MEN BLOWN TO PIECES. A serious explosion occurred at Kynoch's Gun- powder Works, Dear Barnsley. Two men were blown to pieces. Much damage was done at the works and to property in the neighbo urhood. Fred Senior and Robert Craigh, labourers, both of Hoyland, were the two men killed. The explo- sion was distinctly felt three miles around. A number of girls are employed at the works in ad- dition to men, but fortunately they were away a.t dinner at the time of the disaster. The remains of the killed had to be gathered up in sacks. Senior and Craigh were engaged in the pressing house were the operation of pressing powder was carried on, when the explosion took place. The roof and walls were blown hundreds of yards into, the air. At the moment of the explosion two other men were at work in a building known as the corn- ing-house. Hearing the report, they ran out. No sooner had they reached the open air than the whole of the powder in the building they had just quitted similarly exploded, involving widespread destruction. Hundreds of windows were broken, every paner of glass in one row of houses half a mile away being smashed. Trees near the mills were up- I rooted. The manager of the works, Mr. Seeley, was taking Ms midday meal at home at the time. His conservatory was blown to pieces, and hims-if was badly cut about the head and shoulders.

SEVENTY YEARS IN BED. It was stated during an inquest at St. Paneras regarding the death of John Fuller Brewer, aged 75, of Clarence-road, Kentish Town, who was found dead in bed, that de- ceased had been bedridden for 70 years. An old lady, who had been housekeeper for 40 years, was asked by the coroner whether de- ceased was ailing long, and she replied: If Oh, no he only had a weak heart." Witness added: "I went into his room on Monday morning and said to him You know, 1 have often asked whether you are> dead. I believe you are.' And it was trua this time, sir. I was surprised." Dr. Bryan attributed death to heart failure, accelerated by pneumonia and general neglect. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.

TOO LATE TO STOP WEDDING. There was a dramatic interruption to a wedding at Brighton Parish Church. The couple were youthful, and the Vicar of Brighton, Canon Hoskyne, had just com- pleted the service the bridegroom being in the act of leaving the chancel with his bride on his arm, to sign the register, when the girl's father rushed into the church and for- bade the marriage.. He gave as his reason that his daug) was under age, but the bride denied this, and then fainted in her husbands ar™S- irate parent continued to protest against the legality of the ceremony, but the ™car ex- plained to him that his intervention had °°™ne £ ind'the bride's father appeared to realise that the inevitable must be accepted, and he left the church with the wedding party.

The boiler of the locomotive of a train from Saint Quentin exploded at Bertry, a station in the department of the Nord. The driver and the stoker were killed, and the front guard of the train was injured. The Bishop of London had the experience of being crowded out of hia own house. He had agreed to open a bazaar at Fulham Palace, but when he arrived the crush was so great that hi) could not at first get i