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'-... Cigarette Papers.
Cigarette Papers. The Pros and Cons of Married Life. In commencing this paper, let the ^ader understand that I shall treat the Matter from an outsider's point of view. 111 not a. married man, have never been, iIelther do I contemplate such a change in my fortunes. I know that many of my Readers, after reading the above coll- ision, will dispute my authority on the .Uoject; but let it be understood that it ,? onlooker who really sees most of i game. Naturally, one cannot expect ut a very prejudiced view on the sub- let which I am about to treat from a carried person he is an interested party, and therefore his opinions are at a dis- count, b Married life, like every other disput- able thing, has its good and its bad Points; its advantages and its disadvan- ages. Indeed, it is this feeling of un- cel't,ailItY about the matrimonial state tat prompts so many youths and maidens t(I rush helter-skelter into it. Humanity So constituted that that in which Ppears an element of uncertainty and ystery appeals very forcibly to its mind. ((ake away the glamour of mystery and Venture" from the fair ship of matri- r1')l.xy, and there would be a considerable ailing 0ff jn t|ie number of those who °uld embark in it. Such has been the ,<>ng tendency in mankind from the of Eden, and such will it remain Doomsday. tndeed, it, was this desire to penetrate into the mysterious and unknown that Counted for the downfall of Adam and j Ve in the Garden and it is this same 0ve, this same longing after a mysterious ^antity that accounts, and will account, the downfall of their progeny until il(- crack of doom. Then, the real in- ^pcement to married life is not the advan- .^ges which it confers UDOU the contract- S parties, but it is simply blind obedi- to an unwritten law of the human ttiuid. I J0 ^aiback to the subject on which cab*' Se^ out> ^et me first analyse the so- J(. -d advantages which accrue to the ,au and woman who have deliberately g osen this form of existence. In the j.j'^t place, what counts for their mar- i age? My first answer to this is what I stated above—the glamour of a tli frious existence. Following upon 'at comes the desire on the part of two snfc°-ns W'1K> think they love and care gently for each other to spend the Attainder of their days together. The aslr wiiich prompts a young man to ar the bashful maid to become his wife WV tar removed from the ideas ^ich ]le -jvould entertain of that young id usefulness to himself. Such an n'n(' cases out of ten never enters Qu -ea(l- In short, he goes about the j 6«tion in a very unbusinesslike manner. toany cases, men wed women whom „ ey know cannot be of any benefit and on? Use t° themselves. This is proved SB ^()<> often by the many tales of un- unhappiness which are unfolded tin Divorce Court. eawi- then, is the real motive? To be j)> ftid, it is a very selfish one. A young conceives a passion for a maiden; tr_ flights in her company he is at- go d by her charm of manner and he ljaes about under the delusion that he a Sot a heart, whereas in reality he has <tauei!y common coloured stone. This J'ftn0" Is petted and fostered by the a.\i 11 g lady, who sniddles aiid diddles in of extraordinary gymnastic feats, two are betrothed. This delusion Vs off in the first few weeks of their (?) life, and that which appeared be a fairy landscape before has by now {Jfj.transformed into a desert of gestae troubles and worries. 10. Ven assuming that the ship of matri- mony has been launched on a pleasant a., a favourable breeze blows, and there is "el'y prospect of a really pleasant f^i'ney, what then is in store for the 1 arried man ? In the first place, he J *es the glorious freedom of his bachelor He is no more the independent is vIdual caring for none or nought. His l>oi J life of a liaPle,ss slave, driven and ^a<sf by that most- intractable of all MfjSuers—Woman. She reigns supreme in she .exercises her tyrannous t0T) er' and, what is worse, her venomous -e' OT) that poor miserable creature clot}lls privileged to win her bread and inflp^Jier body. Her decrees are as as the laws of the Medes and 6avjiSans' ail(l a failure to obey them the undying hatred which her f°rth S natnre is capable of putting is a demi-god, wielding an c influence besides which the ca,nCo of the Czar pales into insignifi- yearns for an existence her despotic power ? Certainly, not F AGIUS,
Pontypridd Divorce.
Pontypridd Divorce. Absence and the Sequel. the, Divorce Court on Monday (before },pesi^ent, Sir Gorell Barnes), a case 0tvhf *n which Mr. Thomas Henry ^prga 8' squadron-instructor in the Gla- t *'Ws ^ornanry, living at the New Dorothy Street, Pontypridd, °t. Norwich, sued for a divorce the & 18 ^ife, Minnie Jane Knowles, on °'iii of her misconduct with Mr. The >yit Was undefended. 5 Judge said he had received f?tating that the wife wanted to '•at n case, but counsel pointed out h J^^fence had been entered. t ^tioii y^ord, who appeared for the fci6r' explained that the marriage fhere in January, 1900, at Norwich, A 2- r^,Parties lived until November, h eHTic. x^!n they went to live in the ^titi0 ?°ntypridd. In May, 1904, V CaiHrir rVras away with the Yeomanry er6 J An January last his suspicions £ by finding that "the ''o- hi ''tion«„ been writing to his wife. h\>ifp „ he found a letter, in which Was addressed as "My dearest ^av? evidence that the co- SoL Petit;5 a(l visited the respondent in .t to 'ler's' absence, and letters were ^cr«aP(>^4ent through the witness. nis^ was granted.
Advertising
I Corn I «WUhrcWanc-Manse V r th Stewed Rhubarb 111 0r cherries for S a ^nner to-day? g f ^he | | cou- ^0rn Plour must of Q 5 ^afSe ^rown & Poison's fl jk^em' Corn Flour. § *°d w* if you'ra gat it jj
General Sir Redvers Buller.
General Sir Redvers Buller. His Coming Visit to the Rhondda. Nexit Saturday will witness one of the greatest events in the life of the Rhondda. We are accustomed to every- thing modern nowadays in engineering and education; we live in the centre of the coalfield from which Great Britain's Navy expects to be fed for many cen- turies to come, and probably we stand equal to none in Wales in regard to edu- cation. But the mass of this industrial population are not acquainted with greet- ing military generals as the Londoner may be, but, we venture to say that the arrangements for General Buller's recep- tion equal any of those he has previously visited. Mr. Tom Davies, the Cymro- dorion secretary—on whose shoulders this undertaking rests entirely-has drawn out an excellent programme. The distin- guished soldier, accompanied by Lady Audrey Buller, the Right Hon. Lord Tredegar, his Honour Judge and Mrs. Gwilym Williams (Miskin Manor), the Hon. Ivor Herbert, C.B., C.M.G., Major- General H. H. Lee, Captain Lindsay, R.E., Colonel Lewis, V.D. (Cardiff), and others, will arrive by special train due at Ystrad Station at 3.20 p.m. On the arrival of the party, a handsome bouquet will be presented to Lady Audrey Buller by Miss Kathleen Davies, daughter of the secretary of the Cymrodorion Society. The Rhondda Royal Glee Society, who are always ready to give their ser- vices at public functions, will render selections at the Railway Station after the reception. The party, then entering the carriages, will proceed to the site of St. David's Church New Schoolroom, escorted by a guard of honour consisting of D Squadron, Glamorgan Imperial Yeomanry, and a detachment of Mounted Police, headed by the Cory Workmen's Prize Brass Band, under the conductorship of Mr. J. E. Fidler. Lady Audrey, who has consented to lay the foundation stone of the school- room, will perform the ceremony at 3.45 p.m. The visitors will afterwards drive up the Valley as far as the Stuart Hotel, Treherbert. and return to Pentre House, the residence of Mr. D. Treharne, where they will be entertained to tea. They will then proceed to the Workmen's Hall, Ton, where the Cymrodcrion Society's meeting will be held at 6 o'clock sharp. His Honour Judge Gwilym Williams will take the chair, and will probably make a. few remarks relating to the distinguished soldier. During the proceedings an illu- minated address will be presented to General Sir Redvers Buller on his first visit to the Rhondda, followed by short addresses by Lord Tredegar, Major- General Lee, Colonel Ivor Herbetr, Alder- man E. H. Davies, J.P. (Pentre), and Colonel H. Lewis. Here-, again, the Rhondda Royal Glee Society will be in attendance, and will render selections at intervals. The address will be presented on behalf of the Cymrodorion by Mrs. Judge Gwilym Williams. After the meet- ing, the party will leave Ystrad Station by a snecial train to Miskin Manor. It is desired that all reserrists, pen- sioners, &c., who wish to join to> form a, guard of honour, to do so at, Ystrad Station, wearing their decorations.
Cricket.
Cricket. Pentpe Blue & Whites v. Ferndale At Ferndale. Score,.s:- BLUE AND WHITES t L Blyght b Short 17 E Rees b Biddiscombe 3 D Jones b Biddiscombe 3 D J Jones b Biddiscombe 0 J Thomas b Biddiscombe 3 J Griffiths b Short 7 D Williams b Short 0 T Rogers b Biddiscombe 1 J Owen b Biddiscombe 0 L Richards b Short 5 J W Pearce not out 23 Extras 14 Total 76 FERNDALE. E Abbot c D J Jones b Pearce 2 Biddiscombe b Blyght 0 F Short st J Griffiths b Blyght 1 E Davies c Blyght b Pearce 2 C Biddiscombe b Pearce 8 W Leach c Blyght b Pearce 1 P Biddiscombe b Pearce 0 W Snow run out 6 F Fry b Blyght 3 B Parfitt, b Blyght 5 J M not out 2 Extras 21 Total 51 Llwynypia v. Aberaman. At Llwynyma. Scol-'es: LLWYNYPIA. D R Rees b Wedlock 5 A Evans b Keevil 9 D R James c Francis b Keevil 0 G Davies 15 Keevil 4 Isaac c Farr b Keevil 49 W T Griffiths c and b Hughes 3 W Gifford not out 14 Extras. 6 Total 90 Match abandoned owing to the drizzling rain. Aberdare v. Ferndale. At Aberdarc. Score's:- FERNDALE. Priday b Havard 18 T Howells Ibw b Havard 11 T R Thomas b Allen 0 R J Fletcher b Allen 3 D Morgan b Allen 3 J Thomas b Allen 0 J Childs b C Davies 8 W Davies c Havard b Davies 10 J Morgan b Davies 0 J Benjamin not out 6 Extras 18 Total. 80 ABERDARE. Jack Edwards c Childs b Priday 17 G Rose b Priday 3 C Davies b Priday Or Havard c Thomas b Priday 1 Gwilym Davies b Priday 3 Joe Allen o Childs b Morgan 5 Dai Parry 2 Watkin Thomas b Priday 0 Beddoe Stephens b Priday 3 Goodwin b Priday 0 Harry Jones c Rees b Priday 0 Extras: 4 Total 42 Inter-League Schoolboy's Match Rhondda v. Mountain Ash. Played at Mountain Ash. Scorcs:- Mountain Ash: W. Watkins 4-0, S. Jones 4-0, I. Grant W. H- Rees j 0—0, J. Parry 0—4, D. Harris 0-2, J. Jenkins 0-0, H. J. Price 0, R. Richards not out 3, W. H. Davies 0, G. Bailey 0—0, extras 6-6, totals 25 and 15 (for 8 wickets). Rhondda: Ll. Jones 0-2, P. Carpenter 3-1, W. J. Phillips 0-3, N. Jones 1-0, Ei. Jones 3—6, F. Williams 0-16 (not out), R. Williams 2—8, D. J. Davies 0—0, D. Davies 0—3, R. Jones not out l-ó, M. Drew 0-0, extra4 1-9, totals 11—63-
The Wattstown Disaster.
The Wattstown Disaster. Matthew Davies' Condition. Matthew Davies, the sole survivor of the Wattstown explosion, is reported to be making satisfactory progress towards recover and is now able to take sub- stantial nourishment. He still suffers considerable pain, but the inflamed con- dition of the burns on the hands and face | shows matezial improvement, and he is now thought to be quite out of danger. Inspection by Miners' Agents. An exceptional feature of the work of exploration has been the absolute liberty given to the miners' agents to examine and explore underground since the acci- dent. In this respect the management and directorate are following the course adopted at Clydach Vale. Mr. Watts, the managing director, placed a fireman at the disposal of Mr. D. Watts Morgan, Mr. Tom Evans, and Mr. Ben Davies, to guide them to any part of the workings which they might require to visit. The descent of the pit effected in due course, every part of the colliery, the condition of which, it was thought, would throw any light upon the explosion and its cause, was visited and thoroughly ex- amined. The examination occupied prac- tically a whole day, the climbing over falls and through narrow apertures being done without hindrance or suggestion from any colliery managers or officials. It should be added that the miners' agents were accompanied by two of the workmen employed in the seam, one of those two (Mr. T. Lloyd) being there under peculiar circumstances. It seems that on the morning of the explosion he slept late, and so was absent from work, while the boy who usually worked with him was at work and among the killed.
Children s Delicate Skins.
Children s Delicate Skins. Zam-Buk Elicits a Mother's Praise. Every local mother will be interested in the story of Mrs. Swales, whose chil- dren fell victims to infantile skin dis- orders, and only had their delicate skin restored to health by means of Zam-Buk. Interviewed by a Cleckheaton Guardian reporter at her home, No. 1, Nab Lane, Gelderd Road, Birstal, Mrs. Swales said: —" A few weeks ago my baby Elsie had thrush, which left her with a huge sore on her back. It looked as if she had been scalded or burnt. For about a month I tried various homely remedies, but with- out any good results. Baby was evidently in much pain, and being very restless, kept both me and my husband awake at nights. Several of my neighbours advised me to take the child to a doctor, but hearing a great, deal of the wonderful power of Zam-Buk, I obtained a box. The result was far beyond my greatest expec- tations. When I had persevered with the balm for a while, the hateful sore had disappeared, and my baby's skin is now quite free from eruptions of all kinds. "My little Willie (who is three years old) had a breaking out of pimples on his feet, which gave him great trouble, espe- cially as his constant scratching made them spread. I tried Zam-Buk, and he is now entirely cured. We have found Zam-Buk useful for many other skin eruptions, and my husband cured his sore fingers." Zam-Buk keeps the skin healthy in summer, and suits both young and old. For pimples, face sores, heat spots, rashes, chafing, .sunburn, freckles, black- j heads, skin irritation, itching eczema, j ulcers, piles, bad legs, diseased ankles, bad feet, undue nerspiration, obstinate sores, festering or poisoned wounds, and all superficial injuries, Zam-Buk is in- valuable. Price 1/li per box, or 2/9 large family size containing nearly 4 times 1/H of all chemists, or direct from the Zam- Buk Co., 4, Red Cross Street, E.C,
London College of Music.
London College of Music. Pontypridd Centre. The following were successful at the recent examinations held at Pontypridd: Advanced Senior (Second Class).—Miss Maggie M. Evans. Senior (Honours).—Miss S. E. Phillips (prize-winner). Intermediate.—Honours Willie Waite, Sydney Evans, William D. Eva^Ss. First Class: Misses Annie Locke, Myfanwy Parfitt, Rosina M. Lavis. Second Class: Maggie Evans. Elementary.—Honours: Emily Pidgeon, David J. Thomas, Edith Loveridge, Violet Horton. First Class Edith Law- rence, Willie Davies, John A. Jones. Primary.—Nanna Williams, Amy M. Griffiths, Gwen Owens, Annie J. Davies, May J. Davies, Alice Cobbledick, Mary H. Jenkins, Daisy E. Rees, May Williams, Lily Brown, Tryphina M. Davies, Maggie Jones. American Organ.-Honours. Clifford J. Pearce, William Dd. Evans.
I Forthcoming Sports and Band…
Forthcoming Sports and Band Contest at Ferndale. A band contest and sports will take place on Saturday, August 5th, at, Darran Park, Ferndale, this being the first annual meeting. The test piece in the band con- test will either be Songs of Ireland" (Wright and Round) or Gems of Irish Melodies (" Champion Journal "). The bandmaster of the famous Wingate's Tem- perance Band, Mr. W. Adamson, is to adjudicate. An attractive programme of sports is provided.
Scotch Humour.
Scotch Humour. One naturally hesitates to add to the already large collection of stories designe 1 to illustrate the Scotchman's alleged slow perception in matters of humour; yet the following, which is new to me, at, any rate, seems to deserve a place in the gallery. An Englishman was touring with a Scotch friend through Ireland, and when passing through a small village he was greatly amused by a sign-post, which, in addition to the customary directions, contained the following quaint notice: — Persons unable to read, ask the black- smith round the corner." The English- man laughed heartily, and the Scotchman wonderingly inquired the reason of his companion's mirth. Even when the un- conscious humour of the inscription had been pointed out to him, the Caledonian shook his head, as though reproving his southern friend for untimely laughter. Quite an hour passed, and the Englishman had forgotten all about the incident, when lio felt his arm gripped by his friend, who. the light of a great understanding shining through his eyes, exclaimed: Hoots, mon. Ah've got it. Ah've got it. Of course, the blacksmith might be out."—Club Chatterer in "To-Day."
Advertising
BOR WICKS M POWDER.
----------._---_----..-«---HINTS…
-«- HINTS FOR THE HOME. NEEDLEBOOKS should be made of leaves of chamois leather. Flannel, which is so often used, is frequently prepared with sulphur, which has the effect of rusting the needles. MENDING RENTS IN TABLE LINEN. Tack a piece of stiff paper under the ragged edges of the rent, and darn in a network of fine stitches, backwards and forwards, some distance beyond the edge of the tear. Care should be taken to use an embroidery cotton of a number corresponding with the quality of the cloth. Flax may be used for the thin places and where linen threads are broken. Towels should be mended in the same way. WHEN TO TELL STORIES. Mothers and fathers, be on the look out for good stories to tell your children! See that your stock is large and constantly replenished, and let the tales be ones in which good is always magnificently rewarded and evil always receives dire punishment. Formal moral and religious instruction should begin with stories at home. Stories are the natural food of children, and most of our children to-day are story-starved or filled up with ill-chosen stuff. Every mother should be a story-teller, and the father, too, should take his part. Before the child goes to school, before he learns to read, he must obtain his moral values through the right kind of tales: Bible stories, in so far as they can be adapted to the child's need, fables of animals, nursery rhymes, legends of saints, stories of good and bad fairies, wherein virtue is made very attractive and wrong-doing black and ugly. WOMAN'S LOOKS. Someone once asked a woman how it was she kept her youth so wonderfully. Her hair was snowy white, she was eighty years old, and her energy was waning; but she never impressed one with the idea of her age, for her heart was still young in sympathy and interests. And this was her answer: "I knew how to forget dis- agreeable things. I tried to master the art of saying pleasant things. I did not expect too much of my friends. I kept my nerves well in hand-, and did not allow them to bore other people. I tried to find any work that came to hand congenial. I retained the illusions of my youth, and did not believe "every man a liar," and every woman spiteful. I did my best to relieve the misery I came in contact with, and sympathised with the suffering. In fact, I tried to do to others as I would be done by, and you see me in consequence reaping the fruits of happiness, and a peaceful old age." WANTED, A GIRL. A girl who will be as agreeable to her own brothers and sisters as she is to the brothers and sisters of other girls. A girl who helps to make home a pleasant place for all. A girl who can, if need be, wash dishes, make beds, and do necessarily disagreeable things, with peace in her heart and a song on her lips. A girl who is not afraid of a hath-tub nor a wash-basin. A girl who combs and brushes her hair, and does not forget finger-nails or teeth. A girl with a place for all of her belongings, and who can keep each in its place. A girl who hates dirt-who hates it bad enough to get rid of it. A girl who understands how to run a sewing machine, and how to wash, starch, and iron her own dresses. A girl who can say "no," and not mean "yes." A girl who does not know more in one minute than her mother has learnt in all the years of her life. A STRAIGHTFORWARD LOOK. The effect of a full, straightforward gaze on the person to whom one is speaking is not, as a rule, sufficiently considered. And yet there is Dothing in persona) intercourse that carries more weight than a direct gaze. It is the medium for sympathy, the mental telepathy that brings speaker and hearer in touch with each other. Everyone has experienced the unpleasant- ness of talking to a person whose wandering glances betray thfir lack of interest, but one often fails to analyse the subtle attraction of an attentive eye that stimulates and inspirits one, all unconsciously, while one converses. Children should be taught early in life to look fearlessly and confidingly into the eyes of anyone who addresses them; the habit will be of good service to them in after years. The prevailing idea that shifty eyes betoken duplici y, however, while a steadfast regard shews an honest disp sition, is not a correct one. Shyness is responsible in many cases for an averted glance, while the bold, bright eyes of many a young vagabond often serve only as an aid to deception and fraud, so that it is hardly fair to condemn a person who is unable, as the saying i-, to look one straight in the face, and it should be considered more of a misfortune than an evidence of untrustworthiness. A CHANGE OF DIET. If the appetite begins to flag, and there is a general feeling of weariness, it is well to change the diet for a few days, and to substitute fruit and salads for meat. For breakfast, fruit of all kinds should be taken freely. Watercress is particularly wholesome. Either figs or dates may be taken with impunity at night. It is unwise to drink anything very cold late at night, or to go to bed too early after the last meal of the day. Nuts, when eaten alone, are easily digested, and make a very good sub- stitute for meat, and cheese, when it forms the piece de resistance of a meal, and not merely a supplement to it, is equally nutritious. If some simple diet such as this is followed for a short time, the system will be invigorated and the jaded appetite stimulated. NICE DISHES. PINEAPPLE CREAMS.—A tin of whole pineapple, loz. of gelatine, ilb. of castor sugar, half a pint of cream. Take the pineapple, trim it properly, cut it in half; then cut one half into dice and the other pound very fine in a mortar and pass through a sieve. Dissolve the gelatine in a gill of water or pineapple syrup, add the castor sugar, and, when nearly cold, strain into half a pint of thick cream; add the puree of pineapple and the dice, and whip all together. When nearly cold pour into a mould and set on ice. LEMON SPONGE.—Soak loz. of isinglass or gelatine and the rind of two lemons thinly pared in a pint of cold water for an hour. Take out the rind, dissolve the gelatine over the fire, and add three quarters of a pound of loaf sugar and the juice of three lemons. Let all boil together for three or four minutes, then pour out the mixture and let it remain till cold and nearly set. Whisk the whites of two eggs, add them to the mixture, and whisk again for about half- an-hour, till the whole becomes of the con- sistency of sponge. Pile lightly in a glass dish, leaving it rocky in appearance; sprinkle hundred-and-thousands over and serve. DEVILLED BEEP.—If preferred, slices of mutton or veal may be substituted for the beef. Take three thick slices of whichever cold meat you select, provided it be lean, and butter both sides, afterwards adding a teaspoonful of made mustard, half a teaspoonful of black pepper, ditto of salt, a teaspoonful of Worcester sauce, and a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar. Cook i the slices of meat in this mixture in the chafing dish, removing them when the meat begins to turn up at the edges. Serve on sippets of toast. QUEEN PUDDING WITH SUGAR ICING.—Rub stale breadcrumbs through a sieve to make half a pint; put these into a bowl, pour a pint of boiling milk over, add the grated rind of a lemon, three tablespoonfuls of white sugar, loz. of butter, and the beaten yolks of two eggs. Butter a small pudding dish (which may or may not be lined with pastry), pour in the mixture, and bake in a brisk oven till nicely set and browned. Put the whites of the eggs on a plate and whisk them till the froth can be cut with a knife. When whisked mix a small teaspoonful of sifted arrowroot with them to keep the froth firm, add as much white sugar as will sweeten the icing, and place it in broken lumps on the pudding. Return to the ortn till lightly browned and MTV*
FACTS AND FANCIES.
FACTS AND FANCIES. Oxii of the provisions of the French Code for- bids a doctor to inherit property left him by a deceased patient. THE average man, if told he could have as much gold as he could carry a mile, would find his fortune not over £ 6,000." THE ORIGINAL "JERRY BNR/DER." In the early part of the last century a firm of contractors named Jerry Brothers carried on business in Liverpool, and earne.] --n unpleasant notoriety by putting up rapidl.- built, showy, but ill-constructed houses, so tiat their name eventually became general for such builders and their work, first in Liverpool, and afterwardi throughout the country. SHORT TITLES. « The shortest title ever given to a novel was "B "-sub-title "An Autobiography "-by E. Dyne Denton, in three volumes. Whyte Melville, in 1869, published a novel to which he gave the title "M or N a term well known to every student of the Church of England Catechism. .0 CHINA CLAY. Kaolin is the proper name for china clay, < fine white clay used in making porcelain. It it a comparatively rare substance. The clays found in most localities contain iron in sufficient quantity to colour them red or buff when burnt in a kiln, but china clay is a pure or nearly pure white both before and after it is fired. It is also considerably used by paper-makers. Kaolin is a product of the decomposition of the felspar of a granite rock. In 1755 china clay was discovered in Cornwall, whence the chief English supplies are obtained. OBTGIN OF "NICKNAME." The word "nickname" comes from the old English word "eke," meaning to draw out, to add to; we speak, for example, of eking out an income. Thus an ekename was a name given to a person in addition to his own. Slowly this was changed to nickname by three steps-an ekename, a nekename, a nickname. THE MING TOMBS AT MUKDEW. The Ming Emperors of China (1368-1644), WL lose tombs are protected by the Japanese at Mukden, are buried in mausoleums, but these are approached by a sacred avenue and gateway, bordered by colossal statues, representing famous men, and also animals, in a good style of art. These ele, liatil s, camels, horses, and so on, were carved Irom monoliths obiained in distant quarries. There are thirty-six figures in all. about 200ft. apart, and, rising from the grass without pedestals, have a natural appearance. 4 A LON'(T-L(VED COMEDIAN. The famous comedian, Cave Underbill, per- formed in this country in the reigns of Charles II., James 11., Will. am HI., Queeu Mary, aud Queen Anne. He appeared as a comedian before three generations of playgoers, and enacted the First Gravedigg! rat his last when he was considerably more than threescore years and ten. 4 FlF l Kl-N i H-CENTUHY CLOCKWOHK. Switzerland is perhaps the country to which one would naturally turn for a rarity in clock- work. The town of Sion, in the Valais, boasts one which is probahly an almost unique speci- men of ancieiit. European workmanship. It comes from the Black Forest, and is about 450 years old. Ail the are of wood, and there IS only one "tund," that of the hours. The weights II-vo ALIO a primitive suspension. ON "BULLS." A bull may be said to be a gross contradic- tion or blunder in speech. It was derived from one Obadiah Bull, a lawyer in the time of Henry JIL, who was celebrated, rather than famous, for the blunders which fell from his lips when he PLEADED befoie the Judges. A witty Irishman, upon being asked for the definition of a bull, SNID "If you see two cows lying d ;wn alone in a field, the one Standing up is sure to be a bull." One of the most receht bulls was perpetrated by Mr. Dillon, M.P., in the House of Commons, during an Irish debate, says the Fenny Mayazint. He said "There was a mysterious political dinner- party in 1903 which never came off." Mrs. Edgeworth, in her essays on "Irish Bulls," gives the following: "When I first saw you, I thought it was you, and now I see it is your brother." "I met you this morning and you did not come; I'll meet you to-morrow morning whether you come or not." "Oh, if I had stayed in that ( Innate uutii now, I would have been deld two \ears." An Irish paper published this item: "A man named McCarthy was run over by a passenger train and killed on Wednes- day. He was injured in a similar way two years ago." In 1874 the Irish House of Com- mons issued an order to this effect: "Any member unable to write may get another member to frank bialette)-tor him, but only on con- dition that he cotitieswitt his own handwriting his inability on the back of it." « OHIGl" OF THE POSTMARK. Great Britain, it is said, can, without fear of contradiction, claim the honour of having originated the postmark. The first one, which was used in London as long ago as 1660, was a very simple affair, consisting of a small circle divided into two parts. III the top portion werB two letters indicating the month, while in the lower half the day of the month was shewn. No endeavour was made to denote the year, and it is only by the dates of the letters on which the Ina,k is impressed that it is possible to fix the date of its use. The earliest known was on a letter written in 1680. ANCIENT OFFERTORY POXLPS. The alms-chest is alluded to in the visitation articles for the diocese of London in 1550 by Bishop Ridley, who inquires "whether the church be kept in due and lawful reparation, whether there be a comely pulpit set up in the same, and likewise a coffer for alms for the poor, called the poor man's box or chest." In 1576 the Archbishop of Canterbury mentioned "a strong box for the almose of the poor with three locks and keys to the same thus we see that the alms-box was an article of furniture most clearly enjoined by the Church of England. Most of these old boxes are of the seventeenth century, and bear upon them a date of that period with the inscription, "Remember the poor." Many we find are so exceedingly rude, being roughly fashioned out of the trunk or branch of a tree, without moulding or ornament of any kind, and having no special features by which they may be recognised. Others are beautified with carvings and iron-work, and exhibit the baluster shaft to make them a convenient height. THE SEVEN WONDTCHS OF THE WORLD. Everybody has heard of the seven wonders of the world, but few people know what they are. 1. The Pyramids. 2. The Temple, the walls and hanging gardens of Babylon, the. most celebrated city of Assyria, and the residence of the kings of that country, after the destruction of Nineveh. 3. The Chryselephantine statue of Jupiter Olympus, the most renowned work of Phidias, the illustrious artist of Greece. The statue was formed of gold, and was sitting on a throne almost touching the summit of the temple, which was 70ft. high. 4. The Temple of Diana at Ephesus, which was 220 years in building, and was 425ft. in length and 220ft. in breadth, and supported by 127 marble columns of the Ionic order, 60ft. high. 5. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, erected to the memory of Mausolus, the King of Caria, by his wife Artemisia, B.C. 358. 6. The Pharos, at Alexandria, a lighthouse erected by Ptolemy Soter at the entrance of the harbour of Alexandria. It was 450ft. high, and could be seen at a distance of 100 miles, and upon it was inscribed, "King Ptolemy, to the gods, the saviours, for the benefit of sailors." 7. The Colossus at Rhodes, a brazen image of Apollo, 105 Grecian feet in height, and located at the entrance of one of the Earboun of the eity of Rhodes.