Evening Express

NEW YEAR'S EVE. Enter—1907. BY LLOYD MEYRICK The dear children were giving a little Christmas pantomime of their i own, in which all the good fairies proposed to each other and got marrifd. During the progress of the play the mother of one of the actresses" -,V-ODt behind ''the scenes" and found her little girl sitting all alone in a corner. I-Wlly. Alice, darling," she inquired, "have you been left out of the pantomime? Why aren't you on with the other fairies?" "I'm not left out, mumsie," indignantly answered Alice; "I'm the baby of the Princess, waiting to be born after her marriage." To-day behind the scenes the baby waits for all of us to play its part as 1907. I am not going to give my readers a dose of cheap moralising or a list of New Year resolutions. Personally, my lot is as near an ideal one as it is possible to be, and all I ask of the coming year is mono- tony. I have got too fixed in my habits even to toy with the question of giving up drink or tobacco. All such hazardous experiments are for the youthful and adventurous, and I prefer to dree my weird unchanged. There is, no doubt, a magic about January 1. It is a fresh starting-place, and beams on us kindly as another chance. We would all like in life a pre- liminary canter—a run over the course to know the stiff places and the slipper- ing ground. Many of us after such a trial trip would run the race with greater care and credit. This, however, is not to be, and we make little halting- places of our own, from which we speed anew with fresh heart and hope. Such a place is the end of the Old Year, whefi as a country we gather together to take breath and then gird up our loins for another toilsome twelve months. We are all of us half children, and we have little tricky ways of dealing with our- selves. There is something ragged about a resolution made, say, in October —there is no proper footing-place for permanency. No well-rounded man could keep a holy vow in such a month, but January 1 is the day of days for the clean slate and the new leaf. To-day, on the edge of the New Year, there are a number of men and women straining at the leash anxious to be allowed to speed on the path of unaccus- tomed virtue. It is very well it should be so, and that we should all take periodically fresh draughts from the fountain of Hope. There is always a chance that the new and the untried come bearing gifts. For example, my reader, in the language of Carlyle: "When thou thyself—a watery, pulpy, slobbery freshman and newcomer in this Planet-satt-est muling and puking in thy nurse's arms, sucking thy coral, your very freshness made of you a wonder and a miracle." In you mankind was to have a fresh start, and, possibly, the end of 1907 finds you with a sheaf of resolutions to steady straying feet for the New Year. In different parts of the United Kingdom there is a great variety of observances in connection with the in- coming of the New Year, and one of the principal is the complexion of the person who announces the New Year. Great importance is attached to this question in some parts of South Wales, and also in the North of England. It ia considered to bring good luck if a dark- coloured man goes outside the house and begs admittance on the stroke of twelve and brings with him the New Year. Some of these heralds take into the house a loaf or a piece of bread in their hands as an emblem of fthe plenty to be enjoyed by the occupants of the house during the forthcoming year. In New- castle-on-Tyne they attach a great' deal of importance to the first foot. If he Should be a dark man it is a sigrr of good luck; if a light one not so lucky; but, alas! if a woman, the worse luck will befall the household. Similar to the first hearing of the cuckoo, it is of the greatest importance whether or not you have money in your pocket and your cupboard full on New Year's day. In some parts of Russia on New Year's Eve two lads are led about from door to door, one dressed in festal raiment and crowned with ears of rye, the other wearing a ragged dress and a wreath composed of straw. Before arriving at a cottage they are veiled so as not to be easily recognised, and then its owner is told to choose one of the two. If he selects the richly-decked mummer a song is sung by his visitors predicting for him a plenteous harvest and a well-filled purse. If his choice fall upon the other the singers chant a melancholy strain fore- boding woe. It is natural for me to turn to one of the most characteristic of the essays of Charles Lamb on New Year's Eve. Of all sound of all bells—bells, the music nighest bordering upon heaven-most solemn and touching is the peal which rings out the Old Year. I never hear it I without a gathering-up of,my mind to a concentration of all the images that have been diffused over the past twelve- month, all I have done or Buffered, per- formed, or neglected in that regretted time. I begin to know its worth, as when a person dies. It takes a personal colour; nor was it a poetical flight in a contemporary when he exclaimed I saw the skirts of the depsurtdng Year. It is no more than what in sober sadness everyone of us seems to be conscious of in that awful leave-taking. To one so pathetically wedded to life as Charles Lamb every year flees on swift wings. Perhaps to-night many, conscious in a thousand subtle ways of the nearness of the call hence, may unconsciously reluct at the inevitable course of destiny. They may say with Lamb — I am in love with this green earth—fche face of town and comntry-the unspeakable rural solitudes, and the sweet security of streets. I would set up my tabernacle here. I do not want to be weaned by age, or drop, like meL10w frait, uti tbey say, imto too grave. Happily, however, this morbid attach- moot Ito lifei is not general or even natural. The great majority uf us will die decently and without regret. But to take Lamb in a ligh te-r vein: Then let us welcome the Now Cfueet, Wicth lusty bacsumxuera of tlbb best. Mirtii akwaye abonirt Good Fontane meeb And renxiere 8'«1 Disaster meet; .ùIIrt* Let us but line ourselves with sack, ] We better shall by far (hold out Till the next Year she face about. How say you, reader—do not these l verses smack of the rough magnanimity of the old English vein? Do they not fortify like a cordial, enlarging the heart, and productive of sweet blood and generous spirits in the concoction ? And now another cup of the generous! and a; merry New Year, and many of them, to you all, my masters! It is to be hoped that the guardians and corporation will be enabled to settle down amiably in the City Hall together. There ought to bo ample room, and I have no doubt the council will do its best to make the newcomers comfortable. There was an overwhelming feeling in Cardiff against a new building and large expenditure, and the guardians are grace- fully acknowledging the situation. Those who know the size of the City Hall cannot imagine there will be any difficulty about accommodation, and there will be, for the future, many advantages in the close co- operation of the two bodies. There will be centralisation without prodigal outlay. In answer to "Suspicious Burgess," I should advise him to go to the ward repre- sCThtatÍve he knows best, and place his information fully before him. If his sus- picions are correct, I have no doubt full inquiry will be made. I must, though, point out that there is more than a touch of cock-and-bull about the story. Before I should feel justified in venti- lating the matter in this column, I should want to be more satisfied as to the truth of the statements. After all, there is far too much vague innuendo indulged in, and I am not going to encourage the silly and malicious practice..

i 'Bus Overturned. SERIOUS MERTHYR ACCIDENT An alarming accident, mercifully shorn of any fa-tad consequences, or, indeed, of any very serious personal injuries, occurred at Merthyr on Saturday night. At whom a quiarter to eight o'clock, whilst a two-horsed ''bus belonging to Mr. Hole- house, of The Avenue, was going to Troedy- rhiw, laden wi,th people who had been into town marketing, the whoelfi. owing to the slippery state of the road, skidded in Ply- i mouth-street, opposite the shop of Mr. Rich, grooer, and the near hind-wheel giving way, the vehicle turned completely over on its left side. The pole snapped, and the thorsee maintained their feet. The 'bus was driven by Henry Marshall, of Tai-Harry Blawd, and the conductor was a boy named John Brill, of Georgetown. It carried the following passengers: — Miss Bella Rowlands, 5, ChurcSi-gtreest, Pent re bach Mrs. Mary Ann Davies, 29, Chapel-street, Aberoanaid, and a; baby in arms; Mrs. Mary Wheeler, Hill-street, Troedy. rhiw; Mrs. Bates, Cardiff-row, Abercanaid; Mrs. Mary Ann Davies, Cardiff-row, Aber- canaid; Mr. and Mrs. T. Owen, 1, Church-street, Pentrebaoh; Mrs. Caitherine Marshall, and foer boy, Bartholomew, aged eleven, 3, Morlaam-atreet, Duffryn; Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, Tai Wincihes; Mrs. Sarah Ann Bailey, 18, Long-row, Pentrebaoh; Mrs. Ann Jones, The Cottage, Pentrebach; lamd Mrs. Mary Jane Price, 7. Hickman-street, Pentrebach. The driver was thrown from the box wthen the upset happened, and Mrs. Maxy Jane Price, who was riding at his side, was also precipitated to the ground. Her plight was inore serious tha.n that of any of the others on board, for she was in a delicate condition, and the faill rendered her very hysterical. The inside passengers were jostled against each otiher pellnmell, and their shrieks brought a big crowd upon the scene, which 1mS one of affrighted commotio a. Some of them were able to scramble out themselves, but the rest had to be extricated by the folks around. Information of the accident was at once conveyed to the police, and Polioe-oonstabies Evans, Johns, and Howells were the first to arrive on the spot, Inspector Rees and other officers following immediately after. It was at first thought that certain of the passengers had been dangerously hurt, and so medical aid was summoned. The whole of the persons who had ridden in the 'bus were taken into adjacent public,-house&-scme to the Barley Mow and the remainder to the Ship and Bell—where they were seen by Dr. Ward and Dr. Webster, who hurried down the iustant they received the call. The doctors were relieved to And that, though they were all suffering from shock, there were a few who bad sustained no injury whatever, and that the injuries of those who had been wounded were confined principally to slight contusions about the head, face, and hands, with in some oases trifling outs caused I by the near windows having been smashed. The most serious case next to that of M-m. Price was the case of Mrs. Owen, whose right arm was severely sprained, if not broken. AH the unfortunate victims of the mishap, excepting poor Mrs. Price, could have walked home if necessary, but they were taken in cabs provided by Mr. Holehouee. Mrs. Mary Ann Da vies in the oapsizal lost from her pocket 12 ae., but £2 lt1. 8d. was picked up and restored to her. A sum of 6s. which Ma's. Wheeler lofrt was also recovered, aind a puree containing 10b., lost by Mrs. Bailey, was likewise re-gained. There is a feeling of great gratification throughout the district that the accident did not culminate in a terribie catastrophe.

I TREAT TO CARDIFF CHILDREN Eleven hundred children were entertained on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday last by Councillors W. H. Renwickj J.P., H. C. Vivian, and J. A. Kidd at the South Church-street Council Schools, Cardiff. Mrs. Renwick, Mrs. Kidd, and Mrs. Vivian, supported by lady friends, took the varioue3 tables, and oontri- bu-ted to the evening's enjoyment at the entertainment. The following ladies and gentlemen amused the children during the evening, viji.Miss Kidd, Miss Clake, Miss Maggie Snowball, Miss Sparkes, Messrs. Hiam Lang, T. Lucas, J. Dyer, S. Taylor, R. Red- ford, Master Stewart, nigger troupe, and others. Mr. G. B. Harrison was accompanist. Councillors W. H. Renwick, Vivian, and Kidd Presided on the respective evenings. The oom,mittee consisted of Messrs. Valentine Wat- son, W. Lawrence (hon. secretary), Farrell, and the masters an d mistreesess of the varioll, schools, viz.:—Me«siv. Edwards, Sharpe. and Famsworth, assisted by their assistant teaohws. The catering was carried out by "Mr. F. W. PhiUips. of the TresiUian Hotei, ,Mr. F. W. PhiUiPL%, of tbo 'IreeiLl.ia-n Hotel,

PRESENTATION TO LORD WINDSOR. A very handsome silver dinner service of forty-seven pieces which is now on view in the window of Messrs. John Williams (Limited), Queen-street, is intended for Lord Windsor (the Hon. Otiher Windsor-Olive). His lordship came of age in October of 1903, and the dinner service was subscribed for by the agricultural and mineral tenants on the family estates in Glamorgan. The delay in completing the presentation was caused by the advancement of Ijord Plymouth in the peerage and the consequent change in the coat of arms. The service cost £ 300, and the committee were fortunate in buying the silver at an advantageous market moment. Lord Windsor is at present. A DO. to Lord fielborne in South Africa.

BROWN'S BRONCHIAL TROCHES 66 Years' Repqitaitaon. For Coughs and Colds. For Bronchitis and Asthma. For lnffumra and Catarrh. For SoreoMa erf the ThTeat. IF- fteatas aW Singftpk. Tii«y otaoftbeo tba Vedc*. 8GltL.

Body Under a Bridge I CARDIFF POLICEMAN'S FIND I About six o'clock on Sunday morning Police- constable Davies (69) found the body of a ma.n lying under the railway bridge in Her- bert-street, Cardiff. It was identified as the body of William Matthews, 76, of 65, Ðlm- Btrefit, a night watchman for Messrs. Watsons and Co., timber merchants. Dr. Buist was sent. ¡ for, but found life extinct, and the body was removed to the mortuary. The deceased had not been in good health for some time past, but made no particular complaint, and was engaged in conversation with one of the Docks policemen a few minutes before his body was found. An inquest will be held.

Paul Roos at Pontypridd I SERMONS OF THE FOOTBALL FIELD Unusual interest was evinced at Ponty- pridd on Sunday afternoon in the visit of Mr. Paul J. Roos. captain of the South, African football team, who addressed a' cro-wded gathering in the large Town-hall. Nearly aU interested in football in the district were present, Alderman Richard Lewis, J.P., presiding. On the platform were many local ministers and members of the urban council, in addition to Messre. Aok Llewelyn. T. E. Lewis (Welsh Football Union), and other supporters of the game. The visit was arranged by the comuiittee of the local Young Men's Christian Association. Alderma.n Lewis said he offered no apology for being on the platform to give a hearty Welsh welcome to the distinguished gentle- man who would speak to the vast assembly before him. He was present when the memorable defeat of the Welshmen took place, and those present forgot their disap- pointment in admiring the man who had led their opponents to victory. He admired him personally, not only as a footballer, but as a Christian gentleman. He welcomed him again for another reason—his country had become attached to this country. Mr. Roos, who was received with prolonged cheers, thanked those present for the warm welcome accorded him. Referring to the Young Men's Christian Association, he said that in South Africa they had a Students' Christian Association and Christian En- deavour Societies, and in Cape Town and other large centres associations on similar lines to those in Great Britain. In Wales recently they had been blessed with a great revival, which had not yet reached them across the water. They were, however, still praying for it. There had been a flickering, but nothing compared with the great Welsh movement. Mr. Roos took for his text three words, "Watch, pray, and wait." The three words, he said, were the key-note of life. They could take them to the football field, for no one could move a step without Christ. Men could not all be ministers, but they could preach by their words and actions, and could do so in playing football as in the everyday walks of life. There the players' actions could be seen by thousands, and if their conduct was good it would appeal to ethers. Let them take Christ into the foot- ball field, not only as players, but as specta- tors, and try to dissociate themselves from the idea that footballers and athletes were fighters aud drunkards. There WaB no neces- sity that they should be so. They needed sport to keep the body in trim. Football was an excellent moral training, and in it were the true spirit and enjoyment of sport.

AN INTERRUPTED ROMANCE I A singular case of theft was heard by the Eastbourne magistrates on Saturday. A young Frenchman, Rene Daloolque, who was sent to England to learn the language, pleaded guilty to stealing two £ 5 notes, the money of Mrs. Gelene Mariage, proprietress of a dressmaking businees. The prosecutrix said that Dcloolque, who had been paying his addresses to her daugh- ter, vnafl in the habit oi comitig to the shop and spending several houi-s a day with his sweetheart and the family generally. The two L5 notes were missed from the till. Delcoique affected to be very concerned, and told witness she must have mislaid the notes, and that they would, no doubt, be forth- oomirng. Some days awterwiards he admitted having stolen them, saying he took them to re-pay a loan. He became greatly distressed, aad remained in the house all night. Before leaving he begged her not to take proceedings, stating that his mother would return the money at an early date. Upon that she promised not to press the matter, but as the money did not arrive she obtained a warrant for his arrest. Prisoner said his friends, owing to unex- pected troubles, dropped his aMowaoce, and he was compelled to borrow. This debt he was pressed to discharge, and seeing the notes he yielded to the temptation to steal them. The bench sent him to prison for a. month.

LIVES LOST FOR FARTHINGS I A child three years of age was fatally burned in her parents' home, Brentford, while the grandmother went next door to asoertain the hour. The mother stated at the inquest that the child was wearing' flannelette, whidh caught fire. The Coroner: Oh, dear! This is the tenth case I have had in nine days in which the child has worn flannelette. It exposes chil- dren to terrible dangers. The other stuff is only about a farthing a yard more, but mothers will not buy it.

ANNOUNCED HER OWN SUICIDE I Mme. Marie Sinson, a music-hall artist, attempted suicide on Saturday at her house in the Rue Victor Masse, Paris, after sending a messiage to tho police notifying them of her intention, and asking them to cremate her body. She dressed herfcielf in white, wound her hair in ribbons u.nd flowers, and then shot herself. When the police arrived she stag- gered to the door and opened it, .and .then dropped at their feet. She is not expected to live.

NEW WAY WITH CRIMINALS. I The first case under the New Zealand Habitual Criminals Act has taken place at Wellington, where the Chief Justice of the Colony, in sentencing a man named Sparrow, declared him to be an habitual criminal. The effect oi this decision is that Sparrow will be sent at the end of his two years' sen- tence to a reformatory, and be there detained indefinitely under the indeterminate sentence clause. The man has a police record of 27 convictions, and has spent twenty years in gaol.

PROMISCUOUS KISSING I The seoretary of ouc of the largest weavers' associations in Lancashire yester- day informed a reporter that a large num- ber of socials and other fmictions are being -arranged T»ut of funds raised by mistletoe forfrits powid by managers, overlookers, and other mill officials. He declares them have been lots of promiacnous kissing in mills amd sheds, of course und'Ctr mistletoe, this festive season, and the avesrago penalty of a shilling has been paid to vivacious Lancashire lasses most readdlty.

BIG BRUSSELS BLAZE I The great Colin amd Donnay stores in the Rue Neuve, Brussels, wore completely destroyed by fire last night, the buildings and their contents being a-edueed to ashes in half an hour. The flames spread to several adjoining houses, but ill earfli case wore got twitter by fli-emeni. The damage i* estimated at u. <'<jiieideraible amount.

FORGOT THEIR FEES I The jurymen at the Steamey coroner's,court I on Radmrda-Y were daebhairRed, and were tearing- £ sha oawrt, wheti the ootrcaxefr remaided

In Memory of Little Son MUNIFICENCE OF MR. W. J. TATEM Gift of 1,000 Guineas to Cardiff Infirmary. Mr. W. J. Tatem, the well-known Cardiff J shipowner, has signalised the ending of the year 1906 by the munificent gift of 1,000 guineas to the Cardiff Infirmary. The secre- tary of the institution has received a cheque for that amount from Mr. Tatem, with an intimation that the money is to be devoted to the endowment of a cot in the children's ward in memory of his little boy—Master Thomas Shandon Tatem—whose untimely death was such a sad blow to his parents. The same memory has also been perpetuated by the recent gift of 1,000 guineas to the Seamen's Hospital for the endowment of a cot. This is not the first time Mr. Tatem has helped the infirmary, for it will be remem- MR. W. J. TATEM. bered that at the famous mayoral banquet when Mr. Thomas Andrews inaugurated his infirmary fund Mr. Tatem, with characte- ristic generosity, responded on the moment with a gift of £25û, and again at the festival dinner in 1903, over which Viscount (then Lord) Tredegar presided, he sent a donation of 100 guineas. Mr. Tatem's sympathies are, however, not limited to hospitals, but enter into many fields of philanthropy, and the practical and unobtrusive kindness of himself and Mrs. Tatem has helped to brighten many a poor and cheerless home. Amongst other institutions assisted by Mr. Tatem is the Snaresbrook Merchant Seamen's Orphanage, towards which, at a recent gathering in London, Mr. Tatem gave 250 guineas. In Cardiff he has always taken the greatest interest in the waifs and strays of the city. He gave an outing to these poor children in the corona- tion year, and each year since then he has shown his practical interest in their welfare, and is closely identified with the dinner to be given to them next month. It is earnestly hoped that Mr. Tatem's example—so thoroughly in keeping with Christmastide and all it stands for-will inspire other wealthy men to aid in the effort to permanently increase the income of the infirmary, an institution which does so much to minister to the pressing needs of those most dependent upon our pity and compassion—the sick and suffering poor.

NON-UNIONIST MINERS. Threatened North Wales Strike A grave crisis has been reached in the coal industry of North Wales. The general notices posted at the various collieries to cease work next Wednesday are not considered sufficient by the masters, who have informed the men's representatives that each employe must send in a separate notice. The council of the North Wales Miners' Association held a special meeting at Wrex- ham on Saturday night to discuss the situa- tion. They resolved to re-affirm a previous resolution that all men and boys engaged in manipulating the coal who are members of tho association and are employed at col- lieries where any non-union men are work- ing are to oome out on strike on Wednesday next. Reports were laid before the meeting show- ing the numbers of non-Union men and boys at present working, as follows:—Wrexham fnd Acton Colliery, 150; Gatewen, 2; l'laa- power, 6; Point of Ayr, 2 firemen and 2 boys; Black Park, 50; Wynnstay, 12; Westminster, 10; Brynkinallt, 6; and Gwersyllt, 16. At the other collieries it is understood that all the employes belong to the association.

STOLE A HANSOM CAB. A madman's adventure with a hansom cab was described at the West London Police- court on Saturday, when Herbert Crawley (22), a grocer's assistant, of Hammersmith, was charged with stealing a horse and hansom cab. The cab was on the rank at Walnam Green, when the prisoner suddenly walked up, climbed up to the dickey, and drove off. The cabman pursued him with another cab, and overtook him three-quarters of a mile away. A constable stated that the prisoner seemed rather strange when arrested, and another constable said he tore up the pillow in the cell, exclaiming that he was King of Spain, and would send them all champagne in the morning. The gaoler informed the magistrate that he had been obliged to set two officers to I watch the man. While in the cells of the court he had changed clothes with a prisoner, broken his watch up, and given his chain away to another prisoner. A sister stated that the prisoner had been in an asylum for six months, and was dis- charged as cured. Last year he went off his head and broke into a friend's house at Haslemere in his nightshirt. The Magistrate directed the police to take him to the infirmary.

"WENT ROUND LIKE A TOP." A singular story was related to the Bir- mingham magistrates on Saturday by '.t young butcher charged with assaulting his wife, and also with being drunk in toe police-court. The prisoner, whose name is Moore, had arrived at court intoxicated to answer a summons for desertion, and he aggravated the matter by assaulting his wife and one cf her witnessed. Prisoner did not deny that he was drunk. In fact, he told the justices that, as the result of talcing a few "oid ales" before entering the court, lie "went round like a top," and that when he felt in his pockets to pay his solicitor's fee, £ 1 lls. 6d., he fotmd that all his money had gone. The Magistrates di dnot sympathise with the prisoner on his loss, and, regarding his offences in a serious light, sent him to gaol for three months with hard labour.

TALKED TOO MUCH "Do I look like a thief, sir? Is it for the likes of him to speak like t-hatp" asked a woman, appealingly, of the magistrate at Old-street on Saturday. Sure., your worship," she continued, been round the house three or tour days Hince, and will not go away The Magistrate (gently): Ob, don't such a noise! The Lady (more vehemently): But he has, your worship—three days running—^with his knocking at my door, first, to get, my iiamp,, then to ,,a my Christian name, and then to know how I apeJt. Donoghne. Tawt-Magistrates Pag.:

I Doctor in the Dock. I ILLEGAL PRACTICES ALLEGED I Married Woman's Startling Story Startling evidence was given at Marl- borough-street when (before Mr. Denman) Caleb Charles Whitefoord, 63, a medical practitioner, of Upper Marylebone-street, W., was placed in the dock on a remanded charge of performing an illegal operation upon Mrs. Liliie Baker, of South Wimbledon. Mr. Muir appeared for the Treasury, and in outlining the evidence said that the case had reference to a. married woman named Lillie Baker, living apart from her husband wi another man. When she was in a cert,a,in condition the man introduced her to prisoner,, who operated upon her. She then pa;id prisoner a fmm of £3 for per- forming the operation. That was in October, 1905. In March last Mrs. Barker again became enceinte, and vis-ift,e.d. pri- soner in June. After some bargaining prisoner agreed to perform an opera- tion upon Mrs. Baker for the sum of three guineas. He did it in the same manner as before. She paid prisoner altogether seven visits a.t his premises, and six times he operated upon her. Mrs. Baker had no reason at all to visit prisoner's premises except in connection with her condition, as she was otherwise in perfect health. Mr. Muir went on to say that the modus operandi of prisoner was that when a woman went to his premises in Upper Mary, lebone-street he asked her the very odd question, "Have you been here before; Who Introduced You P 1) I xne woman was then conducted upstairs to the first floor, where there were two aooms-one a furnished front room used as a sitting-room. When admitted to that room the woman was conducted by prisoner into a small room adjoining, in which there was a bed. In that room had been discovered a very la,rge number of instruments uaed for illegal practices. There was a crucifix on the wall. Besides the instruments tlhe police came across a quan- tity of correspondence of the most Buggeg. tive dharacter, some of it, indeed, going quite beyond suggestion, and dealing with plain statement of fact. The first witness called was Dr. Charles Murray, of Trinity-road, Wimbledon. He had known Mrs. Lillie Baker, of Clarence- road, Soutn Wimbledon, for eighteen months. During the early part of that period he attended her for amemia and indigestion. He knew in April of this year that she w.a.;¡ enceinte, about which she spoke to him. On August 20 last he was sent for to see Mrs. Baker at her residence, and found her suffer- ing from hemorrhage. A certain event occurred the same night. Lillie Baker then gave evidence. She said she was married, but Lived Apart from Her Husband. She was 26 years of age. She and I her husband separated about three years ago, she then taking a situation in a public- 'I house in the West End. Whilst employed there she formed the acquaintance of a man other than her husband, and with whom she became intimate. As a resnlt of that inti- macy she discovered in October, 1905, that she was in a certain condition. She disclosed the fact to the man with whom she had been intimate, and with his aid secured drugs, which did not, however, prove effective. The matt was subsequently instrumental in her being introduced to Dr. Whitefoord. She I entered a room with Dr. Whitefoord, who locked the 'door, and then asked her what she wanted. She toM him that a friend of hers had been there. and asked him for what sum he would perform the operation. He said he would do it for five guineas, adding that the previous week he had received a sum of 25 guineas. Witness said she could not afford five guineas, and prisoner agreed to do it for three guineas. Wit- ness then went on to describe the operation performed upon her by prisoner, after which he gave her a bottle containing medicine, saying she was to take it until the pain was relieved. She detailed a second visit to prisoner, when he again performed an opera- tion upon her, for which he charged her three guineas. When she went to the small room the second time there emerged from it a young woman, she had seen other women at prisoner's place during her visit there. At this point the hearing was adjourned until Friday next, prisoner being allowed out on bail in the wum of £ 500.

MIDNIGHT MELODRAMA." I The Rev. J. H. White, vicar of St Augus- tine's, South Croydon, does not approve of watch-night services. Writing in his parish magazine on the subject, he says: There is a. horrible, deadly silence just as midnight approaches, broken only by the tolling of the bell, which answers to the slow music of nuelodrama. This is mere sensation of the worst kind, and it I is a pity it should be encouraged in the name of religion. The absurdity of the whole thing is bet- ter seen when it is remembered that, the length of the Year being between five and j six hours more than 365 days, the year can- not begin anywhere in the neighbourhood of twelve o'clock midnight, except occasion- ally. The beat place for people at that hour, he says, is in bed. If, however, they like to "keep it up" by toasting the King, etc., no one will be likely to quarrel with them, pro- viding only that, in rendering unto Cresar the things that are Caesar's, they do not for- get to render to God the things that are God's. The vicar objects to the exalting of the civil year above the Church's year, and says the commenoement of the civil year is a purely arbitrary arrangement. The year need not begin on Ja-nuary 1 for any more cogent reason than on April 1.

EX-WELSH M.P.'S DEATH. Mr. Samuel Smith, formerly member for Flintshire, died at Calcutta on Friday night from heart failure. He was to na,yc presided at the ALl India Temperance Conference on Saturday. Mr. Smith was a prominent Liverpool mer- chant, and represented one of the divisions of that city from 1882 to 1885. He w a,, returned for Flintshire in 1886, and for twenty years he represented that county in the liberal interest, retiring at the last general election on the grounds of ill-health.

DEATH OF SIR A. SANDISON! Sir Alfred Sandison died at Constantinople on Saturday after a long illness. The deceased was a well-known figure in Constantinople diplomatic and official society. He entered the British Consular Service in 1859, was appointed dragoman of the Embassy in 1860, and retired on pension in 1894. Sir Alfred Sandison's diplomatic abilities were of a high order, and he showed much tact in handling many delicate and important matters.— Reuter.

UNCLE EVERYONE WANTS. I 'Mr. AHl'M Howard Lloyd, J.P., of Hare- woods, B?tching'cy, %rr(,y, has an enHrely praiseworthy apprcoiatioD of the oppor- tunities of Christmas. I He has shown, moreover, a marvellous apti- tude for availin-g himself of them by making what is probably one of the most delightful and expansive Christmas-boxes on record. Every one of his 37 nephews a;nd nieces has been made happier by the receipt from him of a cheque for .£1,000.

PUNISHMENT OF SCHOLARS The committee of Newport Elementary I Schools have warned two assistant teachers I that the inflicitiou of corporal punishment I upon scholars is a direct breach of the rules, and that any further complaint, which was proved woold he met by instant dismissal.

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m—ab——an—■—awa—ok im wbh———na | Lady Burdett-Coutts ISUCCUMBS TO BRONCHITIS. A LAVISH BENEFACTOR. We regret to state that the Baroness Burdett-Coutts died at half-past ten on Sun- day morning at her residence, Stratton- street, Piccadilly, aged 92. The deceased lady, who had been ill for several days suffer- ing from acute bronchitis, was attended by Dr. Cowerford and Sir Thomas Barlow, but no hope of recovery was entertained. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH The Baroness Burdutt-Goutts was one of the most remarkable of women. Her un- bounded wealth only gave her the opior- tunity for unbounded charity. To rehearse even, in outline the more out- standing of her benefactions would exceed the scope of a brief review of a career tha.t covered, and had outlasted, the iDngesb reign in our history. A life-work which founded and endowed three bishoprics, buiio or restored churches in every part of the country, founded and maintained schools, relieved the poverty of piovinces, and, as it were, by a, stroke of the pen wiped out some of the most hideous plague-spots in the greatest city in the world cannot be summed up in a few sentences. Moreover, it is un- necessary, because the greater achievement of her philanthropy must be familiar to all. Not only was she the only woman on whom a peerage of the United Kingdom had been couferred in recognition of her personal of ht?r pei-,?o,nitl worth and work, apart from ancestral or vicarious claims to distinction, but she was the object of the almost affectionate regard of every class of the community, of the costermonger no less tham of the courtier. She had received ovations from all sorts and conditions of men that only genuine admira- tion for her character and personality could have elicited. W,h,e.-n, ITLIMS, the Reform procession trailed for three solid hours past the well-known house at the corner of Piccadilly and Stratton-street, the vast crowd of demonstra- tors a.nd onlookers sank their political differences by cheering Miss Burdett to the cona. vvnen, in 1887, she visited Ireland to see the fruits of her own work there, every cabin along the coast from Queenstown to Baltimore was gay wiith improvised bunting, and at night the coastline twinkled with impromptu bonfires. On the night of the Diamond Jubilee, when Piccadilly was a tidal wave of packed humanity, as soon as Lady Burdett-Coutts, with her old friend, Sir Harry Keppel, came out on the balcony the crowd recognised her at once and broke into cheers. Of her clearness and independence of mind she gave early proof. Inheriting her vast fortune when a' young girl, very many people at the time were anxious to help her in dis- p,osin,g of it. But she would have none of it. With one lifelong friend and companion, Mrs. Brown, "she stood out against the world," and made for herself a separate and indepen- dent existence of her own. Social successes in. themselves, though few London hostesses have entertained more lavishly and bril- liantly than the mistress of the great house in Stratton-street, did not appeal to her. The work of the Church of England in the Colonies did. So by 1847 she had endowed the Bishoprics of Cape Town and Adelaide, and a few years later had, at the cost of £ 50,000, founded and endowed the See of British Columbia. If these foundations- together with those of the churches of St. Stephen in Westminster and Carl isle-i llus- trate the munificence of her gifts to the Church of England, her philanthropic work in Ire;liand was an examlple of the discrimina- tion, free from a,11 denominational bias, and sense of responsibility that made the relief she offered a lasting berefit to a whole popu- lation. Tlhe network of the baroness's charities was widespread. Within its meshes Gre found such different objects as the Turkish Com- panionate Fund, which sho created and administered in 1878, and the system of drinking troughs for horses which now abound in our thoroughfares. From the former of these enterprises two interesting results ensued. The Sultan con- ferre,d on this benefactress the OnLier of the First Class and the Cordon of the Medjidie, and her acquaintance with Mr. William Bart- lett who administered the fund on her be/half, ripened into friendship, and culmi- nated in a marriage which for over a, quar- ,o which for over t q-uar- ter of a century had been a .union of un- clouded happiness. Baroness Burdett-Coutts was a. charming speaker, partly because she always had some- thing to say worth hearing, partly because she spoke without notes, but chiefly because her voice was one of the most pleasant in London. Its charm was inherited from her father, who, as Lord Beaconsfifeld once told her when dining with her, was the best speaker he had over heard. The baroness was not unknown in South Wales. Some years ago she visited a friend at Burry Port, and during the week she kirove,, to Llanelly to see the famous Thursday mar- i ket, where she admired the last Welsh 'cos- tume and Welsh hat worn by one of the butter women. The baroness's fortune amounted to thirteen tons of English sovereigns.

NATIVE OF LLANDOVERY. Dr. Wynn Westcott held an inqnest at Hackney on the body of D." Jonathan, 50, draper's assistant, late of 7, Abney Park- terrace, High-street, Stoke Newington. Thomas Brown Stephens, a draper, identi- fied the body as that of one of his assistants. Deceased had been in witness's employ for about two years. lie was formerly a shop- Walker, but gave way to drink. The Coroner: Had he ever threatened to commit suicide? Witness: Yes, when I have threatened to send him away, but not recently. Witness added that he did not know deceased's Christian name, but bad seen a Post-card addressed to him, D. Jonathan. His native place was Llandovery, but witness had been informed that there were no rela, tives living there. Deceased had a married sister, but witness could not say where she; now was. The Coroner remarked that she would doubtless be found if the press took notice of tile case. Other evidence showed that about 1.30 a.m. on Boxing Day the deceased was found lying at the foot of the staircase at the above address, quite dead. In his pocket was a pint bottle of beer. Dr. Richardson stated that death was due to concussion of the brain, caused by the fall downstairs. A verdict of Accidental death" was returned.

WHISKY BOTTLES IN BED Ellen Hartley, 2, Alexandra-terrace, Maesteg, Wa-4 summoned at Bridgend on Saturday for selling liquor without a licence. She did not aPPear. Mt;rgeant Rees Davies deposed that on the previous Sunday he, with three constables, watched the house occupied by defendant and her husbaud. He detailed the times at which several men entered. On entering the house he found four men, all of whom had been supplied with drink, two being help- lessly drunk. A man, who gave the name of John Jones, admitted that, he bad paid 6d. for a, quart of heer. Witness t-poke to finding hottles of whisky in one of the beds, and there was a nine-gallon cask of beer in the cellar. A letter was read from the defendant admitting the offence and pleading for leniency. A fine of 94, including costs, was imposed, and the Bench ordered the confiscation of the beer, &c., found on the premises.

DEALER AND DOMESTIC Surprise was caused at Abertillery on Satur- day when it became known that Mr. William Banford Downs, a well-known local furniture dealer, had been arrested on a warrant on a charge of assaulting Lily Chapman, aged 20, single, a domestic servant in his eonploy, on December 24 and 28. DoW118 was taken before Mr. E. Jones 1 Williams, and after evidence of arrest had been given by Sergeant Hatherall he wa remanded on bail to the petty-sessions at Abertillery on Wednesday next, himself in i:50 and a surety in £ 25. The accused stoutly denies the charge.

DIES IN HIS CHAIR Mr.E. B. Reeoo held an inquest at Cardiff Taw-u-ihall on Saturday on the body of Daniel Green, a mason, aged 72. who died suddenly in his chair at 25, Flora-street, Cathays. Deceased's daughter, Mrs. Sylvester, said deceased had been ill, at intervals, for four or five years, suffering from asthma. Dr. Paterson attributed death to natural causes, amd the juny found accordingly.

BICYCLES TOUCH BOTTOM PRICES! Presiding at the annual meeting of Singer and Co., ut Coventry, Mr. George Singer said the willing price of cycles appeared to have pouched the bottom, so that only all increased output was requii-ed to improve results.

MAN FALLS TWENTY FEET John Howard, a labourer, was adrtitted into the Mertnyr Workhouse Infirmary on Sunday morning suffering from internal injuries caused through falling from a height of about 20ft. at the Cyfarthfa Works.

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I Woman in Flames HOUSEKEEPER'S REVENGE A woman named Lepoivre wreaked a ter- rible vengeance on her late employer's wife at Versailles on Sunday. She had been living as the housekeeper of a butcher named Joseph Berget, who two years ago divorced his wife. Last week the Ibuteher met his former wife, and took her back to live with him. Mme. Lepoivre was in consequence turned out. On Sunday she dressed herself in the blue and gold uniform of a gas inspector, and, carrying her own clothes under the loose cloak -worn by the inspectors, went to the P.-rgc-ts' home. She rang the bell, and asked Mme. Berget, who Opened the door, to show her the gas meter. While pretending to exaanine the meter shE dropped a ecrew. Mme. Berget stooped tn pick it up, whereupon the sham inspector poured a hottle of akohol over her bead aud lighted it with a match. Mme. Berget, who became in an instant a mass of flames, shrieked for help. Her two little children, who rushed in from the next room, were badly hurt in trying to help their mother. The little boy, a child aged four, will probably not recover. Mme. Berget"s screams were heard by the neighbours, who rushed in, to find that the kitchen was ablaze. With diticulty some of them extinguished the flames, while others attended to the injured woman and children. Meanwhile Mme. Lepoivre had slipped up to a room on the top floor, and there changed into her woman's clothes. Half an hour later she walked calmly downstairs, but she was stopped by the concierge, who knew she had reason to hate Mme, Berget. She was arrested on the arrival of the police, and she makes no secret of her crime.

LLANDOVERY BURGLARY Shortly after midnight on Saturday the premises of Councillor T. Roberts, Crown Stores, Llandovery, were broken into. Entrance was effected by means of the office window, one of the glass panes having been cut a way to enable the fastener to be detached. The Provision premises were then entered, a,nd the till taken away completely, but there waa very little money in i.t., as Mr. Roberts had, as usual, placed the major port,ion. of the takings in the safe overn.ight. Some bananas ,nd other fruit were eaten and the skins tnrown on the floor. Several ounces of tobacco were also purloined. The iron.mongery depart- ment was visited, and about eight watches taken away. The burglars got away undis- turbed.

WELSH CHURCH INQUIRY The Welsh Church Commission, in spite ot protests from various quarters, seems bent on taking evidence, for some time at least, much in the same way as it has hitherto, and before finishing with Carmarthenshire seams disposed to have a foretaste of what can be expected from Glamorgan. The Com- missioners want to have some evidence from typical or specimen districts in Glamorgan ready for submission by their next sittings, which will be on the 10th, 11th, and 12th of January, and the Rev. H. Eynon Lewis, sec- retary of the Congregational Evidenoe Com- mitt-ee, has received a request to have a num- ber of witnesses ready by the 11th of January,

TO WED AT 83. At the last meeting of the Cuckfield Guar- dians, one of the nurses, a woman still in her thirties, asked to be allowed to resign on the 31st, as she wished to wed a Baptist minister, who is 83. The guardians decided that she must not leave her post until the proper notice had expired.

EMPTY HOUSE MYSTERY. A schoolboy named Samuel Acheson dis- appeared from his home in Belvoir-atreet, Belfast, last Monday, and was yesterday found unconscious in an empty bouse. His condition is critical. Foul play is &u#- pected.

EQUAL TO DEATH PENALTY The Home Secretary has granted a reprieve in the cttse of Mary Wutohby, sentenced tc death at the recent Nottingham Assizes. Tlu Society for the Abo)ition of Capital Punish inent sent- a petition on her behalf to Mr Gladstone. It was pointed out that the woman was suffering from cancer, and that therefore, a sentence of imprisonment wall equal to the infliction of the death penalty. James Dagnall, the miner sentenced to death for the murder of James Balton, at Conisborough, has been reprieved. When he was informed of this by the governor of Wakefield Gaol he showed no signs of pleasure.

NO DOCTOR'S CERTIFICATE A question as to a doctor's certificate arose on Saturday over the death a, few days ago of a little child named Glyu Matthews, in Clarence-street, Swansea, for which no certificate was forthcoming. It wae reported that a. certificate had been refused by Dr. H. RawlLngs, but it was explained that this was not onving to any suspicious circum- stances. hut that, it lay between two doctors, and the. father had not been instructed wha,t to do.

BOYS AND DETONATORS Some boys placed a detonator on Saturday evening on the tramway rails in Oxford. street, Swansea, as is frequently done by mischievous lads. This one, Police-sergeant Cuff reports, when passed over by the car, went off with a loud explosion, and a man n-amed Oliver Reine, of 9, Henrietta-street, Swansea, who was standing by, was struck in the neck by some substance and received a. alight bruise and ahrasioll, for which he was treated by a dmtor.

THREE SETS OF TWINS At the fa.rm of Llett-yglyd, near Llandilo, the residence of Mr. Evan RodctNok, three coOiVH have given birth to .twin cafares each during the last few days. Qut of the three cows Mr. Roderick is the ha-ppy possessor of six calves. Ail are doing well.

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RECORD IN HIGH WAGES A new wage agreement has been arrived at between the Graigola, Pacific, and Atlantic works proprietors and their men at Swansea, the employers agreeing to an advance of 5 per cent., making the wages 15 per cent, atbove the standard for factory hands and 10 per cent. above the standard for shippers. About 500 men are engaged in the trade, and they will receive advances of from Is. 3d. to 2s. 3d. per week. The wages are the highest ever paid in the history of the patent fuel trade.

GERMAN MINE IN WALES. Active preparations for sinking the 90t yards deep shalt to the coal on the Whit- wortSh Estate, near Neath, wb-ich was pur- chased by a German, syndicate in July, 1905, have been begun. Large iron tubes for carrying a bridge for railway conneet-ion have been placed in the bed of the river. Much material is being brought on the ground, and a number of workmen have been engaged.

COWS CREMATED. Owing to a cow kicking over a lamp while being milked at a farm near Weymouth on Saturday eighteen cows, a calf, and a goat were destroyed by fire. The overturned lamp set fire to some fodder, and the cow- shed was quickly a mass of flame. The fire brigade arrived after the fire had burnt itself out. When access to the cow- shed was possible the bodies of the animals were charred beyound recognition, and their heads were found still chained to the poet*.