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THE KING'S DIAMOND.
[PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.] THE KING'S DIAMOND. BY FLORENCE STACPOOLE. [COPYRIGHT.] CHAPTER XI The man who ent^r^d was merely Mr. Robert Greenhough returned from despatching Sti ai^ c s telepiams of instruction for the detection and arrest of Sonia Kourapatkin. To find a clergy- man stepping from behind the folds of his uncle's bed curtains was naturally astonishing, he stood in bewilderment, gazing at Mr. Jadd, who leturned the gaze with calm interro- gation of eye and manner. "This is Inspector Jadd from Scotland Yard, Bob," said Sir Richard. He thinks it impor- tant that the servants should not suspect a de- tective is on the track of the diamond, so he has come in the guis" of a clergyman. This is Mr. Greenhough, my nephew, Inspector." The detective bowed. The baronet's nephew returned the bow with a haughty nod, and then turned to the window and looked out, lie lait-iy showed civility to inferiors. You see, Sir Richard, your curtains are wid enough to conceal a man, or woman either, in their folds. One or other was standing there when you came up last night, I'll lay my life on it." "But how could any man or woman have known the diamond was there?" burst out Sir Ricnard vehemently. "That's the point that I cent make any of you thoroughly under- stand not a soul knew that I had the diamond, and if the whole country side had known I had it hew could they have known the secret, 1 iio double secret, of the case and the clamp, and if they didn't know this how the dickens could they, even supposing they, he or she I had contrived to get behind the curtains, bjvo opened the case, taken out the stone, and the ease behind to" "Yes, that's a, hard nut to crack," remarked Robert GreenliO.igh in a venomous voice. It's a nut I think I can get my teeth through nevertheless," said the detective in something of the same tone. Yrs:" said Mr. Greeniirugh, a supercilious note of interrogation in the drawl with which he pronounced the monosyllable. "Yes," said Mr. Jadd, shortly, "we are not living in the days of black magic, or of white magic either; the stone has gone by the agency of human fingers, and it's the business of us detec- tives to track those fingers." He was nettled, and spoke brusquely. You are not a somnambulist are you, Sir Richard Chesney?" he asked, suddenly stopping in the act of pulling out his note-case. "Somnambulist? No. What on earth do you ask that for ?" Well, 1 didn't suppose you but it's as well to turn every sod, and leave nothing on one'< mind afterwards. It came into my head that people do walk in their sleep sometimes and do strange things without knowing anything about them afterwards, but they generally know that they have the habit—friends have seen them—they find evidences of what they've been up to next day—and so on." Never did such a thing in my life," said the baronet decisively, "never. Somnabulists are always heavy sleepers, I am a very light sleeper indeed, the least thing awakens me; that's the reason I sleep in this rather out of the way part of the house, to be quiet; and I have these dark curtains even in summer because the smallest chink of light wakes me up. No one could have put a hand under my head without rousing me." When they put a hand under your bolster, Sir Richard, your head wasn't on it." How do you mean ?" That the case was opened while you were turning the water into the bath yonder." "Last night?" cried Sir Richard, aghast. Well, it wouldn't have been the night before, would it?" Mr. Jadd had entirely forgotten ceremony, not to say courtesy. He was irritated at his client's rather inept remark—ineptitude of any kind always had an ill effect on the detective's temper. But how could any one have known it was there?" persisted the baronet; "explain that Inspector if you please. And how could the case have been opened ?" Ah, that just what I can't say at present- that's what it's my business to find out." Then you're not sure it was Mademoiselle— Bonia Kourapatkin I mean ?" asked Straight, who had not spoken since they came up stairs. Mr. Jadd took no notice whatever of this question; he treated the eminent barrister on this occasion with as slight ceremony as he treated the rest of the party. He drew oat his note-book, seated himself astride on a chair, and said shortly: "Be good enough to tell me, Sir Richard, the names and occupations of each member of the household, visitors, relatives, friends, servants. I mean everyone under vour roof last night. I must be off then—directly." Back to town?" said Sir Richard, with some dismay, thinking that nothing definite had ret been done towards the remedying of his loss. "Mr. Straight was not here; "e is a visitor in the neighbourhood, I believe," said Jadd, beginning to write and paying no attention to the baronet's query. He was wondering that these people hadn't the sense to know that & ought not to be cross-questioned. "Yes—Mrs. Wilkinsoa can prove an alibi far me." said Straight, laughing. "Mr. Greenhcmgh can prove an alibi, too?" asked Jadd, in a businesslike way, and without looking up. "What the deuce do you mean?" quoth Mr. Greenhough, turning sharply from the window. You were absent last night; can you prove an alibi as well as Mr. Straight?" said Jadd, his pencil suspended over his note-book. I think your manners want considerable mending, fellow!" cried Greenhough, furiously. "What do you mean by such questions?" Merely to have my facts clearly before me," said the Selective-Inspector. stonily. Yes, yes, Bob,' interposed his uncle hastily. He knew his nephew's temper and dreaded an outburst. It's merely a matter of business, everyone in the house, Dora and all of us must be accounted for. In an investigation such as this these sort of questions must be asked of every- one, I suppose, though it's not pleasant—it's necessary, isn't it Mr. Straight?" Certainly." "I shouldn't ask them if they weren't necessary," said the detective. "If I'm called to a case I must do my duty in it, and I don't want Mr. Straight's nor any one else's backing up as to whether I'm doing it rightly." No—no—certainly not," exclaimed Straight and Sir Richard, simultaneously. Certainly not," continued the latter, recognising that his appeal to the barrister had not been judicious, and speaking very fast and apologetically in his eagerness to appease the officer on whom the chance of tracking the missing gem so largely rested. "Certainly not, my dear Mr. Jadd, we have the utmost con- fidence in your ability—the utmost confidence and admiration for your well-known skill. My nephew can prove an alibi of course. Colonel Marche, Royal Engineers, Horsham, can snpply his alibi, as good Mrs. Wilkinson at Naresbrook Farm can for our friend Ir. Straight, ha! ha!" Robert Greenhough looked at his ancle with the utmost contempt, and muttered something very disrespectful concerning his intellectual capacity, but no one was attending sufficiently to catch his words, then he turned back to the window with a disdainful shrug. Sir Richard hastily enumerated the names and occupations of his household staff, so far as he could remember them. I can't answer for all the servants' names," he explained, nor exactly for the women servants' precise occupations; Higgs, and Perkins the steward, and Mrs. Popple, the housekeeper, can give you particulars on those points." I shall apply to them if I find it necessary, sir," said Jadd, rising. "You shall hear from mr-, Sir Richard, as soon as I have anything of importance to communicate," and with a military salute, the detective withdrew. John Straight murmuring something about showing him out, hurried after him. Dora, racked with suspense, was waiting among the hyacinths for the specialist's diagnosis, and Straight burned with impatience to have a definite and hopeful one to take to her, and to take it before her father or cousin could follow him. Do you SN. any hope, Jadd ?" he said, eagerly, keeping pace with the detective's rapid steps as they descended the stairs. Of recovering the diamond ?" asked Jadd. Ye?—of course." Mr. Jadd's only answer was an unintelligible grunt. be extremely obliged to you, Jadd," said Straight earnestly. if you could give me an opinion. I don't ask out of curiosity. I have a particular reason for asking—for wanting to know as soon as possible if you can see any chance—even the smallest—for recovering this diamond." "I can't," said Jadd, grimly, "not the smallest." A sort of icy despair fell upon John Straight. How was he to tell this news to Dora? At the thought of her face, and the look he knew it would wear if she could hear the detective's fiat, liis step positively faltered, ami his face paled. Probably some compunction for his tobaeea came to Mr. Jadd, for he stopped a. IKMMMfMMi 6aid in an. aggrieved voice: H I really wonder, Mr. Straight, that you COttM expect such a thing." As what 7" Why, as that I should be able to give any opinion—any opinion worth having I mean—at this short notice. I'm only just put in posses- sion of the outlines of a very complicated case, which into the bargain you've all done your best to tangle up tight by letting an important card drop out of the pack, and then you ask me for an opinion! What chance can I see, Mr. Straight, until I've had even a few hours to follow up any of the clues I may have got hold of. It's mere foolishness to think such things, or to ask such things," and again he grunted inarticulately. Straight felt considerably relieved. He never thought of resenting Mr. Jadd's grumpiness; he was overjoyed to think the diagnosis was not hopeless, else how should the detective have alluded to "clues." The lly whic had conveyed the Rev. Ambrose Maitland" from Pembridge Station re-conveyed him thither, and he presently took his departure by train, not in the direction of the metropolis, whence he had come, but on another and a local line. He had not claimed a bulky Gladstone bag which he had deposited in the Pembridge parcels office before his visit to Riverdale Court, but he claimed it late in the evening, carried it himself from the precincts of the station and down an unfrequented road until he came to a coppice, which, indeed, was part of the wood where the blue hyacinths grew; into this cop- pice he plunged. When he emerged from it he was certainly not an object who would have attracted the attention of ladies, middle-aged or otherwise; he still retained his spectacles, but he had changed the rest of his costume including his whiskers, which were replaced by a scrubby brown beard, and in his ill-fitting merning coat and bowler hat he looked as he desired to look, like a shabby clerk or shopman. At a leisurely pace he returned to Pembridge village, and pwfc up at the only inn where beds were let out. CHAPTER XII. John Straight got his wish, and hurried away to the hyacinth dell without being followed by Dora's father or cousin. They had, in fact, for the moment forgotten all about her anxiety, and were engaged in a heated altercation on the matter of the deuced insolence," as Mr. Green- hough styled it, of the detective's demeanour. Straight, however, had not forgotten her, and as he strode through the long grass of the meadow towards the wood where he had met her just twenty-four hours before, he gave as much anxious thought to construing Mr. Jadd's meagre encouragement into hopeful words as he had ever given to his most important brief. Before he got fairly into the wood he saw her. She was straying dejectedly over the mossy grass at a little distance, and as she heard the swish- ing of his hastening footsteps she turned. The look of anxiety her face had worn vanished when her eyes met his, and she smiled. "Does he think he can find it?" she ex- claimed eagerly. My dear Miss Chesney, you must give him a. little time—he has only just been put in posses- sion of the facts of the case." But did not papa ask him if he thought there was any chance of tracing and getting back the diamond ?" No—not in so many words. You see he is not an easy person to question; you have no idea. what a tremendous personage Detective Inspector Jadd is in his own eyes. He snubs his clients mercilessly and thinks nothing of leaving their questions unanswered." Did he snub papa ?" Yes—I'm afraid he did." And you ?" Oh, yes—and me also." What a horrid man No, he isn't really; and he doesn't mean to be rude, but when he gets hold of a case that in- terests him he is so much absorbed in it that he forgets everything else." Manners included ?" she said, smiling. "Yes—manners particularly," he answered, laughing; "and I've noticed that the more in- terested he is the more he forgets them; so I think it is a good omen." If he is interested in the case he will take more trouble, I suppose," she said. Of course he will; he is like a mathematician —the harder the problem the more zest he will have in solving it." Oh, then," she said, naively, I'm very glad he was rude to-day. Do you think Mr. Straight, she added, anxiously, that he was rude enough ?" Straight laughed again, congratulating him- self that the conversation was taking a trend that lent itself to laughter. Yes, I really think he was quite as rude as we need desire, and I am sure the symptom is de- cidedly encouraging. It shows he is getting a good grip of the case. Jadd often reminds me of a first-rate bull dog, once it gets its teeth into its prey you know nothing will shake it off. Jadd is just like that when his interest is roused in tracking a mystery." She clasped her hands with a sigh of relief. And," he continued, he as much as admit- ted that he had got hold of clues." Mr. Straight. Did he really?" He did. In spite of his crustiness I worried him into that admission." "How good of you:" She raised her eyes which were beaming with gratitude to his. Isn't papa comforted by hearing that; isn't he relieved?" she said, breathlessly. Then Straight found himself in a rather un- comfortable position. He would have to admit that Sir Richard was still ignorant of the hope that had risen. Er—well—it was on the stairs, just as he was going away that he admitted it to me. Sir Richard wasn't fcnere." Where was her" He stopped behind to talk to Mr. Green* hough, I think." "Robert has returned?" "Yes." Then there was silence, during which Straight remembered with an uneasy twinge the scowl that had wreathed Robert Greenhough's face on one or two occasions that morning. He felt sure jealousy had given it birth. That Dora's cousin was an aspirant for her favour he also felt sure. That an engagement existed between them he would not admit even in thought. Then papa does not Know yet that he has found clues ?" N—no—not just at the moment. You see I followed Jadd down stairs on purpose to extract an opinion from him." And then you did not go back and tell papa!" she exclaimed, and there was so much reproach in her tone that in sheer self-defence he was obliged to say: I was so anxious to come and tell you—I knew you were in suspense; you had not heard what was going on, and I promised to come as soon as possible. I could not bear to delay; I'm afraid I did not even think of delaying." 4*. each little sentence his voice dropped lower, and became more tender. "Y01! will forgive me for not going back te Sir Richard, won't you?** he whispered—after i prolonged pause, and the whisper was full of a significant and tender pleading. He had, in fact, suddenly forgotten the exceeding brevity of their acquaintance; the remembrance of it had, up to this, helped to restrain him from expressing his feelings too openly. He had also entirely for- gotten the diatribes against the follies of love which he had uttered with so much conviction as he sat on the grass under the old apple trees in Mr*. Wilkinson's orchard the previous morning. In excuse for the precipitance of his apostaoy it must be said that never among any of the girls whom he had taken down to dinner had he met one like Dora Chesney. His intimacy with young ladies was limited to those he had met at dinner parties, for he was not a society man, and had neither leisure nor inclination for dances or afternoon crushes," besides, although he had only met her the day before the circum- stances under which their acquaintance had been prosecuted had the effect on it that a. forcing frame has on plants. A day in the frame will do more to forward their growth than a week in the open garden. How many hundreds of times may a man have met a young ladv in ecciety without having the chance of rescuing her from a cold plunge by clasping her to his heart? Dozens of dances could not have conveyed the delightful sense of friendliness that had arisen from their leisurely stroll through the hyacinth wood—and to-day—beginning with the tragic errand that had brought her to the farm, every hour had been filled with incidents which had drawn them together into a confidential familiarity of intercourse such as they would have had no opportunity of arriving at if they had met in the usual conventional way in London society. To his plea for forgiveness Dora made no answer whatever, but she did not repeat her reo proachful question. Instead of continuing the conversation she suddenly interposed a consider- able extent of stra..v hat brim between her face and Mr. Straight's brilliant eyes, by hastily turning aside and bending over a budding bugle whose delicate purple green flower she examined with the minuteness of an ardent botanist. What John Straight may have proceeded to say next can only be conjectured. Further speech was cut short by a voice at a little distance. crying: By Jove, Dora, I've been hunting all over the place for you; we couldn't think where you had gone to!" The voice was Robert Greenhough's. Straight's first impulse was, of course, an ardent desire to strike out and lay Mr. Green- hough on the turf. This interrroptieii waa erven more intolerable than the e&rfar MM it the drawing-rmm. The next msfcaat he alMBBt glad of it. The queetiea of Dora's feeBay; far har coram was, ia htemitd. frttlnd aaft ftlli intense satisfaction. No girl who was in lore with a man would look at him as Dora now looked at Mr. Greenhough. She drew herself up and said coldly, as she dropped the flowering bugle; You can't possibly have been hunting all over the place, Robert, for Mr. Straight has only been here a few nynutes, and he left you in the house." Greenhough's glance at the other man was not pleasant, but he said, sauvely: Well, I've been over a lot of the place, anyway. I left the house just after Mr. Straight." She turned with more haughtiness than Straight would have given her credit for being capable of, and in silence they all walked to the house. Her cousin stopped when they leached the portico, and said curtly: "I'm going over to the Wells; I shan't be back till late—perhaps not to-night," and with the briefest of nods to the visitor he turned on his heel and strode off to the stables. The next instant Sir Richard appeared. "You will tell papa about the clues?" said Dora, hurriedly, and then she ran up the steps into the house. "Clues ?" echoed her father; "what clues ?" And Straight had to conceal as best he might his chagrin at her disappearance, and to tell his host all about the grain of hope he had extracted from the detective. "Sixteen years! It's a lot of difference! Why, I was an undergraduate when she was in bibs. By Jove, I am nearly old enough to be her father. I should think Smith isn't eight and twenty yet, and fair men-confound them- always look younger than their age!" Such—with variations—was Mr. Straight's soliloquy as he returned to the Naresbrook Farm at a late hour. He had dined and spent the evening at the Court, and having got rid of the fear of Robert Greenhough as a rival, he was now devising tortures for himself, by again dwelling on Smith's perfections and his own disadvantages. Nevertheless, under all his self-depreciatiin there glowed a little sense of comfort. Thera had been something in Dora's face once or twice that day, which gave him courage and inspired hope, in spite of Smith's being six or seven yeara his junior, and fair to boot. it Although Straight spent the greater part of next day at Riverdale Court, an urgent note from Sir Richard begging him to come over to breakfast having arrived with his shaving water, no opportunity occurred to resume the blissful tete-a-tete interrupted by Robert Green- hough, and he took his way down the avenue at ten o'clock feeling sulky with fate, and weary of the words" Akbar," and "King's Diamond," on which poor Sir Richard had naturally been harping all day. He had declined horse or trap, aiiii was lighting a cigar, when he heard steps approaching. It was not quite dark on a clear June night at ten o'clock, and even in the shadow of the Avenue he could distinguish the figure coming towards him, it seemed to be that of a farm labourer, it stopped suddenly, then a note was thrust into his hand, and the man turned and made off, pfter saying hurriedly, "For you, Mr. Straight." Whoy! How the dickens did he know me?" thought Straight, as he struck a fusee and read the note. It had neither address nor date, and ran: "Dear sir,— Just a line. Keep it dark for the present, please, but I think I see daylight ahead. You shall hear shortly.—Yours obediently, A. Maitland." "I do believe it was Jadd himself!" and for an instant Straight felt inclined to follow the detective. Then he thought of Dora. He must go back and try to see her and whisper that he hoped to have good news soon. That surely would not be disregarding Jadd's injunctions. He quickly retraced his steps to the house, and there in the portico, looking towards him, he saw her. He could hardly believe his luck. She was alone! When she saw him coming she started, and turned as if to go in, but he was at her side in a moment. Miss Chesney, let me say one word to you!" In his cxcitement he took her hand in his. I came back, just for a minute, to tell you I hope to have some good news soon." She looked up. The swinging lamp in the por- tico lighted her shining eyes, her glowing cheeks. Then her eyes fell and she made a little movement to draw her hand away, but lie held it fast. Positively at the moment the diamond and everything concerning it vanished from his mind-perhaps from hers too. They were alone. The big two-leaved door leading into the hall shut. Outside in the deepening dusk the "wind of the summer night" was sighing through the great trees of the avenue. Straight's heart throbbed furiously. The supreme moment seemed to have come suddenly. The silence, broken only by the solemn sound of the wind rushing in the outer darkness, the gloom of the old stone portico, the very unexpectedness 01 the meeting all combined to make one of those moments that come so rarely, when Truth dares to show her face and is not ashamed because she wears no veil of conventionality. He held Dora's hand in his. She had ceased trying to draw it away. The spell of the moment was on her, too, but she was striving to find some commonplace words to break it. You are very kind," she faltered, to come to tell us. What should we have done if you had not come to the Farm." Then Straight broke out. He could keep silence no longer. What should I have done if I had not come—if I had never met you-if I had gone on living without ever having seen your angelic face Truly fate was brutally cruel to him. At this instant the butler's deep voice sounded in the hall: "M iss Dora's in the porch, Mr. Robert!" and I someone began to unfasten the big door. Dora violently released her hand, but not before John Straight had raised it to his lips, murmuring, I shall come in the morning." The next moment he was gone. » • • • Mr. Straight did not wait for an invitation to the Court in the morning. He surprised Mrs. Wilkinson by asking for his breakfast at eight o'clock, ate it with a rapidity imperilling to his digestion, and set off at a swift stride down the white road to Riverdale. The Diamond—Jadd— and even Smith had retreated into the mists of forgetfulness, he was not thinking of any of them as he covered the ground at a rapid rate, and entered the avenue. Suddenly he stopped. In the green distance he caught sight of a white dress, and bounding over the chain paling he hastened towards it. It was Dora; her face was bent over a letter in which she seemed engrossed. Again, at the swishing of his steps in the grass she raised her head, and turned as she had done yesterday, and looked at him. Then he stopped, and for an instant he felt as if his heart had ceased to beat. Was this Dora—the Dora of yesterday? There was no glad leaping of welcome to her eyes. No sweet blush rushed to her white cheeks, a shud- der seemed to pass over her. Before he could pronounce her name or reach her side she turned and fled. (To be continued.)
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NEWNES' PUBLICATIONS.\
NEWNES' PUBLICATIONS. The Strand. In the November number, A. Conan Doyle continues the stirring adventures of Etienne Gerard, and in the current chapter shows how the brigadier saved the army. This is one of the most exciting of the series. W W Jacobs' current sea- faring tale is not quite as droll as some which had previously appeared. H W Lucy continues to give those readable sketches From Behind the Speaker's Chair;" and Harry Furnis tells us some funny things about the autograph hunter. The "Sorceress of the Strand," has been guilty of a unique crime, and her doings in the perpetration of it were even less probable than those connected with her previous actions. The Citizens' Atlas. The new Twentieth Century Citizen's Atlas is now completed with the issue of Part 26. In its recep- tion by the press, by geographical specialists and by the public, this Atlas has proved an unqualified success. It is generally acknowledged as the standard Atlas for the British people-a. complete and thoroughly reliable work published at a price quite unprecedented in the annals of map-making. It has been claimed that an Atlas should be one of the five indispensable books that a man must have. But might it not fairly come second?—for after we know ourselves we should know the world we live in. The Germans are said to be outstripping us in the race for commercial supremacy because of their superior knowledge of geography, and there is no doubt that it is only by a careful study of the countries of the world and the geographical conditions relating to products and trade that we can hope to maintain our world supremacy. To do so we must have reliable authorities and correct, up-to-date maps. A good Atlas is a veritable treasure and a rich investment to the person who uses it. The Captain. Exciting scenes are depicted in The Rising of the Red Man,"—exciting in a healthy way, and not of the blood-curdling character which is too often met in boys' publications. E Cockburn Reynolds, who has lived for years among monkeys, with pen and pencil endeavours to prove that "monkeys do reason." On the same subject Professor Garner writes as follows to the editor:— "In 1890 I first began a series of methodical experiments with monkeys by using the phonograph in recording the sounds, and I may number among my advocates from that time Mr T A Edison.who has ever since been deeply interested in my work. After two yearsof arduous effort at my own expense,I set out toafrica,land began the study of the great apes in their wild state. For this purpose I devised a cage (which has since been used by others as an original idea), and with that I went into the great forest, and lived alone among the wild animals. During my sojourn there I saw and learned many things which no other student of nature has ever seen. For twelve years I have devoted my:entire time, energy and funds to the object in view, and to that end have left undone nothing that I could do to effect my purpose. I have made three voyages into Africa in the pursuit of my work, and shall soon enter upon my fourth. I have suffered more from hunger, privation and hardship than any human being can ever describe, and I am still willing to lay the last blessing of my life upon the altar of my faith, and will bring to my feet the last craven who would challenge the sincerity of my purpose or the facts that I have discovered and announced." It is almost unnecessary to add that the writer is a Yank. The Sunday Strand. Angelot," the aerial tale which has afforded delightful reading, is with this number brought to a elose. The New Minister is depicted this month as not a gospel minister;" the chapter is illustrated by Tom Brown, and the trials of the hero are really diverting. Photographs of some great modern pictures are given, also of the vanishing toteums of British Columbia. The work of christianizing the Red Indians is interes- tingly told. The readers of the Sunday Strand will readily agree with un that the current number is the best yet issued. There is not a dull page in it. Indeed there is seldom such a page to be found. There may be some people un- acquainted with the publication who associate it with some dull humdrum Sunday literature we and they know of pretty well. But that is a huge mistake. The Wide World Magazine. Travellers, explorers, tourists, missionaries and others combine to make up an interesting sym- posium of reading matter in The Wide World. The contents of the current number are of the usual varied character. Mr Burkholder, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, chronicles some of the momentous trips of the famous Deadwood Coach, so often "held-up" by bands of prowling desperadoes. The Marquis De Segonzac gives to the reader a good insight into the little-known interior of Morocco. The marquis was disguised as a Moor, and practically carried his life in his hand during the whole of his explorations. The magazine has commissioned Bart Kennedy to tramp through Spain, and his first letter is an illustrated descrip- tion of a bull fight. Paris to New York Over- land is a narrative of a remarkable expedition by Harry DeWindt, who traversed some of the wildest and most inhospitable regions of the earth. With other similar articles the Wide World torms a capital sixpennyworth.
THE WELSH COUNTY SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION.
THE WELSH COUNTY SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION. The annual meeting of the Welsh County Schools' Association was held at Shrewsbury on Saturday. Mr William Lewis, Llanelly, the president, was in the chair. Mr T W Phillips, Newport, moved:-Ig That in the opinion of this Association it would be in the true interests of education if the University of Wales were to accept the Central Welsh Board senior certificate stage of history for the purpose of matriculation without specifying any period, and that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the University Court and the Central Welsh Board." The resolution was adopted. Considerable discussion took place on the report from the Executive Committee of the Association, containing suggestions for a course of secondary training in the schools for those who intended to become members of the teaching staff of intermedi- ate schools. It was suggested in the report that the number of student teachers should be limited by the number of experienced teachers on the staff of a school. After discussion it was decided to post- pone action in the proposed registration and train- ing of young teachers until a forthcoming confer- ence on the subject had met. The President, referring to the Education Bill, said the discussion so far had turned on the relig ious and political bearing of the bill rather than on the educational effect of it. As teachers they had no part in that religious and political contro- versy. They left it to militant and reverend doctors and to political orators. If, however, he were disposed to quarrel with the bill, or rather with those who cliscussed the bill, he should be inclined as a secondary school teacher to regret that secondary education was lost sight of in the confusion and tumult that had been raised over the other portions of the bill. If England lagged behind in educational work it was because her secondary education had not been organised. It was the backwardness of England in that respect that first made necessary an Education Bill, and yet that was lost sight of by the extreme partisans on either side who cared not a snap of their fingers for the great educa- tional question they were doing their best to jeo- pardise.—(applause.) The Government must de- plore now, as they did, that did it not confine its attention to the less contentious but far more urgent provision for secondary education, and let the religious and political controversy fizzle somewhere where it could do no harm.—(laughter and cheers). He went on to refer to the regis- tration of teachers and to the pension scheme of the Central Welsh Board. He also spoke at considerable length on over-organisation. and made a plea for practical education. He said the charge of too much literariness was still preferred with considerable force against our education, and he thought there was just cause for discontent. It arose from the helplessness, inaptitude, and mental feebleness of the great majority of the youths of 18 to 19 years of age, the product of our secondary schools.- (Hear, hear, and laughter.) As practical educationists and not theorists there ought to be a continual effort on their part to give signiticanoe to an all- round development of individual powers.—(ap- plause). There was a oneness in true education, wherein were contained all the noble ideals of life, and it was their duty to bring all these ideals to the practical work that lay before them.—(ap- plause).
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THE LADIES' COLUMN.I
THE LADIES' COLUMN. I When any mistake occurs, eren a trifling one, I have a habit, Mr Editor, of trying to rectify it, so will explain that the quaint expression of my south country acquaintance was all to once," and if your compositor had happened to be a Devonshire man, he wouldn't have set up all at once instead. By the bye, the residents of that picturesque country are proud of their correct accent, or so I've been told but for myself, you know, I love to hear the Welsh—don't understand it, and have made several futile attempts to learn it, ending in a sort of choke, but I love to hear it all the same. Your Prestatyn correspondent, sir, who seems a smart writer, and who finishes up with asking a great many questions—which deserve answers in the affirmative, in several oases—refers to the apparently gratuitous offers of all sorts of articles now-a-days—a subject I wrote upon lately in a contemporary. We are told by firms of drapers that a dress is given free with orders for a certain amount; that if we buy so many pairs of curtains, another pair is given free and more than this, all sorts of bijou articles are frtely sent to all who enclose stamp for postage." Ah, ladies, these grand offers are but "sprats to catch mackerel." Nothing for nothing is the order in trade nowadays. Business people expe(t a due return for their goods, of course, and they take care to get it. I know a lady, in an excellent position in life, who bought her tea for some time at a certain shop (not in Rhyl) to obtain a clock, and as her husband said, She will not under- stand she has paid dearly enough for it." I hope your readers were duly impressed with the idea of one eg amongst nine. It was per- fectly true, and came under my own notice, though my ideas of economy have never obtained that length. But the actual experience of a house- wife," to which I alluded last week, did not, but is given as fact and the lady appears highly pleased with herself, as well she may be. The weekly income (for everything) was 20s, the family consisting of four-husband and wife, boy and girl, just a nice quartette, with an allow- ance of 5s per week each, you see. Well, she reckons 2s 6d per week for rent; sadly too low an estimate, for any cottages at that price within my knowledge are very poor places indeed. I know of no decent houses under 4s or so, and this is a matter which urgently requires the attention of all governing bodies, to wit, the proper housing of the poor. Well, as I say, the lady was clever enough to find a suitable house for half-a-crown, and you will not be surprised to hear she bought her coal for 6d per cwt. Most of us have been paying double that-but that is a detail! She also pur- chased her bacon-she does not state if she got the choicest cuts," perhaps so-at 6d per lb; she allows nothing for milk, although she states that she and the children had porridge; eggs, too, are not accounted for. although in the accompanying explanation she states she gave her husband two nice eggs for his tea. Now, even 1. presiarved eggs" cost money, and if she scorned the foreign yoke" and went in for natives, they would cost her 2d each, I suppose. I pass over other inconsistent estimates to notice clothes, and where on earth they all got clothes from is a puzzle, unless their clothing was like that of the children of Israel, and lasted 40 years There is only 6d per week allowed for a clothing club, and the rest was saved," where from one wonders. The lady must have had a model hnbby," for he only retained Is per week, and even that is fully accounted for by 6d weekly to a sick club and 6d for paper, and periodicals. So you see he neither drank nor smoked, but I don't know how he managed when he wanted a shave or a hair-cut! Well, there are plenty of working men who get less than 20s per week, and if they are steady themselves, and have nice clever, industrious wives, they somehow manage to live comfortgtioly and to owe no man anything. Such home management deserves the very highest praiae. But the professed experience I have briefly described is misleading and inadequate, and I wish some of your readers would send me (under cover to your office) a real account of the best way of laying out 18s or 20a weekly, and I would re- produce it as a help to others. I noticed, sir, a letter from Mr Edward Jones asking for help in cash and magazines towards starting one or two reading rooms. Now, I suppose, strictly woman's magazines wouldn't interest working men, but we can most of us find Royals," Harmsworths," Strands," &c, and I hope he will get a good response to his admirable suggestions. It's a woman's question after all, for if men come home pleasant and interested (and sober) it's more agreeable for their home circle. VERITAS.
CASSELL'S PUBLICATIONS.
CASSELL'S PUBLICATIONS. Dictionary of Gardening." This is not a dictionary of the ordinary kind, treating of bare words, their derivations, &c, in a perfunctory style. It is a dictionary of all kinds of subjects appertaining to gardening in its various phases. These subjects are exhaustively treated, and capitally illustrated. For instance, Strawberry in the current number occupies over two pages' space, equal to 1% colums of the "Journal," and is dealt with under the following heads Description —soil and situation—propagation—preparing the beds and planting-age of beds—routine manage- ment-Alpine strawberries—strawberries for pre- serving—perpetual fruiting strawberries-straw- berries in pots- selection of varieties. "Stove" and Stores" take up about half a newspaper column's space, &c. The work is now in its 17th part. "The Handyman's Book of Tools, Materials, and Processes employed in Carpentry. Joinery, md Cabinet Work," with numerous illustrations ind working drawings. To be completed in twelve sixpenny parts. The Handyman's Book is intended to treat upon mechanical handicraft, to ihow what to do and how to do it, to include the ,ools, materials, and processes, and to be supple- nented with a full selection of varied examples of work. The tools will be described and illustrated, md their peculiar features and adantabilitv will hA discussed. The materials will be examined and the characteristics of different varieties will be mentioned, and the suitability of each explained. The processes incidental to wood working, such as preparing stuff, setting out work, making joints, &c, will be detailed. Specimens of handicraft work in wood will be minutely portrayed in working drawings, beginning with simple work involving but slight skill to execute, and advancing to complex work developing the highest dexterity. The contents of the book range from the rudi- mentary teaching that will show the tyro how to hold tools to the construction of high-class examples that will interest the adept craftsman. 'The Sports of the World" promises to be the most popular work of its kind ever presented to the public. It will provide a vivid narrative of sport in its various branches, written by authorities of the highest eminence, and profusely illustrated by original drawings and photographic reproductions. In "The Sports of the World" will be tracked the fierce lion in African forests, the wily tiger, the dreaded rogue elephant, and the mighty rhinoceros in the jungles of India; the reader will stalk the great red deer of the Carpathians with a Hungarian nobleman who is among the first shots of his country and his companion in pursuit of Scan- dinavian elk will be a Swedish gentleman who has shot that game regularly for many years. With Englishmen, equally skilful whether riding a horse or driving a pen, he will hunt the fox, the stag or otter, while a Frenchman will be his guide in the picturesque stag hunting with the hounds belonging to the Due de Lorge. In the arte of angling the Ango-Saxon is admittedly so far ahead of the fishermen of any other race that the reader will avail himself of no other counsel when killing salmon in Norway, trout in Hampshire, the Riviera, British Columbia, or New Zealand, coarse fish in the deeps of the Thames, the eddies of the Trent, or the backwaters of the Norfolk Broads, pike in the Irish Lakes, tarpon in the waters of Florida, or black bass or pickerel in the streams and lakes of the United States. Side by side with accounts of hunting, fishing, shooting, golf, and polo, will be found narratives relating to such sports aa foot- ball and cycling, cricket and tennis, and other athletic pastimes. The work is edited by F G Aflalo, F.R.G.S, is profusely illustrated, and part one now issued is seen, to be followed by others every fortnight.
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PRESTATYN SCHOOL BOARD.I
PRESTATYN SCHOOL BOARD. I MONTHLY MEETINC. J FRIDA-7. -Present Mr Goronwy O. Jones (chairman), Rev. F Jewell (vice-chairman), and Messrs P Ellis, J Hughes (clerk), and E H Parry (school attendance officer). The Opening of the New Sohool. The Chairman, before proceeding to the ordinary business of the evening, said that since their last meeting a very important event had taken place in the history of the Board and of the education of the district, namely, the formal opening of a new Board School. On that occasion they very much regretted the absence of the Vice-Chairman and Mr Coward. But they knew that though they were not with them in the flesh they were present in spirit, and were in true sympathy with them. He was happy to be able to state that both of his Majesty's Inspectors, Mr Legard and Mr Roberts, were highly pleased with the interest and enthusiasm shown by the inhabitants of Prestatyn in the education of the children; also that they very highly appreciated the efforts of the Board in their endeavours to carry out the wishes and requirements of the Board of Education, in providing accommoda- tion and in other ways doing all they could to bring the elementary education of the district to a high state of efficiency. The Vice-Chairman regretted that his illness kept him away from the interesting event the Chairman had referred to-which was anxiously looked forward to by himself. For as the time for the completion of the school drew nearer he felt a growing interest in this important venture, and he was hopeful of adding to the remaiks made at the opening ceremony his tribute of encouragement to the children and teachers, and helping to make the event one to be looked back upon with gladness. He was greatly rejoiced to hear uniform testimony eulogistic of the school and everything con- nected with it. The people of the town, no matter what was their creed or politics, were also uniformly pleased with the school. He could not but regard it as a beautiful school, and he felt that it had been erected at very much less cost than anybody would suppose. It was a credit to the neighbourhood, and he trusted it would be a blessing also. Question of Irregular Attendanoe. The Chairman said no doubt they had noticed that on the [occasion to which they had just been alluding both the Inspectors and other speakers referred to one matter particularly. They had one thing to find fault with not only in Prestatyn but throughout Flintshire, namely, the very low state of the average attendance at school. There was no doubt they would have to give very serious consideration to this question. This regrettable state of affairs could be remedied. It was done in other places, and there was no doubt they must do it in Prestatyn. The question was 44 How is it to be done? In the pursuit of his business he rambled a good deal up and down the country, which gave him opportunities that he never missed of visiting some of the very best schools in North Wales, especially those schools which had been distin- guished in the direction of average attendance. Only that week he had such an opportunity. On Wednesday he visited a large school in an out-of-the-way district. There were on the books about 300 children, yet only seven were absent on that particular morning. The head- master told him that some of the children had to walk two miles in order to get there, and were there promptly by nine o'clock. He (the Chairman) naturally asked how they managed to keep up the attendance like this. "You must have a good attendance officer. Do you punish them very much if they don't come to school regularly?" he also asked the headmaster. To which the latter replied Well, we give our attendance officer very little work indeed. He comes here generally two or three times a week, but nine times out of ten he goes away with nothing whatever to do. We can account for each of the seven children absent this morning, the parents having already sent explanations." Well, how is it done ?" again asked the Chairman. "Do you punish the children, or do the parents send them to school in this manner out of fear ?" Oh, no, replied the headmaster to those two questions. "It is through love. We have been doing our utmost for the good of the children for years, and our Board has supported us thoroughly in fostering a love for the school amongst both the children and the parents. The result is the parents do all they can to support us in the school. The Board has been most generous in giving rewards for good attendance, and this has had a very beneficial effect. It has paid them tenfold, for we have saved the value of these rewards many times over by obtaining higher grants from the Government." The Chairman, concluding, thought that if efficiency in schools was maintained like this in other districts, he did not see why the experiment should not be tried in this district. He hoped at any rate that both schools in Prestatyn would work together for the attainment of the object they so much desired, namely, the better atten- dance of the children, thereby encouraging both the teachers and managers. Applloatlons for Inoreased Salaries. It was reported that the application of the Headmaster for an increase of salary had been considered, and that it had been decided to raise it to JE 120 a year A letter had been received from the Attend- ance Officer asking that his salary be increased by £5, making it JE16 per annum, but it was decided to defer the question until the next precept is considered, about six months hence. Mr Thomas Roberts, assistant master, wrote asking for an increase, his present salary being 242 a year, and it was decided to make it 245 a year. The Estimates. The next item on the agenda was 'to approve finally of the estimates for the year ending Sept 29, 1903, and to issue a precept on the overseers for the amount required for the expenses of the Board." The estimated receipts included an annual grant of 285, fee grant £35, contributions under the Agricultural Rating Act 14s. 2d., rate to make up the amount required (£350) equal to about 7d, in the £ for the year. The estimated expendi- ture included £248 for salaries of the teaching staff and board officials, £ 35 for books and stationery, JE16 for fire, lighting and cleaning, 1:2 for repairs to buildings, £5 for rates, taxes, and insurance, and 9130 for payments on loan account. This was adopted after some discussion. The Training of Pupil Teaohero. The Chairman, referring to this subject, said they had two very bright young girls serving in the school-one in her second year and the other in her first year. A difficulty experienced in every district was as to the best way of training pupil teachers, and that was the difficulty which presented itself in this case. As the Board would reme,mber, the old way was to hold classes at 7 a.m. under the headmaster. But that had been done away with to a great extent, for according to the code of the Board of Educa- ti-on they were not allowed to put pupil teachers to work except on alternate mornings s.nd afternoons. Some time ago they passed a resolution to provide them with postal lessons, but this to his mind was a very clumsy and unsatisfactory method of training them. Of course the better they did for these young folk, the better it would be for the school, and he had been thinking of the special facilities offered by the County School for assisting elementary schools to train their pupil teachers. There were bursaries offered in connection with the Rhyl County School for which, he believed, their pupil teachers were eligible, and as far as he could see all that would fall upon the Prestatyn Board would be to pay their railway fare, which would really amount to less than the cost of postal lessons. He wished, therefore, to suggest before they went in for these postal lessons whether it would not be better to ask the Headmaster to interview the authorities of the Rhyl County School in reference to the facilities available. The Vice-Chairman thought that if they could it was very desirable they should avail them- selves of theadvantages offered by the County School, which was practically at their doors. The Clerk was accordingly instructed to ask the Headmaster to carry out the suggestion made by the Chairman, and to report the result of his visit to Rhyl at the next meeting. Soripture Syllabus. The Chairman said the Headmaster had handed to him a syllabus of scripture teaching based on the Leeds syllabus. This was deferred for consideration, the Vice- Chairman remarking that it was right they should know what instruction the children were receiving in this direction. The Clerk's Tenure of Offioe. The Clerk reminded the Board that three years ago that night he commenced his duties under the Board, and now, as he understood the arrangement, his period of office expired. The Vice-Chairman: I think the only bind- ing matter was that the Clerk's salary should be only R10 for the first three years. So far as the Clerk is concerned his office is per- petual unless he becomes obstreporous, 80S boys in school occasionally do (laughter). At the same time I think we may congratulate ourselves that our Clerk has not applied for an increase of salary. It shows that he has not looked upon the office for the sake of what it brings to his pocket. The Chairman I wish we were in a position to make him a handsome advance of salary- He has done his work from the very com- mencement in a most efficient manner. With the Clerk's acknowledgement of these complimentary remarks, the meeting termina- ted.
WORTH YOUR ATTENTION.
WORTH YOUR ATTENTION. Every person's future is to a certain extent io his own hand. Many a future which might have been brilliant has been darkened by lack of timely preparation to meet the exigencies and changes which occur in every, day life. Many a home which might have been gladdened by life and health, and comfort, has been saddenod by poverty illness, and death, in many cases wholly preven- table. Neglect now may mean a broken constitution to succumb under the attacks of any exceptional trial. There are, indeed, few that do not feel the system needs recruiting after the trying feeling of Massitude," with others, not quite ur, to the mark," "a sort of all over sinking feeling, too weak to do anything about the bouse," "these recurring headaches," no appetite for my food," etc. These, and a dozen others, are "ommon expressions which all point to the urgent need of some good tonic mixture, a reliable medicne of established reputation and of proved virtue. There are several tonic mixtures to be had, but none which have been so uniformly successful as Gwilym Evans' Quinine Bitters; it has never been known to fail. It's always the same, there con be no mistake about it. The careful preparation and a manipulation of manufacture under the most stringent ruleø, assures the certainty that Gwilym Evans' Quinine Bitters, The Vegetable Tonic, is always efficacious and genuinely successful in all cases of Indiges- tion, Weakness, Nervousness, Low Spirits, Sleep- lessness, Dyspepsia, Liver Complaints, Neuralgia- and Influenza. We claim that Gwilym Evans Quinine Bitters is a General Benefactor of SufEeripg H umanity. Hundreds of testimonials prove this, coming from all classes, of the com- munity. Pain is no respector of persons, be advised, try Gwilym Evans' Quinine Bitters, sovereign remedy for various ailments, for rich and poor alike, When you buy Gwilym Evans Quinine Bitters, you get what you think you gdtp absolutely the Tonic of Nature's own proyiding, comprised of the bene&cient properties contained in Sarsaparilla, Saffron, Gentian, Burdock, Laven- der, and Dandelion in addition to Quinine. It is not so much what you pay for a thing, but what you get for what you pay. Don't listen to the "Just as good" argument. There is no tonic "Just as good" as Gwilym Evans' Quinine Bitters, It stands supreme. To prevent dissppointmeot. above all things see you get the right article, with the name "Gwilym Evans" on Label, Stamp and Bottle, without which none is genuine. Sold everywhere in bottles, 2s 6d., and 4s 9d., each but should any difficulty be experienced i_° procuring Gwilym Evans' Quinine Bitters will be forwarded carriage free, for the above prices, by the Sole Proprietors The Quinine Bitters Manufacturing Company, Limited, Llanelly, South Wales*
We Three.
We Three. "Envy, hatred, and malice." We envied her-we three- Because we could not get The inmost workings of her heart to see, Nor learn her secret yet I've seen her lift her sad and solemn eyes Upwards-as asking of the pitying skiea- Do these three want to know the truth, or lies ?' We harried ber-we three- We pried into her very life, but she Seemed through our veiled hypocrisy to see She scorned us from her soul, our traps Skilfully laid-in which we hoped she'd fall— Were vain she safely passed them all. Her soul was far too white, Here was the morning sunshine, Ours, black night. We hated her full well-we three- She left the place she loved to dwell It grieved her soul-but we Sneered at her over tea And now (we hear) that she is where she can no more List to the breakers on the wild sea-shore Hear that her lone heart aches, What care we if it breaks ? We broke her faith, we three; She now no more believes That she true love receives For her warm friendship knows that foul abuse Is poured upon her, and to vilest use Her every word is turned, And her best efforts spurned We know her life is sad, Before she knew us it was almost glad. I think, I say-that, if ahe lives to-day,— She is more blest than we Who tried to ruin her-we three. MARIANNE LESTER
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