The Pontypridd Chronicle and Workman's News

PONTYPRIDD SCHOOL BOARD. I I The clerk reported that he had received the reporto on drawing at Cilfynydd and Norton UY Bridge. Both went excellent. (Heat, hear). The* Public Works Board Commissioners sanct- ioned of the borrowing of JB314 for the carrying out of a drainage scheme at Coedpenmaen Board School. The clerk handed the Board a list of the success- ful pupil teachers in the recent Queen's Scholar- ship Examination, and those who had passed, the Board appointed as assistant teachers. I A lengthy discussion (initiated by Mr Phimp I Jones), took place as to the dismissal of a certain female teacher at Cilfynydd schools. The railway-men of Hafod applied of the use The railway-men of Hafod applied of the use of Hopkinstown Schools for the holding of technical instruction classes. The use of the school was. granted.

THE INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC. At the present time, everywhere, almost, is the Influenza.. Thousands of patients are down with this terrible soourge, which has again visited oar country, and is committing frightful havoc among all cwlasses of society. It is much more pre- valent than is generally known, and the cases are more severe than on former occasions. Having observed its ravages and its baneful effects on the constitution on the occasion of its former visits, we cannot but regard its recurrence with special dread, as a great many have not yet. if they ever will, regain their former health. The pre- sent form of the disorder attacks the organs of digestion, as well as the lungs. Nor are the symptoms precisely the same in each individual. Many, too, feel the after effects of influenza for months and months. To have the microbes or bacili in the blood even for three days seems thor- oughly to weaken and exhaust the constitution. Now. as a preventative. we know of nothing equal to Swilym Evans' Quinine Bitters, The Vegetable Tonic. A few strong doses taken in time have often proved effectual in warding off attacks of this malady, and always succeed in mitigating their severity when a patient is under their influence. Do you suffer from chills, alternating with sud- den Flushes. Severe Headache, accompanied by difficulty of breathing, and symptoms of Catarrh. Pains in the Chest, under and between the Shoul- ders, and a stiffness and soreness of the muscles, Loss of Appetite and Nervousness, or are you oppressed with gloomy forebodings and depressed spirits? If you uffer from any of these symptoms. know that they are the forerunners of Influenza, j and it behoves you to resort at once to an effective and suitable remedy, and that is Gwilym BvMM* Quinine Bitters. The Vegetable Tonic. Sold in Bottles Ie 9d and 4s 6d each. Avoid imitations.

1 SETTLING IT OUT OF COURT. [ An odd story from Lancashire. It appeaff that a couple of labouring men had a dispute before the local County Court, and, after hear- ing a portion of it, the learned judge sug- gested that it was a case that might be settled out of court—he was about to adjourn for luncheon, and in the meantime the parties had better try what they could do. They retired, and, seeking as private a place as they could find, stripped and set-to for several rounds in the good old P.R. style, believing that they were obeying the injunction of the judge to" settle" their dispute out of court. On the Court resuming, the parties re-appeared, when his honour iuquired whether they had settled their difference. Oh, yes, your honour, was the answer. "Why, you've been lighting!" said the judge, observing the rutiled appearance of the parties. Yes, sir; you told us to settle it, and we have had it out." Dear me said the judge you com- pletely misunderstood me. 1 feel as if I had been a party to a breach of the law. Go away now, and don't settle any more disputes in that manner." PROVING AN ALIBI. A clergyman at Cambridge preached a sermon which one of his auditors commended. "Yes," said a gentleman to whom it was mentioned, it was a good sermon, but he stole it." This was told to the preacher. He resented it, and called on the gentleman to retract what he had said. I am not," replied the aggressor, very apt to retract my words, but in this instance 1 will. I said you had stolen the ser- mon 1 find I was wrong, for on returning home, and referring to the book whence I thought it was taken, I found it there." AN ACCESSORY TO THE THEFT. A policeman on duty in a provincial town met, one day, a poor widow carrying two chairs. She accosted him, saying, in a tearful voice: Oh! Dear me; isn't it a hard case that a poor widdy has to carry her bits of furniture herself, and no one to help her ? The gallant policeman immediately lent his aid to carry the chairs to her room, only to dis- cover afterwards that lie had been an accessory to a theft, for the chairs had been stolen from outside a neighbouring furniture shop NO ASSAULT. A trial took' place at a country assizes, in which an alderman of a well-known corporation was plaintiff and a tradesman of the same town was defendant. The action was brought against the trades- man for an assault on the alderman by taking him by the nose and the plaintiff obtained a verdict, with forty shillings damages. In the course of the trial, the counsel for the defendant strongly urged on the jury that taking an alderman of- by the nose could not be deemed an assault, it being a customary salutation among the aldermen of that corpora- tion, who had been led by the nose for many years. A CURIOUS FRAUD. A clerk lost four shares of the Bank of France, confided to his care by his master, and a reward of 1,000 francs was offered for their recovery. In a few days the owner received a letter, stating that the writer had found the shares that he was not rich enough to refuse the reward, but, nevertheless, would blush to have it known that he had received it; and, therefore, the shares would be restored by proxy, at a certain street-corner, to some one entrusted with the 1,000 francs. The money was handed over as directed, and the owner of the shares received in return a packet of waste paper 1 IMPRESSING THE JURY. He was a tough prisoner of forbidding aspect, and he was brought up for an aggravated assault. Presently the jury were sworn, and he regarded them critically. "Prisoner at the bar," said the Recorder, "do you challenge any of the jurymen ?" "Challenge 'em! "grunted the ruffian, "why, I'd fight the whole lot with one hand tied behind me." The jury were not prejudiced in his favour. ANOTHER DUELLING STORY. A story comes from France about a duel between two good-natured Frenchmen, who were only going to fight because their friends had insisted on it. On the morning of the duel they and their seconds tramped through the woods to the fatal spot, when one of the duellists, the chal- lenging party, tripped and fell. His second helped him to his feet. I hope you are not hurt," said the other duellist. "I'm not much hurt," was the reply; "I only bumped my nose on the ground." Does it bleed ?" was the next eaoer aues- tion. Yes, a little." Ah, blood flows!" cried the other, raptur- ously. And my houour is vindicated! Give me your hand, old boy Then they went off, arm in arm, and had breakfast together, in an extremely sensible manner. BURGLARS V. BANKS. "The fact is," said old Mrs. Jinks, who was in London on a visit, the fact is, my dear Mrs. Binks, I had the narrowest escape from being ruined the other day that you ever heard of." How was it ? asked Mrs. Binks, growing interested. Well, you know I sold onr horse and cart last month, and had the money ready to deposit in the savings bank the next morning, which was the very day of its failure." Yes, I read about it." I slept with my money under my pillow, continued Mrs. Jinks, and the next morning when I got ready to start for the bank the money was gone." Where had it gone to ? "Some burglars had taken it during the night. An hour after the bank burst up. Did you ever hear of such a remarkable piece of good luck?" I don't see where the luck comes in. You lost your ..ash all the same." i "Yes, but they caught the burglars, and, oni condition of my not prosecuting, their solicitor I returned me ten shillings in the pound. The bank only give five. There's no use talking, Hannah, between savings banks and burglars, I'll take my chance with burglars every time." CONCLUSIVE REASONS FOR NOT PAllSG. The Richmond Christian Advocate publishes the following extract from a letter, and adds, "Certainly our subscriber deserves a premium for his ingenuity in finding reasons for cheat- ing the printer. Please say to the editor that it would doubtless be well to erase the name ofC. C. from his books, and give up as gone that 760 dollars, lie says, in thefirst place, he never ordered the paper, and if lie did. he never got it and if he did 'twas as an agent; and besides, lie thinks he paid for it long ago, and if he didn't he has got nothing to pay, and if he had he could plead the act ol limitation."

Agitated :Young Bridegroom (immediately after the ceremony): Serena, shall—shall 1 —shall we—shall we kiss?" Self-possessed bride (it being her third experience): "It is my usual custom, William." "Marie, your father must like me; he lent me 20 dols." "No, Charlie; lie told me he expected it would cost him something to keep you from coming here so often." I acknowledge I lose my temper when you make things too hot for me," said the red- haired man to his wife, but that only shows I am made of good material."

GLAMORGAN QUARTER SESSIONS. Thd Easter Quarter" Sessions for the county of Glamorgan were opened at fe^ansea on Tuesday, when Mr 0. H. Jones presided, amongtt other magistrates present were: Messrrf Walter North, J. Coke Fowler, J. Edwards V»V$.han, J. E. Moore, H. Lloyd. D. M. Glasbrook. W. Walters, J G Hall, E. Daniel, Thomas Freeman" J. R Wright, Felix Webber, Admiral Sir Alger- non Lyons, and Colonel Morgan. There was no county business of interest. FIRST COURT. (Before Mr H. 0. Jones, in the chair, and Messrs T. Freeman and W. Walters.) The following were sworn on the grand jurv —Llewelyn Howell (foreman), T. Arnold, C. G. Bennett, F. T. Carr, J. Davis, T. Davies, G. Davies, John Davies, J T. Edwards. H. Gabe. G. Glass, D. H. Lewis, L. H. Lewis, W. Morse. R Richards, E Thomas H F. Taylor, W Thomas and T. H Yeo In charging the jury the Chairman said most ol the sixteen cases on the calendar were of the or- dinary sort, and would not require much consider- ation He then commented upon some cases of indecent assault, which were one quarter of those on the calendar, and then dismissed the grand jury to consider the bills. The grand jary found no true bill in the cases against Owen Dally and James Dallv, charged with stealing a coat and other articles at Ystrad- yfodwg. Serious Charge Against a Railway Guard. Thomas Awens, on bail, a respectable looking young man. a guard on the Taff Vale Railway, was indicted for indecently assaulting Sarah Ann Blacker, Mr Rhys Williams prosecuted, and Mr Francis Williams with Mr Sankey defended. Pro- secutrix alleged that she (was travelling from Mountain Ash to Abercynon, and when at Pen- rhiwceiber defendant entered the carriage, put his lamp on the seat and tried to behave indeceTitly. She told "him she was a. married woman and did not wish his company. He said that he did not believe it, as she had not the appearance of one, and he asked her, "What price?" He then be- haved very violently, and a struggle ensued,"and finally defendant said, "I must be going, bat you are the strongest woman I ever wrestled with." He then went to the door on the opposite side of the platform and got out 150 or 200 yards from the station. On arriving at the platform she pointed defendant out to him, and he went up and asked him what he meant by it. Defendant replied, "Don't believe it; yo uare a bad woman." Prisoner said there were two other men in the guard's van who could prove he had not left it. I Cross-examined by Mr Francis Williams, pro. secutrix said she had been to the theatre that night. She denied having been anywhere else. When prisoner assaulted her she screamed. Her dress was not torn in any way. Prisoner denied the offence when her adopted brother charged him. Thomas Laverton, the adopted brother of the prosecutrix, said the prosecutrix complained to him after leaving the train, and pointed out the prisoner. Prisoner denied the offence, and said there were two men in the guard's van all the time who could prove he had not left it. In cross- examination he said he had been fined for assaults on several occasions. P.C. Nicholls said prosecutrix complained to I him of the offence, and prisoner complained to him that Laverton had assaulted him. In cross- examination he said he had known prisoner 3j years. He was married, and a highly respectable man. That was all the evidence for the prosecution. ¡ Mr Francis Williams then decided to defer hit speech till the end, and to at once call his witness- I es. The first witness was the defendant, who sail he had been in the service of the Taff Vale Com- pany 30 years. He was on duty on the train on the night of the 30th December. At Penrhiw- ceiber Station he got out on to the platform, closed the doors, and signalled the train to start. Then he got back to his van. He denied having spoken to the prosecutrix or leaving his van I after leaving Penrhiwceiber Station, or assaulting prosecutrix. In his van were two of the company's cleaners. He had no right with people in his vaa, and the two cleaners were afterwards pun- ished by the company for being in the van. When the charge was made against him he at once denied it, and sent for the two men. On arriving at Abercynon, Laverton went on to him and struck him, and then told him he had as- saulted his wife. He did not know what he said afterwards, because be bad four blows aid was dizzy. He was now suspended by the Taff Vale Company pending the result of his trial. Cross-examined by Mr Williams: He was not too dizzy to tell the constable that the two men could prove that he had not left the guard's van. That was after he was alleged to have said. when it was suggested that he should summon Laverton, "Oh. never mind; let the matter drop." He denied leaving the van between the stations, and said everything the prosecutrix said was untrue. He could not suggest a motive for the charge De- ing raised. Luther Thomas Davies, of Aberdare. an en- gine cleaner, said he travelled in the guard's van on the night in question to Abercynon. He had no business there. He went for a "lark." He said prisoner went into the van at Penrhiwceiber. and did not leave it till Abercvnon was reached. William Evans, another cleaner, gave similar evidence. John Jones, a porter, was called, and said he saw the prisoner get into the guard's as the train left Penrhiwceiber. The Court then adjourned for luncheon. Stationmaster Hiscock. of Abercynon, was called and gave prisoner an excellent character, saying he had led a blameless life; and the sig- nalman between Penrhiwceiber and Abercynon said as the train passed his box he noticed doknd- ant was in th* &Bar(^s ^an' Other witnesses »u're asked and gave Prisoner an excellent character. Mr Francis Williams then de»-Vered. an e'°" quent speech for the defence, and askeo 11 were likely that a nun like defendant, who had ^>een j in the employ of the Taff Vale Company 30 J4at'§,-1 and had risen by his close attention to dtitt and! I his excellent character to the responsible position | guard, and had. as the stationmaster said, led a blameless life, would, while on his way hc'Me to join his wife commit such an assault in the w,qy complained of? He pointed out that there had beerf J™ corroboration of the story of the prosecutrix, while he had proved up to the hilt that defendant could not have committed the offence. The jury, without retiring, returned a verdict I of not guilty, and defendant was discharged. Stealing a Cash-Box. Albert Edward Thomas (13), son of respectable parents, pleaded guilty to stealing from a dwell- ing house at Llanfabon a cash-box and R9 10s. Mr Rhys Williams handed in a number of testi- monials, and the Chairman, after giving the boy some good advice, released him on entering into recognizances to come up for judgment when called on. Alleged False Pretences. John Jarman (on bail) was charged with at- j tempting to obtain by false pretences from Wie Clydach Vale Collieries 2s, the moneys of Thos. Jenkins, with intent to defraud. Mr Parson prosec.'ted ard Mr Rhys William* defend' i. Th. j evidence for the prosecution was not oi a conclu- sive character, and the jury returned a verdict of acquittal. I Alleged Indecent Assault. I John Price (40), labourer, was charged with assaulting a little girl named Edith Gibson, seven years of age, at Pentyrch, on March 26th. Mr Kelly prosecuted, and prisoner was undefended. The medical evidence showed that the child had been assaulted, but not seriously. Prisoner was found guilty and sentenced to nine months' impri- I sonment. I A Dishonest Collier. Thomas Jones 123), collier, was indicted for stealing a pay-ticket for £7 Is lOd. the property of Thomas and Abraham Davies, at Ystradyfodwg on February 26th. Mr Kelly prosecuted, and Mr Hugh Jones defended. The evidence was of a circumstantial character. Prisoner was found guilty, and was sentenced to two months' hard labour. ) —— i

"MADAME SAN-S-GENE, AT THE THEATRE ROYAL. The motive of a play is always an interesting study. That is. of course, when the play is worth considering. Each of these propositions is boldly set forth in "Madame Sans-Gene," the play running at the Theatre Royal, Cardiff, this week, and there is no wonder that the audience I gave a hearty welcome to Messrs Morell and Mouillot's company on Monday evening. The play was written by MM. Sardou and Emile Mor- eau, and in the original French version was a success. Of the two English translations that have been presented Sir Henry Irving produced the one "done" by Mr J. Comyns Carr, and we may I note her that this is the first Lyceum play that Sir Henry has allowed to go on tour. Connected with that note comes, as a natural sequence, the assurance that it would not be allowed out unless it was well mounted and placed in capable hands. But now as to play itself. For, the story the authors took an excursion into the private life tof Napoleon—nrat the impecunioup lieutenant who could not pay his washing bill, a b. that crops up again at a most opportune moment and in the most amusing manner; afterwards at the zenith of his power, when he is, by contraries, I the dupe of a fit of jealousy. At first one has some difficulty in deciding what class the piece belong to and it is not until the end that its true character is apparent. Then it proves to be a drama, but the Fouche-Neipperg-Rovigo intrigue is most artistically masked by the rich comedy of business that is the essence of the lady of the title role. There are in it tender and touching j moments; there are tragic situations that make the breath come heavily; but there is also a fund of most laughable humour that keeps the audience in merry mood for greater part of the time. As "Madame Sans Gene" Miss Jennie Austace gave I some splendid acting. The picture of a quon- dam washerwoman lifted into Court circles as the wife of a marshall and a duchess, where she is distinctly out of her element, freely admits it, and makes but scant effort to alter her demean- our, was finely sustained. Whether as the hap- py-go-lucky laundress in her own shop, as the clownish body trying to learn deportment in in a riding-habit that "fits where it touches, as the quick-witted woman finding a method to re- lieve a prisoner in an awkward fix, or in the few moments of exquisite pathos, Miss Eustace was equally good, and she gave the finest comedy that has been seen in Cardiff since Miss Cicely Richards was on the same stage last autumn. "Napoleon" himself is only spoken of in the prologue, scarcely hinted at in the first act, but the part falls heavily on the actor's shoulders in the second and third acts, and Mr William Lee came up to the full standard required of him to make his appearance a success. Mr Charles Cooper, as the heroine's husband, Marshal Lefebvre," Mr. T. N. Walter as Fouche," Mr. Alfred Beaumont as Savary (afterwards "Rovigo"), and Mr. Ivan Cleveland as Count Neipperg," all worked well, and gave most excellent impersonations of the parts assigned to them. The play is full of capital situations, I and the audience may find an excellent study in ) the dramatic art, as well as a capital evening's entertainment. The company is unusally heavy in number, and the cou# »nd military ensembles are well set out.

CLIPPINGS FROM BOOKS. "PUTTING ma* FOOT IN IT." Old John Young in his youthful days live«t somewhere in Pennsylvania, where also resided an old farmer, with his wife and two daughters one of whom, contrary to the old gentleman's wishes, he used to visit. One night while-- there, unknown to the old people, they having WiJ1'1' a ;,UI^ !>(>t of mush was left boiling thv »re, getting ready for the next day. hi tht. evening the old gentleman called out i(ff Hi? £ • to c'■> (o and ns they did not retire hi* iin<? t<> suit hinj, he began to sti* round, to see' Wf?y hfs orders were not obeyed. Young, hearing fiiiu CQmiiijX, took off iti" piloes to prevent- ftoise,- ttJIIT glided silently np a. ladder into ffn1 l«,t trUo.t1. The old funnel*^ having sent the girls On-bed, lifted Ofr the boil«~ jug pot, whit ) ies- accident he placed nt the fool of the laddtf; then putting out the light, and covering the fwv. he retired again to hed. When all was strM and quiet, Young, with shoes in hand, stole- down tile ladder, and landed in the pot! Although badly burned, he escaped in some ilegree by having his stockings on. He left Ifir- (racks on the floor, hot got out of the house* .unobserved. He had "pill his Toot in itin go<*5 earnest; and mount- ing his horse, he haole it, feftil adieu to the old farmer and his family. ANIMALS Sl'KKKK Hfrf). Ilu.ni.tn heing" are not the t,'tll\' ones who suffer from sea-sickness, by msy means. One hears a good deal about the psiwgs that have filled men and women with wop, Ivut little is said of the menageries carried ov«*$he Atlantic every year in wave-tossed boats. Lions and tigers may he ma jest re when i hey have unwavering earth or rock zigoiii-T t'leir paws, but a fossick member of the«*»tril>es is as forlorn as any man ever was, and 1:1, more kingiy-iooking than a wet rabbit. Even its roars and growls have a weeping 1If\-IUlÙ in them, quite in keeping with the general appearance of the beast. A tnonkey is an even more pitiable object than a d ig when it is seasick, and its forlorn facial expression is so human-like, and t he way it t-lasps its paws is so natural, that the mail, who is not ill himself necessarily sees some- thing to laugh at in the misery of the creature. ,F.Xi-FI)ITINC, THE BORE. Doctor Oliver Wendell Holmes was obliged to protect himself against bores, and litid a pleasant way of expediting their departure. He kept on hand a little pile of autograph ex- tracts from his writings, and when the visitor had reached the extreme limit of his call, yet seemed unaware of the fact, he would kindly hand him one of these extracts, courteously asking him to take it as a keepsake. They can't stop after that, however tough," he used to say. I call the extract my lubri- cant it greases the way to send tJietn off.' A genial Scottish clergyman in such a case arises and says, But 1 must not detain you any longer." Hogers, the poet, one of the most, hospitable men that ever lived, once asked an Irish gentle- man to come and stay with him. He came fast enough, but he would not go. Weeks and months passed, and still, in spite of the innumerable delicate hints, lie remained a fixture. At last, Rogers, in despair, wns obliged to fill his house with invited company, appropri- ating the Irishman's room; and then he said to him: <• My dear E-, in spite of your probable arrangements for leaving sooner, 1 positively cannot part with you before next Saturday. Beyond that date I cannot ask you to remain, is my house wit) be quite fntl." This is probably the most courteous way on record in which one man ever ejeeted another. CHlNKSK IDEA OF GREAT MliN. Among the presents carried by Lord Macartney to the Emperor of China was a volume of portraits of the British nobility. In order that the inspection of them should lie more satisfactory to 1. i- -Maj-'>ty, a Mandarin attended the amteissador lie lore the ceremony was announced, to mark in character upon the margin the names and rank of the persons represented. When the Mandarin came to the print of a duke, taken when extremely young, he was told that the original was a great man of very liigii rank. I lie Mandarin had so little conception of a child s being qualified by hereditary right to be possessed of such a dignity, that he gave a look of surprise, and exclaimed, that "he could not venture to describe him in that manner, for the emperor knew veiy we'd how to distinguish « fil"fft win from (I i itle h >j>. IllE1\TIJo-1 Ell. In his book of Reminiscences," Srgnor Arditi, the famous operatic conductor, tells some interesting and delight Ju!^ stories. Among others, he relates tlie following amus- ing incident. I had a cheque from Map'eson (he says), and, l»eing anxious to cash it. i dro\e over one afternoon, just before cles-ng time, to the bank where it was made paya'r. When pre- senting the cheque, the clerk asked me if 1 had brought anyone who could identity me. 1 laughed and said: Don't you know me ? I am S gnor Ard 11. The man still appeared to be uncertain as to my identity, when a happy thought occurred to me. 1 asked Do you ever go to the opera Yes, often," replied the clerk. Then I turned my back and raised my hit, disclosing my bald head. Do you not know me now ?" I urged. A grin spread over his countenance, and he exclaimed: "Oh, yes! now 1 know that you are J-ig.ior Arditi. It's all right. Here's t money." STARTLING. Many a good story has l*eeii told about the 9 consternation and dismay produced by the souud of the Scottish bagpipe.- on uninitiated ears. They are said to have put to ilight foes for whom a bayonet charge would have had no terrors. But the story told by a mission- ary to Africa about the effect his false teeth produced among the natives casts all other yarns of this kind into the shade. Somehow the natives came to know <.iat their pastor had false teeth, and one of them gently and tremulously broke the siibjpct to him in conversation one day. Not wishing to be suspected of witchcraft, the missionary told the children of the sunny south that m far-off England, where he came from. when a. man lost his leg he could get a new- one. >\ hen his hair fell off he could buy « fresh supply and so with teeth—when they dropped out or were extracted they could be replaced. "Then," said the bishop, "I drew out my beautiful, white, clean porcelain set, and when they saw that, you ought to hifve seen tnem run and scream. One woman declared she had seen the wonder of the world, and was now content to die in peace. THE TRIAD! There are three sorts of men—a man to God, who does good for evil; a man ro man. who does good for good, and evil for evil: and a man to the devil, who does evil for go->< BARDDAS. But the following, by Sir gaiter Scott, will give some light on the" Innoes of the present age1. The c^rgy live by our sins. 2. The medical faculty by our diseases: and 3. The law gentry by our mis fort unes

One of the peculiar thing.-about heredity «s that bad qualities descend with more direct- ness and strength tlwm good one-. You can make up a quarrel, but it will always show where it is patched. A man's idea of a perfect wife is a woman who neither asks questions nor gives her bus. b.ind occasion to ask any. The man who relies mi lock is lucky ii he keeps out of the poorhouse. Illness is Nature's way of saying. 1 told you so." A large part of the beauty of giving is m the wrench it costs us to let go of the gilt. There is this about the ladder ol fame--be rungs might be a good deal cloSx.