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GOSSIP ON DRESS.
GOSSIP ON DRESS. DIAMONDS and pearls in unsophisticated rows are, Bays a lady correspondent in Paris of a daily con- temporary, the only really fashionable jewels. It is only very exceptionally that fancy jewellery is now worn by the Parisian who peaks herself as being in the van of fashion. Is she the proud possessor of diamonds she wears them, well and good, or she clasps her throat with chaplets of pearls otherwise, a flower or a ribbon take; the place of the absent trinkets. Nevertheless, small brooches, or pins, as they are generally called now, may be inserted on the shoulders, to secure a knot of ribbon, a fold of lace, or a spray of flowers, or else at the back of the low laced bodicc. They must have, as it were, some reason for their presence, some duty imposed upon them, and be not merely decorative, but also useful. It is now some time since all heavy gold jewellery was voted absolutely out of place for full dress, and even for demi-toilette. BRACELETS are not worn over the long gloves, and as there is no reason for having them on underneath, they are left at home, or the handsomest are trais- formed into coronets for the hair or dog collars for the neck. Elegance of the ne phis ultra order also reduces the number of rings to one or two, worn on one finger of one band only and, naturally enough, they must be handsome ones. Of course the jewellers would be very glad to change all this, it being more profitable for them to sell balf-a-dozen small things than one more expensive. They are trying to tempt gentlemen into wearing watch-chains in full dress by exhibiting them fine as a hair-an unobatrusive thread of gold to hang across the waistcoat, black or white. The masculine code of the season here lays down this rule anent waistcoats; black ones for dinner parties and small dances, concerts, and the less formal theatres; white for balls, full dress, and the opera house proper. ALL this may seem of secondary importance, and yet it is often the last touch that does or undoes the effect of a toilette. One of the best modiste's chefs- d'seuvre may be entirely marred by the careless addi- tion of incongruous ornaments. The choice of a fan is not without its significance. The beautiful ostrich feather fan mounted on tortoiseshell, brnne or blonde, is the complement of a handsome evening toilette only; while the dainty painted fan of the last cen- tury may be carried equally well with a high dress as with a low one. The same may be said of most Japanese and Chinese fans. Modern fans of a fan- ciful description ought to be chosen to suit the colour of the gown with which they are worn-they should have the appearance of having been chosen speci- ally for it. One hears of fair Parisians who get a toilette to match their fan, which sounds like placing the coach before the horses. Yet it is sound economy, nevertheless. It is a great point never to allow an article to be put on one side, but to make good use of everything, and sometimes a guide of some sort will be found useful in fixing uncertain choice in such matters. After all, it often does not signify whether the new dress is one or another of the three or four fashionable colours, and if the purchase of a fan en suite can be avoided, the guinea or more saved is so much to the good, even if, Richard Carstonelike, it is immediately laid out on something else. FANS have held a very important place in the feminine get-up since bouquets were out of the run- ning. These have not been carried for years past in fashionable drawing-rooms, as everyone knows. They kept their places longer at the opera than elsewhere. Now, only actresses and others who figure in the boxes at charity fetes have flowers placed there by attend- ant squires. Parisian brides and bridesmaids do not take with them to church the lonely bunch of white flowers which tradition requires the bridegroom and his best man to supply but it is inherent on the former to heap lovely blossoms in the brougham that shall convey him and his newly-made wife back to the house of her parents after the ceremony. This is a very pretty fashion, and deserves to be kept up. Much more beautiful than the circular and formally- arranged bouquets that used to be presented by the fianct or the cavalier servant anxious to get into the good graces of his innamorata are the rustic baskets of reeds filled with growing flowers decorated with bows of ribbon carefully chosen as to colour. Long after the poor roses or what not, subjected to the process of wiring, have faded and gone, the plants flourish-a pleasant feast for the eyes and a charming decoration for the drawing-room. TIIKRE will be more than the usual exhibition of artificial blooms this season at big out-door gatherings. With few exceptions the trimming of the bonnets is entirely floral, and some of the newest models are merely borders of straw on which to mount garlands of flowers, with no strings, and, what is more, no crown. The hair twisted on the top of the head, and the comb or pins which fix it in its place, are thus left visible, while the absence of strings is made up for, to a certain extent, by the tulle veil, gathered at the top 80 as not to press the hair down closely on the fore- head. Hats, too, are oftener decorated with flowers and bows of ribbon than with feathers, though it is quite possible that plumes will crop up as a novelty at the big meet, which is the boundary line between early summer, which has still a touch of spring in it, and late summer with rich promise of autumn. So far, there has been little enough of summer in every way. The lune rousse, that captious moon of the month of May, surprises us fighting against winds that remind us of March, and showers that ought to have been confined to April. So there has been a return to warm wraps. Comfortable cloth costumes still keep a check upon the inroad of foulard and zephyr cloths. Mantles, the more fantastic in their shape and composition the better, are the order of the afternoon for dressy occa- sions. In some cases the fronts of these mantles are continued down in two longpcms, almost to the bottom of the skirt. Composed of alternate bands of velvet and beaded lace or passementerie, they are applicable to the vresent time and will still look fresh and fashionable in the cooler autumn days to come. Some- times they are edged with beaded fringe, but it is al- most preferable to border the outer velvet band with a row of large beads. They may be finished off at the throat, either by a dog-collar covered with straight rows of beads, or by one of velvet open in front and widening out towardo the top, in the Marie Stuart style. JACKETS are the complement of all the more simple dresses, and a general effect of homogeneity is given to the entire costume by its being chosen of the same colour, though not necessarily of the same material, as the skirt. The most effective are worn with natty little waistcoats, though often the bodice of the gown is made to do duty for one. Checked or plaid woollen tunics or bodices combined, with plain silk skirts, will have cloth jackets to match the latter; and a small portion of the bodice, visible between the lappels of the jacket, plays the part of waistcoat very satisfac- torily. For this purpose the jacket is best made double-breasted, and fastened below the lappels with a row of handsome buttons placed very much on one side. It falls straight in front, there being no darts, otherwise it is tight-fitting, the side and back seams curved to the exact form. WHEN a regular waistcoat is worn, the jacket is only fastened at the throat-where it is finished with a turned-down collar, and cut awaysbaraty from thence so as to show as much as possible of tie waistcoat— and very pretty things in waistcoats are to be had just now in white cloth braided with gold, in grey casimir embroidered with silver or steel thread and round grey cord. Also, exceptionally, in brocade, with rather long basques and pockets. Sometimes in crimson velvet or poppy-coloured faille; sometimes double-the outer one in white cloth or jean, the inner in velvet to match the skirt or the trimming thereof. Or, again, the waistcoat may be cut like the front of a bodice, and covered with a plastron of beaded passementerie, of gnipure—white or ecru— of embroidery, or of black lace worked with jet or gold tinsel. There is plenty of room for ingenuity in the trimming of this particular garment; remnants of silk and velvet will find easy application; and they may be wonderfully improved by the addition of needle- work in the shape of braiding, embroidery, and bead- ing. Moreover, a costume may be supplied with a couple or more of waistcoats, which will give variety at a small expense. The same costume worn with a crimson velvet vest hardly looks the same when com- bined with gold-embroidered white cloth. The former will be best suited to a grey day, and when the sun shines out will come the latter, brilliant in its metallic lot*. ANOTHER, and a very different kind of waistcoat, exhibits folds of some soft silky fabric, crossed over the bosom and confined at the waist by a belt made of horizontal folds of the same tissue. In appearance it is a fichu similar to those worn in the peasant cos- tumes of many of the French provinces; bat, in reality, Lis a double-breasted bodice, on which the r folds are sewn fichu-wise, it being well to leave nothing to chance. Our modern maid or matron prefers to have her dressmaking done for her, and not to have to pleat and pin her clothes afresh every time she puts them on. White, ecru, tan, crimson all shades of yellow, from pale primrose to deep saffron, and a very light tint of absinth or willow-green, are the hues generally chosen for this kind of gild-fichu, as the French dressmaker calls it. The materials are satin- striped gauze and grenadine, crape-lise, not gauffred canvas, and chally. It is generally finished on round the neck with a folded band of the same, but ribbon may be substituted, and a pointed velvet belt worn instead of the scarf. A short Figaro jacket suits it almost better than the ordinary one with lappels and basques, and bell sleeves--cut off at the elbow, with additional loose ones below-tban the usual coat sleeves. A still more fanciful arrangement consists of a fichu-waistcoat of crepe lisse, a velvet or faille jacket with long pointed basques in front, over which is placed a second jacket of the Figaro order, made of embroidery, of thick guipure lace, or of passementerie, with epaulets of the same covering the top of the bell-shaped sleeves.
HUSBAND PROTECTION
HUSBAND PROTECTION A contemporary published the other day a lament from a husband over the condition of the law. Baron Huddleston has recently been declaring once more how abject is the state of man, and how much be stands in need of legislative protection from terrible woman. The following measure, which the Helena Independent says was submitted to the Montana Legislature by Representative Buskett, may perhaps give a practical hint to the English advocates for the better protection of the defenceless male. It is en- titled "An Act for the Better Protection of Married Men." Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Montana Whereas, during the present Session of the Legislature sundry, numerous, and diverse bills have been passed looking to the improvement of the con- dition of married women, defining their rights, and clothing them as nearly as possible with the legal rights and attributes of men, and whereas, under the laws above mentioned said married women may sue and be sued, may hold and own property in their in- dividual right, separate and apart from their hus- bands therefore, be it resolved: Sec. 1. That here- after it shall be a misdemeanour for any married woman to purchase a new bonnet, a silk dress, or a sealskin sacque unless she shall first obtain a written order from her husband, and shall further have given him an indemnifying bond for the payment of the same. Sec. 2. That, in consideration of extra rights, privileges, and immunities heretofore mentioned, it shall hereafter be lawful for my husband to stay out at least three times a week until twelve o'clock at mid- night, and if any married woman shall utter any com- plaint she shall be adjudged guilty of a misde- meanour, and shall be punished by being prohibited from making any comment upon the bonnet of the lady who occupies the front pew in church. Sec. 3. In addition to the three nights above provided, mar- ried men may be permitted to attend lodge on Mon- day, Wednesday, and Saturday nights respectively of each week, and said lodges are hereby permitted to keep open until two a.m., and any married woman who shall lock the front door or leave the baby car- riage in the hall, or put out the lights prior to two a.m., shall be denied the privilege of gossiping with any other lady for the period of six months. Sec. 4. Hereafter it shall be unlawful for any married woman to do any of the following acts more than twice in one day, to wit: 1. To pull out more than one handful of hair at a time. 2. To strike him with a rolling-pin more than seventeen times in succession. 3. To throw hot water on him. 4. To throw more than one flat-iron at a time.
I !TELEPHONE TERRORS,
TELEPHONE TERRORS, An American physician has made a terrible dis- covery about the telephone. He declares-and he backs his statement by fi,gures-that the mortality among subscribers to the telephone is three times greater than among people who do not avail them- selves of its dangerous delights. The diseases most frequently produced by the constant use of the instru- ment are cerebral, pulmonary, and nervous. Indeed, telephonism may be briefly described as over-ex- citement of the nervous system. Science may yet throw further light upon the matter; and in the meantime people who use the telephone had better console themselves with the reflection that the American doctor is probably a faddist. But, what- ever may be the sanitary effect of talking to a box and listening at a table, there can be no doubt that the occupation is bad for the temper. The hideous rumblings from an invisible world, the indistinct murmurings which eo often represent the voice of your interlocutor, and the vain attempts to get switched on to somebody, render conversation by telephone a robust exercise of the virtue of patience and of that sweetness of temper which (in the male portion of mankind at least) is usually so soon ex- hausted.
TWO LUCKY MEN.
TWO LUCKY MEN. Zachariah Messenger, says the San Francisco Chronicle, is a barber who has pursued his trade of scraping chins and clipping hair in that city for some two or three years past. He has during that time bad the honour of exercising his tonsorial art upon the caput and physiognomy of Boss Buckley, and in consequence has enjoyed the patronage of'the fol- lowers of the great San Francisco barber statesman. His trade was a good one and afforded him a good living, but nothing more, and he has endeavoured to increase his store of gold by wooing the fickle goddess of Fortune by investing in lottery tickets. He paid his addresses more particularly to the good dame who presides over the drawings of the Louisiana State Lottery, and has held one or two coupons in nearly every drawing during the last three years. As the gamblers say, he has played in good luck, and has nearly always won enough to give him a small profit, so that lately he has been" playing with the money of the bank." A few drawings ago he came down town, and as he passed the Chronicle office he 8aw by the bulletin board that ticket 67,600 had drawn the capital prize of 150,000 dola. He knew that his ticket was 67,000 and something, and he rushed home to get it. His delight can be imagined when he found that he held a coupon of the winning ticket which entitled him to 15,000 dols. He went down to his shop, pre- sented each of his assistants with a suit of clothes, made arrangements for them to carry on the busi- ness. and last week he and his wife started on a trip to Europe. He expects to be gone about seven montbl and to spend from 3500 dols. to 4000 dols. on the trip. The remainder of the money he will in- vest in some safe security as a nest-egg, and when he gets back will put it into some legitimate business. The other lucky man is a Swede named A. Monsson, who lives in Oakland. He is a labouring man, and has been living a hand-to-mouth existence such as usually falls to the lot of a toiler in the land. He bought a coupon from a pedlar as a speculation. When he heard of his good luck he could not believe it, and when convinced that he had won 15,000 dole., turned white with nervous excitement. He is a single man, and is now much sought after by the young ladies of his acquaintance.
THE CHURCH HOUSE.
THE CHURCH HOUSE. The Gttardian says: The present position of the Church House scheme is well illustrated by the tone of the speeches at the meeting held at Oxford. The meeting seems to have been appreciative, if not enthu- siastic the speeches were those of keen supporters of the scheme, and one of them, at least, contains a very eloquent and successful defence of it. But the tone throughout is apologetic. The promoters of the Church House have discovered that their proposal needs explanation and even defence and we are not sorry that this is so. There was too little explana- tion, too little modesty about the scheme as it was originally presented to the world. Ill-defined pro- posals for spending a quarter of a million of money are never very likely to find much favour, and least of all in this year of Jubilee. We are glad, there- fore, to notice that the Bishop of Carlisfe has defi- nitely recognised that Rome was not, and the Church House will not be, built in a day. He now declares that he will be content with a good site and money enough to lay the first stone this year. The great hall has, we observed, dropped out of all mention, aid even for the chapel the bishop seems to look more to some one donor in the future than to the sub- scribers of the present. This moderation is more likely to attain its object than the gigantic sketch that was first laid before a somewhat astonished public, and we heartily regret that the sum of a quarter of a million was ever publicly alluded to at alL
- SOMETHING ABOUT SPRING.
SOMETHING ABOUT SPRING. "South-West" writes in the Globe: "No one looks forward to the advent of Spring more than he does who lives all the year round in the country. For months past he has had before his eyes all the desola- tion of naked trees and bare hedges, or, if they have been clothed, it has been with a heavy mantle of snow. The voices of the birds have been hushed, the songsters themselves reduced to mere puffed-out bunches of misery, forlornly huddled together on the snow-covered ground, longing as much as he who pities them for the glorious Spring. And so it r coiues at last. Day by day, and week by week, the anxiously watched hedges have slowly but surely developed their buds, while the pale- coloured shoots on the beeches give promise that very soon the shade-giving trees will be clothfid with bright green foliage, from among which will emanate the soft coo of the wood pigeons as they mate together on the branches. Nature is at its best and most beautiful in the spring, when the tears of April have been chased away by the smiles of May. The gold, purple, and white of the crocuses in the wild garden have been succceilel by many-coloured sweet-scented hyacinths, while white violets, peeping out of odd corners, and fragrant wall-flowers, help to perfume the breath of the May morning. Robin's red waistcoat has lost its brightness, and he sits in the hedge lamenting with shrill voice his departed gran- deur, the voice soon to be lost amid the general chorus of rejoicing feathered songsters, led by the thrush, their lays loualy proclaiming grim winter to be a thing of the past. It is a bright spring morning, when the sun grate- fully, but not too warmly, glints through the young greenery on beech, horse chestnut, and sycamore branches, now waving and pleasantly rustling in the scented breeze, accompanied by the hum of myriads of bees rejoicing among the foliage. White fleecy clouds drift overhead, dotted here and there with a quivering tiny speck, the skylark at her matins, whose song comes faintly down from the great height. And so the spring will advance until the hedges become solid walls of green to afford a welcome shelter for the thrush to build her cest in. In the copse there is every shade of green, from the bright colour of the larch to the more sober hue of fir or the heavy black green of the giant yew, under whose gnarled roots a family of young rabbits has lately come into existence, and the white scut of one of their parents gleams for a second as he or she vanishes amid the half-exposed tree roots. The cornfields are now decked in Spring's favourite colour, the green blades hereafter to be rolling waves of gold, through which tiny part- ridges will hurry after their thoughtless mother, their little feet clogged with balls of mud if the weather be wet; and so, if they cannot overtake their unnatural parent, they will be left to perish miserably among the corn-stalks. Nature, although the predominant colour of her mantle is green, re- lieves its monotony with many bright trimmings. Masses of pink and white apple blossom glitter among the green leaves, while the cherry and greengage trees in the orchard rear a very wealth of white to stand out in vivid relief against the greenery beyond them. Amid all this spring colouring, the walnut and the ash sullenly refuse to take part in Nature's general jubilee, preferring to assert their disbelief in warm sunshine and health-giving breezes by retaining the dismal garb of winter; but soon they also will be shamed into adopting the universal dresa, and the only undecorated remaining will be the young beeches in their garments of brown. In the paddock, on which the grass is now growing rapidly, the broods of fluffy chickens are anxiously watched over by their penned-up mothers, whose lives would seem to be one perpetual worry, as they crane their necks through the bars of the coops earnestly imploring their careless offspring to return home and all will be forgiven. Apparently the guinea-fowls sympathise with the distressed parents, as they utter their unceasing cry, Go back, go back." But the youngsters are heedless of admonition, until Rover, finding us out, comes bounding over the grass. Then there is a wild scurry and chorus of squeaks aa the disobedient children fly home for their lives. But one old hen is not satisfied, and keeps up a complaining clucking So we hunt about, and at last discover in the grass the missing child, evidently in a very depressed state of mind. Huddled up, with its head between its shoulders, and nearly closed eyes, now and again feebly opening its beak as if gasping out, Oh how I wiah I had gone home." So it is carried indoors and placed before the fire in a basket, where it gets worse and worse, and at length the wee head drops forward until the beak rests on the bit of flannel, and then there is a death vacancy in the brood.
" STRETCHING" THE MILK:
STRETCHING" THE MILK: "An ex-Milk Carrier" writes as follows to the London Globe: In recounting, as well as I can, my experiences as a milk-carrier, I hope to be able to arouse some inteiest in a humble, but useful class of public servants, and to expose certain abuses which I think ought to be made known. What I have to tell is the strict literal truth; I have neither the will nor the power to dress it up in fine language. I have never written anything for publication before, and it is not likely that I ever shall again. It does not much matter how I became a milkman; it will be enough to say that I was brought up a farmer, and that having, like many other young farmers, failed, through no fault of my own, to get a living in that calling, I found myself four months ago (28 years of age, with a wife and two children) ready to take any- thing that might turn up, and glad, after several weeks of enforced idleness to engage myself as milk-carrier to a large firm in a suburb of London at 25s. per week. My satisfaction soon abated. My employers were said to keep 300 cows. There were three foremen and 20 rounds of which six were cart rounds and 14 walking or peram- bulator rounds." Mine was a cart round? I bad to be at the yard by five o'clock and my horse put to by 5.30 every morning. By that time the milk was roadv for us. What happened to it before we carriers got it I cannot say. The big tins which are called •'churns* were taken into the cellar, in which only the foremen were allowed to set foot. But this I may say-having been used to cows from a child I know pure milk when I see it. I have milked the cows myself for this firm and found the milk not up to average quality; but when delivered to us VOu would scarcely recognise it as the same, it being both thick and creamy-looking. Next, each man's milk was measured and booked "—that is, against each man's name, or rather number, was entered the quantity of milk which he received at the commencement of hiB round, for which quantity, and more he had to account at the end of it. It may 8ca'rCely be believed, but it is literally true, that it was the iniquitous practice of the firm to require their carriers to book over "—that is, to account at the end of their round for more milk than thev received at the beginning! For instance, if I r/ceived 60 quarts I should be required to book in 66 How is it done? Well, you may either water the milk or give short measure; I don't know of a third wav Book- ing done, I started on my round, accompanied by my boy, to whom I bad to pay Is. 6d. a week out of my scanty wages. All milk delivered I had to enter in my book, and on returning from my first round (which would be about eight o'clock) this was checked .1 with what I bad left m my tins, and, if it did not amount to the fictitious quantity, I was told I must give a better account of my milk." Then I bad my breakfast, and started on my second round (known as the "puddinground") which lasted from 10 o'clock waa 01611 *}]?Vd Bn h°w for dinner, after which came my third round, from 12 45 to five o'clock. On our pudding round we were not required to book over," and aa a rule, we did not sell more than about 10 quarts, but on each of the others I had to be scheming to stretch the milk so as to make it last out I need not say I got plentiful abuse from my customers. After returning from my third round I groomed my horse and washed cans until 6.30, when my day's work was done. On Sundays no dinner hour waa allowed, and we managed to finish about three o'clock. My wages for this drudgery were, as I have said, 25s. f 'a I ??,d u07.18- 6di' and liable for furtherdeductioHs in the shape of fines for being late, • 1 add the ,aboye re°ital of n.y expe- riences that we were not allowed to wear gloves in cold weather, and could not afford to buv <• mncVinB- togs "for wet, I think1 have said enough to prole that a milkman's life is not all beer and skittles." I endured it for three months, and would have gone on enduring it for the sake of the wife and little ones, but I could not stand the miserable cheating which I was forced to practise. I left, and now I am once more waiting for something to turn up.
Advertising
A MAGAZINE writer says that'blue eyes indicate mild and even disposition. Black and blue eyes, it is pre- sumed, mean a combative diapositlon-and that-their wetrer tackled the wrong man.
--A SINGER ON SINGING.
A SINGER ON SINGING. Mdme. Lemmens Sherrington contributes to one of the ladies magazines the first of a series of articles on "Learning to Sing." We are glad (says the Globe) to see that her first exhortation to the would-be vocalist is to acquire culture—to get Geist," as Mr Matthew Arnold would fay. A good general educa- tion is the best of all bases for success in all the arts. Mdme. Sherrington shows that, before a girl can be taught to sing, she must learn to read at sight, must be able to accompany herself at the piano, and must have studied both elocution and deportment. But beyond these indispensable aids to vocalism, there are other subjects which the singer is all the better for having explored. "Strive to extend daily the horizon of your ideas, the cycle of your knowledge." Learn to think and feel deeply. Why is so much of present-day singing so unimpressive, so devoid of charm ? Because it is absolutely soul-less—because the performance is technically correct, and nothing more. Nay, Mdme. Sherrington goes further, and Bays that of all the celebrated artists heard by her in the past only a few possessed "that distinction and subtlety of inflection which bespeaks a thorough education not only of the mind but of the feelings." She begs young students not to be in too great a hurry to reap the fruits of their labours; and no doubt the public suffers from the number of immature vocalists thrust upon its attention. Of how many debulants are we obliged to say that they will be all the better for further teaching? And It is pleasant to find this past-mistress of vocalisation urging upon intending singers the duty of attending to enuncia- tion. Alas! for how many is this advice absolutely necessary. So few take the trouble to make the words of their songs thoroughly well heard. It is often said that English is an unsingable language. Nonsense cries Mdme. Sherrington, in effect; pro- nounce it properly, and you will find it as well adapted to the singing voice as French, or German, or Italian.
ATTACKS ON AMERICAN EDITORS.
ATTACKS ON AMERICAN EDITORS. There was great excitement in Atlanta several days ago over an encounter which took place botween Cap- tain J. F. Burke, described as of the Gate City Guards, and Colonel A. S. Atwood, editor and pro- prietor of the Daily Capital. It appoars that Burke's company bad been preparing to come to Europe on a trip, and that Atwood, who was an honorary member, was chagrined when Captain Burke gave the first notice of the proposed trip to the Constitution instead of to the Capital. After that Atwood's behaviour towards Burke was such that his honorary member- ship of the company was revoked. This caused the editor to publish an article intimating that Burke was a coward, that he had been hissed on several occa- sions, and that he was otherwise off his balance." At a subsequent meeting the company passed resolutions in defeace of the captain, and making insinuations againpt Atwood. Simultaneously with the publication of these resolutions Captain Burke published a card describing Atwood as a festering sore upon the body politic.' The same day Atwood and Burke met in the street, with the result that might have been expected. Atwood struck at Burke with a whip, and Burke returned the blow with a heavy cane. They then closed, fell, and rolled upon the side-walk, to the amusement of the spectators, until a police- man parted them. That night Atwood was informed by a vigilance committee that if he did not leave the town within 24 hours, he would be called upon in an effective manner." Public sympathy was entirely against the editor. A more serious encounter of a similar character took place recently at Jackson (Miss.)—a pistol-fight between Colonel Jones S. Hamilton, State Senator, and R. D. Gambrell, editor of the Sword and Shield, a paper in which some of Colonel Hamilton's public actions have been criticised in unmeasured terms. A day or two after the publication of an unusually caustic article Gambrell and Hamilton met in the street and began to discharge their revolvers at each other. The former was killed, having been pierced by three bullets, and terribly injured on the face by being struck by a heavy pistol. Colonel Hamilton was so severely wounded that it was doubtful whether he would recover. His left arm was shattered at the elbow, and a bullet had entered his stomach.
A PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.
A PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE. Provision has been made in a bill introduced by Mr. Howard Vincent, M.P., for the appointment of a Public Trustee." The object is to meet the diffi- culty which both public bodies and private individuals frequently experience in finding suitable trustees. i1.1 •' l appears that such a functionary has been established in some of the American States and in some of the colonie", notably in New Zealand. The bill constitutes the Public Trustee as a corporation T> perpetual succession. The publ'c would thus be able to appoint a trustee or an executor who would never die, never leave the country, and never become incapacitated-each of which events in the case of an ordinary trustee occasions delay and ex- pense m the administration of a trust. According to this scheme, the Public Tree, who would hold office during good behaviour, would be appointed by the Treasury, and the Public Trustee Office, of which he would be the head,would be subject to the regulations of the Treasury. These regulations would provide for the custody of the property intrusted to it, would fix the scale of charges for the cost of managing pro- perty, would regulate the keeping, rendering, and auditing of trust accounts, and would direct in what bank some moneys should be kept and in what secu- rities others may be invested, and so forth; but where any doubt may arise as to the powers or duties of the Public Trustee it would be referred to the Chancery Court for determination: Power is con- ferred by the bill on the several departments of the State by order in Council to place public trust pro- perty in the Public Trust Office; and any person or body may, in creating a trust, place it in the care of the office; but for ordinary trustees to transfer their trust to the office the consent of a Chancery judge is necessary, as it also is when an executor or adminis- trator wishes to do the same. Moreover, building or friendly societies may hand over their securities to the office. In the case of private property, however, the question is to be referred to a Board, consisting of certain public officers and three lawyers, to determine whether it shall be accepted by the office or not. If the Board is of opinion that the property intended to be conveyed and the powers intended to be created are duly conveyed and created by the document produced, and that the property may be aiministered by the Public Trustee in accordance with its conditions with due regard to the public service, the trust will be ac. cepted. Although a will is not to be finally accepted until after the testator's death, he may during his life request thawit may be provisonally accepted. In that case it will not be rejected at his death, ut-leas an alteration in the value of the property or in other circumstances makes it desirable. Moreover, a will may be deposited in the office for safe custody. By a part of the bill the powers of the Public Trustee are restricted with regard to selling or leasing or pur- chasing lands, or borrowing money, or making advances, or investing money, and all these powers are to be subject to the control of the Board. The bill provides for the payment of fees on a regulated scale upon all receipts of income under a trust, or on realising property under a will; as also for other duties connected with the administration of a trust or the execution of a will. The Public Trust Office would, therefore, Mr. Vincent hopes, be not only self-supporting, but in all probability a profitable source of public revenue. On the other hand, it must be noticed, the State would be undertaking very great liability in making itsolf responsible for all losses occasioned through the act or default of any persona concerned in the management of thp trusts.
RUSSIA'S DEBT.
RUSSIA'S DEBT. A Foreign Office report states that the total in- scribed and non-inscribed debt of Russia on January 1, 1884, was set down at £ 334,973,639, against £327,979,854 in 1883, in addition to loans advanced by the Treasury to railway and other companies, making the total liability at January 1, 1883, £ 492,683,400, and at January 1, 1884, £ 498,777,035. On January 1, 1885, the total indebtedness was £446,74.5,367; on the 1st of January, 1886, £ 518,619,419. It is clea" from these figures, Sir Robert Morier writes, that the operation of the Sink- ing Fund is but slowly having any effect on account of the yearly recurring loans, although the apparent large increase of debt in 1886 was fully accounted for as being due to the inclusion for the first time of the charges connected with the Peasant Land Redemp- tion Fund. During 1883 10 Russian railways having a Government guarantee paid interest on their re- spective shares and obligations from their own resources. The remaining companies have been forced to apply to the Treasury for funds to meet their engagements.
-.-...&.-PARLIAMENT'S PRE-WHITSUNTIDE…
-& PARLIAMENT'S PRE-WHITSUNTIDE WORK, As Parliament is enjoying its fortnight's Whitsun- tide holiday, it is a fitting opportunity to review briefly the work which has been accomplished since the session opened on Jan. 27—a period of rather more than 16 weeks. In the House of Commons the Queen's Speech was debated for 16 nights, and was then brought to an end by the intervention of the Speaker and the enforcement of the closure. The first trial of strength between the Unionists and the Home Rulers took place on an amendment of Mr. Parnell, directed against the Irish policy of the Government. It was rejected by 352 votes to 246, showing a majority of 106 for Ministers. The next subject that engaged attention was the Reform of Procedure. There bad been in existence since 1882 a form of closing debate upon the invita- tion of the Speaker, but this had not been found to work efficiently, and the Government proposed a new plan, under which it would be open to any member to move closure at any time, subject only to the veto of the Chair. This proposal was under discussion from Feb. 21 until March 18, when it was finally adopted and made a Standing Order. Ten days later Mr. A. J. Balfour moved for leave to introduce the Irish Crimes Bill, which was eventually brought in and read a first time on April 1 by 361 votes to 253. It was read a second time by 370 to 2G9 on April 18, and, with the exception of a few days devoted to the urgent finan- cial business of the Government and one day given up to private members, the measure has, in com- mittee, engaged the time of the House down to the present date, and seems likely so to engage it for some weeks after the holidays. During the debates the new closure rule has been several times put in force, but its application has been restricted by the requirement that the members voting in its favour must number at least 200. In regard to Supply, the Government succeeded in inducing the House to vote their supplementary estimates for last year's services, whilst, with respect to the current financial year, the principal estimates for the army and navy have been voted, but no pro- gress whatever has been made with the estimates for the Civil Service and Revenue departments, the re- quirements of which have, so far, had to be provided by means of votes on account. The House of Lords has made a better show of legislative wcrk than the Commons. Not to speak of minor measures, their lordships have, at the in- stance of the Government, passed through all its stages the Railway and Canal Traffic Bill, whilst they have also read a second time and passed through, or partially through, committee the Lord Chancellor's Land Transfer Bill, the Tithe Rent Charge Bill, and the Irish Land Law Bill. During the session the following public bills, most of them of a purely formal or routine character, have, after passing both Houses, received the Royal Assent: Army (Annual) Act, Consolidated Fund (No. 1) Act, County Courts (Expenses) Act, Isle of Man (Customs) Act, Merchant Shipping (Fishing Boats) Acts Amendment Act, Duke of Connaught's Leave Act, Conversion of India Stock Act, Supreme Court of Judicature (Ireland) Act, and Incumbents of Benefices Loans Extensions Act. These were all Government measures. The following, introduced by private members, have also received the Royal Assent: Customs Consolidation Act (1876) Amend- ment Act (Sir A. Rollit), and Police Force Enfran- chisement Act (Mr. Burdett-Coutts). Since the meeting of Parliament on Jan. 27 the following have ceased to be members of the House of Commons: Lord Algernon Percy (St. George's, Hanover-square), resigned; Mr. E. Leamy (North- East Cork), resigned Mr. W. C. Borlase (St. Austell Division of Cornwall), resigned Mr. E. Macnaghten (North Antrim), elevated to the judicial bench Mr. Peter Rylands (Burnley), deceased; Mr. Thomas Watson (Ilkeston Division of Derby), deceased; Mr. S. C. Allsopp (Taunton), now Lord Hindlip and Mr. J. A. Blake (Carlow), deceased. The following new members have taken their seats; Mr. W. T. Robert- son (for Brighton, in succession to the lata Mr. D. Smith), Mr. James Bigwood (Brentwood Division of Middlesex, in place of the late Mr. O. E. Coope), Mr. Ralph Neville (Exchange division of Liverpool, in room of the late ijr. Duncan), Mr. Goschen (St. George's, Hanover-square), Mr. T. M. Healy (North Longford), Mr. M'Neill (South Donegal), Mr. E. J. Kennedy (South Sligo), Sir C. E. Lewis (unseated for Londonderry City, but subsequently returned for North Antrim), Mr. John Slagg (Burnley), Sir W. B. Foster (Ilkeston division of Derbyshire), Mr. A. P. Allsopp (Taunton), and Mr. W. A. M'Arthur (St. Austell division of Cornwall). Mr. William O'Brien was elected without opposition for North-East Cork during his absence in America, but has not taken his seat. It is understood that on the reassembling of the Houses the Government will proceed further in the Lords with the Irish Land Law Bill, the Land Transfer Bill, and the Tithe Rent Charge Bill. In the House of Commons the first day will be devoted to Supply, the consideration of the Crimes Bill being resumed on the following day. It is expected that the committee on the latter bill will be interrupted either on June 9 on June 13, in order that the second reading 'of the Budget Bill may be taken. The Government hope also to be able to proceed with the Coal Mines Regulation Bill, which has been read a second time, but which is likely to provoke considerable debate in committee.
A NEEDLESS AGRICULTURAL EVIL.
A NEEDLESS AGRICULTURAL EVIL. Mr. H. Kains-Jackson writes The lower grounds of self-interest have already been occupied upon an agricultural subject, that of the great annual loss to farmers and others who keep horned stock through the injury done to the animals' condition and the de- preciation in market of the bide through the cattle warble or bot flies and maggots. When such an agri- cultural expert as Mr. Stratton computes the annual losses to farmers at millions of pounds sterling in flesh and condition, and when statistics show a further loss of 5a. to 15s. on warbled hides through their perforation into holes at their best parts by the warble maggot, and when it is stated bv the entomo- logist of the Royal Agricultural Society'that all these losses might be easily avoided through the use of simple and safe remedies (poisons should be specially avoided), then 1 may be allowed to repeat upon these lower grounds of profit, of £ a. d., the cattle owners of Great Britain and Ireland may surely be expected to do their proper work, and help themselves for their own pockets' sake. But upon the higher grounds of humanity, of pity, and wish to help one's poor relations—the animals-I would appeal to every farmer in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland to do his duty, and as merciful men to be merciful to their beasts by destroying this demon warble fly, this warble maggot, this vampire living on the living flesh of our cattle. Awakened conscience got me out of bed between five and sir o'clock the other morning, as it is awakened conscience that constrains me to address this letter to the papers asking them to call attention to an evil that may be suffered or not, as the farming world wills. One may feel confident that farmers will to a man destroy the pest that de- teriorates and punishes their stock. They have but to see their work before them and they will do it. It is a matter of conscience not to let the beasts suffer, and this is my excuse, sir, as a lover of country interests, for addressing you this letter. Possibly, like myself, the farmer has not hitherto given this warble business the attention which Miss Ormerod and others claimed -very possibly the farmers thought, as I thought, the whole affair exaggerated. The visit I paid to Isling- ton Cattle Market decided the subject. I saw, felt. and suffered. In the living backs of cattle, in the I hides of those just slaughtered, could be seen the demon work of the vampire warble. The evil exists, the evil must cease to exist, and the action to accom- plish this is easy. Let the farmers who have not ob- served for themselves the pest take my word for it. For how to do it let them read the directions given by Miss Ormerod, the consulting entomologist to the Royal Agricultural Society.
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WHY is it that you treat me with such disdain? arked a young society beau of a married lady.—Aa long as you are not on good terms with my husband, I can not possibly treat you kindly.—This is a horrible dilemma, responded the gilded youth; if you show me any attention, your husband refuses to speak to me, and unless he is friendly, you give me the cold shoulder. I never was in such a hideous fix in my life. WITH gloomy face and hat askew, with hair un- kept, unpolished shoe, with slouching gait and actions queer, his neck-tie fastened 'neath his ear, he shuffles sulkily along, and looks as if there's something wrong. Would'st know what means that battered hat, that rusty, ragged, old cravat, that shambling gait, that tangled hair, that sullen aspect of despair? Approach and whisper in his ear: Erastus, what's to pay, my I dear? And hear old 'Rastus, grumbling, say, My wife is cleanup house to-day.
———i—mm——n—| Uttsttlliuwtts…
———i—mm——n—| Uttsttlliuwtts litlflligett# HOME- FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL. "WATERLOO.—The British residents at Brussels *}? celebrate the Jubilee by the erection of & memori*' the British officers killed at Waterloo. > A TUNNEL UNDER THE HUDSON.—The of the Pennsylvania Railroad contemplates bofiDt« I A TUNNEL UNDER THE HUDSON.—The of the Pennsylvania Railroad contemplates bofiDt« I tunnel beneath the Hudson River in order to reach > centre of New York City. j AN EXTRAORDINARY BEQUEST.—M. Alfred MotteifJ, I inhabitant of Roubaix, who died recently, made a pe Of liar provision inhis will. He bequeathed the sUIØ 425,000 fr.to the municipality, though the benefito w not to be realised yet. The name of the benefactor to be immortalised a century hence, as a clause will directs that the legacy is to bo invests" « I'rentes" and accumulate till 1987 at con>P°^Sj interest. Whether Roubaix will continue to "5j flourishing manufacturing city it is fast becomi Motte'a foresight will have produced 20,000,$$jm which sum is to be spent in constructing dwellings for the aLtisan and working classes. bot THE Hop CHOP.—The backward condition of tbe jjj plantations, coupled with the continued unfavottf*^ weather, is giving rise to much anxiety. Most jj grounds are three weeks behind, and owing to the winds and sharp frosts the bine is of a bad colour, drooping heads. The tyers cannot make much Pr°fw with their work on account of the brittleness bine, which breaks when touched. In many gr° a#' the ravages of flea and wire worm are serious, aphis humuli has already made its appearance. p present bleak weather is considered most the development of blight. PILGBIMS TO MECCA.—A Reu'er's telegram Vienna says: Intelligence received here stantinople states that several Palace officials, others Osman Pasha, were recently requested to KtJt the capital for Mecca as pilgrims. It is believed they will be exiled in consequence of some at Yildiz Kiosk, the nature of which has not V* spired. ALLOTMENTS FOB LABOURERS.—The Earl of raven has introduced into the House of Lords dealing with the subject of allotments for agrico1 labourers.. Of DEPOPULATION OF IRELAND.—The Ireland still goes on. During last year 63,41 grants left Irish ports, an increase of 996 as co&yfofi with 1885. This is equal to 12 '2 per thousand .ft population of Ireland in 1881. The United State^jj usual, absorbed the great production, over .to going thither. Since 1851 the Irish emigrants numbered 3,149,744, or 54 9 per cent. of the V0' lation. fjji A DISAPPEARING RACE.—American Indians diminishing; there are now but 131 952 in the of the Dominion of Canada. Of these 33,959 tbe North-^West Provinces. A large proportion Indians in the Eastern Provinces are more ot civilized. ROYAL ARTILLERY IN IRELAND.—The Commanding Royal Artillery Officer in IreJa5' „ been revived, and is to be conferred upon 0. Johnson, now on the staff of the Madras Arioy* A YEAR'S NEW COMPANIES.—The total jfgt capital of the new companies brought out sear was £ 70,938,203. In 1885 the total w»« ° < £ t'2-),377,350; so that there was the amazing iflcre^Lj# £ 50,56 ,850. Of thia nominal capital £ 52,88l,r"Aj„gl actually offered by the public (including the of the promoters.) "A CORNER" IN COTTON.—At a meeting committee of the Cotton Spinners' AssociatIon, at Manchester the other day, it was resolved to m vene a general meeting of the trade to of desirability of running short time, with a .vl0rpO°^ I counteracting the speculative corner in which is now pressing so severely upon the V GASLIGHT IN 'BUSSES.—Some of the omnibo^cll London are now lighted with gas, a store of w is carried by each vehicle. d b*0 A MIMIC SEA FIGHT.—Lord Charles Beresfo^ # arranged for the whole of the members of the p of Commons to visit Portsmouth on June H d a V> order to inspect some of the new ironclads witness a mimic sea fight, which will explosion of submarine mines, a landing btof jackets aLd marines, and evolutions by a ° torpedo boats. # COAL MINE EXPLOSIONS.— Twelve explosions damp in mines were reported during the seven of these proving fatal to 109 persons- ^jl cases of accumulations caused ten deaths. TbÐ øíØØØ loss of life (119) is only one half the aver 1850. In foreign coalfields. eight explosions oC and 170 deaths are reported. wj# NIAGARA FALLS.—Examinations recently made the average recession along the contour of the Horseshoe Fall, since 1842, to have been 2 4 *^<4 year..At the point where the acute angle is tfA the recession from 1842 to 1875 was over 100 'rjji £ from 1875 to 1886 more than 200 feet. The* t,flt away of the American Fall sinoe 1842 has &ee slight. ijtiifl' AN ICE-BLOCK AT WHITSUNTIDE —Immense of ice still blockade the Cape Breton coast,. 9 Witlg impeding navigation and seriously j o» business, especially shipments of coal. A large11 ^cft American mackerel seiners have arrived off t 0i fist*' Scotian coast, and are awaiting the appearance EastetØ STAGNANT EASTERN POPULATIONS.—Among Of it" populations, that of India alone increases. vioplo 1,400,000 square miles of territory, our nDg f has a population of about 240 millions—170 the square mile—increasing at the very consi rate, unexampled in the previous history of of 1 per cent, per annum.. „ to THB NEXT ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.—According ruerlJ^orre8Pondent. the total eclipse of the the 19th of August next is visible all over Ru881 rf0<J the Baltic to Eastern Siberia, and will be nf there by m»ny ot the princintl astronomers1 jolt countries. The Roy l Astronomical Society of H> has Signified its intention to send two of its ineiaWfge, Kireshims in the government of Kostroma w also, the American astronomer, Professor young'stt"" the Moscow savant, Professor Bredichin, will tioned. Two German stations will be establish'5 10 Government of Tver oDe Italian at tW Siberia; and one French station at bt Peterburg and Muscow Railway.. ,ntted- A GLUT OF CORAL.—The coral market i* ,j o# ive years is said to be the time it will take ,0 ggjr the stock already in hand and meanwhile ing in Sicily has been suspended.. pftltb? DEATH-RATE IN HEALTHY DISTRICTS.—1° jgjtb" districts in England and Wales the mean ftf rate during the last ten years was 17 pe* U* some cases it was as low as 16 per 1000. V> crowded districts it rose from 22 and 25 per ju 32-5 per 1000 in Manchester, and 38 6 pet Liverpool. BOTANY IN INDIA.—According to the aoe» Englishman," the Indian Government have ar „j<j(J a scheme for the complete and systematic not*1p survey of India. The country will be divided four great diatricts, the first under Mr. D Superintendent of the Government Botanical G«rfd^ at Saharunpur; the second under King, Superintendent of the Royal Botanical at Calcutta and the third and fourth uder Madras and Bombay Government Botanists reSf- tively.. g PRINCIPAL PORTS FOR FISH—The principal ports, with the value of the fish landed during l-9 are: London, £ 972 000; Grimsby, £ 953,000; £ 359,000; Lowestoft, £ 280 000; and Yarra°" £ 225,000. These five ports on the east coast, tB fore, take more than two-thirds of the whole trade. the INCENDIARY BIRDS. — A correspondent of -jj "Scientific American" writes: There is a mill near here which has been on fire three ot times, and in which the English sparrow may be the incendiary. These sparrows pick up old pieces cotton waste, which they build in their nests the timbers of the roof of the mill, and in every c* £ of the fires above mentioned these nests were cause, either from spontaneous combustion or f' nest m ir°n 8trikinS 11113 iD ENTIABLE INCOMES.—There are no fewer thani people in this country who have incomes of £ 50,000 year. This, in round figures, represents £ 1000a » or about £ 140 a day. COLLAPSE OF A BRIDGE -The suspension brtdge over the Rhone, between Bsaucaire and Tarasco » broke down the other evening while a traction was passing over it. The driver waa killed. ROMAN BRITAIN.—A communication haa been ceived by the superintendent of police at Canterbury respecting the disoovery of a fine gold piece of re'gn of the Emperor Tiberius On&sar and other in the course of excavations upon the site of a ne" bank. DESTROYED BY DYNAMITE.—An Odessa correøpondell writes: The petroleum conduits owned bv Messrs. Nobels, Rothschilds, and other foreigners, near have been destroyed by dynamite. The outrage tf- supposed to have been perpetrated on account of trade disputes. THB BISHOPRIC OF BATHUFST.—The Rev. CanoO Camige, Vicar of Thirsk, has accepted the Bishopric of Bathurst, which has been vacant for some months The diocese is one of the largest in the Australian colonies, but the income is comparatively small. The rev. gentleman was ordained in 1860, his first curacy being that of the parish church at Sheffield. He \VIS subsequently curate at Wakefield, and afterward* became Rector of Hedon and of Waldrake, York.
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YOUNG Woman (timidly to clerk) I would like to look at some false hair, please. Clerk (experienced): Yes, ma'am. What colour does your friend want ? Sale effected,