Abergavenny Chronicle

IN LIGHT! R VEIN BY THOMAS JAY. I ILLUSTRATED BY J. H. LUNN. Things are not what they were in the art ovorld, says a critic. Whether they ever were or ever will be is open to doubt. I do not say that I am anything in the art world, because I date back to the Alfred Cooke School of Interior Decoration, and I am never more happy than when the grocer thrusts one of his oleographs into my hands, with strict instructions not to crease, and an intimation that he has a good line in bacon. Other sections of the art world go in for steel engravings, such as "Henry Clay's Farewel1," while others prefer wai pictures, ouch as that of Sir Francis Drake with three soldiers, one plain and two coloured, in the act of severely defeating the Armada. But the latest danger appears to be that of the cinema, if we arc to believe the scien- tists—which we do not, as a rule. We are asked to consider the effect of the cinema upon the development of the nation, and, for that matter, on the world; and if I suc- ceed in saving the world I shall have done quite enough for this week at least. For weeks and weeks I have been noting in the newspapers pictures of various exciting events connected with the cinema, such as "Motorist Rides Backwards off the Crystal Palace. The Motorist (inset). His Mother (left)," and so on. Next, we are shown a most expensive steamer being burned, and fire brigades and vessels going to its rescue. Now. here we come to the rift in the lute, which gathers no momentum. So long as it is only the private lunatic who is doing these daring acts I have nothing to say, but when fire brigades, steamships, our Armies and Navv, and our very aeroplanes are dragged into the mael- strom of adven- titious hazard (I get extra for lines like this), then 1 say it is time to think. This orgy of cine- matic s e n s a- tionalism (m ore extras) b rings keen delight to the audience; but we arc concerned with law and order. Why should the cine- ma actor be al- lowed to hang from a seven- THE CINEMA ACTOR. J .thousand feet precipice by his finger-nails, kill any num ber of policemen, steal jewels from all the crowned heads of Europe and the suburbs, blow up half the large works in Europe, and then go home to tea? In addition, we arc confronted with another danger. So much land is being taken up in this country for the erection of picture theatres and place? in which the nefarious films are concocted, that we are in danger of being crowded to the very edge of this island, if indeed we are not in danger of falling off. There is another danger. Suppose a man is seen to shoot his best friend-say, the tailor—he will only have to explain that he is doing it for the film and walk off scot free. I I am so pleased with Mr. Justice Darling that I expect I shall give him my first burglar. You will remember that he passed a few cutting remarks a bout the Cubist ult, and I felt so jolly glad about it thdt you needn't be surprised if I send him a nice picture postcard. I think the scathing remarks passed on the cult will suffice to make the Cubists take a few paces to the rear and look this jolly old world up and down pretty straight. Now I do not claim to be expert in the artistic world. All I ask is that a picture shall look like something. Just that, and I am your willing slave. But that is just where the Cubist gets me panting. And 1 am pretty good at panting. He shows me some- tinner which looks CUBIST NEIGHBOURS. like a few cases of obsolete and leaki n g eggs balan c i n g 0 n their beaks a rail- way engine. He tells me that this i s Paddington Station. He just tells me that, and I am ex- peeted to pass along. But I reso- lutely refuse t9 pass along. The Cubist pretends that in all life and scenery he sees nothing: but cubes. And instead of swearing off and foing on lime- juice for a bit he keeps on at it. Now, if you or I were to tell the neigh- bours that everything we see—including the neighbours—consists of cubes, they would drape us in a strait-jacket and send for our near and dear relatives. Any Cubist who tells me that my head is a cube, that my ear is a cube—well, I shall just eav to him, "Cubist, many thanks for vour few kiud remarks. And here is some- thing for you." I shall then strike him on his "cubic head, jump on his cubic form, until he sees a cubic bed and cubic flowers, which he will not be able to get as much as an inch of cubic smell out of. All things in nature are cubes, according to these mis- guided people. Now, I have nothing to say to their ideals, but I do stand up to protest when they insist on painting pictures to prove it. I have been to a Cubist exhibition. "This," said the guide, "shows the plunge into the shadowy death, the realisation of life in death." I said nothing, but I had my thoughts. Anyway, you may take it from me that it was an awful death. Then I was shown another picture. It stood in no relation to anything else on earth. I have never seen an earthquake, but if you folded one up into three sections I think the result would be something like that which I gazed upon. I may not be artistic, but when I want to revel in art, lead me away from the Cubic fprm of life. Just let me get at the old family album, showing old Uncle Dudley wearing his Sunday side-whiskers with ear- flaps. and his large check suit, and I have all the art I want. And if anybody is get- ting up a prohibition petition, and that pro- hibition aims at the Cubist, just let me know, and I'll look round.

GERMAN ARTILLERY ACTIVITY NEAR CAMBKAL SIR D. HA' G'S REPORTS. The following' reports from Sir Douglas Ilaig have been issued by the Press Bureau: Saturday, 9.35 a.m. The enemy's patrols were somewhat more active than usual during the night in the sector north of Lena. There is nothing further to report. Saturday. 9.25 p.m. Early this morning the enemy raided one of our posts north-west of St. Quentin. Twc of our men are missing. Hostile artillery has shown increased activity during the day in the neighbourhood of the Bapaume- Cambrai road. On the 8th inst. low clouds and rain inter- fered with flying, but a few bombs were tlropped by our aeroplanes on miscellaneous targets. One hostile machine was shot down in our lines by lire from the ground. On the night of the 8th-0th inst. our night flying machines dropped bombs on hostile aerodromes and billets. All our machines returned. Sunday, 10.22 a.m. Yesterday evening, under cover of a trench-mortar bombardment, the enemy raided our line west of (Jonnelieu. Five of our men are missing. Hostile artillery has shown increased activity in the neighbourhood of Houitnulst Forest. Sunday. 9.20 F .m. Early last night a hostile raiding party was repulsed with loss south of Houtliust Forest. During- the day the enemy's artillery nai been active south-west of Cambrai. SUCCESSFUL RAID BY AUSTRALIANS. Monday, 10 a.m. A successful raid was carried out last night by Australian troops against the Ger- man positions south-east of Mcs-sines. In addition to other casualties indicted on the enemy, twenty-eight prisoners were captured by us. During the night of the 9-lOth mst. a Belgian patrol successfully attacked a hos- tile post in the Merckem sector, killing the garrison of the post and capturing a machine-gun. Monday, 9.25 p.m. The number of prisoners captured by the Australian troops engaged in last night's raid south-east of -Nl(,ssine-.rcpnrt<,d in this morning's communique—is thirty seven. Three German machine-guns and a trench mortar were also brought back to our lines. The casualties inflicted on the eneinv were heavy. In addition to leases cause d by our preliminary bombardment, it is estimated that one hundred Germans were killed by our raiding party. A counter-attack de- livered by the enemy was successfully re- pulsed. We had :,om; twenty casualties. pul.ed. NVe liad twcity c.-isitilti-c activity during the day south-west and west of Cambrai. In this area a number of Ger- man working parties were engaged with effect by our batteries. On the 10th inst. the weather was again overcast, with a high wind. which inter- fered with flying. Several reconnaisances were carried out by our aeroplanes, and hostile batteries were successfully engaged by our artillery, with aerial observation. A few bombs were dropped by us orj various targds behind the enemy's lrnes. No combats took place

I ATTACKED GOTHA. .DESTROYERS OF LONDON RAIDER I AWARDED M.C. The King has been pleased to approve of the award of the Military Cross to the under-mentioned officers :— Temp. Capt. George Henry Hackwell. General list and R. F.C. Lieut. Charles Chaplin Banks, Renal Welsh Fusiliers and R.F.C. For conspicuous gallantry displayed when they engaged and shot down a Gotha raid- ing London. During the engagement, which lasted a considerable time, they were continually under fire from the enemy machine. The fight, it will be remembered, was with one of the Gothas which raided Lon- don on the night of Monday, January 28. It was brought down in flames in Essex, the three occupants being burnt to death. On January 30 Mr. Macpherson announced iu the House of Commons that the flying officers to whose skill and daring the de- struction of the Gotha was due were Capt. Hackwell and Lieut. Banks.

NO NEW RETAIL SHOPS. I In the London Gazette" the following new regulation under the Defence of the Realm Acts has been published:— "With a view of making the best use of all persons able to work in any industry, occupation, or service, it shall be lawful for the Director-General of National Service, after consultation with the Government De- partments concerned, by order to prohibit or restrict persons from establishing any n.èW retail trade or business or a new branch of anv existing retail trade or business without a licence granted by or under the authority of the Director-General of National Ser- vice. For the purpose of the regulation, the ex- pression "establishing a new branch of air- existing retail trade or busincgt;" shall in- clude:- (a) The opening of a retail trade or busi- ness at premises not theretofore used by the retailer for such trade or business; and (b) The opening at any premises of a lino or department of retail trade or businc*« not previously carried on by the retailer. Persons contravening this regulation will be guilty of a summary offence under the Defence Acts.

MAN OF MANY PARTS. J At Northamptonshire Appeal Tribunal. I H. H. Gallop, forty, Class A, of Fincdon, I applied for an extension of his exemption certificate. He was described as general outfitter, assistant-overseer, secretary to the Finedon Gas Company. rate collector, executive officer of the Food Control Com- mittee, member of the V.T.C., and a special constable. He also cultivates sen allotment of forty poles. The Tribunal gave him two months' exemption, conditional upon work- ing one day a week on land not his own but someone but some-one o s.

SWALLOWED FALSE TEETH. I Whi'e sinking the first hymn in a chapel at Birmingham, Ellen Hill, aged seventy- four, was taken with a seizure and fell. Deceased complained of pains in her throat, and on ?ein(r taken to hospital .?ler examination by X-ravs revealed the teeth wedged tightly. Doctors were unable to withdraw them, and the only thing was to force them down into the stomach. The woman, however, died a few days later. A verdict of "Accidental death was re- turned.

FRETTED OVER DOG. I An inquest was held on the wife of Nor- man Dugdale, J.P., Dutton Manor, who killed herself with a humane cattle-killer. The jury found that she shot herself while of unsound mind. It was said that she had fretted a great deal for the loss of her favourite dog, and was found near where the dog was buried.

Bv consent, Mr. Justice Coleridgte declared valia a draft of the will of the late. Miss I Sarah Corry, of St. Leonards, disposing of £ 70,000. Miss Corry burnt the original with a rough draft of a new will and died before another could be executed.

TROTSKY ANNOUNCES COMPLETE DEMOBILISATION. I NO FORMAL TREATY. The following message transmitted through the wireless stations of the German Government was issued by the Admiralty per Wireless Press on Monday night:— Brest-Litovsk, Sunday. At to-day's sitting the leader of the Rus- sian delegation mad e the announcement that Russia, while desisting from signing a formal treaty of peace, declared that the state of war with Germany, Austria-Hun- gary, Turkey, and Bulgaria was at an end. At the same time he announced the order for the complete demobilisation of the Rus- sian forces on all front. In connection with the further discussions resulting from the present situation between the powers of the Quadruple Alliance and Russia regarding the form of mutual diplo- matic, consular, legal, and economic rela- tions, M. Trotsky referred to the method of indirect communication between the Govern- ments concerned and the Commission of the Quadruple Alliance already in Petrograd. —————— ——————

THE UKRAINE MAKES PEACE. —— —— TREATY MAY NOT BE RECOGNISED BY BOLSHEVIKS. GERMANY'S HOPES OF FOOD. An official report issued by the German Government states that peace was signed on Saturday morning by the German represen- tatives and the delegates of the Ukranian Republic. It seems to be doubtful, however, whether the Ukranian delegates have authority to pledge their country. So far as the pro- vince of Kieff is concerned, it is certain that they do not possess such authority, as that province, which has an area of 20,000 s quare miles and a population of 5,500.000, is now entirely in the hands of the Bolshe- viks, the troops of the Rada having been made prisoners, or fled in disorder. A wireless message sent out through the slb.tion, of the Russian Government on Saturday states: — Previous to February 8 the whole of Kieff, with the exception of the Pechersky region, was in the hands of the councils. The rem- nant of the detachments of the Kieff Rada had entrenched themselves in the Pechersky region. Yesterday (February 8), at 10 p.m., we received from Kieff from the Commander- in-Chief Mouravieff an official notification that the Pechersky region had been taken. and that the remnant of the Rada forces had fled, that all State instituions had been cap- tured. and that Chudnovskv, TegorofT, Bojar- sky. and others, have been freed. Moura- vieff, at the request of the soldiers, asked that Tes-oroff should be appointed comman- der cf the south-western front. The council agreed with the request. At 10 p.m. on February 8 nothing remained of the Rada but a sad memory. It is now clear that the delegation of the Kieff Rada is representing at Brest-Litovsk, a non-existent authority. It is to be noted also that Trotsky, as re- presenting the Russian Government at Brest- Litovsk, has declared that he and his col- leagues would refuse to recognise any treaty betw^n the Central Powers and the Ukrain- ian Republic unless it met with their ap- proval. The Ukraine territory covers 5(1.000 square miles, and h;1" a population of from 30.000,000 to 40.000.000. The Central Powers have been very anxious to conclude peace with the iie -V Republic in order to obtain supplies of food, but it is bv no means certain that thewe will lie forthcoming to any great extent. Some German papers have already warned their readers against exaggerated expecta- tions as to the corn supplies likely to be obtained as the result of peace with Ukrainia, as it will be a long time before Germany can count, upon -til)plies Nvort,i mentioning from this scitrccl. GERMANY'S BREACH OF ARMISTICE. I The Press Bureau issued the following on Saturday:- Under the terms of the armistice ar- ranged between Germany and Russia, which was signed on December 15, it was stipu- lated that no transfer of German troops from the Eastern to the Western front should take place, except as regards move- ments which had already commenced. It has been definitely ascertained from the statements of prisoners captured on the Western front that the following transfers have taken place on the dates as stated:— Unit. Left. Date. Arrived. Date. (Dec ) (Dec.) 31st Divn Vilna 16th Flanders 21st. 4t,h Ersatz Divn. Lemherg 10th Tournai 26th llth Bavarian Divn. Tarnpul 19th Chanipagrne ;2.3r<l 81st Ke serve Divn Pinak 20th Ijlle 2fith I 42nd Divn. AVarsaw 23rd Flanders 2Sth (Jan.) 203 Divn. Ripn, 26th Champagne 2nd 84th Divn Novogrudok 31st Verdun Area 7th THE PEACE TERMS. I The following message, transmitted through the wireless stations of the German Government, was issued on Monday by the Admiralty, per Wireless Press:- The peace treaty between the Central Powers and Ukrainia contains ten articles. According to these articles the evacuation of the occupied territory is to begin imme- diately diplomatic and Consular relations will be resumed immediately after the ratifi- cation of the peace treaty; compensation for war costs is renounced; war prisoners will be released; economic relations will be re- opened immediately. The exchange of the documents for ratification will take place at the earliest opportunity.

BUY CHEMIST'S TRAGEDY. I I At Hornsey, on Saturday, a verdict of "Suicide while of unsound mind" was re- turned at an inquest held on Arthur George Easterbrook, aged fourteen, of Quernmore- road, Stroud Green. Deceased was a pupil at the Hornsey Council School, and s howed a keen interest in chemistry. Certain articles were missing from the school laboratory, and two masters returned from the school with him to see what apparatus he had at home. They found some missing chemical weights. A short time after this discovery the boy was found dying in his room. He had written a re- markable letter in which he hoped the ver- dict would not be "temporarily insane." The medical evidence showed that he had died from taking cyanide of potassium.

FARM CONFISCATED. I At Buckingham on Saturday, John Robert Gough, who has occupied the College Farm, Maids Moreton, comprising 200 acres, for more than thirty years, was summoned by the Board of Agriculture for neglecting cultivation. lIe was fined £ 10, with £ 50 costs, and ordered to surrender possession of the farm in a fortnight. Mr. Charles Attenborough, who prosecuted, said that it was the first case under the new regulations issued on I January 11.

OATMEAL ORDER. I The Food Controller haa imued an Order I (which is now in force), prohibiting the use I of oatmeal, oatnour, rolled oats, or flaked oats for any purpose except for huma-n food.

BITS ABOUT SLUMBER. During sleep the Lower half of our body is much heavier than the upper, or trunk, half. Sudden awakening in the early hours, with no feeling of drowsiness, is a sign of brain fag. The extraordinary immunity of sleep-walkers from peril is because the feel- ing of fear is absent. "Sluggards" are not really lazy; the difficulty in arousing them is due to torpidity of the liver. Tho senses "fall asleep one by one. First sight, then smell, taste, hearing, and, lastly, touch. Hie right side is the correct side on which to sleep, as it eases the pressuie of the stomach on the heart. Explorers say that it is a common belief among savages that ighile they sleep they go away somewhere. To "turn over and sleep again after awaking in the morning produces a toxic (poisonous) state in the body.

Famous artists who are giving their work for the benefit of the Red Cross are being asked to send to the sale at Christie's blank canvases to be painted to meet the wishes of purchasers. The Rev. Dr. McGranaflan, Derry, ob- tained the largest number of votes of Pres- byteries for the Moderatorship of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

BOOKS AND MAGAZINES. I NO LIKENESS. I Captain James E. Agate, the- author oi HL. of C." (Lines of Communication), tellf some amusing stories concerning officers' ser- vants, who, it appears, are often Scotch. I He has nothing but praise for them in a general way. "But," he adds, "it never does I to fish for compliments in these dour waters. The best you will land will be a home truth, like a friend of mine who showed the photo- graph of a pretty sister to his batman, and asked whether he cou'd trace a likeness. c Indeed, SOIT,' replied that worthy, c in- deed, Sorr, I can not! The young leddy's varra guid.>c.king I I TO A SOLDIER IN FRANCE. Oil. if to-day you dream of home. Think of the road we know Untangling a blue skein d hills; And how the birches grow Against the light, and of that day Only a year ago! For here alone those hills again Your little son and I Are wishing the enchanted trail Would lead us round the sky And drop us in a Flanders field To see you marching by. And now the child is eager for A wonder-tale of Greece I tell him how you sailed away Like Jason for the Fleece, To find a glory more than gold Beside the winding Lys. But while his deep eyes glow and glow, It seems another tells The tale, and beauty to my heart No word of meaning spells. And the river on the valley-floor Flows over Flemish bells. —Grace Conklir.g, in the "Story-Teller." ORIGIN OF THE "LIMERICK." The "Limerick" is perhaps the most popular modern form of English verse in existence, and as such lends itself to the greatest amount of misuse. The origin of the name is "wropt in j mistery" which even the erudition of the editors" of the New English Dictionary has failed to clear up (says C. L. Graves, in the Cornhill"). "Murray" describes it as a form of nonsense-verse "said to be from a custom at convivial parties, according to which each member sang an extemporised nonsense- verse,' which was followed by a chorus con- taining the words Will you come up to Limerick? But he does not give any details as to the form of the stanza and none of the references quoted is of an earlier date than 1898, when Murray himself raised the question of origin in "Notes and Queries," but apparently failed to elicit any satisfactory information. He contented himself with declaring that a non- sense-verse such as was written by Lear is wrongfully called a "Limerick," and continues, "Who applied this name to the indecent non- sense-verse first it is hard to say." This is a hard saying and, with due respect to the great lexicographer, hardly fair, since though a great manv "Limericks" are unseemly or unfit for publication, a great many blameless ones are to be found outside the pages of Lear. To this we can add that when the D.C.L. degree was conferred on the then Bishop of Limerick by the University of Oxford nearly forty years ago, he was greeted in the Shel- donian by cries of: "Won't you come up, come up. come up, Won't you come up to Limerick town?'' —which we believe to be the correct form of the refrain. But the reason for the connection of the City of the Violated Treaty with this particular form of pasquinade remains, as Stevenson said of the young of tire .penny- whistler, "occult from observation." Nineteen people out of twenty believe that the "Limerick" was invented by Edward Lear, but he only borrowed the form and diverted it into the channel of pure nonsense. The present writer has seen a "Limerick" identical in form with those of Lear in a Miscellany published early in the second decade of the last century, nearly a generation before Lear's Nonsense Rhymes" were published. A TREASURE. I The wife of a successful young literary man had hired a buxom girl to do the housework. Several weeks passed, and still the girl saw the master always about the house. Being of a kindly nature, one day she said to the mistress, "Excuse me, Mrs. Blank, but I would like to say something." "Well, Rena?" The girl bushed, fumbled with her apron, and then replied: "Well, you pay me fifteen shillings a week Yes, and I really cannot afford to pay you more." "It's not that," responded the girl, "but I be willing to take ten shillings till-till your husband gets work." -0. A. R. in the "Methodist Recorder." THE TRUTH ABOUT "CATGUT." I Where is the catgut farm from which we get our supply of catgut? The answer is, There isn't any cat farm. Cats' intestines cannot be profitably utilised. Then what furnishes the raw materials for musical instruments and tennis rackets? The answer is, Sheep. Every part of the animal is utilised, even the soft and mellow tones of its bleating voice, which are preserved in the intestines that string the tuneful violin. As soon as the sheep intestines are graded (says The "Popular Science Monthly"), they are divided into narrows about eight yards in length. These are sent to the string factory, where they are thoroughly cleansed and chemi- cally treated. It takes from twenty to twenty- four sheep to produce the strings for one tennis racket. A single violin string monopo- lises the entrails of a whole sheep, however big. After the gut is split by running it over a safety razor blade, the strands go through another machine which removes impurities. Following this they are repeatedly run through wringers on washtubs. From four to fifteen of these strands are used for one violin string, being spun into strings, twisted, and polished off with emery paper. I. THE LAND OF THE FUTURE. "When the war is over we shall probably re- ceive an addition of many million new young men from Europe," says a young American in Stephen Graham's new book, "Priest of the Ideal (Macmillan). "The best blood of Europe is coming to us. Would you like to know the reasons? I'll give you five; I could give you fifty. "First: Your younger generations are dis- gusted with war, and will be apprehensive lest it should break out again. Europe will be still a danger zone. America is the land of safety. sa Second: America is rich, and can pay good wages, whereas you are exhausted by war, and have to serve at least ten years' bestial slavery to pay off the war debts. You think the Ger- mans will sit down meekly to work off their huge war liabilities. Not they They'll come over here in masses. We shall have all the advantage of their efficiency and good train- ing. "Third: There will be a great feeling of un- rest and instability in Europe, a disinclination to settle down to the old pre-war occupations. There will be a tendency to go and seek the new. What more natural than the thought of America ? "Fourth: Every family in Europe has now some relative or connection or friend in the United States, and the strange country is not absolutely strange; the word America to the European means invitation. "Fifth: Everyone is beginning- to under- stand that the future is with us. We have the largest white educated population, and in a few score years we shall be double of any of your proud Empires of the Old World. We shall be inventing three new bits of machinery to your one, discovering three new things in science to your one. We shall have gone com- pletely ahead in the building of garden cities, in the eradication of slums, in the eugenically established health of the individual. In fact, America will be first, and all the rest nowhere. All Europe will be looking westward over the Atlantic as we achieve the Victories of Pea^e."

The Hnns h&v? torpedoed in the North  Sea a Swedish relief vessel, the Fridland, carrying a cargo of grain. Six men were t drowned and' the remainder of the crew I landed on the Dutch island of Terschelling.

I AIR RA!DS IN PALISH E. I NEARLY A TON OF BOMBS DROPPED: 84 DIRECT lITTS. I War Office. Palestine. -Thc, General Officer, Command ing-in-Chief, Palestine, reports that on Sun- day, 3rd inst.. a successful raid was carried out by our Air Service on enemy camps in the vicinity of Miskeh (nine miles south- south-west of Tul Keram). Forty-seven I direct hits were observed. On Mondav the raid was repeated against the same objectives, 1,9001b. weight of bombs being dropped, and thirty-seven I direct hits ob served. All our machines re- turned safely, although subjected to anti- aircraft gun and machine-gun lire.

I SEVEN WEEKS IN SHELL HOLE. The Distinguished Conduct Medal for gnl- pantry under what is described as "excep- tionally trying and terrible circumstances, has been awarded Private J. Taylor, London Regiment, of Holloway. Private laylcr, having been cut off with his company. re- ceived a bullet in the thigh, causing a com- pound fracture. To avoid capture he crawled into a shell hole, where he remained for a period of over seven weeks, during the .who-le of which time the surrounding dis- trict was subjected to a severe bombardment bv our artillery. He subsisted upon tins of bully beef collected at night from dead bodies, and water which he obtained in a waterproof cape. After some weeks three of the enemy visited his shell hole, but by feigning death he avoided capture and eventually suc- ceeded in crawling back to our lines—a dis- tance of some nine hundred yards. He displayed extraordinary pluck and en- durance by his determination not to fal] I into the enemy's hands. ——————

I MR. ARTHUR HENDERSON. Mr. Arthur Henderson, M.P., who has re- presented the Barnard Castle Division of Durham in the House of Commons for nearly fifteen years, has intimated by letter to his constituents his inability to contest the scat at the next election, as, owing to the enlargement of the division by the re- cent Act, it would be impossible for him to give the time and energy necessary for piTectue electoral work in tho constituency.

THEFTS BY POSTMAN. I At the London Guildhall, James P. G. Loveday, a postman with nineteen years' service, was sentenced to twelve months' hard labour for stealing postal orders, notes, etc. It was stated that for some considerable time past the accused had been systematically robbing the Post Office. About 100 cases had been investigated in which he had taken Treasury notes to the value of £120. An official from the Post Office mentioned that some 4,000 letters had been stolen recently. The Alderman de- scribed it as the most serious case he had had before him for a long time. o

LORD DUFFERIN DEAD. I The Marquis of Duffcrin and Ava has died from double pneumonia at his London residence. The second son of the first marquis, he succeeded his father in 1902, his elder brother being killed at Ladysmith. He was fifty-two years of age, and was a popular and excellent sportsman. The heir-presumptive to the title, Lord Basil Blackwood, late of the Grenadier Guards, was killed last July, so the titles fall to the only other brother, Lord Frede- rick.

PEPPER FOR TEAR SHELLS. ) At Hull Police-court, Joflh. Olssen, a car- penter on a Swedish vessel, was fined £500, or nine mouths' imprisonment, for attempt- ing to export 701b. of pepper, which he had concealed in bags in a cargo of coal. He said that he could sell it and make £100 on the transaction. The magistrate pointed out that it was perfectly well known that pepper was used by the enemy in making tear shells, and that the export of pepper was entirely pro- hibited.

LONDON MAGISTRATE DEAD. f Mr. Thomas Charles Huntley Hedderwick, for eight years the magistrate at North Lon- don Police-court, hai died. Mr. Hedderwick was previously deputy chairman of the County of London Sessions. He had a brief Parlia- mentary career as Lil),eral M.P. for the Wick Burghs 0896-1900), and was an author of considerable repute, and a great book col- lector.

£10 HOARDING FINE. I At Marylebone Police-court, Henrietta Lewy, aged seventy-eight, of Hampstead, was summoned for hoarding food. An in- spector of the Ministry of Food said the quantities of food found at defendant's liouse were: 46I-lb. of tea, 151b. sugar, 301b. syrup, 421b. of flour, 181b. coffee, and 161b. flaked rice. Fines and costs amounting to £10 were imposed.

M.P.'S FOOD HOARD. The foodstuffs confiscated by the Oxted Bench when Mr. McCaw. M.P., of Rook's Nest, Godstone, was fined E400 for hoard- ing, have been taken possession of by the officers of the local Food Control Committee.

MOURNFUL MARRIAGE CUSTOMS. In England, thoughts of death creep ifi only at a war-wedding (says a contem- porary), but in other l&nds, even in peace times, mournful ceremonies are intermingled with the bridal-day rejoicings. In Japan it is the recognised custom to give the bride a long white veil, which covers her from head to foot. After wearing this at her wedding she puts it away, and it is never used again till the day of her burial, when it becomes her shroud. In Scandinavia a very similar custom prevails. The bride gives her future husband a shirt, which he wears during the marriage ceremony. After that, when once he has doffed it, no matter to what depths of poverty lie may descend, he never wears that shirt again till he lies in his coffin awaiting burial. In parts of the Tyrol the bride's mother gives her daughter what ia known as the "tearkerchief," woven in fine linen, with which she is supposed to dry her eyes at the ceri ?,iony. Afterwards she put3 this away, and it i- not used again till it is laid over her face when she is dead. Tears, or the semblance cf them, plnv an important part in 'weddings in Fiji. When a couple have been pronounced man nnd wife they each go back to their own home until evening, when the bridegroom and guests assemble at the house of the bride, whp. sitting on a raised platform, weeps and wails with awful vigour. Each guest in turn brings her an offering, and implores her to dry her tears; but she refuses to be comforted until, peeping through her fingers, she sees that no more presents are forth- coming. She then dries up with astonish- ing alatrity, and allows her husband to lead her away to their future home.

During January twelve Norwegian vessels, with an aggregate gross tonnage of 18,805 tons, were lost through the war. Eight Nor- wegian sailors lost their lives. Liberalism has lost an ardent supporter in Mr. George Wallington, of Chesham, who acted for many years as registration agent for the Mid-Bucks Division. Professor George Lebour, the Vice-Prin- cipal of Armstrong College, Newcastle, has died at Corbridge. Me was seventy years of age, and had been on the staff of the College for forty-five years. Sentence of six months' imprisonment was passed at Marl borough-otreet Police-court on Edward G. Copping, a Kingsway porter, who was charged with stealing thirty letters and sever*! cheques.

I TEA TABLE TALK. —— —— It has long been a well-known fact b¡¡b Queen Mary has often trimmed her owJl Kats, as also has Queen Maud of NorwaY, Priucess Patricia of Connaught, too, is a clever m illiner, and her sister, the CroW Princess of Sweden, has often looked oharIJl" ing in hats which s he has trimmed herself. There are many Society women who are experts with their needles, and who can turO an ugly "shape into a beautiful "creation" l (says a contemporary). One. of these is Lady Cheylesmore, and she has several times woIl « prizes at hat-trimming competitions. Lady' E Maitland, too, is a clever milliner, and she lull once organised a sale cf hats, elle ry tak< made or trimmed bv her c?vn h.tndn. Lady ? <?iot Hervey-Bat-hur?t has trimmed many pretty J a n hats, and tx'fore her marriage she had a mil- & i .s b (, hi4d a mil- a i linery shop in Sloane-squave.. Mrs. Arthur She Weigall is another Society woman who would den' make a small fortune as a milliner. bur< 1 be Madame Melba, the famous singer, wasr inte when a girl, strongly discouraged by her for father from embarking on a career as a Did vocalist. Her first appearance in public she she planned secretly, but the affair coming taocct the ears of her father, he, much enraged, gaz' begged his friends to have nothing to do A with the venture, the result being that only ^ou two persons attended the performance. lie chil Lady Bathurst, who is proprietress of the befr "Morning Post," was serving tea to an Aus- Pau tralian soldier at a London railway buffet c' one afternoon. She was tired, and her khaki-clad "customer" started to condole to with her. "How long have they kept you leal working here to-day? he asked. The smil- War ing Countess said she had been on dutv since OtaT early in the morning. "And they don't overpay you, I'll wager? queried the Aus- /Sbe tradian. "I am not paid anything." "What I Working for your keep, are you? Too bad! Pe I'll see about this." And the tall soldier started off with the expressed intention of  interviewing the "manager." It took some r time to convince him that the workers an j/ volunteered their time and services. 4tou One of the favourite stories of that popu- 1a1 lar writer, Mrs. Stanley Wrench, concerns a. 3.; small boy who was asked by his teacher: "What proof have we from the Bible that it  is not lawful to have more than one wife?  "Because," answered the boy without hesita- ° tion, "it sayn that no man can serve two ti r tioii, '?lt sayi thit no man can f-A-,rve twotig? masters. «po Up till the outbreak of the war the Queeitt "rn of Rumania took a deep personal interest in 114er the School of Domestic Economy for Ru- for manian girls, which she founded with a sum 1,1 of money subscribed by Rumanian women as  a wedding present at the time of her mar- *? riage. Once, on one of her periodical visits, the Queen asked one of the pupils, a bright- a looking little lass, how she was progressing In with her studies. "Oh, first rate, ma'am," ^r>l replied the child, with ready assurance. ul "I'm the best HCholar in th? class." "In- I 'm °° deed!" said the Queen. "I'm very -!ad to ?° hear it. When did your teacher tell you so? u This morning?" "Oh, no, ma'am," came the '?? unexpected answer. "Teacher didn't te!! ei(i me. I just noticed it myself." bai Queen Marie is the first woman accepted \Vj] for membership of the French Academy of "'il Fine Arte. The Queen is an artist of great < talent, and also a clever writer. Her de- pu scriptive essays in "My Country," published i wi in aid of the British Red Cross, form j Co wonderful pen-pictures. To a British friend he the Queen once remarked: "It. is by nc ] means sufficient for a woman to be beauti- 8tt ful in these days. She must be useful, and interesting. That, is why I have had my fu girls taught most things, and allowed them ,-a to read everything." raf du Dame Furse D.B.E., the cliief of the- a& Women's Royal Naval Service, has many a good stories reminiscent of her connection* xii with the Y.A.D. organisation. Ono of the' ca best concerns a certain lady who, peering to at the plain red ribbon on an old soldier's trl tunic, inquired what it was for. "Eighteen j years of undetected crime, madam," replied fo the veteran gravely. The point of the joke, ta of course, is that the red ribbon denotes la that the wearer holds the Good Conduct th Medal, granted only after eighteen joars oi "h exemplary service. SlJ <. tv ftJ Lady Mackworth, Lord Rhondda's only ot daughter, is the most notable bvsiness tl woman in Britain, and director of no fewer 04 than twenty-seven business concerns. The t* fact that one of them is the once German- owned Sanatogen Company, recalls the amus- t1 ing experience of a journalist who was try- n ing to interview Lady Mackworth. He It hunted her all over London, but in vain. Finally, he tried the offices of Sanatogen. t "Is Lady Mackworth here? he .asked the i office-boy. "No," was the reply. "Do you know where she is?" "No. I don't. But I r can tell you this much," the lad added, con- .1 fidently, and obviouslv recalling similar f a questions in the firm's "German days, "she « ain't interned yet! f t Miss Marie Novello, the well-known. 1 pianist, once made an interesting confess j sion to a friend. Some years ago, she said, 1 a Canadian admirer proposed to her. She declined the offer. Later, her would-be 1 suitor beard her play the piano. Meeting a friend the next day, he said: "Perhaps, after t all, it's just as well that she wouldn't have { me. From the way she caressed and hit. I that instrument, I rei-li,d that I could 1 never be first in her affections." The com- pliment was duly passed on to its subject. ] The ex-Empress Eugenie of France lives at Farnborpugh in Hampshire. Although ex- tremely wealthy, she keeps but a very small household, and does little in the Way of entertaining. In her grounds is the mauso- Ileum where her husband and son are buried a spot which she visits every day when she is at home. The ex-Empress gives largely to charity, and is extremely popular with alL classes round and about Farnborough. Miss Gencviéve Ward, the distinguished" actress, speaking of dramatic art, once said: How can you play such a part?' '-for ex- ample, t. t of an unscrupulous adventuress I -is asked of an actress who, in private life,, is known as being kind, generous and candid beyond the average. Well,' she j might reply, that is where art comes in. If a. paanter could paint only himself his sub- I jects would soon be exhausted.'

A BOARD THAT NEVER MEETS. I There is no more familiar title among Government department6 than the Board of Trade. It seems to be responsible for all' kinds of things and all sorts of undertak- ing and happenings. It consistn of a presi- dent and a large number of members, among whom are reckoned the Archbishop of Can- terbury and the Speaker of the House of Commons! By law these members have a right to be called to discuss questions of, i trade and to help the President to shape his- policy, yet the fact remains no meetings are ever held! The President never dreams of sailing his committee together. He does; much as he likes, comes to his own de- cisions, and then announces that "the Board. thinks so and so." One wonders what would happen if the Archbishop or some other n member were to insist upon being consulted. that this surprising method of doing busi- ness should cease. The Board of Trade does not stand alone. Every school teacher in, the land knows that "My Lords say this- and "My Lords" rule that. Their full title is "The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council on Education but they never meet, and the Vice-President would probably be puzzled to name half a dozen of them. The Minister of Education rules withoiit- "My Lords," but in their name. Thus do they get credit for the good they do and are a refuge in the day of storm.

.——— ————- Sir Henry Babington Smith, K.C.B., having ceased to act as Chairman of the Board of Referees, the Minister of Muni- tions has appointed Mr. Ernest Moon, K.C. C.B., to eucoeed him.