Evening Express

I LOVE OF A SPEC. INERADICABLE IN THE BRITON Mr. Lloyd Meyrick, as we stated yesterday, is on holiday, and will resume his Notes in the Evening Express next Monday. The love of a spec. is ineradicable in the Briton. This fact of life points the futility of all legislative enactments to put down gambling. You cannot crush out an instinct by an Act of Parliament, and not all the restrictions which may be devised can do more than prevent public indulgence in the pursuit or vice, or whatever you like to call it. Even in the greatest lottery of all, matrimony, there are always takers of second chances, for few men or women dis- united from their first mate remain un- consolable, provided time and oppor- tunity offer. But it is in France, where gambling is a fine art, that this .devo- tion to the goddess Chance is most pronounced. Figures just published show that of 2,270 Parisian widowers 628 married again three months after their wives' death, 148 at the end of the year, and the remainder within o years. Out of 1,907 widows 1,904 married again after the nine months prescribed by the law. Only three re- mained unconsolable. Of 669 divorced men 109 announced their engagement the day after the decree was pro- nounced; 41 preferred to remain single; and the others, after a year or so, took another companion. Of 717 ladies who rid themselves of their husbands, only 79 decline to renew the experiment. Bangkok tramcar driving furnishes exciting times for the motormen. The path of the cars is strewn with dead bodies— human and animal. The manager of the line explains that the accidents are the fault of the people and animals who get in the way." How naive the explana- tion! Of course, it is always the fault of the people. There never was a monopolist yet who was unable to main- tain (to his own satisfaction) that his mission was one of heaven-born bene- ficence, and that inconveniences which arose were the fault of the people. Broad is the back, limitless the patience of the people, and so the Bangkok tramcar, type of many another death-dealing juggernaut, goes merrily on its way, while the manager talks of the fault of the people. That manager would make a fine apologist for the motor-car as we know it. "Merely house cats," writes a learned professor of Chicago University, by name William Thomas, of American women. "They live abnormal lives" (he says), "and are reduced to a condition of parasitism." Really, these experts in their franitic desire to specialise seem ready to tear at the roots of any institution. This Thomas objects to present day marriage conditions, which he says are dege- nerating OwlBg to the absolute economic dependence of woman on man." No doubt William has been hailed as an emancipator, but the latter sentence shows the quality of the stuff which passes current for wisdom in the city of canned goods. To talk of marriage rela- tions degenerating through the operation of conditions which have been in existence since marriage itself was instituted is to talk pitRe. Woman was absolutely depen- dent upon man at the first, so that if Mr. Thomas's theory is correct the marriage state was begun in the most complete degeneracy, and was incapable of further fall. Woman is to-day less man's thrall than ever, and to talk of her "absolute economic dependence" is to misuse lan- guage or display most absolute ignorance of the subject matter discussed. Woman is less and less dependent economically upon the other sex, and if there is any advan- tage in such freedom Mr. Thomas should have discovered regeneration instead of degeneracy. China is waking up, and, with all the latent energy of the Oriental, is beating the Westerner at his own game. Pe-king is being changed in bewildering fashion and all the accessories of civilisation rapidly adopted. The newspaper is in the foreground, and is by authority brought to the masses instead of the masses having to run after the papers. Reading-rooms are placed on the street corners, and here the papers are read and expounded to the illiterate. These reading-rooms, we are quaintly told by "World's Work," have the air of a way- side chapel, and, like wayside chapels (and, for the matter of that, churches) in this country, speaker and hearer may thunder against foreigners and foreign countries, but must not be personal to those at home. In the Golden Age of the Press we shall probably go on the lines the Chinese are adopting now. The news, as news, will be disseminated at the public expense-the news-sheet will be as much a matter of municipal supply as street lights, and the pur- chased sheet will be reserved for features which are not news. And what fun there will be for the journalists of that day in watching and commenting upon the way in which, say, a committee of the Cardiff Corporation wrestles with the task of directing a newspaper: how the cliques and coteries will agonise to secure large shares of space for their particular tea party. The prospect is enchanting in its diversity of lights and shadows. The Sunday service peppermint-that lozenge of pungent perfume which points the periods of the sermon and assures one that some, at least, of the congregation are not asleep-is safe. The Committee on Sunday Trading, while declaring for "one day's rest in seven," expressly exempts from closure of sale "sweets, presumably for imme- diate consumption or during the day," together with some other things. Pro- fessedly, the exemption is made on behalf of the people who cater for the poor, but it is not the poor alone who buy sweetmeats on the Sabbath. The committee had, confessedly, a most diffi- cult task, but their conclusions, if enacted, promise a state of glaring inconsistency worse than the present, for the new compromise will then bear the stamp of Twentieth Century authority instead of that derived from Charles II. If on religious, moral, and health grounds one day's rest in seven should be observed, the rest should apply all round. The committee's recommendations are worse than useless, because while leaving things pretty much as they are they give what hILS hitherto been lacking, official sanction to that which they in effect, declare ia irreligious, immoral, and unhealthy.

I BARGOED BAPTISTS. I A FINE NEW CHAPEL. A See new chapel built on the site of the old one, at a cost of between E3,000 and £ 4,000, has been erected for the English Bap- tists at Bargoed, to mee the growing n of the district. It ? of massive and -ell,.=t, design, and is considered the finest building of the kind in the Rhymney Valley, and one of the largest in South Wales. There is seating acoommoation for over 1,200. The work has been carefully superintended by a committee, of whom the Rev. Harri Edwards is chairman. The architects were Meærs. James and Morgan, Cardiff; the con- I The Rev. HARRI EDWARDS, Pastor. Photo by Eiden, Bargoed. tractor, Mr. R. Burns; and the decorations have been carried out by Mr. 1. Guppy. The secretary of the movement is Mr. John Richards.

SERVANT'S CARNIVAL. I Maid in Her Mistress's Robes I When a lady known to be at Trouville was apparently seen driving Ln Hyde Park in the middle of August, a friend thought it was an apparition, but it was only a- maid in her mistress's robes, accompanied by the butler garbed for an afternoon call. The story was narrated to a "Daily Mail" representative by an agent in a Victoria- street servants' registry, to illustrate High Jinks Above Stairs," or the doings of ser- vants left in West-End mansions supposed to be slrat up in August. A titled lady resident in a great square just west of Buckingham Palace, on her return from TroiivilV. oft her closest friend, the wife of a great banker. So glad to see you saiely back," observed the latter as they embraced, for I had a premonition that something terrible had happened. I cannot help my foolish little superstitions." The other lady puzzlingly invited an explanation. Well, you know, dear, that my husband's business kept ns in town a few days after your departure. And yet on the Sunday, as we were walking through the Park from church, I saw you driving. Don't contradict me, dear. You were wearing the gown you and I oongtht together at Paqudn's last spring, and that hat we picked up in Paris on our way from Nice. I should know them anywhere. Besides, it was your car- riage and hoTBes and -your mian." The other lady insisted she was in Trou- ville at the time. Light begun to disBtipata the cloud of mys- tery on her face. She rang the bell. "Send Burgess here," she commanded. When the leisurely, dignified, and comfortably pro- portioned butler entered the morning-room the lady visitor uttered a, etifled gasp of surprise. She fixed a glance on his defective, tell-tale eye, and succumbed into a chaar to laugh. Burgess"—thait. was not his real ILa.IDe-" Bnrg.ees, you may pack up your belongings," Badd his mistress, sternly. "And," added the registry-office keeper, "the following day Lady almost tear- fully asked me to supply immediately a butler and a parlourmaid."

"A LA THE BILKING ACT." I The Cabman and His Fare I The story of a cabman who was quite as wideawake as his fare was told at the Guild- hall Conrt, London, yesterday. The driver, William Wright, said that a man named Frederick Crocker hailed him at Liverpool-station and told him to drive him with his portmanteau to a. house in Brady-atreet, Bethnal-green. He drove to the house, and then Croeker discovered that he had no money to pay the fare. but said, "Wait haR a mo. I'll soon get it." He then took the portmanteau into the house, shut the door, and was about to walk down the street when the witness shouted, Half a mo, you, cockey. I'll just have your moniker (name) firat." Crocker replied, "It's all right; I'm going to borrow it." "No, you are not," said the cabman. Yon. are going to get in the cab again, and I'm going to drive you to the station a la the Bilking Act." At that time the door of the house opened and the portmanteau was flung into the street by a man, who said, I won't have it mere." The cabman picked it up and put it on the cab and drove it and the prisoner to the police-station. The bag had been stolen from Liverpool-street Station. It was advance luggage from Cromer. Mr. Alderman Howse remanded accused (who pleaded guilty) for inquiries.

FIRE ON A LINER AT BARRY I A fire happened on Wednesday evening on board the steamship Waiwera, 4,016 tons register, which arrived at Barry on Monday with foreign mails and a large cargo of foreign meat. Before proceeding to Bristol to discharge p&rt of the remaining cargo, the vessel went under the tips at Barry on Tueeday to coal. When the triipmers went into the hold they felt such oppressive heat that they were soon forced to return to deck. Information was given to the captain and the chief officer, who, upon going below, found the coal iu one part on fire, whilst smoke issued from a good deal of the other bunkers. The fire-float of the Barry Company was instantly summoned, and water poured into the ship's hold incessantly for several hours, till eventually the captain was satisfied that the fire had been extinguished. The damage caused by the Are is not great, but the vessel, which should sail to-day (Thursday), will not be able to depart for at least a week.

"WASTE NOT. WANT ITOT." If you take care to buy ENGLAND'S GLORY MATCHES you wazta I nothiikg. ETery match Lights and Burns well to the end. You "want" no otheri after a trial. All suligh O&SU, Uau 6,% 11 most6ule ckwy 11 ttatoft <M«i«ertw. eam .$

Sale of Laudanum. I Sale of audanum.. INCIDENT AT AN INQUEST. Dr. Buist and Chemist's Manager. Mr. Barnard Seece, deputy-coroner, held an inquest on Wednesday on the body of Isaac Jones ,3D), pawnbroker's assistant, of 12, Ruperra-street, Cardiff, who died as the result of poisoning on Monday night. William Jones, deceased's brother, eaid he saw the deceased a fortnight ago and again just before his death. He was on the former occasion in extra good spirits," and wit- ness had never heard him threaten to do away with himself. He had heard that his brother was in the habit of taking drugs and that he had suffered of Late from influenza and pains in the head. Mrs. Orchard, an aunt of the deceased, and also his landlady, said deceased went to his work about 7J5 a.m. on Monday, and returned about eight a.m. He told her that he had had the sack," and he seemed upset. When she returned home at 11.30 o'clock deceased was sitting on the couch crying, and she told him to cheer up—that it was no use worrying, as there were plenty of other situations to b9 got. His young Jady was there with him then. He said nothing about doing away with himself. About one o'clock he went upstairs to go to sleep. She afterwards sent her grand- daughter up, but she could get no answer. Witness went up about 4.15 o'clock, and found him unconscious. She then sent for a doctor and the police, and he died about eight p.m. the same night. The bottle end tumbler pro- duced were found in 3 drawer in his room. She did not know that he had been in the habit of taking drugs. Charles White, 77, Eldon-street, said deceased had complained to him of pains in the head, and stated that he had something in a bottle which was better than all the doctors could give him. He then pulled out a. bottle marked "Laudanum." similar to the one produced. James Murray, manager of a. chemists shop in Bute-road, said he served deceased with half an ounce of laudanum for tooth- ache. Dr. Buist: There is no restriction in law, but don't you think it an improper thing to supply a man with such a quantity?—Cer- tainly not. Dr. Buist: Well, I do, and I think it a serious matter. Dr. Buist in his evidence said he found deceased in an advanced state of coma, and dantidot4es were administered. Half an ounce of laudanum contained sixteen grains, and a full medicinal dose was two grains. Death was due to laudanum. The jury returned a verdict of "Death from misadventure, owing to taking an over- dose of laudanum."

MR. E. WINDSOR RICHARDS. I Retiring from Bolckow, Vaughan, I and Co. Mr. E. Windsor Richards, J.P., of Plas Llecha, Monmouthshire, on the advice of his doctor, will at the end of this month sever his connection with Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan, and Co. That connection dates from 1876, first as generai manager until 1883, then as director, and for four years as chairman.

INDIAN BOY'S EXPLOIT I Masquerading as a Maharajah I Sardarsing Mangolsing. the Maharajah of Jodhpur's dressing boy, has a curious sense of humasr, which brought him to the Bom- bay Police-court. Two days before the young rascal per- sonated the Maharajah, his master, and, arriving at Baroda, drove straight to the residence of the Dewan. where he gave him- self out to be the Maharajah of Jodhpur, and the guest house was immediately pre- pared for his reception. An escort was sum- moned. and also a state coach, in which he drove to the palace and was received by the Rao Bahadur. Some of the court officials, who had their suspicious, told Captain Pritchard, Assistant- Political Agent, of the visitor, and were 4 vs^ n-w e tal vl Tb<» ^13 tinguished by certain marks on his hands and neck. These were found on the mock Maharajah, who explained that they were caused by morphia injections. So a royal spread was prepared, and but for an unfortunate slip, the impostor might have kept the jest up somewhat longer. He put his foot into it by intimating his desire to meet the Maharajah Scindia of Gwalior. The Maharajah was in Bombay, and a tele- gram was sent to him announcing the arrival of the Maharajah Jodhpur next day, and a grand suite of rooms in a fashionable hotel were duly engaged for the visitor. There the two met. but. alas, for poor Mangolsing, at first sight the Maharajah of Gwalior "-spotted" his disguise; and upon inquiries being mode at Jodhpur the truth came out, and the unhappy Mangolsing was charged and remanded at the Bombay Polioe- cout in consequence.

SUNDAY TRADING. I Committee's Recommendations. The report of the Committee on Sunday Trading has just been published. It is am important document. The Committee find that one day's rest in seven" should, on religious, moral, and health grounds, be observed. They recognise that some hard- ship would be imposed on street hawkers and others who cater for the poor if closing was made compulsory all round. They, therefore, recommend exemptions in the case of- The sale of refreshments (including sweets presumably for immediate con- sumption or during the day). The sale of newspapers, magazines, and periodicals. The sale of medicines. The sale of milk and cream. With regard to fish, bread, vegetables, fruit, meat, and ice, these could be sold during part of the day; and the Committee con- sidered the sale of tobacco, pipes, and smokers' requisites should only be allowed during the hours in which public-houses are open.

KA'ISER AND MR. HALDANE. British War Minister in Berlin. Mr. Haldane arrived in Berlin from Marien- bad last night, accompanied by his military expert, Colonel Ellison. He was met at the station by Major Kruger, of the General Staff, and Captain Ostertag, the German military attache in London. who will be attached to the Minister during his visit to Berlin. Mr. Haldane was escorted to the Hotel Bristol, where a beautiful suite has been reserved for him The War Minister gave an interview to the Berlin correspondent of the Morning Leader," in the course of which he said, just before dining with his German hosts:—"I have come to Berlin quite in a, private capar city, as the guest of the Emperor William. I look forward to instructive da<ys in inspecting the model establishments of his Army, parti- cularly the General Staff organisation. Germany, as all the world knows, has much to teach military students, and I am simply to avail myself of the opportunity of studying her institutions before engaging in any tinkering with our own."

PARENTAL IGNORANCE. I Mr. John Troutbeck, coroner, made some strong comments at Wandsworth on Wednes- day on the ignorance of mothers and fathers as to the way in which babies should be fed. Every week, he said, the local papers all over London contained accounts of inquests on children who died from no other cause than developed diseases from improper feeding. Some people actually believed that nursery biscuits were a kind of nourishment, instead of-ae in fact they were-a kind of poison for children. He did not know whether the time would ever come when society would, for its own protection, make it possible for them to take some action against persons who were guilty of such cruelty to their children, and whether the excuse of ignorance would be allowed to I stand in the way of their being punished. A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned.

CLARKE'S BLOOD MIXTURE. This famous Medicine will cleanse the blood from all impu. eities from whatever cause arising, j A. sUe remedy for Eczema, Ba4 ILeP, 6 rofula, Blood Poison, Sores of &H ?m<ts, Boils, Biop tiocs. Ulcers, Glandular SweL. lings, &e. Of aJl stores, to. ftfty imttf MeciMh Jtoww* at imtmtM.

GUIDE ROPE SNAPS. I RHONDDA- MEN'S ALARM. I Three Hours in the Shaft. When the men employed at the Trevor Pit, Trehafod, were being brought to the surface after completing their day's work on Wed- nesday evening an accident occurred to one of the guides of the cages. The occupants of the cage, however, escaped injury, but the adjusting of the broken guide took some hours, and in the meantime a considerable number of the workmen had to while away a few hours at the pit bottom before they could be brought out of the mine. Owing to the accident there was no work at the pit on Wednesday night. In an interview the manager (Mr. Benjamin Thomas) said:—"It was about 5.10 when I first heard of the accident. The fifth bond of daymen was coming up, and when it was half-way up the shaft, one of the guide-ropes snapped at the bottom. I found that the rope had ravelled, and gone underneath the cage in which the men were ascending. When the ascending and descending cages met in the middle of the shaft neither would move. Mr. J. W. Hutchinson, the agent of the com- pany, arrived, and I got a crab, which was sent down in a bowk. Then the pitman went down. The guide-rope was entangled with the two cages, in which were 28 men and boys. In three hours' time all were brought to the surface through the four-foot landing. "A good deal of alarm was felt in the neighbourhood, but the prompt action we took soon allayed any fears that loss of life would result. No doubt fears were also enter- tained by those in the suspended cages, par- ticularly by the boys, but they were re- assured on being told there was no danger. A crowd of friends and relatives cheered heartily when the men arrived safely on the surface."

A WEST WALES CHARACTER Idiosyncrasies of a Welsh- Speaking Irishman Jim Harrington. a gaunt, Welsh-speaking Irishman, who for the past forty years or more has lived on mendicity, which he prac- tised chiefly on the well-to-do throughout the counties of Pembroke, Carmarthen, and Cardigan, was found dead in the coach- house of the Royal Oak Inn, Fishguard-the famous hostel in which the French admiral JIM HARRINGTON. agreed to the terms of Earl Cawdor over a century ago at the invasion of Fishguard. Mr. Ivor Evans, coroner, held an inquiry on Wednesday respecting Harrington's death. His age was stated as 76, and his death was due to senile decay. Jim, whom small boys was accustomed to tease, boasted that he never asked alms from the general public. He had a regular round of large country houses in the three counties, fna M .1.1 rrithout x.u.c..G4Jä of uJehsuW, though he went about in rags and tatters, and preferred the shelter of a wayside barn to the common lodging-house. The offer of a drink from a working man he declined with superior gesture. Among other characteris- tics, honesty held a foremost place. A few hours before he lay down in the Royal Oak coach-house for the last time he requisitioned the help of the postmaster at Fishguard in remitting six postage stamps to re-pay a loan from an innkeeper at Maenclochog. The frequent attacks of house-dogs he shielded by means of his hat, which invariably was mutilated. He was fond of recounting how he deserted from the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers, and of displaying a tattooed D" on his left side in corroboration of his story. The accompanying photograph of the superior mendicant was taken a few months ago by Mr. D. Llewellyn, chemist, at Good- wick.

A RARE EXPERIMENT Manipulating the Heart." I Admitted to Guy's Hospital, Thomas F. Davies. a Blackheath youth, was operated upon for the remlovalof a tumour. The opera- tion was nearly over when it was found necessary to administer a second dose of the anaesthetic. Soon after signs of heart failure appeared, and Davies expired. Giving evidence before the Southwark coroner yesterday, Dr. 0. V. Maybery, who administered the anaesthetic, said when Davies was found to be collapsing, the stomach was opened and the heart manipu- lated ia order to bring it into action, but without success. The Coroner: Is that often done?—Well, it has been done before, and done success- fully, but under exceptional circumstances. Davies's father asked the doctor whether his soil would have lived if it had not been for the administration of the second dose of chloroform. The doctor said it was probable. A verdict of "Death by misadventure" was returned.

I HIS HEAD CRUSHED IN I Boy Labour in the Harvest Field A child just, under nine, named Charles Bertie Brown, who was employed in the har- vest field by a farmer at Roxwell, near Chelmsford, met with a shocking death, causing the jury at yesterday's inquest to express the opinion that child labour slhould be prohibited by Act of Parliament. The child was put in charge of a wagon, load of oats and two horses, and despatched homew-irds. ile was found later with his head crushed in, evidently done by the hoof of one of the horses, while a wheel had passed over his loins. The father said the child had taken horses to the blacksmith three years ago, and iiad worked for two years on a farm after school. He was paid 3s. weekly. The farmer, asked by the jury why he did not employ a man at 14s. a week, the cur- rent w¡;.¡::e in the district, seeing how many unemployed there were, said the child's father was very glad of the money.

A TRAIL OF DISASTER I Exciting Scene at Bournemouth An exci ting street scene occurred at Bouroe- mouth yesterday in one of the busiest thoroughfares. A young man, Mr. Harold Carroll, was driving a dog-cart along the old Christehuroh- road, when the hoTee shied, and then bolted, knocking down, a, lady and a little girl, for- tunately without injuring them. Continuing, the animal soon afterwards dashed into a stationary vehicle, Bmaahiing the wheels and shafts of the dog-cart. Mr. Carroll was thrown violently out, and wfcs picked up unconscious, with a fractured skull. The home meanwhile rushed on, and near the Airoa.de knooke.d over a. vegetable oart. Here it was stopped, its kneas being out, ,tad i,ts noetri'ls bleeding profusely. Shortly after- wards it staggered and fell dead. Mr. Carroll lies in a dangerous condition.

SIRIO SURVIVORS I Many Landed at Buenos Ayres I I- Buenos Ayres, Thursday.—The steamship Italia, conveying many survivors of the w*e«te of the 8irio. arrived here to.4. I ( Bouter.

CAMILLE CLIFFORD TO BE MARRIED IN FEBRUARY) I The Hon. Henry Bruce Now Angry So far as I know, we shall be married in I February next, but I am altogether averse to the publicity which has been given to my engagement to Miss Clifford," said the Hon. Henry Lyndhurst Bruce to a Daily Mail" representative yesterday afternoon. He was I standing in the office of the Wafterloo Garage, York-road, a property the purchase I of which he will complete in a few days. I "I had no intention to announce my J engagement at the present time," he con- tinued; "certainly not until Miss Clifford's return from Norway, and when asked on Tuesday night by the reporter of a morning paper for permission to publish the fact of my engagement, I declined at once. I feel that I have been badly used. I had eup- a I HON. LYNDHUBST BRUCE. t [Photo, Baseano. posed that the time had passed when. the marriage of a gentleman to a lady con- nected with the stage must be treated more or less as a subject for ridicule. So far as I am personally concerned, I don't care a, rap what anyone Bays or thinks of my engagement; except, of course, my own people. My marriage will be one of affection, and that's an end of it. If I'd announced my marriage to anyone else, no notice would have been taken of it. And why my engagement to A Thoroughly Nice Girl I connected with the stage should be made a matter for exaggerated buffoonery I can't imagine. "It 's, of course, true that my father is opposed to the match; and I regret his oppo- sition. This, however, is one of those affairs in life which, in my judgment, the indi- viduals chiefly concerned should decide for themselves. I certainly did not. as reported in a published interview, attribute to my father the attitude of one beside himself with fury over the matter. "Though I could maintain myself in my Westminster flat. I could scarcely ask Miss Clifford to give up an assured income on the stage and live with me in comparative poverty, and I could not have her earning more than myself. Now I have settled that problem. As proprietor of this motor-garage, making a speciality of repairs, I hope to do very well. I am keenly interested in every branch of motoring. I mean to use my own name, of course—Mr. Brace. My works manager, Mr. Defries, is a clever and capable man, and the business, which has been going two years, is in such a convenient situation, close to Waterloo Station, that I am sure we shall never be at a loss for business. Do not let it be supposed I am taking up a hopeless concern. Miss Clifford and the Garage I Ae to Miss Clifford's opposition to my embarking in business, it simply amounts to this. I wired her that I intended purchasing this garage, and she wired back advising me not to do so, to which I replied that I intended doing so. To place the matter in the light of a fierce antagonism between us it too absurd. My fiancee is too sensible a woman for that. "I have not yet completed the purchase of this business, but I giiall do so in the course of a few days; and then I expect to settle down to a business career. Miss Clifford, like myself, is very fond of motor- ing and riding. The only thing she has against me, eo far as I know, is my dis- position to drive too fast. But, there, I have driven 8,000 miles since my last aooident, and that's a pretty good record. Our tastes aft TOry similar and oongenial; but I'm afraid she will not like the publicity which has been thrust upon us. There's nothing noteworthy in my career. After leaving Winchester. I went to New College, Oxford, where I was muster of the beagles, played polo, and diid some coaching. I have been to India and done aoane shooting for big game in Cash metre, It was while at Oxford, too. that I became interested in motoring. "I am rather amused at the sudden dis- covery of our engagement. Why, we've ridden, together in the Row every day for mon-ths. I met Mia; Olifford in the most accidental manner, through the introduction, of a mutua-I friend. We dined together once or twice, and I soon, found out how it was with me. Miss Clifford returns to England early next week. I shall, of course, go to meet her." The interview, begun in the Waterloo Garage, terminated in Mr. Rruoe's flat. Photographs of Miss Clifford were all about the rooms, and it was with a bouoh of raamly I pride that Mr. Bruce assented to the remark that" She's a, charming girl." "Y es," he added, with genuine feeling, "amd she's as clever amd delightful in maaMwxr as she is besuutifuL" Miss Clifford's Good Nature It is no secret among Miss Clifford's friends that during the last two years numerous offers of marriage have been made to her by excellent partis," but her characteristic independence led her to refuse them. Mias Clifford loves to do good by stealth Among her adorers is a little boy, who used to sell papers and matches near the stage- door of the Vaudeville Theatre. He was a pitiful little chap, and on one occasion Mies Clifford, struck by his pinched face, threw him a coin with one of her fascinating smiles. Night after night little Paul waited till the actress emerged from the stage-door, and watched her carriage out of sight in open- mouthed ecstasy. One night he was carried away so far that he sprang upon the back of the carriage, and as it took a corner sharply, near Trafalgar-equare. fell and struck his head upon the roadway. Miss Clifford stopped the vehicle at once, alighted, and, as she satisfied herself that he was not badly hart, recog- nised him. Having made inquiries about the youngster's mode of life the Star relates), she pro- vided for his future training in a profitable and assured calling. EARLY STRUGGLES. In the course of an interview, Mies Clifford relates tha.t on her first journey to the United ftte-tes she encountered a good deal of trouble, When the Pavonia reached Boston my difficulties began. It was some time before the immigration officers would let me land. At length, however, a distant relative of mine oame and claimed me. She was very good and kind, but after a. few months I felt I wasn't making much headway. I was pick- ing up English too slowly for it to be of much use to me, eo that when one day I spied a Swedish Employment Bureau I went home, packed my little grip-Il I had in the world -and went in to get a place. That was a, stroke of luck, for on that very day Itrs. Simon Qarey, the wife of the millionaire, came in for a parlourmaid. She saw me, liked my looks, and I went awzy with her. I had eighteen months of delight- ful travelling with Mrs. Carey, but I was getting into a, groove. So I thought I would have a-not-her try to rise, a.nd went to Boston. I went into the biggest dressmaking establishment there, told them I ormld eew and wanted work. I got it. Sewing was one of the many useful things I taunted in lqor, w«7i eoodtef wia mother. Tbe dwwa>i>%» was very pleasant* but the girls were not, and they didn't like me any more than I did them. So I left dressmaking and went into ser- vice again. It's a wonder I ever survived that place. I had everything in the whole house entrusted to me, cooking amd everything, and after a few weeks I was desperate. So one day I walked into the Grand Opera. House and asked for work-said I didn't mind what it was. They were playing a melodrama, 'The Convict's Daughter,' and I walked on. It was a mighty small part, with a small salary, and after that I stepped over to the Columbia Theatre for a. change. There I took charge of a cigar and candy stand at the back of the circle. I could talk English well enough then, except when I got excited, then it would be half Swedish. After a bit I got an engagement in 'Morocco Bound,' and followed it up with a, chorister's part in 'The Prince of Pilsen. Stage and Peerage: A Frank Declaration. Mise Clifford is, no doubt, realising her ideals and her dreams by this forthcoming alliance with the peerage. She explained recently in an American magazine that the MISS CAMILLE CLIFFORD. [Photo, Ellis and Walery. I reason peers married actresses was because they saw them in suitable surroundings and in attractive poses, either as conquering queens or as "sweet, wistful, little persons, whose manner would melt the heart of any man." Her article proceeded with these frank Observations, so applicable to her own case to-day:- I suppose that it would be impossible to conceive a more popular idea for the plot of a novelette than to make some peer marry an actress. But when the event does actually take place the poor actress usually has a hard time at the hands of the critics. A great number of people whom it does not concern in the least usually write to the papers about the degeneracy of the British aristocracy, and so on. Yet, as a matter of fact, a. good actress ought to make a good peeress. Her school- ing on the boards will enable her to carry her&elf well in any society, and the tact which all actresses who are successful must possess should enable her to smooth over many difficulties. I don't see why a peer should not marry an actress if he wants to. In all cases which I can think of the match seems to have turned out very well.

GENERAL BOOTH'S TOUR. I Great Reception at Plymouth. I General Booth concluded at Plymouth on Wednesday night his motor-car tour, which commenced at Inverness a month ago. Leaving Teignmouth, where he stayed over- night, at ten o'clock in the morning, the veteran leader of the Salvation Army drove to Newton Abbot, where he spoke to the inmates of the workhouse, who were grouped outside the institution, and afterwards addressed an enthusiastic meeting in the Wesleyan Church. After lunching with Admiral Sir George Hext, the general motored to Ivy bridge, where another crowded meeting was held in the Wesleyan Church. After tea. the drive was continued to Plymouth. At Plympton, on the way, the general was held up by a. huge crowd, and compelled to stop and speak. In Plymouth a great orowd lined the streets, giving him a, magnificent ovation, and escorting him to the Guildhall, where he addressed a meeting presided over by the ma.yor.

"I AM OUT IN TWO!" 1 Terrible Death on the Railway I A shudder of horror was caused in Bir- mingham Coromar'e-couTt yesterday by the description of the death of James Wrightson Boulton, a/n architect, at New-street StetioiL. Deceased jumped out of the train while it was going at a considerable pace, and fell down between the carriages. He tried to aedze the buffers, but his coot sleeve was caught by the next carriage, and he was drawn between the footboard and platform- He tamed over and over, and to the ireseuer, who seized his bansi ae the train stopped, he exclaimed, "Good God! I am out isa two!" He sustained a fracture of the spinal column, and the vordiot was "Accidental death."

FIRE IN BRYNCOCH PIT. f Almost a thousand men at the Bryneooh Pit of the Main Colliery Company, Glyn- Neath, are idle owing to alarm consequent i upon the discovery of a gob are in the work- ings. The mischief is in the Four-foot Beam. which in the lower sections of the strata is of a very combustible character. The Main Colliery Company 4iore encountered this trouble before at their various collieries, namely, art. Tyr Edmond, Brithdir, and Owrt Herbert, in all of whic-h the Four-foot Seam has fired. It may be remembered that on June 1 an explosion took place which oaused the deaths of five men, and at the inquest it was stated that gas had met with a cob fire. Hopes are expressed of an early resump- tion of work.

I THE MOTOR TERROR. Mr. Harry Eversleigh, aged 32, a baritone vocalist attached to Mr. Seymour Hicks's company, at present performing in Dublin, was killed by a motor-car on stepping off a tram-car in Dublin last evening. The car, in which two ladies were riding, was being driven by a chamitaur in the employ of a TVicklow gentleman.

KRUPP GUNS FOR TURKEY CONSTANTINOPLE, Wednesday. The Ministry of War iB despatching tan batteries of the new Krupp quiok4irer with ammunition, in order to made good deficien- cies in the artillery of the lad Army Corps, whose headquarters are at Constantinople.- Reuter.

FIRE AT DOWLAIS. I A fire broke out on Wednesday evening at 1 the Brickyard Old Works at Dowlais. The blaze continued for some hours, and was wa-tched by hundreds of people from the street. It is supposed that a can of oil was accidentally upset, and as a result the roof took fire, and the flames did considerable damage to the machinery. A gang of men worked for some hours fighting the flamts with an excellent supply of water from a neighbouring pond.

BUTCHERS & CHICAGO DISCLOSURES I At Wednesday's meeting. in Newcastle of the National Federation of Meat Traders' Associations attention was called to the Chicago disclosures. The President said that as the question was not one respecting the quality of imported dressed meat, but had reference to canned meat in America, no action would be taken. The federation resolved to urge the Government to publish the report of the Royal Commission on Tuberculosis with the view of facilitating legislation, owing to the great loss the trade was suffering from the confiscation of I carcases.

L .—— The work of removing the lines of the 1 Constitution Hill Cliff Railway at Swansea, which proved a failure, was commenced on Wednesday. The company sold off their II <?fB aM?wH?Sr lor "Bomp."

A LOST CROWN. £ 20,000 JEWEL DISAPPEARS A crown which was constructed at a cost of LZO,000 when the Pope decreed the honours of coronation to Saint Michel in 1875 has mysteriously disappeared from the ancient. church which crowns the rook of Mont St. Michel off the coast, not far from St. Malo. A lawsuit as to its possession is pending between the Government and the Church, and suspicion was naturally directed in the 4;irst instance against the priests, who were believed to have concealed it in the fear that the case might go against them. But the villagers and peasants of the neighbourhood (rays the !Paris correspondent of the "Daily Mail") believe it to be a case of theft, and tell an, extraoordina-17 gtory of two motorists who appeared on the scene only a few- days ago. The care, whom -a reporter-of the '"Matin" has interviewed, saya that the motorists arrived in the afternoon and took a meal at an inu. They left. again in the evening, but returned at night, the car being left for a while by the roadside with the lamps 'ex- tinguished. L was during this interval, sayt the cure, that the robbery must iave been committed. No sign of the motorists was seen after the eventful night, and there has apparently been no attempt to trace them. A tramp was arrested at Paimpol yester day orj a. charge of breaking into a church there. Rumour connects him with the di& appearance of the crown, but there is nothing to indicate that he waa the perpe. trator of the robbery.

Dean of Ely APPOINTED-, BISHOp. OF TRURO The King has been graciously pleased to approve of the appointment of the Very Rev. Charles William Stubbs, dean of Ely, to be Bishop of Truro, in succession to the Right Rev. John Gott, deceased. The new bishop was born in 1847, and is descended from the same Yorkshire stock as Bishop Stubbs, of Oxford. He was ordained in 1868, and his first curacy was that"of St. Mary's, Sheffield. On becoming vicar of Granborough, Bucks, iiu 1871, he took a. pro- minent part in the agricultural labourers' agitation, of which Joseph Arch was the leader. In 1881 he was preferred to the vicarage of Stokeniham, Devon, by Mr. Gladstone. Seven years later he became rector of Wavertree, where (according to Men and Women of the Time ") he carried on an active Liberal and Broad Church pro- paganda, throwing open his pulpit to many leading Liberal preachers. He was appointed Dean of Ely in 1894. Dr. Stuflbbs is the author of many volumes, including Christ and Democracy" (a coarse of university sermons), "The Land and the Labourers," "The Church in the Villages," "God's Englishmen," "For Christ and City," God and the People, Christ and Economics," and A. Creed for Christian Socialists."

CROSS RIVER CONTEST Guardsmen Afloat in the Thames Soon after dawn yesterday, and long before; the sun had had an opportunity of chasing away the heavy mist over the Thames at Windsor, a few early bathers were startled by the sudden avpearaztm of a. body of barse and foot soldiers -ou the Windsor Racecourse. It waa a squadron of the 1st Life Guard.* and a company of the 2nd Coldetreaan Guards, who had to compete in a cross-rivet contest, the former to swim over with the:i1 horses, and the foot guards to cross on a pontoon, which they first had to construct, When the bugle for operations to commence sounded the Life Guards, quickly mounted' their black steeds and sprang into the wot sr. The first lot crossed sptendidly to the Buckti shore, but the others were more timid, and showed no appreciation of the water. One or two of the animals vetmtured hack, and gd!ve their riders a sterm choee, and this delay allowed the CoMstreams to win. the contest in the good: time at fifteen minutes. Very dexterously tfaey constructed a pon- toon out of a number of barrels and pJa-nikw, and the me& were soon landed in two ,batches, and doubled up to the winning P(" at a- smart pace.

HIS FOURTH RESCUE. Gallant Dowlars Brickiaye. A lad of nine yeara, moaned David Thcmafi Davies, living with his parents at IS, Well- street, Dowlais, had a narrow escape from drowning in the fish-pond at Penywern, Dow- lais, on Wednesday evening. He was play- ing with otther boys of his age when his cap fell in-to the waiter, and in attempting to recover it he aJso fell in. But for the promptitude of John Kennedy, who lives in the vicinity, the boy must have been drowned. He was, unconscious when brought to the bank, and artificial respiration wae successfully resorted to by Kennedy. This is the fourth life which Kennedy, who is a. bricklayer at Dowlais Works, has saved from drown-ing-a. foot which deserves some public recognition.

LORD CURZON'S PRESENTS In Lord Curzon's Asiatic collection, now on view in the Bethnal Green, Museum, ion- don, interest will no doubt centre on the Tibet presents to the ex.Vioeroy. Several seated figures of Buddha are from the ruling lanias at IJhua, a-nd Shigatse. Still clothed in their original silk wrappings. There is a large collection of bronze and copper teapots, beer-jugs, and water-pitchers in use among Tibetan monks and people. A temple trumpet of prodigious length, a neck. lace of human thigh-bones, and a drum com- posed of two skulls are side by side with curios procured from Boxers' houses at the relief of Peking in 1900. Two lapis-Lazuli and silver taibles ara presents to Lord Curzon by the Amir «i Afghanistan, and there is a taJI brass cande- labrum from Cabul. On the walls are silk and velvet carpets, embroideries, Path an knives, old Mogul armour, Damascened shields, and a pair of fine Tibetan paintings representing Tsongkha-pa, founder of the Jelupka sect of Lamaism.

I LLANELLY MAN KILLED. At Llanelly a fa.tal accident befell a yonn&- man n.a.med ArchibaJd Davis, of the Bird-in- Hand Inu, New Dock. Deceased took a horse belonging to Mr. Rich. Roberts, grocer, New Dock, Llaneily, from a. field. Whilst riding towards the subway he fell to the ground and fractured his skull. He was taken to his home, where he expired a. few hours after- wards.

I PLUCKY FIGHT WITH BURGLAR A pubLic subscription is being organised in Maidenhead to reward the pluck of a garden labourer, named William Short, who collared Earnest Norton as the latter was escaping, with two othera, from the house of Mr. D. Ingamells, King's-grove, Maidenhead, with jewellery to tie value of Lizo. Norton's two oampanaotne are alleged to be Henry Williams, pjitnomakier, aawl Thomas Walters, b-ghin-aker, who were re<maiided a-t Maidenhead yesterday on suspicion of being concerned with him in the robbery. They were also charged with breaking inrbo tho Modern School House. A gang of men endeavoured to prevcir.t. Norton's arrest.

"THE BETTER PART OF VALOUR. An amtuing incident occurred at the meet ing of the Romford Guardians yesterday. A member had stated thai one of his colleagues, a. Mr. Page, did not always stick to the truth; whereupon Mr. Pace, who is a strongly-built man. standing 66t., Ic-ft his seat, and. going behind the offending mem- ber, said: "If you don't take that remarl, back, you go out of this room." The threatened one tactfully said be had great pleasure in withdrawing the remarks, and Mr. Page resumed his seat.

James Phillipe, who resided by hrrraaif at 10, Hatter-street, Brynmawr, was on Wednes- day evening found dead in bed. Dec.,v.WA had been complaining about hia throat. Two neighbours and Polioe-eorietabie Wil- liams entered the hottse by the wmdow, and found the una dead- He was about 69 of age.