Cheshire Observer

in Ou.-3LIity.

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. THE HAMPSTEAD MYSTERY By JOHN OAKLEY, Author of "The Blackmailer," "A Gentleman in Khaki," "A Fight for a Name," &c., &a. COPYRIGHT. SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CHAPTERS 1, II., and III.—When the story opens, Ronald Norrnington, the narrator, has just been released after serving a term of im- prisonment for a crime which he did not com- mit. Four years previously he was staying in Surrey with his friend, Maynard Drew, when a jewel robbery toc-k place at Coyton Towers, clese by. Some months later Norrnington was arrested on the charge of stealing the jewels. On the evidence of Carpmael, a London pawn- broker, of Maynard Drew, and of certain stolen articles being secreted in his rooms, he was convicted and sentenced to five year's penal servitude. On his release Norrmngton visits hie old landlord, Joel Hudspith, who believes in his innocence. They go through the evid- ence together again and come to the conclusion that there has been perjury and conspiracy on the part of Maynard Drew and others, or else that it ie a case of mistaken identuty. Later on the same evening Norrnington is followed and attacked. A mysterious third person inter- venes, however, and his assailant is left for dead. CHAPTER V. (Continued). I had only seen Mr. Vanneck once or twice before, and that years ago, but I easily recog- nised him. His was a face not readily forgotten, clean-shaven, keen-looking, with quick, alert eyes, and iron-grey hair, close-cropped, but shew- ing no sign of thinners either on the crown or at the temples. But even if I had never seen him before, I should have had no difficulty in finding my party. My glance fell straightaway upon Constance, with a promptitude that seemed almost magnetic. And as if some force of un- seen te'egraphy had been in operation, she raised her face precisely at the moment that I caught sight of her, and our eyes met. For one brief fleeting moment we held one another thus, then her own glance fell, and a swift flush mounted to her checks and forehead. Her father, who had been idly watching her, must have noted tne sign, for he turned his iiead swiftly and, catch- ing sight of me, nodded and smiled. That he recognised me readily, and on the instant, was evident, but what amazed me was the apparent cheerfulness with which he regarded my ac- quaintance with his daughter. Nor was hie greeting any less cordial. he said, shaking mo "Ah, Mr. Norrnington," he said, shaking mo heartily by the hand, I am very glad to see you. Constance tells me that you and she are already good friends." Pap. cried the girl, laughingly. "I eaid we had seen each other." Same thing, my love, same thing," returned her father sidy. But sit down, Mr. Norrning- ton. No, you are not late, but I always make a point of being before my guests. A long drink before we begin? I advice a Polly with a spoon- ful of brandy, only a spoonful, just sufficient to correct the acidity. Always take a long drink before a meaj-it clears the way. A long drink before, and as much as you like after, but as little ati pos&ib'e en route. That is the philosophy of a perfect digestion." All this astonished me immensely. The cor- diality of it did not seem to be assumed, nor could I discover any justification for a sugges- tion which creapt into my mind that he was merely talking "off the top." It all seemed to be quite in ordinary tonee, and in an everyday manner. I pulled myself together, and dismissing for the time being the many problems which thronged eo thick and fast around me, endea- voured to take my part in the conversation. Vanneck was an amusing companion, witty, shrewd, cynical: Constance was as fascinating in manner and as attractive in conversation as she was beautiful in form and face; and the dinner was excellent. I will not say that I for- got my troubles. One cannot so easily dispo.se of five years' penal servitude. But I certainly did succeed in putting them for the time being ,>ll one side. And then came an incident which spoiled it all. The meal was about half-way through, when glancing towards the dcor across Mr. Yanneck's right shoulder, I caught :,ight of a familiar figure. Maynard Drew had entered the room, and was coming towards us glancing carelessly right and left, hardly as if seeking anyone in particular, rather ao if merely noting the occu- pants in caæ there might be somebody whom 1 he knew. And even among that well-groomed, gaily-dressed crowd, he made a notable figure, handsome, debonair, perfectly attired. I clenched my hand tightly beneath the cover of my ser- viette. and waited to see whether he would cecognise me, but before that moment came Vanneck. who had noticed my glance and start, had turned, and ere I could interpose (possibly I should not have done so, even had I been given the opportunity) he was beckoning May- nard towards us. I saw the quick light that leapt into Maynard's eyes at! he saw, first Vanneck, then Constance, and a fierce, unreason- ing jealousy took pos-*e*sion of -ne-u and unreasonable considering what I was, and with whom I was in rivalry. A convict on tieketof-leave, with hardly a sovereign to call his own, drees-cd in a shabby suit of a fashion seven years old, and Maynard Drew, wealthy, handsome and of good repute. I was angry, sick at heart, well-nigh hopeless. But a more pressing danger confronted mo. Supposing tiiat when he saw me, and recognised 7oc, as recognise me he must, he should blurt out what I was and had been. I gripped my faculties, and waited for the blow, which, Sowever, never came. Even Maynard Drew seemed to be in the general conspiracy to ignore the past. Join us," Vanneck said to Maynard. "We are only at the entree and you can easily catch us up. Let me introduce you to my friend Mr. Normington. Now if Vanneck knew my story he must also have been aware of the part Drew had played, in which cave that introduction wae, pure devilry. And as to Maynard himself, even if he had not recognised my face, the name, I thought, most surely give me away. But up- par-entiy it did not. Ho merely accepted the introduction in the half-careless, haif-cordial fashion of the modem vogue, and pulling his chair to the table, plunged into our conversation, treating me quite as if I were an ordinary good fellow whom lie had never seen before, but' whoso acquaintance he was very glad to make. "And after dinner?" Maynard asked pre- sently. The Lyric," Vanneck responded. "I have a box. You and Constance can watch the play while Norrnington and I have a business chat." Maynard nodded and smiled. I am in luck," he said, and Constance biushed prettily. If a bone of the bird he was swallowing had gone the wrong way at that moment and choked him, I think I should have rejoiced. But I did not blame Constance. If ever there was a man made to hold the eyes of a woman, that man was Maynard Drew. CHAPTER VI. "The second act is not worth seeing," Mr. "Vanneck suggested, "and I know a quiet little restaurant not, tl-llve minutes walk where we can talk business Shall we leave these two and-! I nodded an assent, not too readily I confess, for I was not over anxious to leave- "I tiw,30 two" together. However, I had really come out to talk business, and had to agree. It was a quaint little foreign cafe into v.-hieh Vanneck p?otcd me, immaculate in its cleanli- n-, a trifle flimsy as to furniture, and cxoccd- mg:y ChLp, It was none of these throe qnai?- ¡ Hfls, however, which had attracted my com- panion, but its solitude and retirement. It was divided into tiny arched boxes, into one of which Vanneck entered, carefully looking first to we that those on cither side were empty. A wa.iter came to us, and Vanneck gave him an :.rder, speaking in Italian with fluency and aase. "And now," he added, when at length every- thing had been adjusted to his satisfaction, "And now, let us discuss the situation. "Let us have everything cAetu- and disuuet," I I interposed; "on what basis do we discuss it?" "I the representative of your cousin, Ephraim Turbut-t." "Yee, and 1-whmt am I? What do you know of mo? What is your version of my—my pre- vious history?" "You may take your choice," he replied oare- lee&I. "You may have the Jamaican legend or the-too Cbyton jewels." "Ah! then you do know." "Know! Of coutse I know. Why shouldn't I? I was present at the trial, and "And does your daughter know?" Certainly not. Do you think she would have been here to-night if she had known? She was a child at the time, and took no interest in -police eases. "Maynard Drew will tell her." "Not he, and besides, if he does it will do you no harm. IIo is the one man in the world who refuses to believe you guilty. It has never been mentioned between him and Constance, but he and I have- discussed it many times. That you wone proved guilty according to the law hasn't- proved you guilty according to May- nard Drew. His arguments are poor, but his belief 13 adamant." Vanneck's words had a curious effect, very different probably from what he intended. They came in almost weird confirmation of my pre- vious doubts. If my suspicions were correct Mayua.:d had tho Very best of reasons for know- ing that I was not the real thief. But I kept all this to myself. "I should like to ask you one. question," I said, "if it is not too personal. How is it that you, knowing my—my history, allowed jour daughter to-to make my acquaintance?" "I aon t think I did allow it," he replied with a rather queer smile. "You invaded my hou-e, and madle that acquaintance without ask- ing me. But you brought her here to-night," I per- sisted. "It was part of the scheme," he sa:d, after a momentary hcsitat.on; "part of your cousin's scheme that is. Not that I had any objection. Crime and prison nowadays are relative terms. c Ctta-te ciimes in these days of civilisation. Six century ago there would have been noth- iug wicked in Sir Ronald Norrnington raiding" Baron Coyton's castle and lifting his jewellery just as a few centuries before that it would have boon quite in order for Norrnington to raid Coyton s t«a;oa;al hal's, and run off with the baroness The queer part of it is that to- day the i-aid of jewellery is against fee ].w, but you can capture a man's wife and be none the worse fo, it. If you had eloped with Lady Coyton, instead of with her jewels, you would have gone scot free. And penal servitude nowa- days is glowing quite icspectable. Even gie-at fin'ineie;s are made to wear tho broad-arrow suit. Not so very long ago they used to stnd them to the House of Loids. Do you know that I have been in prison?" I intimated that I had not been aware of that fact "It is quite truo," he went on. "It was while I was in Australia. I had tramped over four hundred miles. and then growing footsore and lame, I borrowed a horse. The man I took it fiom oiincd ten, and there was I going lamo for the lack of one. I was caught, and font to gaol, but I never reckoned that I had committed a crime, or that the imprisonment w.a.i any disgrace. It was the fortune of war. Similarly you were hard up, and took a bit from a man who could well afford to lose." "I did not take it," I put m. "That doesn't affect the question," he re- turned grimJy. "To all intents and purposes you did; a jury of your fellow-countrymen de- oidcd that." "You believe I was the thief?" I asked. "I neither bclevo nor disbelieve—it doesn't- interest mo, I am far more concerned in the mental lapse shewn in your not getting clear off. tiian in the alleged moral decadence demon- strated by the original raid. The whole thing is against Nat-uic, who meant one being to piuy upon another. The cat ea.ts the mouse, tie j cog worr es the cat, and the man kicks the clog, j Have you ever seen a big dog take a bone fiom a little one? That is not crime, it is Nature. Absolute righteousness demanded that the PEtn who had ten horses should share with the man who had now, but when I attempted to put that obvious jaw into operation I was sent to gaol. It is a crying evil that Coyton should I have L15,000 a year, and you JE3 a week, and yet when you attempted to rectify the thing you also weie sent to gaol. We are fallow- sufferers in the cause of true righteousness. The- roal disgrace to you was that you were not clever enough to get .s,ay-as it was to me. But we are -pouting philosophy, when we ought to be discussing business. What do you want i of your cotis 11 "I thought my cousin wanted me—had seme proposal "Ay, but you called on Lawyer Barlow, you know. You did not go there for nothing. Why dd you go there? What did you wmit? "I want my cousin ro lend me some money." "For what puiposo?" he queried. j "To help me to prove my innoeenc-e," I re- turned lxÙlly. "Precisely, and now listen. Your coli-siti is a man of wealth and position." "I have heard so." "lie will go into Parliament at the first op- portunity. "Yes?" "And-wo will speak plain English-it will not be convenient for him to have a oonvict cousin hanging about heie." "No?" The monosyllable was uttered with apparent oalm, but the words "convict cousin'' had ilieked me on the raw. "And accordingly, if you will change your name, and go out to take oh-argo of estates he possesses in Jamaica, ho will allow you a thousand pounds a year." "My cousin wants to get mo out of Eng,atld? "my C.L?u,n ?vanls to get iro out of Englaiid? "And if I refuse ?" "Don't refuse. It would be the act of a fc-ol to refuse. You do not know your cousin Ephraim. He has never yet failed in anything he has set his heart- upon. I leap fiom ticio to there- He made a sweeping movement with his i finger from ono pont on the table to the oppo- site cornlx. "I may touch the spot or I may not," he went. on. "I may lean short or I may jump too far. But. Ephraim Tuil.utt never leaps. lie erawk., and when he meets an ooot.ade tt:at threatens to impede his p.ogress he crushes it. You may say you will not leave England, but you will. Ho says to himself, 'This man is in my way,' and whether you go to Jamaica of your own fioo will, or against it, go you will j have io." "That sounds like a threat of murder," I &ald half angrily. "Why, it is not murder to send you to Jamaica," Vanneck said. smilingly. "No, but if I do not, go to Jamaica ?" "Ah, then-well, who knows what may hap- pen?" "And if I ref use this, my cousin will lend me no money?" "I have no authority for saying that, hut in your place I should-go to Jamaica. "I cannot leave England," I said. "I have to prove my innocence and rehabilitate my good name. "You had better take my advioo and mange your name, good or bad 'I must have time to think." "And to sound your cousin as to a kan- precisely. Then suppose we say a week to-d-iy for your decsion. Either come or write to Hamp«tead. Is it agreed?" "Yes." "n let us return to the theatre." We left the cafe, and strolled slowly towaids, the Lyric, reaching the theatre just as it was beginning to disgorge its crowd of pleasure- seekers. "I will not go in," I said. Please ) make my cxeuses to M:s V a,IlD<t;k." I liarclly say what sentiment inspired n to this, but I was decided upon one point. Nothing should make mo see Constance again lntil I couid go to her with clean hands. I had just roached the top of Tottenham Court- road, and was walking thoughtfully a'ong -%N-ith bent head, when I felt an arm slipped vhio'igh j mino and heard a familiar vo'ce saying, "Ron- ald, my dear boy, where have you been ? I expected you to come first to me." i It was Maynard Drew. j iTo be continued) ■

[ALL RIGHTS RESEKVED.] FASHION AND THINGSj FEMININE. I By MISS IDA MELLER. f A GREY TWEED COSTUME. lo some the task of choosing an autumn out- fit comes as a joy and recreation, while otherw-I grudge the time spent upon the selection of o'othes and discussions with the dressmaker, and gladly avail themselves of the ready-made- article. The large influx of women into the world of workers has had a great influence upon the ready-made trade—especially upon those de- partments dedicated to the tailor-built coafc-and- skirt costume and the blouse; for to the busi- ness woman time is money, and she usually finds it more economical to buy a ready-to-wear tailor suit, made by experienced hands than to invest in a dress-length of tweed or cloth, and entrust the making of the costume to the local dressmaker, who is rarely able to turn out so smart and well finished a suit at the price as can be bought from the draper's where tailor- mades are a feature. Among the new season's tweeds, costume cloths and flannels, str.pes and checks play an important part. Grey is very much to the fore, in its various gradations of colour, good effects being arrived at by grey and white checked homespuns with biack velvet facings on the collars. One of the nw tweed costumes in light grey, splashed with black and white, is illustrated here, and shews a simple, smart design with a blou=/vc-oat and pWted skirt. The latter is arranged with two well- ddined pleats on cither side of a centre box- p'\at, which is narrower at the waist than at the foot and trimmed on the upper part with half-a-dozen black velvet buttons. The blouse- coat is arranged with pleats corresponding to those on the skirt, a.nd is also provided with six velvet buttons. At the nec-k it is cut to a nice little round and has no collar; and at the wa.ist the coat is sewn to a black velvet-pointed beilt, which it slightly overlaps in front. The cuffs [ to the plain ooat-sleeves axe, simply stitched, but these might be faced with black velvet if preferred. Both skirt and coat fasten at the left s de beneath ono of the pleats, and at the back they repeat too front eff-cct, the coat, how- ever, being drawn well down to the waist and [ fitting the figure closely. j AUTUMN MILLINERY. I Ore at enanges have come atout- in the nui- linerv world, the new felt ha.ts and oJoth toques being remarkable for originality of shape, one of the models most prevalent being a email, pointed toque of draped cloth or velvet, very narrow and having the left sido compressed very much by means of a cartwheel rosette or handful of wing feathers, pointing backwards These narrow hats with the s de o naments, be they p'umage or ribbons, shooting to the back, arc typical of the very latest fashion. The same shape, trimmed in a sim lar way, is copied in coft felt, the brim turned up %nd i.hc. crown indented once or rutted two or three times. Mixed fe-lts in two colouis are not infrequently used in the construction of one of these curion-t i little hats, a smart example in cream and black having a hug-c rosette of ribbon in a similar mixture posed at the left side, the ornament, being centred by a oat's-cye button. reflecting cream and dark grey tones and framed in platinum. Quantites of ribbon icops arc effected on a large number of modish hats, a big bunch of cerise satin loops decorating, in I tho new way, a narrow liat of cream and brown felt, while on aut-umn mushiooui hats and sailor liats loops of satin ribbon are pled 0110 above the oilier unckr the brim at tho back, the bank of ribooJ15 amounting in all to many inches in ho ght. A good deal of c'mffo i is used in the draping of autumn hats, and the new draperies are very full and high. With low crowned sailor hats of felt or velvet, the chiffon drapery some- I times completely covers the upper br:rn and hare of the- crown, and is arranged at the back I in fascinating folds that travel to the shoulders of the wearer, the floating drapery of gauze or chiffon, unusually volum'noiis, proving an attractive feature of the new millinery. Simple, high-crowned sailor hats of couise. soft straw, and of felt, draped with wide ribbon or with velvet, are among the most useful, of modes. The sai-or hat sketched is carried out in win-c-ied straw, draped with ribbon-velvet to match, and trimmed, besides with velvet cherries in shades vary'ng from crimson to d'\d pink, mingled with the u"taneiug cherrics being a branch "?L cmb-appli's, and beneath the brim are many I loops of ribbon-velvet mounted on a bandeau. i SHIRT-FASHIONS. Shirt-fafthione arc naturally largely concerned with woollen fabrics just now, delaine and the finer qualities of fancy flannel being in great demand Stripes are very fashionable, and among the new flannel shirts are many in whi striped with colour, the stripes falling straight; on the sleeves, while on the yoke and pleated fronts they take a diagonal direction. Tucks and box-pleats, seen in conjunction or other- j wiee, decorate the majority of autumn ahirts, the tucks introduced varying from the pin-line to the knife-pleat, and sometimes displaying a1 line of stitching all the way down, while as often j as not the pleat is stitched only to the depth of a few inches. The simple 61,irt sketched is of cream delaine, and the fronts are laid in rather wj(e tuck. with a box-pleat down the cc-nt^e, each pleat being stitched along the edge. At tho throat is a high collar-band with an embroidered moolin turn-over, and the simple shirt-sleeves are finished with turn-over-, to match on tho • cuffs. A smart touch is given by a black satin neck-tie, knotted low down on the box-pleat. This shirt, it will be observed, has no yoke, but tho small, American yoke is not absent from prevailing modoo, and takea its piaw on many of the simpler, more severe shirts. As a waist- band, the soft kid or shiny leather belt carries all before it in relation to shirts. The high, shiny belt, curved to the form of the waist, is a favourite for morning wear and gives a very smart, trim appearance; but the softness of I unstiffened kid is preferred by many. [ RENOVATING A- COAT. It is probable that not a few women are more or lews concerned at present with the matter of renovations, and it may be that a last year's coat is the article to be dealt with. If the coat, be it of velvet or cloth, is one built with a short basque arid drawn to a belt at the waist, a re- novation might be effected by ripping off the basque and belt and changing the coat to an Eton or bolero shape. The material, of course, should be damped at the back and pressed. If any marks from the gathers remain as a dis- ifgurement, braid or gaion might be uaed as a trimming to conceal them. To shorten a long sleeve, and provide it with a wide cuff and frill of lace, will do wonders in the service of reno- vation and the addition of a little waistcoat is one of those touches that mean much in bring- ing the demode up to date. FACE-PAINTING. -1 Face-painting is a very old art, which, accord- ing to historians, was carried to excess by the ancient Romans, the women powdering and smearing their faces with grease till a thick layer of paste was. formed. This beauty mask" was tilled to clear the complexion and render it fair. The habitual use of paints is opposed to all laws of hygiene, because there preparations impede the functions of the skin by filling up the pores with undesirable par- ticles, and gradually the skin becomes dry a.nd parohnient-Iike from their use. With regard w h c i l corri,??-a?r C i to face-powders, tho?o d in which corn-March prevai- l are recommended by a Paris toilet I specialist, who adds that the powder is improved by the addition of a little finely powdered talc, and gives further advice to the effect that orris- powder should be shunned, since it is very irri- tating to the skin when use d alone, or mixed in too large proportions v.-iin starch powtler. To return to painting the face, this Wi:8 gradually resumed during the last years of the Commonwealth. In France, to paint her face was aa necessary to a hdy as to wash her hands. Indeed, women did not hesitate to apply the rouge before any company. How common the custom was we may infer from a remark of Madame de Sevigne on her (lau,htc-r-in-!aiv: "Ma belle fille n'a quo des moments de gaiete, car cllc est tout accabiec de vapours; eile change cent fois. Ie jour de visage, sant; en trouver un bon." Lord Sand- wich thought it a point of commendation in Catherine of llragauza. that "she paints well." At one time black paint for the eyes was such a vogue at the Court of Peter the Great that the Russian women pulled out their eyebrows to substitute a thick coat of black lead. I BAKED LEMON PTTDDrNfJ I A very nice lemon pudding ie made as fol- lows, the quantities given being sufficient- for fix persons. Take two lemons, half a pound of casior sugar, and the while of two eggs beaten to a. froth. Mix the lemon juice and sugar, and let them stand aside for half an hour. Then add the rind of lemons grated and the yolk* of three eggs. Line a fiat pic dish with thin paste, turn in the lemon mixture, and bake the pudding in a slow oven. I NASTURTIUM PICKLE. Nasturtium seeds, ?.y? a c<??, make an ex- œl1ut pi-ckle. They should be placed in a wide- nœked bott'c, have boiling vinegar poured over them, and be seasoned with mixed c-pice and a little salt. They should finally be tied down in a jar or battled and corked.

EXCITING PARKGATE SCENE. T I RESCUE BY FISHERMEN. I About two o'clock on Saturday afternoon three little girls, two named Campbell and a. com- panion named lionnott, all lesiding in Neston. had gone out about two miles acioss the Dee eatids, in tho direction of Flint, to gat.her coekles^ A swift tidy was outtin- them off from the shore, and when they turned home- wards they found that the Denim Gutter, which they had crossed as a shallow stream a little while before, had suddenly baen converted into a broad torrent, that in p;aee<s was fourteen or fifteen feet deep. Real sing their danger they ran screaming towards Fiinishire, only to find themselves he-acied off in that direction also, while the- banks upon which they were. standing were rapidly being swallowed up by the flood. Their cries were unheard at Pat kg ate, but a Parkgate fisherman—George Fewtrell. junr.— happened to glance over the river and saw their peril Fit once. He raced to his punt., lying a few hundicd yards away, and quickly setting sa.;1 sped away with t-h-e tide to the rescue. As he drew near to the children ho called to them to rema n still, but- in a frantic rondition they ran into the gutter. The g d Bennett was immedi- ately swept off her fex,t, a.,id was clinging to the oth-ers in a drowning state when Fewtrell, leav- ing his bo.tt to drift, jun ped into the water, and (Ùing- the gins th-e-m whde another tosi manned by two fisheime.n, which had been roMowing hard after him eame UP. The chii- dien were taken ashore and firs! aid rendered bv Constable Cooper, while Fewtrell and his fellow- j rescuers, Murray and Pot^rs, wcic received with quite an ovation on arriving at the parade A little whi'o ago a woman named Jones, from Neston Collieiy, who had been gaihciing cockles, was cut off by the tide in a similar manner, and was drowned while trying to rcerois the gutter, a so in full view from the parade and a few of the fishermen who wore try ng to effect a i rescue. As a rule in such emergencies as these the parties would be slaved if they kept their heads and walked on to Burton, instead of rush- I ing into the gutters. j

I IS YOUR LIVER HEALTHY I Hi' NOT, YOU ID BILE BEANS. T 1-31LE BEANS. When you wak e up is your tongue c-oated with a thick fur? Is there a bitter taste in your mouth and a feeling of iiausca9 Do you feel heavy and tired, as if your night's rest "has done you no good? That is a sign that your i liver is in a bad state, and that you nee d a course of Bile Beans for Biliousness to put you | right. Taken in time, Bile Beans will save you 0.11 the discomforts of more advanced liver trouble, such as sick lic-adaeli-cs, giddiness, dim eight, numbed limbs, pairw in the shoulder-blades, sloep!cssne<ss, low rp r. ts, instability, and ever- present fear of the future. In the most obstinate and long-standing cases of liver disorder Bi'c Bo'ans for Biiiou-snc-ss are an unfailing remedy. In Nature's own way with Nature's own herbal remedy, Bile Beans tone-up and purify tho disordered liver, and re- storo its natui al functions. Bile Bean curcaare permanent cures. Bile Beans do their bene- ficent work so gently and genially that children and fiail invalids may take them in comfort, yet so persistently and positively that permanent cures are effected in the most obstinate cases.

TRUTH IN A NUTSHELL ABOUT TINNED FOOD. Have you read the Common Sense" leaflet delivered at your house this week ?

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WAR ON LICENCES.—From the statisticCJ compiled by Mr. Pinhorn, secretary of the United Temperance Council, it appears that during last year the total number of licences extinguished in Lancashire was two hundred and seventy-six. In the previous seven years the liconces ex. tinguished in Lancashire amounted altogether to only sixty-three. In Cheshire last year fifty-two were extinguished, of which thirteen were due to the non-application of owners for renewal, against a total of eleven for the previous seven years.