South Wales Echo

LONDON LETTER. I [SPECIALLY WIKED.j I [?.Y OUR OiT/I.KKV uonHEXrOXnEIfT.) I LO.VDOX, Tuesday Isight. Mr Chamberlain's visit to Ipswich to- morrow. wnon thu gathering of the National Ajibsra! Federation will be held amongst the constituents c: a personal friend and a poli- tical associate of th3 President of the Board of Trade, is locked forward to with much interest. 1 hero can be little doubt that the general impression of Mr Cham- berlain, than, when he speaks, ho says something worcii listening to, rests upon a i- e i,.i substantial basis. Bir- in, mingham is proud of the daring duckling immortalised in a cartoon in Punch not very long ago, nor is the pride of the hardware capital in its distinguished citizen at all unreasonable. Within four years of his entering the ilouse of Commons he was a Cabinet Minister, an experience which falls to few representatives of the people, and his public utterances are now considered of so much importance that wherever he goes he is followed by an army of reporters. J Sir Ciiarles Dilke's action at the meeting | of the Chelsea Liberal Council last night has been much talked of by politicians to-day. Two lithographed resolutions had been pre- pared for acceptance by the council, but the motion in favour of the second ballot was not on the agenda paper. It was brought forward in the shape of an amendment by Mr R. B. Brett, M. P. for Falmouth, private secretary to the Marquis of Hartington, and eldest son of the Master of the Rolls, himself formerly a Conservative member for Helston i- C ."iv,vail, and seconded by Sir 0 Dilkc. The reports of the proceedings in the London papers are exceedingly brief, being in fact summarily dismissed in a paragraph. I believe the truth is that the President of the Local Government Board cares very little for public peakng or to how small an extent he is reported. fcmee the sentence of four months' im- prisonment for libel was passed upon Mr Edmund Yates in April last, the question has often been asked, what has become of it ? It was known that Mr Yates was spending a considerable part of his time in Paris, and rhar. he had not yet made the aequanu iace of the Governor of Holloway Prison. The inquiry had been answered to-day i.i the arguments before the Courr, r.r Appeal, presided over by the luasttr oi tne Kolls, who to those present certainly seemed to lean decidedly against the appellant. For all that, now that three- quarters of a year have elapsed since the sentence was passed by Lord Coleridge and two of his colleagues in the Queen's Bench, the punishment is looked upon as greatly exceeding the offence, especially when it is remembered that the prison regulations are now very much more severe than they were only a fe w years ago. The power of the Press has not often been so clearly exemplified in affecting the de- cision of a public body as in the case of the Commissioners of Sewers to-day. A pro- posal has to be brought before them for con- structing sub-ways for foot passengers, so as to relieve the busy streets in the immediate neighbourhood of the Mansion House, the Royal Exchange, and the Bank of England No one who has witnessed the nervousness of timid pedestrians, anxious in j hie middle of she day and early afternoon f in gr-t from th, Mansion House to the Bank. I running the ganntlet of the traffic of v* 'Uiiwn-street. Lombard-street, Cornliill, "dIe-street, will doubt the value of the proposed subways. The London I papers strongly supported the suggestion, I and bowing to the general expression of public opinion, the commissioners have unanimously assented to the scheme. A member of the family of Gore-Langton has so long and sc often represented one of the divisions of Somerset that the farmers of that Conservative county will receive the intelligence of Mr William SteDhen Gore- Langton's intended resignation L with some surprise. The hon. gentleman, who is not yet 40, has issued an address announcing that he shall resign his seat at the beginning of the session. His father sat for West Somerset from 1851 to 1856, and from 1363 to 1866, and the present member has sat for Mid Somerset seven years. The consti- tuency is one which the Liberals will not now contest, for although the Franchise Act is upon the statute book, it cannot come into operation for another twelve n"uo: The earlier reception given to Lord Rose- bery's circular to the peers has not been varied by subsequent developments. For reasons "tuclly < i a personal character, the peers have declined 10 accept the leadership < f the young earl in this matter. If Lord Salisbury, Earl Granville, or some other of the elders of the House had undertaken the business, it would Ihave been different. -liur, when Lord Rosebery offers himself to take the lead, he is regarded by noble lords as David was looked upon by his big brothers when he proposed to go forth nd give battle to the giant. But though Lord Rosebery has been snubbed in his attempt to form a mixed party on the question, he is not the kind of man to abandon an undertaking because at the outset he has suffered repulse. His idea was that a majority of the peers were, like himself, secretly convinced of the in- evitableness, if not of the desirability or the necessity, of reforming of House of Lords. When he had brought forward the subject in the form of a resolution, Lord Salisbury and Earl Granville, for once united, had chaffed him out of court. Having tried both ways, and most utterly failed in the private application, Lord Rosebery will next session return to the subject, conscious in the strength that a man leading a forlorn hope in either House of Parliament possesses when he has behind him the support of public opi- nion. In connection with this question, I have been looking over the roll of the present House of Peers, and am surprised to find how modern is the personnel of this ancient institution." There are, excluding royal princes, bishops, judges, and represen- tative peers, 485 peers of the realm heritors of that old nobility" for the preservation I),- -vhich Lord John Manners pleaded with patheuc energy. How many of these, does the average reader suppose, have held a peerage in their family for more than 85 < Exactly the odd 185. Not less than 300 f the peerages now existent have been created within the present century. Within the last ten years Mr Disraeli and Mr Glad- done have between them made 70 peers. iSome of these, notably Lord Brabourne, have been loudest in their indignant protest against laying rough hands upon an institu- tion which had its germs of life in the time of William the Conqueror, and which struggled at Runnymede with King John.

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THE BETROTHAL OF PRINCESS BEATRICE. PORTRAITS OF THE ROYAL PAIR. FROM A SKETCH IN Orange Blossoms. I The Court Circular of December 30th an- nounced that—" The Queen gave her consent yesterday to the engagement of Princess Beatrice to Prince Henry of Battenberg, third son of Prince Alexander of Hesse." The betrothal has created some interest, but, to tell the truth, not much enthusiasm. There is a kind of feeling that the Battenberg family have obtained sufficient advantages from this country without taking away its last princess. However, that is doubtless a momentary feeling which will wear off upon better acquaintance with the young prince. There will, of course, be an application to Parliament next session to make provision for the young couple, who, it is stipulated, shall reside in England. A peculiarity about the wedding will be that it will make Princess Beatrice sister-in-law to her own niece. Prin- cess Alice's daughter, it will be remembered, married the brother of Prince Henry of Batten- berg, who thus becomes closely allied to the English Royal Family, one having married the daughter and the other the granddaughter of the Queen. There is no one eligible for the elder brother, Prince Louis, to marry, and be must needs be content with the enviable post in the -1 British navy which he has held for so many years. A few personal facts concerning the happy couple, whose portraits we give to-day, will be read with some interest. Princess Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore was born 14th April, 1857, and is the youngest child of her Majesty. Princess Louise left home to be married nearly 14 years ago, in March, 1871. Princess Beatrice was then It years of age, but such has been the constant companionship between mother and daughter, that although the latter has not long en- tered the state of womanhood, the Queen, in the letter which she wrote to her people expressing the thanks for the sympathy shown to her when an attempt was made upon her life by Maclean, sr-oke I of Princess Beatrice as her beloved child. The Princess was less than five years old when her father died, and since then seven of the Queen's children have been married and two have followed the Prince Consort to the tomb. In ail these changes Princess Beatrice has been the daily solace of her mother, and as there is no necessity for the Royal couple to live out of England, her Majesty not unnaturally wishes that the las", of her children to be married shall still be with her. Much thin satire has, however, been expended over the announcement that the Queen's consent to the betrothal of Princess Beatrice was given on condition that her Royal Highness should continue to reside with her Majesty. The idea of a bridegroom taking up his quarters with a mother-in-law has been subjected to some obvious ridicule. But looking at the constant companionship between the Queen and her youngest child, the stipulation which her Majesty has made does not appear so unreasonable after all. The Princes of Battenberg take their title from a town of that name, containing about a thousand inhabitants, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse- Darmstadt. Prince Henry Maurice of Batten- berg, who has just become engaged to the Princess Beatrice, was born October 5th, 1858, and is a heutenant in the 1st Regiment of Prussian Hussars of the Rhine. He is a cousin of the reigning Grand Duke of Hesse, the husband of the late Princess Alice, being son of Prince Alexander, who, in 1351, married Princess Julie of Battenberg. Five children are the issue of this marriage; four sons and a daughter. The eldest child is the daughter, Princess Marie, who in 1871 was married to the Count d'Erbach Schonberg next comes Prince Louis, a lieutenant in the British Navy, who is married to Princess Victoria of Hesse, Princess Alice's daughter then Prince Alexander of Bulgaria, then Prince Henry, the bridegroom elect, and lastly Prince Francis Joseph, a liontenant in the Hessian Guards.

COAL AND IRON EXPORTS. [BY CIAFVIOT.1 The annual returns of coal, &c.—so interesting to South Wales people—are now out. What business has been done therein can now be assessed. This I propose to do very briefly. Taking "King Coal first, the figures for Cardiff j are:— I Tom. 1384—Foreign trade 6.967,013 1885- 11 6,761,155 Increase 205,553 This is at the rate oÎ;) per cent., and n ;t bad for a time of depressed trade. Had it not been for the access which the sister port of Newport has obtained into the Rhondda Valley by means of the Caerphilly and Newport Junction Railway it is probable that the increase would have been more. This assumption is apparently justified by a glance at the return for that port:- Tons. 1834—Coal exported foreigmvise .1,7^,512 1823- „ „ 1,581,453 Increase i;o,0J9 This is -it the rate of 8 per cent., and very encouraging, in such hard times, for the New- i;ortonians. What is the actual tobl that Cardiff has trun- dled over her coal-tips or otherwise shipped during last year according to "Brown G.,s Export ,y List ?" It may be put as follows :— Tons. Coal-f,)re ign wise 5 957 0i3 coastwise 980,432 Coke—foreign 32,162 Patent fuel-foreign 176,066 Total 8,155,673 Ditto, 1S83 7,991,943 Increase. 163.730 We have no return yet of the bunker coal shipped. In 1883 it reached nearly a million tons i exported, and it is estimated at another quarter of a million, or thereabouts, for coasters, tugs, &c. That will increase the shipment to nearly 9J- millions of tons, which is about one-fifth of the whole quantity shipped in the United Kingdom, including bunkers, coke, and patent fuel. The total at Newport was I Tons. Coal—foreignwise 1,721,512 coastwise 1.031,640 Coke 3.463 Patent fuel Total, 1834 2,756,520 Ditto, 1833 a,562,6^7 Increase. 193,993 So that Newport seems to be increasing all along the line, so far as fuel is concerned. It is useful to compare the other great coal port of the North. At Newcastle the shipments were: ions. 1334—Coal—foreignwise 4,621,200 coastwise 2,944,960 Total, 1884 7,566,160 Ditto, 1833 7,493,476 Increase 72,684 j.ne L/araitf similar shipments, as seen above, were 7,947,445 tons, so that she keeps ahead of her Tyneside competitor. A little glance at the iron shipments, and their exit. The local shipments *vere- *883- 1884. Decrease. Ise'.vpcrt. tons 187,694 io8 579 r91?2 Cardiff „ 108^510$$9 Total 296,204 191.771 104,433 I This is rather a depressing result, considering the immense value of the trade. But such a con- dition has occurred before, and let us hope that "the turn of the tide has set in. In a Cardiff paper, dated 3rd August, 1866, under an article headed The Iron Trade of Cardiff and South Wales," the writer says :— Orders for minu- factured iron of all kinds are so scarce that it is with difficulty that some of the larger works can carry on. The sudden and extreme paucity of business is considered to be quite unprecedented in the experience of the district." As a counter- blast read the following, extracted from the Cardiff Times of 18th October, 1879 THE Risa IN IRON. Wolverhampton, Tuesday.—Iron mer- chants report that they are beins pulled out of their warehouses; customers, they say, are doubling and trebling their former orders. Manufacturers and merchants are receiving com- munications from the Scotch iron founders, I declining accept offers at their last issued price lists." Messrs Boiling and Lowe, of London, in their recent circular on the iron trade, conclude by saying: "We believe the British iron and steel industries will gradually improve. It is from India and Australia they will receive their first support. Taking the valr 3 of Glasgow warrants as the barometer of the trade, the price to-day (December, 1884) is 42s 3d, and holders willing to sell for delivery three months hence at 42s 5d, thuscontinning our views." Verily, as the wise man said, what has been will be, and there is nothing new under the sun. I remember, about ten years ago, the late Mr Menelaus, in giving evidence in the Crown-court at Cardiff, enunciated very desponding views as at Cardiff, enunciated very desponding views as to the future of the iron trade of this country. Well, whatever the profits may have been, it is evident that the quantities have increased. The quantities of ironstone and iron ore produced in the United Kingdom and imported were:— Produced. Imported. Total. In 1874 14,844,936.1,009,141.15,854,077 tons 1883 17,383,046.3,581,073.20,964,119 This is an increase of over 30 per cent, in th& period, and I submit affords a hops tkat what, baa beeo will bo !?• once again,

THE HIGHER-GRADE SCHOOL, CARDIFF. I The Higher Grade School, Ten Acro-field, Car- diff, was opened without ceremony on Tuesday I afternoon, the formal and official inauguration of the establishment being postponed tin the restora- tion to health of Mr Mundella. A number of gentlemen were conducted through the building by Mr Seward, one of the architects. Amongst those who made an inspection ]ell being- Mr Lewis Williams, chairman of the school board, the Revs. Vincent Saulez, C. J. Thompson, and G. A. Jones, Messrs J. Cory, J. Gunn, T. Roes, and Dr. Edwards, members of the board; D. Rees, the clerk to the board Councillor W. Sanders, Mr T. H. Stephens, Mr John Duncan, Mr Sonley J ohmtonc, Mr Waugh, the head-master of the school, &c. The scholars are to be enrolled on Wednesday, and work will be commenced at the school on the following Monday.

BARBAROUS CRUELTY TO A I HORSE AT MOUNTAIN ASH. Half the Tongue Missing. At the Aberdare police-court, on Tuesday, Joseph Jones, an old man, engaged as a haulier at Ill,, Powell Duffryn Company's Lower Duffryn Colliery, was summoned for cruelly illtreating a horse belonging to his employers.—Mr Lmton (Messrs Linton and Kensholc) appeared on behalf of the company to prosecute.—It was shown that whilst the horse was drawing an empty tram, on the 1st inst., the defendant struck the animal a heavy blow under the chin with a sprag. Some time afterwards it was noticed that the horse did not eat the food or drink the water pro- vided for it, and, upon examination, Mr Joseph Temple, the company's veterinary surgeon, discovered about three or four inches of the top of the tongue wanting, the poor brute having evi- dently bitten the missing portion off at the time th« blow was administered. Defendant admitted to Mr Nehemiah Phillips, the manager of the colliery, that he had hit the horse with a sprag on the leg, but denied having struck it in the manner alleged. He confessed to P.C. Stevens that he was fined L2 18s for cruelty to a I horse whilst he was working at Messrs Nixon's Navigation. Colliery some few years ago. The defence set up was that the horse was of vicious disposition, and that the injury was occasioned Ion' by its knocking its head against a low" rollar" when in a fractions humour. The bench declined to accept this theory, and imposed a fine of B5 and costs, or two months' imprisonment. The total penalty amounted to £ 5 5s 6d. After the defen- dant had been removed to the cells, his wife applied to the magistrates to grant time for pay- te, ment, but to this they refused to accede.

__n- THE CROFTERS' REVOLT. ) Action of the Landowners. I A number of Highland landed proprietors, who are to attend a conference to consider the recom- mendations of the Home Secretary, arrived in Inverness on Tuesday night. The Marquis of Stafford, the eldest son of the Duke of Suther- land, will, it is behove, preside. Four resolu- tions will be submitted, and these will, it is understood, embody the nature anj extent of the concessions the proprietors are prepared to make to crofter population with a view to settling the existing differences.

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THE DISESTABLISHMENT" MOVEMENT. Important Conference in London. The Hon. E. Lyulph Stanley, M.P., presided oil Tuesday evening at a conference of the Liberation Society, in London. Ho said that during the last five or six years the principles of the society had remained in the background, but the timo had now come for action. It was their duty not to h timid or hesitating, but to insist that this great question should occupy a prominent place in the Liberal programme. He hoped they would make a de- termined appeal to the new forces who were about to be brought within the pale of tue con- stitution. He regarded the six millions now de- voted to the Established Church as national property, and it should be applied to local purposes of public utility. Resolutions were carried urging the supporters of the society to secure candidates who would be most likely to. promote their aims. I

I THE PERILS OF PARAFFIN. I Explosion at an Oil Works. I Destruction of an Hotel. A most alarming explosion occurred in the Walkinshaw Oil Works, two miles west of Paisley, on Tuesday night, a paraffin oil re- tiuery being blown up, and two men injured, one very seriously. The refinery is 80 feet Ions; and 4-0 feet wide, and is built in three sections, the section in which the explosion occurred con- tainin^ four tanks of crude oil, and being separated from the refined oil room by the engine-room. A clockinaker named Pollock was engaged in cleaning a clock in the crude oil room, and a man named Robert Jean procured a light and held it up. Instantly the light caught the vapours floating above, and a terrific explosion ensued. Thp. roof was blown off, and the tanks were instantly in a blaze. Dean was so severely scorched on the hands and head that his removal to Paisley Infirmary was considered necessary, but Pollock was able to walk home. By this time a couple of tanks containing 10,000 gallons of crude oil, and built alongside the refinery, had caught fire, and the aspect of affairs was alarming in the extreme. At midnight the fire was still burning, and other tanks were in serious danger of ex- ploding. The reflection of the fire was seen in Greenock and Glasgow. The Marine Hotel, one of the largest in Peel, Isle of Man, was destroyed by fire on Tuesday night, in consequence of the upsetting of a paraffin lamp. The budding was gutted in an hour, there being a strong wind and no fire-extinguishing apparatus.

| THE ATTACK ON A FENIAN | TRAITOR. j I Precautions at the Hospital. i [REUTER'S TELEGRAM, J NEW YORK, Tuesday.—The hospital bad in ¡ which Phelan lies is guarded as a precaution I against a possible attack, and all delicacies sent I to him are examined. The dynamiters continue I to assert that Phelan is a traitor. The Press Association's Edinburgh correspon- dent says Phelan visited the city in the spring of 1333, but being known to the chief constable as a suspect, was closely watched. A detective followed him to Newcastle and Hull, and by this means an amount of information was obtained for use in connection with the trial of the Glasgow for use in connection with the trial of the Glasgow dynamitards. A Sheffield telegram states that the landlady of ( the Salisbury Hotel, who is now resident in Sheffield, remembers Phelan staying eight days in I her hotel. He knew he was watched by the police, notwithstanding which he openly avowed himself an agent of llossa, and frequently had interviews with Kearney. interviews with Kearney.

THE SAD DEATH OF A YOUNG I LADY. Inquest and Verdict. I At the coroner's inquest 11 eld at CarlihamaÜha, Callington on Tuesday it was elicited that Miss Lilian Collier was shot by her father's double- barreled sporting gun, which she had taken from the parlour, where it was usually kept, to her studio, where she locked hersalf in. It was ex- j plained that possibly she intended to paint the gun, and that she locked the door to secure ) quiet. Her mother heard the discharge of fire- arms, and called assistance, and a coachman came and broke in the door. Miss Lilian, it was stated, had been engaged, but no wedding day had been fixed, and the engagement had been recently in abeyance. Her father states that for I some months deceased had been ailing mentally. She was recently under medical treatment in Plymouth. The coroner and jury were highly I sympathetic with the family, and returned a verdict of Accidental death in the absence of direct evidence as to her having fired the gun herself. The muzzle had rested just below tha heart, and- when fired was horizontal to the body.

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I DORA'S HERO. At precisely nine minutes past four, on a sunny afternoon in June, Mr John Appleby ascended tila steps of his boarding-house, the residence of the widow Dillingham. There was nothing very extraordinai-y in this fa;;t alone, for, except on two occasions, Mr Appleby had ascended the same steps at precisely the same moment every week- day afternoon for the past live years. But as Mr Appleby ascended the steps on this particular afternoon he saw, framed in the sitting- room, a vision so surprising as to invest the occa- sion for him with extraordinary interest, and to cause him considerable perturba- tion as he searched for his latch-key; for Mr Appleby was a batchelor of extreme modesty and diffidence, and it was with no little nervousness that he became suddenly aware that he was the object of attention from a pair of very beautiful blue eyes, whose possessor, a young girl and a stranger, sat m the window with Laura Dilling- ham. n Some visitor of Laura's, I presume," he thought. I wonder if it is the-Miss Bartlett whom she told me she expected ?" Mr Appleby went straight to his room and re- mained there until the dinner bell rang. With his hair brnshed with unusual care, and his neck- tie adjusted with extraordinary pains, he then descended the stairs. When half-wav to the dining-rcom, his mind misgave him "that his collar was not perhaps strictly comme ilfaui, and he returned to change it. This made him late at table, and it was a positive trial to his diffident nature when he entered the dining-room and found the family seated, with the inexpressible blue eyes of the stranger directly upon him as he took his chair. "Mr Appleby-Miss Dora Bartlett," said Laura. Mr Appleby bowed and blushed. isn't it splendid, Mr Appleby ?'• continued j Laura. Dora is going to spend a whole month with us. We'll have no end of fun> ]y[r Appleby, I m goiug to engage you in advance to. help us to entertain h jr." Mr Appleby drew a long breath and said he would. Miss Dora Bartlett's blue eyes looked up at him from over the edge of her teacup wi,th an amused expression, and Mr Appleby dropped his spoon and felt rather awkward and nervous. Tom Dilling- ham, who at his own special request, had procured his seat to be changed so that he could sit next to the visitor, observed that as he was to have a horse he would expect Miss Bartlett to order him to take her wherever she wished to go. Mr Appleby offered no suggestion, but in his own mind considered Tom a presumptuous and rather disagreeable fellow. As the meal progressed, Mr Appleby regained something of his accustomed composure. His occasional glances across the table showed him that Miss Dora Bartlett had a very pleasant and winning smile, considerable colour, a rich mass of sunny blonde hair, and that she was altogether a very attracting and fascinating sort of person. She had an irresistible way, also, of drawing con- versation out of everybody, even out of Mr Appleby, and before the meal was over that gentleman found himself, to his great astonish- ment. carrying on quite a glib and lively chat something that he had never before been known to do during his five years' residence in the house. n I say," said Tom to his sister that evening, when he obtained an opportunity of speaking to her alone, "Appleby seems quite fascinated, doesn't he ?" But it was not Appleby alone who was fasci- nated, as beenma evident within the next few days. Tom's horse and carriage arrived in due season, giving him chances for tete-a-tetcs with the new- comer, and it soon became apparent to all ob- servers that Mr Tom Dillingham was falling rapidly over head and ears in love with Miss Dora Bartlett. Mr Appleby, too, began to astonish the neigh- bours by coming home an hour earlier in the afternoons. Lawn tennis began to have an attraction for him, and he even condescended on one memorable evening to personate a comic character in an acted charade. "It's so funny said Laura to her friend one night, after they had retired to their own room to prepare for bed. "Here is poor, bashful Mr Appleby, who scarcely ever opened his mouth before you came, transformed into another being. You seem to have fairly electrified him, Dora." Dora let loose her wealth of hair as she stood before the glass and laughed. H" is strange," she said. don t care, said Laura, I like him. He is not very brilliant perhaps, but he doesn't tell all he knows. He's just the kind of man to make a good husband." Husband exclaimed Dora-" him Oh, dear me Well, it's all a matter of taste. If ever I get married, which I never, never, never shall, I shall look out for a hero. But I shall never find him, Laura." concluded Dora with a sigh. "Such men are too scarc," Nevertheless, Miss Dora Bartlett found Mr Appleby a very convenient refuge, sometimes, from Tom Dillingham's too effusive attentions! She did not dislike him, and being someMiing of a flirt, siie found it a pleasant amusement to"play one of these gentlemen against the other. Thero- fore it was with no little chagrin that Mr Dilling- ham saw Mr Appleby return on the morning of the proposed picnic, with a very stylish horse and waggonette, and a flower in his button-hole, and learned from Miss Bartlett, almost at the same moment, that she was to be Mr Appleby's guest for the day. It might have been a merry party; if Tom had been better na,tured and had not persisted in driv- ing so unconscionably slow. The Bodwin girls and Joe Thompson and the Telfords—all neigh- bours—were to meet the party at the Grassland," j butgot tired and drove on with Mr Appleby and Dora, so that by the time Tom and his sister arrived at the Grove, the gentlemen had already selected a spot for luncheon and had built a fire and picketted their horses while the girls had doffed their wraps, and began to make themselves quite at home. "It's a perfect shame," said Laura to Dora we might have kept up with you as well as not, but Tom was sulky because you didn't ride with him, and he would not drive faster than a walk, in spite of all that I could say. It's too bad Leave him to me," said Dora, quietly. I'll soon bring him to a sense of his duty." She went over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder; a little, white soft hand, whose touch was to Tom Dillingham like a thrill from a | mild electric battery. Mr Appleby has just asked me to go with him to the top of the cliff," she said. I want to go, but I want you to come with me. Will you ?" There was a significant, though slight, emphasis on the you which went well with the intent look that flashed out cf the beautiful eyes. Tom was too far gone to be imperious to either, and he succumbed at once. I would go to the end of the world," he said, impulsively, "if you asked it." Miss Bartlett blushed and looked down. I haven't asked it," she said. Mr Appleby is wait- ing. so come." It was Tom's turn to look triumphantly at Appleby now. and the latter's turn to glower at Tom. As for Miss Dora she seemed entirely ob- livious of the truculent feelings of either of the gentlemen, but tripped merrily up the hill, accept- ing assistance from both, and chatting with which- ever happened to be nearest to her side. The summit of the cliff, when reached, was certainly a beautiful spot and well worth the toil of climbing to it. Miss Bartlett clutched the coat sleeves of both gentlemen as she leaned over the precipice and gazed timidly down into the gulf. x What a beautiful scene!" exclaimed Mr Appleby. Lovely said Miss Dora, holding his arm a little tighter, and leaning over a little farther, but it makes me dizzy." Mr Dillingham observed that it was perfectly chfirming. But just at this moment, when Mis Bartlett hands were both engaged, in /rasping the gent men's arms, and when both the gentleme l such a consequent state of bliss oblivious of all else, there came up a sudd^n gu.t of wind which took Miss Bartlett s hat from her head, and after earring it out over-the abyss, and holding it suspended for a moment n mid-air, deposited it finally <on the extreme tip of a very tender sapling that extended horizontally from thedace of tho cliff. Miss Bartlett sprang back, and putting both hands to her blonde tresses, screamed "My hat!" The gentleman looked from Miss Dora, in her pretty distress, to the hat, and from the hat back to Miss Dora again. What a misfortune exclaimed Mr Appleby. Can't you get it for me ?" asked Miss Bartlett, piteousiy. T Impossible it would be as much as one s life is worth." Miss Bartlett pouted her red lip. As I sup- posed," she thought. He is a coward." But Dillingham stepped to the edge, and without hesitation placed her foot on the swaying branch. I will try to reach it," he said. Fool exclaimed Mr Appleby, springing forward and seizing him by the arm, "Are you mad ?" 'l But Tom's weight was already on the sapling. It beat beneath him there was a crash, a fall of .loose stones, a cloud of dust from the broken -there roots, ^an^ia^nofch^iastantsthera^assad. before Dora's terrified gaze a vision of hat and tree going down into the gulf, and Tom Dillingham hanging over the precipice, sustained only by Mr Apple- by's strong grasp. In another instant Tom was hauled up upon the rock, looking rather bewildered. Miss Bartlett gav? him both her hands effusively. Mr Dillingham, you are a hero," she said. Mr Appleby turned away disgusted. He is an idiot," he thought, but did not s-y it. "Sorry that your hat is gone, but I suppose it can't be helped," replied Tom, with a gratified lank. "Thanks, Appleby." Poor Mr Appleby The picnic was quite spoiled for him, for thereafter Miss Bartlett took scarcely more notice of him than if be were the table-cl«th or one of the bottles that held the beer. Miss Bartlett was, however, a lady. She did not mean to be rude to Mr Appleby. She was piqued at his refusal to climb for her hat, and gratified by Tom's readiness to risk his life for the same unworthy object, simply because it was hers. With her youthful notions there was something very heroic and admirable to her in Tom's daring attempt, and something very contemptible and cowardly in Appleby's hesitation. Yet she had a secret misgiving that even the Black Prince would have looked a little ridiculous in tumbling over a cliff after a woman's bonnet, and being dragged up again on terrafirma by his rival, delapidated and dirt-begrimmed and that after all, Mr Appleby had, of the two, displayed the most common sense. With this little twinge of conscience, Miss Dora resolved to make it up with Mr Appleby on the way home. Therefore when his horse was har- nessed, and he stood holding thereifls as it a little doubtful whether she intended to return home with him or with Dillingham, she came to him and placing her hand on his arm-the same little hand which had worked so potent a spell on Tom that morninz-said .— Oh, Mr Appleby, won't you drive me around by the old mill ? I know it's farther, but it is so much pleasanter that way and if we drive fast we can get home just as soon as the others. And please may I (iri ve ? Mr Appleby felt himself transformed. The alacrity with which he assented and fairly leape into the carriage would have astonished Leonard himself. Miss Bartlett gathered up the reins, and with a wicked glance at Tom, who had not yet loaded up his tea-kettle and baskets, gave the horse a smart cut with the whip, and was out of sight in the bend of the road before any of the others had started. If Miss Bartlett had snubbed Mr Appleby, she seemed determined now to efface that from his recollection. She never talked to him with so much animation, and never seemed so satisfied with his company as now. She laughed and made Mr Appleby laugh. She joked and made Mr Appleby joke, though he was not remarkable as a joker. her cheeks glowed, her eyes sparkled, her dimples came and went, and when at last she suddenly turned to him and asked him—yes, actually asked him, Mr Appleby—if he wouldn't please tie his handkerchief around her head, be- cause the night air was getting cool, and she had no hat, Mr Appleby was wholly unable to realise whether be stood on his feet or his head, or whether he fiLtdAiiy head at all. "I can't tie it myself," said Miss Bartlett, "and do the driving too." Mr Appleby suggested that she should by no means relinquish the reins. The horse was skit- tish, and might run. Of course he could do the tying. She turned her face toward him and raised her chin. Mr Appleby produced the handkerchief, and slowly and carefully adjusted it. Then he brought the ends together a little below the full, red mouth, and-wen, he never knew how he came to do it, but when the knot was tied, he suddenly threw his arms about her and kissed her directly upon her lips. The immediate result was to Mr Appleby absolutely dreadful. Miss Bartlett threw herself away from him and turned pale as death. Then she turned red to the tips of her ears, her lips quivered for an instant, and dropping the reins, she burst into a paroxysm of sobbing. If Mr Appleby had had a bottle of prussic acid about him ue would probably have immediately swallowed it. Overwhelmed with remorse he wildly sought her to forgive him. Miss Bartlett gained her composure at last, and in her most freezing tones, said:- Drive me home at once, if you please." At least lei us go round by the mill, as we proposed. It is scarcely further now," pleaded Mr Applebv. When I suggested it," replied his companion, I supposed I was in the company of a gentle- man. I have discovered my mistake. You will be kind enough to tbke me home by the quickest; possibla way." Mr Appleby gave the hoise a savage ksh with the whip,and ilS snd-hm ly reined him in. They were inmost upon a railway crossing, and as ha pulled up the shrill whistle of the locomotive was beard around the curve. In the road before them, and almost upon the track, were two bare-footed children, evidently careless of the approaching train. Mr Awpleby flung hi'.aseii out of to ca; riage. with a snout, and sprang upon the s- child, a littie girl of turee, who liud paused, be- wildered, t,etween-the riL. All th's Dorr- no'.ea jn an instant. Her next •;oi)fu.-ed impression was of an awful roar as the • rain dashed by, a cloud of smoke and cinders tiint blinded her, a terrible scream from the elder child, and a vision of Mr Appleby rolling over and over in the dust and smoke and confusion with the little one in his arms-and then her horse backed the carriage into the bushes, and she sac down upon the seat and covered her face with her hands. When she looked up, Mr Appleby was standing by the wheel, with his clothing torn and covered with dust, and with the blood streaming from an ugiy cut in his eiieek. I thought you were killed," she said. "I am not much hurt," he replied gravely. But I shall be obliged to borrow back my hand- kcrchiel, I ain afraid." Instantly Miss Bartlett produced her own, and leaning over to hirn, bound it about his wound. The Mr Appleby led the horse into the road once I more, and climbing stiffly into the carriage, re- sumed the reins. I Not a word was spoken by either during the remainder of the ride, until the foot of the hill below the Dillingham residence was reached, but Mr Appleby, glancing at Dora from time to time in the midst of his own meditations, observed that she was crying softly to herself bearly all the way. When the horses began to climb the hill, Dora first broke the silence :— Mr Appleby," she said, looking up at him with her lovely eyes dim with tears, I was offended with you because-because you kissed me." I was a madman," began Mr Appleby, but Dora put up her hands to stop him. t( If you would kiss me now," she said, I would consider that yon had done me an honour. It was a very long hill, and the horse was doubt- Jess very tired, for he came to a halt a great many times that night before reaching the top arid it was quite dark when Mr Appleby's horse stopped at last before the gate, so that the family saw nothing of the tender manner m whicn that gentleman lifted Miss Bartlett out, or of the little lingering caress which she gave hnn before s e went into the house. 11 where For goodness' sake," said Laura, et that have you been ? I concluded you had met that hero whom you are looking for» an away with him, as you promised. "I did," said Dora. „ And what was his name, p ay Mr John Appleby, my future husband."

INCREASED COMMUNICATION WITH AMERICA. It is officially announced that the sailings of the steamers of the Cunard Steamship Company are about to be very considerably extended. From the end of March next a steamer will be oespatched from Liverpool to New York via ^ueenstown every Saturday and every alternate Wednesday, and for Boston via Queenstown every Tuesday.

YANKEE YARNS. "Myderefrens," said a coloured pre acher in a small town in Georgia, we tanks you dis eben" in; fur five dollars, button. Da man who put de button in de hat '6 sent it away in a good cause, but he losei1; an ol& fren, fur it am a gres&y button, Now I 'se not a rich man, fur Tse a poor man, but I k in jist give dat man one dollar who'll cum up an' git his button." There was deep silence for a while, and no one went up to get the button. I dur you to cum up an' git de button. None uv you's a-, comin' ? Well, I'se afeard you nober see your fren no more. It's a west button. My west's all- full uv buttons, an' no regular place fur it. But I tells you what I does I'll take dat button home an have my wife sew it on somewhar wiuir yeu kin all see it. Den when you comes to church yat* always sees your old fren again. But now I you de man as put dat button in de hat he gentleman. He better git converted rite away- ife thort fie P-ot rid uv dat button, but he neber: more mistaken in his life. Dat button bound to folllow him all tru dis world, an' whin lie git- down to de bank uv Jordan de button sure to be rite smarc after him. an' when he git "cross de ribber on de udder side, look out, fur de button he liar before hi;)! SHE SAVED HIM. I Darling," she whispered as she stood behin d the chair and rubbed the bald spot on his bead in' the gentlest manner, why tin's gloom to-night V "Effie," he replied in a broken voice, '"are you., prepared to hear bad neAS ?" Yes-rio no What can it be?" I am short on pork, and the next ten days may witness my financial riiiii." Oh, no no I can save you-yes, I can aave you ?" How ?" I I'll at once issue cards and invitations. for our wooden wedding, which only- seven days away, \Ve'H invite 680 of our friends, each of whom will be bound to send a present. Next day you can sell the whole- business to some grocer and secure enough cash to carry you through. Hold oa for eight days longer* ttichard, and we'll be long on pork and short OD- rolling pins and pota'.o mashers." OH, ABRAHAM I On the night previous to the meeting or the uon- vention of Chicago, Mr Lincoln dia not git home I until eleven o'clock at night. In tue morning Mrs Lincoln, who was of a most amiabio dispo- sition, remonstrated with her gOcJd man at breakfast. She kindly, but firmly informed hi11* tuat politics were leading him into bad habits- keeping late hours and drinking at the ruin* j snops: that she did not like it -si;e had to sit anu keep the children upj &nd—\v, .Abra- ham, let mo Lei* you that to-night I will go to bed at ten o'clock. It you coma before that hour, well and good if not, I will not get up and let you in." Ten o'clock came that night, and, true to her word, Mrs Lincoln went to (lcd with her children. About an hour later Mr Lincoln knocked at the door. He knocked once, twice, and even three times, before an upper window was raised and the nignt-cap of a f Jmale looked out. "Who is there?" "Me." You know what I told you, Abraham?'' "Yes but, wife, I have got something very particular to tell you. Let me in." I don't want to hear. It is some po- litical stuff." Wife, it is very important. There is a telegraphic despatch, and I have been nomi nated for the Presidency." "Oh, Abraham, this is awful! Now I know you have been drinking. I only suspected it before and you may just go and sleep where you got your liquor and down descended the window with a slam. True enough, the next day confirmed the news that the best anecdote teller of the village had really been nominated to rule over millions. THE SOUP-STONE. I A wonan on the outskirts oi Denver was the victim the other day of a tramp's practical joke. The incident happened in this wise. About ins middle of the artenioon the tramp put in an ap- pearancc and asked politely if he could be per- mitted to cook for himself a. plate of soup. I have the ingredients with me," he said, displaying a cobbbie-stone about the size of an apple. The woman very naturally looked at him in surprise. "You can't nuke soup out of that rock, can you?" she inquired, in surprise. Oh, yes, ma- dam This is what we call a soup-stone." Well, I should like to sea you do itand she forthwith made up a fire in the stove, and the tramp com- meuced operations. He filled the stove-pau with water, and after it commenced to boil, very carefully deposited the stone in it. I shall carefully deposited the stone in it. I shall have to trouble you for a little reasoning," tW said ann the woman hastened to get him an onion, a piece ot meat, and a tomato. These were carefully cut up and put in to boil along with the stone. In a short time a delicious plate of soup was prepared. The woman tasted it, and was deughted with the flavour. The fellow sat down and ate, and his hostess immediately added what ,vas neces.-ary to make a substantia; meal. When ha left he said tnat he could get pieuty of soup- stones on his way, and that he would ieave that one with her as an evidence of how sincerely he appreciated her kindness. She was firmly con- vinced that she had come into possession of a, treasure. That n;gnt she told her husband of the circumstance. He listened to the recital, and ehen inquired, Don't you think the meat and the onion and the tomato would have made a very good plate 01 soup without the rock?" Gradually the trick began te dawn upon her; and, if you want to make that woman mad, you have only to ask her for the loan of her soup-stone.-Rocku Mountain News. A FRAUD. I Mr Sala, in his recent book America Revisited, tells us of one of the most originial of many origi- nal personages whom he met on the cars." The train was passing through the Iiocky Mountains, and a tourist from Rhode Island- complained bitterly of the peaceful air which reigned around in a district where he had expected to be con- fronted by all sorts of savage sights and sounds. "Vhete are your buftalers ?" he exclaimed. Per- haps you'll tell me that them cows is buffalers. They ain't. Where are your prarie dogs ? They ain't dogs, to begin with; they're squirrels. Where are your grislies ? You might have imported a. I iew grislies to keep up the name of your railroad.. Where are your herds of antelopes scuading be- fore the advancing train ? Narv an ameiype have you got fer to scud. Rocky Mountains, sir. i They ain't rocky at all; they're as flat as my hand. Where are your savage gorges ? I can't see none. Where are your wild Injuns ? Do you call them loafing tramps in dirty blankets In- juns?'' At another time, pointing sternly to a descriptive and apparentlysomewhat imaginative guide-book, he would say to the English traveller, as though holldinec him responsible for the provok- ing serenity of the land, "Where are your coyotes, sir ? I'll trouble you for a pack of wolves as makes the night hideous with their howling. Did anything howl last night, sir, except wind ? Whet-e are your pumas aud your cou- gars? Show 'em tome. There is nothing in it. Its as easy as going from Jersey City to Phila- delphia, and tiie whole thing's a fraud." Mr Sala did not like to increase the irritation of a disappointed tourist by pointing out to him that the object kept in view by the directors of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railway was, in fact, to make the two thousand miles' journey from Omaha to San Francisco as easy as the one from Jersey to Philadelphia. THE LAW ALL ON BOTH SIDES. I Mr Lawyer, I want to ask you a question, said a countryman with a bandage about his head to one of our most honorable lawyers. "Yes, sir; take a seat. What is the nature of the case V Waal, ef you wer a huntin' on your naber s premises an' he'd tell you to git off ur he'd knock you off, and you wouldn't go, and then he'd try to knock you off, could ye bring suit agin' him for tryin'to knock you off?" The lawyer then looked at the bandage around the man's head and replied in an emphatic way Most assuredly; and collect heavy cialliazes.11 Waal, then, I reckon I won t do nothin' more about it." "Why, why not, my fnena ? You could cer- tainly get heavy damages. The law is all on your side." "I reckon not, mister. You 31st now said taa law was the other way." How's that ? I probably misunderstood the case." Well 'the feller come in my orchard and was shootin' rabbits when I ordered him off; but he wouldn't gü. So I went at it to knock him off, but I got the worst of it, as he can see. I reckon he must be one of these 'ere boxin' fellers." Ah, ahem Yes just so. That puts the ¡, ca.se in another light. Of course you can sue him for trespass and assault and battery." "Waal, I reckon I won't do 110 more is the matter, as you said he can also bnntr suit agin me and collect heavy dama:'p. No, bold on. Don't go. You' e got the la" all on your side." "So has the other feller. Good day, sir. Kentucky State Journal. Printed and Published by the Prof DAVID DUNCAN & SONS, at their Stear Works, 75 and 76, St. Mary-street, and Westr in the- town of Cardiff in the County of f