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L JILL RIGHTS RESERVED.] A FACTORY LASS OR j | THE STRANGE STORY OF VIOLET ty t  BY  ? I MARION WARD. Author of Love's Thorny Path." H& F?if Author of Love.'ii Thorny Path:" 1- f-9m. Fo?w Lady,"?cc. CHAPTER IX. 1 I A. ."DEVOTED FATHEE." J i your -name? I v at a factory before? "Where do you come from?" These nddowns of other questions were hurled at Violet Mason on her first morning' at Preston's when, at'the Welcome sound of the "bull" proclaiming the release, for the dinner-hour, the girls and women rushed out f from the close confinement of the press-rooms' into the summer sunshine. I Violet answered as well as she .could, ,Uut [ the questioners thought her very uncomQiu- i riicative, and Clara Pratt, a young lady with | r a mop of flaxen hair and a vary elegant waist, who seemed to be a sort of lender among them, Tetorted that she <Jidn't believe | i word of her story, for no girl who had been five years at Dariey's would come to t Preston's. f j Why," declared this firebrand, "it's all 6nct hort-commons here. I really wonder they don't fine us for sneezing;" it's about the only thing we are to do without I paying a halfpenny." "Violet ate the hunch of bread and half Violet at.e the hunch of bread and Tialf saveloy she had brought with her in a corner of the yard. She waa ready to go bade to worka1. the" first sound of the "bull," but .she was con scions, of feeling more tired and inert than sire had. ever donev at Barley's. She had laboured the same number of hours at pre- oSfely *tte eanie Rort of work which she had been doing for the last five years, but she was tilled out. She had « dufl" h"Vy feeling about Iier eyes, her head~aciied badly, ar.d it -.seemed as though she had hardly strength to go on till- the hour of reioAse. Never in all hp* life had she been so glad as she was to get away from the stuffy -place where she had toiled. It. was a' relief even to be out in the open air, though the in- tense heat of the August sun still made the pavements scorching to her feet. Tired as she was, she did not go to sleep for a Ion! thne after she was in bed, she had so much to think of, and she could not tfainlf clearly in the noise and tntfeoil. that ,w-'én.t .oh at Preston's.' She puzzled her W&ins tp find an explanation of her not being able to find her aunt's old pocket- • The old maid had always been cautious and even suspicious; if she took it into her head that her papeps were not eafe in the little cupboard in the wall, she would have removed them at once. The more Violet .thought over things, the more she felt that Aunt Hannah had found sarao other hiding-place for the pocket-book just before her death, and in the agony and con- ftl!;ioa of her last momenta had totally for- gotten this, telling Violet to look for it in the place where it had been so long. The poor girl awoke tired and languid, Re., d and. with the same dull pain in her head, but shk" was up betimes, Mid passed through the gates of Preston's before the "bull" had even begun to soilnd. "Oh, yes," said Clara Pratt, spitefully, when she canie up with Violet, new b?!??s (.weep clean! You won't be so des- P4??ict-Ual when you've been here a j?Mh' or two my lady. Clara was m the same room as the new press girl, and. she scelned. to take a delight in worrying and hindering Violet by every means iu her power. was nqt heartless nor wilfully cruel, but she wa3 of an intensely, jealous nature, i and haying been the prettiest girl -at Pres- ton's her since she first -C-"yn4, there, a year before, shoe was not pleased at the advent "Of a rival like Violet for the rew Lyirl's lively face made her tremble for her place as' the belje of the factory. "Sava she was at Darley's, does sIter" isang out Clara Pratt that evening, just as the girls were hurrying out of the work- 7WPl, • "f 'don't believe a"' word about It She lor)ks like a lady., not a factory girl, ajjd who's to say rhe's not a lady. and just eome to Preston's to spy out what goes • Oil ?" .The companion to whom this sadly waa addressed hardly heeded it, for she was used to CL.ra Pratt's wild words, but the » eh }¡flpn-:xl to reach the ears of a man CiMcd Barly, the assistant overseer, .and a AI great favourite with, Joseph Preston, the inanager in chief. jfartj said nothing then, but the next inorning, as Clara Pratt was hurrying in. ;« the porter whose duty it was to mark thfe V hands as they tiled past him, Called out to her, "You are to go to Mr. Barty's room, Misa Pjrat" vB'eas mer," said Clara sharply, "is he going give me a present? I'm sure he. could buy me Quite a handsome one out of all the fines he s .taken off my screw lately." < She was. a bold, high-spirited girl, and not in the least frightened at the prospect of an encounter with Barty. Indeed, curi- osity was her strongest feeling when she prescMd herself in the room where he stood waiting for her. lT What's up P" demanded Clara. "I ain't done nothing that I know of." I heard you say something yesterday, and I want you to explain your worde. "What was it? I talk a lot, but I don't think I'm mysterious enough to want an answered saucily. Yon said yesterday that the new ■ band, Violet Mason, was not a factory girl at all, but a lady who had come here to spy out what is going on." Yes, I did say so," admitted Clara. I can't bear, the look of that girl, and I don't know that it's a crime to say what I think a bo-i her." It's no crime," replied Barty, "but look heW, Clara Pratt, what made you say it? You've got to tell me that, so 'don't beat about the bush any longer. What did you mean by your wordsr U "L call *it an ugly trick to cross-question me like this," returned Clara. I didn't mean you to hear what I said, so you oughtn't to bother me to explain." t "You've got to tell me what you nieaiit Why do yotl. say Violet Ms son was not at Darleyts, and what could she find out here if she came, to spy ever so ? A more nervous girl would have quaked with fClr at the man's bullying tone, but Clara Pratt was not in the least afraid, and would have told Barty what she thought of him with a very little provocation. "If I tell you the truth, you are not to fly out at me, because you have brought it "Right," said Party, what you tell me will not be used against you, so now lire away." Viol^ et Mason's not like the rest of us", said Clara sloWjy; "she speaks different .,uouiebow, and. ghoe; more of a. lady. Then y. • know girls who've been at Darley's, and v all praise it up and say none of the ««. hands are ever- dismissed except-for wilful bitd conduct. Mason doesn't look the sort to be • downright bad, so I thought maybe spe d never been to Darley's at all. Then J vy> .Heard there's a fresh inspector,' a geutle- 121:1 II wlios newto the post and's set hia Mir-la on improving the conditions of the hapds, Ll"d 6R. that. sort of thing. It' came J into ray head that, if he eould get a friend of his ova in here; he'd find out a sight more about the wa^ things go on at Preston's thaii by payiHg half-a-dozen visits to the factory, unless they were surprise ones." It was an audacious speech, Preston's being noted for tiyinff to evade the laws refy-oating, factories, and .to .hoodwink 1 H.M.I., which magic letters stood for His Majesty's Inspector." Barty had heard a I lit.jo about Mr. Chesney, the new inspector, too, had heard that iO was tr mab' or' "gdo&X family with a keen interest in hie work, and: a liking for philanthropy; added to which St- waa rumoured that Mr. Chesney "wrote for the papers," and Preston's had a very strong objection to any of their little ways and COBtoiqp getting into print. rIll not at all sure but what you've hit th? right 'nail on the head, Clara Pratt," said ?P. Barty deliberately. "Now look Sere, just you keep an eye on Mason, and if yvi find out anything that proves your suspicions, come Here and report to me. It will be ten shillings or so in your pocket if you hold your tongue and do as I tell you "All riht," said Clara, #jut whezlg the inspector ooming? u r expect hun, at the end of the week, but we shall have notice beforehand, I've a r ed for that." arraWngell, 1 hope you'll tell the tool-maker in our room it's your fault I'm late, Mr. Barty, or he11 knock a sight of fines off my eorew." v "I'll see to that," Barty promised. Clara's place was so near to Violet Mason's that she could watch her foe while fi&miiSgly. attending ozdv,-to-- -her- own, proas, But, though sbe kept a ;^fcrict !"thxt, day, she \W nothiHg worth rY )r-t- bg to Barty. The new hand worked steadily on; she looked very white and tired, but she did not idle for a eingie minute, and she got through quite as much work as anyone else in the room. When the week had dragged. on till Thurs- day, a great surprise awaited Violet Mason. On coming to "Work as usual, ehe found that' several girls had been, removed from her room, so that insteadof being painfully crowded tbdre pleiity Of space, the floor had been newly swept and washed over, the windows werepef1 to adnHt the fresh air, and instead of resembling the black hole of Calcutta, the place was light,, airy and not ovciMjrowded. Violet wondered if this etate of things was to continue, but dared not ask anyone, though the girls near her were not so reticent, and from their comments Violet soon learned the truth. Preston's 'had had a word of warning that the new inspector., Mr. Ches- ney, might "look in" that morning, and Preston's had duly prepared itself for the: honour (unwelcome though it was). The warning proved correct, for soon after eleven o'clock the door of {he roora where Violet and Clara Pratt were employed opened suddenly, and Mr. Joseph Preston himself appeared at the side of a tall young mah wjth dark, curly brown hair, !arge, thoughtful brown ?yes, and such a frank, kindly face that mogt 'of ;'the girls at '3*res- to!ltI thought him the pledsan test-looking "toff" they had ever seen. Violet Mason lifted her eyes for one moment, and thee i ?et them drooagain over her work, for she let them droop the inspector at 'çnce, having ¡ had recognised' eccn him twice before, and though till now she had never heard his name, she cottld not { be mistaken in his face. He was the stranger f who had found a chair-for her at Blackpool i Station when he mistook her for Miss Avenel, the man wliom Nora Smith had | pointed fiiit to her at Miss Lorrimer's wed < ding as CApt-ain Carlefcon's best man. S! kept her eyes bent over Tier work, and only ? Clara Pratt noticed the flood of pink which 5 dyed her face and throat, a blush" whicy, faded quickly, leaving her even paler than j before. r Mr. Chesney looked at everything in the room, inspected the presses and the girls, I asked several questions about ventilation, j the highest number of employees working there and so oft. Mr. Joseph assured him the rftorti .%as: fffi«r#ys "'ss e$cso»-:«nd: wejl-venti- ,Ja.t:: a UoW, aprd thai the-girls never, ex- ceeded the number theU present. J And—will i& be' tclicV-ed'?—oi> che of the ;113.n" cotitradiete-d- -him; even the toolr h a.n d s., held ?ia  gt?e? T  d. 'a??. ?r  t, ?t& t han.. any one jjlse, in thfe; room, apd knew the through and through, let the man -er' ctsatoment pass unchallenged. I "Did you ever see that chap before?" she asked Violet Mason, when the manager and inspector 'had left- Violet altered the form of question before she answered it. "ffhe inspector came round at Darley's every now and again, though we never knew beforehand; but be.was a much older man, with gity hair and whiskers." He' didziOt stay so long as this man either. He only jiist head in aod gave a Ioo I round." Sho., s-poke so simply and naturally that Clara Pratt began to think she had been f mistaken after all; cjnd that Vio:<t ii ad really been a hand at Durley's and left ior t some quite ordinary reason. t Another thing had tended to Gcvfteff i Clarae" feelings towards the new gii-1-: "Bill II Johnson, a young fellow whose she hoped to win, had been d?pp?d -to ad- j V?,n,.qf? M«sopbut tH? letter repVlsed I VtielapT of Us to pa? her aH*'?tIt'D? and -only the night before -she had walked j aild- OULT tlie night beforo ?Zhe 1-??aod librac with 'hL P!%iiies-b,di?lle?A girr, in tle ptess-rooro. rather-;than accept hi ,&l¡, accept Ili& don't %P-Iicve ?M,,ison Clarke S?a,! Verdict; "a?d ?pr aH she's so pKtfy, ?ho ? doesn't put herself forward or try tp lord it over any of us. I'm a" bit sorry that 'Barty* | heard me when J 3poke out my mind" the other day, for he'd sack her in a moment if ] he thought she was in with the inspector, | and then I should have taken her bzxad I away, so to 13hy." j So Clam. Pratt jeported to the assistant j overseer Jlat she had not discovered any- j thing to prove tha.t Violet Mason was not whfit )-;he had represented herself. "I watched her all the time the inspector was in our room. She never once looked at him, and ho didn't speak to her at all. I < found out something else that makes me tHnk Mason's straight. She said f¡he'cI. lived in Hi 11 ton Street ever since she could j remember, and that seems to ptove she" is | Really a working- girl, and not just a spy." j "If it's true," snapped Mr. Barty; b u t s he may' have been hoodwinking you. Just i Keep your evcs open, that's all. And Clara promispd that, she would. Violet Mason did not see so much of. hfr friend Nora. as ehe had hoped roo Mr&. Smith, without exactly forbidding tlie inter- course (Nora would have disobeyed1 her promptly had she attempted that), managed to make it very 'difficult for Nora. to find much -time to- devote to Violet. In o!d -times, though" Nortt never enterod Miss- Mason's I attic, Violet had been always welcome at the Smiths'" house; but now-this was closed ;to her, afnd so the girls, robbed of their walk to and from Darley's together, as well as their constant intercourse at the factory, had to depend on chance meetings in the streets. Their friendship was uncharged, and as warm as ever, but their opportunities for being together were but scanty, and by time' Violet had been three weeks at Preston's it seemed ages since she had had a ix-al long talk." with Nora. And then something happened which madf" Violet forget her poverty and loneliness, Sam Thorne's persecution and all it had cost her. A ■ letter • came to Hinton Street which set every nerve in her bodv throbbing with eagerness and filled her sad heart with glad- ness, for it seemed to pronfise that vt!ry soon phe would have a real home of her own and a father who loved her dearly. The letter- came on a Saturday mortnng, it was in an ordinary envelope and written in a. clear masculine hand, but its contents were such a surprise to Violet that at first she thought she must surely be dreaming. "Greenlands, Oakley, "Grange End. "Mr DARLING CHILD, I don't know how much Miss M&sop may have told you of your own history, but I urn vpur father, and, now that I rnn. back in 1 En Jfland.! my dearest wish is to claim my HtUe gU'1 and take her to live with me. More than twenty years ago I lost my wife -lom r mother-aiid as- r. was forced .tpy go, -to' India, where my relations had -pfio- i cured me a poet, I had to leave my. eaby girl bellind me. Hannah Mason had known my wife from childhood, and for her sake she* agreed to look after my motherless child. I gave Ije*: a hundred pounds, ajl the money I coulit" lay hold of, alidi promised to send more from Indja; • and she pledged Her word to tal-4, every care of you, ( M.isforlne pursued me in India, I 194 my post in -less than a year, and after tliait* I went through poverty and hardship of every., kind. It was only a few months ago that I got. on sufficiently to return' to England aild make a home for my daughter. X cannot come to Birqfngham, Violet, because the place is too fall of sad memories of '\srife, bet I have taken a' pleasant ho-use & few miles out, and I Want you to join rfre there, at once. Come po JÍ1e.: on -tift-d a,y afternoon, and I will tifell' you- alt the circimstanees wWch foisped me to fo«v« my child so long to a stranger's eare. I long to see yep. Viofet, so don't refuse me sight of ray only child, but come over early ^i& the aftemooni and let us "nd a few yhiours togetlser,- • even though yau: ma:f\ agree to shale-my You must take the train to Grange End. Oakley ? iBu hamlet a?ut two m?les from the station, and anyone will- tell vou the "way to st,?Ltilo"* and anyone -oili tell 370 u tile -WAY tb Locking forward to seeing you., my darling, "Year devoted father, I fI ALGÉIHffiN 'WINTBE." ■ It lu. d oome- at last, the chfi-nce she had longed for of hearing her own story, of end- ing someone of her own flesh and bloOKt! There was no question in Violet's- mind, no doubt at her heart; from the moment she read her father's letter she knew there couid be but one answer to it. She would go to Ureeniands that afternoon. What a happy, happy chance that it was Saturday, the day when she left the factory at one 1. There was no one to warn her that sbewne. lro;.lllg into danger, no one to whisper of the perils that awaited her, and so Violet Mason, in her best black dress, left New Street for Grange End by the two o'clock trajn, full of JOYous expectation! | (To be Continued.)
IGREAT MEN'S ,SIGNATURES.…
GREAT MEN'S SIGNATURES. I.  ? I The late Lord Kitchener would never willingly succumb- to the autograph hunter. A certain young lady, wet! known in Society however, once got the better of him, i-n sp fif himself. She made a good round bet with her fiance that she would wheedle it out of 'him by some means or other She heard some friends discussing a charitable scheme that the great soldier was interested in; and she sent him a subscription, but, wHy girl, well within the amount, of her. bet with h lover. A grateful note of thanks was sent hyRlhhellr secretary; but. of course, the cheque was endorsed by the great man him- self, and returned to her through her bank pa-ss-book. Kitchener had a way entirely hit; own when persistently badgered by auto- coficetors. To one he said, "Go away young man. and make your own 'signature worth something." Carlyle and Lord Tenny- o 5on were bcth tricked by the same fiend. Thf poet one day received an eloquent letter ask- ing his permission tü a ship just about to be launched named after him. Tomvson %j-ota -back readily grantiirg the favour. 'A* day -or. two latet told the inci- •deift 'to. Carlyle, wl^o esclaimed; f^ir.hc'.snino both. -1 had; AA" such a J<tt..L Irom hwh t.his, njo^niug, b4 1 ph my pemidsion; tjoo." II; (Ii, p 1, t
-. tR? I I li, ?? ?- - "!.?…
tR? I I li, ?? ?- "? ? -1 1.  BAGGED FOR BIWNSNG COAU I IK I  -1 i- ?- In the reign of Edward I. the. inhabitants, of Iwndot!" .petitioned the the growing use ofJ coal, "declarihg- that it was "a pimlic uHii^ahco, coWruptdjag the air with, its stink-&nd^?Hioke, t,D".the great detri-rnent of their Whereupon the King prohibited its use, offenders" to be punished for a first offence by a fine, and for a seebnd to have theii: Ifiins .and furnaces destroyed. The practice of using coal was at length made a capital -ogence. and a pian was tried, condemned, and hanged for coal. in London. In 'those days the population this. pountrv probably did not exceed four or five millions, and wood was "plentiful and cheap from 'th? vast forests that covered tens (jf  of 'squar miles where EfAf tens of tbousAnds of square miles where noVr are great tcwae. f
-,I A GREAT LONE LAND.I -,I.
I A GREAT LONE LAND. I The biggest and lonest land on the globe is Siberia. Anyone who would set about its j congest by'invasion would find the task 0 herculean one, for it coiltain?' ne;iily minion Square miles? and is about fprty'-fiye 1 H?es a,? big as the Útish Is?s! ?c t?be?61 Yast spaces ??re is, a popu?tion J" s than' London coRtfucs by a couple' of Dnlh, and tl?re :iro hundreds of thousands of I ..r-i;es cf territory where 110 human 'being is to be Seen: The mighty rivers of Siberia are almost, rendered useless by the fact that tlipy flo-A, mostly into the Arctic Oceon, and their lower courses are ice-bound during the greater part of the year,, and their months are at all times very difficult < j of access. Arctic Siberia is a vast couary. in itself, but very iuhospitabJe. But under progressive government it could, like the Great North-West of Canada, be opened up and largely cultivated, and there ought to be a. great fufute for colonists if ever ttie. conditions sro brought under more en- lightened influences, Siberia, it is said, is destined to be the granary of the ivbrld J and the ofening of the railway across its en- 'I tire breaSth ias certainly dene much to develop its resources. ■■ ■ 1 1 1 ■
I I.SEA CATERPILLARS. t- '…
SEA CATERPILLARS. t- j Caterpillars populate the ocean in billions, and grow intc, crabs if the Greenland whale does not eat them first. They are miptite little things, about the size of salt graiM. As children roll before they walk, .30 cra caterpillars begin by literally looping the loop, from one epot to; another. Greenland, whales like them on account of their dimi- nutive siae. Having no teeth and very small throats, the whales find- them the. most convenient form, of diet. They simply pass through 'i'be 6hoal with their mouth open, squirt {It;t fee water, and then swallow.
HOW GLOWWORMS GLOW.
HOW GLOWWORMS GLOW. Luminous earthworms, found on the slopes' of Table Mountain, have been described. Certain cells formed in the body cavity' are discharge both mouth and anal, open- ings of the alimentary canal, and the light is found to result from the oxidation of small fat-like particles existing in these 9ells with "various other inclusions.*
[No title]
A man admitted to Watford "Workhouse was found to be in possession of 500 sover- eigns, which he had been carrying about with him is small pockets in a belt. "I can ycu rathor a coward to roly on having ■ exemption," said Mr. kHaldin, X.C., chairman of the special tribunal at the Guildhall, a Russian of ninete-nr: who appeared as en interpreter and said thst he held an tsercption.
IHOME DRESSMAKING, -
I HOME DRESSMAKING, [ A WEIdfCDT APEON. [Thif week I am giving a pittern of a r well-cut and practical apron, sketched beloW, with a bib of sensible size. Many people t think it a waste of tSmo fco make tiucn articles at home, preferring to. buy the ready-made afticle. This is Till a-mietake. It is- fax cheaper to make at home, the material- being better, while it fits better, is more com- fortable, and is much better made. [Refer to H. D. 256.] I • -J THB ^MATERIAL.—First, the material. Quite the. best fabric to use for this pattern is ,apron'linen;' but this has now risen-to such i a price" that many of us canhot afford it. A good substitute is union, a mixture. of cotton and- linen, which rwears and washes remark- ably Vtfll. 'Other sititatilis materials arp French print, gingham, strong twill cotton, Bolton sheeting, holland, casement cloth, and zephyr. The pattern, including the little h-ill-aleeves, will take 21 yards of 48iii. tfido; material. THE PATTtRN.There are six pieces in this pattern, all of which, however, are very ti-ovie in -shape;. In addition, you will re- oriire a lining for iihe waistan but this does not need a pattern, as it is simply a straight strip' of material." Remember -that 96 turnings are -allowed for in the pattern, ¡ 80 it is wise to leave about fin. on all seams, ample material to turn in for hems. j THE CCTTINO '()uT.Fold the material r selvedges together and lay the pattern upon it, as s'hown in the .Idiakram. The straight (edge of. the apron skirt and the bib, you will notice, are laid to the fold of the r Material. So, too, is the belt, -which then only needs splitting down the iAiddle and you haye your waistband facing all ready. "Hem the open backs of the I apron skirt, along each edge- Turn up a aoop hem a- "the bottom of the apron, and sew very neatly. Next turn in and tack doWn all the edges of the pockets, except the one which forms the opening into the pocket, -make -a. neat hem to that edge. Now J)in the pockets in place on the apron and nitiehine round edge. Make a neat, small hem rMznd all' the* edges of the bib, except at the bottom. Turu, in, the raw edges of the belt and its, lining, and tack down. Now gather the bottom of- the bib and sandwich it between the top edges of the waistband and its lining,1 and tack together. Sandwich the > gathered top -of the apron in the same way between the tower edge of the belt and hnng. and tack firmly. Next, machin?'the bctt all round the' Mges. Sew on the but- tons and make the buttonholes, remember- ing, of course, that the long -Rnds.,of -the bib crose at the-back. Turn a hem down at the top of the sleeve, and gathep the bot- tom. Turn in the raw edges of the cuff, fold it, and sandwich the edge of the sleeve between the edges of the cuff, machine neatly all Touiid. Join the edges of. the sleeve by French sewing. Thread the. hem at the. top of the eleeve with elastic. t, HOW TO OBTAIN Paper Pattern of the above APRON.. Fill in this form and send it, with remittance in stamps, to MISS LISLE. 8, La Belle Sanvage, LONDON, %.C. 4. 2jriteiclearlj. Name —————— Address ————-—————— Pattern No. PAPER PATTERNS, Price 9d. each, post free. ¡ 1 PATTERNS cu,t to special nieastire, t76 each. MISS LISIAS kM be pleased to receive safiaestjons and to illustrate dcsi'nw of-" teneral -use ..to' te HOME DRESSMAKER.
.. I I IN ME POULTRY YARD,…
I IN ME POULTRY YARD, Ii By COCKCROW. 1 JOLD WEATHER FEEDING. I When the weather is very cold some poultry-keepers supply their poultry-houses with artificial heat, but really this is quite unnecessary. The air inside the house may fall very much, but if the birds are fed in a proper and efficient iiianhor no artificial heat is necessary, Of course, it is necessary, be- sides feeding them properly, to house them projierTy. They must be effectively protected against winds and draughts, and i this is done you have no need to supply artificial beat. During, the cold weather the birds should be given a greater proportion of food of a heat-producing nature, otherwise the. Jfcods that are given for the purpose of ob- taining eggs go to a great extent to main- tain the heat of the body. Therefore, re- member that if vou wish to have a full egg- basket during the winter months you must feed your birds liberally. Jj, Foods. that are rich in carbo-hydrates essential. During the cold' weathet- such < WARMING FOODS NEEDED. loods as bariey meal, maize meal, and boiled potatoes may be given the birds in fairly large quantities. Sucb meals as those named are often hard to obtain in these times, but whenever possible give them to your birds. It is sometimes possible to obtain the by- products of cornflour manufacture and small potatoes, or "chats" as they are called. If these are mixed with a milling offal of good quality, scraps from the household, scraps from the butcher's shop, such as pluck, etc., and fiah or bone meal, you have a very valu- able soft food. During- the cold weather the birds should not- be allowed to drink water that is icy cold. A good plan w to just take the chill off it. In the mash do not forget to add a little mustard—it is a great wanner. Grain sh.ould be scattered among the litter for the birds. In this way they are kept in a state of activity, which will do a great deal towards keeping them .waim.. Give the birds a generous supply of green food, and do not omit grit and, a duit bath. In many t poultry prde too litt)e attention is paid to the birds' ne?ts. PuHete a day or HAV4CLICAN NESTS. two off laymg can be seen looking about in every direction for a p1aœ of com- fort to lay 'thir first egg. If you make the nests fed comfortable, -and bilild in a proper the birds wilf quickly" find them. The nests- najist be kept L.aly clean and fresh. A' Jittle • atten.- tiofi to- tbip matter often prevents birds from, laying awav from- .home. If your birds, suffer froin this, bid hitbtt, A habit that is expen- sive for the keeper, you should look to the nests to see that they are clean and sweet. It is in yonr interests to keep the nests elean. « Now is the time to. dispose of an unprofit- able birds. In tllese Iutrd times vou should Ux PROFIT ABLE STOCK. not keep any bird that is more than two years old. They are past, their period of prolific laying, and cost I more to keep than the.y pioduee. When you gQt rid o( the un get rid of the unprofitable stock you not only reduce the cost of feeding yo"i»r stock, yo-Ltr stoc k but you folate more room for tke birds which you expect to keep your egg-basket full du the '.winter. You will also be able to devote more time to your- "winter layers: Get your unproiltal.Je, ,gtotk fattened up as quickly as possible, so that tthey may be used. for table purposes. Don't let them Ijang about until the Christmas season comes aloul,-that k, n 1-yIrieine a greater ex- pense to yourself. Kill them eff as soon as possible. One of the rcoet popular breed cf fowls in the United States is the Rhode Island THE RaODE ISLAND RED. Red. It is occult to say wMcb of- the tbrco is ;h,- 1 I most popular, "the white Wvandotte, the white Leg- horn, or the Rhode I¡"laL.:1 Red. It was in- troduced into this country a few year? -ago, ■tfbere; it at once, found--favour, and it has continued, to progress ever The Rhcdfec lilaud Red "is* a very hardy'* and vigorous breed, and will thrive we»j! almost anywhere,' even wheu the soil -is of a clay nature, and if a bird can thrive on soil such as this you m `ly-- sure ile- it is of sound constitution. The heris are prolific layers, and if hatched' at the right time of year may be depended on to Jay throughout the winter months. The esrgs are of a good size, brown in colour atcf of a "VoErv fine flavour. Rhode' Island ec-cierel^ make ex- cellent taftle fowls, iLht- being an abund- ance of good quality fltsl on the breast and wings. If you are starting with poultry in these times one of the first things to iementber I H L-i TS TO BKGINKEHS. is rnat xne RIlla wiiicn payu I to kP' j the best, and if" you want tin* best you must not, go loraid looking for the cheapest you c.In find vrif.or in "Poultry ")., It costs just as much to feed a.bad, layer as a good ore, and wbeieus the former is a money loser the latter is a money maker. The difference to yen in the beginning is that you will have to invest a .little more money, but it" should be remem- ;)ered that the initial purchase influences your future operations, and to make a bad statt with low grade stock it- a, definite step towards failure. Another important point to rerliem-ber is that if your birds are to start earning profit at onoe they must be kept under favourable ceiK^ticiLs lor egg- production. Such conditionp will: not be found in too old-fashioned open runs, where the birds hnve to paddle about in the mud -or take refuge in • a littje- -roosting house' whenever it rains, or blows. Study a -good" book to get an irsi-ht into the -feeding question, and .reml:J,er tliat to Isy eggs hcns mMst have the proper in??diMits °to make them. This is more imp* ortant, in these days of feeding economy, as many makeshift foods are lacking m albuminoid constituents, which have to", too i-eiclere^d by the addition of such ic&terials as meat- meal, fish-meal, etc. ANSWERS TO COREESIONDENTS. Silver Badge.-Yes, grass can be used as a scratching material. Pull it out by the roots and then dry. it. As a scratching material it is very good, being tough and clean. The birds enjoy it. and a? it can be .had for nothing it cvertaiiiiy canno't bo called dear. W. X.-It is a good" plan tc have the gl'it | boxes raised from tbe floor, espe-ciaJ ly at thi.s time of the year. The birds sbot*id be* allowed as much, E-vor srac,,e for ratc-liing as possible.
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A school of tactics has Ircen f d at Camix-rley under the corhr'; of ihe War Office, to provide fcirfcer train- ing for senior officers of r. 31 ,:j':w< t' Tempv. Lieutenant ne Ear! of H -sex la gazetted tempy. captaks. Ilex; e" Service. Sir Stephen Penfold. ct (f Fewest'IT-J?, has been chosen to H] 'tT.ai ,t• £ -<•« 5fc-r twelfth time.
j OUR LONDON LETTER. I OUR…
j OUR LONDON LETTER. I OUR LONDON LETTER. 1 I [Frcrm Our Special Correspondent.} It was the happiest week-end in Londoit for more than four years. Many people must have recalled that week «a.d in August. 1914, when the war was just beginning and it was etill doubtful whether Britain would bo in it or not. The shadow of war hung over us then, terrible and menacing. Few of us at thzt time thought that the world would be under that shadow for more t-haa four years. There have been times of grei-t anxiety since then, with "occasional gleajpt of hope and foretastes of victory. Ai;d sino?- the German offcrleive of this year was de- feated and the victorious advance of the Allies began, we have seen the gradual lift- ing of the shadow. So long had v:e beeo waiting and looking for vlcrtory that vc, were almost afraid to think at first that ;:t was dawning. We had hoped before, b. t the, war ■ kept on..Surely we ro"ui.t.. be f- ceivhig ourselves once more. But if we ar<c- ?ow to bfhe?e in viete^, G^rinr.ny has .seeak Tl;at is L piamfy th,at's?e ? de?e&ted:. T?at js t? I maing of her Note and of .her reply tc President Wilson's questions. PC'e coming. Armistice or no armistice, peaCfc must come, because Germany cannot go on fightiug much longer, and will be compelled to submit to any terms the Allies may im- pose. The news of Germany's reply to the Prcsi- d--ut was known in London- about teri o'clock on Saturday night. At that hour in these times most people who are not in places of entertainment are in their owr homes. Walking about darkened streets it. not a very cheerful occupation. But t.'I,e news got into the cinemas, the theatre* and the-music halle. In many cinemas the points of the German reply W were thrown upon the screen. People did not go ■frantic with excitement, but they rose and cheered for some minutes, and then sang the National Anthem. At one of the great variety halls tlle- programme was suspended while patriotic airs were played, and por- traits of the King and the President cheered again amd again. It was -evidcct that people were profoundly moved. At' might have been expect-ed, rumours very soon began to circulate One of these wsts to the effefct that Germany had made an un- conditional surrender. In at least one suburb a lady aroused a neighbour at :1- .very early hour in order to impart tliiit piece of news. It was. Jet,As hope, a case of intelligent anticipation. What about that General Election? As. J' write it is still on the- knees of the gods. There may be one next month or there may not. There are confident prophecies bottr ways. The talk of coming peace has once agiiin maae tne matter aciiriiiii. 11 wjy many has really come to the end of fight- in-, ard peace negotiations are to be bogus within the next few weeks, a. Cene-rat Elec- tion would seem to be impossible. The principal Ministers would not be in London or in these islands; they would be Some- where in well. Sora-ewhere. The Ministers who remained at home would have plenty of business to do without bothering about a (Scleral Election or fitt- ing to ke-ep their seats. And certainly the people would have their minds so full of the peace negotiations that they would not be likely to get üp much enthusiasm over the putting a cxc-cs against the name of this candidate or that. And, another thing, if a General- Election, dpapit-e all these; reasons, were held while peace, was being discussed, it would certainly not. be possible to hold it on the single i&sue e £ *'getting on witk the war. Lo-idon is very full. People arc saying that it has never been so crowded before. Certaiiily there-eec-ms CJbe a' great many :poo]fle about' everywhere, particularly, in the chopping and amusement 'centres. Cheerful crowds'tbey appCELr-tc be, too,. with inmost a pre-war. lightness of heart, There are visitors here from all parts of the king- dom as well as from overse.is. On business f or pleasure lbt-nt-and most of them must be here on ifusinb^s' tjinco mere'pleasuring Ítj somewhat out of fashion—they appear to be making the best 01 a war-time London. The hotels that have net been commandeered by the Government are full, and have to turn away visitors, and it is difficult to. get a seat at the bt-known restaurants. Seat- in some cases have to be booked three cr four daya in advance. There' are queues outside the popular tea-shops every after- noon, although gone are the days when at these places on<: could feast on cakee. The Food Controller has changed "all that, and customers have to content themselves with an ounce and a half of bread and butter r.,7- cake, Trae, there is a choice of fruit con- fections and trifes of that sort, but they are poor substitutes for the cilees cf yester- year. 'The shops, of course, are doing a roaring trade, in spite of the prices; which, is the poet says, are "climbing u pward in tiie night." An extremely interesting programme WE* submitted at the first of the Queen's. Ilaii Symphony Conceits on Saturday. The con. cert opened wth the late Sir Hubert Parry's l i CtnS-?-a t i b u' li. ?b f-I "Syniphoiiio VaTie te memory of. the composer. Sfr (Henry Wood secured a fine performance of this delightful. work. The symphony was, also "Briti-di, Elgar's First, and it wac, played, tdth aD, enthusiasm and understanding that brought out its beauties to the full. Schumann's -beautiful piano concerto was well played by Miss Lilia Kanevekaya. Madame D'Alvarez, that wonderful singer and consummate ar- tist, sang threo times, once being an He". tra." The conoeri closed With the usual Wagner item. Three more concerts will be given before Christmas. The programme* contain a number of good things. London is "feedir.g the guns" vith eD. thusiasm. The first v eek's receipts amounted tfl more than twenty million pounds. The "mined village in Trafalgar-square hae proved an excellect advertisement for the campaign. People who went out cf curiosity to see a ricture of war, invested their savings in certificates or bonds. OD the busiest day of tite week in the Square no less than 10,000- investors rolled up with their money. One purchase was cf bonds to the value of half a million, but that the small investor was doing his duty is proved by the fact that 7,000 people bought War Certificates during the day. The feeding cf the guns has not been coofinedto Trafalgar- square. -The City has done its share, and -guns have 'vieited tie. suburbs, too. A. E. M.