The Cardiff Times

CHAPTER in. The Symphony is Interrupted, A The Rector and his companion had reached the fridge which was to take them across to the «ynaon side of the Wharfe. Miss Merle, albeit ?he ha d wandered down to the ferry that morn- Aig with a very clearly formulated desire to be Jart of the male species for the time being, found herself pleased that she had baen forced into the Companionship of Mr Graham. He belonged to type of man which she had not met before /Wealthy, without being dull; an athlete, but possessed of a pretty wit, and more than his share •if brains; good looking, yet in nowise con- Jcions of the fact. I am trying to remember where I have heard j?Our name before," she dropped, as they stood ^Qr a moment on the bridge. It is a fairly common one," said the Rector i Carelessly. But I know I have heard it quite lately. Someone was saying that a Mr Graham had—" Been flirting with Miss Milverthorpe ? pondered the Rector uneasily. Confound the people who talk." jj" Oh, yes, I have it. Dolly Miles was a great gnnn of mine, you know, when I stayed here three years ago I found her laid up with a bad fcold when I arrived on Monday, and she con- \*ded to me that she had caught it whilst pad- dling in the river with Mr Graham." "I believe I shall have to plead guilty," £ taghed the other, unaccountably relieved that 2trs Milverthorpe did not enter into the ques- tion. Dolly and I have high old times to- gether, whenever we can run away from our Riders—I'm only about fifteen, you know, Miss aterle, if they give me the ghost of a chance to ■Jrrow off the top layer of years." I feel like that to-day, too. Only do you •How what it is to feel a hundred and ten ? ||he added, with such self-deceiving tragedy on "er pursed-np little mouth, as made the Rector <8ngh outright. "1 don't, thank Heaven. Neither do you, in ?0ur heart of hearts." She was rather disposed to be angry with the Rector for laughing. She threw back the curls &om her forehead. You. talk to me as if I ^pre a little girl," she flashed How are you to IBdge what I am capable of feeling ? "I'm not; it was my sublime effrontery com- Dig out," Graham responded, looking meek. "I think I had better be setting off for Lyn- don. What time is it, please ? i." Half-past one," said the Rector, looking at ais watch. Then I have to cover four miles in exactly 3o time, if I want to keep faith with Sir Marma- 'jfeke. How am I going to manage it ? Better late than never, as an excellent pro- verb has it. Besides, yon can think of going on Without food of some kind." That sounds fairly true. Eating is such an Impertinence, if yon come to think of it; why Cant we eat when we want to, as the birds do ?" Shouldn't we be in a still more degraded flight ? The birds, I believe, are always eat- ing, thongh poets don't insist on the point." M Well, I shall have to get lunch somewhere, that is plain can yon snggest a likely place ? What is the Green Lion over there ? It looks father nice." Much better go to the Cavendish Arms,' a tofle further on it is said to be the finest old inn In the country, and I certainly have never come •■cross a better one. Will you let me show you the way ?" I snail have to, I snppose. What a bore it is Being helpless—No, I can't mean that; I'm not Vxite so ungracions, you know—only—I am putting you to such a lot of trouble, and I do ■Site running up a long bill of gratitude." Put it on the credit side of your account, 4&d don't talk nonsense." You are singularly polite." It is a failing of mine. How fresh you look oy the way it seems almost an insult to think of your growing tired. So you were here three Tear ago ? I wonder that I did not meet you at the Priory—I'm always riding over there, and Oever get anything but abuse from Sir Marma- dnke for not coming often enough. He's the most hospitable soul in the world." "I was here in-let me see—August, it must have been, because I remember shooting grouse all one day, and weeping over them at night, they looked so sorry for themselves." "That accounts for it. I wa.s-doing the Swiss Ownrtains all through August." Yon live near here ?" said Mavis presently. M Yes, nuite close." A pause "'I should awfully like to-know what yon are," ?*0e mused, half audibly. Would you ?" That was a stage-aside, is vou said to me fcjttlier in the morning—not that]: ad one little bit curious, really what can it matter to me ?" n Nothing at all, but I don't mind telling you. I am—a country gentleman." Oh, just that," commented Miss Merle with fc-tinge of disappoinment in her tone. Surely a parson may be a gentleman, and therefore a country parson be a country gentle- Jtt&n," said the Rector to his conscience. He felt loth to acknowledge his cloth lest his companion should set a fictitious label on his character. Then I suppose it is good-bye—or rather, au revoir, as you are dining at the Priory to-night," said the girl, when they reached the Cavendish Arms. Er—yes—I suppose so—it wouldn't be pro. .Per, would it, to j Miss Merle grew strangely disquieted. She ^io&de a quick dive into her pocket, and her dis- jnietude increased. -But she could not help smil- ing. I always do." she observed. You always —?" Leave my purse somewhere else. It's fate or something. If I had fifty dresses, and a purse in ea.ch of them, I should go out in the fifty-and- first. So I shall just have to start off for Lyndon, after all." The rector looked Miss Merle frankly in the eyes. Propriety is all very well, and so is a Joke, but you are not going back to Lyndon with- out lunch. Take my purse, and you can repay *oe to-night, if you insist on being foolish." She halted a moment, conscious of what was a tiovel experience with her: she recognised a stronger will, and wanted to kick over the traces, but somehow she had become suddenly meek. C4 You are much too good, and—and I suppose I shall have to ask you to lunch with me under the circumstances. Not at all. I'm going straight home, when I have thanked you for a delightful morning." Oh, don't be stupid—well, then, it is not a case of having to '—not exactly, you know—Mr Graham, will you do me the honour of lunching ^ith me'?" Of course I will," cried the rector, dropping hifl solemnity as if it had been a red-hot coal. C4 There's a jolly old garden at the back, and we cam compromise with propriety by taking our meal out of doors. You don't mind a score or two Of wasps ?" "liYou waste a great deal of time, young people, 1h knocking down cardboard barriers." com- mented Tarquinius Superbus, as he stalked in their wake. After a repast that did credit to mine host of the Cavendish Arms, it occurred to Montagu Graham, the irresponsible rector of an ancient Parish, that it was a sin to spend the remainder of such a glorious day indoors. Let's be thorough-going children while we a-re about it, and make a day of it," he suggested. ",it is only a few miles on to a most delightful bit of scenery, and we can drive all the way if toulike." Mavis demurred, then laughed at her own prudery. She meant to spend the afternoon with Mr Graham, and it was highly decorous for simple maddens to simulate shyness in such a case, but Was it not a little absurd for an authoress of re- Pate to be as silly as the ordinary woman whom she dissected ? Yes, I will come," she said, only I would ka.ther walk than drive, ii you don't mind." Miss Merle, I do lilie to meet a woman with ho humbug about her—and a woman who knows how to use her limbs." Thank you, Mr Graham. Shall we start ? Xou have not told me, by the way, where you in- tend to take me T' They crossed the river again by a ponderous Wooden bridge, when they reached the house jjhere ginger-beer and lemonade was sold, and the red gates that were barred to all vehicles jurying more than eight inside passengers. And Mavis Merle was too interested in arguing out point with her companion to notice that she passed through these same red gates three Jears previously, in company with Sir Marma- *wte Miles, his wife, and Geoffrey Letham. Yet "hree years ago she had been conscious of a very absorbing, if very girlish love for Geoffrey ■letham. We might have kept straight on by the high toad, but this way is prettier," said the rector, they turned into the wood-path running paral- with the stream. I want you to see the Primrose pools, and the forget-me-not lakes, and the only place in the woods whore lilies-of-the- VaJIeygrow wild." It sounds liko the south country, not the Ilorth," said the girl. It is a bit of south country, though the moors Collle down almost to the stream. You would be ^ma-zed if yon saw the woods in winter, to find a narrow bolt of the valley they oecupy. ~hat ig the charm of it if the air down here shows signs of growing stagnant, a good old gale **>shes down the hills and sweeps the place clean." I'm going to take tE., neighbourhood for the ^cne of a book. There ■ something oddly capti- Va;jng about it. I should." reaj}oni'u.u the Rcctoj, and put )olt:cilclf in the micidle of it." We hold the mirror un to- Nature, noi to Otoselves." That'e a pifcv. Nature stands to losi so much." M< Grp'wstu.vou ate Mvoloaa." 1 Miss Merle, I have lapsed into sincerity. Forgive me." lien they tried to quarrel, and were more suc- cessful in patching the quarrel up again. And finally they reached the Strid. Two people were standing on the opposite bank one was Mrs Milverthorpe, the other Geoffrey Letham. It's ridiculous to pretend that it is a difficult leap," Letham was saying, I could hop across with ease." I don't think you could. At any rate, I had rather you wouldn't try," answered the widow. But the man-huntress mouth was decisive, and plainly refuted the words it uttered. That is Mrs Milverthorpe, do you know her ?" said Mavis. Everybody at the Priory seems to be one of a pair the widow is at present the property of some bachelor rector in the neigh- bourhood—Mr Letham, I believe, is merely a practise-target. You see, I am already well be- hind the scenes." Er—yes—quite at home," murmured the Rev. Montagu Graham, with an air of dis- quietude. Geoffrey Letham meanwhile felt bound to verify his silly statement. The waters, seething and foaming between the restricted banks, made the leap appear shorter than it really was. Leth- am placed his right foot on the ledge and at- tempted to hop on the shelving rock opposite he hopped short, and the trembling waters made an excellent jest of him. Good God, he's under I" cried the rector. Come back called Mavis, as she saw him rush towards the edge. Three years ago she would have screamed go in," and have emphasised her entreaty by every means in his power. The Rector seemed not to hear her. His coat was lying on the bank, and the waters were wax- ing over two victims instead of one. The eyes of the two women met across the stream, and Mrs Milverthorpe's dropped beneath the younge girl's contemptuous gaze. But Tarquinius Superbus naturally could not let such a state of things continue. It was bad enough that two foolish human beings should insist upon getting wet, without allowing them to be drowned into the bargain. He happened to be exploring a portion of the river bank immediately below the point where the waters broadened out again, glad to be released from confinement; he saw two figures being carried helplessly along fast locked in each other's arms. A moment later the two figures were lying high and dry, and Tarquinius was shaking himself violently, re- gardless of the feminine garments he was be- sprinkling. Mavis, seeing that Tarquinius had carried the Rector to the opposite banlfc and conscious only of a shuddering fear lest the rooks and the swirl- ling waters between them bad done their work, sprang lightly across the stream at the place where Letham had fallen.! Letham was the first to recover consciousness. Good old Monte Carlo," he murmured, as his eyes fell upon the Rector's face. The Rector himself was not long in following suit, and Mavis Merle found time to think of the mastiff; she put her arms around the great beast's neck and kissed his solemn face in a hundred happy places, and forgot whether there was anyone at hand to care whether she let a tear fall or not. Tarquin, dear, you've saved the best man in the world," she whispered, hysterically. Indeed," commented Mrs Milverthorpe, with an icy smile. The widow's profession had trained her ear to a high state of proficiency. As for Tarquinius, he did not know why all this fuss was being made about him, but he liked it tremendously, and when Mavis showed signs of abandoning him in favour of his master, he put out a paw to detain her. Whereat Mavis laughed —still a trifle hystorically-and shook the prof- out a paw to detain her. Whereat Mavis laughed —still a trifle hysterically—and shook the prof- fered paw, and told Superbus that he was a senti- mentalist. Letham, meanwhile, had contrived to sit up he produced a Sask oi brandy from his pocket, glanced anxiously at the Rector's white face, and applied the flask to his lips. Drink, old chap, if you can put it down, as much as you can manage. Feel a bit chippy, eh ?" Just a bit-knocked out of time," murmured the Rector. But the brandy did worlds for him a flush came into his cheeks, and his eyes, taking cog- nisance once more of outward things, fell upon Mavis Merle. The girl was watching him anxiously, and he laughed feebly in order to put her at ease. I'm all right, Miss Merle. Don't you worry about me." Mavis turned to Geoffrey Letham, with a ges- ture almost of appeal, Mr Letham, is he—oh, he's not dying, is he ? He looks so sick, and strange about the eyes, and—" — May I offer you said the Rector. Letham, who was now pretty much himself again, went whiter than ever his accident had made him. The solicitude in the girl's face, the pity in her eyes, would have been all for him, had he not been fool enough, three summers ago, to look a, gift horse in the mouth but he pulled himself together. Oh, don't worry about him, Miss Merle. It does shake a fellow up rather amongst those rocks, but he'll be as fit as possible once we get him into dry things." Poor Mr Letham No one seems to have any pity to waste on you, though you look wretchedly ill. You see what it is to be merely the rescued, not the rescuer. Mrs Milver- thorpe's voice was valvety and soft, like the foot- fall of a cat." Damn the woman t" muttered Letham laco- nically. How I loathe her I" murmured the girl. Beyond these inaudible expressions of senti-. ment the widow's remark met with no answer. "My dear Mavis, how on earth did you get here ?—what has been happening ?—Mr Graham, you haven't been foolish enough to jump the Strid at your time of life ?"—These and many other questions were poured out by Lady Miles, who had come up with several others of the party, and who was trying to grasp the situation. The Rector got to his feet, sick and dizzy though he was but he was not the man to be conquered by mere dizziness when his presence had to be explained—without compromising Mavis. Someoody fell into the Strid, Lady Miles, and I followed or something. No harm done, I assure you. Letham, how do you do ?" Letham laughed as he took the Rector's hand. It seems a trifle formal, doesn't it, after the .close embrace we gave each other just now ?" he ventured. Let me explain everything, Lady Miles. I was lunatic enough to say I could hop the Strid I tried and missed it Graham here went in after me, and we can both thank Providence that our heads weren't smashed against the rocks." Tarquinius Superbus, feeling that his cue had come. thrust his nose into the Rector's hand. Hallo, Tarquin, you're as wet as any of us cried his master. Have you been in the water, too ?" I should think you had, eh, Tarquin ? Why heTpulled you both out!" "Did you now, Superbus? Well, old boy, they're not many people I had rather owe my life to.—No, down "I'm not quite strong enough to stand against your weight." "But, Mr Graham, how did you get here ? Was it just accident that you came to the Strid this morning, or did my husband mention that you would find us here? And, Mavis—I thought you were going back to the Priory for lunch ?" So I was, aont," put in Mavis promptly, but I couldn't make the wretched old man at the ferry hear. I was shouting myself hoarse when Mr Graham heard me and came to my assistance." i I You knew Mr Graham before, I suppose ?" put in Mrs Milverthorpe sweetly. Mavis Merle took no time to think it was so simple to assent, and she could not bear the thought of this odious woman making capital out of her morning's adventure. "Yes, we have known each other—oh, ever so long. Only—we— we had lost sight of one another lately—I had no idea that he wns up here in the North." She stopped as she noted that half frown again on the Rector's face. And she asked herself if it were quite decent that she, the woman, should fib so glibly, while he, the man, looked on and disapproved. She began to be a little annoyed with the Rev. Montagu Graham he seemed to be always reminding her of her shortcomings, and it was not even possible to label him a prig. But Lady Miles, in her inconseqnest way, smoothed a rather thorny path by exclamation marks of surprise, and parentheses of wonder, and asservations that Mr Graham was a dear, brave man, who had better get into the trap and drive to Lyndon at once, if he did't want to be laid up with pneumonia or some other horrid disease. There is room for four," she finished Mavis, will you see that the culprits go up- stairs and change directly they get indoors ? Mrs Milverthorpe, please make up the party the rest of us will follow in the waggonette. Come along cried Miss Merle, glad of any opportunity for action. I will drive you, and if Gipsy happens to be between the shafts I promise you we shan't be long in reaching Lon- don." They left the rocks and walked slowly up to the clearing in the wood which was sacred to the vehicles of the picnic parties. Letham was little the worse for his adven- ture, but the Rector felt a woful uncertainty as to his legs, and a dull kind of aching in all his bones. The Rev. Montague Graham, in fact. rather wanted to get home and think instead of repairing to the Priory, where he would have to 'be pettea and fussed over and made much of hut be was to- dazed to ca~t.«Jiv objection to Lady Miles's plan. He clambered up besid Mavis, Mrs Milverthorpe sharing the back seat of the dogcart with Geoffrey Letham. Lady Miles waved graciously to them, Tarquinius Superbus barked insults at the mare, and they set off at a smart pace. I like a man," observed Mavis, at the. end of ten minutes, under cover of a fire of small-talk from the rear. Women always exaggerate these things," growled the Rector. And that was the only reference to the incident that passed between them. Only, Mavis felt I curiously glad that she had caused Mr Graham to appear at the Strid at a critical moment. I want you to explain something," she said, after another long interval. Why did Mr Letham say good old Monte Carlo,' when his eyes first fell on you ? I have been trying to make out what possible connection you can have with Monte Carlo. It sounds a little discredit- able or something." Oh, that harks back to the time when we were at Oxford together. My parents chris- tened me Montagu Charles,' and some humo- rous Freshman, when he sawmy full name on the college list, promptly shortened it to Monte Carlo.' Letham keeps it up still-he always was too indolent to forego an old habit." Or to contract a new one," added Mavis with reference to a dead episode. Rex Merle, meanwhile, had conducted Miss Norreys to the same left bank of the Strid on which the Rector had lately stood. By Jove, there's one of Mavis's note-books!" he cried. I should know that terra-cotta back at a hun- dred yards. What has she been doing here, I wonder ?" You must be mistaken," chimed in Kitty Norreys Mavis promised Sir Marmaduke she would return to the Priory in time for lunch, and she can scarcely have walked as far as this since breakfast." It's never safe to say Mavis can't do any- thing. Yes, it is her book what is it all about ? I'm sure she wouldn't mind if. I had a peep inside." Probably she would mind very much. I shouldn't risk it if I were you." But she doesn't think anything of letting some sweep of a publisher pry into it; and if her own brother You think all publishers sweeps, do you, Mr Merle ?1' Oh, that sort of thing they don't wash, or have their hair cut much to speak of, do they ?" responded the other, with careless vagueness. My own father does," said Kitty Norreys, demurely. "Eh? Of course he does—at least, I suppose so—only what has that got to do "Well, you see, Norreys happens to be the name of your sister's publisher." And it's your governor who does Mavis up in red covers? I—I'm awfully sorry." For Mavis, do you mean, or for the red covers, or for my father ?" Sorry because I made such an ass of myself just now. I don't know anything about pub- lishers, and—I should think it was good enough, anyway, to be your father." Miss Norreys made a derisive curtsey. Aren't you getting a little mixed?" she queried sweetly. I always do when you set out to humbug me. I've no head for women, and that's the truth," murmured Rex, forlornly. Then be careful, "laughed the other; "if you have no head for stimulants you ought not to touch them. By the way, isn't it about time we joined the others ?" Rex looked at his watch, and his face tried to grow concerned. It's half an hour past the time we were to start from the bridge. All my fault, Miss Norreys—all yours, I mean I could never have made the hour since lunch pass so quickly on my own account. What are we going to do ?" I don't know really, it's a little embarras- sing. Quite commonplace people miss their party, you know, and walk in a few hours late." That doesn't trouble me," put in Rex, cheer- fully I'm as commonplace as they make 'em. But we needn't be so late as all that. What do you say to walking on to the Abbey, and charter- ing a trap there ?" Is that the quickest way ?" I'm afraid so. We could have got a trap not twenty yards away from here, but we're on:the wrong side of the river. Would you like to try the jump ?" No, thank you," responded Miss Norreys with decision I prefer to walk. Don't for- get the note-book." I've got it all safe, and I'm not a bit keen now to look inside it. Don't you think that live people are better than print any day, Miss Nor- reys ?" Miss Norreys declined the argument, knowing the personal bent which her companion's logic was likely to take. They set off forthwith for the Abbey, crossed the river by the stepping- stones, and strolled lazily up the hill to the hole in the wall and neither of these two victims of misadventure seemed greatly troubled by the situation. The afternoon was so perfect, and Rex was so loth to share the one really good thing of life with any other mortal, that he pro- posed to dismiss their Jehu at the Priory gates, and walk the half mile that lay between them and the house. Mis Norreys, after some demur, agread, and they were just about to enter the drive when Rex's eyes were attracted by a mass of wild flowers growing in the hedge. Such light skirmishing as frequently accompanies a picnic flirtation occurred during the process oHinding a home for the flowers, and Rex was so exhilarated by the winning of i partial victory that the ill-fated MS. book was once more for- gotten. And it was not Miss Merle's brother who next found it, but a very different peison. (To be continued.)

THE NATIONAL DEBT. Although the efforts to reduce the Debt in the reign of George I. only met with small success, the decrease in the interest and cost of manage- ment was substantial. Thus, when George II. ascended the tin-one, in 1727, the annual charges on a capital of £52,092,238 were only £2,217,551, whereas, at the commencement of the previous reign, on a slightly larger amount, £3.351,358 had to be paid. These efforts to reduce the rate of interest and to consolidate the Debt were continued during the regime of the second George. The results to which it led. however, were far from being beneficial to the public purse. Naturally the moneyed interest did not relish the reduction of the interest. This, com- bined with the objections of the pMty which viewed the growth of the Debt with alarm, made it very difficult for the Government to raise money. When Sir Robert Walpole, in 1723, pro- posed a loan of JE1,700,000 to supply a deficiency, the opposition was so great that had he not appealed to an empty exchequer, and declared that the debt had been incurred by a previous Government, he would have been refused. The feelings of the House of Commons were greatly incensed by the discovery that the money was jobbed away with unequalled recklessness and public-spirited men were not wanting to resist such shameless expenditure. They protested because the National Debt ought not to be in- creased when the taxes are heavily felt in all parts of the country when our foreign trade is encumbered and diminished when our manufac- tures decay, when our poor daily multiply, and when national calamities surroundus." These words were written nearly 200 years ago, but they seem strangely appropriate,and may be profitably studied at the present time.—" The Money- Maker."

ON THE EVE OF MARRIAGE! Charles Smith, carter, was brought up in cus- tody at Worcester on Monday charged with stealing notes, money, and jewellery, value £80, the property of William Dcarlove, caretaker, of Edgar Tower. Prisoner, who was familiar with the prosecutor, was engaged to be married on Easter Monday, and it was now proved that he was at Edgar Tower during Dearlove's temporary absence on Easter Eve. He was afterwards at Messrs Stallard's stables, where the caretaker spoke to him about hammering something in the dark, and here the police found the prosecutor's tin box broken at the side and the money miss- ing. They also found that he had made various purchases on the way home to his intended father-in-law's house (where he was arrested) in preparation for the wedding. Proof as to these was given during the course of Monday's proceed: ings. Inspector Peacock said that when arrested prisoner said, "I must confess I did it," but subsequently, said he would only admit the theft of £ 6. Detective Hargreave said that Miss Petn- bers, the intended bride, gave him a wedding ring and 12s, which prisoner gave her, and also a new suit of clothes and other articles. Prisoner was committed to the Sessions, bail being allowed.

SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTABULARY Mr John Munday, Cardiff, has just received an interesting letter from Mr R. Dobbin, a Car- difiian, who was formerly a corporal in the 10th Hussars, and rejoined as a "Reserve" man at the Hussars, and rejoined as a "Reserve" man at the outbreak of hostilities in South Africa. Latterly Mr Dobbin has joined the South African Consta- bulary—popularly known as Baden-Powell's Police—and writing from the Telegraph Office, headquarters B.A. Constabalary.Moddarfontein." on March 21st, he says :—" B.-P.' inspected us here this morning. He asked me what campaigns I had served in, and on my replying he said he would not forget me. In the course of an address to the troops, he remarked that this force was intended to be quite different from any other yet organised. Every man was expected to use com- mon sense, and not to rely so much upon orders as in the Army, but to use his own judgment and discretion. 'Never,'said the general, 'waste your ammunition by firing at a man on the sky- your ammunition by firing at a man on the sky- line 1,000 yards away. This has been the cause of many disasters in this campaign. Wait for yonr man, no matter if you wait two or three days, and let him get so close that he cannot escape.' He further remarked that the S.A.C. were never expected to surrender. If a man surrendered, it would be no good his coming back to the S.A.C. If,' he added, you have 250 rounds of ammunition, give 249 to the Boers and keep the last for yourself.'

A FREE VETERINARY BOOK. We recommend our readers to apply for a copy of tho useful little Veterinary Book which is sent free of charge by the proprietors of Condy's Fluid, of 87, Goswell-road, London. This book contains directions for curing most of the ordi- nary ailments and accidents affecting horses, dogs, cats, poultry, cattle, birds, etc. Condy's Fluid is a speedy and absolutely cer- tain cure for sore shoulders, sore backs, broken j knees, grease, thrush, cracked heels, and mud fever in horses. Distemper, mange, canker, and eczema in dogs. Condy's Fluid is sold by all ¡ chemists and stores at Is a bottle. Refuse sub- stitutes, all are inferior and some are poisonous. Inp;n»>a,yjILg Condy's Fluid- 245e

f Complete Story. THE POLICEWOMEN, BY W. L. ALDEN, Author of "Van Wagener's, Ways," "Among theFreatks," "Besieged," &c., &c. COPYRIGHT. Speaking of woman suffrage ,said the Man from Wyoming "it's been tried in our State, and if it hasn t been altogether what you might call a first-class success, it has been lote of fun for the boys. Some folks say that women haven't any sense of humour. Perhaps they haven t, and then, again, perhaps they have Anyhow, when I a woman tries to make out that she is a man, and is entitled to do evervfmna- that a man can do, excepting to chew tobacco Snd enlist for a soldier, she can furnish the police with more sollci and satisfactory amusement than a whole waggon- load of monkeys with their tails painted sky- blue. I forget just in what year it was that the State of Wyoming gave women the right to vote at all elections. That don't matter, however. I was living at the time in the town of New Jericho- ville and when we got the news that woman suffrage was a fact and not a joke, we were as pleased as if it had been discovered that New Jerichovillo was built on a gold reef. Nobody thought that woman suffrage was a thing that would last more than twelve months, but ,we all I agreed that it would be full of healthy and im- proving amusement. That: of course, was the opinion of the men. rha W0 ,11 took the thing seriously, and they lost n'' -e in getting up a procession to cele- brate 'Mancipation of their sex. They had kaniv jcl music until yon couldn't rest and khe piV' d*w°n marched on the sidewalk instead of the middle of the street, because the women dian t want to get their clothes dusty. They held W mee^n§' in the town hall, and Miss Twit- chell, who had been for years the leader of the Women's Rights movement, made an eloquent speech, in which, she said that Emancipat ion was derived from the Latin E, which meant From tc ""lish word Man which meant aa<^ the "Greek word Cipation," which meant Freedom." Consequently Emancipation meant nothing lees than freedom from the tyranny of man, and the new law grant- ing women the right to vote had at last made them independent of the monster man. The speech was greeted with the loudest of cheers, and the waving of faus and parasols, and if it had not been that Miss Twitchell's back hair accidentally fetched loose, she would probably have kept on speaking all night. The next week we had a municipal election, and the women had a full set of female candi- dates, enough to fill all the offices. There were more men than women in the town, and we could easily have defeated the women's ticket, but we all wanted to see what the women could do if they had the government of the town in their hands so we just stayed from the polls and let the women carry the election. That made them everlastingly satisfied with themselves, and they all said that the men had been beaten fairly and squarely, and never again would the town .of New Jerichoville be misgoverned by coarse and wicked men. The new Mayor was Miss Twitchell. The Aldermen were all married women, and the Councilwomen, which you understand consti- tuted the lower legislative body, were all un- married women, most of them being pretty well on in years, although there were two or three rather young and pretty girls among them. The Police Judges were partly married and partly single women the Chief of Police was a grim old maid, and the Prosecuting Attorney was a handsome young woman of about twenty-five, by the name of Miss Wilkins, who got the position because she was the only womau in the town who had studied law. As for the Judges of the higher courts, they were all men, for their term of office had not run out, and the women could not turn them out until the next State election. However, as you understand from what I have said, the town was practically in the hands of the women, and about all the male Judges could do was to overrule any illegal judgment that the Police Judges might pronounce, provided an appeal was made to the higher courts. It was a great sight to see the first parade of the new female police force, for one of the first things the women did was to turn out all the old policemen on the ground that they were Irish- men, or else were addicted to either whisky or tobacco. Their places were filled with women of all ages and varieties, and some of them were among the prettiest and most fashionable girls in town. You see the police were to wear an attractive uniform.and the duty of patrolling the streets gave them so many opportunities for showing it off, that there was a rush of applicants for appointment on the force. It being summer, the police wore white skirts, cut pretty short, blue sleveless jackets, and white helmets with artificial flowers round the bass, and a small stuffed yellow bird round the top. They did not carry revolvers, like the old policemen, but each one carried a handsome light ebony club, tied with blue ribbons, and engraved with the wearer's monogram. I tell you the parade was a big suc- cess, and the boys swore they would all do some- thing to get themselves arrested at the earliest possible moment. For the first week or fortnight the police had very little to do, for the men, while they thought it would be fun to be arrested by pretty girls, also felt when it came to the point that they really didn't have the cheek to inconvenience the lady police by getting drunk or acting disorderly. Of course the professional drunkards and the tramps didn't take this view of the matter, but as a general rule they escaped arrest because the police couldn't bring themselves to touch a mau who was particularly ragged or remarkably dirty. The officer who used to do patrol duty in my street during the afternoon way Connie Smith— a very pretty girl of about 23, whom I had known ever since she was a baby. I said to her one day,when she stood looking at a shop window full of bonnets, while a drunken tramp lay on the pavement on the opposite fide of the street, Why don't you arrest that fellow and take him to the lock-up?" "Don't be ridiculous, "says she. "You can see for yourself that no laay could bring herself to touch such an awfully dirty object." With that she walked on towards the next corner with her head in the air, pretend- ing not to see the drunken man, just as a male policeman pretends not to see a fight between two men who are too big for him to handle. We soon found out that the rule of the women wasn't going to be altogether a blessing. About the third day after they came into power they passed a law forbidding the sale or consumption of beer wine, or spirits in any part of the town and requiring the police to destroy everything of the sort theycould find. A'dozen policewomen began with Jim Ferguson's saloon, which was the lead- ing one in the place, and they poured his whole stock of liqour into the gutter. They found it pretty heavy work, for they had to roll a lot of casks out of the place, and then to brea1: in the heads of the casks without cutting their fingers or sprinkling their skirts. So they told Jim, who was looking on and smiling as contentedly as if the affair didn't concern him, that if he was a gentleman he would help the ladies to do their work. Certainly," says Jim, rll do anything that you order me to do." And with that he turned to and rolled out casks and knocked v m their heads while the policewomen sat down and fanned themselves. They all said that he was as nice as he could be, and that it was a greai pity that he should be engaged in such a wicked busi- ness as keeping a saloon but when a little later they found that Jim had sued the town for des- troying his property, and got a judgment that amounted to more than he could have made at his ordinary business in the course of a year, they began to think that he wasn't quite so nice after all. They broke up all the drinking saloons in New Jerichoville, and for five or six months the men had to import their liquids from the next town in boxes labelled soap. Miss Twitchell heard of the unusual quantity of soap boxes that were coming into town. but she never suspected that they held anything but soap. She made a speech on the sub- ject to the Board of Alderwomen, and said that the increase in the purchase of soap showed the refining influence of woman. However, neither she, nor any other of the women in office, could account for the fact that after all the saloons had been shut up there were more drunken men in New Jerichoville than there had ever been. ;J The men understood that this was the natural result .of the whisky driving that went on in priva te houses, instead of public bars but the women believed that secret saloons must be in active operation, and they searched for them high and low. We were a law-abiding people as a general thing, and such crimes as murder and robbery were rather rare. Occasionally two men would have a difficulty, and when they began to shoot their friends would naturally take a hand in but compared with, many other Western towns New Jerichoville was a sort of Sunday School. So the police had a pretty easy time, and when they did arrest a man he never resisted them, but went along with the officer who arrested him as meekly as a lamb:—You see, the roughest man in town, no matter if he was the meanest sort of a scoundrel, would have lost his social stand- ing if he had dared to be rude to-a woman, whether she was a private person or a police- woman. There was one chap, who was arrested by a young policewoman for singing too loud in the street on his way home from the theatre and it was said that instead of going with the officer he kissed her, and then dropped her over a high wall into a brickyard where she had to stay till morning but he was a sailor belonging to a I British Revenue cutter on Lake Erie, and he didn't understand the way in which we Ameri- cans treat women. Besides, he bad drunk con- siderable California, champagne with the boys, and it was a brand that was warranted to make a camp meeting preacher swear at his congrega- tion. So on the whole his conduct wasn't to be wondered at. One night two cowboys, who had lately arrived in town, had a difficulty opposite the Post Office, and before the thing was over so many people had joined in chat it was almost as t exciting as a riot. You see. our town was, as T. have said, an unusually quiet town and so. when a shooting match did. happen, the people natur- ally made the most of it while it lasted. The police came up after the shooting was over, and they arrested a young fellow by the name of I Withers—Montgomery J. Withers—on charge of I having shot and killed an Irishman by the name of Sullivan. Nov Withers hadn't taken any hand -whatever in the difficulty, and he didn't even own a pistol-Its I well knew, hav--ing been a friend of his for years but there were three witnesses who were prepared to swear that they j saw him shoot Sullivan, and, of course, the police couldn't do anything except | arrest him. I ought to have baid that j he was a very haadsorae yowg who was naturally very popular with the girls, and though in my opinion he spent too much of his time in frivolous amusement, there wasn't the leafct bit of harm in him. The policewoman who arrested Withers, and marched him off towards the station house, was a particular friend of his, and when she got him into a rather quiet street she told him that the case looked mighty black against him, and that he had better skip. Just you pull my hat off," said she, and ruir away as fast as you can. I won't give the alarm till you're safely away, and when folks see my hat lying on the ground, and me in tears they will understand that there has been a struggle and tha' j you overpowered me." Withers was a sensible young man, and he knew that if he were to be tried before a jury of Irishmen he might be found guilty and hung. As that wasn't a pleasant prospect he did as he was told, and hid himself in my house where I gave him the second storey front room. and told him to lie low until I could look into the case against him and advise him whether he had better give himself up for trial or bolt for Morocco, where no extradition treaty would reach him. There was a good deal of excitement over his escape, as soon as it was known. The papers spoke in the most enthusiastic terms of the bravery of policewoman Carrie Thompson, who had been violently assaulted in the discharge of her duty by a ferocious criminal, and had sus- tained the loss of all the feathers in her hat and several hairpins. Withers was assumed to be guilty of murder, as well as of resisting the Eolice, and it was remarked that it was lucky for iin that he had escaped, and thereby saved him- self from being lynched by an indignant mob of the late Mr Sullivan's friends. Meanwhile, the police kept up an active search for the missing man, and the number of clues that they continu- ally discovered would have made any male detec- tive envy them. Of course, none of the clues were worth anything, but then that is the chief merit of a detective clue. It enables a detective to keep on playing his game, without any chance of bringing it to a sudden end by discovering and arresting the criminal for whom he is supposed to be in search. I had made up my mind that Withers wouldn't stand much chance of a fair trial if the police got hold of him again. You see that Sullivan had been a very popular man, and very influential in politics. A jury ofmen would therefore have been prejudiced against Withers at the start; and as for a jury of women, they would have found him guilty of every crime in the calendar,* simply because he had, as was supposed, resisted a police- woman, and pulled off her hat. So I advised Withers that he had better leave town secretly, and stop away until the murder of Sullivan had become ancient history and I was arranging a plan for getting him safely to the railway station in disguise, when one day he was foolish enough to show himself for a moment at the window, where he was recognised bv somebody, who went and informed the police. It wasn't long before a policewoman sergeant, accompanied by three patrolwomen, knocked at my door and demanded admittance. As soon as I saw them I knew what was the matter, and I declined to open the door. Then they threatened to break it open. That didn't scare me, for I knew that they couldn't do it without some man's help, and I didn't think that any man would help them, and so spoil what promised to be a pleasant excitement.^ So I told the policewomen that if they broke down the door they would be liable to be prosecuted for burglary, and that scared them. However, they insisted that Withers was in the house, and that he had been seen at the second storey window. I tried to make them believe that it was I that had been seen, and not Withers, but they said that it was perfectly ridiculous to suppose that anyone could have mistaken an old grey-haired man for that handsome young Mr Withers. And to tell the truth I thought so my- self—though it wasn't particularly polite for them to call me grey-haired. Well, after a while they gave up knocking at the door, and the sergeant, who was a determined old maid of the name of Johnson—though now I think of it her name was Smedley, which is enough like Johnson to account for my having made a mistake-seno to the station-house for a long ladder, which reached from the sidewalk to the second storey window. When she had planted the ladder she looked round at the crowd that had collected, and asked if any gentleman would be kind enough to go up the ladder and bring down the criminal Withers. At that I'sang out through a crack in the door that nobody who wasn't a policewoman could enter my house through the window with- out being filled up with lead. I said that of course I wouldn't shoot at a woman, but that anyone except a woman who tried to mount the ladder would find out that he was climbing the golden stairs. That settled the men, for they knew that I was a man of my word. So they told the ser- geant that they could not think of interfering in the matter unless they had first been regularly appointed special policemen. The sergeant expressed the opinion that the men were per- fectly mean and ungentlemanly," and then she ordered one of her policewomen to climb the ladder, and bring done Withers. Not one of them would stir, though she ordered each one of them in turn. She evidently thought they were all afraid of Withers, until one of them whis- pered to her. Then she exclaimed, Stuff and nonsense," and added that she would climb the ladder herself. Accordingly she started to do it, but when she had climbed high enoarh to make the tops of her boots visible the other policewomen called to her for heaven's sake to come down, and all the men began to laugh. The sergeant burst into tears, and came slowly down the ladder, and then made a speech to the men. informiug them that they were no gentleman, and that she had a good mind to arrest the whole of them for insulting the police in the discharge of their duty. The men only .laughed, and that made the sergeant more angry than ever. As for the policewomen who were with her they giggled like a parcel of schoolgirls, and the prospect of capturing Withers seemed further off than ever. Just then Withers opened the window, and came down the ladder and surrendered. He said that he couldn't bear to see so many ladies in an awkward situation, and that sooner than compel a single policewoman to climb a ladder in the presence of a crowd he would go quietly to gaol. The sergeant thanked him, and I distinctly heard one of the policewoman whisper to him that he was" a duck." I doubted the wisdom of his conduct, but I remembered that he knew twice as much about dealing with women as I knew. and the chances were that he saw that it would be to his advautaage to surrender. They took Withers off to the jail, and the ser- geant asked the "jailor to give him the best cell, because he was such a gentleman;" and the policewomen all shook hands with him when they said good-bye, and promised to send him things to make him comfortable. He was in prison about three weeks, while the Prosecuting Attor- ney was preparing a case against him, to submit to the Grand Jury and he told me afterwards that he had a bang-up time. The policewomen sent him flowers every day by the bushelful, and he traded them to the jailor, who was fond of flowers, for cigars. Every afternoon two or three policewomen would come to see him, and would bring him books and sing to him, till the other prisoners in jail said that if the disgraceful noise wasn't stopped they'd complain to the Governor of the State and ask to be transferred to the chain gang. The Prosecuting Attorney, who, I think I told you, was a very attractive young woman, by the name of Miss Florence Wilkins, came to see Withers every evening, and had private inter- views with him in the jailor's parlour. She said that she was getting up the case against him, and that the true way to proceed in such cases was to examine the accused person before examin- ing the witnesses against him. It was her idea that in this way she could get at the truth much more certainly than in any other way. When someone objected that this wasn't the usual method of proceeding, she said that it was the method that was always followed in France, and that ii stood to reason that people who, like French, could make prettier bonnets than any other people, must know all there was to know about such matters as law and criminal proce- dure. Her interviews with the prisoner grew longer and longer, and it was generally understood that she had got enough information out of him to hang him a dozen times, even if no witnesses appeared against him. The policewomen were unanimously of the opinion that her conduct was c grossly unfair, but as they could not put a stop to it they had to confine themselves to expressing the opinion that it was hard enough for a young man to be in prison without being tortured by a person who was virtually a minx, even if she was a Prosecuting Attorney. The day before the Grand Jury met, thePeose- cuting Attorney sent two policewomen to the jail, with orders to bring the prisoner Withers to her office, where she wished to hold a final examination. Accordingly he was brought in eu a closed cab and left alone in the Prosecuting Attorney's office, while the two policewomen were given tea and cake in another room. That was the last that anyone in New Jericho- ville saw of the prisoner of the Prosecuting Attorney for the next two years. When the policewomen get uneasy at the length of the interview that they supposed was going ou, they went to the door of tha Prosecuting Attorney's office and found that she and the prisoner had disappeared. She had dressed him and herself in disguises, and the two had eloped together, and nobody could trace them until the end of the next two years, when it was found that the man who killed Sullivan was a brother politician, and consequently that Withers was not guilty. I saw him soon after he returned to New Jcrichoville with his wife—formerly Miss Florence Wilkins—and I said to him that he had played a pretty smart game in inducing the Pro- secuting Attorney to run away with him. That's all right," said lie. There were four policewomen who offered to get me out of jail and elope with me if I would marry them, but I had always a fancy for the Prosecuting Attorney, and besides in such matters I never believe in dealing with subordinates." I The rule of the women only lasted one year. Then the men rose up Mid carried the election by au enormous majority. In point of fact the I town was pretty sick of female rule. It is true that the women d'dn t steal, but they mis- managed things so as to increase the taxes nearly filtyper cent. They doubled the police ( force because no policewoman would patrol alone I' after dark on the ground that it wouldn't beladv- like. and they had to give the patrol women cabs every time it rained. In this and a dozeu other ways they spent the public money a.s if it was ox no more value than water and it's my own belief that-before they were turned out of office I they were getting mighty well tired of it. (The End.) Next Week— MYBA'S FRIENDS, by Phoebe Hart.

SANTAL Medy.— Hi'.rtnloia. sura, and qoick. in t tiny capsules. Instant relief. Invaluable for kidney and bladder troubles; 35 Gd.-Of nil chemists, or .1 NVilsgz I*Ad Co., LoudoD. 17190 2417

I MAINTENANCE OF WiFE AND CHILD. I Strange Case at Cardiff. I The extraordinary maintenance case which has occupied the attention of the Cardiff Stipendiary (Mr T. W. Lewis) on two former occasions came before the Court once more on Monday. The defendant is Griffith Sanders (22), and the pro- ¡ ceedings against him were instituted by the Cardiff Board of Guardians on a summons for neglecting to maintain his wife and child. There I was also a charge against him for arrears amount- ing to £9 19s, in respect of the maintenance of his wife on an order made early last year. The circumstances connected with the summons were extraordinary, as the defendant offered a deter- mined opposition to his liability, alleging that he was not the father of the child, which was born in the Union Workhouse. There was no defence to the claim for arrears of maintenance for the wife. Mr Lloyd Meyrick again appeared for the defendant, and explained to the Stipendiary that the case on the last occasion was adjourned in order that the best evidence should be produced in con- firmation of the defendant's statement that he sailed for South Africa on the Rippingham Grange on March 29 of last year. The Stipendiary And if he left on that date he could not possibly be the father of the child. Mr Lloyd Meyrick That is so. Mr Meyrick went on to remark that at this stage his friend Mr Harold Lloyd now appeared for the com- plainant in connection with the charge for the payment of arrears. Mr Pritchard, warrant officer of the Board of Guardians, explained that the summons was issued on the initiative of the Board of Guardians for the recovery of the amount expended by the authority in maintaining the woman and the child. In respect of this summons he still appeared for the board. Mr Harold Lloyd said he appeared for the applicant in connection with the charge for the recovery of S9 19s on a maintenance order made before defendant absconded. The Stipendiary said he was now dealing with the Guardians' case, adding, Even if she has committed adultery he will be liable for the amount." Mr Lloyd Meyrick bo far as the arrears are concerned there is no defence. The Stipendiary'said he would have the former witnesses recalled if Mr LJoyd desired, but he (the Stipendiary) did not see how it was possible for the woman to succeed if it could be proved that defendant left Newport on the Rippingham Grange on March 29th of last year for South Africa, as in those circumstances it was impos- sible that Sanders could be the father of the child. Mr Meyrick produced the articles showing that defendant had signed on under the name of J. Williams as cattleman on board the Ripping- ham Grange on March 27th of last year, and had sailed on March 29th for South Africa. Mr Mey- rick submitted that this was conclusive corrobo- ration of defendant's evidence given at the pre- vious hearing. The Stipendiary minutely examined the signa- ture, and compared it with the signature of the same name made by defendant in court. The Stipendiary said there were some points of similarity, and some of dissimilarity, but it was possible that defendant had endeavoured to dis- guise his handwriting when signing on under a fictitious name. The case for the defence seemed conclusive, and defendant was discharged from the summons on the ground that it appeared to be a physical impossibility that defendant could be the father of the child. On the charge of arrears of maintenance of his wife the Stipendiary made an order against defendant for the payment of £ 1 at once, and the remainder in weekly instalments of 10s.

ADVERTISING FRAUDS. South Wales People Duped. A remarkable series of frauds upon residents Ui South Wales was admitted by Hugh Archibald Speedelia Lindley, who came up for Speedelia Lindley, who came up for trial on Monday at Brighton Quarter Ses- sions. In February last the prisoner inserted advertisements asking for a col- lector in South Wales at a salary of Y,2 a week and expenses. References and cash security were required. Prisoner, in the name of Lindley, received over 200 letters at an employ- ment agency in Brighton, to which he directed replies should be sent. He entered into lengthy correspondence with several of the responders, including John Dugran, of Tallistown, Mon- mouth Charles Hales, of Tynewydd, near Llwydcoed Sidney Rogers, of Roath, Cardiff John Benyon, of Neath and Charles Augustus Morgan, of Newport, Monmouth. To these persons he held himself out to be a financier having extensive business in South Wales, and he engaged them conditionally on receiving security. From the first four he received sums varying from £1 to £10. From Morgan he got only a promise to pay. It was proved the whole thing was a fraud, prisoner being an organ builder and organist, living near Brighton, and had no connection with any agancy whatever in Wales. Prisoner, who is only 23, received an ex- eellent character from clergymen and others, and a strong appeal was made for leniency. He was sentenced to three months' in the second division.

»—i———mmm—mmmm INCONVENIENT COURT. A Brecon Appeal. If the Breconshire Standing Joint Comnrrttes have any bowels of compassion they will hardly 'I ignore the latest appeal for the much-needed im- provement of Brynmawr Courtroom. At Mon- day's Police Court (Messrs Lewis Pritchard and A. Gage on the Bench) Mr T. G. Powell, solici- tor, Brynmawr, referred to the court as being ex- ceedingly inconvenient. He had intended mak- ing reference to the matter earlier in the pro- ceedings, when another solicitor practising at the court was present, but the matter had escaped his memory until he was somewhat painfully re- minded by the almost frozen condition of his feet. At the previous court the daughter of one of his clients had actually to ask to be allowed to go somewhere to warm, as she was nearly perished." The only fireplace in the building is immediately behind the Bench, and Mr Powell remarked that had the original intention been to make those on the Bench inconveniently hot, and those beyond the Bench inconveniently cold, it could not have been more successful in result. As to accommodation, the Bar and the Press were crowded together uncomfortably at one table. The matter had, he believed, been men- tioned to the Breconshire Standing Joint Com- mittee, who stated that no complaint had been made. This was incorrect, as complaint had been made repeatedly. He again took the op- portunity of making a complaint as to the incon- venience. Mr Lewis Pritchard, who presided, said that the Bench were quite in sympathy with the remarks, and thought that the room was any- thing but comfortable for Bench, Bar, or Press. The Bench hoped that something would be done at an early date to remedy this state of things.

CHILD NEGLECT BY TRAMPS. William Hunt and Annie Hunt, of no fixed abode, appeared in the dock at Newport Borough Police Court on Monday to answer a charge of having neglected their child William, four years of age, in such a. manner as to cause injury to his health. Mr Lyndon Moore, solicitor (who prose- cuted on behalf the Childrei Society) explained that Hunt, who was Soot and shoe maker, had been tra about the country with' the worna. 1 eight years. On Wednesday last the c. arrived at Newport, having tramped from' Chepstow that day. They had two children in a perambulator, one of which was one year and 10 months old, I and the other William, four years of age, was a puny, rickety child that could not stand or talk. On one arm there were four abscesses, and on the other three. Dr. Bassett, who had examined the child, said that the child was, in his opinion, suffering from diseased bone in both arms, and the elbow joint of one arm was badly diseased. A serious operation would be necessary to save tho child's life. The child ought to be in a hospital, and it was cruelty to carry the child about the country. The prisoners stated that the child had been attended by several doctors, and was in the Scarborough Hospital for several weeks. The child's arms were dressed at the Gloucester Workhouse some days ago. The Bench sent the couple to prison for one month each. It was understood that application will be made to have the childrenv who have been removed to the workhouse, trans- ferred to Dr. Barnardo's Homes.

ITALIAN SEAMAN'S DEATH. Mr E. Bernard Reece on Monday. investi- gated the circumstances of the death—which occurred on Friday last-of Marco Vaasallo (46), an Italian seaman engaged on board the barque- I Restituta Madre. T. G. Hunt, one of the de- ceased's shipmates, stated that the vessel was out- ward bound from Bristol, and started from the Cardiff Roads on Thursday morning. De- ceased, who had been steering for some time that day, was subsequently found lying unconscious on deck. Witness supposed he had been hurt while working the ship round, or else that he had been struck by a block on the head. There was no evidence to show how the accident occurred. De- ceased was removed to the Cardiff Hamadryad Hospital Ship, where he died, according to Dr. Anstey Chave, from injuries to his skull. The jury returned a verdict of Accidental death." The Italian Consul, Signor Cfesare Poma, at- I tended the inquiry.

DEATH IN A CATHEDRAL. I Mr John Butterworth, J.P., of Burnley, a large employer of labour, died suddenly in Ely CatiiedraJ on Monday afternoon. Accompanied by the Rev. Albert Bishop lie left home in the morning to spend a few days at Crorner, and on arrival at Ely the two gentlemen decided to break the journey there and proceed to Norwich by a later train. Having lunched at the station they walked up to the cathedral, where Mr But- terworth, while looking at the painted 'ceiling of the nave, suddenly fell dead. Deceased, who was about 64, suffered from heart disease.

A GUARANTEED CURE FOR PILES.— Itching, Blind. Blcedinp, or Pt otradiuR Files. No care, no pay. All drugpists are authorised by the mannfac- 1 turers of Pazo Pile Ointment to refund the money where it fails to cure any cuefj of piles, no matter of how long standing. Cures ordinary cases iu six days. One application gives cage and rest. This is a new discovery, and is the only pile remedy sold on a posi- tive guarantee. Price 2s 3d, of all Chemists, or direct from Paris Mcditine Co. (Dept. 21), 2S, fchoe- • an e, London, E.G.

SALUTARY PUNISHMENT. A case of shocking depravity was tried at the Cardiff Police Court on Monday by the Sti- pendiary Magistrate (Mr T. W. Lewis), the pri- soner being a comer boy just over 30 years I of age—John Prince by name. Prisoner came up to answer a double charge, the first of having unlawfully assaulted Margaret Hopkins, and the second of having lived in part on the earnmgs of prostitution between Feb. 24th and April 12th. The charge of assault was first dealt with. Complainant, who was extensively bandagea and said she lived at 11, Eldon-road, gave evi- dence as to prisoner knocking her down and I kicking her on the head. She had lived with the man, but wished to have nothing more to do with him. I Sergeant Wootton said when he arrested pri- soner he repeatedly observed, I will swing for I her when I come out." Witness had seen the woman's leg from the instep to the knee, and it was covered with bruises. In reply to the Stipendiary the complainant said she gave prisoner Is or Is *6d a day or every other day. P.C. Welsher said prisoner had lived with com- plainant in various parts of the town. He had not worked since he came out of prison some weeks ago. Witness had seen the woman with men and the prisoner following. Inspector Durston said that in November last prisoner was sentenced to one month's imprison- ment with hard labour for having assaulted the police and two months' imprisonment for having lived on the earnings of prostitution. The Stipendiary (to prisoner ) You are sen- tenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour for an aggravated assault on this woman. Prisoner was then proceeded against for having unlawfully lived in part on the earnings of prostitution. The Stipendiary said he would adjourn the case in order to give Prince an opportunity to call his witnesses. Prisoner declined the offer, and asked the Court to deal leniently with him, saying that if he was found leading this kind of life again he hoped he would get penal servitude. Prisoner was adjudged a rogue and vagabond, and committed to the Quarter Sessions for sentence.

A CASK OF PIGS' FEET. Condemned at Cardiff. The justices at the Cardiff Police Court on Monday had just finished the list for the day when the Medical Officer of Health (Dr. Wal- ford) and Inspector Vaughan entered the court and informed the Bench that they wanted an order to destroy a cask of pigs' feet which had been discovered on the premises of Mr Wm. Davies, butcher, 15, Wood-street. Inspector Vaughan informed the Court that the pigs' feet were unsound, in an advanced stage of decompo- sition, smelled offensively, were eaten through by maggots, and totally unfit for food. There was a sample outside the court if the justices wished to see it. Alderman Jones I have no particular wish to smell it this morning. (Laughter.) The Bench asked if a prosecution would be in- stituted. Inspector Vaughan That will be another matter. Alderman Jones Yes. I know it will. Dr. Walford It is for the town clerk to say whether he thinks we have a case. The Magistrates' Clerk: Were the pigs'feet for food ? Inspector Vaughan They were in the back kitchen along with other provisions. It is for Mr J) a vies to prove they were not for sale. The Magistrates' Clerk Where is Mr Davies ? Mr Davies (rising in court) The pigs' feet did not belong to me. I only recently took on the premises, and the pigs' feet were there when I went in. I intended to clear them off with other refuse. I have only been a fortnight in the house. Alderman Jones The pigs' feet might have been there a long time ? Mr Davies They might have been there 12 months. The man who left them there said I should burn them out of the way. The necessary order to destroy the pigs' feet was then made.

SEQUEL TO A FOOTBALL MATCH. At Llandaff Police Court on Monday (before Mr Henry Lewis, Colonel Woods, and Mr Edgar David) John Stevens (labourer) was summoned at the instance of Chas. Stone for assaulting him at Whitchurch on Sunday morning, the 31st nit. Prosecutor said he was going out for a walk with a child in his arms, when defendant came up by Birchgrove corner and hit him in the mouth, breaking one of his teeth. "Have you anything to say for yourself?" asked the Bench of defendant. Had a little argument in Cardiff on Satur- day," said Stevens, about the football match.' Oh, yes," said Mr Henry Lewis, Cardiff against Swansea." Didn't you ask me," said defendant, address- ing Stone, how about that. try ? Stone No, I ha.ve not sworn for the last six months. (Laughter.) Didn't you say by Nell's corner, 'What ;a.bout that —— try ? No, I didn't say anything the try was right enough, or else the referee would not have given it." Stevens denied the assault, saying that all he did was to put his hand up. The Bench imposed a fine on Stevens of JEl and costs, and on the latter's application bound over Stone to keep the peace towards him for six months.

AFFAIRS OF A NEWPORT GROCER. The first meeting of creditors to the estate of David Morgan, grocer and provision merchant, of 197. Commercial-road, Newport, was held on Monday at the offices of the Ofiicial Receiver, Newport. The receiving order was made on the debtor's own petition, but it was stated that he is now mentally incapacitated from attending to his affairs, and has been unable to undergo the preliminary examination. A statement of affairs had been, however, prepared by debtor's brother, who had assisted him in the manage- ment of the business for some time past. The gross liabilities were £2,103 133 9d, but of this total there were securities in the hands of two creditors for £1,356138 Id. These securities consisted of the premises occupied by debtor at Newport, and also of a house situated in Louisa- street, Cardiff. The unsecured creditors num- bered 67, and the amount of their claims was £747 Os 8d. The assets were JE299 Os lid, and the deficiency £447 19s 8d. No offer of composition was submitted, and the Official Receiver inti- mated that the debtor would be adjudicated bankrupt.

A SWANSEA TRADER'S AFFAIRS. At Hereford Bankruptcy Court on Monday William Scott, fancy goods dealer, appeared to undergo examination. His liabilities amounted to JE220 and the assets £52 18s. He commenced business and resided at Blackburn, and then in partnership with William Gibson took shops at Swansea, Aberdare, and other parts of the country for short periods, and sold 6id fancy goods. After he opened the Hereford Business the partnership was dissolved, and he continued on his own account. He traded in Widemarsh- street, next in Broad-street, and then went to Swansea. When he started on his own account, after the partnership, he had about £250 in cash and stock, and this he alleged he lost in Broad- street and at Swansea. He agreed to pay his creditors a composition in 1899, and attributed his present failure to the facts that the profits on the goods were not sufficient to meet house- hold expenses, and that he had to pay this com- position of 7s 6d in the £ The examination was adjourned.

LORD NELSON AND MONMOUTH. The Pall Mall Gazette contributor who writes under the name of Asterisk is taken severely to task by several gentlemen, who point out that his witticisms at the expense of the Mayor of Monmouth are based upon a misrepre- sentation. What Mr Hamilton Baillie really said, in conferring tho freedom of the borough on Lord Llangattock, was that the ceremony of the bestowal of the freedom on Lord Nelson took place in 1802—not in 17823.8 quoted by "Asterisk," whose observations therefore completely lose their point. The freedom was presented to Lord Nelson when he was on his way to Milford to visit Sir William Hamilton, and besides the freedom it is recorded that a silver cup and a tankard were presented to Lord Nelson by local admirers.

LANCASHIRE VILLAGE VANDALISM. In the current parish magazine of Leyland, hear Preston, the Rev. Leyiand Baldwin, the vicar, condemns the hideous utilitarian vandalism of the proposal to remove the ancient village cross, and to erect in its stead an incandescent lamp, flanked by public conveniences. Ley- land," says the vicar, has done strange things in its days centuries ago the bigots of the Iron- side time broke the head from our ancient village cross, their earliest witness to Christianity, but it has been left for the 20th century to suggest this crowning outrage—utilitarianism run mad, and tilting at our every religions, artistic, and his- torical feelin"

CHARGED~wrrH RAILWAY^THEFT. At the Guildhall on Monday Jane Hill (38). a convict out on licence, was charged on remand with stealing from the ladies' wasting-room at Liverpool-street Station a valuable eealskin cape belonging to Mrs Florence McKenzie. of the Mall. Clifton, Bristol. Prisoner was convicted in 1839 of stealing jewellery from the Central Hotel, Royal Albert Docks, Woolwich, and was sentenced to three years' penal servitude. She had been three times previously convicted. She ,was now committed for trial at tbe Ccntral Criminal Court.

THE EDUCATION MUDDLE, One of the first things the Goevrament has to tell us when Parliament meets He its state of '■'mind with regard to education. Surely the Government < can give same idea of its solution for the relief of an intolerable strain which letting this country fall behind the rest of Europe. The Army and the Navy are an affair for the Imperial Exchequer. They get all they -want. How long is our national education to be I the neglected starveling of the parish ?—Morning trader.

M ^—— II l Hfc. ;ausi.uss ).bàtessts. Trouble with I Teething Babies. ¡ I A very trying time unless mothers I know how to treat them. J1 DOROTHY MAYHERN. (From a pbotographO, ø- We litvvo often stated in these newspape articlo* that the difficulty habieJ have in cutbing their taeth depends largely upon their general condition of health. The delicate child has no end of trouble, while the healthy baby gets through this trying period, as a rule, very nicely. Howevei, in all-cases babies can be helped very ra,-it,etiittly, -s suggested in the following e&»er :—' 67 Tro-Jpg.ir-road, Bow, London, E 23rd Pebruwy, 1900. Gentlemen,—Some i; hs ago my littie daughter Dorothy, aged 13 m was taken with a sharp attack of bronchitis whiS teething, and b 'tran to :osu a great deal of fkst]. I was advised by a friend to give Scott's Bmuluion a trial. I did go, and I am glad to say it was with complete sucoess. The bronchitis has entirely disapjieiired. and she is cutting her teeth with Krenter easn than she ever did before. I can also speak of Scott's Emulsion aa a preventatiee against cougbs aud coTde. Daring the trying weather of the last few months ahe has been taking Scott's Emulsion, and has been free from these troublesome complaints, while beforehand we dreaded changes in the weather. I can recommend Scott's Emul. sion most hisrhly. Yours faithfully, (Signed) GBO. H. MATHS EN." [ If every mother knew what a great adwamttKtt j Scott's Emulsion is to babies darinsr teething, and in faot to all growing children, there wonld j bemuch less difficulty than there is to-day. Many a mother is anxious about, the health of her child, when a little Scott's Emulsion would quickly remove that anxiety. Scott's Emnlsion gives the children jnst what they need to make their growth vigorous and natural. It stimulates the appetite, feeds and qlUets the nerves, furnishes material for healthy bones, and promotes the making of healthy flesh. It is a household remedy for coughs, colds, bronchitis, and all affections of throat and lungf, aud serves an even greater pur* pose in raising the standard of health to its nor- mal condition. Consumptives find that Scott's Emulsion overcomes the wasting of tbe disease, and 10 cases of atiasmia it is most essential to enrich the blood. a standard household remedy Scott's Emulsion is without an equal. In no other form can cod-livoroil be taken with such an sffree- .i.tJ\fI flavour and such pronounced beneficial r-mits, You can obtain a sample of Scott's Emulsion by sending threepence to cover postage to Scott and Bowne, Limited, Manufacturing Ohem»ta( 95, Great Saffron-hill, London, E C., and mea- tioningthis paper. AW chemistj sell Soott'i Emulsion.

THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. Before and After In the course of an essay on the progress of the world during the nineteenth century, Profes- sor E. E. Dolbsar, of the United States, gave an interesting summary of the century's works, for which we are indebted to an American con- temporary :— This century received from its predecessors the horse. We bequeath the bicycle, the locomotive, and the automobile. We received the goosequill, we bequeath the fountain pen and typewriter. Wo received the scythe, we bequeath the mow- 1 ing machine. j We received the sickle, we bequeath the har- vester. We received the hand printing press, we be- queath the Hoe cylinder press. ] We received the painter's brush, we bequeath j lithography, the camera, and colour photography. We received the hand loom, we bequeath the cotton and woollen factory. We received the gunpowder, we bsqueath nitro- gl veer in*. Y/e received 23 chemical elements, we bequeath 80. We received the tallow dip, we bequeath the arc light. But these by no means exhaust the list. Pro- fessor Dolbear proceeds :— We received the galvanic battery, we bequeath the dynamo. We received the flint lock, we bequeath auto- matic Maxims. We received, the sailing ship, we bequeath the steamship. We received the beacon signal fire, we be- queath the telephone and wireless telegraphy. We received leather fire-buckets, we bequeath the steam fire-engine. the steam fire-engine. We received wood and stone for structures, j we bequeath 20-storied steel buildings, j We received the stairway, we bequeath the | elevator. We received ordinary light, we bequeath the Rontgen rays. j We received the weather unannounced, we be- j queath the weather bureau. J We received unalleviable pain, we bequeath asepsis, chloroform, ether, and cocaine. We received the average duration of life of 30 > years, we bequeath 40 years. The list might perhaps be added to, but as it stands it is striking enough.

END OF THE BUCKHOUNDS. The herd of red deer kept at Swinley Paddocks for hunting by tbe Royal Buckhounds have been put to death—shot, says the Daily Telegraph," all 27 of them, by Lord Churchill himself, the Deputy Master of the Hunt, with his rifle, and Deputy Master of the Hunt, with his rifle, and therewith it may presumably be assumed all j doubts as to the final extinction of a form of I '1 sport which has been condemned for soinanv years may cease. There is, however, talk still of deer being hunted by private packs. Thus the j Berks and Bucks Harriers may. it is suggested, be converted into a stag-hunt, but nothing defi- nite seems to be known on this point yet. The van man is thus quoted As for jump- ing, I reckon if you would stand in the road with your arms outspread the stag would go right over your head. Of course, we cut their antlers-no man would dare go near unless we did, let alone the dogs. The farthest run I recollect was to Aston Gate, three miles this side of Aylesbury. I have had 23 miles to do before 11 o'clock, and we used to go to Harrow country. I have had to be away from here at six o'clock in the morning, and very often 1 didn't get back with the deer until the midday following. I opened seven sea- I sons with one stag—that was Harkaway, in old I Mr Goodall's time. Sometimes the deer got I named after some run, sometimes not, and when they were old they were killed off."

SHAKESPEARE WEEK AT STRATFORD. The annual series of Shakespearian plays pro- vided by the committee of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre commenced on Monday, and extends over a fortnight. Ten Shakespearian plays and "She Stoops to Conquer" ana The School for Scandal will be performed. For the thirteenth time I the programme is filled by Mr F. R. Benson's company, and for the first time under Mr Ben- son's management, there is no strictly "revival play. In place of this we are to have a cycle of histories King John," Richard IL," I Henry IV." (Part II.), Henrv V. Henry VI." (Part II.), and Richard ill an arrange- ment which has received public approval in the form of the heaviest bookings ever known for these birth-week performances. I A feature new to this year's celebration is the publication by the Memorial Committee of an illustrated booklet concerning the Shakespeare annual festival by T. Edgar Pemberton, which gives notes of the earlier festivals and introduc- tions to two plays of this year's cycle. At the Memorial Clubroom, too, a new attraction is pro- vided in the shape of a capital exhibition of paintings by local artists, arranged by Mr W. Salt Brassiugton and Mr Hamilton Marr. Salt Brs-ssington and Mr Hamilton Marr. I

MARK TWAIN AND CARNEGIE- I A characteristic letter i" said to have been I received by Mr Andrew Carnegie from Mark Twain the other day. The San Francisco 1 Argonaut understands that it was worked in I the following strain Dear Mr Carnegie.— Understanding that you are blessed at present with an unusual surplus of income. I T, and knowing well your generous spirit and desire to do good to those who will help themselves, I want to ask you to make me a contribution of one ¡ dollar and 50 cents. When I was a young man my mother gave me a hymn book, which I faith- fully used. It is now. thanks to my efforts, out, and I think it should be replaced, and !?«>« are the man to do this. Appreciadnc e i full the generous needs that have made «^>ur name illustrious in this and other countries, and j believing that in making me this donation you ) will be carrying on tbe spirit of your work, I J am, yours faithfully, Mark Twain. P.S.—Don't J send me a hymn book ssnd the one dollar and fiftv cents.—M.T."

MAKING A BISHOP. In the character sketch in this mouth's Review of Reviews the following account 18 given of the controversy between the King and Prime Minister which preceded the selection of Dr. Winnington-Ingram as the successor of Dr. Creighton. Both the King and the Prime Minister agreed in offering the vacant see to the Bishop of Winchester, but his health rendered its acceptance impossible :— On receiving his refusal the King and his m Prime Minister found themselves unable to agree upon the next person to whom the offer should be made. Each of them had his own favourite. Such, at least, is the story which is current in well-informed quarters, although, of course, no such State secrets are ever officially divulged. Lord Salisbury, whose interest in the Church and its administrators had been much deeper and of older growth than that of his Sovereign, insisted that the Bishop of Newcastle, Dr. Jacobs formerly of Portsmouth, was the best man on whom to thrust the onerous burden of the Lon. don diocese. The King. on the other hand, would none of him. His candidate was the Bishop of Rochester. Dr. Talbot has already administered one half of London with great Satisfaction to Everybody. Like the Bishop of Winchester, he is a man of saintly character, and the only objection t4 him is that there is no one to upeak ill of him io the whole of London. It is not for profane out- siders to pry into the mysteries of bishop. making. nor are any reports extant as to the con- versation between the King and his First Minister when they met to make the final decision. It is not quite clear whether Lord Salisbury gave way, and whether the offer was really made to the Bishop of Rochester, and altogether declined on the score of health but there seema to be no doubt about the fact that the King abso; lutely refused to accept Lord Salisbury a noou;" nation of Dr. Jacob. One story goes that as the King refused to have Dr. Jacob, Lord Salisbury was equally ob{ durate in rejecting the King's own nominee-|' but whatever the real truth may be the publitf only knows the result that the man ultimately chosen to sit in Dr. Creighton's chair was not one of the three who were iirst named for th., post. The King and his Prime Minister being unable to agree upon the first choice of either, appear to have arrived at a compromise by the selection of Dr. Winnington-Ingram. the Bishop of Stepney, to be the next Bishop of London.

A SCOTTISH EL DORADO. Gold Quartz Found at Leith. Quartz yielding 30oz. of gold to the ton «ool<t be considered rich even in West Australia, but this is estimated to be the value of a piece just discovered at Leith. Some workmen wera engaged last week in excavations in connection with the new works at Leith Hospital in King- street, and when they had reached the depth of about 10ft. they struck what had all the appear- ance of a seam of quartz. One part picked up was found to be almost entirely composed o? gold. Some pieces of the quartz as large aLl a man's fist were exceedingly rich in the precionf metal, while others were but sparsely sprinkled. The discovery has caused no surprise amon4 the officials of the Geological Survey in Jermyn- street. A representative of the Westminster Gazette," who went to the office on Monday ffltf information on the subject, found everybody peBe fectly calm. Gold-bearing quartz, it appear^ is found too often in this country, even in th«( most unexpected quarters, for the ofiicial mind Ut he ruffled by such announcements. It is quite probable," said a geologist, tbatl one or even several pieces of auriferous quarts* have been found at Leith. But there is nothing extraordinary in that. A portion of the town is built on an old raised sea-beach, so what could b< more possible than that such a superficial deposit should contain stray pieces of gold-bearing quartz ? They might have been carried thither by the Glacial Drift—gold is found in Suther- land and Cornwall still—or they may have been washed up from the sea bed. Their exact place of origin, however, it would be impossible to indicate. As the presence of the quartz is accidental. it is exceedingly improbable that much more of it will be found. A Scottish Klondyke has not been stumbled upon at any rate, that much in certain."

CONFESSIONAL IN THE CHURCH Considerable indignation has been aroused ai Dover against the practice of confession anfi absolution and the persuading of boys to go to auricular confession whilst being prepared tot confirmation at one of the local churches. Several specific cases were alluded to at a publi*. meeting, and strong criticism was offered upon 9, letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury respect' ing the Rev. W. F. Jameson, the curate. It waa shown that the letter was founded on the ex-partf statements of Mr Jameson himself, without inquiry into the characters of the boys. which, were stated to be beyond reproach. Speeches against Ritualism in the Church were loudly applauded, and a resolution was pas ;ed express* ing the opinion that the private inquiry made by tbe Archbishop of Canterbury into ihe charges against the Rev. W. F. Jamcuon of introducing auricular confession was wholly inadequate, ancf expressing the opinion that a public inquiri could alone meet tne needs of the ca*e.

&COALTR)MMEHS AU0 THE COM- PENSATiON ACT. The Barry branch of the CosJtrimmers' met on Saturday for the special purpose of con« siderinsr proposals to amend the Compensation Act, 1897. A dit-cussion ensued, and evcntnaUj a resolution was passed nrgii-g apen the Govern- ment the desirability or amending the Act in order that all workmen of whatever trade or call" ing may be included within its operatic;:?. aa4 asking Parliament to afford facilities for passing into law any Bill that might be brought before the House of Commons during the present Session. Councillor Chappoll. Cardiff, h«a<rtil>' supported the resolution.