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

I RUINED BY FOREIGNERS. I The terrible depression in the cloth trade has created unprecedented distress in Stroud, the centre of the trade in the West of England, and the surrounding districts. Never in the history of the neighbourhood have rate collectors had so much trouble in getting money. At present eight parishes of union are in arrear with poor rate, and overseers have been notified to appear at the next meeting of guardians to explain matters. Mills have for some time past been clos- ing in all directions, and bills are posted up in all districts advertising mills and machinery for sale. Foreign competition is said to be the cause of the trade depression. j

I RIVAL SCOTTISH CHURCHES. I A statement was made on Monday to the effect that an acute stage had been reached in the Scottish Church dispute, the professors of the United Free Church colleges not having received' their half-yearly salaries, due on September 1, while the ministers of that body had not received their quarter's contribution due a month earlier. An Edinburgh correspondent telegraphs that on inquiry at the offices of both the Free Church and the United Free Church, it was stated that there was not the slightest foundation for the report. A great demonstration was held on Monday night in the Drill Hall, Dumfries, by the United Free Church, in connection with the crisis. Mr. Barber, of Terran, presided over an audience of about 3,000. Lord Overtoun, who was to have been one of the leading speakers, was absent through illness, but sent a letter express- ing the hope that God' would lead the way and bnng order out of the confusion which the amazing London judgment had caused. Prin- cipal Rainy, who was the leading speaker, said the minority who were declared by the Lords to be the Free Church, had a strong view that they were now trustees of the Church properties, and as trustees could not hand these over to other people. If the minority could not agree, the United Free Church must go up to Parlia- ment and lay the matter before their members. Party considerations should not enter into the matter, as there were members on both sides who were equally astonished at the judgment. Some reasonable arrangement should be sought in order that they might go on with the work of God in Scotland. On the motion of Mr. Milligan, of Merkland, chairman of the County Liberal Association, a resolution was adopted condemning the decision of the Lords, and hold- ing to the Union.

Crisp bank notes are in some places likely to be supplanted by soft, velvety OMS, at a saving in cost. The paper is treated chemieaily, and this makes it not only soft and pliable, but anti- septic, while preserving it. Toe United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing are now trying experiments to this end. Ottawa proposes to put a tax ot a dollar per head on bachelors.

POPULAR SCIENCE. Tn. GENTLB DEW. It is said that dew is a great respecter of colours. To prove this, take pieces of glass or board, and paint them red, yellow, green, aud black. Expose them to the outdoor air at night, and you will find that the yellow will be covered with moisture, and the green will be damp, but that the red and black will be perfectly dry. THE PHTHISIS MICROBE. Professor Schron, of Naples, the discoverer of life in crystals, haa found a new microbe which causes phthisis, a microbe quite different from that causing tuberculosis. Professor Schron affirms that this discovery explains why Dr. Koch's serum not only did not cure phthisis, but aggra- vated it. Phthisis and pulmonary tuberculosis have been considered as practically if not actually identical, the popular name for both being con- sumption. SAVE YOUR SKIN. Nobody can really wash either hands or face properly without soap. The face may be given a bath, but if on* has been in the dust, or some hours have elapsed since the face last felt water, then it needs a lather. Soap does hurt the face if it is highly scented, but good soap whitens and softens it. If you do not make a lather, and wash your face with your hands, take a piece of white flannel, wet it, rub the soap over it, and give your face its freshening. Wash the soap off with tepid water; do not shock the skin with very cold water. A WONDERFUL BOAT. A French inventor, Count de Lambert, has per- fected a wonderful auto-boat, whieh travels at the speed of 20 miles per hour. He calls it the bateau glisseur" from the fact that it literally slides on the water, and does not cut its way through, as is the case with all other boats. Fixed to the keel are a number of inchned planes, and as soon as the screw revolves the pressure of the water on these planes raises the boat, thus causingher to skim on the surface. By so doing the resistance of im- mersion is greatly lessened, and the speed conse- quently increased. Should such a boat be feasible on a large scale the Channel trip need only occupy about half-an-hour. HELPING THE BURNT. It is desirable for everyone to know what to do in case of a serious burn, which may happen to any of us at any mo$MBt^ As soon as the are is extinguished the clothes must be removed. If not already thoroughly wet, the injured part should be drenched with water, and the clothes cut away. Everything must be sacrificed to getting them off without pulling, as the slightest dragging brings the skin too. If patches of the clothing adhere and will not drop off they must be allowed to re- main. Dip clothes in a thick solution of common baking soda in water, and lay them over the burnt surface, bandaging lightly to keep them in place. As soon as a dry spot appears on this dressing, wet it with the soda and water by squeezing some on it. There will be no smarting while it is satu- rated and excludes the air. CURING DRUNKARDS. An interesting case of curing a drunkard by sug- gestion during his namrmteep was related by M. Farez at the annual meeting of the French Society of Hypnology and Psychology. The man was an habitual drunkard, who spent his whole time in cafes consuming wine, beer, rum, absinthe, ver- mouth, &c. Although net usually a "rowdy" alcoholic, he occasionally became very violent, and at times refused any kind of treatment. Finally, suggestion was employed during sleep without the man's knowledge, and after some weeks he bad no outburst of violence and improved steadily. After a year and a half of this treatment he was entirely cured, and only drank a little light beer at his meals. THE "TIRED" POISON. Conclusions drawn from practical experiments upon dogs are to the effect that labour of body or of brain causes certain changes in the tissues and blood, and through these changes poison isproduced, and it circulates in the blood. Some studies have been made to illustrate this subject on fifty grammar school children who were about to be inflicted with one of those periodic al grinds." Before taking the examination their muscular strength was tested. Each one lifted all he could upon the dynamometer, and the average number of pounds for three trials was recorded as his strength re- cord." After the examination was over, which lasted two and a half hours, they made the same endeavour to lift all they could. With two excep- tions, none could raise as much as before their in- tense mental activity. FOOD FALLACIES. It is doubtful whether any given food in common use contains constituents which have a selective action, so to speak, on the property of ministering to one part of the body more than another. As a rule, when a food is assumed* to have specific reparative properties—as, for example, a so-called brain or nerve fooa-the fact really is that such food-is easily and quickly assimilated-to the body's general advantage; in a word, in such a case repair quickly overtakes waste and a real purposeful nutrition and restoration are accomplished. A high medical authority feels called upon to once more correct the erroneous popular impression that fish food ministers particularly to the brain, because it contains phosphorus. As a matter of fact, fish does not contain more phosphorus than do the ordinary meat foods, and it certainly does not contain it in a free state. The notion that fish contains phosphorus had, no doubt, its origin in the glowing phosphorescence of fish in the dark. Thfe is wholly due to micro-organisms. The belief, contains phosphorus had, no doubt, its origin in contains phosphorus had, no doubt, its origin in the glowing phosphorescence of fish in the dark. Thfe is wholly due to micro-organisms. The belief, therefore, that fish is a brain food is just about as reasonable as the idea that because a soup is thick and gelatinous it will stick to the ribs." Fish, of course, is excellent food, partly because of the nourishing nature of its constituents and partly because of its digestibility. WHY IS THE SKY BLUE ? The gas we call air is transparent and absolutely colourless. The blue comes from reflected light. Air is never pure; you could not live in it if it were. Countless millions of tiny particles, chiefly of water, are always suspended in it, and these arrest the free passage of light. Each particle has a double reflection—one internal, the other external —and so the reflected rays suffer the usual result of what is called "interference," and show colour. You will notice that the sky appears much bluer if you look straight up than if you look across towards the horizon. The reason is that in theflrat instance you are naturally looking through a much thinner layer of air than in the second. If there were no air, and consequently no watery vapour, and nothing to interfere with the free passage of light, even at mid-day the sky above would look perfectly black, and all the stars plainer than they do now at midnight. ESCAPING HELIUM. A growing belief among physicists is that the earth may lose some of its substance through the' escape of light gases from the upper atmosphere. In support of this view, Dr. Johnstone Stoaey claims to have proven that the Sow of helium into the air from springs is from 3000 to 6000 times more than can be accounted for by the minute quantity dissolved by falling ram, yet the rotative quantity of helium in the atmosphere does not appear to increase. Helium, therefore, must be escaping at a rate equal to its influx. Theoreti- cally, the conditions under which the flights, of gaseous molecules take place in the upper atmos- phere sufficiently explain the outflow as it would only be necessary for the chance of escape of each molecule to occur once in several days in order to; account for the amount recieved by the atmosphere from the earth. 1

Actress (angrily): "Did you,write that criti- cism which said my impersonation of the aban- doned wife was a miserable faUuret" Critic: "Ye-y-e-s; you see, you looked so irresistibly beautiful that it was impossible to fancy that any man could abandon yea."

I WOMAN'S WORLD. j A very young girl ought to be WOMEN TO told of the women she should I' AVOID. dread. Beware of the woman, I my dear girl, who tells you all about herself when you first meet her. Beware of ¡ the woman who announces to you that she has never said a disagreeable word about another I woman. Gracious goodness The air will be green when she does begin. The woman who never says a disagreeable word is like the dog who never barks. He bites, and bites to kill. Beware of the woman who is very rich in her caresses to you." American women are given to AMATEUR hobbies and fads, and they lend COOKS. their enthusiasm to whatever they undertake. Just at present, says the Woman at Home," there is a great fancy for cooking among these fashionable women, and it is rarely indeed that one finds a woman in the" smart set" who does not understand how to cook everything from a roast of beef to the most delicious souffles. To be sure, the cooking of meats is not done by the society dame, but she is, nevertheless, sufficiently accomplished to direct her chef just how she wishes it done. It is the especial pride of these society cooks to invent some new and novel dish. They try experiments and patiently persist after many failures, but in the end they produce some really remarkable dainties that will eventually find their way into standard cookery books. The richest and most expensive A DEAR dress in the world is now on DRESS. exhibition at the great World's Fair at St. Louis. This gown cost ten thousand pounds, and has been considered the most wonderful creation of the Parisian dress- maker's art. It was made for the famous Empress Josephine, who, in the height of her popularity, tvas perhaps the most beautiful woman in the world. I The gown weighs seventy-five pounds and has a train fifteen feet long. It is made of the heaviest and richest velvet of the choicest manufacture, I and is bordered with ermine that cost a small fortune. The skirt bodice, and train are studded with hand-worked golden bees, symbolic of the Napoleonic dynasty. Tastefully worked into the gown are many costly jewels. Some good hints are given in a HINTS TO contemporary for women who THE TIRED. come home from shopping, or elsewhere, feeling tired and head- achy. Everybody knows that a cup of good tea, very hot, and not too strong, can be relied on to give relief in many cases but the best remedy of all is to take out the hairpins and rearrange the hair. Better still, let the hair float loose on the shoulders for five or ten minutes before coiling it up again. Another point that the tired woman should remember is that pretty clothes help to brace a woman up. There ought to be a law, saya someone, to make men and women change into fresh clothes upon coming home to spend the evening. They need not be fine clothes, though they may, and should be, brightened up by the addition of a dainty ribbon or lace collar. It is a great mistake to wear an out-of-door dress all the evening. Apart from the harm done to the former, there is some- thing very soothing in the very act of removing one dress and getting into the other. Besides this, no two dresses feel precisely the same. If the tired woman has time, she cannot do better than don a cosy dressing gown after removing her corsets as well as her dress, and take a few gymnastic exercises, lasting, say, ten minutes. Thjgg she should throw herself on a couch, and go to sleep for half an hour. She will then awake as fresh as a lily, enjoy her dinner, and radiate sun- shine and good temper, instead of the peevishness into which one so easily drops when worn out with worry and fatigue. 1. Make your household one TEN GOLDEN harmonious whole, no matter how HOME RULES, small the scale. 2. Use only what you can com- fortably afford in good quality and ample quantity. 3. Let your home appear bright and sunny. It is not easy to be unpleasant in a cheerful room. 4. Treat servants wisely and kindly, and it will be difficult for them to impose or oppose. 5. Have time for everything and be never in a hurry. 6. A certain formality is necessary to save every-day life from triviality, and freedom from looseness. 7. Do not forget that society is the death of home life-hospitality its flower. 8. Know how to talk, and how to listen, how to entertain and how to amuse. 9. Have many interests, but no studies. 10. Do not forget your home should not only be a well-conducted sleeping and boarding place, but truly a home, the centre and focus of all interest, pleasure and happiness for everybody connected with it. The true "old maid," like the OLD MAIDS, true poet, is born, not made, old maidishness being a question of innate character rather than of incidental con- dition. There are old maids of every state and age and sex, says Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler, creatures who revel in fuss, and fatten upon detail, and abide in the narrowest of narrow ruts. Do we not all know married women with large families who are, nevertheless, old maids to the backbone, just as we know adorable elderly spinsters who have the minds of girls and the hearts of mothers ? And do we not also know of the (so called) stronger sex whose absorption in trifles and avidity for gossip proclaim them old maids of the first water ? A few suggestions for church CHURCH decorations may not prove un- DECORATION. welcome now that the harvest festival season is with us. It is desirable to keep the decorations of a building well in harmony also to let the designs be compact and decided, thus avoiding that untidy appearance sometimes witnessed. The pulpit and font gene- rally offer great opportunities for the exercise of ingenuity; also considerable skill is requisite to achieve a success; therefore, these subjects should be apportioned to the most experienced artists in the congregation. The altar needs more simplicity, also the chancel screen, stalls, and window-sills, so they may be undertaken by beginners. The altar looks well adorned by long triangular trays or cut flowers and moss, arranged on each side of the retable. It is better to have one white and the other red, c-v else scarlet and yellow single dahlias can be employed. A large Latin cross of closely-bound heads of wheat looks well on the %ltar, especially if a fine bunch of purple grapes be fastened in the centre. Two large shields prove an effective decoration, the one being of white sateen adorned by purple grapes and a few leaves, also a fringe of oats, and the second shield being composed of red sateen with light grapes. By the sides of the altar tall palms, arums, gladioli, or sunflowers shoull be grouped. Shields and banners look well fastened against the chancel screen, red being edged by oats and white by capsicums. Arrange a bank of moss at the foot, with studs of alternate tomatoes and pale-green apples. Hops may be gracefully twisted along the altar rails, relieved by occasional upright sheaves of corn fastened by tufts of mountain ash berries. Scarlet gladioli in threes, or two and an arum, look well bound against the front of the chancel screen. Two large devices in the shape of a lyre are also effective, the foundation being of millboard covered by closely-bound heads of wheat and the strings of thick, brightly- polished brass wire or gilt cord. For a frail open-work iron or wooden pulpit, a graceful decoration may be managed by employing bands of heather, brown bracken, and fern. Pampas grass, if inserted in pots of mould, can be qniekly "d well arranged round the pedestal of either pulpit or font. The pots should be covered by trails of vine,-and a bunch of grapes in each panel, purple in the middle and light at the sides. -j

"Wanted, a strong horse to do the work of a I country minister," is an advertisement which I Appeared in » newspaper the other day. Appeared in » newspaper the other day.

JW;T:n;w. 'VT '1:t -r j HOME HIKXS. VEGETABLE SALAD.-Tilis is an economical dish and may be composed of any and every sort of cold vegetable, with perhaps, the exception of Cabbage. Peas, Beans, Potatoes, and Carrots may be mixed together, the larger vegetables being cut into small pieces, and covered with mayonnaise sauce. It is very suitable as an accompaniment to cold meats on a hot sumrnei day, when the majo- rity of people are willing to dispense with waiia dishes. VEGETABLE MAE ROW (MASHED).—Peel the Marrow, and cook it in boiling salted water until tender; drain well, and mash very smoothly with a Potato masher or wooden spoon. If preferred, it may he rubbed through a sieve. Add pepper, salt, and butter in proportion to the size of the Marrow, return it to the pan to become thoroughly hot. and serve with finger-lengths of buttered toast. For a young Vegetable Marrow fifteen minutes' cooliii)g vail probably be sufficient; am old one will take nearly an boar. A PRBTTY HATPIN CASE.-The most fashion- able needlework of the moment is undoubtedly embroidery on linen carried out either in silk or the now flaxthreads. which can be bad in every artistic shade. It is quite astonishing (remarks a writer in The liural World ") how many purposes the linen embroideries can be made to serve, and I lately met with something which struck me as being both useful and novel, just the thing for a bazaar, or for any occasion that demands a trifling gift. This was a case for hatpins, made with flaps to fold over a stiifened foundation, the whole being embroidered and finished with a ribbon binding. To make the case provide yourself with a good stiff piece of cardboard long enough to take the whole length of the hat-pin, and to project about an inch beyond each end. About lOin. will be found a suitable length, and the width may be 4in. Lay this upon a piece of flrm linen of any selected colour, and cut enough to allow of ends and sides folding over, the ends need not wrap over more than 2in.. the sides should meet eacii other, and allow of a button and buttonhole. All the edges of the linen must then be shaped, which can be done by using a piece of paper that has been folded first one way and then the other to ensure perfect accuracy. A pretty little design can be transferred on to each overlap anrl then worked according to taste, afterwards being carefully pressed from the wrong side. A Japanese or other thin silk in a dainty shade may be used for lining and tacked inside the linen, the two then being bound very neatly by machine, the ribbon first tacked in position Then cover the piece of cardboard with a bit of white flannel, which need only turn over at each edge, as you can secure it by means of stitches taken from side to side. Between the card and the flannel uprinkle a little sweet sachet powder, and then cover the card with silk just as y-ou 4dtlie flannel. When itis finished lay the card in§^|dk^se and attach them together by finely oversewm^^mnd the edge, not taking any stitches through flRhe linen outside. A pretty ornamental button on one side-flap and a neatly worked buttonhole to correspond on the other finish the case, and the pins are to be stuck in and out through the silk and flannel, the cardboard preventing the points from being damaged. AUTUMN CLEANING.—When the summer days grow shorter and duller, and the nights so chilly that we welcome a bright fire, the housewife (writes Meg," in the Agricultural Gazette") turns her thoughts to autumn cleaning. Itis time to take down her light muslins and lace curtains, which have lost their cool freshness and how can she think of putting up her damask in a dusty, summer-soiled room ? Autumn cleaning must not be left until late, when fine dry weather can- not be expected. The time must be determined according to locality and convenience in the house- hold, though in most cases the first or second week in October is suitable for commencing. Before the actual cleaning, the stock of brushes of all sorts and sizes must be replenished, plenty of soft dusters, rubbers, and floorcloths laid ready for use, and soap well dried for economy's sake. Every housewife who prides herself in clean and beautifully-polished furniture must make her polish at home, or have a good recipe made up at a chemist's. The majority of bought creams may give a "shine with little trouble, but they leave no lasting effect, and do not really clean. I can thoroughly recommend the following recipe (used in the family for many years) Half-pint linseed oil, half-pint vinegar, 3oz. methylated sugar. oz. turpentine, loz. of butter of antimony. All these ingredients must be well mixed and shaken before using. Put a little on a flannel and apply to the furniture, and polish thoroughly with two or three soft rubbers. When all preparations have been made the work can go forward when convenient The ornaments must be carefully dusted and washed, and books cleared of dust. This can be easily done by holding a volume in each hand and banging them together sharply. Curtains, muslin covers, etc., may be laid aside until a suitable day for washing. They should always be done at home if there is any drying ground available, as they will last almost double the time with care. Those not needed during the winter need only plain washing. drying, and airing thoroughly, and putting away rough dry. Starch will rot delicate fabrics quicker than anything. To save trouble next spring, pack your curtains and covers in clean paper, labelled according to the room they adorn, and store in a chest or linen room. Any articles liable to be moth-eaten must be packed with carbon and frequently examined through the winter. Gilt picture-frames must be dusted with a soft long-haired brush, and traces of flies removed with a flannel and cold water. Polished wood frames may be polished with the furniture polish, and glasses washed with a leather wrung nearly dry. dry. Beds and bedding should not be exposed to the glare of the sun, but left to air in a shady place on a breezy day, after the dust has been removed. Tepid water may be used for any furniture which requires washing, and then carry out my directions given above for the polishing. The carpets are best and easiest cleaned when spread face down- ward in a grass field. Beat thoroughly to make the dust fall out, and pull the carpet over fresh grass to clean it. So many people spread their carpets face upward and then beat, thereby raising clouds of dust, which fall again on the carpet, and find it very little cleaner than before. Any grease- spots or stains can be removed with carpet soap and water. Painted and varnished woodwork and walls must not be scrubbed with ahard brush and strong soap, but cleansed with bran water. This is obtained by boiling one pound of bran in a gallon of water for one hour. Strain, and wash with the clean water and a flannel. The paint may be washed with clear water afterwards or merely dried. The bran water makes the paint glossy and does not leave a scratched surface. Finger- marks can be removed with a cloth damped with paraffin oil before washing, but if the smell is objectionable, use moistened whiting as a substitute. It is supposed that all necessary papering, painting, and upholstering were done m spring, and after floors are scrubbed with suitable soap and plenty of clean water, finishing touches may be thought of. These are invariably pleasant, but they take up more time than some are aware. However, these are not details necessary to mention. When the linen press is examined the housewife may find several articles showing signe of wear. Some may be darned or patched, and others converted into various uses. Linen table- oldths, when too worn for use as a whole, should have the best and largest parts cut out and hemmed for use as carving, breakfast, and tray cloths. The small pieces make nice everv-day dinner napkins or cloths for invalids' breakfast trays. Sheets that are worn down the centre may have their sides neatly sewn together, and the former centre cut down and hemmed for sides. Many other ideas for utilising half-worn things may occur to the reader, which, when carried into effect, will provide useful sewing for the dull winter weather in store when autumn has long been over and almost forgotten.

Lady of the HOUIQ (satirically): "You caa't wash or iron or light the fire? Perhaps you might be able to sit in the breakfast-room and read the morning paper after mv husband has got through with it> The Mistress of the Kitchen: "I think I could do that, ma'am, it the paper had stories in it."

I LIGHT-WEIGHT CONTEST. I The heat between the Serapis Angling Society and the Jubilee Angling Society in the first round of the Anglers' Association challenge shield was fished off on Monday, at Ware. The water was, however, gin bright, and the nsh consequently very shy. At the end of the day's fishing it was found that one of the Jubilee team had caught a small perch and one of the Serapis a email roach. The other ten anglers, five of each side, failed to catch a fish. On weighing in it was found that the roach weighed Wz., wbile the perch was short of that weight by foz., thu* giving the victory to the Serapis. 4