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

Stormont and Glengarry, a locality near Corn- wall, Canada, holds the record for longevity. Within a few months five centenarianp. bava died there.

I THE TIBET MISSION. I TREATY SIGNED IN THE POTALA. j The formal treaty has been signed in the Dalai Laiaa's apartments in the Potara at Lhasa. The ceremonial observed was perfectly simple, though the surroundings were most quaint and picturesque. The terms of the treaty were read out in Tibetan only. Such details as it may seem politic to publish will be communicated later by the Foreign Office at Simla. The pro- ceedings were brought to a close by a short speech from Colonel Younghusband. The Tibetans, according to an earlier detailed message, bad on the 4th inst. practically accepted the British terms, and the force will be returning to India in a couple of weeks' time. Nothing has been heard from the Dalai Lama, who is now supposed to be well on his way into Mongolia. The local officials, supported by the Chinese Amban, insist that this action amounts to a prac- tical abdication. The administration is now being carried on by a Council of Regency pre- sided over by an abbot. It is believed that the Tashi Lama of Shigatse will eventually be recognised as the supreme religious head. The arrangements for the return journey of the British Mission are now complete. Store depots have been erected at various points along the route, and the only real obstacle to our march is the Tsanpo, which is now flowing with tre- mendous volume. It is expected, however, that its waters will subside greatly in the course of a week or two, as the weather is now much finer. The market people are now producing articles of great artistic value and unknown antiquity, such as gigantic urns of embossed silver, cloisonne ware, and precious furs, but enormous prices are asked. The Amban, who was followed by a large crowd from the city, has witnessed target practice with the mountain artillery attached to the British Mission. He was greatly impressed by the bursting shrapnel. The draft treaty has been sealed, according to a later despatch, by the Regent. I HOW THE TREATY WAS SIGNED. After the signing of the Treaty at the Potala, Colonel Younghusband, in his speech, declared that the British would not interfere with the religious or internal affairs of Tibet. They only desired the establishment of trade rela- tions and the respectful treatment of British representatives and subjects. He hoped that peace would be permanent, but any infringement of the Treaty would be severely punished. Finally, Colonel Younghusband announced the release of prisoners of war. The speech was translated sentence by sen- tence, the councillors nodding assent. The Treaty is written in English, Tibetan, and Chinese on one enormous sheet of paper. The Tibetans objected for superstitious reasons to signing any document consisting of more than one sheet. It had been arranged that during the process of signing a flashlight photo- graph should be taken of the scene. The flash caused some consternation among the monks. They were reassured, however, by the laughter of the Nepalese and Bhutanese, who are by way of being quite civilised. The Tibetans were extremely particular about the seals be- ing properly fixed and in their right places. As there were five copies of the Treaty to be Signed and sealed the process took a long time. On close inspection, the Potala, like so many 1 places in Lhasa, proved to be a dingy strue- ture and in poor repair. Outside the Potala stands a Chinese pillar erected to commemorate Chinese suzerainty over Tibet. A similar pillar is to be set up to perpetuate the Treaty with Great Britain. I THE KING'S CONGRATULATIONS. I In reply to a telegram from the Viceroy, noti- In reply to a telegram from the Viceroy, noti- fying the signature of the convention with Tibet, the King has telegraphed expressing his high approval of the admirable manner in which Colonel Younghusband and all the officers of the Mission have brought their difficult task to a Iappy conclusion, and his appreciation of the conduct of the troops composing the escort. I

OUTRAGE IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY. STRANGE CONDUCT OF A LUNATIC. I An outrage, unique in the annals of West- minster Abbey, was committed during the morn- ing service on Sunday, and was apparently the act of an imbecile. The ordinary morning service had just been concluded, and the Rev. Canon Duckworth was comwiencing the Communion Service-in fact, had only repeated two or three sentences of the Lord's Prayer-when a series of explosions broke in upon the quietude. The detonations pro- ceeded from the north transept, close to the door, and, thrown back upon the ear by the echoes of the Abbey, sounded as if a fusilade was being poured into the building. The congregation became greatly excited, but behaved, on the whole, remarkably well, although a few persons seated in the choir space, in the neighbourhood of the expl&sions, jumped over the seats and made their way into the middle of the church. Having got over his surprise, Canon Duckworth told the congregation to go out quietly through the nave, so as to aVtlidany confusion/and then proceeded. with the service. It was subsequently discovered that two large crackers had been placed on the ledge of the internment to the Duke of Newcastle, probably during the singing of the hymn preceding the Communion Service, and the miscreant, who- ever he was, had found it easy to. ignite their fuses, for the striking of a match would not then have been noticed. The remains of the crackers were found in a piece of cardboard, attached to which was a string and a fragment of paper bear- ing some words. Unfortunately the whole of the writing could not be made out, the paper having been saturated fey water which the officials threw ew tne crackers immediately after the explo- sions. However, such portions as could be dis- cerned bore the words Vengeance for the death of Rensit," "Lying Priesthood," "Enemies of the People," "Friends of the Brewers." The service went on peacefully after order had been restored. The police are investigating the affair, b.ut up to the prèsent have no clue to the Identity of the lunatic perpetrator, who must have disappeared during the confusion. Canon Duckworth, in an interview with a reporter on Sunday evening, said:- Yes; it was a most remarkable affair. The exact impression borne in i -in me was as if people were firing pistols at each other, and for a moment I fancied I heard the sound of falling bodies, but, of course, that must have been merely the knocking over of tho chairs. It is fortunate the pieces were not fired in the middle of the Abbey, for there must have been inevitably something very much like a panic. As it was, tne monument being* very near the door, the people near it rushea info the building instead of away from it, and for a moment the situation was a little dangerous. When it was seen that no great damage had been done the con- gregation speedily quieted down, and I was glad to see that after my injunction to them to go out in an orderly manner, many returned" to their seats and resumed their devotions. I desire par- ticularly to commend the behaviour of the ladies. Not a shriek was heard, and they controlled themselves admirably under what must have been very trying conditions. It was a unique experience for me. The monument was un- damaged, except fer a few stains caused by the powder.

I. A Moslem grave in Turkey, when once it has been filled in, is never re-opened on any account. With a view tp remove the faintest chance of a grave being tlius defiled the Moslems plant a cypress tree on every grave immediately. after the burial, thus making their cemeteries resenible forests. The Rev. Arthur Henry Anstey, yicar of St. Aldhelm's Church, Bristol, has-been appointed P.r,incipat of St. Boniface College, Warminster. Mr. Anstey is son of the late Canon Anstey, of i Bristol. He held the curacy at Aylesbury from 1S88 to 1900, wheh he took up his father's mission [ work at St. Aldhelm's. In population the Russian Empire surpasses %pan nearly threefold. According to the census of 1897,. the empire had 129,582,718. Within the last half-centilry the increase in population has been trentendous. In æ15 it was estimated at 45,060,000. At the present time it is nearly 150.0P0.000.

I HOME HINTS, Eggs that are to be kept should be stood on the small end of the egg, and not the broad end. I' If you get paint on wollen or silk goode you can easily remove it with spirits of turpentine. Soak the spot in the spirits and let it stand some hours, then rub the fabric between the fingers, and the paint will fall away without injury to the goods. If by any chance there is a little asparagus left over, use it in making a delicious omelet. Cut the stalks in inch pieces, put them in a bowl, and pour over them the eggs, well beaten. Sea- sen with salt and pepper, mix lightly, and pour into the omelet pan. It is a very reliable custom, although it is old- fashioned, to clear coffee with an egg. The same results can be had if, when the egg is well beaten, there is added to it a teacupful of cold water. This will keep in a cool place or the ice- box several days, and will suffice for three morn- ings at any rate. Women who have aped the sterner sex in the matter of footwear are discarding the heavy- soled shoes which were more or less popular for a time, says the "Shoe Retailer." The natural successor to the "mannish" shoe is the distinc- tive feminine pattern in a fine welted shoe. The single-sole Oxford made on a "mannish" last is about the only remainder of the clumsy-looking heavy shoe—never seriously intended for women. The bits of tongue and ham which do not look well upon the tabte should be saved and ehopped up together for meat pies. Spinach prepared with a butter sauce is mixed with the fragments just before they are put into the chopper. A little tomato ketchup is an improvement. The thickening should be either grated bread or cracker crumbs. The usual pie crust is beet, with a little niggardliness in the matter of shortening. In burning garbage in the range it is a mis- take to put it directly on the fire. Put it under the side or back lids, where the fire does not come in contact with it, and it will dry out. It is best to put the garbage in the stove at night, and by morning it is dried to a tinder and will blaze up and burn when the fire gets hotter, leaving no odour whatever. Never allow any scraps of food to be put in the scuttle. A floor should never be swept in a room where there is contagious patient. It should be washed with a cloth and dipped in borax water, so that no dust annoys the patient and no assort- ment of germs are flung up in the air to drift out of the window. I All white meats gain in flavour from a delicate onion admixture with the gravy. The onion is to be grated and put over the meat before it has just finished roasting and then blended1 by bast- ing. In this way one avoids the burnt onion slices, which sometimes result from other methods, and which have, in a way, caused the addition of onion to be regarded with disfavour. To prevent made mustard from drying and caking in the mustard-pot, mix a little salt when making it, and it should always be made with boiling water. Boots and gloves wear longer and better if kept for some time, before wearing them. It is well to have a pair or pairs of each kept for some months before use. WHAT IS STARCH ?-To this question the man 'I' in the street;" fingering his collar, would reply- stiffening." Its German name is starke," which means strength. Indeed, the popular idea of stareh is something possessing or imparting the property of stiffness. This comes from the fact that the plain man only knows of starch in the concrete as a laundry requisite, to the reckless use of which he owes much personal discomfort. He knows nothing of the universal diffusion of starch, and would be surprised to find that he was in the habit of eating it. Of course, the lady reader of this knows better. Possibly, should she have valetu- dinariaa tendencies, she may even be fastidious about her food being starchy or non-starchy. If she be an ordinary healthy person, the question of starch in her food is an academic one, without practical interest. If, on the other Aand, the sup- position be allowed that she be but u Baby, a suck- ling, not metaphorically, yet physically, then starch becomes to her anathema maranatha. Little Mary will have none of it, disguise it as you will. "Materfamitias" will do well to note this singular fact, and when Baby wants starchless fond, to see that he or she gets it. It requires a little skill or experience to use soda with nicety, but it is worth while to acquire such skill; indeed, there is scarcely an item in culinary processes which better repays one for intelligent experimenting. The bicarbonate of soda used t'o-day is a very different article from the carbonate of soda or saleratus with which careless cooks made spotted biscuits in our grand- mother's time. Used with an acid, as butter- milk, it is as scientifically wholesome as any article employed as an adjunct in cookery. In many instances baking powder cannot give as good results as soda. It is scarcely possible to give an absolutely exact rule of measurements for soda, as brands differ somewhat in strength, and mHk varies in acidity. But a general rule is one level teaspoonful of soda to one pint of sour milk. Be sure to pulverise the soda before measuring. No More Tough Meat.—If meat is tough, or if you have any doubt as to its tenderness, put a tablespoonful of vinegar over it when putting it on to cook; you will find it very tender when done. Try steaming fowls instead of boiling; you will find that the meat is always tender, and the full benefit of the fowl is kept, besides a very delicate flavour. For Removing Mildew.—Even where a g,eat deal of care is exercised, mildew, iron-mould, and stains will appear on the linen, and are no doubt a source of werry to the careful house- keeper. To remove mildew from linen; damp the spot, and well rub it with soap; then rub the part affected with plenty of powdered French chalk. Place the linen out en the line, and, as it dries, damp it again, and, if all traces of mildew have not disappeared, renew the applica- tion of the chalk until all the marks are out. Salmon Steaks.—Dry well with a cloth, dredge with flour, and lay them upon a well-buttered gridiron over clear hot coals. Turn with a broad-bladed knife slipped beneath, and a flat wire egg-beater above, lest the steak should break. When done to a light brcrwn, lay in a hot dash, butter each steak, seasoning with salt and pepper, cover closely, and serve. Ox-Tail Soup.—One ox-tail, 21b. of lean beef, four carrots, three onions, thyme, six quarts of water. Cut the tail into several pieces, and fry brown in butter. Slice the onions and two carrots, and when you remove the ox-tail from the frying-pan, put in these, and brown them also. "When done, tie them in a bag with a bunch of thyme, and drop into the soup-pot. Lay the pieces of ox-tail in the same; then the meat cut into small slices. Grate over them the two whole carrots, and add six quarts of cold water, with pepper and salt. Boil from four to six hours, in proportion to the size of the tail. Strain fifteen minutes before serving it, ;tnd, thicken with two tablespoonfuls of browned ffSur. Boil ten minutes longer. Furniture Polish.—Half a pint of spirits of turpentine; shave down two ounces qf pure beeswax, put in a pan, and keep on top of stove until melted, taking care it does not catch fire. It should be the consistency of cream, and applied to mahogany or rosewood furniture while a little warm. Put on with a flannel, and rub up with a clean flannel, and finish with an old silk handkerchief.

I WOMAN'S WORLD. 4BOTTT HOME DECORATION. When selecting wall paper and draperies, the general style of the room, its exposure and con- nections with other rooms, as well as woodwork and any valuable furnishings on I hand, must all be taken into consideration. While a person may have excellent taste, it does not I follow that she can decorate an interior acceptably without a. great deal of thought, and a well formu- lated plan as a basis. It is an art that requires much practice. A piece of paper, or carpet, or drapery may look anything but desirable fo the strip, and yet possess any amount of style when correctly placed or the reverse may be the case. Daintily pretty colours which appeal so strongly to the amateur become tiresome in a short time light colours must be exquisite in quality and be well placed, or they are likely to have a tawdry effect, accentuating every false line of architecture. Dark, subdued colours are always to be preferred. Unless one is very sure of one's own ability, it is moiiey,well invested to consult a decorator and obtain a scheme of colours for the guidance of ¡ one's self and workmen before beginning any work of this kind then insist that all the details be followed closely, for a little variation here and there is likely to upset the whole scheme of harmony, no matter how well planned it was in the beginning. If you can afford to spend a liberal amount,git would be better ;to employ an experi- enced decorator to take the matter in charge and employ his own assistants. This will save much annoyance and possibly serious mistakes. SUN AND THE HAIR. It is said that frequent sun bathe are the best known tonics for a woman's hair. The Greek maidens of old who sat on the walls of the city and combed their hair owed the beauty of [their tresses to the sun's rays. When the hair has beenl washed, sit beside a lowered window, as the sun shines stronger through glan. and allow the hair to dry as it is being brushed. No bleach has been found so successful as the-sun, which strengthens and beautifies generally. When the hair shows a tendency to fall out, the very best thing to stop its coming out and promote its growth is the abundant use of genuine olive oil. Saturate the hair thoroughly and keep it saturated for a week, until the dry scalp has absorbed all it will; then wash with pure soap and water. If this operation is repeated every two or three months the effect is said, to be marvel- lous. j » WOMEN AND SWIMMING. There is really no reason why all women of average health a.nd vitality should not learn to swim even women with weak hearts can take this exercise with advantage, if they will use judgment in not remaining too long in the water. Nervous women are not likely to acquire confidence until they are good swimmers. If a timid woman once learns that the water of which she has always been most afraid will not harm her, then she has gained eonfidence to meet everything else. Of course, a woman seldom has the, endurance of a man in the water, because she hag not the lung expansion. On the other hand, her lightness and the lesser weight of her bones give her a decided advantage. There are a few rules which, in learning to swim, a woman ought especially to observe, for she is the most likely to violate them: 1. She should never go in the water for swim- ming when she is fatigued. If the later afternoon hours are the popular ones for bathing at the sea- side resorts, a woman is likely to be fatigued by the golf or bicycle-riding or walking that have made up her day, and she is then not in a fit con- dition for the exertion of swimming. 2. She should never go swimming within two hours after eating a heavy meal. This is a rule never to be broken failing to observe it almost wholly takes away from swimming the benefits that the exercise would otherwise give. 3. She must not stay in the water a minute after she feels fatigue or chill. 4. She should never allow herself to be dared to swim further than she has ever swum over exertion in swimming is extremely dangerous, to say nothing of the peril while in the water. 5. She ought not to swim away from the crowd until she is an expert swimmer. 6. She should Jearn net to be afraid or to lose her head if a limb becomes cramped. If it it raised from the water and rubbed for a minute the pain will cease. 7. If she ever has occasion to save anyone from drowning, she can do so, even if she is not an adept swimmer, by remembering not to come in-front of the drowning person in order to rescue her. She should approach from the back, and seize her firmly by both arms, near the biceps. WHEN THE BRIDEGROOM COMES. In no country in the world is the tie between brother and sister closer than it is in Russia where the brother is regarded as her guardian equally with their lather, and as her protector even more. In many districts, when the bridegroom comes to claim hit bride her brother places himself beside fier, and with a stout stave or a drawn sword prevents the groom's approach. The twain often engage in much poetical barter, in which the bride excites her brother to extort a goodly price for herself, her veil, and her beauty. Upon the wedding-day the groom comes to her parents' house and claims his bride. Then there is a touching little bit of ceremony, one of those pretty human comedies which are called empty shows and forms," but are written in warm, tender emotions. The maiden kneels down before her parents, and asks them to pardon her for any and every offence towards them of which she may ever bave been guilty. They lift her up and kiss her, and then offer her bread and salt, which signifies that white they live they will not see her lack the necessaries of life. When she leaves the house its door is left open, to indicate that she may retarn when she will, that her girlhood's home is still hers. SECRET ENGAGEMENTS. It is a peculiarity of young people that they regard all those who oppose their love affairs as enemies, even although the latter may be their parents. A girl in love, wiioee parents object to the man of her choice, cannot see that they have her best interests and happiness at heart, and only refase their consent because they are better able to judge of her lover's character and his ability to make her future life happy. In such circumstances only bitter experience can teach a girl the folly of not allowing herself to be guided to a certain extent by her best friends. It would of course, be quite wrong to advise a girl to marry to please her parents, if she disliked the man of their choice or loved another. Perhaps in such circumstances a secret engagement to the man she loves would be justifiable, more especially if the parents tried to coerce a girl's wishes; for then she would feel stronger in her resolution not to sacrifice the happiness of herself and real lover. In some cases it is because a girl fears that lIbe will give way to her parents' desires, unless she is properly pledged to the man she loves, which induces her to enter into a secret engagement; And one can readily understand a man, fearful of losing the girl he loves, in consequence of the great opposition to their match, asking her'to become secretly engaged to him, although he fully recognises that it is not a right and proper thing to do. Such an action on the part of devoted lovers will sometimes break down all opposition to their marriage, because it shows how much their love and happiness are bound up in one another. But it is quite reasonable to suppose that the majority of parents wish to see their danghters happily married, and are ever ready to approve of an honourable man. Therefore a girl should be a& unwilling to marry against their wishes as she is to marry a man she dislikes.

The Count of Monte Cristo had just come into his wealth. "At last!" he exclaimed. "I can now give the waiter a tip he will not despise." Modestly reserving a nickel for himself, he wended his way to the restaurant. Mr. Slimpurse (hankering for a suit of clothes on, tick): "I—aw—presume you are acquainted with my friend. Mr. Nocash. He has a running account here, I believe?" Tailort uYes. W. the runnins."