The Aberdare Times

#cr faniiOK tiorvfsponiici't, right to state that v;c -3 not at nil timw v ouraeJt-i with our Corresp-'wlent's opinions The nj«.tter-of-fact waves of everyday life have again rolled back upon Parliament the business of the world claims attention notwithstanding political lassas-ination or private sorrows aud in the light of the recent tenible events there is another illustration of the truth of that oft-quoted saying of Edmund Burke when he mourned the loss of his sm, What shadows we are, and what shadows we pursue Those who are acquainted with the beautiful scenery of Derbyshire, and have had the privilege of ad- mitÎng tha ma^niScence of Chats worth, must often have been inclined to think that if happine;a was to be fo'nd upon the surface of the earth, it surely tp.tist be In that princely eeat of one of Eng- land's vreatesr, nobles. Far back in England's history tbs mustrious name of Cavendish stood out in honour. able prominence upon the national escutcheon; but Apart from such distinguished antecedents there could not have been the heart of a man in a Christian land who did not sympathise with the aged Duke of Devon- shire in the sudden and unexpected blow which fell upon him, after he had lived in the world three- quarters of a century, more especially as the victim of the cruel deed was the very last man whom any one would have suspected of falling beneath the knife of the agxavoin. But, as already remarked, the active work of the wotid is bound to go on, no matter who may be living and moving upon its surface. Even at the death of the Sovereign the wheels of State do not stand still for a single instant. The King is dead long live the King Sorrow for the departed gives way to ac- clamations for his successor. While the murdered Chief Secretary for Ireland lay unburied, the quietude which characterised our Parliamentary life seemed abnormal. It was certainly out of the common. It was only a night or two before that he had been sitting on the Treasury Bench, the embodiment of courtesy, the pattern of official civility. The spirit of the departed seemed to linger about the place. But now that the earth in the sequestered churchyard of Edensor has closed over the remain", the benches are again Crowded, and the roof of the House of Commons rings with the triumphant shout of the Ministerialists, the ringing cheer of the Opposition, and the ironical laughter of the Home Rulers. The brilliant summer weather has completely changed the aspect of London. It has made the Parks and tne suburban gardens put on their best dress, and has brought people up to town with a celerity which is not often witnessed in the middle of May. It is true that the recent Drawing Rooms held by the Queen had their suecess clouded by the tragical event in Pheinix Park; but having been long fixed, they could not Iwell be postponed at a few hours' notice. The Prince of Wales will, however, hold a levie at St. James's Palace on the 22nd, and the fashionable life of London, whioh has been in a state of partial sus- pense, will again pursue the flood tide of ita activity. Between now and the Ascot Race week, which is gene- rally in the middle of June, is the best time of the Lon- don season and by the third week in July, when we .hall have arrived at "glorious GGodwood," it will once more have seen the best of its days and entered upon the wane. Thus far the season has been rather unfortunate. The death of the Duchess of Albany's sister was swiftly followed by the tragedy in Dublin. The first incident called away the King and Queen of the N stherlands before they could keep their engagement with the Lord Mayor at Guildhall, and the second cast a gloom everywhere over aristo- cratic and fashionable life. This, however, is likely to be dissipated as the days go by. It may be mentioned that amongst the distinguished visitors to London has lately been the Crown Prince of Denmark, the brother of the Princess of Wales. Princess Louise leaves us for Canada on the 25th, after a sojourn of nearly two years in this country. Her Uojal Highness came over in July, 1880, not many we-ks after the general election, since which time momentous events have happened. In the early days of August in that year, when Mr, Gladstone lay seriously ill at his official residence in Downing-street, the Princess was one of the first to make a personal call of inq ury after the condition of the right hon. gentleman. The health of her Royal Highness appears now to have been sufficiently restored to enable her once more to face the climate of Canada, which must be rather trying to a delicate constitution. The term of years for which a Governor-General of the Canadian Dominion is usually appointed, is five, and in the case of the Marquis of Lome, his rule would expire at the end of 1883, be having first landed at Halifax on the 25th of November, 1878. The recent Ministerial changes have involved an extensive redistribution of offices in the subordinate ranks of the Government. It is a considerable conve- nience that the Under-Secretaries of State and the Secretaries to most of the Departments can be moved from one to the other without the necessity of appealing to their constituents for re-election. They do not hold their offices directly from the Crown, but are techni- cally appointed by the heads of the Departments-the Secretary to the Admiralty, for instance, by the First Lord and the Secretary to the Treasury by the Lord High Treasurer, or, in modern phraseology, the Prime Minister. Yet although nominally the subordinates of their chiefs, these officials hold more important and responsible posts than many of their colleagues, who, at half their salary, are technically Ministers of the Crown, and have to appeal to their constituents on appointment to an office in the Government. The Civil Lord of the Admiralty, for example, with £1,000 a year, is a Minister; the Secretary, who expounds and defends the policy of the department in the House of Commons, is not a Minister, and receives a salary of je2,000ayear. One of the prettiest sights to be seen in London during the Season is the meet of the Four-in-hand Club, or of its kindred organization, the Coaching Club. The trysting-place is generally near the Maga- zine, in Hyde Park, and it is the resort of thousands of persons. The spectacle of 25 or 30 coaches in procession, with the very best blood that money can produce, and with the ribbons handled by representa- tives of an old nobility, is one which is at all times attractive, and especially eo on a fine summer day, when the vegetation in the Park is in all its glory. Long lines of carriages are drawn up and while the Prince of Wales often enough occupies a seat on the box of one of the coaches, the Princess and her three daughters may be seen in one of the carriages whose occupants watch the proceedings with so much interest. The procession of vehicles winds its way sometimes to the Crystal Palace, at other times to the Alexandra, and anon to Twickenham, at either place to enjoy luncheon on the part of those who combine to make up the favoured company it is almost un- necessary to say that luncheon under such circum- stances can be very well enjoyed just now. Her Majesty's Theatre, at the bottom of the Hay- market, has long rivalled Drury-lane and Covent Garden in the standard of high excellence which characterises its attractions. During the last few days, however, there has been so much else to think about and to talk about that Wagner's new Opera has not had the prominence which otherwise would have been assigned to it. Still, lovers of music have had a plenty to criticise in those peculiar qualities that distinguish Wagner's compositions and the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh, who are exerting themselves so strenuously to establish a Royal College of Music, have headed the long list of representatives of society, who have listened to every note of Wagner's latest production. While German Opera thus commands so much attention at Her Majesty's, it is also the pro- Ilramme at Drury-lane, where Lohengrin has been produced. At Covent Garden Italian Opera still holds its own, and Madame Adelina Patti is again the bril- liant star in a firmament full of cultured intellect and radiant with beauty. The rules of Parliamentary procedure, on which the House cf Commons has bestowed so many nights this session, have now to stand aside until the new legis- lation for Ireland is disposed of and, if a judg- ment is to be arrived at from past experience, it is difficult to say when they will again be reached. Whitsuntide will now speedily be here, and with it the customary break in legislative business. Thus far not much has keen done towards shaping into statutes of the realm the measures men- tioned in the Queen's Speech on the 7th of February but it is probable that when the House of Commons reassembles after Whitsuntide, when there are no more holidays until the prorogation, members will hsnd their oars to the task before them. It would redound to th- credit of neither side to look back upon a barren session, and although the prospeet just now is not a promising one, there is yet time for much to be done. Lord Palmerston once declared that he would keep Parliament sitting until Obristn-as in order that it might accomplish the task which he had set before it, but, needless to say, there was no necessity to do so. The work was got through, if not by the time of partridge shooting, cer- tainly before the date fixed for the sacrifice of pheasants.

FATAL COLLIERY EXPLOSION. An explosion of fire-damp took place on Monday night at Udston Colliery, near Hamilton, whereby three men were killed and eight others have been seriously injured. Two miners named Morrison, father and son, were at the time driving a place through to the back drift in the main coal seam, the manager, William Archibald, and the oversman, John Bolton, stiperinteiuiing the operations. The miners broke through earlier than was anticipated and an explosion followed. The two Morrisons and Archibald, the manager, were killed, and the other men were badly burnt. The day shift had mostly left the pit, only 30 being down at the time of the explosion.

SUPPOSED ATTEMPT TO BLOW UP THE LONDON MANSION HOUSE. About a quarter-past nine o'clock on Friday night in last week, as two young men were parsing through Church-passage at the rear of the Mansion House, they observed a parcel hanging on the kitchen railings. It is stated that attached to this parcel was a coarse sort of fuse or string, which had been steeped in paraffin, the end of which was alight. One of the voung men calling to mind the event of March, 16, 1881, immediately proceeded to look for a policeman the other remained to see if any one ap- proached. A constable having been found was brought to the spot, and afser extinguishing the spark, removed the parcel, which weighed between fifteen and sixteen pounds, and conveyed it to the Upper Thames street Police-station. The contents of the canister were subjected to careful examination on Monday by a gentleman well acquainted with the nature and appearance of the various known explosives. He states that the com- pound consists principally of common blasting powder. He found no trace of nitro-glycerine in any shape, and though the gunpowder had been mixed with another substance, the nature of which was not familiar to him, he ascertained that this latter in- gredient was not of a destructive character.

At a meeting of the Court of Common Council, on Monday, at which the Lord Mayor presided, Mr. Wheeler, Chairman of the City Lands Committee, referring to the recent attempt to injure the Mansion House, said it was most desirable that the Court should do what it could to put an end to such wicked and dastardly outrages; and he therefore moved that a reward of JS500 be offered for the apprehension and conviction of the person or persons concerned in the recent attempt to blow up the Mansion House.—The resolution was seconded by Sir John Bennett, and carried.

The following is the text of the proclamation issued by the Lord Mayor in reference to the reward Whereas, on the evening of Friday, the 12th instant, a package containing explosive materials, and having attached to it a lighted fuse, was, by some evil disposed person, affixed to a window at the back of the Mansion House, notice is hereby given that a reward of JE500 will be paid by the Corporation of London, in addition to any sum onered oy tier Majesty's Government, for such information as shall lead to the apprehension and conviction of the person or persons by whom the act was committed. Informa- tion to be given at the Detective Office of the City of London Police, Old Jewry."

A FATAL BOILER EXPLOSION. On Saturday a disastrous boiler explosion occurred at Messrs. F. W. and W. A. Barrows's blue brick works, Great Bridge, near Dudley, resulting in the death ef three persons and injuries to four others. The workpeople were going about their work as usual at a quarter to seven o'clock, when they were startled by the sudden explosion of a large boiler which helped to work the 50-horse power grinding engine. The boiler, which lay horizontally alongside the engine-house, was forced out of its seating, the great bulk of it going through the drying sheds and alighting fifty yards away, while one end was blown clean out and was carried nearly eighty yards in the opposite direction. The por- tion which came through the works caused great havoc to both life and property. A young man named John Perry was wheeling a barrow through the sheds, when he was. uddenly covered with the falling débria of the drying sheds. On being extricated he was dead, his head having been shattered and his body frightfully mangled. His sister, Lavina Perry, about 19, yeais of age, was coming out of the office at the entrance of the works at the time the bulk of the boiler descended. She was struck by it. and also by bricks, and killed instantaneously. # Her mangled body presented a ghastly sight, being picked up almost headless and armless, and the trunk terribly muti- lated. S'-une workmen who ran to the scene hurriedly threw a horse-cloth over the remains of the girl Perry, and then went to search among the rnins for other victims. A young man named John Coley, 23, the fireman, was discovered badly cut about the head, and two others, named Randall and Yarnall, were scalded by hot water from the exploded boiler. Several medical gentlemen were soon in attendance, and the injured, after they had been car«d for, were removed to their homes, with the exception of Ooley, whose injuries were so serious that he was taken to West Bromwich District Horpital, and it was feared he could not recover. The bodies of Perry and his sister were removed to the Wednesbury Mortuary. In addition to the employis who were killed and in- jured, Mr. Isaac Clifton, charter-master at a neigh- bouring colliery, was killed by a brick hurled by the force of the explosion. He was standing on the pit bank, 150 yards away, giving instructions to his men, when, seeing some bricks flying in the air, he ran down the pit bank, towards the hovel for safety, but before reaching the door a projectile caught him on the side of the bead. His skull was seriously frac- tured, and he died in a few minutes without uttering a word. His body was conveyed in his own trap-in which he bad only just driven up to the colliery-to his late home, the "Cottage Spring" Inn, Dudley Port, the distress of the family being very great on learning of the sad occurrence. Bricks were also thrown through the roofs ef different buildings in the locality, but happily no one else was injured. In Messrs. Barrow's works the drying-sheds and other erections have been reduced to ruins. The boiler was a tubular one, about 22ft. long, and 5ft .in diameter, and was not four years old. Messrs. Barrows have not had it above two years, previous to which it had only been slightly used. The engineer, William Jepson, was at his post at the time, and when the boiler exploded he was slackening the speed of his engine to enable the workman to clear away some stones which were clogging the grinding rolls. He escaped with injuries. The boiler was not insured, though it was regularly examined. The works were established in 1866, and this sad occurrence is the first of the kind that has happened at them. Mr. Clifton has left a widow and six children, all grown up, while the young man Perry has left a widow and a child of 21 years unprovided for. Coley was the support of his invalid father and aged mother. The damage to the buildings is estimated at nearly jSl,000 and is not covered by insurance. The scene h IS been visited by large crowds of people, and great sympathy is expressed with the relatives of the killed and maimed, and also with the proprietors of the works.

CUTTINGS FROM AMERICAN PAPERS. The burial casket," says a Chicago funeral notice, II was made to conform, as far as possible, with the comfort the occupant was wont to surround himself with in the home he left." Aunt. Has anyone been at the preserves? Dead silence. "Have you touched them, Jimmy?" Jimmy, with the utmost deliberation.—" Pa never 'lows me to talk at dinner." The absent-minded hen is a great trouble to herself' She forgets where she laid her last egg. He had owned a setter dog and this was the story he told Yes, sir; the way that dog was devoted to me was just amazing. Why, he heard me say to my wife that I was pressed for money and he went and died the day before the dog tax was assessed." Boston claims to have the toughest biscuit in the world. We hope it will be reserved for the mastication of th3 man of the toughest yarn. It was brought to America in 1630 by Robert Pierce and Ann, his wife, in the good ship Mary and John, Captain Squeb. A Terre Haute boy of tender years and heart has drowned seventeen kittens, tied pans to the tails of nine dogs, brushed his father's new silk hat against the grain, and blown up a pet canary with a fire cracker-all in a month, and still hia mother intends him for the pulpit. Do you like novels ? asked Miss Fitzgerald of her backwoods lover. I can't say," he replied I never had any but I tell you I'm death on possum." "Very good, but rather too pointed," as the fish said when he swallowed the bait. 1, there any perceptible improvement in a cater- pillar when he turns over a new leaf ? Conjugal amenities He-" My darling, I really believe my rheumatism has wholly disappeared." She "Oh, I am so sorry! Now we shall never know when the weather is going to change." Well, said the judge, to an old negro who had been hauled up for stealing a pullet, what have you to say for yourseli ?"—"Nuffin" but dis I was crazy as a ben bug when I stole dat ar pullet, cos I might have stole a big hen, and never done it. Dat shows 'clusively dat I was laborin' under de delirium tremendus." A couple were recently married in Indiana, after fourteen years' courtship, during which they had each written and received two letters per week, or a total of two thousand nine hundred and twelve B. is a hale old bachelor of sixty, ordinarily with white hair. The other day a friend met him. exclaimed, at seeing his purple black locks, "Hows this? Have you taken to dyeing?" "Oh, no, replied B., but I am in deep mourning." A Tennessee negro ate two raw mackerel, two dozen hard boiled eggs, and drank two buckets of water. Make him aick ? Oh, no 1 He wanted more. You see he was a week doing it. A well-known merchant was walking down to busi ness on April 1, when he was accosted by a gamin, who shouted out "Say, mister, there's suthin' on your coat-tail." "Yes, I know-buttons," said the merchant, mindful of All Fools' Day. When he got into the office, and his partner quietly removed a dish- cloth from his coat, he felt like apologizing to the amallboy. "See here," said a fault-finding husband to his wife, ''we must have things arranged in this house so that we shall know juit where everything is kept." "With all my heart," she sweetly answered, "and let us begin with your late hours, my love; I should dearly like to know where they are kept." [He let things run on as usual.] Young man, do not wait until you can afford a helionjeter before starting out housekeeping. A helio- meter costs 10,000 dols. and is good for nothing except for the observation of the transit of Venus. And after you are married you won't care much pbout that,

A BREACH OF PROMISE CASE. In the High Court of Justice, Queen's Bench Divi. sion, before Mr. Baron Huddleston and a Common Jury, the cause of Dods v. Woollett has been heard, and was made an action to recover damages for a breach of promise to marry. Mr. Grantham, Q C., and Mr. Witt were for the plaintiff, and the defendant was not represented by counsel. Mr. Witt, in opening the case, said that the plaintiff was Miss Alice Dods and the defendant was William Charles Woollett. The plaintiff in her pleadings alleged that the defendant in 1877-8 and 9 promistd to marry her and the defendant pleaded that he was an infant in 1877, that he had been discharged from his promise, and so on but within the last few days these defences had been withdrawn, and an order had been made by consent at Chambers, so that now the only question was the amount of damages to be awarded to the plaintiff. She was a young lady who resided at Brixton she had lost her mother, an't her father was an inmate of a lunatic asylum. In 1876 she met the defendant, who then lived with his parents at Brixton, and was at that time an officer in the militia, and was looking forward to obtain- ing a commission in the regular army. After the acquaintance had continued for about twelvemonths the defendant proposed to marry the plaintiff, and his proposal was accepted. The intimacy con- tinued through 1878 9, and in 1878 the defendant was fortunate enough to obtain a commission in the 27th Regiment of Foot. He, however, was much troubled by finding that this regiment was at Hung Kong, and by receiving orders to join it there. The vessel was to sail in August, and the defendant tried to marry the plaintiff so that he might take her with him. He went to St. Saviour's Church, Brix- ton, but found that they could not be married there because neither of them resided in the district. He then tried to get married at Lewisham, but the vessel was to sail before the marriage could be celebrated, and the defendant had to depart for Hong Kong but from that place he wrote to the plaintiff in terms of the most ardent affection, and said that if he could not get an exchange he should resign his commission and come home and marry the plaintiff. This cor- respondence, having gone on for about twelvemonths, suddenly stopped, and at length the plaintiff heard that the defendant had married another lady. The defendant was now a lieutenant in the 108th Regiment of Foot, was located at Enniskillen, in Ireland, and was therefore in a good social position. The learned counsel said he asked not for extrava- gant, but for substantial damages, Miss Dods, the plaintiff, was called, and said that she now resided with her sister at Brixton, and she was now twenty-four. She first became acquainted with the defendant in 1876, and he then lived with his father and mother at Brixton. His father was a surveyor. When she had known him about a year he made her an offer of marriage, and she accepted him. Their parents approved of it. Mr. Baron Huddleston What was your father?— A clerk in the Custom-house. She and her sister had an allowanoe of about £ 100 a year in respect of her father. On Nov. 12, 1877, she received a letter from the defendant, in which he addressed her as My own darling old Alice," and said, "I have just come from the post-office, but there was no letttr from you. How is it that you have not written to me at all this week, darling? Please, Alice dear, write to me at onoe," and he signed himself, Believe me to remain till death, your most loving and affectionate Charlie." On the 14th September, 1878, he wrote, My own darling old pet Alice," promised to see he*, and talked of their having a nioe little dwelling, andBaid, "I pic- ture to myself my little home, and can imagine my duck at that window waiting for her darling"—(a laugh) and he subscribed himself "Bver yoir own loving Charley." He sailed on the 21st August, 1879, to join his regiment at Hong Kong, and he proposed that they should be married before they went. On the day before he was to sail she received a telegram from him, in which he said that he had heard from the clergyman, and said further, "Not in the district. Beg Alec go and arrange district church, Brockley. Will be at his office 10.30." She went with him to the parish church, Brixton, on the morning of the 21st, to see if they could be married. He said they had not been long enough in the district, and then he sailed for Hong Kong. He wrote to her from that place on the 10th October, calling her My own darling old Alice," and said, Oh. dear, if you could only know how anxious and nervous I am away from you, dear, to know that you are all right," and he added, I like the regiment very much, dear; the officers are very nice fellows, and gave U8 a warm welcome, dear. Hong Kong is a very warm place and I shall be glad to get home to my own girl. I am very unhappy away from you, and long to get home to my little pet." In the next, month he said, I, 1 have made up my mind that I will resign my commission in January, so as to get hack to my darling one, as I cannot stand being away much longer, dariiti^ and when he arrived he said Nothing in the world will ever take me away from you so long as I live;" and he said further, "As you read this, darling, try and fancy that I have my hands round your neck, and telling you this myself, with kisses, dear." And the conclusion was Be- lieve me ever until death your own loving and affectionate Charley." In another letter the defend- ant said "If you ould only think, darling, what I would give to get back again. I was thinking last night as I went to bed if I could only get away I would give five years of my life, darling." In February, 1880, he said: "I do not think I can stand this cruel separation long. If my people do not do something I ahall have to resign." A week later he sent welcome news," that he should be able to go into the 108th. The last letter from him was dated August 29, 1880. He still called the plaintiff My own darling old Alice," and he concluded, L Believe me, my dear, your own darling until death, Charley." She wrote her last letter to him in answer to this, and left off writing in consequence of his mother telling her that he wished the engagement to be broken off. She afterwards heard that he had married. To Mr. Baron Huddleston: This was about a year ago. The defendant had no income but his pay. His father was in a good position he kept a pony-chaise and a page-boy, and lived in a house of abuut £10 a year. Mr. Alexander C. Dods, the plaintiff's brother, gave evidence as to the engagement, and said that he believed that the defendant's pay was about JEM a year. Mr. Witt said he Relieved that it waa B120. A gentleman upon she floor of the court here stepped forward, and said that he was the father of the defen- dant, and would give evidence if allowed to do so. He added that he had a telegram from the defendant on the previous day, and had not time to arrange for having counsel. In answer to questions from his lordship, he said that his son's pay w as, he believed, 6s. 6d. a day, and he had no means of his own besides this. He was now married. Did he get any money with his wife?—Not one farthing. The defendant was married at Hong Kong in October, 1880, and without the knowledge of wit. ness. Did you approve of his engagement to the plain- tiff ?—Yes. He must qualify to this extent. When he found that they were engaged he did not oppose; but at first he did object to the engagement. Mr. Baron Huddleston, in summing up, said that both the plaintiff and the defendant's father had given their evidence very well, and with an entire absence of anything like ill feeling. The jury gave a verdict for the plaintiff for JC200.

BRADLAUGH MEETING IN HYDE- PARK. On Sunday afternoon a demonstration by the mem- bers of the whole of the Radical Working Men's Clubs of London, the London Trades < Council, and other trade organizations took place in Hyde-park in support of the Constitutional right of North- ampton to its full representation in the House of Commons, and to protest against the continued illegal ex elusion of Mr. C. Bradlaugh, M.P., from the seat in that House to which he has been thrice duly elected." There were, it has been estimated, not less than 60,000 persona present. Some of the clubs marched in procession to the park with their bands and banners. Mr. Bradlaugh, who was enthusiatically cheered, in the course of his address, said he meant to fight the question of constitutional right involved in his exclusion until he won it. Those whose sympathy and support he should have when he went to the table of the House—as go he should—(cheers)—and who would record their protest against the illegal and un- constitutional action of the House, which was subver- sive of their rights as well tf, of those of Northampton- he invited to signify their intentions by holding up their hands. Nearly every hand was held up in the vast gathering, which then quietly dispersed amid cheers for Bradlaugh.

THE LABOUR MARKET. Latest reports exhibit no fresh feature of interest in the labour market. The amount of business done in all the staple industries is fairly good, and, as the trade returns for April prove, there are signs of im- provement in the iron trade, and both foreign and home demands for immediate supply are increasing. There is an improvement in the lock trade; in fact all the hardware industries are busy, and the opera- tives in all the branches are well employed. In the woollen market the tone is, on the whole, good, and the carpet trade is somewhat better, there being ex- tensive orders for export. The cotton industry is dull, and there prevails a gloom in all its branches, but in the opinion of the manufacturers it will only be of a temporary character. No improvement can be reported in the coal trade in all the districts short time is being brought into operation. All the metropolitan industries are fairly busy, and in several of them the operatives are agitating for an advance of wages. In the West of England and South Wales the trade of the past week has shown more activity.

LEAVINS THEM TO SETTLE IT I-On the Boulevard in Paris a crowd gathered round a lady and a hack- man, who are engaged in a lively discussion over the question of the fare. Suddenly a gentleman of rigid countenance and official bearing cleaves his passage through the crowd and says sternly Here, here what's all this row about ? What's the matter ? —" The matter is that this woman owes me fur driving her around for two hours, and won't pay me for more than an hour and a half. Ha Well, madam, what you have to say to this? Let us hear your side of the question."—"I took this man's carriage just an hour and a half ago, and I'm willing to pay him for that, but not a centime more."—" Hum Well, driver, you are sure there's no mistake—that it's two houra ?"—" Quite sure, your honour."—" Well, and you won't pay him for more than an hour and a half ? "—The stranger reflects for a moment and then says severely Well, settle it be- tween yourselves it's none of my business," and walka rapidly away. JU J —————

THE SALVATION ARMY-OPENING OF A NEW CONGRESS HALL. The second triennial Congress of the Salvation Army was commenced on Saturday afternoon last in the National barracks and Congress-hall, Lower Clapton, which were then first opened to the Army and the public. „ At a cost of £15,000 for parchase-money, and of 27,873 expended upon alterations, additions, and fit- tings, the disused London Orphan Asylum, founded by the late Rev. Dr. Andrew Reed, father of the late Sir Charles Reed, has been acquired and adapted to the purposes of the Army, the edifice originally cost- ing JE60,000, apart from its Bite of two freehold acres of ground, now estimated to be worth jB8,500 for build- ing purposes. The Congress-hall, designed to seat 4,700 persons, has been formed by the demolition of the cbapelry of the orphanage, by excavating the quadrangle to a depth of six feet, and by covering the central space 143ft. by 108ft.—with a roof constructed of wood and iron, suppoited on feur iron columns. The ceiling is mostly of glass, which imparts to the hall a light- some aspect—an appearance that is enhanced by the light-tinted painting of this part of the building. The centre portion of the floor of the hall is 75ft. by 40ft., and from this rises a surrounding gallery. There are eight entrances, connected with a fireproof concrete corridor. The right wing is appropriated as training barracks for men, and the left for women. On the ground floor are large rooms fitted for classes, dining rooms, offices, ko. Beneath these are ample rooms suitable for drill, washing, baking, and other work while on tha upper flo»r are bedrooms for cadets' — that is, students for the work of the army, and the ataff. At the opening service on Saturday afternoon leveral hundreds of "lieutenants," "majors," and privatef, from all parts of the country, congregated on the platform, and the hall was crowded with an audienee that must have considerably exceeded 5,000, while in the evening hundreds were unable to obtain admittance. The officers, from General Booth, who presided, downwards, wore full uniform, with medals, and deoarationa. Flags were held aloft in different parts of the hall, and were waved along with the hand- kerchiefs of the general assemblage, when the songs sung-mostly to popular tunes-reached the choruses. The vocal music was accompanied by a brass band some hundred instruments strong, besides which stringed instruments served further to swell the volume of sound. In prayer, as well as praise, the Salvationists joined with remarkable vigour, earnestness, and unanimity, their religious fervour finding frequent vent in ejaculations of. "Halleujah," "I do believe," and "Amen." General Booth, in his opening remarks, reviewed the work and development of the army since its last war congress "in 1878. They had now 645 officers at work as against 88 then 304 stations as against 50 in 1878 and 15,393 speakers as against 1,086, while the weekly circulation of the War Cry and Little Soldier was 320,000. Their training homes had sent out 262 officers, and they hoped to send a much greater number when their new home was fairly got into working order. He added that they were very fortunate in obtaining that building, and that the necessary altera- tions, additions, and fittings had been executed with the greatest care and economy mainly by Salvation Army labourers. Not at) oath had been heard during the progress of the works, and not a single acci- dent had happened. The General appealed earnestly to the audience for subscriptions to clear uff the debt of 7,000 which existed on the building that they were met to dedicate to the cause of Christ, and in response Mr. T. A. Denny offered a subscription of 1,000 guineas, which was followed with another of 500 guineas from Mr. E. Denny, another donation of JE500 was promised, and amidst immense enthusiasm— evinced in waving of banners and handkerchiefs, and in cheers and shouts of "Hallelujah," other sums were subscribed in amounts from JS100 downwards, till in the course of an hour £4,500 had been either paid or promised, leaving only £ 2,500 to leave the building clear of debt. At the evening meeting, which was described as a Great Musical Festival and Exhibition of Trophies," the greater part of the proceedings was occupied with solo and chorus singing to the accompaniment of the band. An address was delivered by Mr. S. A. Blackwood, in which he stated that the Salvation Army was teaching many useful lessons to the churches. They were, he thought, learning a great deal about female ministry which had been left out of sight for some time, they were learning a good deal about a happier religion, and about a free and easy religion. The religion of many people was like Lazarus when he was bound hand and foot in grave clothes; they could not serve God except by stereotyped forms. He did not see why, if it was right to have processions in God's service two thousand years ago, it should be wrong to have them now. He had seen, an old sermon lately from the text- These that have turned the world upside down, have come hither also and the preacher had divided it into three heads. 1. The world must be turned upside down, for it was wrong side uppermost. 2. The world must be turned, for it cannot turn itself. 3. The world must be turned, and we are the men to do it. That was the Salvation Army exactly. (Cries of "Hallelujah," in response to the General's command to fire a volley.") As long as the army was true to its motto, The Blood of the Lamb and the Fire of the Holy Ghost" God would honour it. Throughout Sunday, with slight intermission, services were held, conducted by the General and Mrs, Booth, in the presence of vast congregations.

THE ELECTRIC RAILWAY IN THE BLEACHFIELD. The operation of collecting cloth from the bleach- fields is generally long and tedieus. A novel way of facilitating it has been recently introduced at the large linen-bleaching works of M. Duchesne Fournet at Le Breuil-en-Ange (Calvados) by the managing engineer, M. Dupuy. From the account in La Nature, we learn that each pieee of cloth is 100 H'btres long (say, 3J3it.) and abjut 37 acres of ground may be covered. M. D'ipuy had long thought of constructing a railway with special mechanism for bringing in the cioth, but a steam-engine in a bleachtield is very objectionable on account of the smoke and cinders. The objectioa does not apply to electricity, and M. Dupuy has had a small line made along the meadows. The line is 500 metres in length and has 21 branches. The train goes to the ifelds emptj. On Etopping, the machine is set to actuate the collecting apparatus, to which one end of a piece of cloth i,3 brought. The pieces are pre- viously connected end to end so that the work goes on continuously. The cloth passes into the locomotive truck, and thence, over rollers, to a truck attached, in which a man sits to guide it. Thus one man will collect 5,000 metres of cl 'th in half an hou-, an opera tion formerly taking eleven hours. The train, when loaded, carries 10,000 metres (over 33,000ft.) of cloth. The machinery is very easily worked. The system, which has been in work about two months, has given entire satisfaction.

The opening meeting of the Triennial Congress of the army were continued on Monday, when over- flowing audiences were present and the proceedings were characterised by all the usual enthusiasm of Salvation meetings. General Booth delivered an address in the morning in which he gave a history of the Army from its commencement, re- marking that it had not succeeded so marvellously until styled an Army, and its rapid advance- ment was a proof that God approved of that departure from the ordinary methods of preaching. Preaching had become too much of a science, and wanted more force and meaning infused into it. Speaking of the new translation of the Scriptures, he said he was going to stick to the old version. The only translation that was wanted was the translation of men and women into living epistles. During the day representatives of the Army from Scotland, Wales, and Ireland were present and delivered addresses. Excursions poured in during the day from various parts of the kingdom, and in the evening over 600 officers of the Army were present.

AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS FROM ORKNEY. The Orkney Herald published a detailed list of the exports of stock and eggs from the island during the year 1881. It appears that the total value of exports amounts to B156.191, equal to double the amount of the entire rental of the county. Last year 998,480 dozens of eggs were exported, the price being 8d. per dozen, and the total value £ 33,282. The total number of stock of all descriptions ex- ported was 18,052 and their total value kl22,900, In the year 1880 the total number of stock exported was 14,243, and their total value £ 111,188; The exports of last year included 5,707 cattle, value JM1 312 79 bulls, £1.580; 228 horses, £6,336; 5,782 sheep, £ 10,118; 2,815 lambs, £3,237; 365 live pigs, £1,277; and 3,016 dead ditto, £ 9,048. The estimated value per head of stock was as fol. lows :-Cattle, £16; bulls, JB20 horses, £22 sheep, 35s. lambs, 23s. live pigs. 93 10s.; and dead pigs, £ 3. In cattle breeding no place in we Kingdom has been so fortunate as Orkney, for there has never been an epidemic amongst the stock, and as a consequence the animals find a ready sale at high prices in the southern markets.

NICE AND TOOTBiOME.-The Vicar: "Got your grandson with you to-day, Mrs. Brown ,-grIs. Brown Yes, Sir. Schoolmaster ain t well, yer see, Sir, an 'e's give 'em all a 'oliday. oir BO I ses to me.^elf, I t-es, a beyootiful time to ave two of 'is teeth drawed, Sir "—Fun. UNDER CROSS-EXAMINATION.-Lawyer. You say you know Mr. Smith?" Witness: "Y e8, an." Lawyer: "You swear you know him?" Witness: "Yes, sir." Lawyer: "You mean that you are ac- quainted with him*?" Witness Ye\sir, acquainted with him." Lawyer Oh, you don tknowhim you are merely acquainted with him. Remember that you are on oath, sir. Now, be careful. You don't mean to tell the court that you know all about Mr. Smith, everything that he ever did W e No, I suppose—" Lawyer Never mind what you suppose. Please answer my question. Do you, or do you not, know everything that Mr. eT„, •. 'fc" ness "No, I -Lawyer "Thatli do, sir. No you do not. Very good. So you are not acquainted with all his acts? "-Witness: "Of Lawyer Stop there. Are you or are you not? Witness "No."—Lawyer: "That is to say, you are not so well acquainted with him as you thought you were? "-Witness: "Possibly "Lawyer "J ust so. Now we begin to understand each other. If you don't know anytning about Mr. Smith a acts when you are Dot with him, you can't swear that you know him,can you ? "—Witness:" If youputit that way Lawyer: "Come, sir, don't seek to evade my ques- tion, I'll put it to you again. When you say you know Mr. Smith, you don t mean to say that you know everything he does ? "—Witness No, f-ir of course not.Lawyer: "Just so; of course not. Then you were not quite correct when you said you knew Mr. Smith? "—Witness: "No, "In point of fact, you don't know Mr. Smith. Witness No, sir. —Lawyer: Ah, I thought so. That'll do, elr, Ton eaa stand dovn..

UttSKllamrras Jnldltgtm HOME POREIGN- PiNr- COLONIC THAT'S ALL RIGHT, THEN !-Fond Mother Oh, pa lnok at Johnnie, he is playing with your gun do make him put it down I-bather: Never mind him, he won't do it any harm.—Judy. AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS.—The Magnet says :— "The weather has again bpen extremely favourable for the growing crops. After the recent somewhat heavy rains we have had brilliant sunshine, with a much higher temperature. The effect upon vegetation has been most marked. Most traces of discolouration have been removed, and the crops have again assumed a vigourous appearance and healthy hue. Farmers generally are viewing their prospects with considerable satisfaction, inasmuch as progress thus far could hardly have been more encouraging, taken as a whole. There is a good supply of grass in the pastures, and every indication that a fair hay crop will be ultimately secured, presuming, of course, conditions remain as at present. In the general tenour of reports from the Continent and America there is nothing of a novel character to notice." DEATH ON CORN!—An illiterate farmer of the far West was rsading in a paper that owing to the large number of emigrants travelling this way, corn would probably command a higher price. The old man took off his spectacles and said: "John, what in the world is an emigrant? John was a young man and knew everything. "Well, father," he said, an emigrant-I don't exactly know, but I rather guess he is somewhere between a 'possum and a coon anyhow, I've heard that they are death on corn. PLANTING FOR POSTERITY. The cultivation of timber is much smaller than it would be but for the time the crop takes to mature (remarks the Graphic). (I Quick returns are above all things the need of the majority of persons, and it is only a small minority who either care or can afford to look thirty years ahead. There are, however, bodies which are practi- cally immortal. There is the State, there are the great endowed hospitals, there are the Universities, and there are the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. Should not these deathless institutions endeavour on their properties to plant for posterity ? There is the larch, fairly quick growing and profitable. There is the ash, a most useful wood, yet in many English districts gradually becoming extinct. There is the willow, which in five-and-twenty years grows into a tree worth ten pounds at to day's currencies, and likely in twenty- five years' time to be worth decidedly more. There is the oak, now so largely imported from America; and I the walnut. Many tirs would suit our bleak northern and north-eastern coasts, where little else can thrive. A country's woods at once adorn and fertilise, and over timber cultivation the beautiful and the profitable join too-often-divided hands. INDEPEPENDENT MEN.—It was an independent- looking fellow who was standing on the railroad track, apparently paying no attention to the fact that a train was rapidly approaching. "I say," said the station master, you had better get off the track, or you will get run over." "I fancy that is my own affair if I get run over," was the reply. f*8' reckon so; but who is going to attend to taking up the mess afterwards? It's not me." And reaching out his right foot he kicked the indifferent man fifte.a feet and nine inches by actual measurement. ACCIDENTAL DEA.TH.-On Monday night MI. Hull, coroner for Mid Surrey, held an inquest Vestry Hall, Richmond, on the body of Evebo Hungerford Helsham, 18, an army student at Parlington House, Isleworth.-Mr. Frank Lewis, a feilow-student, stated that he and the deceased werlC out boating on the River Thames on Saturday week last. They had gone as far as Teddingtorl, and were returning, and when about 50 yards off Twickenham Ferry the de- ceased, who was steering, suddenly put up his hand and said, "I am done." He than leaned against the side of the boat and upset it. Deceased immediately sank, and witness, after remaining near the spot for some time and looking in vain for his reappearance on the surface of the water, swam ashore.—Mr. Gustavus Helsham, the father of the deceased, stated that his son had been suffering from sunstroke previous to his admission at Burlington House, and was forbidden all violent exercise in consequence, both there and at Eton.-The jury returned a verdict of Accidental death. MARKET GARDENS IN ENGLAND.—It is high time (says Land) that the English farmer, and those who to some extent control the crops which he shall grow, seriously turned their attention to the extension of market gardens. It will avail us little for Scotland to export vegetables to America if in England we have to import them to any considerable extent. Our im- portations of butter and eggs from the Continent are alarming enough without imported vegetables being added to the list. But this is what we are threatened wi..h, and from a country, too, which is not usually suspected of remarkable enterpiiee. The Italian Consul ia London has, Land learns, been instructed by his Government to report upon the advisability of running fast trains through the St. Gothard Tunnel, with the view of supplying the English market with garden produce, A RAILWAY TRAIN ON FIRE.—'When a London and North-Western train for Liverpool, consisttng of passenger carriages and goods tricksy was leaving the Loudon-road Station, St. John's Wood, about eight en Saturday night, sparks and smoke were noticed to be issuing from eome luggage-vans in the centre of the train. After passing through the station the train was pulled up, and three of the trucks, laden with hay, were found to be on fire. Amidst a scene of considerable excitement and confusion, the passengers were got out of the carriages without any one being hurt, but many of them were much alarmed. Fire- engines were in attendance, and *bout 200 men of the Metropolitan Police kept back the crowd which had been attracted by the illumination caused by the i flames. The contents of three or four trucks were destroyed, and the trucks themselves very seriously damaged. The fire is supposed to have been caused by a spark from the engine. A SHOPPING LIST.—Paterfamilias, who starts down street every morning with a list of shopping fur- nished him by the wife of his boaom, will appreciate the following memorandum, which was picked up in a dry goods store in Troy the other day (says an American paper). We give it verbatim :—Father fetch from trov one box off acksil greece seven yards off yallar W caliker fore libbie a dress five yard over all stuf blew one box skenks Pills from Hocombs ten pounds Cottin battin twelve yards Caliker fore gran mas dress one and one-half yards buf ribbin one-and-a-half yards blew the same kind; tow lengths Stov pipe two nutmepga four pounsds ten penny nales two kandil molds ten Ponds Brown Shugar one Pare Gum Shoes for Katie. A Doa's AFFECTION.—A touching story of a dog's affection is related by the Paris Figaro. The young equestrian, Mdlie. Loisset, whose early death owing to a fall from her horse lately excited so much sym- pathy, had a favourite dog, a huge creature called Turk, which waa her inseparable companion, escorting her to and from the Cirque, and guarding her dressing- room while she was engaged in the performance. The day after her death Turk arrived at the Cirque at the usual hour, waited till the representation was over, and then went away with his tail between his legs. For several days he came back at the same time, and lay patiently at the door of his late mistress's room, refusing to eat or drink, or to go home with any of his former friends, and occasionally uttering a plaintive howl. At last the dog disappeared, and from all appearances has crept away into some corner to die. ACCESSORIES TO MURDBiL-The manner of the per- petration of the Dublin murders, and the difficulty in tracing the murderers, make it desirable to recall the law of accessories in crime. The carman, even if he acted in fear of his life, was-as the law allows no threat to justify murder, and he was on the øput-a principal and not an acceFBorv although the pardon of the Lord Lieutenant would extend to him, as not an actual perpetrator of the murder, if he complied with the terms of the proclamation. Any person who was not present, but who assisted in the preparations for the murder, knowing what was to take place, would be guilty as an accessory before the fact, and liable to the penalty of death. Any person who in any form should assist the murderers, knowing what they had done, in endeavouring to escape justice, would be an accessory after the fact, and liable bo penal servi- tude for life.—LAID Journal. THE GARFIELD MEDAL. The bronze Garfield Presidential medal prepared at the Philadelphia Mint has been completed, and it is said to be a superb specimen of artistic workmanship. The artists ha,ve produced a very striking and admirable likeness, lhe clear-cut profile, with the name, makes the front. On tho obverse side the legend, President of the United States," fills the outer rim, and within the wreath are the words "Inaugurated March 4, 1881." The whole medal, in its simplicity and exquisite finish, is a chaste work of art. CAMPS OF EXERCISE.—The camping-out season, which, in accordance with the recommendations of the Secretary of State for War, promises to be unusually eventful this summer, commenced on Monday in the formation of camps at Dover, Shorncliffe, Guildford, Berwick, and Irvine Muir (Scotland), for the training of the regiments of militia in those district. Altogether fifty-five regiments of militia are ordered to undergo their training in camps this reason seven at Aldershot, three at Shornctine, three at Hoonslow, and the remainder in various parts of Great iiritain. A URER KILLED BY A WILD CAT.—Recently, in America, Mr. Garner Wdson, while t.onig to his work of getting out railroad ties on Cowley Run, in Potter County, Pa., saw an unusual sight. A fine deer bounded past him on the full run, and on its back was fastened a huge wild cat. Mr. Wilson followed the strangely assorted couple, and when he reached them the deer was dead, and the cat was feasting on its flesh. The cat had evidently dropped on its victim from the limb of a tree, severing a large vein in the deer's neck, and had ridden it to its death. Mr. Wilson killed the cat, which was a very large, fierce specimen. LONG-HORNED CATTLE. W." writes to Land and Water At the commencement of this century the most fashionable as well as the most useful cattle in the Midlands were the longhorns. Even to-day the long-horned steer, at our great fat show, will bear comparison with anything in the shape of beef. It is said that the reason why the grand long-horned stock went out of fashion was because the squires of that period ceased wearing wigs, buckles, and three- cornered hats; the hips of these animals were used as hat-pegs, and both vanished from the fashions of the day. There is something fine in the way our great stock-breeders of a century paat used to cleave to their grand long-horned cows. The popular say. ing was, speaking of a patriarch, that he was "as old as a long-horned cow." Bakewellsold Comely was killed at twenty six years of ^e, and her great owner ever regretted cutting her on in her prime, seeing that she had four inches of fat on her loin. Cows are like horses in this, that they are much older than their present owners are aware of, if their birth could be by any means discovered. The difference in milk between that of a shorthorn and a longhorn is proverbial, for while you can skim with a feather the cream from a pan of the shorthorn's milk, a mouse can run over without failing through on a pan of the long-horned. Horne measuring 8ft. from end to end on the oxen of these beauties was not uncommon. What animal existing now, wild or tame, can show a horn equal to tbia!" -"k.- BBASTING WITH HIGH EXPLOSIVES -The cheapness, afliciency, and comparative Safety of the" high" ex- plosive materials employed in minifig end other operations in the State of Maine have, according to the report of our Consul, Mr. Ward, almost entirely driven out the old black powder still in general use in English mines and quarries. The various explosives employed are stated to bo »11 compositions of nitro- glycerine, mingled with some absorbent substance, such a* clay, sawdust, charcoal, &(-. So cipffiposed the explosives have proved remarkably safe in use. In Maine at least we arc told no accidents are reported to have happened in employing them, through pre- mature explosion, or through rough handling, or by their transportation. In all the larger mines the firing of the explosives is done by electricity, thie being regarded as a great preventative against acci. dents. MEMORIAL TO SIR WALTER RALEIGH. — A magnidcent Rtained class window has been presented to the church of St. Margaret's, Westminster, by American citizens as a memorial to Sir Walter s Raleigh, whose headless body lies interred rmr the I altar. Underneath the window are the follovid^f: | four lines, written by Mr. J. R. Lowell, the American ? Minister :— The New World's sons from Enaland's breast we drew I Such milk a» bids remember whence we otmoe Proud of her Past, wherefvom our Present grew, This window we inscribe with Raleigh's name," The stained glass fills the large west window of the church, and was unveiled last Sunday at the morning service, when a sermon was preached by the reotor, the Rev. Canon Farrar, D.D. UNDERGROUND FIREB.—The Butler Mine fire, which broke out early in the year 1877, appears from the re- port of Mr. Clipperton, British Consul at Philadel. phia, to be still raging. At the close of that year it had extended over an area of about five acres in March, 1880, it covered about 23 acres. With a view to arrest the progress of the fire, a daep open cut and tunnel was made in the winter of 1877 and as the fire has now extended all over the plot within this limit, it is hoped that it will eventually burn itself out with. out spreading further. The heat, however, is so in. tense that the 40 feet of strata rock intervening be- tween the burning vein and another vein below is stated to be so hot in the latter vein that a person can hardly bear a hand upon it. Should it cross the tunnel (addB Mr. Clipperton) no one can tell where it will end." KINDER LOOKING ROUND.—A few days ago a middle-aged gentleman, who formerly lived in this city, returned after an absence of two years, and in duty bound called upon a number of his former acquaintances (says the Detroit Free Press). He stepped into the store of a well-known trader and was familiarly and cordially greeted, and after a short chat he said I have met with a sad bereavement lately." "Indeed! what has been your trouble?" asked the trader. "I have lost my wife," replied the poor man; "she died about ten days a^- Here is an obituary whieh the editor of the Blank wrote," and he pulled from his pocket a newspaper, and unfolding it, painted to <* veritable obituary I added a few lines myself, lie continued, for «he was a good woman, and Smith a obituary dOH her no more than justice." "1 presume you are right," said the trader, "and thø loss of ones wife is indeed a bereavement. You have the sympathy, un- doubtedly, of all your friends." Yes, but it is a poor consolation, after all," said the widower, with a ioiemn visage. Finally the subject was changed to one of a more cheerful character, and after a few moments' talk the trader said. But what, may I ask, has brought you back here?" The stranger didn't answer heartily; but after a moment he replied, Well, to tell the truth, friend, I am kinder looking round for another wife UTILIZING THE CARD.-The following is given as a specimen of cool impudence by a gentleman :—" Going, one day to New York, he stopped at one of the best hotels on Upper Broadway. In the morning, while dressing, a servant brought him a card bearing the name of a distinguished gentleman. Though not knowing personally the gentleman, he knew of him, and knew him by sight. Wondering why he should call upon him, he told the servant to say he would be down in a moment. Down stairs a decidedly shabby individual was pointed out as the person who had sent the card. Surely,' he said, approaching the fellow. • you are not Mr. M ?' No but I got that card somewhere, and as I bad none of mine about me. I thought I might as well use tt. Well what do you want with me?' I want you to lend me 5dols. I used to work for your people, and I'm dead broke. The conversation ended there. HAIR-DRESSING IN JAPAN.—Hair-dressing is an elaborate study in Japan, where the style of the coiffure generally indicates the position and age of the lady. Thus a baby's age may be told by the successive arrangement of hair either in a tuft at the back of the neck, a ring round the crown, or a bunch left in front, when all the rest uf the head is shaved. Girls of eight or nine wear their hair in a bow at the back, wouud round with red crape, the front being left bare, except two locks dangling at the side and the marriageable damsels comb their tresses high in front, and arrange them either in the shape of a butterfly or a half opened fan, decking the edifice with gold and silver cord and bright-hued balls. A widow looking out for a second spouse twists her locks round a long shell hair-pin plaeed horizontally across the back of the head while she who vows to remain faithful to the dear departed cuts her hair short and combs it plainly back without any parting. THE HEALTH OF THE POPB.-The British Medical Journal says :-We are enabled to state, with autho- rity, that the rumours which have lately been circu- lated as to the illness of Leo XIII. have no real foundation. Similar statements used to be made about this time in former years in reference to the health of Pius IX., and grave assertions were often published that the Vatican physicians strongly advised change of air as the only means of prolonging the life of that aged Pope. Leo XIII. is a thin, ascetic, and delicate man liable to slight temporary ailments, and with too sensitive a nervous system for all the brain- work he has to do. He is, in consequence, often tired and depressed, and unable to receive the many visitors who throng to see him and it is well known that he dislikes receiving all and sundry, being, in this re- spect, just the opposite of his predecessor, who had the greatest pleasure in seeing his audienoe-rooms crowded with visitors. He is not, however, suffering from any organic disease is free, just at present, from even temporary indisoosition and is probably quite as fit to bear his confinement to the Vatican and its grounds now as he was at the date of his election. STORAGE OF ELECTRICITY.—(Possible future develop- ment.)-" Please, mother wants twopenn'orth o elec- tricity to turn the mangle.Fun. IN A WHALE'S MOUTH.-Here I met Captain Wood, who has been in a whale's mouth. After edging carefully towards the matter, a friend induced him to tell about it—probably for the ten thousandth time.- Yes, I was standing in the bow of the boat, but with the iron in my hand,'T said he, looking around for his majesty, for 1 thought we had given him his death blow. Suddenly he came up right ahead of me, and he struck the boat underneath with his prolonged lower jaw, knocking it out from under me, and I fell straight over into his mouth. What did you think then ? asked a listener, as the captain paused. —" Thought I was a goner," answered the captain, "especially when he shut his mouth on me. But he was, fortunately, in the agonies of death, too wor- ried to think of me, and, after giving me one savage crunch, he blowed me out of his mouth, covered with blood. I at once struck out for the boat." "And when they picked him up they thought he was killed," said another captain; "though, after a good while, he recovered, with the ugly wounds that you see." There was a scar some inches long across Capt. Wood's scalp, and a great lump on his side was visible underhiscoat. "What did you think when you were in bis mouth, and knew where you were?" asked another bystander. "Though he'd yield about eight barrel," said Capt. Wood, turning over his quid and calmly firing at the box of sawdust. A BABY SHOW. "An exhibition of babies and children of tender years took place recently at New Orleans, in America, there being (says a journal pub. lished in that town), thirty prizes tG be distributed amongst the interesting competitors by a jury com- posed exclusively of medical men. There were three classes of competitors, namely, infants bt-tween the ages of six months and a year; babies of from one to two years old; and lastly, children under eight who, by their precocious development, mental or physical, deserved the flattering name of prodigies. One hundred and sixty candidates, accompanied by their mothers or nurses, were there on the appointed day to exhibit their small persons, the first prize being awarded to an infant of seven months, extremely big, the proud possessor of all its teeth, and already beginning to run alone. Amongst the prodigies, says the American paper, there were little fellows who recited "all Longfellow" by heart without a mis- take others who were phenomenally gifted for mental arithmetic; and others whose talents for the calling of acrobat was unquestionable. The spacious hall where the exhibition was held was, of course, crowded with visitors, the only drawback to the recreation of baby-inspecting being the perpetual concert of infant cries which prevailed. VAGRANCY AND MENDICANCY.—A report haa been issued, based on an inquiry instituted by the Com- mittee of the Howard Association into the crimes and offences arising from vagrancy. Among the general 0^inclusions at which theCom mittee have arrived are, that there should be a. more uniform and more decided use of existing means ot repression that vagrants should be detained for a longer time than hitherto that relief should be certain, but never unconditional: and that the law of settlement and removal requires amendment. The Committee insist on the necessity of prompt individual investigation, with the aid of the police, into the condition of mendicants, and maintain that the present arrangements for the pay or pension of short-service soldiers and men of the Reserve Force should be placed on a more judicious basis by the Government. A LITTLE Boy's COOT.NEss.-The suit of William O'Connor against the Boston and Lowell Railroad at Lawrence has resulted In a vtrdici for the plaintiff in 10,000 dols., one-hplf the amount sued for (says the Detroit Free Press). This suit grew out of an accident which occurred August 27, 1880. The plaintiff was the father of a child then between 5 and 6 years old. He and his brother, three years older, were crossing a private way maintained by the railroad for the Essex Company, and the younger boy, while walking backward, stepped between the rail and planking of the roadway inside and was unable to extricate his foot. At this moment the whistle of a train was heard within a few hundred feet and out of sight around a curve, and it appeared from the evidence that the older brother, finding himself unable to relieve his brother, ran down th« tracK towards the train but finding that he could not attract the atten- tion of the train men to his brothers condition, and that he must be run over, ran back to him, and, tell. ing him to lie down, pulled him outward and down and held him there until the train hau passed. Both feet of the little fellow were cut off or mangltd so that amputation was necessary. The theory of the defence was that tne boy was not caught, but while running across the track, fell and was run over. But th« tes- timony of the older brother was unshaken in every par- ticular. It would be difficult to match the nerve, thoughtfulnesB, and disregard of self displayed by this i boy, whe at that time wai l«n than nine year* eU, Bialig Of A POIRPOISX,-AN event of eon interest tootT plaeie iat the Br^to" Monday, in the bifSh of a porpmse proba^ time on reord in which a V°RP°!!L^ the U Captivity. The parent only fcj -I. Wednesday in last week, havi^ been kettle-net at Rye Bay, whence it was 83fell to Rriahton, being placed in the laigeat buUdlfg! which iSd. 100,J^ gaUon8 of was in fine condition, very lively, andI of a being nearly six feet in length tromthe tip^o to the end of the powerful horizontal tail, so muoh its progress through the w^er. nately, the baby porpoise dld,not««Xing 1 though the mother was reported as doing WANTED TO Kxow.-The exact(relation the phrases horse flesh and b y Fun.. a REWARDING A BRAVE GIRL. KaM ",born the Iowa Legislature has just giv medal snd 200 dollars, is fifteen years old. near Des Moines, at a point where a rai rc a gorge at a grea* height. One night dunn xtorm the bridge «3» carried away. ThE Shelley? knew of it was when thejr saw li"ht- of a locomotive fU*h di>wn into ti Kate climbed to th., remains of the br great difficulty, using an improvised The engineer's voice answered her she could do nothing for him, and he «'W As an express train was aimost due. she th for the nearest station, a mi'e distant. A bridge over the Dea glomes River had to on the ties-a perilous thing in storm? Kate's light waa blown oQ*, «nd the w violent that she could not stand, the bridge, from timber to timber, knees. She got to the station time to give the warning, though 8M r,b: diately. AVERAGE PBIOM 011 BRITISH COHH.T ing are the average prices of British corn fo ending May 13, as received from the inn officers of Excise :—Wheat, 46s. lid.; barle oats, 21s. 8d. per imperial qr. Correspoi last year :—Wheat, 44s. lOd. barley 80e. 22s. 5d. AMERICAN CHOPS.—The May report of th of the winter wheat, published by the I Statistical Department of Agrieulture, average for the entire area 100. The averag in April was 102, which was higher that previous years. Rye is also in good 001 general average being 96. Last month It Three-fourths of the winter barley is California and New York. where the avers dition are respectively 93 and 70. The gem is 88. SUBMARINE TELEPHONY.—TB" Journal oj of Arts says In raisins the vessel L. which sank in the Posphorus, the tele added to the dive", dress, thus greatly the communications. One of the glasses of is replaced by a copper plate, in whioh a t inserted so that the diver has only to tur slightly in order to receive instructions, what he seep. Besides, in case of danger o lives may now be saved which would oth« been saciificed." • T-i, ( A PORTRAIT OF UHATTKKTOW.— T/OJWpu West View, Northenden, near Mancheste Notes and Queries, stating that Gainsboroui of the poet Cbatterton has been recently I oanvas is 25 by SO inches, and it was foui carved wood frame of the period. The pic darkened by age. The portrait fully d Marvellous Boy both physically and physi as portrayed by these who knew him. Ti shows astonishing pride, bordering on ( mouth is full, sweet, womanly, and see; ■mile the eyes, very large, dark, and foil everywhere. The slender right hand IB I of red-covered books. No doubt it is a G: The burning of all Chatterton's papers ace loss of its record. A DEARTH OF ITOBY.— Engineer says unlikely that ivory will soon become so ac use in the shape of pianoforte keys, knife fans will be reserved for the affluent.^ advances in the value of ivory are oausi easiness in the market. At the last qt which closed on the 28th ult., there were offered-including 10 tons withdrawn fi auctions—as against 122 tons offered in The falling-off was mainly owing to t scarcity of Cape-only 1l tons-and the I of West Coast African—11 tons. Fr)m Bombay there were 33 tons-, 24 tons front and nine tons from Malta. All descrip for biiliard-ball purposes, have gone up f per cwt., and the ivory cutters have resi second time this year to raise their pricee in the docks this year amount to 133 tc with 213 tons for the corresponding perio DEATHS FROM DROWNING.—A Parliam just isauod shows the number of deaths b the United Kingdom during 1880. would appear that the total was 4,044, < were of males, and 770 of females. Of t were cases of persons above 12 years of of persona of 12 years and under; 1,516 took place in rivers or streams, 666 in c the sea-coast, 588 in lakes or ponds, 213 and 199 in docks. THE DOLLAR SI«N.—The sign-S-um the American dollar ia not. as generall badly-formed monogram of the letters but is borrowed from a design on th dollar, which is intended to represent Hercules, with a scroll encircling each 0: TERRIBLE FALL OVEB A PBKCIPJ Cormack, nineteen years of age, while teafowla' nests in the face of a cliff v other day, lost his footing and fell frc nearly two hundred feet into the » panions saw the body strike the rocks in its descent. The body sank in deep THE CHESHIRE SALT TRADE.-Th, April were slight in comparison witi corresponding month last year, in c«ns closing of the river Weaver for dre< United States were exported 15,772 tc America, 13,268; to the East Indies, 9, l. & 1-Vin UTAwaAv* nraro fid 01A tt expuruo lruiu illig IUCIOVJ -vI" < REVISION OF THE AUTHORISED VERSION pany appointed for the revision of the Version of the Old Testament conclude session on Friday afternoon in last W4 Chapter Library, Westminster. The foL bers attended: The Bishop of Bath and Deans of Canterbury and Peterborough, Professor Birrell, Dr. Chance, Mr. Cheya Davidson, Principal Douglas, Mr. Driver, Dr. Ginsburg, Dr. Gotch, Archdeacon H Kay, Professor Leathes, Professor Luml Aldis Wright (secretary). Communicatl ceived from the Bishop of Llandaff, Alexander, and Dr. Robertson Smith, able to be present. The second revisio was finished, and the seeond revision ol carried as far as the end of chapter 2. THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES.—The reve Australia for the quarter ending March 1 increase of £ .:8,000, and for nine monthf cial year of £214,000 over the correspond last year, the augmentation chiefly aris: customs, railways, and land receipts.— returns of the colony of Victoria shew a £144,000 for the last quarter and of £ 421 months of the financial year, as compl corresponding period of last year. This is principally due to an excess of £ 87,' valorem duties, B39,000 in the tobaci £93,000 in the railway receipts. A HAPPY PLAOB.—A unique and ha the little town of Klingenburg, in Lowe Not only do its inhabitants pay no tai collector, which office does hot even exis contrary, they have a share in the ann rived from the clay pits and vineyards town, which share for 1881 amounted to SUNDAY RECREATION FOR THE PEOPJ performance, this season, of the Sui Regent's park, London, under the mi the National Sunday League, wai givei Long before the hour of commencing (5. persons had gathered in the vicinity of tl and by the time the band commence 20,000 persons on the ground. The pr ably rendered under the conduct of 3 and consisted of music by Suppd, W Godfrey, Sullivan, Haydn, and other c was much appreciated by the large audie permitting the band will play every Si during the summer months. The firsl the season under the management of t) also run on Sunday morning, and five ti ing upwards of 2,000 people^ were dee London for Boxhill ana Dorking. ONE TO THE ROMANY DELL.—Carr But you said you would show U8 our 11 in the water for a shilling, and we only Gipsy And won't they be your husban vou get married 1—Judy. MINERAL EXHIBITION.—An interestin to be opened in August in Denver, tl prosperous capital of Colorado. The exhibit specimens of all the mineral prt United States. It is proposed to co] minerals from every mine in the countrj at a glance an idea of its vast mine Each di-trict will have its representati on view, showing the methods of workin to different kinds of ore. GREAT TRICYCLE MEBT AT BARNES.- of tricyclists, postponed from the 29.1 quence of the severe storin and rain, cam day afternoon in the most satisfactory weather being charming, whilst the musl in excess of the most sanguine expe< total present was about 500, and at leasi part in the parade, some of them beiti single tricycles, and others accompanyi liers on "sociables," whilst some of thet carried children on side seats specially c that purpose. A large number of peopli the Common to witness the demonstra appeared to take considerable interest i inga, which were executed with mili under the direction of twenty marshals i course of the Indian file of tricyclists en amusement was occasioned by the app individual who rode an original "< tempus 1819," attired in the costume AMERICAN HORSE CENSUS.—The nm in the United States on January 1, 18t ing to the official figures, 11,201,800. Th Canada, in 1871, gave forth for that cc but the municipal returns for 1878 ga' alune, the number of working horses that, including colts and fillies and othe could not be less than 550,000. Below the number of horses accredited to each Maine, 81,700; New Hampshire, 57,1 77,400 New York, 898,900 Pennsylv Ohio, 811,300; Michigan, 350,000; Inc Illinois, 1,078,000; Wisconsin, 392,10< 274,500 Iowa. 778,400; Missouri, 631 299,700 Kentucky, 402,400; Tenne Virginia, 212,900 Louisiana, 82,500; r. California, 273,00*.