Weekly Mail

DUR CAPITAL LETTER, • 1 •'■' BY "ZINQQ." ITB. AUGUSTUS HARM ON THE BOAS TO HIS GOAL—VHICH FACT LJUDS UP 10 A FEW OBSEB.YATIONS ON LUCK—LAD? DLFSRLO AT DRURY-UN. PANTOMIJTE — MB. rJOYLY CABTE AND HIS WIRY TTTBATOH—RM-T.HTO IT. ING ANKITBSSAMBS—11B8. O'SBQtA—nOV THEY FIGHT IN KILXZVNY-THZ DEFEATED OF PARNBLL—XHB PBEBENT GENERATION LACK BRAINS BECAXJSX THEY TABOO JlIGII COLLARS AND STOCKS 1 The pantomime season is upon us again. At old Drury" Beauty and the Beast" holds the boards; at the Crystal Palace, Dick Whittington and hit Cat." Eaoh year we hear that Mr. Augustus Harris is to surpaci himself. When that will have an end, who can tell ? What a wonderful man himself must be! And a 11 Million of Money fills Oovent Garden, There must, surely, be some- thing in luok. Everything the fortunate 'Gus touches turns to gold. He aimed at social success, at municipal honours; both are his. I shall yet live to see the day when Mr. Harris has surpassed himself and rides in the Lord Mayor's ooach with the historic chain across his breast. The lease of the National Theatre will have lapsed by then, and another and statelier, equal to all modern reqnire- ments, will have risen on its ashes; it will have even obscured that palatial house of the play—Mr. D'Oyly Carte's magnificent struc- tare. • • • Talk of not believing in good and bad lack, it is absurd. Some are born under an unlucky star. Does not Zadkiel tell us top The unlucky are ruled by Saturn—that IIQb. of dead matter, eunless and ohaotio. It may, in the chances of Fate, be granted that you may pass out of his infiutnoe. If so, and time has not dealt too hardly with you, you may have an innings of good luck, but the chances are that the big blighting influence will dominate its victims to the bitter end. It is an eerie season. The witches begta to fly on the 31st of Ootober-the eve of All Saints' and they won't be in chains again until Twelfth flight has oome and gone. So now is the time to try your fate. Send in tke day and hour of your birth to ZadkieJ, and your horoscope will be cast by the prophet of times and seasons. You will be told what periods to avoid, what dangers lurk, and what of possible fortune is in store for you. < 1 knewa man,amiable,generons,and agtneral favourite—which rather carries a certain colourlessness of oharacter-wbo never had a stroke of luck in his life. He inherited fair enough fortune too late to enjoy it, and it brought with it pressure to pay debts which bad been allowed to die out, and which his inheritance oould not cover. He had almost every bone in his body broken out hunting, and he had run the gauntlet of diseases. Lastly, he had run up against a gate one dark night, and smashed all his good, strong front teeth. Soon after he was attacked in the fields by a vicious heifer, and tossed over a five-barred gate, suffering a concussion which kept him long a prisoner. He had owned some splendid racing and hunting stock, but after one initial triumph with a splendid steeplechase mare, the animal broke its back at a fence when within easy distance of the winning post. Soon after he was visiting some two-year-olds in a sheltered meadow. For one he had just refused three figures. It was the haymaking season, and the makers were at their dinners under hedgerows and on stacks of fragrant grass. He did not see his stock at first, hot suddenly came on them, three prone on the ground and a fourth motionless, standing. Among them lay some soythes glittering in "the suD, left there by the haymakers. The frolicsome young animals had seen the steel glancing in the hot, fervid sun, had pawed the scythes, and had injured themselves past repair. The standing one had severed its hoof and had to be shot, and only one of the three could be saved alive. This 1 was a lovely mare, antl, she w&s "kept for breeding, but afl, her progeny had a slight turn iA" of the hock, the joint of which the mare had injured. My friend gave up rearing horses after that misfortune. It's all my luck," he said, I won't pass it on to the animals." He had had several love affairs;'all had gone against him, and when I last saw him he was quite an old man, good-humoured and cheery -he always came up smiling—though over- whelmed in debt, a victim to dyspegjja and bronchitis. He never got out of the igflimnee of Saturn. And this bit of by-play a^Lalong of Mr. Augustus Harris. # The chief attraction of the pantomime is Lady Dunlo. Cracks often enhance the vale of a bit of Dresden. • LADY DUNLO is passing fair, full of magnetic charms, and a favourite with the world of the stags and 'Arries in particular. It must be a subject of intense mortification to the Clancarty family to see the name of its heir in the tall type of a theatrical poster. Mr. D'Oyly Carte's new theatre is certainly the finest of its brotherhood in London. I doubt whether a more perfect one exists any- where. It will seat nearly three thousand persona, and afford eaoh individual an equally good sight of the play. I sat me down on the topmost seat of the gallery, at the farthest corner, and I commanded the stage equally with the fore- most stalls. The exits are splendid, so wide, and all separate. The pit does not tumble into the dress circle at the doors, nor the gallery into the boxes. The house could be emptied very quickly on the alarm of fire. The cost is estimated at beyond .£70,000. The famous trio—D'Oyly Carte, Sullivan, and Gilbert—are on again, and when the proper time arrives will again work in unison and delight the world with their efforts. It w- i:.n.a nAviiur taoia to remain disiointed long. Bat Gilbert is gey ill to gat on wi' 1 The house 13 not yet earned, tratihat chosen I itos believed, is 1 I THE NATIONAL THEATRE. We have just been glorifying the dead Browning. Dead, did I say ? A poet never dies. To some it little matters whether he is in the flesh or out of the flesh it is his voice they know, seldom the man, and better so. Browning was disillusionising. The poet loved dining out at the tables of the great. He was particular and up-to-date in his toilet. He was not genial, and although he did not pose, or give himself airs," he was commonplace to all appearance, with rather the tone of a petit maitre. This may sound rank heresy, but it is the impression be made on me, and I have heard others say much the same. He had one thing not common to great lights --a son worthy of him—a painter of oele- brity, and a virtuoso, the gifted son of highly gifted parents, whose home is now in one of the most beautiful of Venetian palaces, Palazzo Messonico, standing on the Grand Canal. Under it the gondolas pass all the long summer days and nights, and when strangers are the freight the gondolier stops invariably and says, Here is where the great English poe, died." Browning, indeed, oaughfc hit death in the draughty palace, where he was visiting bis son, and there he died. A very differcn t genius has also had; his anniversary commemorated Dr. Samuel Johnson. In 1874 the ponderous lexioographer died, but his memory lives in a certain band of ardent admirers of his life and worka. They meet eaoh year in Fleet-street, so associated with the great dootor's name, and where he was iuvariably "shadowed" by Bosweli. This little club met this year at the Rainbow, in Fleet-street, and sapped in ortbodox atyle. I give an historic lady. Mc<s. O'-SHEA. The volcanic lady is at present in Paris. Enough has been said of and' about her. When she next becomes the prominent sub- jeot of newspaper columns &he will certainly be Mrs. Parnell. But what a feariillr rowdy affair it has been from first to last. My artist gives me a vivid sketch of A KILKENNY FKEE FIGHT, I I suppose a fight is always brutal. It arouseo the savage—which is only latent in us all. In the man, passion is dominant, and vision is through blood-red lens. But not even in Darkest Africa is fighting a greater science of brutality than it is in Ireland with the Irish. I once saw a faction fight. It was in a narrow street of Galway, and on market day. I took refuge in a quaint old Spanish courtyard, and fled up a broad oak balustraded staircase to a front wiadow to gaze with the fascination of terror on shillelaghs flying, stonea hailing, to hear yells, curses, whacks on hard substances -Irish skulls-then the howling of women, and, lastly, the charge of the mounted con- stabulary and all because the O'Hoolabys had met the O'Toolabys, and Pat O'Hoolaby had off with his coat and trailed it in the mud and dared Tim O'Toolaby to set a fut on it," which Tim av coorse," did, and then the fun began. There were half a dozen men of both factions carried off to the hospital, and an O'Hoolaby baby was killed, which death was added to the blood record held by that faction against the other. Two English clods will meet and mill out their difference, and whatever is left of them will shake hands afterwards and begin to forget the cause of quarrel right away—the fists had settled it, and all hsa been couare a mode of proceed- ing, and reasoning impossible to the Celtio nature. ♦ One must admire the pluck of Parnell, and the odds against him were terrible. II Go and stay, win the day." M.R. VINCENT SCULLY is Mr. Parnell's very good and faithful aide among the faithless, faithful only be. » ♦ Every now and then psychological faddists try their brains at some new feature in deciphering character, foretelling the future, and recalling the past. The hand now waives us aside, the eyes oannot give us an extra wink, the forehead another wrinkle the nose has been put out of joint by the mouth, which now is shut up by the chin. An ingenious observer gave an artiole lately in an illustrated evening paper, in which be delineated backs as suggestive of character, and some time ago a lengthy correspondence occupied sundry journals on the typical sizes of heads. £ Now a Parisian savant lays the ignorance of the present generation to our shirt collars. Our fathers wore them high and stiff with a hard neckerohiaf bound round them, so keeping the head erect and straight in a good position for intellectual development, while the literati and politicians of the present age, especially in France, affect a large loose low collar, with a flowing scarf merely meant for show. The neok-dress allows theihead to lean forward, or to wobble about in a brain weakening manner, and so the decadence of a latter-day generation is explained I What about the high heels of fashion, the exposed ears and neck, in fact, what about all crazes of fasbion followed out in persistence P

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR JANUARY. LEY ARTHUR MIm, F.R.A.S.] The winter evening heavens are brilliant by reason of the presence of ORION and the many glorious orbs that bear him company. Apart from these, in other words, as far as the planets are concerned, the present month presents few phenomena of moment. Jupiter is rapidly approaching the west, and is practically inaccessible to the telescopiat; so also is Mars. Venus is a morn- ing star, as is also Saturn, though the latter will soon be a conspicuous object in the evening heavens. His splendid ring is rapidly presenting its edge to the terrestrial spectator, at which period .it will be invisiblelthratigh moderate telescopes. The Moon is new on the 10th; the occults Neptune on the 20th inst. Spots are from time to time re-appearing on the Solar disc, and with due precaution they may be observed with a very email instrument. It is worthy of note that a magnificent shooting star was seen from various stations in the kingdom on the evening of December 14. This Year's Eclipses. This year's eclipses will be somewhat beyond the average. On the evening of the 2ord of Way the moon will rise in eclipse at five minutes to eight, but the shadow will for the greater part have already passed away, and it is only in Eastern countries and at the Antipodes that her face that evening wiil be men wholly obscured. It will be otherwise with the total eclipse of our satellite, which will begin at thirty-five minutes past ten on the 15th of November next. This, as the almanacs tell us, will be entirely visible at Greenwich," whither, no doubt, the legendary Cockney will once more betake himself in time to witness the phenomenon. There will be two solar eol ipser. oiie annular, and visible in this country as a partial eclipse on the upper limb, beginning at two minutes past five on the 6th of June; the other, a partial eclipse on the 1st of December, which will be visible chiefly in the South Tacifio. Besides these, there will be, on May 10, a transit of Mercury over the sun's disc, only partially visible in this part of the globe.

THE FIRST BIG NUZE OF FIFTY GUINliAS ( £ 52 10s.) Valne ia a Bell American OigiLij, which has been purolmsed of the eminent wofld- renowned organ makers, the Bell Organ and Piano Company (Limited), who have it now on view at their London Showrooms, 58, Holborn-viaduct, London, E.C. Messrs. Bell aud Co. in writing to "FAM" said:—"We will keep theorgam iD our showrooms, BO should anyone CR.II we ibiill be pi eased to SHOW it to them. Eneloscd you will find receipt, with tbanks.-Yours trulv, W. BKLL and Co." Other Prizes—Z& of Settle's Noted 45s. Silver Keyless Watches. These watches have been purchased (and as the organ— paid for—so bound to be riven) of Mr. Bettle, the noted watchmaker and jeweller, 21, Tcntlne-street, Folkestone, who ha9 them on view, and will give a twelve months' warranty with each. Winners can choose either size they like. Mr. Bettle has also kindly promised (o show watches to all callers; also to show them in his shop windows from time to time. TI-it, 26vtluable prize* named will be given, no matier how few enter the competition, to those counting most correctly the letter "A" in the 13 chapters of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews. Use the authorised version Bible, as round in every English home, and not the revised. Coulit all letters together, capital mid small, of all sizes. No mistaking tbeee easy rules, as only those letters in the actual words of verses to tount, and not headings of chapters or refe- rructs. Simply eount the letter "AJ" ia the verses. Thus it is a perfectly legal, fair, and easy working Con- petition for tttt. An prizes given to those who count most correctly; they are given for best work and not by chance. Entrance fee 2s. P.O. or 2s. Id. stamps. After counting up your letters, simply get an ordinary sheet of writing paper, and write very. very plainly, with pencil or ink, on the top of the paper, first the words "'A' Hebrews Competition," your full name and address, and then the number you make in each of the 13 chapters and total of all. Write on one side of your paper only. Enclose nothing but your list, 2s. Postal Order, or 2s. Id. stamps, entrance fee, and 2d. stamps for full printed result, in envelope, and post same as lIOon as possible, but not later than Monday, January 19th, as competition closes certain Tuesday, January 20th. Printed result, containing winners' full names and ad- dresses, and the aorrcct number in each chapter, will be posted to every Competitor positively not later than Tuesday, February 3rd. If no one counts correctly, prizes will be given for the nearest correct work. Only one person trom same address can oompete, and each must work single-handed, without aid of any kind. PAIV reMrves the right to withhold prizes from all per- sons he considers have not honestly worked, without comparing their lists in any way with others. Should several count correctly further free deciding tasks will be set for successful competitors. Every competitor will see the great importance of working alone, for his or her sake, to get a prize. once and for all. each is specially -requested by PAIX to work manfully (womanfully) and honestly. All prizes wiil be sent carriage paid same day as result is published. Do net count the letter "A" in word" Italy" from the following words: "Written to the Hebrewe from Italy by Timothy," which appear at the end of the thirteenth chapter, and are not considered actual words of the verses. I IMPORTANT.—Write very plainly and on one side of the paper only. Another 46s. Watch will be given for tne cleanest and neatest paper sent in for competition, 1 whether it gets a prize or not for counting. In awarding this extra special prize tbe best handwriting will be taken into consideration. PAIN has already paid over ( £ 1,000 in prizes. Bankers: National Provincial Bank of England (Folkestone Branch). If stamps are sent as entrance fee, halfpenny ones are preferred; also for 1 result, although, of course, penny ones can be sent. J Address letters W. T. Pain, "The Prizeriet," 14, Bt, Michael's-street, Folkestone, and c9. Qlieeii-street, Folkestone. Kent. isue I

HOUSEHOLD NOTES AND REPLIES. [CONDUCTED BY II DOROTHY," I DOROTHY will be glad to receive notes and queries on all topics likely to be of interest to the housewife. As far as possible, ebe will personally answer correspondents' interroga. t-jries, so tbut there may be no unnecetsttry delay. All communications should be addressed "DOROTHY," care of Editor, Weel-ly Mail, CuviifT. v i

NOTFGS. „ A CHEAP CUSTARD. One pint of milk, three tablespoonfuls of flour, two eggs; sweeten and flavour to taste. KEEP Salt in a dry place. Yeast in wood or glass. Fresh lard in tin vessels. Preserves and jellies in glass. Meal and flour in a cool, dry place. Vinegar in wood, glass, or stoneware. Crusts and pieces read in an earthen jar, closely covered, in a dry, cool place. A CLEVER .MIXTURE. 1 The accumulation of stale bits in the bread and cake boxes may form the basis of very toothsome puddings, of which the following is an exampleHalf a pound of bread crumbs, half a pound of cake crumbs, one pound of beef suet, two pounds of figs, and two eggs. Pour -over the crumbs enough milk to soften them and make a stiff paste, cut the figs into small pieoes, chop the suet, and add both and the eggs, well beaten, to the paste, mix thoroughly, tie in a pudding cloth and boil three hours. KITCHEN MEMORANDA. A stew usually has vegetables and dump- lings cooked with the meat. A haricot of mutton or any other meat is a stew with the meat and vegetables cut fine-the size of a haricot bean. A ragout is a stew highly flavoured with wine. A salmi is a stew of game. A chowder is a stew of fish. A fricasse is a form of stewing where the meat is fried or browned in fat, either before or after stewing, and is usually served without vegetables. A pot pie is a stew with the dough put on as a crust. Braising is a form of stewing usually done in a covered pan in the oven it gives a richer, stronger flavour that that obtained by stewing over the fire. HOUSEHOLD BREVITIES. Tough meat is made tender by lying a few minutes in vinegar water. Piokles or vinegar will not keep in ajar that has ever had any kind of grease in it. The best of tepmakes but an indifferent soncootion unless the water is fresh. Eggs can be morf quickly beaten by adding iI. pinch of salt, which cools them so that they froth rapidly. When washing fine white flannels, add a tablespoonful of pulverised borax to a pailful "1õ1" .4. of water. This will keep them soft and white. If the fat in a frying-pan is hot before yon can use it, put in a dry crust of bread ib will not burn as long as it has something to do, only when it is left idle. Oilcloths should never be washed in hot soapsuds: they should first be washed clean with cold water, then rubbed dry with a cloth wet in milk. The same treatment applies to a stone or slate hearth. When it is wished to extract juices from anything put it in cold water, and let it gradually reach the boiling point; so when yoa wish the viands to retain their juices and use the water only as a medium for cooking them, the opposite course nHut be pursued.

REPLIES. JOHNNY CAKES. (Reply to NoT A JOHKNY.") Take a cup and a half of Indian meal. Over this pour a pint of boiling milk, and beat up well for a least a quarter of an hour. Thorough beating is essential if the cakes are to be light. A little sour milk should be added with a sprinkling of salt, a teaspoon- ful of carbonate of soda, a slight dredging of flour, and a small piece of melted butter. This should make a light batter. Bake in buttered pans in a quick oven till well browned. Serve at once. The cakes are good to eat with fried pork, but they may be eaten alone if split up and spread with butter. COWHKELS. (Reply to U. C.") Cowheels in the hands of a skilful cook will furnish several good meals at a small expense. Slit the heels in two and take away the fat between the claws. Put the heels in water, the proportion being about one quart to each beel simmer gently for eight hours, keeping it clean skimmed. It will make one and a half pint of strong jelly, which can be utilised to make calves' feet jelly with the addition of wine, sugar, and lemon juioe, or to add to mock turtle and other soups. Or the jelly may be evaporated, and will give about 3!cz. of strong glaze. The pieces of the oowheel when boiled tender and cut into nice pieces may be egged and bread crumbed, and then fried a light brown. Place these in a dish, and put in the oentre some fried onions, or, if pre- ferred, the pieces of the oowheel may be served up with white sauce or with parsley and butter they are good in either way. It is best to procure the heels direct from the butcher, and not from a tripe shop, when they have already been boiled.—Supplied by "GWENYNEN GWYNEDD." BAKED CAULIFLOWER. (ireply to H J. B.") Boil, but not to break it, a head of broccoli or cauliflower; break carefully into small pieces about the size of the top of a wine glass; trim and lay in a pie-dish sprinkle with salt and a little pepper; make a very light batter, and when well beaten pour over the cauli- flower; bake in a very brisk oven. Another way is to break dressed oauliflower into pieces the size of a shilling; math some boiled pota- toes with cream, pepper, salt, and one or two eggs whipped to a froth; roll the cauliflower in the mashed potatoes; shape into cro- quettes, egg, breadcrumb, and then fry. GUIDES TO THE SELECTION OF MEAT. (Iieply to JANE.") Beef. Good ox. beef has an open grain, and yields easily to the pressure, of the finger; it is smooth and juicy, of a rich carnation colour in the lean, and the fat is of a fine cream colour, rich without being oiiy, firm without being hard. It is small in the bone, and full in the flesh. Mutton,—In choosing mutton select that which is of a rich red colour, close in the gram, and of a silky texture, juicy and lively in appearance, and whitish in the fat, but not shiny and tallowy. The flesh should pir;oh tender. a?id rise again when dented. Lnvib.— Observe the neck vein in the fore- quarter, which should be of an azure blue to d< i.olo quality and sweetness. The should be light coloured and juicy, ths fat white and rich, ;the bones thin and small. Lamb should be dressed while perfectly fresh; or the flavour will be destroyed. Veal.-lhe lean of good, well-fed veal is white, smooth, and juicy; the fat is white, firm, and abundant. The flesh of a ball calf is firmer and of a deeper colour than that of a cow calf, and the fat is harder they are equally good for eating if young and well-fed. It is easy to tell whether veal be newly killed or stale by its general appearance, as the colour changes quickly, particularly under the kidney and the flaps of the breast. The flesh of stale veal feels moist and clammy, ths joints flabby and pliable, and it has a faint mnsty smell. Pork.—If young and well-fed, the lean is easily broken between the fingers and the skin indented if nipped with the nail; the fat is white and waxy, and the rind thin and clean. Stale pork is easily detected by the skin look- ing dark at the top and clammy between the creas^a of irmitrciPrs, and by, its strong, tainted smell. Pork is in season from August to March. Ham and Bacon.— IJun a knife along the bone of a ham if it comes out clean and have a savoury flavour the ham is good if smeared and dull it is either spoiled by taint or is rusty. Hocks and fr«ii)m<nw of tacon may be proved in the same way. Good bacon is red in the lean and the fat is white, firm, and pulpy; the rind is fine and thin. If it is shea tiieu with yellow, it is rusty and tin fit for use.

0 SALE OR EXCHANGE. BOOK?.—" Tit Bits." Vols. 10 to 18 The Phonetic Journal for 1889 "Tin Vicar of Wakefield" in short- hand, All unbound and clean. Cash offers together or separate.—H. MCON. C/doxton, Neath. SKATES.-For Eale, cheap, a pair of No. I Acme Skates in good condition.—" U. Weekly Mall Exchange, Cardiff. BICYCLE,—For Sale, Safety Bicycle in splended con- dition c 'at, JE14 10s. cash; will take £8 or useful ex- change.—Address B. Wetk'y Mail Kschange, Cardiff. FOWLS, &c.-For Sale, a Minorca Cock Fowl, six months old also an Organ, and a quantity of Books on knowledge and light reading.—10, Windsor-road, Car- diff. MAGIC LANTERN SLIDES.—Will Exchange Twelve Magic Lantern Slides, 48 views, coloured, for 48 others, coloured.—AddreS9 "MAJOR," Chapel-hiil House, Ayl- burton, Lydney, Gloucestershire. THE GARDEN.—Gooseberry bushes twelve good sorts for 2s.; or exchange for crocus bulbs and five-inch pots.—" MORTON," 80, Kichards-terrace, Roatb, Cardiff. PAPER STARS, for Picture Frames; 40 sent to any address, post free, for 15 penny stamps.—" D*VONXA," Bampton, Devonshire. BOOKS, Cbarles O'Malley," 650 paces, 8d. But Yet a Woman," 5d Gold Hunters*" 5d Stuart of Dunleath," 8d; llombey and 1500," with original illustrations. 6d or the five copief for. Zs 8d. Also steel fret saw frame cost 2i. 6d., for Is, M.—B. PHILLIPS, Post-ùffipe, Llanfatteg,

WANTED. MUSIC.—Wanted, Violin and Pianoforte Sluaic cheap; operatic airs and dance music.—J, H. Joins, Post-offlee, Cross Keys, Newport. FOREIGN BTAMPS.-Wanted, a Collection or Loose also Bell or Exchange Dapticatet with collectors.—II. CADLE, 30, Clare-street, Cardiff. DOGS.—Wanted, good breed Scotch Collie or Puppv. State lowest price and where can be seen.-Address B, Weekly Mail Exchange, Cardiff.

RHEUMATISM cured by COLMAN'S Concentrated MUSTARD OIL. Sola by all Groccrs and at Chemists Is. per bottle. ASJ: for Tyler and Co.'s Gold Medal Flaur