Evening Express

A First of April Joke. l/irtner was weil under way; Mrs. Simmons's broad, kindly face bad lost it3 anxious expres- sion, and settled d-own to a more complacent look. The cabbage salad had gone round, in spite of her fears to the contrary, and she felt relieved, knowing that the supply was limited. The chops were dor.iJ to a. turn. and the two new boarders seemed to be enjoying their dinner. At the next table. the military gentleman was, as u-ual. deep in some narrative wherein he had been the leading actor, according to his own account, a. most important and praise- worthy part. Mis^ Thankful Hope. at his right, was putting in the needed "Yes, sir." or "Indeed, sir," here and there. Mrs. Large, the very diminutive little widow upon the other side, was listening in admiring silence: while the two young college students were, by their manner of half doubting the general's story, leading him on to still more and more exaggerated assertions. The general's voice grew louder. "Yes, ma'am," he said, excitedly, "yes, ma'am, the left flank of our company stood just here," drawing a. line on the tablecloth -with hi fork, "and the enemy here"—another ine-"and the bullet went right through my co,t sleeve, not grazing the flesh, and killed the man behind me; yes, ma'am, a most extra- ordinary escape." "Them two boy3 do just tease the general most unmerciful." thought Mrs. Simmons. "It ought to be stopped; same as their eating of so many biscuits; there ought to be a. law against it. Young Dawson has eat seven, for I counted them! Seven biscuits is too many for any male man to devour at one meal; bar they do certainly get a pile of sport, aggravat- ing of the general." The general, next to Miss Thankful, had been a member of Mrs. Simmons's family the longest, having been with her for six years. His title was purely accidental. The man who had brought his trunk to the house on the morning of his arrival had spoken of him as "the general," nrot knowing his name, and the title had clung to him. In matter of fact he ■was simply Mr. Mann. a kind-hearted, pompous, and rather exacting bachelor of 50, book- keeper in an office. But everyone called him the general. The college students affirmed that if all the hair-breadth escapes and deeds of bravery which the general related of his army career were true he deserved the title twice over. Little Mrs. Large had found Mrs. Simmons's house a very haven of rest in the big, bewilder- ing city. She had come from a small country town, where most of her life had been spent, to the city, in the hope of finding a position as a companion. "Vain dream! "r needed to do something," she had con- fided to Miss Thankful, "and I found that my music was a little old-fashioned, and my paint- ing. too: but I am quite sure I could care for an invalid, and I have a most delightful recipe for orange je!!y. I used to make it for Mr. Large in his last illness. I enjoy reading alond. too. and Mr. Large us-ed to often say that I had expression and a good voice. I have read 'The Children, of the Abbey' to him by the hour. He liked Mrs. Hemans's verses, too, and Shelley." So she had inserted in two of the daily papers an advertisement reading: "Mrs. Large—Companion. A lady of refined tastes desires the position of companion to an invalid. Reference given.-Ad.dress, Mrs. Large, Box 242." But alas! Although the advertisement had appeared for as many weeks as Mrs. Large ¡ dared afford, it met with no success. The very few who anwered it found her an older person than they had expected, or wanted to travel, and desired a companion who could speak French a.nd German. So finally she grew hopeless and gave up the idea. "I am like my music and my painting," she said, a little sadly, to Miss Thankful; "I am too old-fashioned. I belong to a past genera- tion, and there seems to b8 nothing I can do, the world moves en so fast." And so she had settled down as a member of Mrs. Simmons's household, content if only her meagre income could be made to cover her meagre expenses, and eking it out now and then by a dainty piece of embroidery for the ex- change. She waa the kind, of woman the general most admired—timid and dependent, scarcely ever advancing an opinion of her own, and if she did, modifying it with: I have often heard my husband, Mr. Large, express himself so." I This tendency was much to the general's taste. "A fine woman." he often reflected. "No set opinions like Miss Thankful has. but willing to defer to others. A most commend- I able trait in a woman." He admired her greatly. But to-day the studonts had carried their teaming too far, and finally, when the subject of the Fir6t of April came up and one of the young men declared that practical joking was harmless, the general lost his temper. Tou are mistaken, young gentlemen," he said, bringing his large hand down upon the table and making tie tumblers and pepper- boxes knock against* each other in frantic efforts to keep up right. "It is an idiotic cus- tom; yes, sir; a practical joke i3 the concoc- tion of a—of a"—he sought for a word not too I violent for the presence of ladies-dof a num- skull, sir-a. numskull! I was never deceived by one in my life, never! and do not expect to be; but they do not belong to the usages of good society." He retired with more than his usual dignity from the room when he had finished, much to the relief of the students, who wanted to laugh, and Mrs. Large, who was frightened. "Those foolish boys!" said Miss Thankful to herself later, when she saw them in close and earnest conversation. "I am afraid they are going to make the general ridicuio 1-5 in sonie way. This All-Fools' Day is a silly pra^nce for sane and sensible people. I do hope the general will be sharp enough to see through their joke, whatever it i. He might know that saying he had never been deceived would be just all two thoughtless boys would need to lend them on." Meanwhile tho two boys were out on the veranda closely studying a scrap of paper, whereon was written: "Mrs. Large.—Dear Madame,-Ye.-t me in the east wing of the veranda after tea. I have something to ask you, which is of much importance to us both. Please answer.—Re- spectfuliy, JOSIAH MANN." "There," said the leader in this not very commendable liitle game. "Never has been deceived, oh, no "But she is such a nice, gentle little body," objected the other, "and it will be just as hard on her." Nonsense she will answer the note. and, so there, what a fix he will be in! Don't you see? The joke is all on him. I understand women pretty well, and I know she would not give the general a second look. Don't you re- member how she is always quoting Mr. Large? She will bring him up sharp for writing to her at all. That's the way with those meek- looking little women. He is sure to get the worst of it. I tell you." The next morning little Mrs. Large was in a flutter of excitement over this same missive, and after several attempts penned in a shaky hand the following: "Mr. Mann,—I will come to the east wing of the veranda this evening at seven, as you desired.-LUC-RETIA LARGE." When the general received this note his I astonishment was profound until dinner-time. when he happened to catch a telegraphic iook which passed between the students, and then the matter became plain to him. The general had been a college student himself. 3J years before, and he still remembered some of thair ways. All the afternoon the question of what I he'should say to the timid, pretty little widow was a troublesome problem. The note which had called forth the answer might have been a pronosal. for all he knew. The more he thought of it the more fascinating the idea, became. "And why not?" said the general. "And why not? The thought is not a disagreeable one. I wonder it has never occurred to me before. She wants to be a companion. Why not offer her a position? Though, come to think cf it, I am a healthy-looking invalid." And he laughed heartily at this flight of wit. Lucretia. ah—rather a pretty-sounding name. Lucretia ah—Mann. And why not?" The following morning the general did not enter the dining-room until the others were seated, and then he led Mrs. Large in and down the entire length of the entire room, with the dignity and ceremony of a gentleman of the old scheol. And everyone present knew that this marked attention could mean but one thing. Miss Thankful's eyes were full of laughter a? she met those of the two very red- faced young men opposite. The general had come cut ahead, she felt sure. and she knew that her surmises were correct when. a little later, she heard one of the studsnts say to the other, as she passed them in the hall: That's my last practical joke. I've been sorry ever since we did it, and I am glad, down to my boots, that it turned out this way." [THE EXn.]

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WISE AND OTHERWISE. /N —- I Eir-a ncip-Lted. -"I swear to you, Miss r Maude," he exclaimed. fervently, "that I love you and you alone! See, I kneel at your feet- I am your slave." "Ah, my slave?" she smiled down at him. "So be it, then-I give you your freedom!" A Dreadful Threat.—Birmingham Lady: I've in got nothing for you. Tramp: You haven't, eh? Well, you'll be sorry for this. If you don't give me something nice to eat I'll recommend you to all my friends between here and London. "That racehorse- of yours seems well broke," said the man who stands around and looks on. "Yes," replied the melancholy owner of the animal, "but he isn't as well broke as I am." HER PEDIGREE. "Now, who is that?" asked the dignified hen; "That chicken in white and grey? She 's very well dressed, but whence did she I' come And her family, who are they?" "She never can move in our set, my dear," Said the old hen's friend to her later; "I've just found out—you'll be shocked to heiir- She was hatched in an incubator:" His Hindsight.—" Why does Stimson carry that notebook about with him so ostenta- 'I tiously?" "To jot down the brilliant things he might have said and didn't when he had the opportunity." A short time ago a. publisher brought out a book entitic- "Advice to Plain Women." Only one copy has yet been disposed of. and that was taken by the officee boy to his mother for curl paper. ONLY PARTLY DECEIVED. She dressed up in her brother's clothes, A promenade she took, And everyone who knew her said: "How girlish yoa do look!" "These jokes about the young man staying so late," remarked Chollie at about 11.58 p.m., "make me tired." "Dear me!" said Maud Edith, "I had an idea. you never got tired." Grateful Mau.Didn't I loan you 15 a month ar so ago?" "Yes. I believe you did. I'm ever so much obliged for your kindness. I feel that I can never re-pay you." Powerful Obl,*ect ion. Hopkins, do you want to be buried from a bicycle hearse?" "Great Scott, no! Ycu wouldn't expect me to keep my balance if I was dead, would you?" "I seen yer buy de apple, Susy Roach, an' if yer don't gimme half I'll rub against ye an' yer'll catch der measles." Easily Explained.—"What did you buy this piece of music for?" asked Mr. Darley, crossly, as he took up a sheet from the piano. "I bought it for a song," replied Mrs. Darley, sweetly. r A school inspector descending a hillside towards a village school was saluted by an out- burst of music which at first bore some resem- blance to Rule Britannia," but afterwards broke away into the most bewildering discord. He made a mental note not to ask the children to sing Rule, Britannia," and proceeded on his way. He was met at the door by the master, whose face was wreathed in smiles. I think, sir, we've sammat to please you this time," was the opening remark. I'm glad to hear it; and what may it be?" "Don't you mind what you said about the youngsters learning rounds or catches, as it was so good for the discipline?" --i, yes; I remember. Have they got one ready?" "That they have, sir. You never heard anything come up to it." The inspector, glad in this way to escape "Rule, Britannia," at once called for the catch. The master, cane in hand, led off the boys in the third standard with the first strain of "Rule, Britannia." As they began the next strain the fourth standard lads repeated the first with startling effect, and finally the fifth section broke in with it when the third and fourth divi- sions were shouting the third and second strains against each other. When it was all over the master turned Lo the inspector with: Well, sir, did you ever hear anything come up to* it?" No, I never did," gasped the para- lysed official, and I don't think I ever shall." I

DRESS—FASHION-HOME, THE 'SIXTIES IN AMERICA. During the North and South War in America, utterly cut off from such possibilities as Paris bonnets and gloves or slippers (or even New York ditto,1, the Southern women were obliged to make shift with odd substitutes, such as bonnets woven of palmetto, or made of gourds, slippers made of cloth, gloves knitted from silk provided by old silk stockings being unravelled, artificial flowers mado from dyed feather's, and other strange contrivances. These last were sometimes very successful. In Madeira at the present day beautiful feather-flowers are made from humming-birds' feathers; for in- stance, azaleas that are really very deceptive. One is reminded of the straits the English- women were in for articles de Paris at the time of the war with France in the Fir'st Napo- leon's reign. Old ladies still tell of wonderful necklaces contrived of dyed pcach-stones or plum-stones, that young girls, for want of a necklace, should not have to go unadorned to the county assembly. But it was not only with trials of toilet the Southern dames had to I put up with. In many cases, bereft of their menfolk, they had to run their plantations themselves, actually weaving and dyeing the cloth necessary for clothing the hands, and do many thing3 unnoted which are now done with blare of trumpet by the New Woman. UNDER-FRONTS AND VESTS. The number of these dainty etceteras is enormous. No costume is nowadays considered complete without some such fancy arrange- ment at the front of the bodice. Coats and skirts are, of course, provided with some more or less elaborate under-front, while even the siiks and foulards, the muslins and voiles, of the fashionable mondaine are all supplied with the most exquisite fronts of chiffon and lace, baby ribbon and crimped tulle, all most harmoniously combined, while one of the prettiest fashions I have seen is that of adding a couple of rosettes of black baby ribbon here and there on just such an underfront, this touch of black seeming to accentuate the fairy- like daintiness of the whole. One remarkably pretty under-front was arranged to be worn with a bodice which was in itself as small as it could possibly be. A fine French canvas was the material employed, laid over a ilk foundation of course, while the actual bodice consisted of very little more than the sleeves, for it was arranged in bolero fashion, and cut right away in front and again slashed well above the waist at the back; so that here, of course, was a great opportunity for as hand- some a front an the most fastidious wearer could wish to adopt. This particular under- front was of white Swiss muslin, insterted in yoke fashion under the chin with string- coloured torchon lace. Again, just below the bend of the figure, and cut in square plastrons under the arms, was a further insertion of this same string-colourcd lace. The notion was decidely uncommon and also decidedly becoming. GOSSIP. Mrs. Temple, who, in addition to all her other dutie«. has undertaken the arduous office of President of the Women's Mission Association in connection with the Society for the Propaga- tion of the Gospel, has recently been speaking on the urgent need of more women for foreign mission work. Lady superintendents are needed for Board schools, the hospitals want doctors and evangelists, and many more ladies are desired for zenana-visiting.

Mr. Owen, Ty Main Farm, Ncvrborough, writeq: I can give the highest praise to the valuable remedy, Gwilym Evans' Quinine Bitters, for Weakness and Debility." €41617 SOMETHING FOlt TEA.—Always Heady. SOMETHING fcr BREAKFAST.—Always Ready. crDAHYS "REX" LlíXCH TONGUES. Stand alone for excellence and quality, and can be had from all grocers. To DARKEN GRET HAIR.-Locky er's Sul- phur Hair Restorer is the quickest. I)e;:t. safest, costs lev. rffccts more than any oth ir. The colour rroduced is the most natur. Sulphur is the only English Hair Restorer j Universally Relied on. e—2

I OUR DAILY CARTOON. -i I BEING HANGED IN THEIR OWN ROPE. —— —— 1—,—_

OUR JUNIORS. —■■■'■ —nil- ] [Conducted by UNCLE JOE.] The Evening Express Boys' and Girls' Club was established March 21, 1898, for the purpose of promoting principles of kindness amongst young people, and for the mutual interest and instruction of its members. Young folks desirous of joining ape requested to communicate with Uncle Joe, c/o. the Editor. Members only are eligible for prizes. Handsome certificates are issued to new members, who may have them on call- ing at this office. or else sending penny stamp to cover cost of postage. The Club now numbers 3,431 boys and girls. A PATTERN. A lady trots her little daughter out to tea, and is much shocked to see her try to put a thin piece of bread and butter into her pocket. What is that you are doing?" she inquired. "I thought I would take the piece home to nurse for a pattern." REPLY TO ADVERTISEMENT. At small Edith's school the teacher daily gives the children written exercises in the English language; sometimes they copy poetry from the blackboard, or write letters, or answer advertisements. The other day this Wanted" advertisement appeared on the board, and all the little girls were re- quired to hand in written applications in reply:—"Wanted a milliner. Apply, by letter, to Miss Smith, 10, Blank-street." Small Edith's application was promptly handed to the teacher, and it read as- follows: D--tr Miss Smith,—I saw you want a milliner. I hate to trim hats. Can't you get somebody else? Please let me know at once. Edith Jones." HUMOURS OF SPELLING. Dobbs met his friend Turner on the train. They were both going to London, and stopped I at the same hotel. Turner registered his name: "E. K. Phtholognyrrh." Dobbs, noticing it, ( exclaimed: "Here, what are you assuming such ( a foreign outlandish name for? Are you in any trouble?" "Not a bit of it," replied Turner, "and I am not assuming any foreign name." "What kind of a name is that?" de- manded Dobbs. "That is my identical old pame," persisted Turner, "and it is English, too—pronounced plainly 'Turner.' "I can't see how you make 'Turner' out of those thir- teen letters; besides, what is your object in spening that way?" asked Dobbs. "Weil, you see, nobody ever noticed my name on the register when I wrote it 'Turner, exclaimed the latter, "but since I commenced writing it Phtholognyrrh I set them all guessing. They wonder what nation I am from; what my name is. I can now hear people talk about: me all round. It is, as I said before, English spelling. 'Phth,' there, is the sound of 't' in 'phthisis'; 'olo,' there is the 'ur' in colonel; 'gn,' there is the *n* in 'gnat,' 'yrrh' is the sound of 'er' in 'myrrh.' Now if that doesn't spell 'Turner,' what does it spell?" spell 'Turner,' what does it spell?"

Mr. Edwards, 8, Williams town, writes:—"I can safely say that Gwilym Evans' Quinine Bitters have done wonders for me. I was advised to try it, and the result has been good." 41617 A FAIR, BEAUTIFUL, SKIN.-Sulpholine Soap gives the natural tint and peach-like blcom of a perfect complexion, makes; the skin I smooth, supple, healthy, comfortable. Tablets everywhere. e—1

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REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR. Rouging wouldn't be so foolish if everybody was blind. Usually the worst of degenerates is the one who writes or talks about them. One little scandal party can take more senti- ment out of a man than ten years < f w ine, women, and cards. The average pretty woman playing poker holds her cards as if she were carrying on a flirtation behind her Jan. It is a shallow woman who does not know wliy the most careless man hates to see her act a loose part she cannot fill. Solomon's wisdom lay in his knowledge that the way to argue down a woman was to lcck himself in the palace attic. Women must, like sexual problem boolci anil plays because they can dirty their minds with- out having to dirty their hands. A woman can always tell when her hus- band doesn't love her any more by the way he doesn't ask her to wear certain clothes he used to ask her. No matter how much a woman loves her husband, she can't help feeling respect for the judgment of a man who skilfuliy intimates her husband is not good enough for her.

PEPPER'S QUININE AND IRON TONIC, embracing, vivifying, sustaining, dispels depres- sion, cures indigestion, neuralgia, and all aches or pains. Pepper's, the only real tonic. Shilling bctt'es. e5 Two companies of the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers from Salisbury Pia.in, consisting of 140 men, arrived at, Newport on Tuesday to join' the garrison there. Mr. Williams, 11, Surrey-lane, Battersea, I wr;t -s:Gwilym Evans' Quinine Bitters is a Medicine that I have proved to be more excel- lent even than what you profess it to be." 41617

OUB FREE GIFT OF BOOKS TO EVERY READER OF THE "EVENING EXPRESS." We are presenting gratis to etery regular reader of the "Evening Express" one of the following, high-class, cloth-bound, and gold-, lettered standard works of English literature:- Shakspeare's Complete Plays and Sonnets;, Vanity Fair," by Thackeray: The Caxtons," by Lord Lytton; "Ernest Maltravers," by Lord Lytton; "Alice. or The Mysteries," by Lord Lytton; Ivanhoe," by Sir Walter Scott; The Scarlet Letter" by Hawthorne; Mary Barton," by Mrs. Gaskell; Lays of the Scottish Cava- liers," by Aytouii; and "Jane Eyre," by Char- lotte Bronte The books will be given away at the rate of 24 every day until every reader haa received one. Upon the top of the Second Paga- of the Evening Express oJ each day will be found a number, printed in violet ink, which number will be different in every paper friiat is printed. Ktep this number till the following day, and see if it is given in the list printed below. If your number is given, take it to either of our offices at Swansea, Newport, Mer- thyr. or Cardiff, and you will receive either of the above books. If you cannot conveniently call, tear off the purple number and send it to the Evening Express Office, Cardiff, with your name and address and twopence towards the cost of postage, and the book cuesen by you will be forwarded to your aadress. No person is entitled to a second b4 ok, even though he be the holder of a selected number, until every reader has received a book. PURCHASERS of TUESDAY'S "Evening Express bearing tTJe following Number* Printed in Violet Ink on the Top Left-hand Corner of Page 2 are entitled to a. Book:- 980046 933111 985859 989881 1 99-5621 996999 980448 985029 939184 990109 994822 997299 982595 985378 989376 993766 996276 997777 982854 985559 989676 994322 996544 998548

FREE BIRTHS' COMPETITION. The proprietors of the "Evening Express" have decided to throw this comjetiiion open free to readers of this paper, a ad they will award A Prize of One Pound to the person sending in a coupon bearing the correct forecast of the number of births which will take place in the 33 chief towns of Great Britain during the weok ending September 9. CONDITIONS. Competitors must fill in th'3 aDpended coupon, and send it to Births Competition," Evening t Express Office. Cardiff, net later than by tho first post on Monday, September 11. The announcement ol the winner or winner3 will be made on the Thursday following. Any number of coupons may be sent in the same envelope. In case of any dispute the Editor's decision will be final. Disregard of these conditions will cause the disqualification of the coupons^ BIRTHS COMPETITION. THE NUMBER IS Name I Address The envelope to be marked on the left corner, Births Competition." SEPT. 4-9. 1-

Don't listen to the -JtL-t as good argument. There is no Tonic "Just as gocd" as Gwilym Evans' Quinine Bitters. When purchasing see the name Gwilym Evaus" on Label, Stamp, and Bottle. 41617 The success or the year is the REX" BRAND OF OX TONGUES and L UXGH T(JXGr ES tCUUAIIY'SV There is nothing to equal them. One of the greatest delicacies of the day. Once tried always used. e7276-1 LIVER COMPLAINTS.—Dr. King's Dandelion ami Quinine Liver Pills, without Mercury, are a patent remedy, remove all Liver and Stomach Complaints. Biliousness, Headaches, Sickness, Shoulder Pains, Heartburn, Indigastion, Ccii- el.ipation. e-3 A new lodge in connection with the Grand United Order of Oddfellows wns opened on Monday at the Windsor Arms Hotel, Stuart- street, Cardiff. Brother T. W. Warren. D.M.. presided, supported by Brothers F. W. Rhymes, D.D.M.. E. E. Jones, D.T.. IV. H. Owens. D.S., W. Codd, Edwards, and Luff. Over 10 members ware enrolled, and the members present unani- mously agreed that the lodge should be named the Loyal Robert Hushes.

FOR SAILORS' FRIENDS. Rotha left Plymouth for Cardiff 5th. Sierra. Ventana passed St. Catherine's for Cardiff 4th. Mercator left Havre for Cardiff 4th. William Symington left Limerick for Cardiff 1st. Dewsland left Port Said for Genoa 1st. Clonlee arrived Rouen 4th. Moorby arrived Newport News 3rd. Ormesby arrived Wilmington 4th. Herschell left Glasgow for Algiers. Crosshill arrived Havre 4th. Cameo arrived the Mersey 5th. Moliere left Brest for Barry 4th. Inver arrived Rouen 4th. Hurworth arrived Sharpness from Phila- delphia 4th. Newby left Newport for Genoa 3rd. Thirlby left Reval for Jaoobstadt 3rd. Charles Mitchell arrived St. Malo 4th. Kate B. Jones left Gaza for Gibraltar for orders 3rd. Hawnby left Bilbao for Middlesborough 2nd. Thornaby left Bourga for Rafso 3rd.

The Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha has gone to Russia, accompanied by her youngest daughter, Princess Beatrice, for several weeks, after which she will proceed to Roumartia nn a long visit to the Crown Prince and Crown Prin- cess at their beautiful country seat in the moun- tains, which is surrounded by forests. The Duchess has taken a strong dislike to Coburg and Gotha since her son's death, and she is be- lieved to be in a very depressed state of mind altogether, and bitterly hostile to hoth Ger- mans and Britons. The Duchess ?s said to have declared her intention of retiring to a convent in Russia whenever Princess Beatrice is mar- in Russia whenever Princess Beatrice is mar- ried. The Duke is about to leave for Hinter Reiss, his romantic hunting- seat in the Tyrol, where he will reccive a visit from Prince Chris- tian, who has just finished his "cure" at Kis- singen.

Scotia Restaurant, Pu, o-street, Cardiff.—Finest quality Wines only on draught. Port, 3d. & 4d.; Bherry, 3d. A 6r1 Claret. 4d. & 6d.; Marsilia, 4d.; Madeira. on. £ la«.—W. Green, Proprietor. Mr. Evans. 41, Henry-street, Birmingham, writes;—"Fcr Indigestion, Nervousness, and Debility, Gwrlym Evans' Quinine Bitters has proved quite a boon, as I can rely upon it to give me relief." 41617 1 1 1) h 'S "REX" OX TONGUES and LUNCH TONGUES are delicious. Ask your grocer foi them. e7276-2 A SPOTLESS COMPLEXION.—Sulpholine lotion clears off all imperfections in a few d'iys. Pimples. Roughness. Tan. Uncomfortable Skin Disfigurements entirely fade away. leaving a beautiful skin. Shilling Bottles of Sulpholine everywhere e—* The Penarth Football Club members met at a social gathering in Andrews' Lesser-hall on Monday night: About, 100 sat down to light refreshment, and the evening was spent in song and short addresses by members and friends of the club. The Rev. George Roberts, curate of Landore, was married to Miss Clarke, eldest daughter of Mr. George Clarke. of the Morriston, Upper Forest, and Worcester Tin-plate Works, on Tuesday at Liangyfeiach.

__e?nClea6e6 it% —. The foKowfng Testi- TUP IffsU&T monial is one of the ISallCl i -but still for a length of time my ideboard has never THE W"O'RLD Jacked your celebrated YORK- lacked yotir celebrated YORK- SfiIRF RELISH, an(I it gives me very grent pleisure to for- THE W"U"RLD,, ward this iu favoiir, provided you think it My 5dentary hahits as a writer for the &c.. verv for the magazines, &c. vry An an1 pteainJr with Inv ineals, bglllyt addl:tion to Soiip, Fish, joints, still, 110 niatter,-viiat I l,ove, and Llntrees. Its strength and 3-01'r YORK,'il-IIRF piquancy are tiotoverpoweriug I it]lpiir the uor-ual tiva-s brings iiie to. soliie- and do not a I li-,ive a hct joint that it flavit r of the dishes to wil" eliriches, sonictitnes cold ineat Ct- LEER it is a'dded. hat it 1llaks exceedingly rastyand Palatable-witli soup t is And Wreck of tiie Royal Charter." jgg | jjp ,'or Every Home and &c. Li YORKSHIRE ALL GROCERS, RELISH ™" °i £ ^Tm,T,0BS- STORESfcSELL IT ° • GOODALL, BACKHOUSE & CO., LEEDS, 0 /r D 1 « # i mmmmmmm■panamaimaud 54, Soilthwark Street, I^ondon, S.3. | 1Z. | 1 MI ihmh, minn|

.,„ —— (COPYRIGHT.) THE CHAIN OF OUR SINS. BY MISS M. ;E. BRADDON. Author of "Lady Aud.'ey's Secret," "The Fatal Threo," "The Da.y Will Come," "Lost for Love," "Tho Doctor's W:fa," "Whose <Vas tho.Hand?" "One Life, One Love," "Thou Art the Man," "Sens of Fire," Ac. Arnold Wentwortii, who has taken the assumed name of Alfred Wildover. a man of thirty years of age. is returning to England from South Africa. Aboard the steamship he meet3 Mary Freeland. whom he had known as a child in the days before he ran away from his home in England. He has made money at the diamond fields, and is returning to England on a visit. She, too. haa left home, against the wish of her a.nnt, with whom she had lived, and gone upon the stage. Her aunt has since died, and be- queathed to Mary Preeland her fortune. Wildover has received a letter in South Africa from a woman for whom, before leaving England, he had formed a sincere attachment. She has heard of his good fortune in the new country, and beseeches him to return to her. The story of their relationship is a sad one. lvhcn quite a gir! Lisa. Rayner had been led astray and deserted by a man many years her senior. She had, however, lived through the period which fol- lowed without falling into a life of vice, and had managed to support herself in a poor quarter of London. Whilst living thus she had made the acquaintance of Arnold Went- worth. He himself, having run away from home, had been reduced to great poverty, and it was only the intervention of Lisa. Rayner which had saved him from a suicid's grave. Proa: this there had sprung up a sincere affection between them. and they had lived together as man and wife. A life of poverty. iowwver, had soon worn out Arnold's, and at length he had given Lisa what money he could obtain, and bade her good-bye, and gone out to ;ipek his fortune in South Africa. This he hftd achieved, a.nd he was now returning to England with anything but pleasant anticipa- tions of meeting the woman with whom he bad at one time imagined himself to be in love. Aboard the ship. he falls in love with Mary Freeland, but. being conscious of the stain upon his past life, he refrains from tell- ing her of his love. On reaching England' Mary Freeland at once returns to their native village of Merynhall. A day later Arnold follows her, and has a secret interview with his mother. He cannot meet her openly because of the enmity of his father, who has never forgiven the boyish extravagance which hud been the cause of their early quarrel. Next morning Arnold visits Mary Freeland. and whilst in her company he is greatly shocked by reading in the paper an account of a murder in London. The victim is no other than Lisa Rayner. the woman with whom he had at one. time lived on terms of intimacy. She had been found dead in her London garret, having been shot through the heart by soma person who must have followed her up the public stairway to her room and escaped before an alarm was given. The detective officer (John Faunce). who has charge of the case, is led to believe that Wil dover is the man who has committed the murder. CHAPTER VII. I JOHN FAUNCE'S EXPERIENCES. I went back toO London firmly believing that Wildover was the ma.n who had been seen walking with the murdered woman on Christ- mas Eve. The steamer had arrived at Southampton early on that day, and Mr. Wildover had gone ashore with the other pas- sengers. and his luggage, which wa,s much less than the average quantity, was carried on shore soon after. He had only a cabin trunk and a. kit-bag. The stewards knew nothing of his movements after he had left the ship, but concluded that, like most passengers, he went straight on to Waterloo. I was of the same opinion. He had gone on to Waterloo, and had m,de his appointment with that unhappy young woman by wire late in the afternoon, When Mrs. Delamere heard her moving about her room, she w is dressing herself to go out and meet the man from Africa. That was between six and s-even o'clock, and it was not till six hours afterwards that they had pa.ced the street engaged in a conversation that was full of trouble, tears, reproaches, recriminations, distress. I was able through the General Post Office to get a crjpy of the telegram delivered to Mrs. Rayner imi Christmas Eve. It was brief and without a name or initials: "Meet me in front cf the British Museum at eight o'clock.-Your friend from Africa." I Next came the consideration of motive. The story as I read it was clear enough. Here was a young man who had made his fortune was a young man who had made his fortune in the Colonics coming home to enjoy life under the best possible conditions—youth, health, and plenty of money. For his; com- panion on board ship he had a girl whom he liked well enough to give his fellow-passengers the idea that he and she were engaged lovers. So far all was sunshine for Mr. Wildover. But round his neck hung the millstone of a cast- off mistress-a woma.n who had suffered poverty and deprivation, and kept herself honest for his sake; a woman who loved him well enough to be desperate, and who might become his persecutor if he threw her ever and married somebody else. My experience of life has shown ma how heavy these millstones are, and what risks a man will run to get rid of one. Wildover met Lisa-Rayner, therefore, with the irla. of a compromise. He told her that he didn't mean to marry her, and he gave her a sum of money, perhaps with the promise to provide for her during the rest of her life. Now, if this man had intended murder he would hardly have been so besotted as to give his victim a. parcel of bank-paper, which was calculated to lead to his identification. Notes on a local bank; notes endorsed with name and date! The indications in a paper-chasc could scarcely be plainer. No! When he gave her that money he thought he was buying her silence. He hoped to pacify her by his liberality—but then came their final interview, and this poor wretch was still harping on the same string. "I believed you would keep your promise." Besides tears and reproaches there may have been threats—threats of exposure. A black- mailer would have been bad enough, but a woman whom money wouldn't appease was worse. A millstone of the most dangerous kind. The man lost his temper-a big, strong. passionate brute-zi man who had seen the roughest side of life, civilised and uncivilised.— who had lived in a miner's hut, and herded with Afrikanders and Kaffirs. A man of that class would be likely to carry a Derringer in his pocket—having so shortly landed in England, and not yet abandoned his African habits. And this man lost his temper with the woman who claimed him-urging a claim .that wss unreasonable, perhaps, from a man's point of view. There may have bson some final words on the doorstep—an entreaty on his part-a. refusal on hers. And then he settled his course on the in- stant; followed her into the house and up- stairs; shot her through the head—would, per- haps, have tried to recover "the notes had not the sound of opening doors warned him that he had no time to lose. The audacity of the crime gives it a certain interest. A bold, resolute, dare-devil brute, evidently, this gentleman from South Africa. Having made up my mind that the man who gave Lisa Rayner the notes was the man who killed her, my immediate business was to find him, and get him locked up, .and in order to do this, and to fill in the links that were want- ing in the chain of evidence, I had to trace the South African notes. The easiest way of doing this was to go to the London branch of the bank, in Threadneedle-street, where I had a satisfactory interview with the manager, who undertook to cable to the Johannesburg manager for all particulars he could obtain about the endorser of the notes, Phillip Arden, ascertaining, if possible, to whom and all what day they were paid by the said Arden. That he should have written the date, December 7th, below his signature was a point in our favour. This inquiry being put in hand, my next busi- ness was to track my man from the moment he met his victim at. say, between seven and eight o'clock on Christmas Eve in front of the British Museum.' To help me in this investigation I had only one piece of evidence. The paper bag from the fruiterer in Covent Garden. Wherever they had spent their evening, whether in a theatre or music-hall, or any less innocent place-t,hey had been in Covent Garden, and had been in Jakins's shop. It was Boxing Day and Bank Holiday, so I was not surprised to find the Garden a desert, and Jakins's shop closely shut. The class of people who were buying fruit were the class who buy it off barrows in the street; so Mr. Jakins could, afford to treat himself to a holi- day. London was a stony solitude, a wilder- ness of iron shutters; but with the murder of Lisa Rayner on my mind I didn't feel up to holiday-making, so I loafed about the neigh- bourhood of Covent Garden most of Boxing Day, and took my chop at a quiet hotel hard by. Now, when I loaf there's generally a motive in my loafing, and I was hanging about that neighbourhood on the chance of discovering my gentleman from Africa-or, at any rate, j the hotel at which he had put up when he came to London. As to the man himself, in all probability he was out of London, and meant to get across the sea again as soon as he could. The ports were being taken care of, and he wouldn't find it very easy to leave England. The only difficulty was the chance of half a dozen wrong men being arrested, his description being somewhat vague. He had not come to London intending to commit a murder, and he had behaved as any other traveller would bavo done. He had gone to a hotel, a young man's hotel most likely, since, according to the steward's reckoning, he was about thirty years of age, and, therefore, must have left England a young man. There were three hotels within a short distance of the garden much affected by 'Varsity and other young men; and at these I looked for traces of Mr. Wildover. I did not find him h* name, hwi at the l I quietest of the three houses I found distinct traces of such a min-ard, what was more to the point, found that after arriving at the hotel in a hanson, with a portmanteau and kit-bag, this gentleman had engaged a room, and had gone out again almost immediately— not returning till long after midnight, when only the night porter was up to give him his candle and show him the way to his room. I saw the night porter, who described the 'gentleman as looking white and worried, not at all like a, gentleman who had been enioying himself at a place of entertainment. "He asked me to give him a glass of brandy, and was put out when I told him the bar was locked up for the night and everybody was gone to bed." Had he noticed the time when he let the gentleman into the house; and did 11" come in a cab or on foot? "Time, half-past one. On foot. Leastways, II I heard no cab stop." "You were asleep, perhaps?" "No!" the porter assured me—he was sitting in the hall reading Lt newspaper. So much for Mr. Wildover's return to the hotel on Christmas Eve. The other servants were able to tell me about his departure from the hotel on Christmas morning, after break- fasting in the coffee-room. A cool hand, Mr. Wildover, to sit down to breakfast in a public room, red-handed from a brutal murder. I He left the hotel before noon, in a hansom, I carrying his kit-bag, and leaving his portman- teau in his bedroom. I took the liberty of I examining his portmanteau, which was not locked, and which, as I anticipated, contained nothing that. could help me in my investiga- tion—only a Buit of well-wnm *ced and a stock of Colonial underclothing. It was a very old portmanteau, and the initials "A. W." in red paint were nearly rubbed off-but still recognisable. He carried his revolver in his pocket most likely, unless he had been cautious enough to drop it over one of the bridges before he went back to the hotel. Time, however, was against the latter sup- position, if, as the porter stated, Wildover was in the hotel at half-past one. I asked the man who had waited upon him a few questions. Had he seemed well and in good spirits? Had he eaten a good breakfast? "First-class," said the waiter. "Ordered a follow of eggs and bacon-said our London rations wouldn't feed a South African—whistled and walked about as cheery as you like- a-lookin' at 'Bradshaw,' a-smokin' like one o'clock. And to think that he should be wanted. Mr. Faunce! Is it forgery, now?" I am pretty well known about town, and the head-waiter at Spavins' Hotel is an old acquaintance; but I try to keep him in his place. "No, James, it ain't forgery; and I never told you the gentleman was wanted." "Well, but you come here to look for him, sir. That's tantymint, you know." James is a terrible fellow for fine words, which he generally mispronounces and often misapplies. "I have come to look for a gentleman, James," I answered, "but I am far from con- cluding that. this is the man I want." "Well, sir, any help I can give you "Thank you, James. You are always oblig- ing. You saw the gentleman into his hansom- what station?" I "Liverpool-strest." Antwerp or Flushing, thought 1. Antwerp for choice, and then America. "Did the gentleman say he was coming back?" "Yes, sir. 'Keep my rocm and take care of my portmanteau,' gays he. 'When might you be coming back, sir?' says I. I might be com- ing back to-morrow,' he makes answer, 'but it ain't likely. It may be next day or next week. You can keep my room.' "You may keep it till the Day of Judgment, I fancy, James, and the owner won't give you any trouble about it." said I. "Then you think he is your man," cried James, eagerly. "If he is my man he's on the sea by this time, or he's caught at Harwich or at Queen- hithe," said I. "a.nd you'll never see any more of him unless you're asked to look at him at Bow-street. But I'm not by any means sure that he is my man, and all- you've got to do is to hold your tongue till you're wanted. lie paid his bill, I suppose?" Yes, he had paid his bill, and had tipped James handsomely, I gathered, which tip did not in the least diminish the waiter's desire to earn an honest penny by getting him arrested for felony. The Essex seaports were being watched, and any man answering Wildover's description would be detained; so I was easy on that point, and expected to find a, wire at the office announcing his arrest.

CADBURY'S COCOA is entirely free from all foreign substances, such as kola., malt., hops, Ac., nor is alkjtli used to darken the colour (and 80 deceive the eye). Dr. Andrew Wilson says: — Cocoa is in itself a perfect food, and requires no addition of drugs whatever." CADBURY'8 is absolutely pure, and should be taken bv old and young, at all times and in all seasons for Children it is an ideal beverage. Insist on having CADBURY'S, as other Cocoas are often substituted for the sake of extra profit. Sold only in Packets and Tins. e395?—3 Printed by the Proprietors, Western Mail Limited, and published by them at their .ces. St. Mary-street, Cardiff. WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 6, 1899.