The Abergavenny Mail

LEDBURY URBAN COUNCIL. I The Assessment of the Pioture Palaoe. I Settlement of the Question of Bank I crescent Road. The monthly meeting of the Ledbury Urban Council was held at the Barrett- Browning Institute on Monday evening last. Councillors present were—Messrs E H Hopkins (chairman), T S S Gardner, C H Bastow, W L Tilley, H Thacker, A T Jones, i Preece, W G Davis, A. Warren, S Clarke, A C Lewis, J E Craddock, R Lawrence, and the Rev. Father Lynch, together with the Clerk (Mr Reginald Masefield), and the Surveyor (Mr R G Gurney). THE ASSESSMENT OF THE PICTURE I PALACE. Mr Davis: Who is responsible for rating .r assessing anything in the town ? The Chairman: The Ledbury Urban Overseers. Mr Davis Why is the Picture Palace not vtoDvODvU ? The Chairman Where at ? Mr Davis: Ledbury. The Chairman: It has already been assessed. Mr Davis: What in ? Mr Preece Is it a separate assessment ? The Chairman It is assessed iu my own place. Mr Davis: Why is machinery allowed to be put in there and not assessed? The Chairman I was not aware that there was any machinery there. Mr Davis They have a motor dynamo and before that they had a gas engine and dynamo. The Chairman: Are the Overseers in a position to assess machinery ? Mr Pi eece Yes no question about it. I The Chairman I don't think either Mr Morgan or myself are in a position to assess machinery. Mr Preece If it is machinery used for the purpose of carrying on a business I think it should be assessed. THE APPOINTMENT OF OVERSEERS. I The Chairman said this was the usual treating for the appointment of overseers. He had a letter from Mr Morgan to the effect that he was not well enough to attend to the duties. Mr Craddock proposed the appointment of Mr Hopkins and Mr W L Tilley. Mr Bastow seconded. Mr Thacker proposed that the question be adjourned for a month. It was a serious matter for the town and it was brought before them without due notice. The Chairman: If you postpone it the urban district will be without overseers for a period. Mr Lawrence: I second that it be post- poned. The Clerk said the overseers had been appointed in March for the last 17 years. Mr Craddcck: Why postpone it ? Perhaps Mr Thacker would like to be on. Mr Thacker: It is not a question of whether Mr Thacker would like to be on. You people seem to know all about it, but it itapriing on us like a lot of other things. Mr Thacknr's amendment that the matter be postponed for a month was carried by six votes to three, and the question was deferred for another month. ALL ABOUT A TELEGRAPH POLE. A letter was read from Mr R McIlroy, superintending engineer of Post Office Telegraphs, Cardiff, with reference to the Council's consent at the last meeting to laying an underground cable in Bye-street, provided no further pole was erected in Bye- street. The letter stated it was not intended to erect a pole in Bye-street, and the new cable would be led to the pole which now stands on private property. The condition might limit the operations of the department in future, and although at present it was not intended to place a pole in Bye-street, he did not see his way clear to accept the consent in the terms in which it was given. Should any further work become necessary the consent of the Council would be sought beforehand. In view of the explanation the letter asked that the Council agree to the withdrawal of the condition. Mr Warren: Why should we withdraw that coudition. That would give them power at once to do it. Mr Bastow said such a pole would take up the whole of the path there. The Chairman said what the Council did object to was that the pole now under the almshouses wall should be brought into the street. The Post Office Telegraphs people think in the event, of them wanting a pole in another position in Bye-street the Council i would not allow it. It was not their intention to place a pole in the street and it was a mistake to show it on the plan. It was agreed that the Council should not withdraw the resolution. THE LIGHTING OF THE CLOCK TOWER. The Clerk read a letter from Mr E Juckes, secretary of the Ledbury Gas Co., Ltd., to the effect that the Company were prepared to light the clock at the Barrett-Browning Institute for seven months (October to April) for the same hours as it has heretofore been lighted at ,i annual cliargc- of Li. The Clerk also Kadi » le tter from Mr Henry Garrood, secreta,v oi the Bariett-Browning Institute tiuslce* stating that the Ledbury Electric Lighsirg Co., Ltd., would light the clock for f6 10a per annum. A desultory discussion ensued on the matter, the question being raised as to whether the tender of the Electric Lighting Co. included fittings, and Mr Davis said the Company would put in the fittings. The tender included fittings and light. The Chairman said that seeing the clock would only be lit for another month or six weeks it would be better for them to continue as at present for the rest of this season, and invite tenders for lighting next winter. In the end this proposal was agreed to. ELECTRIC LIGHTING. I The Clerk read a letter from Messrs Seymour Williams and Co., Parliamentary agents with reference to the electric lighting Provisional Order, enclosing a duplicate of the agreement with the Council as to the price per unit. HOUSING. I The Clerk announced the receipt of a letter from the Local Government Board asking that the Board be informed at an early date of the steps being taken to obtain a site for the erection of working class dwellings in pursuance of the resolution of the Urban District Council referred to in the Council's letter of November 5 last. Mr Warren: Has a reply ever been sent with regard to the land, with reference to which a sub-committee was appointed to interview Mr Martin ? Mr Davis We are waiting for a reply. Mr Warren It's a long time coming. LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD I COMMUNICATIONS. Letters were read from the Local Govern- ment Board enclosing list of sanatoria approved by the Local Government under the National Insurance Act, and with reference to the compulsory notification of ophthalmia neonaratum, which the Board stated was desirable, as a large proportion of the blindness contracted in childhood was due to the neglect of proper precautions against this disease. A MEMBER'S THANKS. I The Clerk read a letter from Mr Sidney Clarke tendering his sincere thanks to the members of the Council for their kindness and sympathy in passing a vote of condolence with him in his recent bereavement. BANK CRESCENT ROAtf. I The Clerk read a letter from Mr H J Pritchard, secretary of the Ledbury Building Society, stating that Messrs H Morgan, W H Hatton and C H Bixley had been appointed a committee to meet the committee appointed by the Urban Council to consider the question of taking over the Bank Crescent Road. The Chairman read the following report of the Committee :— Your Committee appointed to confer with the representatives of the Ledbury I Buildins Society beg to report that 1.—The conference took plane at the Barrett-Browning Institute at 3.30 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, Messrs Bixley, Hatton and Morgan representing the Society, and Messrs Bastow, Davis and Hopkins representing the Council, the Secretary of the Society (Mr H J Pritchard) and the Council Surveyor (Mr R G Gurney) also being in attendance. 2.-That after submitting various facts and figures as to the work of the Society for the benefit of the urban district, the representatives of the Society invited the favourable consideration of the Council relative to the Council taking over both lengths of the Bank Crescent road. 3.- That after suggesting a certain sum of money as payment towards the cost of remaking the lower portion of the road, and any repairs necessary to the upper portion the sum of tl60 was subsequently offered by the Society. In view of the estimate of the burveyor of 1162 for work necessary to make the lower portion up to the usual standard required for district road traffic, and a further sum of £20 for work necessary to the upper portion, your Committee recom- mend the acceptance of the offer by the Council, and on receipt of the sum of:9160 to formally assume control of the road and proceed with the work this summer. It must be clearly understood that until building operations take place on the upper portion of the estate, no road work is necessary beyond making good the footpaths, tarring same and performing the usual district road scavenging. The Chairman then formally moved the acceptance by the Council of the offer of the Building Society. Father Lynch seconded, and several mem- bers supported, expiessing pleasure that the question bad at last been settled. The resolution was unanimously adopted. STREETS COMMITTEE. Mr Bastow submitted the report of the Streets Committee, as follows:— Newbury Park—The Surveyor reported that the kerbs and channels at the bottom of Newburv Park would have to be taken up and Tf-laid. The Committee recom- mend that the matter be gone on with. New Water Main in Church Lane.—The Committee recommend that the Surveyor be instructed to carry out the work of laying a new water main in Church-lane forthwith. Mr Bastow, in moving the adoption of the report, said a sum of £ 120 had been laid aside in the estimate for next half-year for expenditure on water supply, and that amount included the cost, of re-laying the main up Church-lane, which they had had trouble with. There was at present a leakage there, and Mr Gurney suggested that the work be carried out at once. Mr Davis raised the question of the sloping piece of path at the top end of Bye-street, and he would suggest that that be done now that the telegraph cable bad been laid. It was agreed to include this in the report, which was then seconded by Mr Davis and adopted. SANITARY COMMITTEE. t Mr Gardner moved the adoption of the report of the Sanitary Committee, which stated that the Inspector reported that the houses in Happy Land and Union Lane had now been redrained properly. The Com- mittee recommended that the recommenda- tions of the Inspector as specified in his book be adopted. Mr Davis (to the Inspector): Can you give any explanation as to how that new sewer got stopped up in Railway Terrace ? The Inspector Yes, there were two bricks in it. Mr Davis: How did they get there ? The Inspector I don't know. Mr Preece said the road there was the most disgraceful in the town, and should be attended to. The report of the Sanitary Committee was adopted. MEDICAL OFFICER'S REPORT. I The report of Dr Harrison (Medical Officer of Health) stated that seven births and seven deaths had been registered in the district during the past month. No case of infectious disease had been notified. PLANS. I Plans were submitted by the Surveyor of two houses in Woodleigh-road, one for Mr C Pedlingham and the other for Mr C H Bixley, and no objection was raised to them. Other business was the consideration of the Finance Committee report, and resolu- tions with reference to the public swimming bath and a proposed recreation ground, which will be found dealt with under special headings.

Ledbury Produce Market. I There was a moderate attendance, and not much I produce on offer. Prices :— Butter (wholesale), Is 3r) and Is 4d ptr lb „ (retail) Is 4d and 18 5d pe' lb Eggs (wholesale), 13 and 14 tOI Is (retail), 12 for Is Fowls, 4s 6d to 5s per couple Rabbits, 8d and 9d each. Potatoes, lOd to Is per peck. Apples, Is per peck. a

Ledbury Corn Market. The market at the Feathers Hotel Corn Ex. change on Tuesday was very largely attended. There is plenty of stuff on offer, and the markets are firmer. Any amount of clover seed was on offer at from 4d to 81 per lb, but samples were rather neglected. Seed spring beans were from 4s 9d to 5s per bushel; peas, 4s 6d to 5s and Garton's Abundance Oats 28,1 to 30s per quarter. Generally seeds are firm. Quotations Wheat (new), 48 to 4s 2,1. I Beans, 3s lid to 4s Id Peas, 3s 9d to 4s 3d Vetches, 4s 6d to 5a Rye, 4s Oafcs (old), 22s to 28s per qr. 1, (new), 20a to 22a per qr. Flour, firm. Maize, 259 to 27s per qr. English Barley, 28s to 328. Foreign Barley, 22* to 25s 400 f.o.r. Sharpness. Bran, L6 10s per ton.

The attractiveness of the several new features in recent numbers of the Windsor Magazine is mere than maintained in the March issue, which includes a further large instalment of Sir H Rider Haggard's powerful new romance from the career of Allen Quartermain, The Holy Flower," in which the drama of the story reaches a very tense point of interest, and it is quite clear that the ensuing numbers must be awaited with the keenest curiosity. Halliwell SutclifFs picturesque new series, The White Horses," is also carried a stage further, and there are complete stories by Barry Pain, Eden PhillpottSw Dornford Yates, Charles G D Roberts, Edgar Wallace, Mary Grant Bruce, and other favourite authors. The fine-art feature of the number strikes a lighter note than usual, under the title of "Humour in Paint," and takes the form of a survey of the many different kinds of work which have sought to represent some humorous situation or idea in paint, as distinct from the far greater mass of drawings, either in colours or in black and white, which have been done to illustrate the text of an author. Among the pictures excel- lently reproduced to accompany this theme are typical works by H Stacy Marks, R.A., Erskine Nicol, A.R.A., G H Boughton, R.A., John Pettie, R. A., and W Dendy Saddler, together wit,h a finely-printed coloured plate from J C Dollman's clever picture of golfers surprised at their game by the minister of their kirk on a Sabbath morning, In the Time of the Sermonses.

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PROFITABLE POULTRY CULTURE. I BY RALPH R ALLEN, l Lecturer to the Herts County Council; I Editor of Monthly Hints on Poultry, &c. (All rights reserved.) A SUCCESSFUL BREEDING SEASON. I (CONTINUED.) I [Readers are particularly requested to note I that this series of articles commenced with the first issue in January. In order to obtain their full value, the earlier articles should be read in conj unction with the I current one.] WATER. I Before writing on this subject, I consulted several works on poultry to acquaint myself further with the views of different writers. To my surprise this most important point is either ignored or meation is just made that pure water should be employed, and the drinking vessels kept clean. So far as it goes the advice is sound. Possibly it is because I have so many opportunities for post-mortem work, and am thus able to see the many troubles which arise from the water question, that I lay stress upon the subject, and I feel my work would not be thorough if I merely dismiss the matter by a cursory remark ou the subject of cleanliness. Why do we give fowls water? The natural answer, though only a very superficial one, is, to quench their thirst. But why are they thirsty ? This is a natural craving, caused by various organs of the body, which demand water in order to carry on their proper functions. To moisten the food sufficiently to aid digestion, to assist in the formation of eggs (there is about one pint of water in every dozen marketable eggs), and to cleanse the bowels water also enters into the compo- sition of blood, bones, and flesh, and is con- sequently one of the essentials of life. Thus we see the importance of water for business purposes, apart from the humani- tarian point of view. A steam engine for want of this com- modity would soon break down with the feathered tribe Nature asserts itself to the utmost, and postpones the evil day as much as possible, but throughout the period of deprivation or insufficiency the birds are suffering terribly, and their owner, either from sheer ignorance or gross carelessness and indifference, is guilty of one of the worst forms of cruelty. Water has a great tendency to absorb noxious effluvia consequently it is of the greatest importance to renew the supply frequently, paying particular attention to scrupulous cleanliness as regards the drink- ing vessels. Again, on account of this tendency to absorb noxious matter, the drink- ing vessels should never be placed near foul or offensive impurities, otherwise you are offering your birds a more or less poisonous article, which if they are laying is liable to taint the eggs, and which will certainly impair the health of the fowl whether taken or not, in the former case by poisoning and in the latter by weakening the digestive organs, the effective working of which is just as important in feathered life as in human beings. Aga' water should never be exposed to the suu a direct rays it soon loses its fresh- ness and satisfying properties. Too much is taken in consequence, and irritation of the intestines ensues. Last summer I had, many cases sent me for post-mortem examination where death was due to muco-enteritis, due in the first place to drinking water exposed to the sun's rays. One more source of trouble may be quoted —the use of rain-water. If this is allowed to accumulate it is very injurious to animal life. The impurities of the atmosphere with which it becomes impregnated render it excellent and beneficial to vegetable life, but a menace to the health of our fowls. I have drawn attention to the necessity of cleanliness of the vessel employed to hold the water; a few words on the vessel itself will complete this section. Choose one of suitable size, manufactured in two parts only, so as to render it readily accessible for cleaning. (To be continued.) A SPECIAL OFFER TO YOU. I From the advertising columns you will notice several offers of free but valuable poultry literature. Messrs Spratt's Patent, Ltd., offer their book, The Problem Solved," published at lB., free to readers of this column. It ia replete with information on arlificial incubation, and is a book that should be in every poultry-keeper's library. A copy of Poultry," the world's best and oldest poultry paper, will be sent post free to every applicant, whilst I am also authorised to offer a month's free subscription of The Bazaar, Exchange and Mart" (published thrice weekly) to my readers. You need not write to all, but just send a postcard to me, stating which of these you would like (all of them if you desire it), and I will do the rest. [Any enquiries concerning poultry- keeping addressed to our expert, Ralph R Allen, Sawbridgeworth, Herts., will be answered through these columns free, but those requiring a postal answer direct or sending birds for post-mortem examination must remit a half-crown postal order.]

j DON'T buy a 1 L Low-priced | I INCUBATOR! | ? WH Y? Because a low-priced Incubator is false 1 economy-it wastes oB. it addles eggs, n it loses time, and hatches bad temper ri instead of chickens U) If 708 want to start on the BtlUu t! !)j load to Profitable Poultry Keeping I M BUY A [ 11 HEAflSOW nj THE INCUBATOR THAT HATCHES EVERY FERTILE EGG. k1 I ■ A 60-Egg Machine costs £5 8s. 6d: complete and carriage paid, and as it will last for Ij M upwards of 25 years, the initial outlay works | out at less than St. per annum. I f| Jlay ?' sed you ? ?NH? COPY <? "THE 1 jt 1Z: I at 1..? I II Proprietors: SPR ATT'S PATENT LTD., I FJ 2.-2, Irenchurch Street, London. E.C. g Read POULTRY The only paper that matters to the poultry-keeper. The World's Best and Oldest Paper. fGKY0U^: ?? Friday, 0?? P??y .G,,NT F0R IT. Every Frtday, One Penny Specimen copy free from- 'Panltry' (Dept. 201), 10, Essex St., Strand, London, W.C. HATCH NOW TO SECURE WINTER LAYERS ——— "J 4% Sit1iK" of Eses from my guaranteed Straine n j 6 5' I 1 h "? Wliilw r,»y<-rs. '.? Esfir» to the sitti?g. *?/ h tFf ?pt?n?nt? <-?r?nUy pMked. cerri?? for- wnnl. Butt, White anrt Black Orpingtons. White Wyandottes White- Black and Brown Leghorn*. Gold and SilTer Campines, Rhode Inland lloda, Croad Lftngshans, Anconaa. RALPH R. AllEN, SAWBRIDGEWORTH. HERTS. No Dead Chicks. -Success in Chicken Rearing can only be obtained by using the most reliable Food. For best results start them on ARMITAGE'S BEST DRY CHICK FOOD. In bags, 4d, 8d, Is 4d, 2s 6j, etc. Manufactured by ARMITAGE BROS, Ltd., Poultry Food Specialists, Nottingham. Sold by: -F W TAYLOR, High-street, Ledbury; C THURSTON, Cheapside, Newent, &c.

PuNcs."—This week's number of Punch contains a special Sir John Tenniel Memorial Supplement of 16 pages, which gives the biography of the late cartoonist, together with reproductions of his cartoons from 1850 to 1901. Amongst these are two which will be well remembered, dealing with the South African war, one showing John Bull and a Boer stripped for fighting with the former saying As you will fight you shall have it. This time it's a fight to a finish." The second one is of a lion at the entrance to a cave, with an ass, labelled Continental Press, clearing off, the title of the cartoon being "Who said Dead' ?" The usual number contains a capital cartoon by Bernard Partridge on the Mexican trouble, and another on the nine deported South African labour leaders, named The Nine Old Men of the Sea-" The printing of the cover in colours has done much to make Punch" more attractive to the eye, and altogether this week's issue is a notable one. MUNSEY'S MAGAZINE." The popular monthly for March is again to hand, and as usual includes within its bulky covers a host of fine reading and illustrations. The complete novel is "The Lone Wolf," by Louis Joseph Vance, an entrancing story on unusual lines. The special articles include one on "The Giant Hotels of New York," by Frank A Munsey, which is profusely illustrated Children in Paintings," superbly illustrated Some good examples of Halmi's Portraiture" gives eight magnificent specimens of the photographer's art; and Some leading Cave Men is another article notable alike for its letter-press and illustrations. The short stories and poems are up to the lsual standard, and altogether it is really surprising what a wealth of reading and illustrative excellence is contained in the red covers of the March number.

AIR-RIFLE SHOOTING. I March 9 to 13- Talbot v Bell Bidrlulph v Wellington Heath White Hart v Fox Ledbury W M C v Nondescripts Putley v Prince of Wales Yew Tree v New Inn Piough and Wellingtou byes March 16 to 20- Bel! v Plough Wellington v Biddulph Prince of Wales v Fox Yew Tree v Ledbury W M C Putley v White Hart Nondescripts v New Inn Talbot and Wellingtou Heath byes March 23 to 27— Prince of Wales v Bell Biddulph v Yew Tree j Fox v Plough I Wellington v Ledbury W M C Talbot v Putley New Inn v Wellington Heath White Hart and Nondescripts byes

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ACROSS THE TABLE. Baseball as a national game is not very old, though it probably derives from the club ball" game that gave us cricket and round-ers. It was one Abner Doubleday (a good English name) who started baseball as a game with proper rules, in America, and matches were played in the early forties between clubs in New York and the neighbourhood. But it was in 1815 that the Knickerbocker Club of New York assumed the position of the M.C.C. in London, and formulated the code of rules for baseball. To the stranger, comments the Pall Mall Gazette, the most curious feature of baseball is the so-called coach," who dances on the boundary line encouraging his side and oppor- tunely reminding opponents of past slips. His great aim is to "stetil the striker's goat," i.e., his courage, by a well timed gibe. Unsports- manlike, to our ideas, but they think other- wise on the other side, and the coach is as in- dispensable to a ball-game" as the clown to a circus. Match." by the fey, is unknown in America. It is always the "ball-game." Like proverbs, superstitious beliefs occa- sionally contradict each other. An example is furnished by the application to the Board of Trade to change the name of the vessel Ben- My-Chree to that of the Red Ensign, in con- equen of the crew being superstitious of the ship," to quote the owner. But, remarks the Globe, it is also a widespread nautical superstition that it is unlucky to change the name of a ship, and it is possible to compile quite a list of maritime disasters in support of this belief. Mr. E. S. Willard, speaking at the dinner of the professors of the London Gulldhall School of Music, related amusing incidents in his career in melodrama, in which, he said, he early acquired in London the reputation of being "an infernal blackguard." He was the admired and beloved of all the thieves in London. When he lost his collie dog he sent the ex-prizefighter, who was the "super" master at the Princess Theatre, where he was placing "The Spider, down to the various dog stealers to ask them to let him have the dog back, as he would give as much as any- body eke would. But they all scorned the idea of any of them torching The Spider's dog. Travelling honre one night on the knife- board of a 'bus, Mr. Willard gave the con- ductor a half-sovereign, and as the fare" was talking to the driver, the conductor tried to take advantage of the fact to give change 6d. short. He was unsuccessful, and apolo- gised. When Mr. Willard was leaving the 'bus he heard the driver remark to the con- ductor: "You must be a mug. Don't yon know who that is? Why, it is Spider. A story is told of G ii-erat Smuts that, dur- ing his last visit to England, he was present at an official reception, and in the course of the evening he found himself next to a rather high-and-mighty young officer. Let me see," remarked the latter, staring at General Smuts rather superciliously, "haven't we- ah-met somewhere?" "Yes." replied the General. Thought so," remarked the officer, adding with a bored air: "One meets so many people; let me see, where did we meet? "In South Africa." retorted the General, curtly; you surrendered to m. during the war!'rr There wa-s only a thin partition betweein the bar-parlour and the taproom of the sub- urban hostelry, writes H. in the Man- ehexter Guardian, 80 that I could not help hearing what was perhaps a confidence about a certain Bill's terrible condition the previous afternoon. Well, to cut a long story short," said the voice, which was husky, probably with emotion, I had to set 'im on a door- step and leave 'im there. 'E must 'a' fell asleep, and 'is 'at dropped on to t' footpath, an'—would yer believe it?—when 'e woke up there was elevenpence in it! The approach of the Oxford and Cam- bridge boat-race reminds one of Lord Ave- bury's story of the small child in an East End school. The class had been having some instruction in elementary science, such as that air is composed of oxygen and nitrogen, and so on. The examiner put this question: What is the air composed of? Please, sir," replied the child, "oxygen and cam- brigen The undertaker in a country town was busy in his workshop, when his boy came running in with some news. 'Ave v'eard as Mr. Smith's dead?" said he. "What Smith?" asked his master. Why, Mr. John Smith, of Brown-street," said the lad. Ha re- sponded the undertaker, coldly, "he's not one of our customers." Sir Henry Norris has contributed a moai interesting letter to the Times on the subject of the "Pains of Death." He points out that the heavy stertorous breathing, which is so distressing to the onlookers, but does not necessarily indicate pain, can easily be re- lieved. All that is necessary is to effect a change of posture, which permits of easier breathing, and does not require a nurge or doctor to carry out. This simple expedient can save life by averting apoplexy, which would otherwise be inevitable. New York, above all cities in the United States, testifies to the cosmopolitan popula- tion of the country. The latest.statistics show English to be the mother tongue of only 21 per cent. of its people. Yiddish is the language of 19 per cent.. and German of 18 per cent- The Italians make up 12 per cent. The fact that the majority of the children of foreign parents only speak English is another testimony to the assimilative forces at work in the Republic. "In Lent, my dear," snid the thoughtful "In Lent. mv dt>a.r," S:1 id th(' thoughtful mother, "we all ought to give up some little pkastut. Now what small sacrifice of a plea- pl<tsLire.. Now wli,-tt?stnal l "acriflee of ,i plea- sure can  make? I'm giving up sugar in my tea." "With brutal frankness the little girl replied, Oh. I'll not give up sugar. I'm not afraid of getting fat." The head of a lar-je office was discussing th. management of clerks. "I' wish," he said, that it could be arranged that both our local football clubs could win every Saturday or lose every Saturday. When one wins and the other loses the partisans on the staff waste half Monthly morning triumphing over sup porters of the rival team." An epigram by Mr. John N. Raphael in the I Bi/stavder: In London, everybody pretends to be moral and few are in Paris everybody boasts of more immorality than they possess." We have all heard of the knowing youth who. when told that Snatcher had won the Waterloo Cup, asked: Who was the jockey?" This kind of ignorance itt not so rare as one would suppose, says a writer in the Daily Sketch. A leading authority at the Waterloo meeting received a. letter from a journalist, who had apparently been told to do a special on the coursing meeting. The journalist put the following questions to th. official: Where do they get. the hares from? How many hares do they let off at oncet Do they let them off one at a time? Are they wild hnrcB! What distance must the ha.re run? How do they know what dog has won? How do they handicap the dogs? He is still waiting for his reply. ,Some amusing criticisms of the big London termini were contributed by Mr. Paul Water- houtze, the well-known architect, in ad- dress before the Royal Institute of British Architects the other night. King's Cross and St. Pancras he likened to Dignity and Im- pudence"; Liverpool-street is a "mmloster," and Charing Cross has, it appears, "suc- cumbed to premature decay." Perhaps the unkindest out of all is Mr. Waterhouse'a de- scription of Cannon-etreet as on almoafc picturesql,, suggestion of one of the minor entrances to the infernal regions." 0.

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(All RIGHTS RESERVED.] BIBLE STUDIES CONDUCTED BY PASTOR RUSSELL. THE FAITHFUL ARE WATCHFUL The IJesson :-Luke xii. 35-48. Tha Text:—"Blessed arc those servants w hom the Lord when he cometh shall tind. watching."—v. 37. To-day's lesson continues the Master s ex- hortations that his faithful ones prepare themselves for participation with him in his Kingdom. The Lord purposely left his fol- lowers without definite information respect- ing the time for the establishment of his Kingdom. He illustrated the interim be- tweeu his going and his returning in the Parabtt; of the Talents. lie. the Master, had lft his servants in charge of his goods while he went to a far country, even Heaven itself, to be invested with the Kingdom authority; and at an appropriate time he would return to receive his servants and according to their faithfulness to make them sharers with him in his Kingdom, and then. begin hi". rule over his subjects, for their blessing and uplift out of snr, and death con- ditions. To-day's lesson opens witn' a parable. If, in a great house, the master were about to bring home his bride, the servants would on that particular night be especially active, wakeful. They would not know exactly the time of their master's coming, but would be continually alert to hear his knock and open instantly. So Jesus' followers should be alert for his second coming-not that ho would bring his bride with him: rather ha comes to receive his bride here. Indeed, the faithful servants arr then to be made the Bride, according to the other picture. WATCH AND PRAY. The thought is that Jesus" followers should take their ideals of alertness from the most extreme experience of earthly ser- vice. Jesus intimated that his followers might be looking for him sooner than he would come, saying that if he shall come in the second watch, or the third watch, or whenever, bleissed are those servants found ready to receive him. He will gird himself. make himself their servant, and cause them to sit down to a sumptuous feast. Bible students understand this to signify that at Jesus' "parousia his second presence, he will first make himself known to his faithful followers, while the world in general will be ignorant of the fact that he has come. His manifestations to the world will come later; as we read, "He shall be revealed in flaming fire"- judgments. Our Lord's "parousia" is described in to-day's lesson—bis earliest manifestations of his second advent. The world will see him not, and know not of his presence; his church will know of his preisence only by his knock —the fulfilment of prophecy. It will then be for the watchful ones to recognize this fulfilment, and promptly to acknowledge the Master's presence, the nearness of his Kingdom, and the proving of all found worthv to share in that Kingdom: The irre:it Teacher then intimates that Satan is the master of the present- order of things on earth; and that at his second eom-inj Jesus will bind this strong man, overturn present institutions and establish the long-promised reign of Righteousness. This thorough transition from the reign of sin and death to the reign of righteousness and life will cause the great "time of trouble" mentioned throughout the Bible as closing this Gospel Age—a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation." Dan. xii. 1; Mark xiii. 8; Matt. xxiv. 21. Jesus speaks of his second coining as thief- like. The thonght is that he will He present for a time. unobserved by the world, known only to "the Bride" class, whom he will re- move—changing them from earthly to heavenly nature. Verse 40 instructs all the Lord's faithful ones to be ready for his pre- sence, to render up at any hour their ac- counts and experienct their change. "TO GIVE THEM THEIR PORTION. St. Peter was perplexed. Was this parable especially for the Apostles or for all the people? But the Lord did not answer him directly. He merely assured St. Peter that at the appropriate time the Lord would appoint a steward over his household, to give them food in due season This is not very different, from what has been the Lord's usual method of dealing with his family. Fvr ins'ance, St. Peter apparently was a. leader amonr-lit the Apostles, in opening the Pentecostal door, and later in opening the door to the Gentiles preaching to Cornelius, the first Gentile convert. Later on, the Lord seems to have chosen St. Paul to be his particular messenger to the Gentiles; as we read, "He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles; (Acts ix. 15.) Similarly Enoch, Abraham. Moses, the Prophets, and others during this Gospel Age, have seemed to be especially used of the Lord to draw the attention of his people to his word, in the Apostles' case, there was of course a special inspiration which does not appertain to others of this Age since. While the Lord has thus appointed special servants in giving his household meat in due reason at various times, it was required that each partaker should prove all things by the written word of Cod, which the Apostle Paul declared is sufficient that the man of Grd may be thoroughly furnished. Any ser- vant not found faithful, it is intimated, would be supplanted by another. The servant at the end of the Age, the- time of the Master's coming, if found faith- ful, would be especially blessed, and given general charge respecting the spiritual food to the Lord's family, "meat, in due sevica. But if he should prove unfaithful, fail to recognise the Master's presence, and mani- fest an unkind spirit toward the household, ministering to his own earthly wants rather than to the spiritual needs of God's family. he would go into outer darkness with fhe world, in utter ignorance of the times and seasons, etc., of his Lord. The displacement of the one servant would mean the recogni- tion of another to supply the Household of Faith. The Lord then explained the general principle of his dealings; namely, that any servant, knowing his Master's will and not acting in harmony therewith, would receive stripes, punishments, tribulations, in propor- tion to the degree of his knowledge and opportunity. On the other hand. any ser- vant even if he did things worthy of stripes, yet did them ignorantly, would receive pro- portionately fewer stripes. That general principle then i-i, "To whom much is given, of him much is required." OUR GOLDEN TEXT. The heart of this lesson is found in verse 37, which refers to all of the Lord's servants, who in the earliest stages of his comintj, in the time of his "parousia," his presence, will be faithfully watching, alert to serve every interest of the Lord's cause, searching the Scriptures to the best of their ability. These will be informed nspècting the time in which they will be living, as the Apostle points out.—1 Thess. v. 1-8. The secrecy observed respecting the time- and the manner of Jesus' second coming will prove to be a strong test. All the Lord's consecrated who are overcharged with the cares of this life-busines. pleasure, etc.— will be slow to hear the knock; and even when they hear, thty will be too much en- grossed to give proper heed. However, there will bo a great blessing on those serva.nts whom the Lord shall find watching—not watching the- sky, as though they would see Jerus. when he is now a spirit being, invisible to human eyes; but watching the Bible testimonies, watching the trend of the times, watching their own hearts, watching also the interests of the Church of God, seeking to build one another up in the most holy faith, laying aside every weight and every besetting sin. Let all of us who claim to be virgins—pure ene-ibe found of him in peace, seeking nrst the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, and helping the Bride to make hersolf ready.— Rev. xxi. 9; xix. 7.

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