The Pontypridd Chronicle and Workman's News

USING A GUN WITHOUT A LICENCE 8HOOTINO A GIRL AT CLYDACII VALE. AN EXPENSIVE SPORTING FREAK. At Ystrad Police Court, on Monday (before the Stipendiary and Mr J. Davies), David Evans was charged with using a guq. in a pigeon shooting match at Clydaoh Vale, on the 7th of February last, without having a licence tofdo so. Rose Bennett said she saw defendant raise the Run and fire. She had the shots instead of the pigeon. She had eight shots in her arms and hip. The doctor took them out. iitJThomas Llewelyn Evans, father of defendant, said he invited a few friends. Unfortunately be was called from home. The friends came in his absence, and persuaded his son to bring out his (witness's) gun. tfgMr Marron, supervisor, asked witness for the namee of his friends, but this was refused. His Worship sustained the refusal, and ordered defendant to pay 10/ the value of the licence, and 15/6 costs.

Rheumatism.—An external application for the re- lief of rheumatic pain may be made by mixing cyual parts of camphor liniment (camphorated spirit), soap liniment, and laudanum. Saturate a piece of fyxtnglo pil.'ne (about six inches by four) with this mixture, and apply it to the part where pain is felt, or to the back of the neck, for about twenty minutes, or till the burning sensation be- comes painful. This application at the back of the neck will relieve uervom headache. Lamb's Head.—The head is best parboiled, and .sieii baked. After boiling for an hour, cut oper. the htad, and take out the brains an 1 tongue. The head can be sprinkled over with bre id crumbs, and is best first brushed over with a well beaten-up egg. Serve the tongue and brains separately, mixing the la;ter with some chopped parsley and a small pinch ,)f mixed herbs, and a little lemon-juice, pepper and I •alt. Soo that the tongue is sufficiently boiled, I L'laco the tongue in the middle, aud put the brains round it. 0 I S'jjewed Chickex with Rice.—Cut the rem- nants of a cold boiled or roasted chicken in small pieces. Make a sauce of one pint of cream, tvrc ounces of butter, the yolk of one egg, beaten, and a tablespoonful of corn-starch or arrowroot, season- lug with salt and white pepper, a little sugar, one eaqwonftil of ansciovy sauce and one bay leaf. l'ut t lie pIeces of chickea in this sauce in a stew-pan .tlld simmer for half all hour. Stew some rice quite soft in milk, seasoning with salt and pepper, l'ut rile chicken in the centre of a dish, place the rice itrouud it as a border and serve. Simple DIET. -I believe in nourishing food such lIS good breal and butter, milk, eggs, meat and lisli broiled, baked, or boiled, soups, the different pre- parations of the grains, vegetables and fr.iit not spiced or encased in rich pastry. Pies, rich cakes, viced pickles, and sauces, highly seasoned, pre- parations of meat, rich preserves, all fried dishes, ;ire things which require much labour to prepare, and then are not necessary to health or happiness At the season of the year, when we have fresh LIUII, I use that for dessert entirely; and we often make our supper of bread, milk, and berries, winch 1 think very wholesome for those who can lake Mrs. W- "Ah!" moaned a widow recently bereaved, "what a misfortune I know what kind of a husband I have lost, but how can I tell what kind of a husband bis successor will be Leisure is a very pleasant garment to look at, but it is a very bad one to wear. The ruin of mil. lions may be traced to it. A barber shaving a customer's head drew blood and put one of his fingers on it. Again he made a cut and put down another finger, and so on till he had no more fingeis free. "Ah," said he, as he paused in his work, "a barber's is a difficult trade; we ought to have a thousand fingers. It was formerly the custom to present a bowl of ale to malefactors on their way to execution. The county of York, which strongly adheres to its I ancient usages, was the last place where this cus- f tom continued. A saddler at Bawtry lost his life in consequence of declining the refreshment; as, had he stopped as usual, his reprieve, which was actually on the road, would have arrived in time enough to have saved him. Hence arose the saying that the saddler of Bawtry was hanged for leaving his ale. lean Nlititi-ter to viermany hits tiua < > j>o|ilexy, and now lies in the ho.«|>iUti ac '> L.aden. A I'ulilin jury has awarded Miss Laverina Bryan C;)" damages against a Londonderry farmer named Fer«on tor breach of promise to marry. A dividend at the rate of 15 per cent, per annum w:is declared at the half-yearly meeting of the "j",r(1hol,Je. of Armstrong and Co., Limitod, .1; St. Helen*, John Lawrenson, St.. Thomas "Jioet, and John Webster, Havelock Street), were tiered to pay 5s. including costs, for playing foot- !j.-i! 1 in the public streets of that town. The treasurer of the Cleveland Steel Workers' Association, it is reported, has absconded with a •c .iisidct able portion of the funds of the association. A warrant) has been issued for his apprehension. W illiam Ivan Kearse, described as a priva-to I Mnlier, of Westbourtie ^tove, has been remanded it the Marylebone Police Court on a charge of .-■hoot.ing and wounding David Edwards. Evidence was again taken before the Lord"' Corn- out tee on the sweating system. It appeared from tun testimony given that overcrowding ami uu- rii-anliness are extremely prevalent. Intelligence has been received that the British :i<senger steamer Hyatkin Mon was burnt, to the v.iter's edge in the Haninanada Sea, Japan. Six- ii < >1 of the sixty-seven passengers lost their lives. At Whitby, a man named William Bell, while •\ n king at the Grosmont Ironworks, was run over 1" a slag wagon, and received such injuries that he 1 i, 41 shortly afterwards. The sentence of death passed upon Patrick Tom ane for the murder of Patrick Quirke in county Kerry has been commuted to penal servitude fot life. At St. Helens, John Brooks, of Frederick Street, was lined 5s. and costs for refusing to pay his faro oiler riding on one of the St. Helens Tramways Company's cars. The Rev. William Graham Green, M.A., vicar of r.eaton, Shrewsbury, has been appointed chaplain ill ordinary to her Majesty at Kensington Palace, ti t he room of the Rev. John Craves, deceased. The St. J,t,ties.i lr'u:elte states that it has been n act ically arranged that the three arbitrators in • In; C'hetu yiid-Durham case will be Lord Hersehell, M r. Chaplin, and Mr. James Lowther. The Sporting Life announces that Jem Smith, ■ -hampion pugilist of England, accepts the chal- of Peter Jackson, champion of Australia, for a side. i) is estimated that the cost of decorating the i fine to be taken by the Prince and Princess 01 Waiea on the opening day of the coming Glasgow Exhibition alone will amount to about £ 2,000. The Edgar Thomson steel works at Brad dock, Pennsylvania, which have been closed for fout) months owing to differences with the employe's as to wages, will be started again with union hands. The otter of the Deb Rajah of Bhootan to send a deputation to mediate with the TliibeLatiz- will bc <1 dined, as the Indian Government desires that i lie first advances shall come from the Thibetans. Pastor Christoff, a Lutheran clergyman of thE Baltic Provinces, has been deported, under an escort of Gendarmes, to Astrakan, for having, it it alleged, spoken disrespectfully of the Government. The death is announced of Aduiiral William oi on-Tay lor, at the advanoed age of 90. He was ;"ie of the oldest admirals in the service, having < i.terad in 1807, and was present at the siege oi Copenhagen that year. .1. Ennis, Thady Flanagan appealed against a once of three months' hard labour imposed for filing to supply a boycotted woman at Miltown .Maihay with groceries. Judge Hickson increased the .sentence to six months. Over four hundred ejectment decrees, mostly for non-payment of rent, have been issued at Galway ter Sessions. The decrees were granted in batches of twenty, thirty, and fifty, and scarcely one tenant defended. Reports from Washington indicate the strongest probability that Mr. Phelps, the American Minister i" Kttgtand, will be appointed Chief Justice. Many think that Mr. Lowell will be sent to London a guilt. !")<"or Iberra, governor of the Ynrnary districb of < niana, in Venezuela, is reported to have do. clared that unless England gave up her claims to he mines Venezuela would tight in defence of her rights. Miss Hastings, the publican's daughter who was shot in her father's house, the Golden Elephant, Birmingham, by her sweetheart, named Daniels. lias died from bullet wounds in the head. Daniels is in custody. Miss Sarah Reid, sister of the rector of Coppen- hall, Crewe, has been buried in her wedding robes, with a wreath of orange blossoms. It will be re- niemherAd that the deceased, who was on the poinb of being married, died with startling suddenness. It is reported that the Corporation of Sat ford have succeeded in recovering £22,000 from the -state of Samuel Hunter, late gas manager for the horough, who is now awaiting sentence for perjury ii connection with the recent frauds. A telegram from Manilla states that a large por- ion of t.lie town of San Fernando, in Pampanga island, one of the Philippine group, has been de- stroyed by fire. No casualties are reported, bub the loss is estimated at 1,000,000 dols. Lord Truro proposes on an early day to move for a return of all convictions for adulteration of food and drugs during the last five years; showing the number of convictions in each case, and the articles adulterated. Louis Kossuth, or Lajos de Kossuth Falva, ex- Governor of Hungary, who is now living in exile in Italy, was born at Monok, in the county of Zemp- ]in, in Hungary, on April 21, 1802, and therefore has now completed his 86th year. A telegram from New York, says:—The Sun has received a telegram from its correspondent in Cuba, stating that open acts of brigandage are being committed in Havana, and that people are being murdered in the streets. The Local Government Bill will not be con- sidered in Committee until, at the earliest, Monday, May 7, and it is believed that it will be well into the month of July before the Committee stage can be closed. A number cf Bulgarian refugees having assem- bled on the Servian frontier near Ti n, with the ob- ject of making an incursion into Bulgaria, the Government has decided to dispatch a small de- tachment of cavalry to reinforce the Gendarmery at that, place. A Vienna correspondent telegraphs that the revolt, in Rowmania is spreading, the rebels con- tinuing to pillage houses and to murder their occu- pants when they resist. Military stores have also been sacked, railway lines destroyed, and trains plundered. Panicexistsin the disaffected districts. At Armagh, the other day, it was discovered that a well-to-do man of forty-five, who has a wife and child, had eloped with a woman who has a husband and four children, the eldest of whom is twenty years of age. They were traced to Newry, from whence they have sailed for America. An Ennis (Exchange Company's) telegram states that there is no doubt now as to the prosecution of Messrs. OConnor, Crilly, and Davitt for taking part in a proclaimed meeting of the National League at Ermis. The warrants are in the hands of the authorities for their arrests. The construction of a railway in Eastern Siberia, wiLh a terminus at Vladivostock, which is at pre. sent under consideration in Russian official quarters, is expected to be shortly decided upon, in which case the concession will be granted to a private company. The compulsory slaughter of cattle which have been in contact with animals suffering from pleuro- pneumonia has commenced at Dublin. There are ],.)0O to be got rid of, and they will be despatched at the rate of a hundred daily. The work has been entrusted to Mr. Elliott, of Birkenhead. The death is announced at St. Petersburg of Mr. Samuel Polikoff, the Russian railway king, who some time ago was at the head of most of tho Russian railways, and who played a great part in | Russia's secret financial transactions during the :11" Turkish war of 1877. Mr. Polikolf is said to I lciti tbotit fifty million roubles. At, Wigan, Tlioiiiii.L Ues, landlord of theLeigh Anus, Ormskirk Road, nas fined f30 and costs on in? information, and onii rod to pay the costs in J 1 wo others, for permit1 ii></ hutting. \V. Orrell, of ¡ Dog and Partridge. «niiierl.oi». was fined £ 30 j or a like oTonee axH K. (.'titl.ei:»I. beerhouse- j ;:o<.p->r, was niusd j .in; n Aiy-le*. » <••. iv>« already given several i ■ ..id i>— >r )f Peter *.v; • • ii >\y p' ni-ed, in addition and ish ips throne in » t- >iii-ds iIim cost of the "lot Benedictine plan is s k ■ v "mn of jEoUO for the restoru, 'l" (;'

S U K A P «. A gentleman who discovered that he was stand- ing on a lady's train, had the presence of mind Lup remark 44 Though I may not have the power to draw mortal from the skies, I have pinned an angel the, earth." The lady excused him. A peasant, newly arrived at Paris, pointing to,. the Palais de Justice, asked an advocate, who was carrying a bag, what building it was. "It is a mill," replied the lawyer, to quiz that peasant. I thought as much," replied the countryman, for I see a good many asses at the door with) sacks In a tramcar the other day a womon noticedai* old man gazing at her very attentively. During a. ride of a mile or more he kept his eyeg fastened on her face, and he must at least have seen by her manner that she was annoyed, as he bent over hu. and said Excuse me, madam, but I can't help looking sW. you. You put me in mind of my dead wife lier nose turned off sideways just exactly like youm does. Will you pay me this bill, sir ? said a tailor m. Regent Street to a gentle masher who owed him a pretty long bill. Do you owe anybody anything, sir," asked the youth. No, sir," said the tailor. Then you can afford to wait!" And off her walked. A day or two afterwards, the tailor called again. The masher was not at his wit's end yet; so, turn- ing to his creditor, he says Are you in debt to anybody ?'' "Yes, sir," said the tailor. Well, why don't you pay ? I've fot the money." That's just my case, sir. I'm glad to see you, can appreciate my condition give us your hand. As the volunteer corps of the metropolis and itjfc.. neighbourhood were once passing in review before King George III. on Wimbledon Common, the. officer who carried the colours of the Croydoiv corps was so taken up with gazing on his majesty that he forgot to pay the usual compliment of lowering the colours. Some time after, his majesty happened to be passing through a town in Ken. where a corps of volunteers was on permanent duty, and the captain's guard having turned out m. honour of his majesty What corps — what corps ? asked his ma- jesty. The officer answered The Croydon Volunteers, may it please you- majesty. "Ha, ha I" replied his majesty, smiling, "Tba Croydon Volunteers I remember them well aV. Wimbledon. You came off with flying colours that day." Rossini had a favourite provision merchant. CL-io- day the latter rather bashfully said to Rossini. I have for a long time wanted to ask a favour" of you." Name it," said the maestro. "It is," replied the merchant, "that you wiB give me your photograph with a few words under it." "Willingly," responded Rossini, and he took photograph from his pocket-book and wrote under- it: To the friend of my stomach." Lord Clare, who was much opposed to Curran^ one day brought a Newfoundland-dog upon th%^ bench, and during Curran's speech turned aside and- caressed the animal. Curran stopped. Go on, go on, Mr. Curran," said LordClaro. "Oh, I beg a thousand pardons," was the re- joinder; I thought your lordship was in consulta- tion. The late Lord Ravensworth, or the Baron as he was familiarly known, beside being a first-class chess-player and scholar, was a man of no personate vanity. One cold day in winter some years back, it is related, having wrapped himself in a fur-coat, he went to call on some neighbours in Northumber- land. He was ushered into the drawing-room and left, as he thought, alone. No sooner was the doox- closed than he mounted on a chair in front of mirror over the fireplace, and, after surveying him>. self with intense satisfaction, gave vent to theo), ejaculation. Well, a man in fur is a noble animal." Unfortunately for the baron a lady was seated in,, the recess of a screen in a corner of the room all tha time, and not only witnessed the exhibition, but, overheard tke soliloquy. Rowland Hill, when at college, was remarkable^ for his wit. In a conversation on the powers of fcha letter H, in which it was contended that it was D,8: letter, but a simple aspiration of breathing, Row- land took the opposite side of the question, insisted, on its being to all intents and purposes a letter, and concluded by observing that if it were not, itfc was a very serious affair to him, as it would ocean? sion his being ill" all the days of his life. "Do not forget me, or cease to love me," bW murmured and he fondly clasped her hand as tJMíIt train moved out of the station. Never, never sobbed the wife and shtf pulled out her handkerchief and tied a knot in that she might not forget. Call these fine cattle ? said a big countryman at an agricultural show, where for some time ha had been annoying the exhibitors by depreciating their stock. They ain't nothin' to what our folkflr raise. Why, my father raised the biggest calf 4IC any farmer round our part." "Ah," said a bystander, looking at him, can quite believe that." There lived once at Launceston, in Cornwall, » iniller, who had a lovely daughter (how is it all millers have lovely daughters ? j She was the mosfc, beautiful girl in the country, but, alas she, with, all her beauty, was so cruel that the sighs of her rejected lovers were sufficient to turn her father- mill. .L nz; oi roamiM-on-the-jSeine was in fe. white neat or excitement. A terrible crime batt been committed. One of the oldest inhabitants., Pierre Magruder, by profession a spring poet, had- been found dead in his bed. All the evidence pointed to the fact that he had breathed his last., O'Hooligan, the detective, had been summonect. from Paree. "Ah," he muttered, as he glanced over there. jected M.S. on the table, there can be no doubfc that the village editor was the assassin; and,, truly, the provocation was great Since time is not a person we can overtake wheat he is passed, let us honour him with mirth and cheerfulness of heart while he is passing. One of the easiest and best ways to expand the chest is to have a good large heart in it. It save*, the cost of gymnastics.

*11 » ■■ ■ ■' TOPICS OF THE WEEK. THERE is a slight error in the statement -"whiclubas appeared that Madlle. Vanoni, of •the All'ambra, has been engaged for the Avenue at a salary of £100 a week. She is to ieceive, it is now stated, X80 a week, though ihow that money is to be seen back again it is --diMnu!tto understand. 'J here is no mistake, however, about her popularity at the Al bam bra, •or as to the way tbe JJoulauger March which «ue sings lias caught the ear of the British public. THE gathering round Matthew Arnold'? •^ofliu in the quiet churchyard at Lalehanr included several distinguished men, and one or two like Mr. nrowllillg and Dr. Jowett, whose %-riaines are as closely as-sociated with the great dntellectulIl movement of the Victorian era as 1tlr. Ariio!(i',i owl,. Yet as one runs over thE "3ist of Matthew Arnold's literary contempor- aries it is painful to reflect how scanty the iiand of survivors has grown. When the literary Jiistorian comes to-classify the writers of the iauneteenth century he,will put Matthew Arnold rin the great middle period—the period that ranges from the 'forties to the 'seventies, and! includes Charlotte Bronte, Dickens, Thackeray, •_«nd George Eliot, and Carlyle, Landor, -Macautay, Darwin, Herbert Spencer, and Uluxley, besides Mr. Arnold and our two ^greatest Hving poets. We are in the third age of the century now, and it is curious to observe liow as the older athletes drop off one by one ;110 younger rivals appear.to take their place. Wefcave plenty of clever wrjters, but singularly Sfew who are likely to hold their own among the elect." THIS is just about the time when garden /thieves rouse themselves to increased activity. The season has been usually cold, so that com- ''liaratiVkly little has yet been done to change the appearance which house gardens presented in the winter but already the work of plunder Aas begun, happily, however, nat in all cases 'with impunity. The culprit who-figured in the dock of one of the police courts on a charge of "stealing roots of flowers" which had just been ^planted in a garden at Hammersmith, stated .:1bat he got his living by selling flowers. No ioubt he does, and if he could always escape detection it may be assumed that his profits mould be very large, for it is pretty certain he does not always consider it necessary to pay for twhat he sells. He cleared away every root but one in the garden of a house in Wsltje Road I!he other morning, and would doubtless have Sold them in the course of the day if he had t not beea pursued by the owner and caught by a passer-by. It is rather, a pity that more ies "Attention is not given by the police torobberies -of this kind, which increase in number year -after year. A CURIOUS form of slavery prevails in the Laos State of Nan, north-east of Siain. There "was a time in the history of ancient Rome I'\vhen it became necessary to allow a slave, on Complaining that he was treated with intoler- able severity, at least to change his master for ■one more humane. The slaves of the State which was recently visited by Mr. Stringer, of -the British Residency at Bangkok, are per- ciitted to choose their own masters at the out- let but this privilege does not strike us as a .great concession, when we learn from a Parlia- mentary paper giving some details of Mr. ^Stringer's experiences after he left the capital •of Siam, that every man of the lower orders" 2uust be the registered bondman of somebody among those whom Mr. Gladstone would call "the ukisses." The slave, however, is allowed, to choose another master if he dislikes the one who was iirst in authority over him. In the camp of Lueullns, it may be remembered, an I ox w is sold for a drachma, and a slave for four drachmae, or about three shillings. Slaves "would heeiii to be more easily acquired in Huang Nan, the chief town of the State in question, than they were in Rome at the period just referred to, for Mr. Stringer tells us that iio purchase-money at all is needed. Cremation is in favour, it appears, and the visitor from the British MesuJency in the Siamese capital was present during the ceremonials attendant tt". the incineration of the boby of a chief's son. :rhe Laos btate, htrauge to say, is commonly the scene of boxing matches; but often of a vkind that make much greater demands upon the agility of the combatants than any which take place in this country. Some of the men ;'(:an "put in" their left foot and their right with as much certainty when aiming even at au opponent's face as they cau, apparently, when Using their fists. Where there is so much that is novel, tliel-t, is a probability that most of it will ere lone; find its way into the notebook of some advp,dl\lus traveller, who will write a bulky volume on the "classes and the masses" -of that pal t of the world. FROTKOTIONISTS point to the United States -as affording an instance of the effect of protec- tive tariffs in producing a large excess of annual revenue over expenditure. They forget to add, .however, that this excess is an evil which illus- trates the complete breakdown of the protec- tive system. The difficulty created by the existence of a large surplus in the Treasury at Washington can only be solved by the adoption of a policy based on free trade principles. At the end of the present fiscal year the surplus "Will amount to a hundred and forty million ''dollars. Surpluses hitherto have been applied to the reduction of the United States debt upon iairiy good terms. All the three per cent. bonds have now, however, been cancelled, and the remaining debt could only be reduced at a heavy premium. Should the Government at- tempt to spend its surplus in liquidating this .debt, the price at which they would have to purchase bonds would be so high that no advan- tage would be gained. Hence the Secretary of the Treasury does not recommend that any part of the surplus should be thus applied. He also points out that expenditure in the construction of public works beyond the requirements of the Government is equally to be deprecated, and declares that a large reduction of the protective tariff is the only remedy for the existing evil. His views are embodied in an excellent report on the American finances prepared by Mr. Edwardes, the Secretary of Legation at Wash- ington, and issued from the Foreign Office, ^'his report will afford valuable information to those who are interested in the debate on the "rariff Bill now before the American House of Representatives. referring to the argument used" by those in favour of maintaining the existing tariff that the reduction would injuri- ously affect wages, the Secretary of the Treasury denies that labour elsewhere can injure labour in the United States by supplying the latter "with clothes and tools at less cost than the "Americaiii can make them. This is as im- possible as that the sun, the winds, the waters, and indeed all the forces of Nature, can injure the labour of the world, because they do for mankind far more of man's work than he does himself."

At the Wallasey Petty Sessions, before Messrs. \V. Chambres and R. A. Eskrigge, two professional •beggars, named John Lyons and Joseph Doan, Siave been senb to gaol for a month each, with hard labour, for begging. A telegram says that all hope is abandoned re- Bpeeting the steamer Levant, belonging to Messrs. "Waller Runciman and Co., she being now a month "Overdue from Cardiff to Oporto. The vessel was <e«i«n»Ui*nded by Captain Youngberg, of Blyth, and Itud tL crew uf fifteen hands, mostly belonging to "ttuuLtt Shields and Jurrow.

THE MILLIONAIRE'S DAUGHTER Now -and then a girl becomes an actual belle. Ella Lowe was actually a belle. She was very handsome, and the only child of a millionaire. She dressed perfectly, and had every possible accom- plishment. When she entered a room she some- how threw all the other girls into shadow. A crowd gathered about her chair, and recognised beauties pouted iu indignation at their neglect. Whether she would have been so much admired had she not been an heiress, it would have been hard to say but she had had, on an average, twenty offers of marriage since she" came out," and had not yet accepted any one as her chosen husband, though she was three-and-twenty. Perhaps the pleasure she took in her licllehood was too great. At last, however, almost on her twenty-fourth birthday, she met Mr. Evan Plantagenet, a young exquisite of the a-sfficiic type, and urged on by his mother and all his many sisters, engaged herself to him with her father's consent. When she did this, one young heart ached sorely—that of her far away cousin, Roderick Blair, a physician new-fledged, who lived with his mother in a pretty country town. He paled and moped, and his mother knew well what troubled him. "Why did you never speak to Ella?" she said. How do know that she could not have liked you ? She was too rich, mother," said Roderick, gloomily. I could not seem to be a fortune- hunter. I would not owe so much to a wife." Not if she loved you ? asked the mother. But the son would have no more talk about the matter. The girl never could have been his. He himself did not understand why he should feel more unhappy than before. Perhaps it was because, as his mother said, he did not know but that she might have liked him. And Mr. Ewen Plantaganet exhibited his prize in public, and his mother and sisters boasted of his engagement to the daughter of Mr. Lowe, the well-known millionaire." Suddenly there came a crash a startling piece of news petrified the fashionable world. It was uttered by every tongue, and published in every paper. The millionaire Lowe had embarked in specula- tion, and his millions were gone. The great house was closed. Mr. Lowe and his daughter went to live on an upper floor, in a plain street, and the mother of Evan Plantaganet declared herself shocked at the old man's deception. In fact, the young man himself was horrified at the situation of his prospective father-in-law, and having drawled out sundry reproaches, was offered his freedom, which he took at once. Ella was free, and poor. Roderick Blair, in his country home, heard the news. A few hours afterw ards he was at Mr. Lowe's door. He found Ella as bright as ever in fact, she had long siuce grown weary of Plantaganet and his affectations. She wore a pretty dress and smiled and chatted gaily. The humble rooms were pleasant and well-arranged. Never had Roderick passed a pleasanter evening. He returned home full of hope and happiness. But though lie felt himself honored by the privi- lege of visiting in that humble abode, most of Ella's admirers, and all her fashionable lady friends hut three gradually dropped her. She was no longer a belle. When she accepted an invita- tion she found herself treated like other girls. The lesson was salutary. If her vanity was hurt, her good sense was improved. One pleasant winter day she accepted the hand of Roderick Blair. It might be a long engagement, for both were poor, but they trusted each other. Meanwhile, Mrs. Blair was delighted. She came down often and brought all the village news. Amongst other things, a description of the splendid new house a rich man, whose name she did not know, was building on the very next piece of land to that on which her own brown cottage stood. It was a marvel of perfection, thoroughly well I appointed in every way, and it was now being fur- nished from roof to basement in the most elegant manner. The furnishing did not come at first, of course. Indeed, it took six months to arrive at that point. And a stained glass window in the hall and a conservatory, thoroughly stocked, brought the old lady down on a special visit. Mr. Lowe was always interested in her account of the place. I should like to see it," lie said. "I will come up with Ella next Monday, and, no doubt, I may get permission to go through it with you." I I Delightful said Mrs. Blair. "I adore hand- some houses." Ella smiled and the result was that the follow- ing Monday Sir. Lowe, hearty and happy as in his palmiest days, offered his arm to Mrs. Blair, and leaving the young people to follow, escorted her from her own quiet home to the elegant new man- sion. The man who was carefully polishing the stone porch opened the door for him, and all four entered. Certainly a handsomer, and yet a more home-like house, could not have been found in all the country round. Mrs. Blair was in raptures. Roderick, looking down at Ella, said My dear, I wish I could give you such a home;" and she answered Ah, Roderick, I wish I could bring such a home with me when I come to you." Mr. Lowe heard, and paused with a smile. Say you so, children ?" he cried. Well, then, my dears, if you like it, I will give it to you. Take it and enjoy it." It seemed a witticism, at which they all laughed, and they went home together, happy and friendly, and took tea in the widow's cottage. After the meal was over, Mr. Lowe once more brought up the subject of the new house. Would you really like to live there, good Ella," he asked, "so far from town and all its gayeties ?" Papa, I hate 'town, said Ella. "A country life and true, honest friends for me." "I agree with you, child," said Mr. Lowe. The world is very hollow, society very unsatisfy- ing to the soul, yet it is not usual to feel that while we are young." We have had our experiences. I think they are sufficient. But, dear friends, I have a con- fession to make. The story of my total loss of fortune was an exaggeration. I lost fifty thousand dollars, it is true, sufficient for a foundation for the rumour. I fostered it, and played the ruined man to perfectios. My motive was to save Ella from a fortune-hunter, and to give her to a good man who really loved her. She has found hhn. "My dears, get married as soon as you like. The house yonder was built for you. You, Mrs. Blair, will of course live with your sou, and you must find room for me somewhere within its walls, dear madam. I think we, will all be very happy together. There, no talk about it now. You have engaged yourself to a rich woman against your will, Roderick, and will have to put up w ith it." And he took his daughter away, wrapped in her fur-lined cloak, and smiling back at her lover. Again the millionaire Lowe was a nine days' wonder in the city of New York. Again the fashionable world offered its invitations, and Evan Plantaganet's mother went to call on dear Ella, and tell her how Plantaganet regretted the misunder- standing but she found a, wedding-party assembled in the little parlour, and discovered that Ella had been Mrs. Blair for nearly half an hour. She had self-possession enough to present her congratulations, and retire speedily. She was not wanted, and the late belle quite understood what had brought her there. For her part, she was happier than she had been in those days of adulation and flattery, and would not have ex- changed her true and loving husband for all her train of admirers, for all the hollow wor.'d could offer. And yet she was glad to bring Roderick a fortune as well as a heart, and lie knew her too well now not be glad also, if only for her sake.

AN exchange says that newspaper editors never Ie strike," but the assertion is not borne 0\11 by the facts, An editor once struck so hard that wild- eyed man, with long hair and a long poem, went down stairs seven steps at a time, and lauded on his spinal column at the bottom. BESIDE each plate at a recent dinner in Paris was a. telephone which was connected with a distant saloon, where a superb orchestra was playing. It would not do to try anything of the kind in this country. The effect of the music would be ruined amid cries of Hello I central office ,I Connect 4007 with 83 1 Mast the thing I Don't understand You're too near Stand brpck a little What d'ye t lay t I caa't hear "word I Hello 1 -T— —— ¡ ■" f* .1

YSTRADYFODWG LOCAL BOARD. The fortnightly meeting of this Board was held on Friday afternoon, the 20th instant, and was also the annual meeting, when there were present: —Messrs J. Davies, J.P. (Brynfedwen), J. Davies (Porth), J. Havard, W. H. Mathias, D. Evans, T. Giiffiths, S. Smith, B. Williams, E. Evans, D. W. Davies J.P., W. Jenkins, and K. W. Lewis. Mr D. Evans was voted to the ohair pro tem. 8WEARING lY NEW KEMBBR8. Messrs T. Griffiths, D. W. Davies, W. H. Ma- thias, E. Evans, and E. W. Lewis made the usual declaration. and took their seats. The first four were re-eleoted, and the latter took his seat for the first time. KLECTION OF CHAIRMAN. Mr D. Evana The first duty we have to per- form is to appoint a chairman for the ensuing year, and I have very great pleasure in proposing that our latt chairman, Mr John Davies, be re- elected. He has been a very faithful chairman, and very attentive to his da ties; and I believe he is a pretty sure guide to us in our deliberations. He has some qualifications for the post. He is not in the habit ot making long speeches. He is always very impartial, disoharges his duty to the best of hia ability, and with credit to himself and the Board. He has great experience in these matters now, perhaps more than anyone else; and I have very great pleasure in proposing that he be re- elected as our ohairman, and our guide (hear, hear). Mr E. Brans-I heartily second the proposition. A 's *11 As-Mr Evans has said, the chairman is not a man to say much, hut he does his work admirably. We could not have had a better man if we tried through the whole valley. ( Hear, bear.) The motion was oarried unanimously. Mr D. Evans then vacated the ohair, and Mr J. Davies took it. The Chairman-Onoo more I take the ohair, as you have beeu kind enough to confer the honour upon me. I don't know whether it will be for more than that, but I beg to thank you for the kindnear yon have shown, and for the good feeling expressed by the proposer and seconder in the remarks they made. I did think two months ago that 1 would not have been able to undertake it again, but I am far better in health now than I was, and I hope I will yet improve, or I should not aooept the honour. Thank you very kindly for the way in which you have spoken of me, and for the honour you have conferred upon me. (Cheers.) ELECTION OF COMMITTEES. Finance Oommittes.- The following were elected to serve upon the finance committee :-Messrs E. Evans, W. Lax, T. Griffiths, W. H. Mathias, and D. EvanS. Sewerage Committee- Messrs S. Davies, W. Jen- kins, E. Evans, T. Griffiths, W. H. Mathias, and E. W. Lewis. Roads Committee.-M.r Smith suggested that this committee should comprise the whole Board, and that each ward should have a committee of its own, of the three local members. Mr Mathias did not approve of this suggestion, and remarked that he and Mr D. Evans had been talking about this committee, and were of opinion that they ought to visit the whole district at certain periods. Mr D. Evans agreed with Mr Mathias that the committee should go ever the whole district peri- odically, and see what work had been done, and what was in progress. Mr J. Davies did not think Mr Smith's sug- gestion a bad one, for the reason that the local committee might act in some small local affairs, and if advisable they could call together tha whole committee afterwards. Ultimately, however, the following were elected: -The Chairman, Messrs J. Davies, W. H. Mathias, W. Jenkins, E. W. Lewis, E. Evans, and D. Evans. COBRESPONDZNCt. A letter was read from the Bhondda Chamber of Trade calling attention to the Necessity of street improvements from Mr Pegler's shop to Mr George's shop at Pentre. Mr D Evans-I am afraid if we put a pavement on the other side we shall have no road to walk over. (Laughter.) A letter was read from the Clydach Vale Cham- ber of Trade stating a complaint as to a heap of smouldering rubbish, which was an eyesore and a nuisance in the neighbourhood. Mr D. W. Davies-It has been smouldering for months, and it is an awful nuisance. I The Surveyor was directed to report upon the matter. A letter was also read from the Parliamentary agents, stating that Clause 23 of the Bute Docks Bill was to be withdrawn, as the Bute Dock Com- pany were advised to take action nnder tbe Rivers Pollution Aot instead. Letter read from Dr Duke's, Porth, complaining of a nuisance arising from grease-melting, which Letter read from Dr Duke's, Porth, complaining of a nuisance arising from grease-melting, which was going on upon the premises of Mr Coles butcher, The Surveyor was ordered to give notice to Mr Coles to abate the nuisance. A communication was read from the Conserva- tors of the Taff and Ely Rivers, stating that their chairman (Mr Henry Lewis, Green Meadow) had been informed that ooal tipping was being carried on to a great extent to the Rhondda river, and wishing to be informed whether that was true. Mr Griffithe-I suppose somebody has discovered a new way of conveying coal to Cardiff (langhter). Mr D. Evans-Or there is no sale for coal, and they are tipping it into the river. (Renewed laughter.) The Chairman-TIpping ooal; they mean rub- bish, I suppose ? Mr Jenkins said it appeared to him that, as they had opposed the 23rd clause of the Bute Dock Bill, the Board ought to prevent this tipping into the river, if there was any going on. Mr D. W. Dniea-Kr Havard says there is none going on at Dinas. Mr J enkina-I do not mean any persons, but to prevent tipping by anybody. The Chairman-I wonder that we did pass the Bill on account of that. Mr Havard—Nothing has been tipped into the river by as from that day to this. The Chairman-Bat can you say that the river has not taken any of your tips since then ? (Laughter.) Mr Havard—It is a great shame if it has. (Renewed laaghter.) The Chairman suggested that the inspectors be direoted to report upon this matter of tipping into the river throughout the district if there was any going on. This was agreed to. CASINS TELEPHONE POLLS. In the coarse of a conversation ii was remarked that an arrangement had been come to by which the Telephone Company were to encase the tele- phone poles in the most popalous parts, of the district, as it was said some people were so unfor. tanate as to have their clothes daubed with creosote. The Surveyor (Mr J. W. Jones) said be saw a man dressed in a suit of light clothes going up against a pole recently. Mr Griffiths-I don't think anyone would strike against the pole if he was not under the iafluenoe of drink. Mr Mathias—Ladies' dresses also rub against the poles. Mr Griffiths-But they do not wear crinolines now. (Laughter.) Mr Mathias—But some gentlemen at Porth take ladies out on their arms. (Renewed laughter.) BREACH OF THE BYELAWS. Mr Jones, confectioner, Tonypandy, appeared before the Board, with reference to the temporary building be had ereoted at the back of his premises for the storage of egg boxes; he was directed to take it down, and if he wished to have such building there he must submit plans in accordance with the byelaws. f. MARDY BHIDSE. Mr D. Evans reported that a deputation from this Board met a deputation from the Aberdare Board- and from the Tag Vale Railway Company, and they went over the ground ef the proposed bridge at Mardy, and ultimately agreed that the three surveyors should draw a sketch for i>nb- mission to the Board, it being understood that the Boards jointly should build their own bridge, add the Railway Company the other, in a line with it.

ALLEGED BREACH OF CONTRACT AT BLAEHRHODDDA COLLIERY. COMING TO GRIEF OVER A TECHNICAL POINT. At Ystrad Police Court, on Monday (before the Stipendiary and Mr J. Davies), Thomas Brown was charged with a breach of contract. Mr John Davies, on behalf of the Company, said defendant was a flueman employed at Blaen- rhondda Colliery. On Sunday week he refused t., discharge his duty in relief of a man who ha u bdëD employed. J oh. Evans, fireman, said he was in charge of the colliery last Sunday week. At four o'clock it was time for Thomas Brown to relieve the flaeman Finding Brown was not there, he asked for him Met him afterwards, and asked him why he was not at his post, tie said I won't go to-day." Told him not to be foolaeb. bat go home and change his clothes and eome. He repeated his refusal to come. The Hue was left half an hoar with at any one to see to it. Defendant had been nearly two years in the same employ. He fetched Davies to do the work. gfHis Worship asked defendant if he had worked at the colliery since. Defendant said ht1 bad. His Worship, addressing Mr Davies, said—" Yen have sammoned the ram for quitting his employ. ment without due notice, whereas it is evident he has Ilot lefli the employ. The case must be dis- missed.—If they wished to proceed the company must take out a different summons."

1), IN V Livis'o.—The whafe" was eaten by tta Saxo:ts, and late in the fifteenth centurj, when mei*. were lucky enough to get ii, it appeared at tabllt., In Henry 111. directed the Sheriff of Loiidew. to purchase one hundred pieces of whale for hit, tabic. Whales found on the coast were the per- quisites of rovalty. They were cut up and sent tft the Kind's kitchen in carts. The grampus, or sea». wolf, was also highly esteemed; but ot all the blub- ber dainties the porpoise was deemed the niMi savoury. The Saxons called it sea-hog, and th* ecclesiastics of the Middle Ages, porco marino*. Porpoises were purchased for the table of Henry IIL in 124t% At the marriage of Henry V., ..h., guests were treated with "roasted porp-ced and we find it again in the first course at the corons,. tion of Henry VII. The coarse animal was esteemett as food until late in the sixteenth century. It ww often on the ) ablest Henry VIII., andfeven t^ueen, Elizabeth, who was rather choice in her appetite,, bad porpoises among her Friday diet; and it waw sold as food ill the market of Newcastle as late. ir.7 j, from which time it appears to have fallen inlet disrepute. —