Evening Express

I MAYORS' SALARIES. I A Repiy. I WORKMEN'S INJURIES: THEIR WIDOWS. f BY LLOYD MEYRICK, I shall be altvays ready to have a bout with our big brother the Western Mail." I have been honoured with a leading article pointing out that my views as expressed in this column last Friday on the increase of the Mayor's salary were wrong. Farther, Mr. Lewis Morgan has very courteously and ably tried to direct my erring steps in the right direction. This gentleman, as the acknowledged leader of the Conservative party on the council, speaks with a great deal of authority, and says all that can be said in support of a most indefensible posi- I tion. I am absolutely unconvinced and anco-nverted—in fact, I revel in the righteousness of my opinions. First of all, let me tender my humble apologies to Mr. Councillor Walter Thomas for < stating that not one Conservative voted against the increase. He did so, and I hope that his act of signal moral courage will always be remembered to his credit by the electors of Splott. There is hardly a statement made by Mr. Lewis Morgan which could not be fairly made about any j mayor's year of office. Every year is more or less of a surprise packet to i mayors, as well as humbler people, and it is idlo for any man to say that he is the victim of unforeseen events. As a matter of sober fact, the Mayor's original salary was fixed at £ 1,000 to enablp him to deal adequately with events which we are now told were never antici- pated. It is certainly an odd doctrine that a mayor should head subscription lists recklessly and contract absurd per- sonal liability and then expect the rate- payers, who have been in no way con- sulted, to foot the bill. What right had the May of to sign a joint guarantee for fl,300, and then ask the ratepayers to make good his share of the risk? Suppose the amount had been £ 5.000, or any larger sum, would Mr. Lewis Morgan find reasons why the public funds should su-pport- the action of a plunging mayor? If this sort of thing is tolerated in any one case we shall never know what we are in for when a mayor starts his year of office. The original salary will be no guide, as the burning patriotism of the I Chief Magistrate may become so acute as to saddle the town with no end of responsibilities. Patriotism is All Very Well, but let us have it touched with a little saving common-sense. I do not want to see Cardiff's distinguished guests regaled with" tea and muffins and ginger beer and cockles, but, as a ratepayer in the town, I most certainly want our mayors I to be good enough to make it clear that when they swagger in subscription lists I shall not be called upon to pay my little quota at the end of the year. I have a turn that way myself. I often wish I were secretary, say, to Mr. Carnegie, and had the chance to put him down daily for great fat sums that would be a joy to see. It must be so delightful to let your charitable feelings have full play secure in the thought that it is the duty of another person to pay. We all wish to place Cardiff in the forefront, and past mayors have borne this well in view. There has been nothing in the events of this year—important as some of them have been—to justify the expenditure of £ 2,000 as mayor's salary. The Mayor's predecessor (Mr. Alderman John Jenkins), with the assistance of Mr. Lewis Morgan, was not lacking, although comparatively a poor man, in reasonable hospitality, and other mayors have worthily upheld the credit of the town. On the occasion of Lord Kelvin's visit to the town one of the most repre- sentative gatherings of the whole of Wales ever held in Cardiff was regaled with something better than muffins or cockles, and the present Mayor, generous as he has been, is not a pioneer in the art of civic hospitality. I Shall be Very Sorry I to say a single word calculated to wound the feelings of the Mayor or his sup- porters, as there is not, I believe, in the whole town a man of more generous in- stincts or kindlier disposition than Mr. Alderman Robert Hughes, but the prin- ciple of a second salary at the end of a year ought to be fought against tooth and nail. In my judgment he ought not to have signed the guarantee or paid for the street decorations, unless on a direct vote of the council giving him the money for those specific purposes by way of salary ¡ as the law "allows. It is not too much to ask of a mayor that he should live within the mayoral income, and he ought to be I strong enough to say, I cannot afford it; I cannot do it." There is a good deal more that could be said, but I have done with one of the most regrettable incidents in the municipal history of ¡ Cardiff. Workmen's Accidents. I I The Home Office report on workmen's compensation contains some interesting figures. The total number of cases taken into court amounted to 2,435, against 2,033 in 1903. Railway servants had 158 cases, being an increase of 23 on the number for 1903. The miners had 563 1 cases, the building trade 282, and agricul- ture 121. The .number of deaths on rail- ways r.nd in factories, mines, and quarries in England and Wales for 1904 was 2,065, although in the great majority of cases compensation would be paid with- out any litigation. The railway com- panies of the United Kingdom paid last year in compensation to their servants L162,15:3, or less than 10s. per f;100 of wages paid. The workman wins 82 per cent. of his cases, which is a marked improvement on the old days of the Employers' Liability Act. Then there was no certainty, as a hundred and one small points might knock the worker's case clean out of oourt. The average sum paid last year to the widow or depen- dents came to L177 10s. Id. I wonder how many of these i, .ms we.re swallowed up in a small shop. I wish to say I A Very Tender Word for -widows, and happy is the man who is able to say, I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy." To be torn suddenly from a sheltered domestic life and to find it necessary to fight unaided for a brood of young ones is a terrible experience for any woman. This makes them rather ticklish clients to deal with, and they are very difficult to advise. Very often when they get their compensation money they go and burden themselves with a big rent and open a shop without an atom of experience. Half the small shops don't pay unless there is a man working at something else, when the little takings come in helpful. A good deal of compen- sation money has been lost in the small shop, and the widow ought to be very chary of the venture. In the awards for injury the average was £ 34 12s. Sd. when a lump sum was paid, while the averages of weekly payments were 11s. 9d. for total I incapacity, and 10s. 8d. for partial incapacity. A new point was raised the other day in the Carnarvonshire County-court. Hughes, a quarryman engaged at the Dmorwic Quarries, suffered a total loss of sight as the result of an accident five years ago, and had been awarded half wages, or 10s. 5d. weekly compensation. The employer now sought to reduce the order on the ground that Hughes was 73, and could not, owing to advanced age, earn to-day the wages which formed the basis of compensation five years ago. The judge, however, could not accept the view that advancing age required reduced I compensation, and refused to reduce the order. A man must be very ancient, indeed, if lie is too old to pull his com- pensation money. I should have thought he needed his 10s. 5d. a week more at 73 than at any other time. I am very glod that the old man won his case, as the point raised by the employer was too clever by half. A man loses his eyesight in his employment, and in five years' time he is coolly told that 10s. 5d. a week is too much for him. Well, I am jiggered! All Workers Should be In. All workers should be entitled to com- pensation, including domestic servants. There is no sense in excluding a man from the benefits of the Act if the injuries did not take place in a particular place. The other day an engineer received severe injuries in removing some fittings from a house, and was refused compensation. He was nearly always in the factory, where, if he had received the same injuries, he wonld have got compensation. Because he was out on his employer's business for a little while he did not get any! That, surely, is a topsy-turvy state of things. I notice that the average solicitor's costs In com- pensation cases was £13, which is not an extravagant figure. The lawyer likes money like other people, but he shows up very well in this return. There is a great deal of talk about the first Bill of the next Government. Education shout some! Disestablishment shout ofhers! and, per- haps, when religious squabbles are finally I over the workmen may get a really useful extension of the Workmen's Compensa- tion Act. I said when religious squabbles are finally over. I wonder whether that time will ever come when the passive resisters will cease to trouble, and Church and Chapel will have buried the hatchet which has been vigorously used for cen- turies.

"Evening Express," One Coupon-One Chance. NATIONAL ART UNION COUPON. Great Art Prize Drawing for Pictures of the value of £100, 130, and 120, and 1,000 or more other Pictures S I desire to participate in the above Drawing on the 24th January, 1906, on 9I the conditions stated in your advertisements. Kama I Address I Two halfpenny stamps must be sent with eaoh coupon, or, with a number oi j| I coupons, a. postal erd-er.

SENSATION AT THE HENDRE Lord and Lady Llan^attocfe, who have been entertaining at their country seat in Mon- mouthshire, have just received a surprise visit from the Ron. Charles Rolls, who caused quite a sensation on Sunday last by turning I up at The Hendre for breakfast, having driven down from London that morning on a new Eolls-Royoe car, which he was testing.

FATHER'S GRIM EXPERIENCE I At Stoke yesterday Mr. H. W. Latham, of Hanley, saw a crowd round the body of a. lad near the tram-lines in Liverpool-road. Being an experienced ambulance man be went to give a.8"i.g"anc.e, but the boy was dead, his head having been so crushed by a heavy van that d-eceased was unrecogni- sable. Xr. Latham assisted to remove the lad to the mortuary and to tmdress the body, and then went, lioml and told his wife, men- tioning that the boy wore a scarlet flannel Test. Their own little boy. wore such an article of clothing, and their suspicions being aroused, the distressed parents went to the mortuary and found that the body which the father had failed to recognise was that of their own child.

CARDIFF NEWSVENDOR'S DEATH I The business of the late Mr. James Thomas Baescll, the Cardiff n-ewsvendor who was recently killed accidentally, will be taken over by his brother, Mr. David Bueeell, of 17, Stuart-street, Docks, who will esteem it a favour if customers will kindly communicate with him, so that the delivery of the "Western Mail" and Evening Express" may be resumed at the earliest possible time.

ONE WORD, PLEASE! JAMES SWIFT, Atterciiffe, SheSeld, says: The first doee gsro me great relief. One box of these piUs has done mo more good than all the medicines I have taken. Holdroyd's Gravel Pills are a positive cure for Gravel, Lumbago, Pains in the Back, Dropsy, Disease of the Kidneys, Gout, Sciatica, and Rheumatism; if not satisfied money returned. 1s. ld., all Chomista; POIt free 12 (tames. IIOLDBD'XDI a Medical Hail. CleckheataQ* York*.

I Ou-r New Naval Base. I" KEY TO THE CHINA SEA." Paris, Tuesday.—The Petit Journal" this morning publishes an interview with Admiral Fournier on the subject of the recently announced conversion of Singapore into a British naval base. The admiral declared that, in his opinion, the Singapore Straita formed a channel easily defensible. A squad- ron operating with such a base, properly fortified, would be able to forbid the passage through the straits of any opposing naval force whatever, and could entirely cut off commercial communication between the China Seas and Europe. The formation of a naval base at Singapore might be considered as a first step made by Great Britain towards the re-establishment of ..her commercial suprema.cy in seas which had once recognised the British flag as the sole European power to be reckoned with iu the East, but which had seen its influence weaken before the redoubtable advance of Germany. Singa- pore," said the admiral in conclusion, is a key placed by Great Britain in the door to the China Seas."—Central News.

Collier Gets Lockjaw. SINGULAR FATALITY IN THE RHONDDA Mr. E. J. E-hys, coroner, on Monday conducted an inquiry into the death of Joseph Jarrett, labourer, Ciydach-road, Clydach Vale, who died as the result of an accident at the Cambrian Collieries, Clydach Vale.-It appears that whilst entering the cage at the bottom of the pit about seven weeks ago a stone fell upon him, causing a slight fracture of the skull. The wound con- tinued to trouble him, and he made very little progress towards recovery, with the result that lock-jaw supervened, and this wa6 the immediate cause of dee,h.-Tlie jury returned a verdict accordingly.

ALLEGED SEDITIOUS LIBEL. I i Old Man Arrested at Belfast I At Belfast last night an old man named John Butler was arrested, the charge pre- ferred against him being that he did on the 19th of August, and several dates down to ¡ and including the 15th inst., cause and pro- cure to be published a certain scandalous a/nd seditious libel of and -con-cerning the Government of His Majesty the King, and the employment of His Majesty's troops, con- tainedin certain printed paragraphs entitled Irishmen and the English Army.'

I THE KAISER'S CAKE. I "On one occasion," writes a contributor to the Ootober "Windsor," "the Kaiser and I were having supper in the gardens, a meal of milk, bread and butter, stewed fruit, and some very simple raisin-cake. It was a pretty pic- I ture of a childremjs party, all the little prin- cesses being the" as well as Prince Henry, who now commands the German Navy. The I cake excited much interest, for it was a luxury highly prized in a household where the diet was measured by hygienic rather than Impe- rial principles. "The future Kaiser nudged me and, a rodce full of pride, whispered, 'Do you see that oa.ke? Isn't it magnificent?' I assented, though at that moment I saw no parti-cul-ar occasion for becoming enthusiastic. 'Well; said he, 'my mother made that!' Of course, then, I appreciated the force of what he said, although I did not permit him to rest in the notion that his mother was better at that sort of thing than mine. So before the cake was cut I offered to bet him. that my mother could make a rice-pudding that would equal his mother's oake. That bet never came off; but I hasten to add that, great as the Empress was in the studio, she was greater still in the kitchen."

STEALING WOMEN'S RINGS I At Highgate yesterday the remarkable charge of stealing rings in Finsbxtry Park was concluded. Nelson Siohards, 24, well-dressed, and of no occupation, was charged on remand with stealing two rings from Georgina Feffers. The woman, also well-dressed, said that she lived with her husband at Rawley-road, West- green, and accused was a stranger up to Tnas- day week. She then made his aoquaintance on a seat in Finsbury Park, took her rings off for him to see, and went to a. public- house and had a drink with him. he paying from her purse, which he cleared. He did not return the rings, and she found the address he gave, in Upper-street, Islington, was only a. shop where he called for letters. The police added that the man at the shop in Upper-street said that the prisoner posed aa Detective Stuart, of Scotland Yard. Prisoner declared on oath that she gave him the rings and money. He received the post-cards produced from her, signed Your true lover." The- woman admitted they were written by her. Accused was sentenced to a month's hard labour.

STORY OF CHARLOTTE BRONTE I Now tlia-t the Bronte Society is making arrangements to oelel)rate-six months late-- the fiftieth a.nniversary of the death of Charlotte Bronte, we may reproduce a story told yesterday of a correspondent's first visit to Htworth. "I inquired." he says, of a oortta-ger on the way whether I was on "the right road, and, being answered in the affi.rmiat.ive, proceeded -to explain my reason for visiting this shrine of literatu.re-that. thiee sist-ers had written some remiarksble books. What" said my interlocutor, 'woman writing bauks! I nivver heeard sic a thing. Mary (his wife, who was baking), did'st tha' hea-r that—women writing beuks! Howjvver, come in and have a bite o' dinner.' A true sample of Yorkshire hospitality, given in the incisive and decisive West Riding dialect. I courteously declined the invitation."

AN EXTRAORDINARY APPLE I A correspondent tells us that he has just exhibited in Brentford Fruit Market a "Cat's Head" apple grown in Kent weighing eighteen ounces, and measuring 14i inches in circum- ference. This is only a little more than ha.lf the circumference of a football. But it would make the ordinary Newtown pippin, whieh averages only four ounces, look very small.

WAITING FOR NUMBER THREE I f. A gentleman met a young woman who had ¡ formerly been a servant in his house, and, being interested in her welfare, said to her— "Why, haven't you got married yet?" No, sir." "I thought you would have been mar- ried ere this." Oh, no, sir," the girl replied, I "there's two waiting." "Two P' he exclaimed. "Why, you don't intend to marry two, do you?" "No, sir." "Then who fire the two? "Why," she replied naively, "the two that's waitin' is the minister an' me." ===== I

BBOA0WOOD, BMTTBNMt. *nd SOBOamAT?B 1 PI- JI8M 6«M. QUWU-Nt?, cawle. <MM I STOP PRESS Latest Telegrams. "EXPRESS ,k-ewICE, 5.50 p.ta. USE WAIT CAbE- It war d-scidsd to resume the proceeding* .(\ th? cth of ÛC8tcr nest, thr d-f?M?Ht toxins azain allowed out on baiL 3.4i B.ntiag—ICO to C igst Scotch iLr.ike, 9 to i? B- 0 to 3j=t ',YJ'!1 t:y, and 3 t? 1 3gt Love ScBE. Hamilton.—to '2 agst Sncwcap. 4.15-LETCOMBi: xrKSEltY RESULT:— Lerd 11-coUvW McNaughton 3 2 Sir J F A?zic/ttT'Vs I'itCuCroit, Ly "\Y0rcester- 21-ie: HalUc* a 4 Hi F f hy Mii-scilhra.'h, dsn* Oi.Hiver — E- Cemc:it3 7 1 —?.i.?: C:e'Mn'B 7 t ilAIDLN FEELTR T: Mr R V." Ccx's Choirmaster .East 3 S 3 Sir R V.'aidie Orilf.th's Shllfa R Sherwood 3 S 6 t W. Bass's EOjjl Taylor 3 6 3 A Taylor 3 6 5

Cupboard Surprise. DETECTIVES' CONCEALMENT. Extensive robberies having been carried out at the Bickley Hotel, Chislehurst, detectives took the matter in hand. As a result of their investigations John Luck, aged 32, of no fixed abode; Sarah Stone, 29, of Pritchard's-road, Bethnal-green, and William Stone, barman, were charged at the Bromley (Kent) Court yesterday with being concerned together in stealing and receiving money and goods. The detectives visited Mrs. Richley, Mrs. Stone's landlady, and then concealed them- selves in a cupboard and waited for the woman. When she came in Mrs. Richley told her that the 'tecs had followed her. She said she did not care, as she had thrown the stuff into the canal. She added that the police were welcome to come there then, as they would find nothing. The two officers stepped out from the cup- board and confronted her, and it was some time before she got over the fright. She told then* that they would find nothing in the house, but they searched, and found goods which she admitted had been stolen. The Bench sent the Stones to prison for three months' hard labour each, and Luck, who was said to be the tool of Stone, to one month,

BRITISH ACTIVITY IN PERSIA 1 Paris, Tuesday—The St. Petersburg corre- spondent, of the "Eclair" says that a. great deal of interest is being displayed in official Kussiaji circles with regard to British activity in Persia. Information has reached the Rus- sian capital of the despatch of a British Com- mercial Mission to Persia, which, it is stated, is traversing the country, accompanied by tie British Consul-General to Persia,, and about a, dozen men belonging to a Hindu cavalry regiment. The majority of the members of the expedition, says the correspondent, are former officers of the Indian Army, who are especially interested in the topography of the oountry. It is even alleged that the mis- sion is spending large smms of money in pay- ment for vaduable information obtained from I native officials. The mission, it is stated, only recently left -Maskat.-Central News.

REVENGE PER VITRIOL f A terrible vitriol crime has been com- mitted at Petit Lac, near Limoges, where a farmer, after betraying and deserting a young woman, was about to marry another and more fortunate rival. On the wedding eve the affianced couple, with a party of relatives and friends, were going to Chaltis to make purchases, when, at a turning in the road, the deserted girl sprang out and threw a. bottle of vitriol over the faithless lover, who is now disfigured for life. Unfortunately, the innocent bride, the father and mother-in-law, and five or six others were also badly burnt. The aesailan^ disappeared.

HUMOUR IN A VISITORS' BOOK The banalities of the visitors' book aj-e relieved a.t times by a saving glimpse of humour (says the "Chronicle"). A correspon- deDIt has dug out this from a Surrey houed much used by cyolists. In a feminine hand- writing:- Allah is kind: He sends the wind, Which blow3 our skirts too high; But Allah is just, and He sends the dust Which, gets in the bad man's eye. Beneath is a. male protest:- Oh, ladies, dear, 'tis sad to hear Your skirts too high were blown; But dust can fly in a, good man's eye, For I've had some in my own! And somehow one was reminded of a, T..sech picture of seaside girls in the crinoline period in an older "Punch." A oorrespondent who has been buliday- ma.king in Suffolk sends the enclosed from a visitors' book at Yoxford, and wonders if it is original:- The Oxford men boast that the wherefores and whys Are settled by wise men a,t OxfoncL But Yoxford replies, "If at Oxford, they're wise, They are one 'Y' the wiser at Ymford."

BIRIJ HOODWINKS A DOG I An amusing sight was witnessed from the Maryport Golf Links. A guillemot (the black diver of sailors) swimining close in shore was chased by a,n Airedale terrier. Quietly wait- ing untal the dog was on it, t?c bird sud- denly dived below him, to reapj>ear behind the terrier, greatly to his be wild-; rment. This manoeuvre was repeated time after time until the bird got- well out to sea, and fear lest the ebbing tide should make ivjtura impoo- sible led his owner to recall th*j dog.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS j Stolen Tools.H. H."—You have no claim against your employer. Aberdare.—Tin-workers in C-'Unada.-We have had a careful search made in our file for the last few months, but cannot trace the particular advertisement referred to.

z- PBOVISIOX8 ARE DBAS, but the Dtreot Tradla* Q* to not nduov the lvaUtt to,<s»mt me mia, OM, t

I INHIBITED VICAR I FORMERLY A DRUMMER BOY Who Married Colonel's Daughter The little village of WicMhiam Market, near W-oodbridge, in Suffolk, has just been stajftled by news of the inhibition of its vicar, the Rev. Edward Henry Griffith, a gentleman who has had a. ratlher remarkable career. Fc,- some time rumours have been rife in the parish as to the vicar. Thesa rumours received, confirmation on Saturday last, when an episcopal notice was posted on the doors of the churoh announcing the inhibition of t'he vicar" until sentence shall have teen given in ,a cause now pending in our Oo-nsis- torial Oourt of Norwich, wherein the said Edward Henry Griffith 'has admittod the trulih of certain charges broughit against him of immoral conduot and habits." It is said that Mr. Griffith started life as a drummer boy in a. military band, that he was educated by his colonel, who saw in him exceptional qualities, and that he subso- quently I Married the Colonel's Daughter The history of the rev. gentleman's connec- I tion with Wickham Market is a, singular one. From the be-ginning his High Church, prac- tices alienated a large p,art of the congrega- tion, a.nd in June, 1903, it came to the know- ledge of the guardians of the Plomesgate Union, in which Wickham Market is situated, that, the Miss Amies who had presented the living to the vioar was identical with a woman of that name who had been sent to the wotrkhouae on discharge fro'm the counst-y asylum, whither she had been transmitted by the authorities in London. It transpired subsequently that tihe lady in question had spent the last penny she had in the world in purchasing tihe advowson. Mr. Griffith was, it should be explained, a. married man, with a small grown-up family, and there was never any suggestion thait his association with Miss Amies was not per- fectly proper. Her name, of course, is not connected wtiitih. the present soandial. Miss Amies was somewhat eccentric, and before meeting Mr. Griffith she had aliown a strong predilection for entertaining clergy. Her name app,eared about that time in the list of persons presented at Court.. her sponsor being no leas & person than a well-known duchess. No sooner had the excitement of Miss Amics's arrival ab ,V.ickh,,Lm M.,?,xlipt Work- house died down than, in February, 1904, there was an ecclesiastical inquiry at Wick- ham Market as to alleged ritualiati-c prac- tices. Nothing, however, resulted from the in q ui:ry, ,a.nd matters went on in the old way, w- *oh, an aLmost- empty church and grumbling inhabitants, until the present disclosure.

I Smuggled Women I TAKING THE PLACE OF STRIKERS There was recurrenoe yesterday of the rowdy scenes at the cotton mills of Messrs. Smith at Stockport. The women imported from the neighbour- ing towns to take the places of the men out on strike arrived at the mill in the morning I as usual, but the method of their convey- ance to and from work has been changed in consequence of the scenes which have oocurred at the railway stations. This time they arrived in wagonettes, but there was no disturbance on their arrival. Between five and half-past last night large crowds of men and women assembled near the mill, and before stopping time a wagon- ette emerged from the main entrance. The top of the vehicle was covered with a tarpaulin, beneath which the women lay silent and effectually concealed. The situation was taken in at a glance, and a woman in the street seized the reins of one of the horses. A constable rushed to remove her, where- upon a crowd of men flung themselves on the constable and knocked him down. This was the psychological moment for the driver, who whipped up his horses and drove away at full speed. The covering protected the women from the missiles and dirt which were thrown.

COOK AND THE CONDUCTOR "One of the funniest stories .1 recollect about operatic celebrities is" (says Mr. M'Donald Rendle in "London Opinion") "taken from Signor Arditi's rich store. In 1873 he wrote all ode, which was performed at the Crystal Palace to signa-lise the twentietli birthday of that institution. He conducted the performance himself, and was etirolling through one of the lobbies between the parts when a ladylike person, clad in black, sud- denly confronted Arditi and his wife. She curtsied very low, while the signor held out his hand, which she cordially grasped. The lady was exceedingly effusive in her compli- ments with regard to the music, and after she 'had left the eminent conductor asked his wife if she knew who his kind patron was. 'GoOO gracious, Luigi!' said Mrs. Arditi, 'n't you see that it's our cook!'

A BABOON HUNT A traveller writing from South Africa to the Chdo-igo News" d ascribes a ba.boon hunt as follows: Very slowly we spread out round about. the base of the kopje, and beyn a crawling ascent through the thick scrub. Kaffirs and farmers together, we fo;k-me,d something of a. loose circle round tJw -kopje. Daylight found us drawing near the higher spurs of the kopje, and the Kaffirs were busy beating. Then the sport began, and pretty uncanny it was. A good many baboons broke through our circle, for we only mustered seven guns, but as we neared the top of the kopje I could tell by the noises all about me that some execution was being done. My first kill gave me a moat uncomfortable thrill. It was horribly like picking off a man. The baboons were great big, human-looking brutes, quite capable of picking up a lamb in their hands and run- ning off with it. But their cries were the most horrible* human thing about them and tihe gestures of their waving arms. When we all met a careful count was made. Thirty baboons had been bagged. Seven had fallen to my gun."

AN ARCHER'S YARN I There is in the isolated little valley of Bransdale perhaps one of the most remark- able freeholds in England. The history of the manner in which the farm came into the possession of the present family takes the form of a legend told in the dale as being an actual fact, though no doubt the story is more or less fanciful. It is this. The owner of the estate years ago was an expert archer, and hearing that one of his tenants was also skilled at the butts" he challenged him to a competition. What the fa.rmer was to for- feit if he lost is not known, but the owner offered the farm where he lived if he won. The target was to be a goose tied to a pole, which in turn was fixed into a trough, which is still to be seen. The. distance was a mile. The squire shot first, and missed by a hairsbreadth. Then followed the sturdy dalesman, whose arrow struck and pierced the goose. Every year now, at a court at Kirbymoorsade, a bow and arrow with goose feathers is handed in as proof of title and ownership.

WONDERFUL ENGINEERING I A wonderful piece of engineering mafst I accomplished at Wood Gree-n yesterday. It l was found necessiary, in consequence of the eleotric tramw-ays, to substitute a new rail- way bridge in Station-road. At one o'clock yesterday morning t'he Great Eastern Rail- way sent a of men down. They took up the line, removed the old bridge, put in the new bridge, weighing no less than 50 tons. and re-laid the lines in the small space of three fho-UTS.

A noted owner of racehorses is remtrkable, for neatnees of personal attire, and likes to sea his men as smart as possible. One of his employes always seemed to wear a shirt that once had been white. The employer tolerated the man's slovenliness for a. while, but one I day he exclaimed, "Look here, Sam, who is it that always wears your ehirts the first week far.Eaa?"

HEATHFIELD. STORY OF HIS ESCAPE TOLD TO A FRIEND. FIRST COMPLETE NARRATIVE PUBLISHES I [Copyright Applied For.-All Rights Reserved by the "Evening Express.] There came to the Evening Express," amongst this morning's letters, a small packet, bearing the Cardiff postmark, and containing the following story, purporting to be Henry Heathfield's own account of his movements after he made up his mind to give his captors the slip at Roath Police-station. Except that we have corrected errors in spelling and phraseology, and omitted one or two sentences which reflect upon certain persons, we re-produce the story as it has reached us. Previous knowledge of Heathfield's movements, as recounted from time to time in the Evening Express," confirms in many important details the story which has reached us to-day, while the latter fills up certain gaps in the former. The "Evening Express" is, therefore, to-day able to give the public the first connected and complete narrative of Heathfield's stirring expe- riences. The story was accompanied by a covering letter, which we re-produce at the head of the narrative. The Letter. 1 Sir,—This is the true story of Heath- field's movements as he gave it to me with his own lips. I wrote it down just as he spoke. Then he said: Give it to the Express," and if they think it worth anything let them give it to my wife. I can't tell you who is sending this, but you can depend on it. It's from Heathfield's own lips the very day he left this country. A FRIEND OF HEATHFIELD'S. HEATHFIELD'S STORY How did I get out of prison? Well, I will start at the beginning At three o'clock on Saturday mornin g (this was August 12 last.—Ed.), near Roath Park, I was arrested on suspicion. I was taken to the police-station d put in the cell. Well, I wanted to go to the back and asked to go. On my way out I had to pass eight or nine cells, and the door of each cell was open. I noticed a piece of steel on the ledge of one of the doors. I tock it and kept it till I got a chance to use I it to help me to get out if I got a chance of doing so. On the Monday I I thought I would take it. The man was in my cell, so I asked him to give me a match to light a cigarette with. I had two packets of cigarettes on me at the time. He would not give me one. I stood with my back to the door with my hand behind me I Working This Piece of Steel in I the Lock After a moment or two I said "Never mind if you won't give me one, shut the door." He slammed the door, but the steel was in the lock all the time. Then my wife brought me my breakfast, and he handed it to me through the hole in the door. I had a drink of tea while he was there, and as soon as he went I pulled the latch back. The door opened, and out I walked. They did not hear me. I walked down the passage, passed about seven oells, until I came across a big front door. I was in a fix now how to open this. So I got the steel into the lock and put all my force against it. At last it opened, and I went through till I came to another wooden door. This proved worse than the other two. I had a good try to open it, but failed. So I Went Back to the Cell I for a bit, and then returned to have another go. While I was doing this I accidentally dropped the piece of steel on to the stones, making a clatter but they did not hear it, so I picked up the steel and got to work again. The door opened after a little coaxing. This left me only the yard to go through, and I climbed up the fire escape ladder and dropped into the yard of a house in Gold-street. There was a woman in this house cleaning the windows. She came up to me and said: What Are You Doing There P" I I said: It's all right. My ball is over here, and I came to fetch it." That gave me a bit of a fright, but she said, All right," and I got out as quick as I coo. I went down Gold-street for all fwas worth. I stopped two or three minutes to see if they had missed me, but all was quiet. Then I got on to the Newport road, and ran with the car, hiding my- self behind it passing Clifton-street, so that if they were looking for me they would not see me. I went along New- port road, and got over railings into the ash track. Here I stood talking to two strangers for about fifteen minutes, after which I made my way to the top of Penylan Hill, and had a good view from there. MESSAGE TO THE POLICE I As I was high up I could see them (the police) coming, but they could not see me. I went on past Powell's Farm, where I met those two boys (as the "Express" said), and asked them to take a note to my father, and told them, Mind you do not give it to the rlice," but all the time that was what wanted them to do, and they did it without being asked. I told them to come up again in the evening. They came up and brought two friends with them, whom I had no desire to meet. So I kept low while the police sent the boys on in front shouting for me. I heard and saw t, but I took no notice, and let them go on. I was hiding behind a hedge all this time, and after a bit the two policemen came and sat on the other side of the hedge. They began talking about what they were going to do at Penylan. So I thought I had better leave at ,once It was no place for me (said I to myself). I went from there up to the convent, and Climbed Up a Haystack, I and went to sleep up there for that night. When I awoke at early dawn and got down I spotted two policemen not far off. I got out of their way and crossed tho fields to get to Powell's Farm. I saw another policeman with opera ALL RIGHTS OP REPRODUCTION OF THIS ARTICLE. OR ANY PORTION OF IT. RESERVED BY PROPRIETOR* oir. 11 EVENING EXPREBP." glasses looking for me. I passed him on the other side of the road under the hedge. Then I reached the woods and out into the open fields again. I saw a big man picking mushrooms in one of the fields. I went up to him, and he HENRY HEATHFIELD. said to me, The roads are full, smothered with police." What's that for ?" I said. Oh, a man just like you has got away from the station." I could see that he suspected me, so I up to him and Told Him I Was the Man, I asking him at the same time to do me a favour, and take a note to my father to say I was going in a banana boat, but not to say anything to the police. Between you and me, that was exactly what I wanted him to do, as Penylan was fuller of them than I liked, and I saw that I had a good chance of being starved out if I did not put them off. the scent. I had had no food up till now from the time that I got away, and I was just about as hungry as I could be. I went back to the woods and stopped there till it was dark. Then I walked down the road, but could not get there, as I had too many friends looking for me. I had to stop there all night again. AT NEWPORT. On Wednesday at break of day I kept to the woods, and went across the fields to Llanedarne road, and across the field to Rumney. Then I made my way to Newport, and got a job as soon as I got there. But I did net stop long. At Newport I read in the "Express" in the Library that a sporting solicitor wanted to give me a quid, but if I had known where he lived I should have been there that night. But you tell him if you know him to give it to the wife. She can do with it. From Newport I went to Bristol, and from there ON TO LONDON I I was there at the time they were look- ing for me at the Docks, but I did not call on them, as I had no visiting cards with me. Then I got back to Bristol again, and went to France for a trip. I thought it would do me good. I was hard again now. I forgot to tell you that on the day that I escaped I was picking nuts when A Policeman Came by I on a bike. He went up to Rees' farm, and spoke to two girls. So I thought I would go up and see if he had been in- quiring for me. They both looked me up and down as I passed by them. I got over the gate close by, and dodged round the corner, and then doubled back again. The policeman was then still talking to the girls. I watched him go over the same gate as I had passed over, and left his bike not many yards away. I had a Good Mind to Borrow His Bike, I but thought it would be no good for me in my travels. People often asked me, Have you seen Heathfield P" I always answered I have just met him and had a drink with him." This was more true than they thought. In Newport I used to go every day to the Free Library to see the Ex- press." There used to be dozens of people there waiting to read the latest. One day that I went to the Library, somebody said: "There's a Man Like Him!" I I did not stop any longer. In Bristol I was passing through Vic- toria-street and heard someone say: "There he is." His friend said: "Who." "Why, Heathfield!" was the answer. On Friday I was going down Queen- street, Cardiff, and the boys started shouting after me. I don't know if they knew me or not, but I got through the square into St. Mary-street out of the way. I would have given them a good hiding if I could have got hold of them, as I thought my number was up. I was thinking of going to the horse show, but guessed that there would be too many friends there, so I did not go. No, I have not seen my wife, as she would tell everybody, and that would do no good now. I think I have told you all for this time. See me next week, and if I have anything fresh I will let you know. Yes, I may GIVE MYSELF UP. Why not P I have done nothing, a.nd 1 don't intend to cut un with much more l of this. In fact, whilst I was crossing the Suspension Bridge at Bristol I had a good mind to jump over. I should have done so, but I thought of my wife and children. What am I charged with? I am not charged at all yet. I am not eveB identified as the man who sold the lead. Mrs. MacNeill came into the room and looked up and down the men there, and said I looked like him, but that he was 40 or 50 years of age, and about 6ft. high. As "soon as she said this they sent me back to my cell. The same thing applies to Mt* MacNeill when lie came in. Yes, that's all I can say now, but I will give them a run for their money- So long! MRS. HEATHFIELD INTER- VIEWED. Seen by our representative this morning Mrs. Heathfield said: Yes, the story is quite true from tho little that I know. Haxry was in Cardiff at the end of last week, though the reDort that I saw him is quite untrue. I think people ought to be more careful before they publish things of that sort. It may get me into great trouble," she added. indignantly. Have you seen anything of the police lat-elyl Haven't I just. Why, there were five oi them standing at the corner of Janet-street Last night. I was out, but when I came in at a quarter to eleven I was told that they had been up to the house and asked one ol- the little girls where I was. But I gave it to them. I am not afraid of them. I went up to them and asked what they wanted. One of them said they wanted my husband, an<^ not me." A Great "Toff" Miss Lucy Heathfield informed our reporw this morning that Henry (her brother) had I been seen in Charles-street on Sunday by one of his friends, who told her that he was look- ing very weU and was a great toff." To-morrow we shall still furtherdescribe Heathfield's wanderings,

Postman Sent for Trial. SERIOUS CHARGE AT CHEPSTOW At Chepstow Police-court to-day George Light, Chepstow, was committed for trial iit, the quarter sessions for detaining three postal packets, the property of the Post' master-General. In conisequenee of com* plaints Light was on the 14th of August suspended, and succeeded on the Trellcck Grange beat by Edwin Rice, who, on goiuS behind Light's hut on the 23rd of August" found a circular sticking up. On sera-ping away the earth he found sixty postal packets, amongst them the three, the subject of the charge.

Labour M.P.'s. THE CARDIFF CANDIDATE. We hear that two of the four nomineeS whose names will be back before the epecial committee appointed to deal with the prO" posed Labour candidate far Cardiff will be Alderman George Dew, of the London County Council (Carpenters and Joiners Society), aJld Mr. H. Parfitt of Aberdare (Locomotive Engineers), Mr. Vernon Hartshorn, of the South Wales Miners' Federation, may be expected to make a third. Mr. Dew seesiS to be the most favoured nominee, but he is credited with ambitious for a London seat, and it is not thought likely that he will fa-vour the notion of a th-ree-cornered oon- test.

"A Walking Crucible. BOY SWALLOWS A BRASS CHAIN All juvenile digestion records have been broken by Master Oharles Price, of Hagger" ston, London. Three weeks ago this gastironomic pioneer, who as only eleven years of age, committed a. trifling fault art. school and was placed in a corner. Rather tihan stand idle, he busied ihdmself with a brags chain, 9in. long, which he threw into the air and repeatedly caught in his mouth. He did it once too often. Suddenly the clags was alarmed by his screMDS-Mas.t.er Price had swallowed the chain. He was hiurried off to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, when he was examined internally with the aid of X rays. The doctors held coulerenoe, and an operation being thought. impossible, to everyone's astonishment! instead of emetics, the lad was given of acid toO dissolve the chain! The wonderful digestive power possessed bY' small boys, atided by the acid* has performed tihe seemingly impossible; and little CharHe Price has now the proud distinction of having digested 9in. of brass chain. He is a walking crucible. Examination under the X rays now showS no sign of the chain, and yesterday he returned to school as well as ever.

THE DEFENCES OF INDIA New Cantonment on Afghan Frontier Lahore, Tuesday.—The Government of the North-west frontier province has acquired three square miles of land, situated four and a half miles from Nowshera. on the MardaT" Road, north of Marble Rocks. for the estab* lishment of a cantonment -Reuter.

HORRIBLE & INSTANTANEOUS Engineman's Head Sliced Asunder Thomas Lee, engineman for Messrs. Martin, Billing, and Co., printers, Birmingham, white searching for a part of the engine which required lubrication, was caught in the shaft- ing, and met with a horrible and instan- taneous death. The top of his head was cut off as if by a saw. His brains were scattered about the engine, one leg was torn from the body, and there were other terrible injuries. His scalp was found in a tank.

CARDIFF PETITIONING CREDITORS At London Bankruptcy-court to-day the creditors met under the failure of J. W. Roohfort, merchant, of H at ton gar den, E.G., against whom a receiving order was nl&do 'upon the petition of Fielding (Ltd.), Cardiff* creditors for jE50 odd. The Chairman stated that the debtor had not surrendered to tbe proceedings. The caso was left in the hands of the official reooiver.

SUICIDE FROM A STEAMER A passenger on the steamship Tamise, from Dieppe to Newhaven, name unknown, but believed to be an Englishman, was obeerved to mount the ship-rail and jump overboard. shortly after the vessel left Dieppe this morn- ing. The steamer was promptly stopped ø.n.t a search made, but no trace of the gentlo man could be found.

IN THE HEAT OF PASSION Sentence of twelve months' hard labour was passed upon Ernest Ralph Levett, ordinary seaman, belonging to his Majesty's ehip Ramillies, at a court-martial at Chatham this morning. Prisoner was accused of misconduct and of striking his superior officer. In pleading guilty he told the court that the blow was given in the heat of passion and from no animosity toward the officer.

ADVICE TO MOTHEBS."—Are you broken in ymJr rest by a sick child suffering with the pain by cutting teeth? Go at once to a chemist and got a bottle ot Mrs. Wiaslow's Soothing Syrup. It will relieve tb8 poor sufferer immediately. It is pleasant to tail*. IS produces natural, ijulet sleep by relieving the cand from pain, aid the little cherub awakes as bright Sa a button. Of all .-heaiiats. la. J.ed. pa bottle.