The Aberystwith Observer

FATAL ACCIDENT AT A SWIMMING BATH. In London, on Monday, Mr. Langham, City coroner, held an inquiry at St. Bartholomew's Hospital regard- ing the death of Henry Kearney, 29 years of age, a porter, late residing at Hoxton, who died from in- juries sustained through striking his head against the bottom of a swimming bath. Thomas Stracker, an attendant at the Wenlock Baths, Hoxton, stated that on Wednesday in last week his attention was called to the deceased, who bad been taken out of the swim- ming bath. He appeared semi-conscious, and when he ec overed a little he informed witness that he had ju mped off the diving-board by the side of the bath and hurt his head. Witness took him to the hospital. By the Jury: Where the deceased jumped in the water was only 4ft. 2in. in depth. Another accident of a similar character occurred at the baths some time ago, and a notice was then put up prohibiting persons from jumping off the platform. John Chapman, a youth, said he was with the deceased when the accident happened. The latter was teaching a youth to swim, and witness saw him jump off a raised seat on the platform, and on rising to the surface informed witness that lie had struck his head cn the bottom of the bath. He appeared much injured, and was at once taken to the hospital. Mr. Toller, house surgeon to St. Bartholomew's Hos- pital, deposed to having the deceased under his care. He was suffering from a fractured skull and a broken spine. He lived until Friday morning, and then expired from the injuries received. The jury re- turned a verdict of Accidental death."

James, my son, take this letter to the post-office, and pay the postage for it." After a little while the boy James returns highly elated, and says, Father, I seed a lot of men putting letters in a little place, and, when no one was looking, I slipped yours in for nothing." 6 m

THE BATTLE OF DEBBAH. Writing from Assouan on Sunday, the Special Correspondent of the Daily News says I received the following telegram from your corre- spondent in Dongola this morning: "July 5, Dongola.—Two battles took place near Debbah. The last one was on Sunday night, the sixth of Ramadan. The rebels numbered 13,000 men, all armed fighting men, against 500 Bashi-Bazouk soldiers, who were in Debbah in the trenches. The fighting began at tbreeo'clockin the morning andlasted till eight. They were repulsed. When we examined the ground we found 3500 dead bodies. By God's help the soldiers suffered no loss. His Excellency the Moudir is very active, doing all in his power to quiet the country. Everybody in the Moudirieh is looking forward to help from the Government. On Monday the Moudir is going after the rebels with soldiers to cut off their retreat and capture their leader, Ahmed El Hudah. This Moudirieh is the key of Egypt proper, and if soldiers from the north come to our help that will save Upper Egypt, and the Government need have no fear then. His Excellency the Moudir is very active and very faithful to the Government, but we have only one thousand soldiers, and we are in great fear from the rebels' attack, as they are numberless. If soldiers come, with God s help we can quiet the country. I wanted to start north, but nobody is allowed to get away." The above telegram is signed by your corre- spondent, but it bears strong marks of having been tampered with in the Moudir's interest. Communica- tion is not free. All telegrams must be written in Arabic, though Mr. Mailly, the head clerk at Dongola, can telegraph in French or English. Apart from the Munchausen-like story of the battle of Debbab, the telegram though inconsistent is important, confirming the news of the advance in force of the rebels, and by implication the fall of Berber. Colonel Duncan has ordered the construction of a fort on the west bank of the Nile to cover the landing of the Assouan troops in case the rebels should descend by the west bank to attack Egypt. The military authorities apparently place little trust in the reported victory.

CARDINAL MANNING ON HARBOURS OF REFUGE. Cardinal Manning preached in London on Sunday at the Brompton Oratory in aid of the construction of harbours of refuge around our coast. His Eminence said that we were the most seafaring nation in the world. We were of Scandinavian origin, and naturally a race of sailors. Our navy he believed to be equal to any two in existence. Our traditions were full of wondrous maritime exploits. No shores were more dangerous than those of England, through rocks and treacherous sands, and those terrible winds from the north, east, and west, the south- east and south-west especially. Along the most dangerous parts of our east coast, from the mouth of the Thames to the north of Scotland, 500 miles, harbours of refuge, where ships could run for safety in storms, were few and far between. A 1000 lives were lost every year by storms upon our coasts, while nearly 1000 were saved by the noble life- boat service. It might be said that the Government of the country should provide these harbours or refuges. The French Government were already constructing harbours of refuge 27 miles :apart around their coasts, and it was only the apathy of our nation to this great necessity which pre- vented our d)ing likewise.,

SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON A RAILWAY. At half-past four on Saturday afternoon a mineral train was shunting out of Ballock Station on the North British Railway when the boiler of the loco- motive burst with most disastrous results. One side of the station building was completely wrecked, several persons being buried beneath the debris. For- tunately the 1st Dumbarton Rifle Volunteers- were at the moment being inspected in a field near the sta- tion, and the men with their ambulance corps under Dr. McKie at once proceeded to the scene of the disaster, and rendered the most valuable assistance. Beneath the wreck of the locomotive and station buildings were found three persons, being a gentleman named Jack, living at Drymen, Andrew Paterson, the driver of the engine, and his stoker, John Dempster. Mr. Jack was so terribly injured that he died within a few minutes of being extricated. Paterson was some- what seriously injured, whilst Dempster escaped with several severe scalds and bruises. A pointsman, named William Livingstone, who was standing on the station platform, was struck on the head with a piece of metal and rendered insensible, and a number of other- bystanders received injuries more or less serious.

A DOG'S SAGACITY. Andrew Jasrkson Hyatt, a White Plains lawyer, has an old' dog named Mack." about which a good story is told. Mack is a native of Virginia, and, like Vir- ginians, has a strong hold upon longevity. He first saw the Virginia sun in 1863 while his maternal rela- tive was following the fortunes of McClellan's army. A few weeks ago Mack had a slight misunderstanding with a country dog in town on business, Mack's ear by some unexplained accident having become fastened between the other dog's teeth, and, in getting it out, the ear was somewhat scarred and disfigured. Mark felt ashamed himself, and did not attend court- which he used to frequent regularly-for three or four days. About this time a kindhearted shoemaker invited the dog into his shop and gave the ear a dressing of shoemaker's- wax. Mack wagged his tail in grati- tude and went his way. The next morning he went out for a short promenade and had a quarrel with another country dog, this time getting his foot in- stead of his ear into the other dog's mouth. The dispute ended, the sagacious animal limped away to the same shoemaker, and, putting up his wounded paw, whined for a dressing of wax, which was fur- nished, and Mack went out apparently contented. On his way home he met another lame dog with a sore foot and immediately stopped him, introduced himself, and after a few dogmatical gestures and signs, induced his lame friend to accompany him back to the shoemaker's to have his foot dressed. The shoemaker took in the situation at once, aDd carefully fixed up the foot of Mack's young friend, and both dogs went limping away, as thankful as dog language could possibly express it. Hyatt vouches for the authenticity of this remarkable narrative.

[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] AMBITION'S LADDER. By the Author of Atherstone Grangef* A Life for a Love," cfc. CHAPTER II. A TOUCH OF NATUHB; Poor, wretcl ed wanderer! Want written lepib'y on her win faoe; What sin, what madness, or what sndden tolly, Has brought, her to such d re straits of misery? AWAY out of the crowded streets, down the narrow lane on the other side of the viaduct that spans the well-lit, busily-thronged road, the raw night air piercing through her thin shawl, which she every now and then drew closer round her shoulders, in ,the vain endeavour to obtain more warmth, a poorly-clad woman stood beneath one of the brick arches of the railway, looking wretchedly forlorn and ill, as she leant against the wall, her gaze fixed intently upon the living stream that passed along the Westminster Bridge-road, as though she was wat hing for some one, her arms crossed tightly over her breast, her lips firmly compressed as if to choke back the convu'sivs sobs that must else have escaped her. Poverty-stricken, With want and privation show- ing themselves in every line of her face, every fold of the scanty garments that were so ill-calculated to protect her from the inclemency of the weather, she was strangely beautiful, in spite of her evident Ttisery and rags, and bore herself with an air that spoke of happier, more refined surroundings having been hers at some time, than those among which she now stood, eagerly watching the living tide that passed so near to her that every figure was plainly discernible; some -alas, how mMty P—poor and wretched as herself, others with prosperous, well-fed looks and comfortable clothing, more suit- able for the damp, bleak air; more, again, lost, vicious blots upon humanity of her own sex, who flaunted their tawdrv finerv and filled the air with the (sound of their bold, loud laughter. But very few eyes turned in the direction of that solitary figure. Misery in tatters is not a sight so uncommon as to attract much notice. And it is better so," muttered the woman, with a hard, bitter look-" much better. A single word of kindness, a touch of rei] friendliness, even now might turn me from the end I have in view. Yet there is no other way, nor should I care, but for the thought of what will become of him. My child !-my poor child And the sad, despairing face looked even more 'despondent, till it suddenly brightened into tender- ness at the sound of a childish voice closn to her eide. Mamma," il said, "why don't 'oo come ^me ?" She turned with' a wistful smile, and stooped down "to embrace the speaker, a fine-featured, delicate boy of four or five years of age, whose hand was held by a good-humoured if somewhat coarse- feature 1 elderly woman, also poorly dressed, but with more appearance of comfort. I didn't like leaving your little boy at home by himself, Mr-s. Grant, and Alick- drat him-ain't nowhere to be found off to the Wictoria again, I expect. Drat them playhouses, say I; he'll never ,come to no good along o' them," said the new comer v, lubly. "So, as I was telling you, I brought little Louis out & she* ping with n e. But, bless my soul! what are you standing here for in 4.he cold, and such a drizzle coming down, too. With such a Cough as you've got! It's quite enough to give you your death, my dear, that it is." The woman smiled again, but drearily, this time. "I'm not afraid of that, Mrs. Wood," she answered in a reckless tone. "The poor and miserable—such as I— are too well used to wet and cold to be affected by them. Poverty is proof against all such evils, I have found." "Just what my old man says, ma'am," returned Mrs." Wood, nodding her head wisely He's always a arguing that poor people 'as the best of things that way, because, he says, they ain't got no time to lay up, while rich folks go to bed and send for the doctor if only their little finger aches, and makes themselves ill with coddling and taking (are of themselves. But I don't say that he's right, you know; and I'm sure of one thing, that you ain't 'ardy enough to stand such weather as this, so come along 'orne wi' me and little Louis, there's a gapd soul, or you'll be getting the rheumatics, and that's no ioke, lean tell you, as have suffered tortures unbeknownst that way, and my joints as stiff as a poker." There is no occasion for fear as far as my health !S concerned," replied the woman addressed as Mrs. Grant. Nothing can harm me now." Still, you'd be better at home, my dear, than wandering about in the cold and wet." Perhaps. But I am here with an object, and one that must be carried out before I seek rest. So if you will take the child home again, and put him to bed for me, I shall be very much obliged to you." "That I will, and welcome, my dear, and give him some supper first as well," heartily returned Mrs. Wood. But I do hope—and you won't mind me spea' ing p'a:n, as is old enough to be your mother, and has known my own troubles, and plenty of 'em.. I do hope and trust, my dear, that the object you mean is a good one, that you won't forget the little man here," and the worthy woman drew closer to the other's side—" that you won't forget he's got no other friend in the world, only you." Tears stood in her kindly eyes as she finished speaking, an:l Gertrude Grant turned away from her anxious, enquiring glance. "No other friend but me!" she repeated, with despairing bitterness. "Ah! how can you think that ? I have been his cruellest enemy, if you knew all." You!" "Yes. It seems strange to you, no doubt, who are a good woman and love your children, that a mother can make such a confession. But it is true, nevertheless. The innocent have often to suffer for bthers' wrong-doing in this world. You cannot understand me, I daresay, now, but you will soon— very soon." ti I hope so, indeed, for I can't abear to see you so down, my dear. It makes my heart ache to hear you talk so." Take my advice, Mi s. Wood, and don't 'bother yourself with troubles belonging to other people; you have enough of your own." Maybe so but for all that I can't help feeling for those who saem to be worse off. 41 You are a good, kind woman, Mrs. Wood," re- turned her companion, touched in spite of herself by the tears of sympathy. I can never make you any return for it, but some day, perhaps, my boy may have the power I lack. Some day, when I am gone." Mrs. Wood grew very nervous as she saw the solemn, unfathomable look that came into Gertrude f-rant's eyes, and again attempted to persuade her to ohorne. It would be the best place for you, I am S^x-e," tshe urged, and this poor little fellow too." Mv boy !—my darling 1" And'the mother stooped to take him in her arms -and press her lips to his in one long, lingering kiss, ■then put him from her on e again and repeated her refusal. "It cannot be," she said; "I have something to "do first. Take him away, please. He is shivering with cold." "And you?" I have an appointment I must keep, then I shall go home, straight home," was the answer, spoken in low, saddened accents. You will, you promise me ?" "Yes." Then come along, little man, and let us see whether there ain't something nice and hot in* the saucepan by the fire I humbly beg your pardon. I'm sure, sir. Come along, laddie. Mammy won't be long." With which she walked away, the child rather reluctantly allowing himself to be parted from his mother, while the gentlemm to whom rs. Wood had apologised for lJn inadvertent jostle looked after -them a little curiously. He was the same person already described, and the reason for his visit to a neighbourhood so evi- dently foreign to his usual haunts now became apparent, for-only wait'ng till her late companion and the boy were out of sight—Gertrude Grant addressed the new comer. 0 I had almost given you up," she said. 0 Id am^sorr^° have kept you waiting, but I really No matter," she said, cutting him short with an impatient gesture. You saw that child ? He nodded his head shortly. 'di" You guess who he is, of course ? she went on. Ycur son, I presuiae ? "Yes." I supposed so. But was it altogether necessary that I should he brought to tM3~ahythi»g DSI savoury locality to be told so much ? "Perhaps not. But I had another fesLu vox wishing to see you, and such a spot as this is the most unlikely for you to be encountered by any of voujr acquaintances." I'm not quite so sure of that. I heard some fellows at my club talking of looking into some con- founded music hall, which is, I understand, close by. However, I came, as you requested, and am ready to hear what you have to say; but 11 hope you will make the interview as brief as possible." You might speak to me a little more kindly, George, if only in memory of the days when aa children the same roof sheltered us." I think it would be better to let the past alone," answered the young man, coldly. Tell me what you want with me. If it is assistance, as I suppose, I shall be very willing to give it to you, though a letter would have answered the purpose quite as well." Gertrude Grant regarded him fixedly for a few moments, and then replied bitterly- Selfish, unfeeling as ever. Perhaps I should have remembered that before, and not trusted to your good offices." Upon my word, Mrs. ——" Silence!" exclaimed Gertrude, with a look of fierce abhorrence. Do not speak the name that is upon your lips. Address me only by that you used when we were children ifcgether. I have renounced that other for ever." As you please. Only, pray come to the point without any more delay. What do you require ?" "Not much. Nothing for myself, but-for my child-I am going to-leave him." To leave him and the gentleman elevated his eyebrows a little. When ?" "Soon. I am going far away from him and all who know me. No, I do not want that," she went on, seeing him take out his purse. I am poor enough, miserably poor, Heaven knows, but I will accept no charity from you, George Sartoris, in the shape of money." Then what do you want with me ?" 1 will tell you," she answered quietly, but very earnestly. I have said that I am going far away, very far, and never to return. Will you see that my boy is restored to—his father-with this letter- when I am gone, or in case you should hear of my death." Death! What has put such a thought as that into your mind ? You are not ill, are you ?" "Who knows," she replied, dreamily. "Perhaps it may be that I have some foolish presentiment that, young as I am, my end is not far distant. In any case I only ask if you will do as I wish." He hesitated for a moment, and then assented. I'll do what I can," he said. For the sake of those old times you just now spoke of." You promise that, faithfully ?" Upon my honour." She looked intently at him, as though to assure herself of his sincerity. Apparently she was satisfied, or else knew that it was useless to hope for any more binding pledge, and drew from her pocket a letter and a small bundle of letters, securely tied and sealed, which she handed to him. The former Mr. Sartoris examined, and found ad- dressed to himself. You need not try to read it now," said Gertrude Grant. It contains only such instructions as will be necessary to find the child and return him to his place in the world when I am gone." $" But why not let me take him now? Mr. well, I won't mention his name, if you object-his father would be only too glad to recover him, and I don't know, upon my soul, whether I ought not to let him know Not before I give you permission, George, eagerly broke in the woman. "You promised me, remember that." Very foolishly. I should have known better. But I must not break my word, I suppose, though for the poor little beggar's sake it would be the best thing to do. However, you may trust me so far to do my utmost for the youngster should occasion arise-if he is to be found, that is, after so indefi- nite a period as you have named." "Have no misgiving on that score, George," re- turned Gertrude Grant. "And now all that re- mains is to say good-bye. If you like to take my hand once more, before we say farewell for ever, do so with this assurance from your old playmate's lips: I have never sinned in the manner you all believe. I am innocent, so help me Heaven, in this my last extremity! I am innocent of that crime of which I was suspected, and for which I am outcast from home and friends. Can you not believe me ?" And as the pale, haggard woman extended her hand, George Sartoris involuntarily took it in both his. Cold, hard, and cynical as he was, incredulous as to the assertion he had just heard made—an asser- tion which he believed to be nearly the last desperate effort of a guilty woman to extort his sympathy— there was yet enough of human feeling in him to render it impossible that he should listen quite un- moved to the sad, pleading tones of the forlorn creature before him. I wish you would let me help you for yourself, Gertrude," he sa:d, gently. I am not rich, as you know, but at least I could provide you with the means of living." It is too late," she cried, wildly. Don't try to tempt me. My mind is quite made up. Re- member what you have promised, and now—good- bye." "Till when?" Ah! who shall say P Upon this earth, at least, we can meet no more. Good-bye." Before he could stop her she was gone, lost in the hurrying crowd that filled the street, and George Sartoris, whose transient mood of softness- had vanished almost as rapidly as it was con- ceived, carelessly shrugged his shoulders and turned to go. She's as high-flown as ever," he muttered. Words and reasoning are wasted on her. It's an awful bore to be mixed up in such a matter, but as to the sentimental rubbish she talks about eternal partings—bah it's all bosh." And with this he signalled a passing hansom, and was soon being wheeled rapidly across Westminster- bridge to the more fashionable regions in which he was at home. But not without something having occurred in the meantime which, when he discovered it next morn- ing, quite put it out of his power to fulfil the promise he had made to Gertrude Grant, who had hardly disappeared from his side before the slight figure of Alick Wood, concealed Dehind the arch- way, but close to them, during the whole of their interview, glided stealthily out and, while Mr. Sartoris was watching the woman's receding figure plucked the packet and letter from the overcoat pocket in which they had been carelessly thrust and darted off with his prize, the value of which he had yet to learn. (2'» be continued),

SUICIDE OF A PRISONER. At the Hammersmith Police-court, on Saturday, the magistrate received information of the suicide of a foreigner named Le Roy de Sainte Croix, while on his way from Belgium to that court, under warrants of extradition for fraud and forgery. A few days previously the police attended at the court with the prosecutor, who was also a foreigner, and gave de- tails of the charge. It appeared that the deceased had been residing in Wood-lane, Shepherd's-bush, and answered an advertisement which had been in- serted by the prosecutor, who wished for a situation in an English family. The prosecutor had an interview with the prisoner, who engaged him as secretary, and represented that he was librarian at the British Museum, and was engaged on works of art. In conse- quence of those representations the prosecutor was induced to part with money and bonds of con- siderable value. The prosecutor had occasion to leave this country for a time, and on returning to Shep herd's-bush he found that the accused had disappeared, taking with him all his clothes, which he bad left with him. The case was placed in the hands of the police, and the accused was traced to Belgium, where he was apprehended. It also transpired in the course of the investigation that the accused had been committed for trial in another case, but failed to surrender. After the completion of the forms in the case of extradition, the accused was handed over to Inspector Morgan, of the X Division, who went over to receive him, and it was stated that while in mid-channel he succeeded in jumping overboard, and was drowned. It was alleged that the prosecutor had been nearly ruined by his acquaintance with the accused.

HIGH JUMPING HUNTERS. Judging from what is seen in the hunting field, is it not rather the view of a pessimist to think that the average hunter is so bad a high jumper as to make a prize for high jumping necessary, or even desirable? (asks the Field.) We certainly do not see gates jumped very often, but then the majority of them are not locked; and it generally happens that in the winter the ground is in such a state in the vicinity of a gateway as to render jumping well nigh a matter of impossibility. Then, too, posts and rails are not found in abundance; a man may hunt in most countries for a week and never come across a single flight. In stonewall countries, such as the Heythrop, Cots- wold, and part of the Duke of Beaufort's, 'plenty of effective high jumping is to be seen walls form a well-defined obstacle, and the taking-off ground is in the majority of instances good and this, we take it, is one of the chief reasons why horses show to more advantage than over timber, while, so far as the riders are concerned, a wall is a more yielding sort of affair than a gate or post-and-rail fence. At the same time we are very far from saying that more attention might not be bestowed upon making horses clever timber-jumpers, though we fail to see how the desired end is to be obtained by asking horses to jump in a show ring. It is within our own knowledge that three horses whose show jumping brings in good round sums in prizes to the respective owners, are very indifferent hunters indeed. It may seem very like heterodoxy to ray so but a horse that can merely jump high fences under favourable conditions, and is not in other respects a practised hunter, is one of the most useless kind of animals to the hunting man. He will, no doubt, take you over a flight of rails, but the water ditch beyond, that the schoolboy on his pony makes light of, may perhaps be an insuperable obstacle while ditches on the far side may receive his hind legs, and on the taking-off side may cause refusals; such at least is our experience of some horses that have been taught to jump show fences only. If a horse could prove himself good at all points, he would not long be permitted to air himself in the show ring, but would speedily find his way into some stable where his good qualities would be recognised in the hunting season,

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE OF A CORPORAL. In London on Saturday at the Bow-street Police- court, Alfred Cooper, aged 23, a corporal in the Royal Artillery, was charged with attempting to commit suicide under the following circumstances. The defendant was in charge of an escort for the purpose of conveying an absentee from the regiment to Col- chester. It was intended to return by the last train, but by some means that was missed. The defendant's mother resides in London, and it appeared from the evidence that he suggested that they should take their prisoner to her house and return by the first train on Saturday morning. They proceeded down the Em- bankment, and when near Charing-cross railway bridge defendant had occasion to stop. His com- rades, with the prisoner, walked on. Upon disco- vering that the prisoner was gone, defendant became very excited, and rushing down to Charing-cross Pier throw off his helmet and tunic and jumped into the river. The alarm was given by the night watchman, and defendant was rescued by one of the attendants at the floating swimming bath. In reply to Mr. Flowers, defendant said that on finding that his escort bad walked away, and not being able to see his prisoner, he became very much alarmed, and knowing that by military law he would be liable to five years' imprisonment, he felt that he would rather die and leave his wife a widow than allow her to remain the wife of a convict. Defendant seemed to be very excited, and Mr. Flowers hesitated about handing him over to the military authorities at present. Defendant, however, desired to return to Colchester, and as it was intimated that an escort was on its way to conduct him there, Mr. Flowers sent him to St. George's barracks.

TEMPERANCE FETE AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE. The Temperance Fete which took place on Tuesday at the Crystal Palace was probably one of the most successful of its kind ever held, both in point of the numbers of persons present and the extent and variety of the programme. Special excursion trains from all parts were constantly run to the Palace throughout the day, and brought large contingents of pleasure-seekers, till by the afternoon every portion of the building and grounds was filled with visitors from all parts of the country. Numerous as they were, however, ample means of amusement had been provided for all, varied as their tastes might be. Considering the heat of the weather and the pressure of the multitude in the building, it was not to be wondered at that the great majority of holiday makers should prefer to spend their time in the open air, and as a consequence the cricket matches between temperance cricket clubs and other sports were favoured with large atten- dances of spectators. Besides the cricket and the amateur Go-a-you-please matches on the bicycle track and the- flat racing in the sports ground, that part of the grounds devoted to the swings, round- abouts, and cocoanut shies," always such a popular resort on a holiday, was filled from morning till night by a constant tide of merry young people. In the palace the first things to be inspected were, of course, the exhibits of the International Exhibition, which were viewed with much interest. Later on there was the annual Temperance Choir Contest, in which twelve choirs took part, after which came a great choral concert by 5000 abstainers. While these and many other amusements were going forward the great object of the fSte of advocating temperance, and of showing the numbers and respectability of those at the back of the movement, bad not been lost sight of. Meetings of Rechabites, Danielites, (vegetarian teetotalers), and" Good Templar lodges were held at different times of the day, but the most important of all was a miscellaneous meet- ing held in the Opera Theatre, and which was pre- sided over by Sir Wilfrid Lawson, M.P. Besides the hon. baronet, another teetotal celebrity was present in the person of Tawhiao, the Maori king, accom- panied by Major Te Wheoro and Chief Topra. The chairman, who was loudly cheered on rising, said he was glad to see so large a gathering of representatives of teetotalism from all' parts of the country. They had all done great work already, but he feared that he had done less than any of them, because he was a member of the Legislature. Everyone had done more than the Legislature to which he happened to belong. He was present the other day at one of Mr. Stuart Cumberland's thought-reading exhibitions, and there was one man who gave Mr. Cumberland a great deal of trouble, and he confessed that he was unable to find out what the man was thinking about. Presently the man muttered "Brandy and soda." That was what the man was thinking of, and that was what the nation was suffer- ing from. King Tkwhiao, who was loudly applauded, p then addressed the meeting in his native tongue, each sentence of his speech being interpreted. He acknowledged himself proud of wearing the blue ribbon, and he was very glad that he came to Eng- land. He bad heard the name of the blue ribbon in New Zealand, but he did not know much about it. He had been for over three years fighting against the consumption of intoxicating liquors, which inflicted so much harm on his chiefs and people. Many of the young chiefs had died from drinking; and he there- fore came to the conclusion that they should have nothing more to do with drink. Resolutions were afterwards passed in favour of total abstinence, Chief Topra being among the speakers, and the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman. The great feature of the afternoon was the grand procession of temperance societies through the grounds with their bands and banners, each member being decked out in full regalia. At the close of the day the Palace was splendidly illuminated by the Grulcher electric light..

SHOCKING ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. In London, on Tuesday, at the Lambeth Police- court, Robert Johnson, 50, a cabdriver, living in Windmill-street, Lambeth, was brought before Mr. Biron, Q.C., for attempting to commit suicide on March 31st last by throwing himself under a steam road-roller in Saville-place, Lambeth. James Garrad, driver of a steam road-roller, stated that on March > plst last, about a quarter to six o'clock in the evening, t- he was driving the roller in Saville-place, when the prisoner suddenly left the pavement, and, walking in front of the roller, threw himself down. Witness i immediately reversed the engine, but was unable to I prevent the roller going over Johnson's right leg and left arm. As soon as he stopped the engine witness got down and picked up the accused, who said, Why don't you let it go over me ?"—Police-con- stable 664 A said he was called to Saville-place, and found the prisoner frightfully injured. He was the worse for drink. Witness removed him at once to St. Thomas's Hospital, where amputation of the arm and leg had to be performed. The defendant had been several times convicted of being drunk, and on one occasion smashed a large plate-glass window with his fist. He then sustained such severe injuries as to necessitate his removal to the hospital.—Mr. Biron said the prisoner had been most frightfully punished through his own misconduct and folly. It was shock- ing, a man getting drunk, and acting in this way.— The prisoner was discharged, and removed in a cah to the infirmary.

It is said that truth is mighty and will prevail. With not a few it's mighty scarce, and is a long time, of ever, in prevailing.

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE KING OF ABYSSINIA. The Special Correspondent of the Daily News with Admiral Hewitt's mission to the King of Abyssinia describes an interview with that potentate. We ex- tract the following: The sun was well up over the hills before the advance guard of the King appeared on the heights immediately above our camp—irregular horsemen, who scattered over the uneven ground without any particular order or formation. Then in a compact body came the deputy Abuna and other Church dignitaries, the choir of boys still chanting. At an interval of a few yards rode the King, dressed in a black silk gabardine, bare-headed and bare-footed mounted on a mule richly caparisoned with silver and red leather. A large magenta silk umbrella was held over his head by a page; and on either side, at a respectful distance to prevent the pressure of his un- ruly subjects, werefjotmen at short intervals march- ing in Indian file. The King's son rode beside his royal father, also mounted on a mule, and looked very princely with his rather handsome face and good bearing. The rear was brought up by the army- infantry and cavalry all huddled together, fighting their way to the front, so that they could get a better view of the arrival at the palace. The inhabitants of Adowa had been brewing tedge and making bread for the last three weeks, but how they were to provide for this inroad of more than seven thousand warriors and their animals was quite a puzzle. The King's hospitality towards us com- menced that evening, much to the delight of our servants, for two oxen, several sheep, five hundred loaves of bread, many jars of tedge and honey, and a few horns of red pepper were brought into camp by the Royal slaves. This quantity became our daily allowance while we were guests at Adowa. During the afternoon there had been much overhauling of personal gear in our little camp, turning out dress uniforms, polishing buttons, and rechalking helmets, for the following day early we were to pay our formal visit to the- Negus Negusti. At half-six the next morning we left our encampment, I believe quite a gay and brilliant spectacle, to the great delight of our followers, who seemed surprised that we had so much gold and glitter with us. The admiral for the first time used his chair, for the journey from our camp to the palace was rugged and precipitous. The rest of us were mounted on mules. The shrill cries of jthe women camp followers as we gradually toiled up the heights to the palace told those in rear that the admiral's cocked hat had been sighted, and very soon butter-headed warriors, women, and children huddled and jostled us to the palace gate. Dismounting in the court yard, and facing the King's hut, the Ras came forward to meet us, shaking hands with Sir William Hewett and Mason Bey. He immediately ushered us into the presence of the long-looked for Monarch. Facing the entrance and against the circular wall of the hut, on a throne covered with violet satin cloth, and supported on either side by pillows of the same rich stuff, with the cross of Solomon worked in gold thereon, sat the Negus Negusti" and King of Zion. On his right stood a servant with a silver-handled horsehair fly-switch, which he kept swaying to and fro to keep the flies from feeding off the butter on the Royal head, for in the habit of greasing doth his Majesty indulge as well as his lowly sub- jects, and the fat sparkled on his crisp hair, neatly plaited in three broad pieces stretched from the forehead over the Royal cranium to the nape of the neck, where the plaits narrow, and are held together with a diamond-headed pin. Drawn up just over the tip of his nose, and totally covering the lower part of his face and body, was the shemma or toga similar to the one given by Allula to the Admiral, embroidered with various- coloured silks in a broad stripe down the centre of the cloth, which is the token of nobility. The King, who was indeed all eyes and ears, scanned us each suspiciously as we approached the throne and bowed. He shook hands with Sir William Hewett and Mason Bey, this movement necessitating the partial un- covering of the body, showing the massive Order of Solomon gleaming on a gown of black silk but only for a moment was so much Royalty seen; and as the Admiral and the Egyptian representatives seated themselves on cane- bottomed chairs provided for them a little distance on the left of the throne, the toga was up to his mouth again, as if our presence had suddenly made him feel very ill. The Admiral soon settled down to business, and rose to present the Queen's letter, which looked a very formidable epistle as it lay in the pretty blue silk case worked by Lady Strangford. Mason Bey followed with the Khedive's letter, and Captain Speedy with that of Lord Napier of Magdala. The Ras took each letter, and held them towards the King, who only bowed. They were then handed to the Chan- cellor. Allula, who a few weeks ago was playing the haughty chieftain with surroundings more regal and a retinue as large as the King's, and muffled up to the nose as that monarch was to-day, now stood abashed and humble before his monarch with his shemma down to his waist and lowered head. The interview becoming slow and oppressive, the admiral asked per- mission to go, expressing a hope that now his mission was nearly finished, and having waited the King's pleasure for five weeks, that his Majesty would allow him to return soon to the coast and his ships. The Negusti then opened his lips for the first time during the interview, and whispered the word "Echee," which in plain English means all right, or very well; then the toga once more closed his mouth, and also our interview, so we rose, bowed, and left the hut. On issuing into the courtyard we found that all the presents had now arrived from our camp below, so the Admiral to avoid another journey resolved to deliver them at once, and again we found ourselves in the presence of the King. As servant after servant brought in the numerous bulky presents and placed them at the feet of the Negusti a deep interest was apparent in his keen black eyes, and as the glittering plated weapons came to his view, as box after box was prised open, Johannas gradually dropped his toga from his mouth, and became visibly affected by the sincerity of a mission thus provided with such valu- able arguments.

DEATHS BY DROWNING. On Monday afternoon a number of boys were bathing in a pool from 5ft. to 8ft. deep in the Old Channel of the Spey, near Elgin, when two of them, James Young, aged 5, and Daniel Morrison, aged 1.2; went beyond their depth. They could not swim, and their cries attracted the attention of some fishermen, but before they could reach the spot both boys bad- sunk. Their bodies were recovered, but life in, each- case was extinct. On Monday a coroner's inquest was held on the bodies of two lads, named Wilson M'Coosh and Samuel Stewart, who resided near Lisburn. They left their homes early in the morning, and it appears bathed in the River Legan in the vicinity of Glen- more. After noon they had a second bathe in the- river. Stewart got out of his depth, and was strug- gling for life in the middle of the river when M'Coosh immediately proceeded to try and rescue his oom- panion, but all hope of rescue was lost, and both were drowned. The jury returned a verdict of Acci- dental Death." One of the Royal Irish Constabulary, namedi Patrick Tracey, has been drowned near Stewartstown, county Tyrone, while bathing in a small lake adjacent to the town. He was accompanied by another police- man, who was unable to swim, and accordingly could: render no assistance.

THE BITTER CRY.—Brown (of the Daily Chrono- graph) Well, good-bye, old man; I can't ask you. to liquor, I'm off to "Slum" for our- people, so I've left my purse at home." Jones (rising artist on the. Graphistrated) Ha! Why, I've done just the same. I'm on the sketch for a fancy fair; you know. Ta-ta Better luck next time." [Exeunt] —Fun. QUEER FIsH.-Visitor (just arrived from town) Now, my good man, tell us the truth. Have you got an epidemic amongst the mackerel off this coast ? Ancient Mariner: Lor', sir t I couldn't !ell owt but the truth ef I tried hever so hard. Seen any heppidemics amongst our mackerel ? Why, I got one in our net last week as weighed nigh on twelve pounds. Just you an'your good lady let m.^ take yer for a sail, 111 show you heaps of heppi- demics Fun. AN EXCEPTION TO, THE LOVE," RULE.—Miss Iss Sissie. Debenham Yes; and tell me, Mr. Darcy, please, what it was you meant when you called out thirty, love!' ta Miss Dawson, at tennis just now ? MF. Paul Darcy That merely implied, Miss Sissie, that I was thirty, and Miss Dawson was nothing- nothing to my thirty, you know." Miss S. D. (demurely); Oh, then, when you say love,' Mr. Darcy, it always means nothing, does it ? Mr. P. D. (mashingly) "Indeed it doesn't, Miss Sissie. If I were to say it to you, for instance, it would mean—why, whole volumes," [Left scoring.]—Funy

A MODEL SCHOOL TEACHER. J. tolerably athletic young man took a certain school to teach years ago in Western New York after a naJaber of pedagogues had tried it and given it up indespudr. The big boys had driven the teachers away inTaTiably, and the discouragement was so com- plete the first day that they were not willing to under- take a second edition. This young man took hold with a full knowledge of the difficulty, and with a hope that he could suc- ceed. He was mild-mannered, and ho opened the school the first day with a pleading smile on his lips that made even the small bays reckless. He was taking the names of the cbiklren, and pro- gressed without difficulty till he carm to John Tar- box, the ring-leader of the unruly ones, and the boy who always gave the signal for s trouncing the master." The new teacher approached him with a sweet smile on his face, and said: Now, will you tell me your name, please ? The boy leaned back in his seat, put his feet over the top of the desk, and looked cross-eyed at the new teacher, while all the school roared. "Please tell me your name," repeated the teacher pleadingly, and without noticing this rudeness-. Wal," drawled the fellow, sometimes they call me Bob, and sometimes they call me Pete, and some- times they call me somethin' else, but you better not call me anything." The mild-looking teacher had been expecting all this; there he had the advantage. He had prepared himself for a fight, not a fight for a minute but for an hour or a day. if need be; he had been in a manner trained for it, and so, just as the last words were out of the boy's mouth he dealt the big lubber a blow between the eyes that stunned him, and then grasping him by the collar dragged him headlong over the seats, stood him up on the floor with a jam, and thundered out- What is your name ?" John Tarbox exclaimed the boy promptly, and with his eyes fairly bulging from his eyes. Very well. Take your seat, John," said the teacher. And John took it. There was no more difficulty, and at the end of the season that school was said to be the best in the country.

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