Abergavenny Chronicle

[ALL EIGHTS RESERVED.] A FACTORY LASS OR OF I THE STRANGE STOIY OP VIOLET BY MARION WARD. Author of Love' s Thorny Path." -His Fair Lady." &c:. CHAPTER xvnr. I CLARA PFIATT KKPKNT8. I Violet went out into -tie crowded Bir- -ftin-ham streets feeling even laom ww- Jr^°ne than before, for sb& found Miss Munro's hard, cruel manner, and the insultS 6he had heaped on her, very hard to bear. The girl was just enough not to blame the Major for his sister's delinquencies, fait enough to feel sure he had had no suspicion of the reception which would be meted out to her. Another letter, signed Ada Staunton," Wag waiting for Violet when she get back to her lodgings. A very short letter this time, reproaching the girl for not keeping the appointment, and saying that her mother feared she must be very unfeeling, not to be more anxious to see her. How- ever, Mrs. Staunton would give Violet one more chance and be in Stafford House to- morrow at the same time. She wrote that last night," thought Violet, so to-morrow means to-<lay, but I shan't go to Stafford House again, I'd be I afraid to. Besides, Major Munro meant everv word he said about Mrs. Staunton," Dear me, Miss Mason, you are Laving a lot of letters just now," said Violet's land- lady in a rather le.ss vinegarish tone than usual, ItS she put her head in at the door with a soiled-looking envelope in her hand. it's to be holiod one of 'em '11 bring you good luck, for I am sure you are beginning to need it." Violet trifcd to smile at Miss Gibbs, but the smile would not come, and instead the big tears welled up into her beautiful eyes. It's a long lane that has no turning, -Miss Gibbs," s he said simply, and so I'm always hoping I may c-omo to the turning of mine at last." Harsh and repellent as Martina Gibbs .generally was, there must have been some kindness in her he-art, if you only dug down de^p enough to get at it, for Violet's sweet, patient voice touched her. She remem- bered how carefully the girl paid her rent, how hard she struggled on to try and tid y -employment, never complaining, never re. vilmg fate, and she suddenly bethought :herlf that there was one way in which she Bais"ht help her lodger which would cost her aot.hing. Can you work a machine?" Miss Gibbs asked ehrirply. "I mostly get my livillg at slop work, and I've got a press of it on just How; if you like to come downstairs when I get back from the, warehouse and lend a hand till bedtime, I'll pay you sixpence and stand you a snack of suppor." < Violet's face brightened. "Will you rcillyl I shall be dreadfully gad to come, Miss Gibbs. I can do machin- ing quite fast.. My friend Nora Smith's ♦mot^ her used to let me use her machine sometimes" "ivhy in the world don't you go round to Mrs. Smith and get her to help you?" demanded Miss Gibbs sharply. "I can't beg," returned Violet. "Per- haps it's pride, but I'd rather starve." "There, I'll leave you now to read your letr, and you can Wriie down to me at two sharp. I shall be bade from the ware- houtJo by then." The letter* was another surprise to Violet, ) fl?r it from the one creature in the. world from whom she oould least have ex- pected help-Cla-ra Pratt. It had no formal beginning,- but, like Miss Pratt nersclf, it was emphatic and to the point. "I S., Nv yesterday and you looked th^ at bad I haven't been able to forget it ever since. Of course, you know it was me who wrote the letter that got you the sack from Preston's, but vwhen I did it I didn't "mean you harm. I thought you were just the inspector's spy, whom ho'd sent to Preston's to find out all about their goings on. "Wuen you 'saved Bobbie, I felt real mean to think what I'd done, and if I could have got the letter back from the pillar-box I would "If you 'can forgive me the harm I've done you, I should like us to be pals. I'm going to marry Bill John-.ion on Boxing Day, and mother and me'll never get through all the sewing we've got to do for the wedding. If you are out of a berth still, you might come round and lend 9, hand. Mother says she'll pay you what she can, and I guess you aro a better hand at that sort of thing than we are; I always did like the way your skirts hung. Come round to t.e2- on Sun- day, and you and mother can fix things up. She knows all you did for Bobbie, and she's just set on seeing you. So no more at present from "CLARA PRATT." The tears came into Violet's eyes to think that even her foe should have been moved to pity her. She forgave Clara freely, for th letter explained what had hurt her more thaii anything, the indifference with which had treated her rescue of Bobbie. Kilet understood now just how she must 'ha.ve- felt, the shamed, humiliated sense of Owiug h?r little brother's life to a girl she -h? done her best to inj ure. I V,ioll-'t went down to join Miss Gibbs punctual to the moment, and she turned the with such nimble fingers that -M-e _g rim spinster was quiw satined with .alid tr Oa',cd her a?ista.nt to a 7*=c fricd bacon and hot cocoa when .her labours were ended, beside the Dl'CCWU3 KI~]K>.HV: agreed upon. Viole- had quite a good breakfast the next uay-orea-d and mar^aiin^, weak tea J from the already twice watered leaves of yesterday, and the unwonted luxury of "a n She felt so much better for it that she determined 'to go for a walk. It was a bright, sunny October day, with a dear -blue skv, jtlst the sort of morning to make one feel hopeful, and Violet forgot her shabbi- ness, her poverty, and trouble in, the glad- ness of the autumn sunshine. She longed to escape from the great city, where everything reminded her of her daily' struggle for work, so she walked out towards Ed gb as ton, and then some impulse made her turn up the Hagley Road and find her way to St. Augustine's Church. The last time she had been there was when she and Nora stood just outside the gatus to watch Rose Lerrimer's wedding pro- fession, and that August afternoon was strangely memorable to Violet. She had aeen that day for the first time Phyllis Avenel, the girl who so strangely resembled -her, she had met Roger Chesney, and shé lad heard of her aunt's accident and hur- led home in time to say "Good-bye" to her. So it came about that Violet could not -1 °°k at St. Augustine's. without special inte- T"at, and hearing the bells still going for before she realised her intention h G turned in at the open door, and took  in one of the back pews which were aheUed ?Free. th 'Vb\ ÐOrncr w?/eo dark that few people in ?t?hei church could have perceived her, but w en a stray sunbeam entered and lit up tbQ aeen? VIolet identified two people in the cong.rcga.hon. Sir Jasper Avenel, who sat in 013C of ithe !t pews, evidently the guest of I & lady &t v- j ? statelv matron in?eta I and furs; and i4:r beh,nd, quite alone, I Roger Chesney the man whose Idndoesa to. her that Saturday at Gm?& End had,cost t her her place at Preston's. Violet came .out before the sermon, think- • bag that, as 800 was so near the door. she could slip away easily; but one person in the church had noticed her sitting in her dark corner, and when she moved towards the door, he followed, so that when Violet passed through the gates he was only just behind, and easily caught her up. "Miss Mu&on! You can't think how often I have wondered how you were getting on. and whether you had received another TCttcr from 'Algernon Winter. The pink colour came rushing into Violet's cheek, then it .faded swiftly, and Roger Chesnev, seeing the pallor and delicacy of her sweet, sad face, knew, without any words of hers, how terribly ehe must have iuttered since their last meeting. » "You look too tired to walk," he said gently, "and there is a great deal I want to say to you, so will you drive back to Bir- mingham with me? We might have lunch together there, and then you can tell me quietly all that has happened to you since the Saturday I met you at Grange End." He hailed a passing cabman, and told him to drive them to the Pantheon Restaurant,' a quiet, respectable place which was always ape;) oa Sundays for two hours in- the middle -of the day, chiefly for the benefit of travellers. "Miss Mason."he said ,very gently, when he saw that Violet had recovered her com- posure, "I am quite sure that you have been in trouble since we met. Now, why didn't you write and tell me!" "I couldn't," she answered simply. "I had no claim on you, Mr Chesney." 7 "I thought we agreed that day at Grange End that we were to be friends, He said J simply. "I can only tell you this, if I had known where t-ofind you, I should have written to ask for news of you. I know that you haw left Preston's, for I asked one c: the press girls, and she told me you went on quite suddenly, no one knew the reason." "1 was sent away," she flushc-d crimson, "the Monday after I la&t saw you. Tho mailager was so angry with me that ho would not give, me a reference, and he put my name on the Black List, so that no one will employ me since." "The brute," exelaimod Roger Chesney, "I'd like to have the punishing of him! But what possible offence did he allege against you? lil had rather not tell you." "But I want to know. Remember you once promised me your friendship. Besides, Miss Mason, I have a little influence in BruIn, and I might be able to hear of some- thing that would tiuit you better than tend- ing a press." Thou Violet told him the truth, and Roger's indignation and self-reproach were great. D "I feel ashamed of myself," he said frankly, "but indeed it never dawned on me that your taking tea with me at Atkins* would have such consequences." "At Preston's they thought I was a spy," said Violet; "that instead of being a work- girl 1 was a friend of yours who bad gone to their factory to find out their secrets and report them to you." "Well, they were right in one thing," said Roger quietly. "I hope you and I are t'riends, but I never in my life came upon such a bare-faced, shameful act of tyranny. I wish to goodness I had known it sooner. £ fowever> I can promise you this, Miss, Mason, in a week, or at most a fortnight, you shall have a' better billet than any Preston's could give you." They were at the Pantheon- now, and he piloted Violet into the dining-room, where about twenty people were sitting at lunch. Roger gave his order, and waited till. the food was brought 'slid Violet had taken some of it before he asked, Have you heard any more from Alger- non Winter'?" "No," she answered promptly, "I think he must have been a. fraud, and guessed be had bean found out from 'your keeping the ap- pointment instead of me." "wen, I went to the agent who had given him the key of Greenlands--a- very decent fellow indeed—and he told me that a Mr. Winter called on him and said he wanted to take a house with large grounds on account of his daughter's delicate health. It was precisely the same stpry that the supposed Winter told me, but there was this peculiar addition to it; at their interview Winter told the agent that he must retain the keys until Monday afternoon, but instead they were returned by post, and the post-mark: showed that they were handed in at the Grand End post-offioe at six o'clock on Saturday." "But does that prove any thin- -different P* asked Violet, vaguely uneasy, but not under- standing his meaning in the least. "I am afraid so. Don't let me frighten you, Miss Mason, but this is my theory: I think that Algernon Winter' must be the enemy of whom your aunt warned you on her death-bed, and for some reason or other he wants to get you into his power. "I believe that if you had kept the ap- pointment at Greenlands, he would have proposed (ift the role of your father) to take you ubVoad on a visit to some friends of his. If you had objected., tome narcotic would have been administered to you, and while you were in a state of insensibility, you would have been removed from Green- lands and taken to some place far away from Brum, where Mr. Winter would have kept you a close prisoner until he had in- duced you to leave the country. "Even now I don't feel sure of his object, but I think you must be the heiress to some property which, but for your existence, would belong eventually to someone dear to him." Violet Mason hesitated a little. "Mr. Chesney," she said slowly, HI feel a-ure that in your own mind you suspect someone you know of being Algernon Winter. "I do," he answered quickly, "but I have not one scrap of' proof to offer in support of my theory." "Is it Sir Jasper Avenel?" "What makes you think of him?" "I hardly know, uuIess it is because he went to see my aunt twice long years ago, and his daughter is what yon call. my 'double.' Sir Jasper's knowing my aunt, and my likeness .to Miss Avenel, seem to say that he may know something .of my story." "I believe Sir Jasper Avenel is your father," said Roger slowly, looking- at Violet intently as he spoke. "Oh, no," the girl's denial was prompt and eager. "I am certain you are wrong; no father would plot to injure his own chi( ld. Besides, you must remember that I have seen Sir Jasper quite half-a-dozen times. If he had been my father, some- thing in my heart must have told me so." Rogiikr Chesney smiled. "I should be glad to think I am wrong," he said, quietly. "I have known Sir Jasper for some time. I have partaken of iiis hospitality, and I simply hate to think that he has played a treacherous part." I "I feel sure he is not Algernon Winter.* Mr. Chesney, I was wishing very much, yesterday that I ceuld see you, because something strange happened to me last Friday, and I wanted to ast your advice." "I will advise you gladly, Miss Mason. If. only "YOU will believe me, I want to J)e your friend and ooussel lor." Violet told Roger everything. She showed him Mrs. Staunton's two letters, and gave him a full account of her visit. to Stafford House, her meeting with Major Munro, and his warning that the wotran who claimed to be Urs. Staunton was really Felicite Gromanza, a half-caste whom it would be iangerous for a girl evejj to know. Roger Chesney looked very grave. « "I never heard: the name of -Gomanz?, in my hfe, but I know enough of Major Munro to be sure h would not have given such a warning without grave necessity." "I felt that ^Major Monro was to be trusted," said' Viol?t, "but, Mr. Chesney, 1 was cruelly disappointed! I' had built" so much on Mrs. Staunton's first letter, for it seemed to • me that I was really going to fiiid my toothy at last." "JThe difappoiiitment must have bf n a blow," said Roger kindly, "but the Major's advice probably saved you from a grave danger. Now, Miss Mason, it may take me a week or two to hoar of just the right thing, but at the end of that time at furthest, I feel sure I shall have found you a suitable post. Will you give me your address and let me write to you? or could you meet me at New Street Station next Saturday afternoon? Perhaps that would be best, for then, even if thero was nothing settled, I could at least tell you what I •, hoped to arrange." Violet promised to meet Mr. Chesney in (the booking office at three o'clock on Satur- day, Roger choosing that hour because it was not a busy time at the great station, as by three most of the people who left off work at two had returned to their homes. r (To oe Continued.)

WAR PENSION BONUSES. In consideration of the high cost of living the War Cabinet has decided that, for the period from November 1, 1918, to June 30, 1919, a war bonus of 20 per cent, shall be added to the ordinary war pensions granted for disablement or death due to war service of disabled men and their children, and the widows and children of deceased men. The increase will apply to treatment and, training allowances fo-r families, and also to those for 'men themselves, except men in, institutions who pay only the nominal sum of 7s. a week for their maintenance. With. certain restrictions it will also -apply to dependents' pensions. The bonus will not apply to alternative pensions, but a widow may draw ordinary pension and allowances for her children white the bonus makes the total higher than the alternative pension.

HOW BOTTLES ARE MADE. In many glass-works, especially thosf equipped for the manufacture of medicine. bottles and similar small goods, the old- fashioned type of furnace is still in use. This furnace consists of a series of smelting-pots, arranged symmetrically in a fireproof brick casing, and heated from all sides by direct fire. These pats are charged and used siie- cessively. ^When the glass ia any given pot baa attained a sufficiently high temrerature, each workman on the shift in turn inserts a long, hollow iron rod, called a blow-pipe, into the mouth of the pot, and by a peculiar twisting motion extracts a sufficient quantity of the molten metal for the manufacture of a bottle. The glass is inserted into the neck of a mould, and the bottle is blown into the required shape. As the bottles are made, they are placed in the "lear," or annealing- stove. This is to defer the cooling, and to prevent uneven tensions in their walls. The "le&r consists of a long tube or tunnel, highly heated at one end, and- gradually de- creasing in temperature to the other. The bottles are dropped into square trays, and' when one tray is filled it is pushed forward to make way for another. An a rule, the cheaper class of goods, such as sauce and ink bottles for the "penny" market, remain in the "lear" for twenty-four hours.

STRANGE COLLECTIONS. Collectors gather together articles more »r less interesting, but probably few go in for such bulky objects as those chosen by a distinguished Britisher. Old doors are the object of his desire. His doors come from old houses, castles, and abbeys of historical interest. Some time ago he obtained, at considerable cost, a door through which, during the French Revolution, Marie An- toinette, Charlotte Corday, Dan ton, and Robespierre passed on their way to the guil- lotine. Probably nobody, of to-diy has a etrong desire to bring together" a great variety of teas andslluffs. Lor£t Petersham, ihowever, a noted man i,ii his day, had a hobby for acquiring various kinds of te., aiiii sniie. AllroCnd his sitting-room were shelves, an the one side laden 0 with canis- ters of Souchong, Eohea, Congoit, Pekoo, Russian, and other teas, and on the other with handsome jars containing every, kind of snuff that the collector could Jay his hands on. The Dowager-Queen of Italy is the possessor^ of an odd collection, one that has the in iest of association. It com- prises the t and! head gear of Royal per- sonages of different periods. It is said "to include a sandal Worn by Nero., a pair of white slippers that belonged to Mary Queen of Scots, shoes worn by Queen Anne and the Empress Josephine, and gloves that were once the property of Mario Antoinette.

THE LARGEST CHEESE. I tThe world's largest cheese, 8ft. in diameter and 5ft. high, weighing slightly over 12,0001b., was recently manufactured at Appjeton, W isconsin, the services of more than foufcy expert cheesemakers and thoir experieneSd helpers being required for the job. The cheese contained exactly 12,0001b. of curd, 3301b. of salt, and 311b. of rennet, making the finished produce weih 12,3611b., three times larger than the bi??e-St cheese ever before manufactured. The curd came from thirty-two different cheese factories, and the milk, 18^000 gallons in quantity, from over 1,200 farmers, was produced by 8,000 pure-bred Holstein and Guernsey cows, valued at 9300,000. The greatest care had to be taken to ensure t'he curd being uni. form..

COSTLY SEASON TICKETS. Seventy years ago, a "season" ticket .between London and Brighton cost XI(po. Subscription-tickets they were called in those days. In 1858 the first-class fare from the metropolis to Carlisle was 56s. 6d., and to Liverpool 45s. A first-class "single" from London to Birmingham originally cost 32s. 6d. Railway tickets at that time were slips of green paper, detached from a counterfoil. On these the booking-clerk laborieusly inscribed the passenger's name and destination.. Later on, metal discs, stamped with station names, were used. These were collected by the guard on the completion of the journey, and returned to the booking-office to be used over again.

Supplies of American apples nave arrived, and will probably be on the market in a few days. In order to abolish child labour, the Ameri- can Federation of Labour and otner Mganisa- tions are advocating the passing of a federal law to tax the products of child labour. Reporting to the Lancashire County Coun- cil, Dr. Cox states that. there appeals to be genera l agreement that one effect of the war has been to increase the prevalence of tuber. culeeia be all th belligerent countries.

I WORSHIP OF THE MONGOLS. 1 Tbe home of many strange tilings, Mon- golia .is almost unique in the queer form that its religious activities take. Indeed, to the Westeirn mind, so grotesque are some aspects of Mongolian worship, that it is im- possible for us to see in them the slightest trace of religious meaning. At certain religious celebrations, the lamas, or priests, array themselves in the quaintest And often the most repulsive garbs. A,t#this p.rtcular festival great religions significance attaches to this curi- ous dance, for which the priests wear huge masks, not at all unlike £ he guy-faces" so dear to the heart of the British boy in November. In Indian file, and decked out in .gorgeous apparel, a certain number of the lamas dance to a queer music, circling round rhythmically alono- white chalked lines. These quaint religious costume- dances are very popular among the people. ————— —————

CHURCH BELLS NOT IN CHURCH. I At Levens the church bells are not hung in tho church itself, as is the universal custom, but following the fashion of the temple bells of Japan, they are hung in the churchyard under a small shelter resembling the roof of a lych-gate. When the time comes for calling the people to church the bells are struck with a wooden mallet, and thus give out a rich and meliow sound. The ringing of the bells in this way does not produce such a volume of sound as the ordinary .chimes struck with metal hammers, but thjs is more than com- pensated by the fact that the churchyard bells, hanging thus in the open air, are not impeded by four walls, and all the sound prcduced can travel afar without restraint. ■— —

I WHERE HEELS COME FROM. I Heels, it is said', owe their origin to Persia, where they were introduced upon sandals, in the shape- of blocks of wood fixed underneath, such being the root idea of those deformities to which woman owes so many of her woes. In Persia, the first home of the heel, however, these blocks of wood were used simply to raise the feet from the burning squids of that country, and were 2in. ltigh. With the Persian women these blocks were vastly higher than those affected by the men, their height being from 18in. to 2ft., thus bccomifig more of the nature of stilts than anything else. Strangely enough, many years after a similar fashion came into vogue in Venice, but the motive in this case was comically different, for by its means jealous husbands thought they would be able to keep their wives at home. The supports of such shoes in Venice were called "chapineys," and to appease the vanity of the ladies, and doubt- less also to sugar the pill, were made highly ornate. The height of these "chapineys" determined the rank of the wearer, an extra coating for the pill, the noblest dames being permitted to wear them half a yard or more high.

i I I DOVER'S ORDEAL. The inhabitants of Dover had a very trying time during the war. The town was attacked by Zeppelins, seaplanes, aeroplanes, destroyers, and submarine. The first bomb from a German aeroplane was dropped during the forenoon at the back of St. James's Rectory on the day before Christmas, 1914. The Dover anti-aircraft R"N.V.P. who were disbanded in 1916, were the first in England to illuminate a Zeppelin on August 9, 1915, when three sailors were injured. The Zeppelin was winged, and came down at Ostend. Dover had 113 warnings; on twenty-nine occasions bombs and shells were dropped in the town itself, and on several other occasions it was only the ter- i-ific-barrage put up that sa%vd the town. The first moonlight raid took place on Janu- ary 22, 1916, when one man was killed and two men, one woman, and three children injured. The record number of bombs dropped in one night was forty-two, on September 24, 1917, during a night bombardment. Sixty-one shells were fired, only one falling in the town, the others falling in the surrounding country. On February 16., 1918, during another bom- bardment, twenty-two shells fel) in the town one child killed and three injured, and a man and woman injured. The total number of bombs dropped on the town was 185j whilst the shells numbered twenty-three; four men, seven women, and three children beiYig killed, and eleven men, twenty-three women, and twelve children in- jured. The casualties to the men of the ser- vices are not available. The damage done amounted to about £ 30,COO.

WILD ANIMALS AT SEAl I The dangers and difficulties of transport- ing wild animals from foreign climes to this country are tremendous, yet considerable cargoes of this troublesome freight are handled every year. One English dealer recently came over from India with various animals to the value of at least £ 2,000. The weather was rough, and among the animals that got loose were a tiger, an Indian badger, and a specimen of the sacred Indian monkey. Several sailor endeavoured to catch the tiger; and af.;er being loose foi two days, and badly mauling one man, it was eventually recaptured. The Indian badger was loose for a fortnight, and no one could conceive where it had hidden itself, although it always managed to consume the meat and rice which 'was put out for it. As for the sacre d monkey, every time anvone ran after it, it went to The top of the most, and it was not before the end J. of the voyage that it could be^nduced to descend. A more dangerous experrtfnee was the occasion of a hyena breaking loose on board a ship from the PeMBap Gulf to London. The captain o:rdered e beast to be shot, but it could not be found. The crew became very nervous, and it was decided to leave food about and to keep the creature well fed, to prevent it attacking anyone. When the boat was docked, and the cargo unloaded, the creature was found in the hold alive and in good condition.

Special schools for consumptive children are to be established by the London County Council. The Board of Agriculture has arranged with the Sheffield Corporation for the use of land fbr experiments with respect to the effect of smoky atmospheres on the growth of pota- toes, and the effect of spraying on produce grown under such conditions.. Lov€ Kyllachy, who was a judge cf the Scottish Bench irom 1889 to 1907, has died at the age of seventy-six.

OTHER MEN'S MINDS. To punish the wrongdoer is an essential part, of the upholding of the judgment of God.—Bishop of London. THE MEN WHO KNOW.' If it depended on sailors and soldiers wars tvould cease for all time.—Admiral Six Rosslyn Wemyss. THE BURDEN-BEARERS. Our young men will have to shoulder their responsibilities at a much earlier age than in the pa-st.G-eneral Sir William" Robert- son. "VENGEANCE IS MINE." We now cry out for vengeance on the guilty, but do not let us forget that God has already punished more than any human tribunal can do.-I)ean Inge. NO DISTINCTION. Christianity makes no distinction in favour of the victorious against the van- quished.—Lord Parmoor. STILL THE SAME. Pessimists may be assured that the British are the same gallant, dhivalrous race they always have been.—Lord Shuttleworth. ONLY CAMOUFLAGE. The apparent stupidity of the Englishman is a useful camouflage in many cases. He looks like a fool and talks like a fool, but when he has his back to the wall he wakes up; it has very nearly ruined ns again and again.-Dean Inge. I A HEALTHY SIGN. I What is' called industrial unrest is one of I the healthiest signs of the time,3.Lord Leverhulme.. A"" I I I-  o;  EARLY TO RISE. I For a great part of my professional <.år1 I used to get up at half-past four. I came to the conclusion that it was a dog's life, and gave it up.—Sir Edward Carson. LIMITATION OF ARMAMENTS. The size of an army and navy reasonable for nations to retain should be fixed before the German navy leaves Scotland and the British Army leaves the Rhine.—Sir Edgai Jonee. AS A WARNING. Let the public punishment of these (Ger- man) malefactors be such that the ■frhole civilised world may know that a similar fate • awaits any future aggressor, and a great step will have been taken to ensure a per- manent peace.—Sir L. Worthington Evans. WHEN THEY COME HOME. The Government Wants to bring our .soldiers back to clean, healthy, happy British homes, not Bolshevist pigstyes.—Mr. Chnrchill. A GOOD TRAINING. Any woman who has been a guardian to qualified to be a disagreeable..and therefore a successful member of Parliaisent.^Mr. Birrell. A SHAKESPEARE ALLIANCE. If only for the perpetuation of Shakes- peare's works, England and America should enter into a joint stock co-partnership.— Hon. James Beck. GERMANY MUST P„4T. I am entirely for Germany paying every -I cent. of the cost of the war. Tenderness to the Hun is not, and never has (been, one of my faults.—Sir Eric Geddes. A TOURING 'PARLIAMENT. I should like to see the Parliament of the English-speaking peoples go the rounds of England, America, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.—Major Evelyn Wrench. IN THE SCULLERY. I In the new type of house the scullery must not have a cooking range, otherwise people will live there.—Professor Adshead. THE HOUSING MINIMUM. With few exceptions every house should have at least three bedrooms, a parlour? living room, scullery, end bathroom.—Mr. B. S. Rowntree. THE "GENTLEMANLY" TURK. Never again should the Turk be allowed to rule over one single soul in the world. All the talk about the gentlemanly Turk is the greatest rot.—Bishop of London. I STOCK IS MONEY. Our national Debt before thje war was £ 700,000,000; in t Prance to-day we have property of higher value than that figure. We ,hare enough railway stoek and material there to complete two of the biggest rail- ways in this country.—Sir Eric Goddes. I BISHOPS AND POLITICS. Bishops may bo estimable gentlemen per- sonally, but politically and collectively they are a curse to the country. They have no place in politics They ought to go back to the Church to which they belong.—Sir A. Conan Doyle. ) BRITAIN AND AMERICA. Friendship between the twon great English-speaking democracies is of- priceless advantage to this country, and, as I Hiink? to the world at large, and must on no ac- count be endangered or impaired.—Lord Robert Cecil. I THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. I believe a league WIll t>e required to superintend and control not only tae crimi- nal ambitious of great autocr but tq prevent any rash and inconsiderate conn- tties going to war. It is impotssible to tialk about democracies except for countries which have reached a relatively advanced stage of civilisation. The League could be a trustee for those less developed. Holding this view, I regard the League as the greatest work of the Conference.—Mr. Bal- f our. I ALL IN THE VAN. I Practibalv every country in tlle world I thinks it is" in advance of it3 neighbours—if in nothing else, in the position of its woomen.-Ptofeasor Gilbert Murray.

ZEBRAS AS WATER DIVINERS. A curious change has taken place in the habits of the African buffalo, says a tra- veller. Since the rinderpest deeimatêd the herds, the buffalo, which formerly came out in the daytime, now remains out all night instead. It S possible that this change of habit is a protective device, as the fly which, carried the disease is diurnal. The zebra has somewhat remarkable water-divining powers. A good deal of the African water flows underneath the soil and quite out of sight. The animals dig up the soil with their hoofs when they need water, and they have never been known to make a mistake in their quest.