County Observer and Monmouthshire Central Advertiser Abergavenny and Raglan Herald Usk and Pontypool Messenger and Chepstow Argus

I THE NATIONAL TRUST. A meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Trust was held on Monday evening at Westminster, Sir Robert Hunter presiding. In was reported that the President of the Royal Institute of British Architects had nominated Mr. G. F. Bodley, R.A., to represent the Royal Institute on the Council of the National Trust in the place of the late Mr. Penrose, and that Mr. Bodley had consented to act. A resolution was adopted strongly deprecating any such interference with the natural beauty of the East Cliff at Hastings as was threatened by the pro- posed Harbour District Railway. The treasurer informed the Committee that the Trust had now sufficient funds to complete the purchase of the old Post Office at Tintagel, an interesting fourteenth century building which was put into repair in 1895 at the expense of a number of artists and others interested in its preservation. Other matters dealt with included the Hill of Tara, the Barbican at Sandwich, and the Ramparts at York.

fHREE AND A HALF MILLION DAYS WASTED. A Board of Trade return giving statistics of strikes and lock-outs in the United Kingdom in each of the past ten years, issued on Tuesday morning, shows that the number of strikes and lock-outs recorded for 1902 was 442. The number of workpeople affected was 256,667, and the aggregate duration in working days was 3,479,000, the average duration per head of estimated population (in working days) being 0.4. The percentage of workpeople affected by strikes and lock-outs due to questions of wages was 48.6, to questions of hours of labour 2.6, regarding employment of particular classes or persons 9.8, and other causes 39.0. The results of the strikes and lock-outs were as follows: In favour of employers, 30.4; in favour of work- people, 31.6; in a compromise, 35.7. The methods of settlement of the disputes were By arbitration, 16, affecting 4,481 workpeople by conciliation and mediation, 13, affecting 7,129 workpeople by mutual arrangement, 316, affect- ing 222,547 workpeople and by other ways, 97, affecting 22,510 workpeople. Under the Concilia- tion Act seven disputes involving stoppage were settled, as well as ten disputes not involving stoppage.

KISSING RESUMED. flungerford's Hocktide in the Old Style. 0 Hungerford has reverted to the ancient glories of an unabridged Hocktide celebration. Last year the observance was sub-edited, and the de- lights of kissing were denied to the maidens of the remote Berkshire town. The origin of Hocktide at Hungerford is lost in antiquity. For ages the town has kept up the ceremony of collecting the "common pennies" from the male residents. The horn bequeathed by John o' Gaunt is sounded at 8 a.m. outside the Corn Exchange to summon the townsfolk, and the town crier starts out on his mission to announce that all good folk must pay the tithe of one penny. Then the jury of commoners, sitting in pomp and majesty at the Three Swans, with the "constable at their head, proclaim the tutti-men, who go forth to collect the pennies and kiss every lady who crosses their path. Last year certain residents objected to the kissing practice, and that feature of the an- nual event was eliminated in deference to the new moral code. But the maids and matrons were disappointed, and so on Tuesday the prac- tice was "restored to the cause list." The tutti- men went forth in the morning, carrying floral staves, determined to do their duty by kissing every lady who crossed their path and exacting a penny from every male. The Hocktide jury had great difficulty in finding a "constable" to pre- side over their deliberations. One after another begged to be excused, and paid the P.5 penalty rather than accept office. In despair a deputa- tion waited on a townsman, but in vain. Finally, after JE30 had been netted, a man was found will- ing. Then the jury went to lunch, drowned their troubles in bowls of punch, puffed their church- wardens, and settled the affairs of the common- age and the river.

HONEYMOON IN QUARANTINE. A bride and bridegroom, married at Easter at Leeds, are spending their honeymoon in quaran- tine. The bride and her mother were at the time of the wedding suffering from small-pox, and the source of the infection is now traced to a brother of the bridegroom. The Leeds sanitary authorities last week gave instructions for the removal to the Killingbeck Hospital of the bride's mother, the bride, and the latter's brother-in- law. The guests who were at the wedding are under observation in the towns to which they belong. Five additional cases of small-pox were notified at Leicester on Tuesday and removed to the hospital. A tramp who developed the disease in its hemorrhagic form at the workhouse died during the afternoon.

A SILLY KIND OF JOKE." This appears to be a silly kind of joke—or what some people call a joke. It is the sort of thing that must not be encouraged." That is what Mr. Denman, the Marlborough-street magistrate, said on Tuesday about the act of Kaspar Wormwald, who had shot one Henry Wagner, a confectioner, in the thigh with an air-gun. A doctor said that though the pellets did not enter the skin, they must have caused much pain, and one of them drew blood. However, a cigar-box was shot through by the gun at 13 yards—which led Mr. Denman to compliment Mr. Wagner upon his stout cuticle. With a view to compensation be-, ing made, Wormwald was remanded on his own recognisances.

THE NEW BISHOP OF THETFORD. The King, on the nomination of the Bishop of Norwich, ha-s approved the appointment of the Venerable John Philips Allcott Bowers, Arch- deacon of Gloucester and Vicar of Sandhurst, to the Suffragan Bishopric of Thetford and Vicar- age of North Creake, Norfolk, in succession to the Bishop Designate of Newcastle. He gradu- ated at St. John's College, Cambridge, in 1876, and was ordained by Bishop Claughton to the curacy of Coggleshall, Essex. After being a short time Curate of St. Giles's, Cambridge, he went to St. Mary Radcliffe, Bristol, and since then has been Minor Canon of Gloucester, Li- brarian of Gloucester Cathedral, Chaplain of the Gloucester Infirmary, Chaplain to the Bishop, Diocesan Missioner, Canon, and Archdeacon of Gloucester. He is an excellent preacher and organiser.

Two bovs arrived at Dover Castle with a bicycle, which they said a gentleman had asked them to bring to Sir Leslie Rundle, who, how- ever, said he knew nothing of the maafcter. Later two other lads came to fetch it back, they said, for the unknown gentleman, who cannot be traced. The bicycle is now at the police-station.

HOME HINTS. I Washing Paint.—A sponge is the best thing to wipe down paint with, as it leaves no "fluff." Don't Let the Juice Out.—In roasting meat, turn with a spoon instead of a fork, as the latter Tlierces the meat and lets the juice out. After Peeling Onions.—When a knife has been used to cut onions, wipe it with a damp cloth, and rub it briskly with coarse salt. The objec- tionable smell will then entirely disappear. To Keep Pans Bright.—To prevent bright pans from being blackened by smoke, rub with fat be- fore putting them on the fire. Wash with hot water and soda after using them, and they will be quite bright. An Easy way to Peel Beetroot.—As soon as the beetroots are sufficiently cooked, place them in a vessel and pour cold water on them, and by gently pressing them the peel will come off easily. Thickening Gravy.—Gravy will generally be lumpy if the thickening is poured in while the pan is over the fire. Take the pan off until the thickening is well stirred in, then put over the fire and cook thoroughly. To Remove the Smell of Cooking.—Into a pint of boiling water pour a few drops of oil of lavender. Open the window of tne room and carry the basin round a few times. In a few minutes all odour of cooking will have disap- peared. Mayonnaise that Keeps Well.—Stir a table- spoonful each of sugar, oil, and salt together, with a large dessertspoonful of made mustard until perfectly smooth. Work in the well-beaten yolks of three eggs and a gill of vinegar and half a pint of milk. Stand in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir one way till the consistency of custard. Keep in a wide-mouthed bottle and cork securely until required for use. Average cost, lOd. How to Chop Parsley.—If the parsley is wet, dry it thoroughly in a towel. Then pick the leaves from the stems, gather the leaves closely between the thumb and two fingers, press tightly, and hold on a board. With a sharp, pointed knife cut through the parsley as close to the fingers as possible. In this way each stroke of the knife does the work completely, the parsley is minced fine and evenly, and does not have to be gone over again. Potted Herrings.—One dozen large herrings, one pint of white vinegar, pepper and salt, two bay leaves. Remove the heads and tails from the herrings, wash, clean and dry them, and sprinkle with salt and pepper inside and out. Put them in an earthenware dish, lay the roes beside them, and cover them with good white vinegar. Bake for two hours in a moderate oven, then remove from the dish, pound them in a mortar, press into pots, and pour clarified butter on the top. The Care of Furniture. A good housekeeper always takes an interef: and pride in keeping, or having her furniture kept, "up to the mark." The daily light dusting must supplement the weekly rubbing; and pay attention to the dus- ters used, that they are clean and aoft and not made of scratchy material. If the furniture is of an ornamental description, with corners and crevices, I would suggest using a painter's brush for it is almost impossible, or, at least, takes very much longer, to do the work thoroughly if only a duster is used. New furniture should be kept as long as pos- sible without the application of oily restoratives, and for this reason Unless applied by a tireless arm, and thoroughly rubbed in, and thereafter the piece of furniture kept in perfect polish by a daily rubbing, the oil is certain to form a crust sooner or later, which is sticky to the touch, and not pretty to look at. Furniture finished with shellac or varnish should never be cleansed with soap-and-water. The soap eats the oil out of the varnish and shellac, and destroys the surface. Where white spots appear on polished tables from hot things being placed on them, imme- diately apply raw linseed oil, which will generally restore the colour. The oil must be left on for several hours. When the colour returns, re- polish the spot with a piece of cheesecloth mois- tened with turpentine. Three Good Recipes. Paradise Pudding.—Half a pound of apples, quarter of a pound of bread crumbs, three ounces of sugar, three ounces of currants, three eggs, a little lemon rind, the juice of an orange, a little salt and nutmeg. Grate or chop the apples, add the breadcrumbs, currants, and sugar, the eggs, well beaten, and as much water to the orange juice as will fill half a teacup, beat all well to- gether, and boil in a buttered mould one and a half hours. Serve with sweet sauce. Sally Lunns.—Three quarters of a pound of flour, two ounces salt butter, one egg, one and a half gills of milk, half an ounce of German yeast (or one and a half teaspoonfuls of sugar). Warm the milk and butter in a pan together, rub the yeast smooth with half a teaspoonful of sugar, add the milk and butter. Stir this mixture gradually into the flour, add the egg slightly beaten, mix till quite smooth. Divide into two, put into well-greased tins, set these in a warm place for an hour to rise. Put into a quick oven, and bake about fifteen minutes. Victoria Buns.—Two ounces of pounded loaf sugar, one egg, one and a half ounces of ground rice, two ounces of butter, one and a half ounces of currants, a few thin slices of candied peel, flour. Whisk the egg, stir in the sugar, paid beat well together. Beat the butter to a cream, stir in the ground rice, currants, and candied peel, and as much flour as will allow it to be rolled into seven or eight balls. Put these on to a buttered tin, put them into a brisk oven immediately, and bake from half to three-quarters of an hour. Some Savory Omelettes. Spanish Omelette.—Five chopped mushrooms, 1 medium-sized tomato, 1 small onion, i lb. of bacon, pepper and salt, a teanpoonful of flour, 3 tablespoonfuls of milk, loz. cf butter, 6 eggs. Cut the bacon into dice and fry brown, add the chopped tomato and mushrooms with the onion finely minced, and cook 15 minutes. Add salt, pepper, flour and milk to the beaten egg yolks, then lastly the whites well switched, and mix all smooth. Put the butter into a clean frying pan when it is quite hot pour in the egjs, and when nearly cooked add the tomato mixture fold over, lay on a hot plate, and serve immediately. I J find it answers well to cook omelettes on a fire- proof dish or enamelled plate, and send them to table on the same dish, placing a cold one beneath it. Vegetable Omelette.—Two tablespoons of but- ter, 1 tablespoonful of flour, 6 tablespoons of milk, 1 teaspoonful of salt, pepper, 6 eggs. Blend salt, pepper, and flour with the yolks of the eggs warm half of the butter in the milk, and stir into the yolks add the whites, switched to a froth, the last of all. Melt the remainder of the butter in the omelette pan when it is nearly cooked have ready finely chopped, seasoned, and made very hot, any kind of vegetable, either mixed or alone. Fold over, taking care that the omelette does not cook too much. Meat or Fish Omelette.—Proceed in the same way, using the same proportion as in the vege- table omelette, and instead of the vegetables use any kind of cold meat, fish, game, or poultry. All that is necessary is to see that all gristle or skin is removed, that the meat is finely chopped, nicely seasoned, and, if liked, flavoured with spices. The meat may be stirred into the ome- lette before cooking, or heated with a little cream and spread on before the omelette is folded. In making an omelette in the dish in which it is to be served, it is a good plan to stir in any meat, vegetables, herbs, or fish just as it Seim if it is afterwards browned with a hot salamander, the meat, etc., rises to the top of the omelette. Note.-AR omelettes must be promptly eaten; they will not wait for anyone, but will collapse and become leathery.

I FROM THE COMICS. From Punch." MISSING WORDS. It is the business of our schools to train up the young for the whole duty of citizenship. As in the future this will naturally include the daily answering of Paper Puzzles, we are glad to receive from a Schoolmaster a few proofs of the success of his efforts to prepare his boys for this vast sphere of usefulness. They were set the task of com- pleting certain given quotations. The results are taken from the life: "Don't carry coals "-they will burn the fingers. "Every cloud "—rolls by. Stone walls"—have ears. We are lost" *—but not gone before. This day is called "—Christmas Day. The proper study of mankind "—is not difficult. Thus conscience doth "-and ever will do. A drowning man "—let him drown *The remark of the English soldiers at the burning of Jeanne d'Arc: "We are lost! We have burnt a saint!" "STRAIGHT FROM THE COUNTRY." Mr. Punch, fascinated by the enterprise dis- played by the Editor of the Country Gentleman in establishing a free register for country produce, has determined to open a register of his own. The following list of entries affords gratifying evidence of the manner in which Mr. Punch's public- spirited offer has caught on HE: No all my pictures are rejected." She What hard lines All of them ? I am surprised! And they hang so much rubbish I" OVERHEARD AT PORTSMOUTH.—Jack: Well, Polly, lass, if it's true as 'ow you're going to get spliced to Bill, all I 'opes is that he'll stick to you through thick and thin!" Polly Well, 'e ought to, Jack. 'E works in a Glue Factory." CURATE: "You're looking very well to-dav, Mrs. Giles." Chronic Grumbler: Ab, but you ain't &-seen my inside, Sir!" from" Judy." MAYS. You may have a late supper after a dance in a public building; but you mustn't have a late supper in a public building after a theatre. You may have a concert during your dinner in a public building; but you mustn't dine in » theatre or witness a dramatic performance while you are eating. You may smoke during any kind of variety en- tertainment even in a place originally built for a theatre and now used as a Hall of Varieties; but you mustn't smoke during a theatrical performance. A nice distinction truly! You may ride outside a freshly-painted 'bus; but you mustn't ride outside a hansom cab. You may overcrowd a tram; but you mustn't overcrowd a 'bus, You may act on the square; but you mustn't play in the square. You may throw away your 'bus ticket; but you mustn't lose your tram ticket. You may drive a motor car in the Park; but you mustn't drive a road-car in the Park. You may sit on the bench but you mustn't be rude to a policeman. You may sit on a policeman if you sit on the bench, but not otherwise. You may pay for a drink without having it; bat you musn't have a drink without paying for it. Wanted to know. Is a bad wisdom tooth a wise acre ? CHEERY TRAVELLER (at four a.m., to St. John's- wood Policeman) I shay, or cock, y'might shee if you can-hie-find me a houshe to-hic-fts- trfsh key!" From" The Gleam." LADY: Was your last mistress satisfied with you ?" Servant: Well, mum, she said she was very pleased when I left." SWEET AND TWENTY My face is my fortune." He (forty, yet ardent) And let me assure you, my dear, you have spent none of it." HE: Yet, while I was away, you constantly wrote and said you loved me!" She: Quite true —while you were away; but you've been stupid enough to come back." A DOCTOR attending a farmer's wife for a very bad cough, received from the husband the following startling missive Sir, please come at once, as my poor wife is so tight in her coffin." "DEAR me, what a silly blunder of the Post Office people to have made!" said the young wife. What's the matter?" "Why, I've just got a letter from Harry, who is working hard in London, and it's post-marked Brighton." HEIRESS: "Don't be disheartened because I cannot marry you. You must face the world bravely." The Impecunious One: "It isn't a question of the world I've got to face my creditors!" GRANDPA: Yes, it's a good thing for a boy to travel, Freddy. It develops him. If he has any- thing in him travel will bring it out." Freddy— who is precocious: "Yes, I discovered that when I was crossing the Channel." A MERCHANT who died suddenly left in his desk a letter written to one of his correspondents. His clerk, a son of Erin, seeing it necessary to send the letter, wrote at the bottom-" Since writing the above I have died." VISITOR: Cats. you know, can see quite well in the dark." Little Mary: So can sister Grace, because the other night, when she was standing in the hall with Mr. Smith, it was quite dark, ana she said,' Edward, you haven't shaved to-day,

Produce to Sell. Mr. C. B. FRY, Sussex County Cricket Club, Brighton, may possibly have ducks' eggs to dis- pose of during the summer. Mons. "í ALKLEY, Times Office, Printing House Square, has large supply of French beans. Threepence per bunch every Friday. Also occasionally during the week. Mr. HALL CAINE, Greeba Castle, Isle of Man, has large stock of Manx kittens. Will exchange for macaroni, polenta, or Roman candles. The Vicar of Bray, near Maidenhead, would be glad to know of invalids who are in need of asses milk. Mr. SWIFT MACNEILL, House of Commons, West- minster, has an Irish bull to dispose of. What offers ? Lord ROSEBERY, the Home Farm, Mentmore. sup- plies fresh primroses till the end of spring. Produce Wanted to Buy. Mr. W. H. MALLOCK, Bachelors' Club, W., requires English Bacon, guaranteed genuine and mild-cured. Mr. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, Highbury, Birming- ham, has a vacancy in his garden for a Crown Imperial. Mr. ANTHONY HOPE, Reform Club, S.W., re- quires a kidney for breakfast every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Messrs. HAwKE and HAWKE, 793, Chancery-lane, want pigeons. They can also do with gulls and javs. Captain MIDDLETON, Chief Agent of the Conser- vative Party, will be glad to be put into com- munication with some sound constitutionalist in the country from whom he may obtain eggs regularly for bye-election purposes.

Edison has made but one speech in his life; it was not a brilliant one. He had agreed te lecture on electricity before a girls' seminary, and had engaged a friend named Adams to work the apparatus while he talked. But when the inventor arose to address his audience, he felt so dazed that he simply said, "Ladies, Mr. Adams will now acidress you on electricity, and I will demonstrate what he has to with the apparatus."