Evening Express

THE TRUANT'S RETURN At Ongiar, on Saturday, Alfred G-oldtlioin>e, -1 Forest Gate, was committed for trial on chargoe of breaking into the "Test Ham ,Iruant School at Fyfield and stealing £ 43, The property of the superintendent. Gald- thorpe wa.s formerly an inmate of th-e Truant School, which he left la;st year. On Jsnua.ry Ii) it was discovered that the sitperi uteri- ùent' qimrters had been broken into. Searoh was made, and Goldthorpc found hidiu-g: in the grounds.

first oross-Chajiiiel bailx^n trip of th« -re- 1Iu been snrr^s^fnQv a<icom;>li6hed by ife»s.r?. P- Gardner and C. F. Pollk. wh, i<=ft B..tt:t,pr",ea. at 10.20 p.m. on Friday arvl |«e.o?Dded at Cr«py-en-Yaiois at 8,.)0 on iaturdajy moraing-

STOP PRESS Latest Telegrams, BIRMINGHAM MEETING. :J -"R L GELE i ut:" Eli L S Rl> CL-: — I K B Do^eu'a • Roone*' a 11 1- Mr Huih resI's TIt.Gc3';T;e1 a H12 )1 H H Collie's Vif.to Lad j Collins 5 11 3 ?1" H H Co'?;M'9 VKtc. Lad J C'o;Iij:6 oil 3 -1

Prince of Swindlers MAN WHO HAD FiFTY WIVES Harry J. Bauman, alia- Herman Brandt, known as the" Prince of Swindlers," was sentoiiiocd at Chicago on Saturday to Ave years' imprisonment for defrauding a num- ber of p'bople. Bauman pcsed as a duke, who was related to European Royalty. He is a very fine- lo-oldng man, with a niostt plausible air and distinguished manners. He imposed upon his victims with the greatest of ease, and it is &a-id that he has swindled women in America out of at least £100,00:). His particular line of crime was bigamy, and detectives declared in court (eays the "Daily Chronicle") that he had at least 53 wives in Europe and America, each one of w-iom he had swindled out of money. lie even defrauded the lawyers who were defend- ing him by giving them worthless cheques, and altogether he is a surprising rogue, whese retii-oment from tile world for a while will be to its good.

REVIVAL OF AN OLD CUSTOM Anticipating the ooming revival of #t-lje L'0<;iis XV. stylo in dress, fashionable Pa.ri-.icntier- are already adapting the beauty patciies which were prevalent during the Pompadour period. The innovation has been received with all the greater favour because Frenchwomen have never realiy abandoned t,he cunning little device which ladies at th3 Court of Le Bien-Aime recogniscd as a useful artifice in concealing skin blemishes and too obtrusive moles. Hotherto these "mouches," as the freuon cEdI them, have been mostly s-ce n on the stage and at costume balls, but, now that the more daring leaders in society circles have fou^id them becoming", the hair- dressers are laying in supplies and are pre- pared to advise their customers bow to 1100 them. The beauty patches are made of tiny pieces of black velvet in the shape of stars, moons, and crescents, and are sold in boxes of varioU'S sizes. A particularly effective patch was known by the beauties of Ver- sailles as "la mouche assaseine," and was placed 011 the left shoulder.

ABERYSTWYTH UMFIRMARY The annual meeting of the subscribers to the Aberystwyth Infirmary was held on Saturday, Captain Cos-ens being in the chair. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, said that a,l)out 40u fewer patients were treated during the last year a« com- pared with the previous year, owing to a large number of peoplo havir.g had to leave the town to seek employment elsewhere. Captain Cosens was unanimously re-ekcted president. The Rey. N. Thomas said he woitld like to see all tlia medical men of the town on the staff of the infirmary. He had been told tL ion? story as to their refusal to act, but he would like to see more unanimity anion*; them in their support of the institution. The Rev. George Eyre Evans urged the importance of having a unitad Hospital Sun- day, to be observed by all the religious denominations of the town.

I M.P.'S PRIVATE ZOO. The Hon. Walter Rothschild, M.P. for Ayles- bury, who is 41 to-day, was dubbed the "oldest young man" in. the House of Commons when he made his first appearance at West- minster. He was only about 30 at the time, whereas he contrived to make himself look like 60. He is a silent legislator, but at the outset of his Parliamentary career ho created a sensation hy appearing one hot afternoon in the Lobby in a tall hat com- posed entirely of white straw. It attracted so much attention that it was never seen again. He is a great lover of animals, and at Tring Park he possesses the finest private "zoo" in the world. He has published some interesting works on zoological subjects. There is a story that his enthusiasm once went the length of despatching an expedition to the Arctic regions to catch some speci- mens of a rare flea only to be found in the vicinity of the North Pole.

CHILDREN BURNT TO DEATH Mr. Deakin on Saturday held an inquiry at Monmouth touching the death of Beatrice May Boyce, agd éeven. daughter of L. Buyce, labourer, Granville-street. who died in Mon- mouth Hospital. The Coroner said that this was one of a class of sad cases which, unfortunately, were not uncommon where little children lost their lives and suffered great pain through patents' neglect. He was glad to say that the Children's Act, which was passed last year. and would shortly come into force, provided that any person over sixteen years of age being in charge of children under seven year?, would be liable to punishment if they failed to take reasonable precautions for their protection. A verdict of Accidental death" was I recorded.

I =- That School Cake. I No trouble for the cook. j No difficulty in baking. J No leavings at the table. j No wonder, when i "Paisley Flour" j ( I'?de k) -the sure ra?sing powder-was used. j I 7d., 3%d., and id. packets from your j grocer. The penny packet contains < enough to raise 1 10. flour, hence its econorny. 1 Brown & Poison make it. < j W P. CARYL. F.S.M.C. Qualified Eyesight Specialist tear SIGHT-TESTING fr&d SPECTACLES 16, HIGH-STREET AilQADE, CARDIFF. and 15, UN ION-STREET, SWANSEA. "DEYONIA" JAMS A;:<1 you will always order them! Agent: R. P. SYiiONS, II, BUTE-STREET, CAEDIFF. uumia ?———?- ,?———?-?.-r?..<.   I fMHEKS"1 1 GOLDEN ? G8LDEN 1 {CIGARETTES ? ?ryAr?sr&? | 1| -I:r- -i 21- Manufactured from the famous ^Ghe^ Golden Returns Noted Tor thei!» Full Flavour and Cooi Smoking. | Facsimile of Half OancePaektt. "j !f" ?"  For ij | ? ? ?/ ? ''? ? Neuralgia!  ii ) Pleurisy ¡ ??????.J ? Lumbago I y i ? ? \???!???'r-???/ F L? umb<. ago! ? ???i??? and ? I nllm"tlm. | 1 Price IH- t Of all Chemi-sts, or post free from Ii Wholesale Depot: jj S1 & 32 Snow hit!, London, E. G ii I taaBiXKrjcxmiiz awtaB ??h?T?? ?B??   I (\ tt\t\) k B

Tho Man in the Street It has been unanimously agreed that the Welsh Pageant will be useful in the teaching-a practical teaching—of history. Anyhow, if anybody disagrees with the notion, the objector has not yet come forward to support what might just now prove to be an unpopular view, for there can be no shadow of doubt that the pageant is catching the public fancy in all directions. The forthcoming festival will inspire a new and greater interest- in what has hitherto been regarded as a far from interesting school topic, and it can be made the beginning of a brighter apd happier era. But, surely, if an occa- sional pageant can be exalted into so important an adjunct to the great state coach of education something can be said for the same principle on more mundane, everyday lines. About three or four years ago Monsieur Leo Ciaretie was very heartily com- mended for the successful innovation in Paris or his novel and splendid idea in the teaching of history with the a.id of doils, dressed according to the fashions of the successive periods through which it was desired to take the interested students. I can fancy staid, old- fashioned paterfamilias growling out biting sarcasm about there being enough iio,neiise in the schools already, and won- dering what on earth the country is coming to! But the critic may get a better impression if he will wait a minuie. in the first place, the expendi- ture need not be on a lavish scale. The dolls, once purchased; may be regarded as school furniture, and,with ordinary care, made to last as long as, or longer than, reading books. The sewing class find the work of dressing the dolls both instruc- tive and interesting—far more so than the present plain and fancy sewing, which j makes the school talki so deadly mono- tonous. The mistress would discover duty turned into a pleasure, and history le-soons would be anticipated with a delight now wholly absent when the classes are called together to dive into the remote past. Where is the schoolboy or girl who cares a snap of the finger for the Plantagenets or the Stuarts when they! are presented in the cold. uninteresting black and white of the dry-as-dust history books? But with groups of figures dressed in the picturesque costumes of the period the interest of the entire class could be focus('d upon the subject with an case that would be as delightful as it is simple, and the natural curiosity of every child could be I utilised to the giving out of very desir- able and useful knowledge. History without the embellishments of a Dumas or a Scott is heart-breaking enough to "grown-ups, and anything which can relieve the distress of youngsters now in the throes of the utterly useless and cruel cramming system should be wel- comed by educationalists the world over. If history is worth anything at all it should be worth learning in a manner that will j stick." Driving knowledge into the heads of children like hammering nails into a post may be one way, but the better method is to get and maintain the interest of the youngsters—then the rest is plain sailiiig. Some shcrt time ago I had occasion to refer to the regular invasion of smoking compartments by ladies when travelling on British railways. Whether or not this custom is due to the firm conviction existing in the breasts of our sisters that they are still the 'weaker sex," and, therefore, have need to seek the protection always to be found among smokers, I did not then, and cannot now, investigate. But my attention has, been drawn to a grievance borne by lady smokers "down below." It appears that the Government of Western Australia has decided that, in the interests and com- fort of male passengers, women, whether smokers or non-smokers, shall not be. i allowed to U"0 compartments sot apart for, and duly lahelled, "smoking." Indeed, any lady who refuses to leave such a compartment when requested to do so renders herself liable to a penalty J not exceeding £10. Though one may have a little pity for the Australian ladv smoker who is thus made an abstainer while travelling by law, there are not a few who regret that matters are arranged so differently in the old country. I The brilliant victory of Wales at Inver- leith on Saturday was the more credit- able because it was, undoubtedly, the greatest task that could be set any side. Again, it has to be said that brains count more than muscle even at footer. A "good big 'un" is always better than a "good little 'un at the carrying code; but, apart from size and strength, the Welshmen showed themselves the cleverer lot. The critics are again saying that if the ccher -side had the Welsh three- quarters they would have won, and so forth. Quite so. It was the same at the English match, and will piobably be repeated at the Irish game. it is another way of saying that the Welshmen have II the brains. And it seems that, no matter how poorly off we may imagine ourselves for players, when men like Reggie Gibbs are unavailable and Gwyn ichcUs are on the retired list, there is always the probability of as good men appearing from the ranks of the recruits. i Wales ought to have the triple crown once more.

— THE "WEEKLY MAIL" J IS THE III! II WJT Best Weekly Paper for all South Wales and Home News. PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED. CARTOON BY J. M. R." SE.1UAL ST?RY. I SHORT &TOBY. I + !1-1iE. GAPl.DE.NING AOTE& FASHIONS. LiBGAL ANT) MEIMCAL ► AJNSWBBS. 1/ Send to your Friends Abroad. PriceT ONE PENNY.

I BAD STATE.OF TRADE The Board of Trade statistics of the United Kingdom for the month of January were issued on Saturday. Far from showing that revival in the nation's trade hinted at by Mr. Churchill, the returns indicate that the downward move is still in progress, as the figures show a decrease both in imports and exports. The decline in imports as com- pared with January last year was 12,852,020, while they were less by £ 7,023,48? than in January, 19C7. Exports for the first month of this year sho-w a decrease of £5,516,379 whe,n compared with January, 1908, and were £ 8,373,286 below those of January, 1907. The following table gives the totals for this year and last:- Imports. Exports. January, 1909 £ 63,511,359 £ 35,490,597 January, 1908 £ 56,363,379 £ 41,036,976 Decreases £ 2,852,020 £ 5,516,379 The exports (Britnli) amounted to £ 28,803,046, 1 a decline of £ 5.604,721 as ootmpa-red with Jan- uary, 1S06, or £ 6,267,561 less than in January, 1907. Exports (foreign and Colonial) have increased by L88,342, the figure for last month being £ 6,687,551, whilst that for January, 1908, wa,s £ 6,595,209. Compared with January, 1907, however, there has been a diminution of £ 2,105,725. The imports and exports of bullion and specie have both increased. The imports last month were £ 4,438,793, or L613,846 in excess of the amount imported in January, 1908, but 12,885,724 leas than in the oor res pond- ing month of 1907. Last month exports of builion and specie were £ 6,494,515, as com- pared with £ 4,375,160 in January, 19C8, and £ 4,859.657 in January of the previous year. Imports of cotton still continue to show a decrease as compared with last year, there being a fall of nearly a million and a quarter from last January's total, while in the matter of British exports cotton here also bulks largely among items of decrease, the value of cotton manufactures exported last month being over £ 2,500,003 less than that exported during January, 1908.

NEW SWANSEA WQjtKS The announcement that Messrs. Baldwin have taken all area of land for extensive works near Swansea's new dock has been received with general acclamation at Swan- sea. People foresee in this action the lead- ing of the way for other concerns. The pub- lication of the news has already brought out the fact that negotiations are proceed- ing with an important Continental firm for the letting of land in the same neighbour- hood, and if these are successful they will also lead to the erection of extensive works. Although the attraction of outside firms would be a welcome circumstance, Swansea people feel they have to rely, as in the past, chiefly on local efforts, and in this connec- tion the fad that Messrs. Bali? tio?n the it win are so largely controlled by Swansea men is very gratifying. The head offices of the firm of Baldwin, as mentioned som'e time ago, are about to be removed from Wilden to Swansea, where a site has been acquired in Wind-street, and the centring of their administration in Swansea proves the growing importance they atta.ch to their Welsh concerns. Colonel Wright is now the managing director, and he has on the board other local men in the persons of Mr. Roger Beck and Mr. Isaac Butler, his old p:J.rtn, his son Cnlond W. C. Wright, and Mr. Butler's son, Mr. A. J. R. Butler.

BANKRUPT'S CREDIT William Jenkins, of Portobello Bungalow, Bridgend, was charged at Bridgend on Satur- day with obtaining credit without disclosing that he was an undischarged bankrupt-from Messrs. D. B. Evans and Co., ironmongers, Bridgend, for £ 27; from the South Wales Portland Cement and Lime Company, Lgg; from Mr. Charles Gwatkin, Cornelly, £ 39; and from Mr. Charles D. Phillips, Emlyn Works, Newport, £ 57. Mr. Seott, sen., of Messrs. Morgan, ott and Scott, Cardiff, appeared on behalf of the Public Prosecutor, and Mr. David Llewellyn was for the defence. Defendant was committed for trial at the assizes.

For Children's Hacking Cough at night, Woods' Great, Peppermint Cure. CIGARS, CIGARETI¡'?l<Jrcr's lied., 20 4i<J., Mer- eellG5, 2d. each; Eajahs, ljd.—Only KELSON can do it.

FROM ALL QUARTERS Weighing lillb., a trout 38in. long, was caught yesterday off Dover Pier The Bank of France has decided to issue new bank-notes. They will be blue, yellow, red, and green. Special carriages furnished with hot water pipes and mattresses are to be provided on the Prussian railways for dogs. With £ 21 from tile City of London, the fund for Mrs. Tyler, widow cf the constable shot at Tottenham, amoants to £1,200. A steamship, believed to be the Astronom, a Kambarg vessel of 669 tons, is ashore about four miles north of Aldebuigh. At Christie's, on Saturday, 150 guineas was paid for a little French painting of a scene in Fontaiaebleau Forest, on panel, by N. Diaz. Out cf a total of' 2,305 motor-cabs in Lon- don 1,816 are owned by one firm, states "Motor Traetion," while 53 persons own one cab each. Mrs. Carrie Xaticn stated yesterday at a meeting of the Surrey Chapel that she would be leaving London on February 12, perhaps, never to return. Sir Edward Bus sell has accepted the treasurers'hip of the Newspaper Press Fund in succession TO Lord Bumham, who ha9 become president. Starting thirteen years ago to colleet a million farthings for St. Paul's Church, Harrin.gay Park, a lady has collected up tj date 5^0,000. Although there arc 56 licensed houses in the parifih of Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, not a single case of iintoxication occurred last year among the 9,000 inhabitants. In view of the declining birth-rate throughout Iowa, a Bill has been brought in authorising the payment of 4s. to the mother of each child born in the State. '\Vhilc out shooting near Armagh on Satur- day, Mr. Hamilton Henderson, aged 28, a brother of the Mayor of Ktiabertey, dur;'r-g the S.uth Alrican war, was accidentally shot dead. The battleship Edinburgh, which cost £ 735,354 in 10S7, and the battleship Rodney, which cost 1769,923 in the following year, are to be sold out of the Navy as unfit for further service. Through her long curls becoming ignited as sho was bending over the fire, a six-year- old girl named Kathleen Carter, of Thraps- ton, received injuries of which she died at Peterborough on Saturday. Mr. Chamberlain deipart,ed from London for the South of France on Saturday, accompanied by his wife. The right hon. gentleman is expected to make a prolonged stay in the South of France. Experiments are now being carried out with a view to the use of wireless telegraphy for the benefit of North Bonaldshay, the most northerly of the Orkney Islands, to which an extension of the ordinary telegraph was asked for by the inhabitants.

The Floods in Germany jREMARKABLE SCENES ON THE ELBE BERLIN, Sunday. Many districts are still in danger of floods, but some of the western streams are abating. The princiDalinterest centres in the cities on the Lioe, which is now a swirling torrent ftllød with icefloes, which are imperilling the bridge,. Enormous crowds surrounded the new bridge at Dresden until a late hour last night watching the play of the floes. The authorities had caused labourers working with feverish haste to build a kind of break- water of cement to break the floe-s before they struck the bridge, but the cement had no time to dry, and the mole was over- whelmed with masses of ice and wa.ter. Some of the bigger floes were broken by steam ice- breakers, and the bridge, which was addi- tionally strengthened, withstood the succes- sive shocks. The floes are beginning to melt, and the danger is considered past for the present. Five hundred railway officials, who were attending a celebration a,t an hotel at Wessen- fels last night, were cut off by the floods. They were rescued by boats this morning. Messages on Saturday night stated:—The low-lying quarter of Frankfurt-on-Main is flooded. A terrific hurricane raged over the Rhine Valley last night. A machinery hall at Wiesbaden, erected for the coming summer exhibition, has been demolished. The river police at Cologne have stationed steamers at intervals along the Rhine to render assistance. The River Wiea has changed its course, and is raging along the high road through the village of Dolzeroth, where four houses have collapsed. In the caaiie village two firemen were drowned in an attempt to rescue three priests who were cut off by the flood. In the V, iedbach Valley a man and-his wife were caught by the rising waters and took refuge oil an embankment, which. however, col- lapsed. The woman was drowned, while the man was crushed by the falling earth. The situation in Dresden is most precarious. At Leipzig, in the Antoinette and Roedel streets this morning firemen in boats rescued families living in the lower storeys of the houses and brought provisions to those living above. Furniture is floating about the streets of the city, and the park is flooded. The Mulde, a confluent of the Elbe, has flooded the country around Dessau. The Diical forests are under water, and the deer are drowned. The Oder is rising rapidly, and many barges which were frozen in the ke weeks ago are threatened with destruction. Many people have lost their lives in Thuringia, and in the Eichsfeld, while in the Harz alone twenty-one persons, mainly children, have pe--ishl-d.-Reuter.

I THE ROYAL SHOW I The Royal Agricultural Society of England has now issued the prize sheet for the show to be held at Gloucester from June 22 to June 26. The total value of the prizes offered (inclusive of champion prizes, special prizes, and medals) is £ 9,675, of which £ 1,355 are con- tributions from the Gloucester local com- mittee, £ 315 from the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Agricultural Socieiy, iL2,339 from various breed societies, and £ 836 from other sources. In the horse section prizes amounting to £ 3,003 are offered. Of these prizes £ 1,000 are provided by the Gloucester local committee, JE257 from other sources, and E402 10s. by breed societies. Three challenge cups, value 50 guineas each, are also offered. The prizes for cattle amount to £ 2,492, for sheep £2,015, and pigs 1710. Prizes amount- ing to £212 will be given for poultry, £36 for for cheeses of 1909 make, Ei3 for cider and perry, £&4 for wool, and 4,47, for hives, honey, and bee appliances; horse- shoeing competitions, £ o0. Prizes amount- ing to 1660 are offered for the best-managed farms in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Hereford- shire, and Worcestershire. In the imple- ment section prizes amounting to E145 will be offered.

AFTER 3,000 YEARS I Skates have been discovered near Spandau, in Germany, which those competent to express an opinion attribute to a period of 3,000 years ago. These skates were made from bones of horses, figured and perforated to attach to the sandal. Similar skates have been found at Moorfields, in Finsbury, and like discoveries have been made in Berlin in the bed of the Spree. These, and similar dis- coveries, we learn, enable the authorities to conclude that the European ice area in pre- historic times extended from Great Britain to Finland and from Xorway to Hungary.

GAMBLING AMONG WOMEN I Gambling has always been more universal among men than among women. These women, however, who have come under the spell of that which an o,ld writer calls "an enchanting witchery gotten between idleness and avarice" have usually gambled with greater persistency and rashness than men. Women fall more easily a prey to the feverish excitement which gambling induces, and thus lose much of that very womanli- ness which they themselves would uphold had not fashion decreed otherwise—The "Ladies' Field."

A LIVING FREIGHT. I The International Union of Shipowners have received the following telegram from Mr. Leonard Macarthy, secretary of the Inter- national Shipowners" Inform committee and newspapers that the Baltic Conference unanimously approved of the 'living freight' scheme, and appointed an executive commit- tee to confer and co-operate."

First there comes a little cold. And then there comes a cough; And then consumption callCS along And gently tak-es you off A stitch in time saves nille, they say, And never were words truer; So be aflvised and stop the cold With Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. ;r,.S7 For Influence take Woods' Great Pepper- mint ui-e. Never fails. tH, 2¡9. LL5494

Bible-class & Burglary I YOUTH GETS 2 YEARS' HARD LABOUR I William Booth, a good-looking youth of nine,Li-,en', cii Harrow, was tried at Middle- sex fcesibiions on foatui'day on a chaige of burglary. Tnere was a burglary at a shop in Low- lands-road, Harrow, and amour: otiier things taken were cigarettes. Detective BagnaU (X Division) met a friend, who gave him a cigarette; on it was an address wnich corre- sponded with that at which there had been a burgla-ry. The friend told the detective that prisoner ga,ve him the cigarettes, and pi-is-oner was arrested on suspicion. In his p.o?s&ssion was a five-chambered revolver, fully loaded, nineteen cartridges, a red doth mask, electric flash-lamp, combination tool case containing a chisel, saw, gimlet, brudawl, screwdriver, and file. At his iodg- ings another revolver was found, loaded, u quantity of ball c-artridges, and a rifle. Prisoner, before the magistrates, denied the burglaries, and said when ha was alleged to have committed them lie was asleep at a Fitzroynixiuare clubhouse. This was said by the chairman to be an Anarchist club. Prisoner said he was a member of the Harrow Boy Scouts, and had been asked to arrange a bushrangers' game," so he made the mask for that purpose. He always carried a leaded revolver, and had a licence for one. Ho had been shot at, and ever since had carried a loaded revolver. Evidence was given that prisoner was a member of a Bible Class and a Sunday School teacher. A sentence of two years' hard labour at Borstal was passed, and Mr. Sharpe (the chairman) concurred with the grand jury- in commending Detective Bagna-11.

Missing Woman & Child j MOTHER'S BODY FOUND AT NEWPORT The mystery surrounding tho disappear- J ancc of Mrs. Simpson (44) and Dorothy, her seveu-year-old daughter (already reported), was partially solved on Sunday evening by the recovery of the woman's dead body from the Alexandra Dock feeder, near Ebbw Bridge, on the Cardiff road. The woman, it will he remembered, who is I the wife of a seamen at present trading between Naples and Mesgina with timber for the re-construction of the ill-fated city, dis- appeared from her apartments at 19, Jones- street, Newport, on Tuesday last, taking her daughter with her. On Sunday John White, a waterman, attending the Alexand.ra Dock Company's feeder in Tredegar Pa.rk, reported that he had found a woman's ha.t on Wed- j nesday last. This was identified by friends of Mrs. Simpson As a result Police-cn. stables Bale and Jonfes, of the Monmjuth shire County Poiice, made a search with grappling irons, and found the woman's body about five o'clock. It was identified by her son. The search was continued until darkness set in with the hope of finding the child, but the efforts were unsuccessfu!, and will be renewed to-day (Monday).. | Mrs. Roden, with whom Mrs. Simpson wa' ip apartments, states that Mrs. Simpson told her on Tuesday last before leaving home that she had taken some liniment from a bottle. She spat some of it out, but believed she had swallowed sufticient to poison her- self. Her manner was strange. It is also stated that the woman recently ordered a photograph of the child, saying that when her husband came home from sea if he could not see Dolly he could see her picture.

THE L. AND N.W. AWARD 'Air., Richard Bell- Mr., Richard Bell. M.P., general seeretary of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Ser- vants, on Sunday afternoon addressed d special open meeting of all grades of rail- waym-en in the Co-operative-hall, Crewe. Mr. Bell said they were disappointed with the Ixvndon and North Western Railway award, but those who had to battle with the case and knew all the circumstances were, perhaps, not quite so disappointed as those of the rank and file who had been looking forward with a good deal of expectation, particularly the non-Union men-(Ia,ii,-hter) —to get something more substantial. R.ail- waymen had come out of the arbitration without any reductions. The concessions, according to the company's valuation, were equal to lio,ogo a. year. The concessions which they had received were items which had been in every programme of railway- imen for a great many years. His advice to them was to get themselves well armoured. This award would last till the let of January, 1913; that meant a three years and nine months operation. Till 1913 they must abide by the aw:¡rd but on the 1st of January of that year they should plank do?In their demands and eay that they were rea.dy to go on. (Cheers.) Mr. Bell referred to the discord amongst the men themselves, and with regard to locomotive men a-sked, Was it reasonable to expect the arbitrator to decide which of the two sections of men quarrellin.g was right? He (Mr. Bell) was the counsel in the case, with two demand;? from one section of men. The representa- tives of the Associated Society made a demand that Mr. Fox should represent the locomotive men and not he (Mr. Bell). The arbitrator decided not to hear Mr. Fox. There could not be two advocates, afid he (Mr. Bell) protested against any man coming forward and trying to dam their efforts. Mr. Bell concluded with an appeal to the men for unity in their ranks.

ARRIVAL OF HERO BINNS The White Star liner Baltio from New York arrived at Queenstown on Sunday morning, and had on board, in addition to her ordinary passengers, Captain Sealby and the officers and crew to the number of 223 of the ill-fated liner Republic, including Mr. John R. Binns, the wireless telegraph operator. According to the officers of the wrecked steamship, when the Italian steamer Florida struck the Republic the roof and one wall of the latter's wireless station were ripped off. The shock put out of action the dynamo supplying the power for the wireless tele- graphic apparatus, and the place was in darkness. Mr. Binns, however, remained at his post, and when Captain Sealby realised the extremity of the ship's peril, he instructed Ilr. Binns to send out his widespread call for help. Mr. Binns rigged up an apparatus, and in sending out his call he notified all those who received it that while he would" listen in" on all wireless messages, he could not attempt to send more than were absolutely necessary. For over ten hours Mr. Binns sat in the wrecked wire- less station with a blanket over him and the receivers of the wireless apparatus clamped at his ears, and these he did not take off until he was ordered to leave the ship. Some of the passengers who were on the Republic at the time of the collision, and who travelled on the Baltic, spoke highly of the splendid conduct and discipline of Cap- tain Sealby, his officers, and the crew.

FIRTS AT A COLLEGE I A fire occurred at Winchester College about four o'clock on Sunday morning in Mr. Belloc's house. The boys were aroused, and all were able to leave the building witboat injury. A large drawing-room was burnt out, and other roóms adjoining were damaged by fire and water. An alarming fire occurred in Glasgow Royal Infirmary on Sunday night. The fire, which originated in connection with the heating of the building, was confined to the dome. As the water descended into the ward beneath 40 patients were removed to other quarters. The damage amounted to £ 1,000.

GIRLS IN ART SCHOOLS Too often a girl, entering a studio with the idea of ultimately earning her bread, dons a pinafore, parts her hair in the centre, surrounds herself with turpentine and easels, and after a couple of years' training expects to paint a picture that will stir the heart of the British public to the core. Instead of accomplishing that feat she finds that she has a dim idea of drawing, a still more obscure one of painting, and that ehe has not any genius, buit only a mediocre notion of the word Art.lVoma.n's Life."

TAXI-CAB COLLISION A taxi-cab collided in the Place de l'OpeTa, Paris, with another automobile, in which was M. Mauclair, a well-known literary man. The second vehicle skidded on to the pavement. and injured more or less seriously six tf the passers-by, two of whom were detained in hospital for treatment. M. Juauciair, besides sustaining internal injuries, was badly cut about the face. The taxi-cab was in charge of a lady-driver.—Central News.

HEAVY DRINK, HEAVY HEARTS "Heavy drink means heavy hearts, and I am inclined to attribute much of the greatly-to-be-welcomed light-hea-rtedness of the modern day to the fact that heavy drinking has completely gone out of fashion amongst all classes of the community," writes Raymond Blathwayt in "Black and White."

The Ideal Loaf." seme as made at the Meal City", is now made by Messrs. Stevens, Confectioner (Ltd.). Van wiU call. c4964

Lost at Aberdare I FOUND AT CARDIFF Although only in his eleventh year, George Restorrick, son of Mr. George Res tor rick, of No. 2, Farm Field, Briery Hill, Ebbw Vale, is an ardent follower of the Northern Union code. Few are the home matches he has missed this season, but when on Saturday his enthusiasm for the game led him to visit Aberdare, where the Ebbw Vale team were to play, he lost his bearings, and for a day and a half his whereabouts were unknown to his anxious relatives and friends. The youngster booked for Beaufort on leaving his home, and was seen at Abernant Railway Station shortly after twelve o'clock on Saturday. He reached Aberdare in a break, the driver of which subsequently saw him in the company of a man and woman, who inquired as to the time of the departure the next train for Mountain Ash. From this stage nothing seems to be known of the whereabouts of the lad, who was not seen at the football match on the Ynys Field. The boy's father arrived at Aberdare early on Sunday morning, and called upon Inspector Nott, who, with his wonted readiness, put himself in communication with the outlying districts, and caused the youth's disappearance to be announced at the various places of worship. The following is a description of the boy: Dark and pale of complexion; short for his age; dressed in a grey kaickerbocker suit, and wearing lace boots, black stockings, and a collar and tie. The lad had only a penny about him when lie left home, and it is assumed that his railway fare was paid by a member of the team or by some of the crowd who travelled with the Ebbw Vale team, or that he managed to travel without a ticket. It is thought that the man and woman who inquired of the break driver about the trains between Aberdare and Mountain Ash must have proceeded to the latter place with the boy in their company by the 12.45 p.m. train. The second stage in the little drama was laid at Cardiff. About three o'clock on Saturday afternoon a lad, whose age was guessed to be about ten years, was found in one of the compartments of a Taff Vale Rail- way train which had arrived at the Cardiff platform. He was unaccompanied, and unable to give any indication as to his identity, the impression of those who ques- tioned him being that he was either mentally deficient or suffering from a temporary lapse of memory. The attention of the police was called, and, there being no clue forthcoming as to his point of departure or as to his parentage, the lad was taken to the workhouse to await developments. Up to Sunday night he had not been identified by the officials ur claimed by any relative; but inquiries then made at Aberdare and Ebbw Vale from the office of the "Western Mail established the identity of the boy found at Cardiff with the boy lost at Aberdare. The lad is described as mentally deficient, though very sharp on some matters, and with a steady habit of placing himself in the hands of the police when he loses his bearings. Mr. Restorrick, the father, desires to state that it was through the press that he found jj his boy, for which he is very thankful.

ABERTILLERY TRAIN SERVICE Mr. W. Abraham, M.P. (Mabon), delivered his lecture, "A Night in the House of Com- mons," to an appreciative audience on Satur- day at the Gymnasium-hall, Abertillery. Mr. T. Richards, M.P., presided, and as Mabon had been called away to London in the after- noon on important Federation business, the Chairman said that if Mr. Abraham did not arrive he (Mr. Richards) would deliver the lecture. However, just as the chairman thought of commencing, Mabon arrived, ur-d had a very cordial welcome He laughingty said that it had taken him almost as much time to journey the seventeen miles from Newport to Abertillery as it had to cover the whole distance between London and New- port. The lecture was delivered under the aus- pices of the local Welsh Congregational Church, where Mabon occupied the pulpit en Sunday, preaching impressive sermons to large congregations.

MYSTERY OF MARK MELFOROj No definite news has yet been received as to the whereabouts of Mr. Mark Melford, the well-known comedian, who disappeared from London last month. It had been noticed that he had been peculiar in his manner for some time, and the fear that worry had so dis- turbed his mental condition that he may have contemplated suicide has caused his relations great distress. Amongst his corre- spondence has been found fragments of a torn letter, written a week before his dis- appearance, in which he referred to his will and a codicil. Mr. Melford's solicitors have received a letter from Berkshire containing a circum- stantial story of a gentleman answering the description of Mr. Melford having been seen wandering through the country lanes examin- ing the various sign-posts. The person referred to was dressed in. an old long over- coat, with a shawl over his shoulders, and carrying a small handbag. — — 

I RECRUITS POURING IN. Lord Lucas, Under-Secretary for War, speaking in London on Saturday night, said the ti m-o had arrived when he thought the Territorial Forces would get their full com- p-le-ment of recruits. A cheque for £ 10,COO had just been forwarded to help the London Asso- ciation, and other offers were pouring in daily. London was aroused at the present moment. Recruits were coming in at the rate of from 200 to 300 a, day. We should siiortly have a real force, an organised army adequate for the proper and safe defence of these shores, and then would be accomplished a great and meritorious thing in fulfilment of national duty.

ALL DUE TO LAZINESS" I Percy Turland, 22, an auxiliary postman at East Mc.lesey, was committed for trial at Kingston on Saturday on a charge of detain- ing and opening postal packets entrusted to him for delivery. A quantity of postcards, circulars, letters, and a parcel, several of the letters opened, were found at his lodgings. Asked why he had not delivered them, he replied, It. was all due to laziness." He said that he opened the letters "out of curiosity."

CONSTABLE AND cicljRios I "CUriOIE," was the reply received by an alert City constable who stopped a man in Ba.rbican at daybreak on Saturday. and asked him wnat were the contents of a, parcel under his armfl. When the constable expressed a v. iSlh to see the "curios" the man contfessed that the parcel contained a silver-framed mirror which he had taken fdom 72, Regent-street. He added that he was hungry, a.nd had had nothing to eat for two days. The magistrate at Marl- borough-street committed him for trial.

DEATH FROM PARAFFIN LAMPI I The explosion of a, paraffin lamp caused the death in Nottingham yesterday of Annie I Taupton, aged 46, a single woman occupying furnished apartments in Coidham-street. A neighbour was attracted to the house by the smell of burning, and, bursting open the door, found the woman in flames at the foot of the stairs. The lamp which she was carrying had apparently exploded, and she sustained frightful injuries, from which death ensued shortly after.

MILE END GUARDIANS FREE J. E. Loftus, A. W. Ridpath, J. F. Stam- mers, Waiter Trott, and Samuel Gilder, five of the ex-members of the Mile End Board of Guardians who were sentenced at the Old Bailey in August last for offences under the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act, were released from Wormwood Sorubbs Prison on Saturday morning, having served a term of nine months' imprisonment, with hard labour, less the customary commission for good bpliaviour.

I CARDIFF PRISON JUSTICES. At the meeting on Saturday of the visiting magistrates for the Cardiff Prison, Mr. George C. Williams, of Lanrnmney Hall, was elected chairman in succession to his late brother. Mr. Lewis Williams, of Cardiff, and Dr. Howell Rees had been elected by the quarter sessions to succeed the late Mr. Charles Hy. Williams and Mr. T. Andrews

j WARDER KILLED BY APRIS0NER I One of the warders in Moscow Government Gaol has been murdered by a prisoner, named Siedacheff, lying under spntence of death for his participation in an armed attack on a goods station on the Moscow Kazan Railway. Prisoner attacked the warder with a brick, killing him.—Reuter. =1 ——

Woods' Great Peppermint Cure for Coughs and Colds neVer fails. 1/1 J, 2/9. [L £ H90 I.ittle Jack Horner sat in a corner, Eati, a niix; meat pie; A delicate course, improved by Hoe's Sauce, The best of all sauces to buy. el61 The Ideal Leaf," same as made at tlia Ideal City, is now made by Messrs. s-tereas. Confectioner (Ltd.). YaJl will call e4964

I A Prophet ot Evil A WOMAN'S STRANGE VISIONS Mme. Juliette Bacon, a young French- woman, predicted the Messina catastrophe in 1907, and her prediction was published in 1908, several weeks before the earthquake. Mme. Bacon now predicts a catastrophe in a Paris theatre. She is a pretty little woman, with fair hair and blue eyes. "I see visions," she said quite simply. "I was busy with my dinner one evening in December, 1907, when I saw spectral figures round my husband. First of all there was one, then a second, then a large crowd of them. The extraordinary part about the thing was that, although I had said nothing to my husband, he remarked quite suddenly, it is horrible; I feel as though there were j A Lot of Skeletons in the room. I saw the same vision every I day for several days, and every time I could see the earth heaving and breaking. It was so terrible that I was afraid to go to bed at night, and I used to see it at home, in the streets, in the restaurants, everywhere. I do not pretend to understand how these visions come to me at all," she said, "but I have always had them. When I was eight years old, in the country, I saw my god-father, and next day we heard that he had been killed near Paris while-out shooting. When I was about fifteen I told my friends that my brother-in-law had died in Tonkin. We had a letter from him three days before, written in the best of spirits, but the news was true."

A POST-OFFICE ROMANCE I A middle-aged lady applied to Mr. Lane, K.C., at West London on Saturday, for a summons against her husband for a separa- tion on the ground that he was carrying on an intrigue with another wcina". They had been married nineteen years, she said, and were quite happy until the other woman came on the scene last,October. She then found that her husband was paying special attention to a young lady who was employed at t-h .same post-office as himself. What have you found out about their re- la lions ?—Well, on one occasion I saw h,m sitting with her by the fireside. Is that all? Does he admit he goes to make love with her?—Oh, he doesn't go to her house, but she told me he couldn't give her up. I That seems like love-making?—'When I taxed him with having another woman he didn't deny it. Did he admit there had been misconduct?— Oh, no. Have you any further evidence?—No, but ho Threatens to leave me. The Magistrate: Oh, that is a common everyday thing in married life. The Applicant; She waits for him every night he comes from the post-office. Has he stayed out all night?—No. Can you prove he has taken her to places of entertainment?—No. The Magistrate: Well, until things ripen a little more you have no case for separation or divorce—you must wait.

Pathetic Love Tragedy I BROKEN-HEARTED GIRL'S LEAP I Esther Osment (26), who had been in service near Bournemouth, committed suicide by leaping from a second-class compartment of the. up mail train between Wareham and Iiamworthy Junction. She received terrible injuries. She left in the compartment a locket containing the photog-raph of a man. who, it transpired at the inquest on Satur- day night, had married tiv deceased's sister after having kept company with the deceased, since when the deceased had been broken-hearted. She rem a rk'Ed to t.he booking-clerk on entering the train: "Men were ever deceivers." On her haft (which, with her gloves, muff, and stole, she had also left on the seat in the train) was found on its arrival at Wimborne a very patheti- cally worded letter, in which she gave direc- tions as to the disposal of various articles. Verdict: "Suicide whilst of unsound mind."

MINERS' WAGE RATE The wages committee of the Monmouth- shire and South Wales Miners' Federation met at Cardiff on Saturday to consider the owners' application for a 5 per cent decrease in the wage rate. The committee, consisting of Messrs. W. Brace, M.P., A. Onions (treasurer), D. Watts Morgan, and T. Richards, LP. (secretary;, went carefully into the matter, and wilj report their views to the Federation execu- tive on Wednesday. The Prolonged Strike at Dyllas y We have it on excellent authority that the offer which Mr. Bentham, general manager of the Dyllas Colliery, Llwydcoed, made last Wednesday to the men formerly employed there will not be entertained. Mr. Benth<\m will receive a deputation of the men to- morrow, but it is understood that there will be no resumption of work unless the manage- ment dismiss the two men whom the workmen regard as "blackleg's." The colliery has been idle for the past three months. Anticipated Stoppage at Aberaman The workmen employed at the Aberaman Col- liery off the Powell-Duffryn Company view with anxiety the notices which the management tendered at the beginning of the month for the termination of contracts on the 28th inst It seems that the workmen's committee have posted up a notice in the shape of an appeal to the men to bring up to date their contribu- tions to the Miners' Federation with the view of qualifying themselves for shrike pay. Whether or not this stoep be a ruse by way of inducing the workmen to obtain a "clean sheet" it is impossible to say. The manage- ment are adamant as to the reason for' the issue of the notice, which, if acteu upon, will affect about 1,700 men.

A LINK WITH NAPOLEON Anne Josephine Rubay, who was the only living woman who could say that she had spoken to Na.polcon at the battle of Ligny, died yesterday at Ligny at the age of 1041 years. A week before her death she related the following story:- "Before the battle of Ligny Napo-leo-n established his headquarters at my mother's inn. Napoleon's staff camped in the garden, where my father had buried his money. One night I went into the garden and was arrested. They brought me before the Emperor. "What are you doing here?" he asked, and I confessed my anxiety about my father's money. Napoleon said, "I am resp.onsible for that. Call your father." My father came, and the Empertye gave him some odders and asked him several questions about the surrounding country. He also congratulated him on his daughter, and then turning to- me he said, Here is my photograph, and he gave me a gold piece." The woman kept the gold piece ever after- wards.

DERI CORONER'S INQUIRY I An inquest conducted by the district coroner (Mr. R. J. Rhys) at Deri on Saturday con- cerning the death of Thomas Jones (32), a single man, of New-road, Deri, who died on Wednesday last after having a foot crushed by a fall of storne at the Groesvaen Colliery, Deri, on November 6, was adjourned for a period to enable the doctors concerned in the case to make a post-mortem examination. Dr. Turner, who attended the deceased on the day of the accident, attributed death to uraemia, accelerated by the injury. He stated that the relatives refused to enter- tain a post-mortem examination. Dr. Llewellyn, on behalf of the company, did not entirely agree with Dr. Turner. The inquiry was then adjourned to enable the doctors to make a post-morteim examination. It was resumed in about an hour's time, when a verdict was returned to the effect that death was due to nephritis, which gave rise to uraemia, and which in face of the evidence was accelerated by the accident.

STORY OF THE TtLESCOPE" I It is a singular fact that a story of the telescope on popular lines and in a handy form has never been written. Mr. Arthur Mee has seized on the tercentenary of that great invention to issue a booklet giving the outline of the history of the telescope and a general description of its principle and development in simple atid untechnical language. Lists are added of the largest telescopes in the world, of the principal observatories, astronomical societies, periodi- cals and books, together with a useful chronology. These lists add greatly to the value of the booklet, for the simple reason that they are not procurable in any other work with which we are acquainted. There are several illustrations, including a frontis- piece by Mr. J. M. Staniforth, representing Sir William Lower and John Protheroe observing with the telescope in Carmarthen- shire in 1610. The booklet, price sixpence, post free, is procurable of the author, at Llanishen, Cardiff. I

The directors of the Union Castle Line are considering the advisability of installing Marconi's system of wireless telegraphy on their mail boats "OOAGULIXE," KLJXX," TFXASITINE." Cements for mending all thing.?. e6659 Highest perfection in bread-eating- is the delicious "Ideal" Loaf. Doesn't take .-0 miicb buttor..Specially wrapped.—Stevens, Confectioner (Limited.). e4964 For Ohronio Chest Complaints, Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. Illi, 2,9. [L6490 I

£3,000 Damage | DESTRUCTIVE DOCKFIRE AT MILFORD Shortly before ten on Saturday night a fire broke out at Milford Docks, resulting in the destruction of two buildings comprised of stores and offices. The tire broke out in the premises of the Gourock Ropework Com- pany, and almost without warning a huge flame burst forth and greedily enveloped the building. The dock authorities were soon on the spot with their fire engine, and the town fire brigade brought out" their reel and hose. The contents of the building were all of an inflammable nature, comprising rope, twine, nets, and several barrels of tar. In a very short time the flames extended to the office and stores of Mr. J. J. Jones, steam trawler owner, which also contained oils and ships' stores, and proved an ea.sy prey. On the lopposite side of the Gourock stores is the large ice factory of the Cardiff Pllre Ice Com- pany, and the stokehold became ignited, but owing to the action of the engineering staff building was saver from serious damage. The damage is estimated at something like £ 3,000, and is covered by insurance.

MRS CRAWSHAY BAILEY DEAD Mrs. E. S. M. G. Bailey died at her resi- dence, 34, Park-place, Cardiff, after a short illness. Although she had been ailing for some time, no serious developments had been anticipated until an apoplectic seizure rem- 00 all hope of recovery. The deceased lady was the widow of the late 0 Mr. Crawshay Bailey (son of the great Crawshay Bailey, whose name is famous in the engineering world) and daughter of the lato Count Metaxa, Greek Minister to England. She had lived in Cardiff for some years, during which time her contributions to charitable objects were lavish, but quite unostentatious. The poor of St. John's Parish wiil greatly miss her generous assistance. Being a musician a,nd pianiste of high merit, she was also a most generous patroness of all local musical movements. The Cardiff Musical Festivals owed much to her support, aaid it may truly be said that it was owing to her splendid donations that it was made possible to bring to Cardiff three of the world's greatest pianists, namely, Mark Ham- bourg, Adela, Verne, and Busoni. Deceased leaves two daughters, Mrs. Gordon Can- ning, of Hartpury, Gloucester, and Mrs. Curre, of Itton Court, Chepstow. The interment will take place at Hartpury, and the body will be conveyed at 9.30 a.m. to- morrow (Tuesday) for the Great Western Railway Station en route to Gloucester. The meets of Mr. Curre's Hounds are sus- pended until after the funeral.

LOCKED UP FOR WEEK-END John Coates and Henry Watts, railway engine stokers, of Griffithstown, were sum- moned at Pontypool on Saturday for being drunk and riotous at Griffithstown on Janu- ary 30. Mr. W. J. Everett, Pontypool, defended, and pleaded not guilty. Police-sergeant Watkins stated that defen- dants were drunk, singing and shouting and using bad language. He told them to go home quietly, but they refused, and he had to lock them up. Mr. Everett commented strongly on the action of the police in arresting the men at 11.45 p.m. on Saturday night and refusing to admit them to bail all day on Sunday, keeping them in custody until Mon- day morning, when they were brought up at that court. An argument between Mr. Everett and Superintendent James took place as to the making of application for bail, which was interrupted by the chairman, who said, "It is my opinion, and I think it will be the opinion of my colleagues, that bail ought to have been allowed. The men should not have been locked up from Saturday night until Monday morning." Several wit- nesses and the defendants themselves denied that they were drunk, and the bench dis- missed the cases. The chairman said that in cases such as that bail should be accepted if it could be secured.

COLD AND RHEUMATISM For various reasons rbeumatism seems to be aggravated by cold, damp, chilly atmos- phere. The real fact is that cold produces contraction, and the effect is noticed, as a rule, where muscular tisesue is light and cir- culation restricted by contractions or carti- laginous bands. In many cases, however, the pains seem to be mostly in the large muscles; when this occurs it is solely on account of Poor circulation. Take more exercise. Take a good dose of physic. Take three to five grain doses of salicylic acid every two hours during the day. This dissolves the uric acid a,nd facilitates elimination. Don't take any more medicine than is absolutely necessary. Keep up the hot bath and massage.—"i amily Doctor." j.

MODEL SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS "G-alla.nt little Wales" has hitherto been noted for several things, but more particu- larly for her chapels and Sunday schools. According to the "London Welshman," the Tabernacle Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Church at Aberystwyth can boast of a class in her Sunday School which possesc?es a Unique record. Its teacher, we are informed, is the clerk to the Cardiganshir-e County Council, and among its members are included two Oxford University men, two from Cam- bridge, one Manchester College man, and an alumnus of Cardiff College. One is all M.A., a second is a B.A., a third an M.D., a fourth a B.Sc., and a fifth a F.R.C.O. Small wonder that our contemporary thinks that "few Sunday School classes can rival this striking record."

JUBILEE OF A FAMOUS HYMN I On Sunday the well-known hymn, There's a Friend for little c-hildren" was sung in numerous churches and Sunday schools throughout the country, it being exactly 50 years ago since it was written. This jubilee celebration was made at the request of the Sunday School Union, which has published a souvenir edition of the hymn. Mr. Albert Midiane, the author of the hymn, was born at Newport, Isle of Wight, in 1825, and fol- lowed the trade of an ironmonger. The hymn was originally published in 1859 in a monthly magazine called Good News for the Little Ones."

LAPPS AND STIMULANTS I The Lapps are very fond of stimulating drinks; they think nothing of drinking fifteen or twenty cups of coffee a day, while their consumption of punch is on a vaet scale. It is no uncommon thing (says the "Wide World Magazine") to see numbers of helplessly- drunk natives in the streets of Tromso, espe- cially when the sale of reindeer flesh has been profitable. Yet robbery, and, indeed, crime in general, are practically unknown among them; the innate honesty of the people is quite extraordinary.

A LILLIPUTIAN SOLDIER I The smallest soldier in Belgium hails from Staiiit-Gilles (Waes), and rejoices in the name of Charles Ysewyn. His height is 1.16 metres, or about 4ft. 7in. This Lilliputian warrior holds the record by ten centimetres, his rival "in tabloid form," as a contemporary would say, being a Walloon soldier. What would the father of Frederick the Great have done with these two mites had they been Prus- sians? The old King's craze was for an army of giants, and he paid about zLl,100 fotr a Brobdi n gnagi an Irishman.

CLAIMANT 10 X430,000 1 A printed petition to the King, dated January 6, 1908, referring to property said to be worth 9430,000, was found on James M'Cave (65), who died in Marylebone infirmary from shock following fracture of the arm. Ann Hennessey, keeper of a, common lodging-house in Edgware-road, said deceased on January 21 had a fall in the kitchen, and a doctor who was called in ordered his removal to the infirmary. He was wont to drink heavily. Open verdict returned.

BRITTLE MARGARINE For selling adulterated butter, a Seven King's man, named, Hazel, was fined 40s. at Stratford on Saturday. He explained that in certain weather margarine was very brittle. When a package was being made up small pieces might fly off." Very careless," observed the magistrate, to leave margarine so near the butter. I know butter is slippery. Have a partition."

UNABLE TO SPEAK ENGLISH I Described as a chemist and druggist, Simon Waldo, of Commercial-road, who was sum- moned a,t Thames Court on Saturday inti- ma,ted that he could not speak English. The Magistrate: What, a chemist in East London who (loes not speak English! Prosecuting Solicitor: Rather dangerous, I should say.

THREEPENNY <BtTS I It was stated during the prosecution of a I street bookmaker at Westminster on Satur- day that sixpenny and threepenny bets were extensively represented in the betting slips found on him. A fine of £10 was imposed, and the slips were impounded.