The Welsh Coast Pioneer and Review for North Cambria

Americans >;e more particulir about their appearance, laundries occupy a more promi- nent position than they do in England. When 1 reached Chicago there was it strike among the laundry workers, but it soon ceased, and then the windows of the ahops bore the peremptory advice, "Bring in your laundry and we will do it at once. The charges were much higher at the best laundries than we are accustomed to pay, and I was not impressed with the improve- ment which I had been led to expect. Attached to more than one University which I visited was a laundry worked entirely by the students, and it was a profitable concern. THE RESTAURANTS. As Americans like to take their meals in restaurants, these establishments lay them- selves out for all varieties of customers. In one place I went to there were ten different breakfasts on the menu. They were called "combination meals," and they were ordered by number. You chose one of the ten break- fasts, according to your liking or the price which you wished to pay, and very speedily the meal was served. Perhaps you ordered Breakfast No. 9, and you would receive first a plate of sliced oranges, then a dish of Quaker Oats, then a steak, and then a cup of coffee and French rolls. For such a meal the charge would be about two shillings in our money. As Americans only take three regular meals a dayi and little, if any, food between meals, they can afford to pay more for a meal than we pay. My first supper at a first-class hotel in New York cost about ten shillings, be- cause I was not acquainted with the difference in prices. It was only a moderate supper o! fish, steak, vegetables, sweets, and coffee I but this hotel had a reputation, I discovered afterwards, fcr high prices. The "combina- tion meal" idea saves a lot of trouble, and ensures the food being ready in much shorter time, and that means much to Americans. They do not lounge over meals, or converse much, but go to work in a businesslike way to demolish everything. And as the custonj is to have all the things that you ordef brought to you at once and all together, the incentive to haste is all the greater. Whell you see your next course is growing cold yoll cannot help hurrying a little bit. It tooli away my appetite to have a whole circle. of dishes surrounding my plate, all claiming my attention at the same time; but it was useless to protest. The first thing which is placed on your table-before you order anything—is the inevitable glass of ice-water, and, after that, the waiter hands you a piece of paper, on which you write what you want. I noticed the use of butter and cream was much mort liberal than with us. I fancy this may account for the biliousness which afflicts so many Americans. I must pay a tribute to the daintiness with which the meals are served at many of thl restaurants. They take trouble to make the dishes look appetising, and certainly they succeed in nine times out of ten. Some of the titles which are given to the foods seem very outlandish to a British visitor. I will quota a few from a menu which lies before me as I write: Tea Room Crea.med Eggs Hot Celery Sandwiches: New York Counts; Fresh Crabmeat. Cakes with Lattice Potatoes; Mexican Chili Concarne; Chipped Dried Beef. Who will say after this that there is not plenty of novelty awaiting a stranger when he goes to an American restaurant ? Let me add that fruit is eaten very generally at breakfast, and it is an excellent idea, which we ought to borrow. Bananas, oranges —especially the fine pipless oranges—apples, are much in request for the breakfast with which the American builds a good foundation for the day. As for the breakfast "foods," their name is legion, ranging from Shredded Wheat down to a food which bears the terse title of "It."

Calumny is like a wasp, which annoys you but which you must not attack unless you are quite sure of killing it: for if you do it will only return to the attack more furiously than ever.

THE INTERVENING SEA By DAVID LYALL.. CHAPTER XXXVI. (continued). A NEW MAN. There should be no capitalists, sir. Look how much brain and muscle have gone, are going ever day, to fill the Bartley money- bags,; he said fearlessly 'and what a very small percentage comes Bartle- vilWo way.' 'Granted. But take away the Bartley money-bags, as you say, and what carries on the concern r Not brains and muscle alto- gether. There must always be a head to a Body, you know. I'd like to have a go at you over this very subject in Bartley school- room some evening next winter and let us thresh it out in public, for the general benefit.' 'It 'ud create a powerful deal 'f interest, 8ir,' said Howorth; 'an' lEaybo it would do good.' Well, we'll see. Meanwhile, I go home to-night with a much easier mind than I brought here this morning. Go home and get a long night s sleep, Howorth, and we'll meet in the morning. I'd like to tell you bow much I'm obliged to you. If this which seemed so dark a few- hours ago, should help us all to a better understanding, I should bless it.' 'Yes, sir, perhaps it may. A pood deal of the misery of the- world is because folks don't understand one another, I believe.' 'Right you are. Here's my hand on it. We've a common bond between us—the love of bolts and screws.' Howorth grasped the hand so frankly offered, and Raymond Holt, a tired man but a happy one, rode up the hill to the Court pondering many things in a mind already full to overflowing. Ere he passed within the gates he cast yearning glance up the road towards Alderton. All day his active thought had necessarily been given to other matters, but deep in his he-art there nestled an untold sweetness circling round the thought of the woman he loved and whom be had sworn to win. Howorth walked slowly across the bridge and up the street towards the Gate-sbys' house. His thoughts as he walked were brighter than they had been in any hour einoa tho light of his life went out. A secret sweetness and a strange sense of Dearness to her comforted the mall's stricken heart. At least he was trying to walk afar oft in the way she had walked so easily and naturally, his feet had sought the uphill Path. His prayer, though 110 did not know it was a prayer, was that it might one day bring him to her again. He had seen no member of the Casteby family since the mornin^ of the day on which he had done the darkest deed of his life. His hearflfturned to the home of which she had been the light, and where he had spent so many happy hours. In a word, the man returned to his normal state. No one spoke to him, however, as he walked up the middle of the village street, though many a. curious and interested glance followed him. Nothing was known for certain re- garding the happenings at the mills, and all Borts of wild rumours were afloat. It was known, however, that as yet no police steps had been taken, which was the greatest miracle Bartley had ever seen under the Holt regime. Hdtf orth opened the door without knock- ing as usual, and beheld the family sitting at their evening meal. An air of gloom and •depression was everywhere felt. They rose in astonishment at Bight of Howorth, and there was a kind of swift, anxious enquiry in their looks. Mrs Oatesby was the first to speak. 'Come in, John we're glad to see thee n. There's bite an' sup for thee aye at this table, lad, for the sake o' them that's 'Thank you, Mrs Catesby,' said Howorth, lie wrung her hand. She had shown him kindness, though she had sometimes *Wd he was too old and gloomy for the rrighti girl who had always looked at things *r°m tne sunny side. Grave problems did trouble her; she did not imagine that «epe was +Jle ]aw of compensation, of eternal fltrjess, and that had they been spared to- lather, Florrie and John Howorth would made a perfeot whole. 'Good evenin', Tom,' he added, and held jut his hand also to his mate. Of the whole ly Catesby looked least at his ease. He ? in fact, intensely miserable. He had postered a vow that nothing would again him to work for the HoltB, and he J*?*3 in the position of a man who, having up one berth, does not know where to, for another. They had decided to Bartley, and it was no light task to S^o a large family. The future to Lizzie jj^tesby soemed darker than at any former ^nod oi her life. i Qo ijito the back room, boys, to your said Mrs Catesby. 'Annie,' she to her young niece, 'you take your facing and keep 'em quiet as you can. you oan stop. Sit uown, Jonn, sit n)1 IVe aaid you're as weloome as ever hardly thought to see you walkin' la4,' 6ai$Catesby, looking at Howorth as if even not yet <[uite Bure of .Jocund. Where have you been all day ?' 1 Ve been at work sinoe ainner-time,' he t R^^erod. 'Thank you, Mrs Oateeby. A <4?^ •?' tea would go down picely now. Yes, vake a alice o bacon.' 'Work, where P' asked Catesby, and his **$» darkened. T#At the mill. I've beeji*putting Yankee straight, and I thipk HI manage it.' jJ^fctesby got up and thumbled on the jr^tolpiece for nis pipe. lie wps an j?yeWate gmolier, and cojild not kite his trM wholly to any subject without his s aid. a* don't ies' get hang o' this. Jack,' he ^9 thickly. \fou'u better explain.' tfcet 'im have his bite fust, Tom, he needs badly. We've thought every minute to th&t you've been, took oti to Leeds ,worth ate and drank in silence for a minutes, and the food strengthened It was the first good meal ne had ^ten sin,ce Florrie died. All the time bf J who was the eldest son, and ap- ^■enticed in the engine-room, never took off his face. In Tim's eyes How- wtLs a hero, and the lad's heart had fired with admiration for the courage v^cli had helped him to take tie revenge craved. j lived in a kind o' fear since yester- said Mrs Catesby, 'through not 0^ iiv what we should hear next. P'r'haps tell us what it all means.' ^pV-o^orth sat silent a moment longer, jjj \?hing his words. It was not easy to ex- ^ain his position to them, and he was not of their sympathy. ^1 dono a mean, dirty trick, Tom, puttin' jvj ?ny poor revenge on a dumb thing, so to veak. I wafi beside myself, or I should 7«r a' done it.' »> you owned up, and licked the dirt, I j^Kise?' said Catesby drily, as lie crammed w Pipe with strong black tobacco. '1 would a thought it of you.' ^■^•owoi-th sat silent for a further space, fkx as she looked at him, Lizzie py's heart warmed to the man Florrie She was quite oonscious of ^jp-hing new and strange about him, and e puzzled, she felt that it was something 'If get on to Jack, Tom. After all a^n 110 U*Se bearin' grudges in this +,'There ain't none o' us that long in jN; we need.' Ito^^orth straightened himself suddenly §an to talk. In a moment he had his S?n *n ^rall, anc^ Catesby laid down i^a ant* sa* forward, his eyes glowing. stood by the table, leaning her ^?ds upon it, looking at him intently began at the beginning of things, fea &■ 'fcbem the better part cxf what he ^?e through, and all the dealings he with the masters, young and old.

HUMORS OF HISTORY." FRENCH CUSTOMS. A.D. 1041. "Third in succession after Canute was Edward, the son of Ethelred. As he bad spent twenty-seven years at the Norman Court it is not surprising that Edward's accession marked a change an the manners and customs of the times. e guage was adopted at Court, and the lawyers and clergy used the same tongue." — "The New History or Hiiigland. A political or social cartoon by A.M., the artist-author of the above series of "Humors of History." appears daily in the "Morning Leader," the pioneer half-pfenny morning paper in London. ——————*

An ounce of essence is worth a gallon of fluid. A wise saw may be more valuable than a whole book, and a plain truth is bet- ter than an arguments

Scientific Sight Testing. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS WITH EMINENT OCULISTS. R. Q. OWEN, F.S.M.C., LLANR-W-ST. Correspondence invited regarding DEFECTS OF VISION. Please enclose Stamped Envelope for reply. ATCOMPTON HOUSE, CONWAY, first Friday in Each Month, 13872 BUY ONLY PRYCE WILLIAMS & COII ts BREAD AND CONFECTIONERY, PUEITY Gt7AnANTEED. West End & Ceylon Stores, AND RHOS-ON-SEA, COLWYN BAY. 5870 NORTH WALES CYCLE & MOTOR CO., Llandudno, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, and Blaenau Festiniog. HIRING IN ALL ITS BRANCHES BY THS HOUR, DAY, OR WEEK, OF Cycles, Motors, Mail Carts, Bath Chairs & Children's Chairs. I SALES DEPARTMENTS INCLUDE ALL THE ABOVE, BOTH NEW AND SECOND-HAND; ALSO EXTENSIVE SELECTION OF BEST QUALITY Cricket, Golf, Tennis, Badminton, and Athletic Goods of all sorts. MOTOR DEPARTMENT. An Expert of 9 years standing will be sent to any case requiring SPECIAL ATTENTION, at a Charge of £ 2 as. per Day. Minimum Fee, £ 1 is. 2921

HOW COUNTRY PEOPLE READ ADVERTISEMENTS. "fTIHE PALL MALL GAZETTE," in an article JL on "Country Literature," some time back, eaid:—"For the most part readers in town (London) and suburbs only glance at the exciting portions of papers, and then cast them aside. Readers in the villages read every line from the first column to the last, from the title to the printer's address. The local papers are ploughed steadily through, just as the horses plough the fields, and every furrow of type conscientiously followed from end to end, advertisements and all. Tho brewer's, the grocer's, the draper's, the ironmonger's advertisements (market town trades- men), which have been there month after month, are all read, and the slightest change imrned-ate. ly noted. If there were any advertisement of books suitable to their taste it would be read in exactly tha same manner. So it would be in a daily paper whenever it got to them. But in Advertising for country people one fact must be steadily borne in mind—that they are slow to act, that is, the advertisement to produce any result must be permanent. A few insertions are for- gotten before those who have seen them have made up their minds to purchase. When an advertisement is always there, by-and-by the thought suggested acts on the will and the stray coin is invested-it may be six months after the first inclination arose. The procrastination of I country people is inexplicable to hurrying London men. But it is quite useless to advertise unless it is taken into account. If permanent, an advertisement in the local press will reach its mark.

To get the good out of the years we must learn how to live each hour well. Better be driven out from among men than to be disliked by children.-Dana. All earthly joys go less to the one joy of doing kiiidiiesses.-Georg-,j Herbert. The secret of making one's self tiresome is not to know when to stop.—Voltaire. If a man is worth knowing at all he s worth knowing well.—Alexander Smith. The absent are never without fault, nor the present without excuse.—Franklin. Be calm in arguing, for fierceness makes error a fault and truth discourtesy.—Her- bert. The charities that soothe and heal and bless lie scattered at the feet of men like flowers. See tvhere a road ends before you take it, and to what an action leads before you begin it. We must be doingk something to be happy, action is no less necessary to us than thoue,it.-Ilazlitt.

[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. STORIES OF POPULAR SONGS By J. CUTHBERT HADDEN. VIII.— SOME IRISH SONGS. Kinglake, the historian of the Crimea., who hated Irishmen as Johnson hated tho Scots, used to say cynically that 'thuman nature is the same all the world over, except in Ireland." If Kinglake had known her songs he would not have said this about Ireland. Nor perhaps if a certain old-time Irish priest had known her songs would he have uttered that famous libel on the Emerald Isle. When the devil, wrote this priest to the Pope, shewed our Lord all the kingdoms of the world he did not shew Ireland, because he wanted to reserve that accursed country for himself! How could anybody have said this of a land which gave birth to "The Dear Little Shamrock," "-The Last Rose of Summer," and "Rory O'More"? IrelaAfl il as famous for her songa as for her brogue, her potheen, and her pretty dairymaids. I suppose, if â. vote were taken on the subject, it would be found that "The Last Rose of Summer" is the most generally popular of all Irish songs. This popularity is due, in a large measure, to the fine melody, which had a history of some hundred years oi more when Tom Moore wrote his celebrated song for it. As most theatre-goers are aware, the melody appears in that old-fashioned yet ever-welcome opera "Martha." Borne people. will indeed tell you that "Martha" would never have survived but for "The Last Rose oi Summer." Berlioz, the French composer, said that the "beauty of the Irish melody served to disinfect the rottenness of the 'Martha' music." But Berlioz loved not Count Fred- erick yon Flotow, the composer of "Martha." It does not matter. The point is that Moore found a fine old melody ready to his hand, and made it immortal. It is the melody indeed that allows the song to be claimed^foi Ireland for there is nothing characteristically Irish about Moore's words. They are English in form, metre, and sentiment, just as the great bulk of the lyrics in tho "Irish Melodies" are. Moore undoubtedly was a poet of Ireland, but he was not an Irish poet in sentiment, sympathy, or sensibility. Still, he rescued a host of fine old Irish airs from oblivion, "The Last Rose of Summer" among them, and for that service lovers of popular song must ever be grateful to him. Half a century ago there was not a more popular song than "Rory O'More," and even now it is among the best known of Irish songs. The author, Samuel Lover, thus relates the Btory of its origin. He says "From an early period 1 had felt that Irish comic songs (so called) were but too generally coarse and vulgar, devoid of that mixture of fun and feeling so strongly blended in the Irish char- acter—that a pig and a poker, expletive oaths, hurroos,' and 'whack fol dc rols made the staple of most Irish comic songs and having expressed this opinion in a company where the subject" was discussed, I was met with that taunting question which sometimes supplies the place of argument, namely, 'Could you do better ? I said I would try; Rory O'More was the answer." Its popularity was immediate and extensive, so much so that on the day of Queen Victoria's Coronation every band along the line of pro- cession to Westminster Abbey played "Rory O'More during some part of the day and, finally, it was the air the band of the Life Guards played as they escorted her Majesty into the park on her return to Buckingham Palace. Being called upon to write a novel, Lover availed himself of the popularity attaching to the name, and entitled his story "Rory O'More." The success of the novel induced the management of the Adelphi Theatre to apply to the author to dramatise the story, and in this, ita third form, "Rory O'More was again received by the public with such approbation that it was played over one hundred and eight nights in the first season in London, and afterwards universally throughout the kingdom. In this metamor- phosis "Rory O'More is surely unique among songs. A very popular song is "Kathleen Mavour- neen," which, looking at the words, may be considered as belonging essentially to Ireland. The words were written by an Irish lady, Mrs. Crawford, and the song was first heard by a Plymouth audience. The melody was written by Mr. F. N. Crouch, under circumstances which he has himself related. "The words," says Crouch, "had attracted my attention by their purity of style and diction. I sought the authoress and obtained her permission to set them to music. Leaving London as traveller to Chapman and Co., Cornhill, while prosecuting my journey towards Saltash I jotted down the melody on the historic banks of the Tamar. On arriving at Plymouth I wrote out a fair copy of the song, and sang it to Mrs. Rowe, the wife of a music publisher of that town. The melody so captivated her and others who heard it that I was earnestly solicited that it should be given the first time in public at her husband's opening concert of the season. But certain reasons obliged me to decline the honour. ] retired to rest at my hotel, and rising next morning, and opening my window, what was my surprise to see on a hoarding opposite a large placard, on which was printed in the largest and boldest type 'F. Nicholls Crouch, from London, will sing at P. E. Rowe'a concert "Kathleen Mavourneen," for one night only. Crouch goes on to say that, amazed and confused at the announcement, he hurriedly completed his toilet, took his breakfast, and rushed off to Mr. Rowe's warehouse. "But, despite my reluctance, and overcome by the entreaties of the fascinating Mrs. Rowe, I appeared, and sang the song to a crowded audience, with the most enthusiastic ap- plause. Shortly after this Crouch was engaged by the London music-publishing firm of D'Almaine, and "Kathleen Mavourneen" was issued by that house, copyright of the song was sold not so long ago for £600, How much do you think Crouch got for it ? Only the paltry sum of £10, identically the same price paid to Milton for his "Paradise Lost." The story of Crouch's career was, indeed, as sad as it was romantic. Whilst a child he played the violin before Rossini, and sang in the choir of Westminster Abbey. He was in the choir at Queen Victoria's Coronation. Later on he turned speculating in zinc mills in the county of Kent. This affair ruined him completely. In 1849 he went to the United States, and picked up a precarious living as a music teacher. The gold fever seized him and he set off for California. Afterwards he served as a volunteer in tha long Civil War. At length the tide turned—for a time—and in 1883 a petition was filed by a person calling himself James Marion, praying for per- mission to change his nam from Marion to Crouch, as he had attached himself to the family of the hapless composer, and thought that by adopting his name he could serve his interests better. The benefits arising from this connection cannot, however, have been of a very substantial nature, for reports oi Crouch's distressed circumstances were con- tinually being circulated in England for yeara before his death in 1896. A touching anecdote may fittingly closer thio history of a famous song. When the late Mile. Titiens, of ballad-concert fame, was in New York, I think in 1876, she sang "Kathleen Mavourneen" as an encore. The song excited a furore of applause, and when the enthusiasm bed subsided the singer was told that a ma: presumed to be a lunatic, was fighting In way over the barriers from the pit to the stage (it was in the Opera flfoufee), saying he was determined to see Titiens, The prima donna told the parties to tet him come in. On entering the man burst into tears, sobbing out: "Oh, Mile. Titiens, I never before heard my song sung as you have just sung it 1" four song 1" was the astonished réply. "Why, you are not Crouch, surely?" l am indeed," rejoined the poor old composer, "and I felt I must thank you myself." He had scraped together a dollar for a pit seat, little thinking to hear his own "Kathleen Mavourneen" made tha most thrilling morceau of the evening. [Next article of this series: I!THE GlBL I lifiVl Behivt "v "1

The art of being able to make a good use of moderate abilities wins esteem, and often confers more reputation than greater real merit,—Rochefoucauld,

It was the one deliverance concerning his change of front which Howorth felt bound to make to Florrie's folk, towards whom lie still felt a certain responsibility. Catesby, by far the weaker man, was visibly impressed, and there mingled with his immense sur- prise a feeling of relief at the thought that perhaps he need not leave Bartley after all. They had been many years in it, and had grown to tlie place; with all its faults they would never find one they could like so well. 'So you're to stop on, that's the long and short o' all this wind,' he said. 'Well, Liz, are we to follow suit P' Mrs Oatesby turned aside, wiping her eyes. 'We'd be nearer Florrie, Tom; and she'd like to think we went up now and again to look at the place where we laid her.' Catesby and Tim rose suddenly and went out. Their grief was very new and fresh yet, and they could not bear the mention of Florrie's name. Then Lizzie Cat-esby went to Howorth's side, and kissed him for the first time in her life. 'Thank you, John. I am sure Florrie is glad where she is to-day.' CHAPTER XXXVII. MORE LIGHT. William Holt possessed the keen, active, im- patient temperament which showed itself in every action and relation of his life. While his business instincts and training forbade him to be moved by his impulses, when once convinced that a given course of action was advisable he would lose no time. His mind, weaned for the first time away from self, began to occupy itself with large and generous schemes for the benefit of whom he had hitherto believed to ex- ist for his use and benefit. It was oddly characteristics of the man that there was so little shamefacedness about his absolute change of front. He had been eo long accustomed to applaud his own acts that the opinion of others did not dismay him. It was a crisis in his life when many gigantio mistakes might have been made. It Was well that he had about him common- sense persons who would restrain him. No element of personal religion at present actu- ated him; that is to say, his spirit remained untouched by the great truths which under- lie and govern men's relations to the God who made them. He was no coward, yet at nrst undoubtedly the instinct of personal safety was the chief factor in his altered attitude towards life and duty. Like Saul, lie had been caught on the way to Damascus, but unlike Saul, lie had no quick fervid re- sponse to the call of the Spirit. His nature, though not toychp*! to fine issues, had in It a superstitious vein which Is tihe common property of many ignorant and of some oultivated mind's. He believed he had had a warning, bidding him alter his way of life. And for purely personal reasons he would do it before it was too late. But as ignoble thoughts will quickly lower the mental tone, so noble and unselfish oines will uplift. Twenty-four hours spent in contemplation of duty towards others had already made a better man of William Hojt. tran, knowing nothing of the dream, was led with amazement unspeakable. He bad left Ray still busy with Howorth, and Reaching Mme soon after six, had found his father in the library, sitting at the table, with an immense book before him. Evan could see that it was a volume dealing with architecture, and that it had full-page designs of different buildings. 'Ah, there you are, Evan; come and look at fahfe. Where's Ray ?' 'With Howorth still. JSvy wired that she could not get home until the seven o'clock train, so he said he would wait and fetch her up.' 'And you walked, I suppose?' 'Yes, sir.' 'Well, what would you think of this for a. working men's institute, eh?' Evan approached the table, and inspected the design. 'It's a noble design, certainly, but on a very elaborate scale, isn't it P' 'It could be modified. That was built in Blackburn, and cost twenty thousand pounds, but for ten surely something, could be built good enough, shall we say for Bart- ley?' Evan started. "For Bartley! Oh, something smaller would do very well. I should think that five thousand would build a very deoemt in- stitute for Bartley.' 'L won't make a fool of the thing, lad. If I build an institute it shall be an institute, and not a hen-coop; see?' 'But, sir, have you anything of the sort in contemplation 'I might have; at le^st, there's no harm in considering it. 1 think Ifll write to this architect—I see he lives in Bolton. He architect—I see he lives in Bolton. He could come over, I daresay, and give ys the benefit of his experience in this line of things. What are you looking at? See anything the matter with me, eh?' 'No, sir,' answered Evan, but his tone was confused, and his half-smile very conscious. 'Well, don't stare at me, it isn't good manners. Think I've gone dotty, I Sup- pose. Well, I haven/t.' 'That never occurred to me, sir,' said Evan quits truthfully. He would have liked to put anther question, but hardly dared. 'You're wondering, anybody can see that. Well, it's simple enough. I'm sick of the eternal ructions at the mill, and as you and others seem to think that something of this kind would solder up things, I'm willing to spend something on it as an experiment.' 'It would help, sir; but things are quietening down. There's a better feeling already.' 'With Howorth certainly there is, as there ought to be. He might, and perhaps ought to be, twirling his thumbs in gaol now, ahd he knows it. But none of the Catesbys have come back, and Seth Wilson hasn't dome a hand's turn for a week, not, indeed, since the deputation oomplained of Carter,' 'He's ill, sir; I went to see him at the dinner-hour yesterday.' Mr Holt leaned back in his chair and con- templated Evan attentively. 'You went to see him but I don't under- stand how you ever missed him. He doesn't come in your way at all., 'I often go round in the dinner-hour, and have a talk with the men before they go in.' 'What do you talk about?' 'All sorts of things. I'm beginning a kin 1 of P.S.A. for them in the school next Sun- day afternoon, and there's a lot to say about that.' 'What's a P.S.A. ?' 'Pleasant Sunday Afternoon. They spend a lot of their time on Sundays playing card and pigeon-shooting on the waste ground out Eastbrook wray. If I oan get them in from that, even for an hour, it will be some- thing.' 'And what do you do at it. Preach, eh?' 'I'm afraid I'd make a poor shape at it. Dale and I have been talking it over, and the Vicar would like to be associated with it, too, but they have too much to do already to start it themselves. I'll talk to them, and I think Evy will come down and sing. If Ray would bring his glorious voice to our aid it would help. Perhaps he will.' Mr Holt tapped on the table with his knuckles. 'You've got it all cut and dried, lad. It seems queer to me, but I suppose it's the new way of doing business, pandering to the spirit of the age, eh ?' 'That hasn't much to do with it, father. I think God requires me to do what I can for my mates- He has given mo education and many other things they don't possess, made me a steward in fact; that's the whole matter.' 'And I have the money, which I haven't disbursed. I've been steward to nobody ex- I cept myself. I've a mind to try your new- fangled plan, Evan- I thought the institute would be a very good beginning.' 'Undoubtedly it will,' said Evan; and his tone was dreamy and earnest. How great a miracle the Lord had wrought I that was the burden of his thought. 'This will make my mother very 'happy, sir,' ho said involuntarily, and then paused, the expression oil his father's face causing him to wonder whether he had not said too much. 'I suppose it's religion you've got that makes you different from other men of your age; but hark ye, lad, I'll not have Bartley Mills turned into a Methodist or any other kind of meeting. It's a place where work has got to be done, see?' 'Yea, sir; but I think if you will wait six months, and then weigh the thing up, you'll find that there has not been any deteriora- tion in the working powers or even the out- put. We are bidden to be diligent in busi- ness, as well as to serve the Lord.' ^Well, I will say you don't shirk work,' said his father. 'I'll give it a Bix months' trial, as you suggest, and meanwhile tll write to this architect and get his mind about the institute business.' He turned to the table again, and Evan Left the room. He sought in various rooms for his mfother, and finally knocked at her dress- room door. Is that you, Evy?' 'No, mother; oan I come inP' 'In a minute, lad; now you can.' He opened the door and found her in her dressing gown, the black silk gown she al- ways wor6 of an evening lying ready across a chair. 'I won't disturb you long, mother. How have you been all day?' 'I've had a good day, dear lad, one of the best days of my life, bless God 1' she an- swered, as she kissed him, and both face and voice were glad. tJvan shut the door and sat down. 'Mother a great many strange things are happening just now. I've just been talking to father.' 'Yes, dear.' He is actually planning an institute for Bartley. 'Is he, dear lad ? Well, it'll do him good. He'll love the spending o' that money, Evan.' 'Yes, but what I want to know is, what it all means. Why, only yesterday he would listen to no reason about the men, and I thought we should have a state of anarchy presently.' Mrs Holt was silent a moment. She had promised her husband to say nothing about his dream to their children. 'He has given it a second thought, dear, and he sees that perhaps a little kindly feeling would smooth things 4°wn- And I think he was sorry about Florrie Catesby, though he didn't say anything.' She was very loyal to her husband she had never thought to belittle him to their children. 'I can't help thinking there's something more in it than that. Why, I even told him this evening about the P.S.A. we've been planning.' 'What did he say?' 'Not a word; he says he'll give the new order six months' trial.' Mrs Holt smiled, and her eye was moist and tender. 'The Lord has His own way wi' us all, dear lad. To some He talks in a voice o thunder, and to others in a voice o' peace, but always we may trust Him, and leave it in His hands, mayn't we?' 'Indeed," yes. How happy I feel, mother I All life seems to have altered, in an hour.' 'But don't get too much uplifted, nor build hope too high, dear. It is better to keep on the level ground. We musn't ex- pect impossibilities either. Human nature is human nature, and Paradise ain't here, Evan. We're told we've no continuing city here.' 'But I am confident that it will make a difference to us all, and that the men will giv$better service, more faithful-and single- eyed, if we take this interest in them.' 'If the Lord touches their hearts, you mean, lad.' He was silent, accepting the rebuke. 'We must be careful not to take the glory, Evan, for without Him we can do nothing.' 'I know it, mother. Often in the last months I have proved it.' 'And you really think there's a better feeling among the folks at Bartley ?' 'I think it is beginning. As long as we can remember that there's faults with us all, we'll do. There must be crive and take. A lot of them give eye-service, and need constant watching; and we, maybo, are too exacting, forgetting that working for a master is not the same as working for one- self.' 'That's it, lad! it's the idea of the family we need in business life, and there must be more sharing of all things, even the profits.' Evan laughed. 'I doubt that won't come for a long time, mother; but who knows ? At the present moment nothing seems impossible on earth.' # CHAPTER XXXVIII. BETTER THINGS. Thus was the new era inaugurated at Bartley. It must not be supposed that there was immediate reformation of every existing abuse, immediate and amazing changes wrought im all the departments of its life. Such miracles do not happen in this world, and every revolution, even if of a peaceable nature, has to be bought at so much cost. William Holt, in the fresh enthusiasm of an enlightened conscience, lost no time in setting on foot preparations for the new buildings to be erected for the use and benefit of the employees. The architect duly came, submitted his plan and estimates of cost. Then the site was chosen, the foundations dug. At the same time a new drainage system was installed in the village. All these happy changes the people attribu- ted to Evan. They dated from the first day of his coming to Bartley, and he got more credit that he was entitled to. At the same time Mr Holt remained as before in his dealings with the men. He was still arbitrary, autocratic, too much in- clined to set and keep them on the lowest possible level, and there was still friction at times between him and his sons. There were even times when, the influence of his strange dream having grown dim, he re- gretted the expenditure which would not be likely to bring him a return in hard cash; f he even called himself a fool for his pains. But on the whole, he was gentler, more reasonable, and certainly a pleasanter per- son to deal with than he had been before it. Perhaps the difference was more marked in his attitude towards his wife. He no longer disdained her opinion, nor sought to belittle her and make her actuely con- scious of her shortcomings, unconsciously they began to draw more closely together, andf to be as they used to be in the first days of their married life. This sunny atmosphere did wonders for Mrs Holt; she became light-hearted, full of fun and happy nonsense; in a word, she seemed to renew her youth. The property at Thatcher's End had been seoured, and alterations were promptly begun. (To be Continued.)