Rhondda Leader Maesteg Garw and Ogmore Telegraph

"Elijah" at I r c P, y. New Society's Great Success. [By Our Musical Critic.] Although Mardy is by no means an ideal spot to visit, especially during the wild wintry weather we have lately ex- perienced, yet a visit there on Saturday last to attend the first performance. of the newly formed Musical Tuition Society more than compensated anyone for any inconvenience experienced. It is not often that a. choral society under- takes to give a performance of Mendel- I,NNW'" m. EOS DAR. ssolm s Elijah as their first effort, but the members no doubt had every confi- dence. in their conductor, Mr. Gwilym Lewis, headmaster of the local Boys' School; and, indeed, the result quite justified the selection. Oratorio singing has wonderfully improved during the pre- sent season, and with the addition of this latest Tuition Society to the societies already existing in the Rlionddas, we can hopefully look forward to great things in the future. Nothing was spared to make the con- certs in every way successful. The quartet of principal soloists were capable Mr. GWILYM LEWIS, Conductor. artistes. The part of "Elijah," upon whom most of the'dramatic interest of the work is centred, was entrusted to Mr. Ivor Foster, the others being:—■ Soprano, Madame Mills Reynolds, L.R.A.M. contralto, Miss Mary Rich- ards, Rhymney; tenor, Mr. Llew. Jones, Aberdare; "Youth," Master Trevor Watkins, Ystrad. A strong and efficient orchestra, had also been engaged, Mr. Arthur Angle being leader. In criticising the performance, one naturally deals first with the chorus. Here one heard one of the best balanced choirs of the season, although the bass were not quite powerful enough for the Mr. ALFRED EVANS. Secretary. other three parts. The voices were of quite a good quality, especially the tenors, undoubtedly the finest of the season. All sang with an enthusiasm that was refreshing and quite contagious. Great pains must surely have been taken to render the difficult music even correctly, apart from the dramatic element required. The chief fault—and, of course, the mem- bers will certainly wish to know their shortcomings as well as their excellencies —was the inability to sing a piano pas- sage. Not once did we get a real piano effect, and the beauty of some portions of the choruses was lost thereby. This can easily be remedied, and no doubt will. The great choruses, Thanks be to God and Be not afraid," were thoroughly well sun, the rail, at the clqs-e of the latter being, an effective innovation of the conductor. The weakness of the bass was particularly felt in "Thnnks he to God." Of the artistes, Mr. Ivor Foster must once more be presented the laurel wreath. He has evidently made n care- ful study of the part, and con sequent! v his singing throughout was intelligent aDd much admired. It is enough" was a very fine effort, the 'cello playing of Mr. Waterman, Cardiff, being very good. Madame Mills-Reynolds was. also quite a success. Although not entailing such great demands on the voice as the bari- tone, still Mendelssohn has written some heavy work for the soprano soloist. Of cotar.se, the great test is Hear ye. Israel," and here we hacl Madame Reynolds' best rendering. Although not the Of a voice of great compass. yet the best possible use was made of a voice of rich quality. We also had splen- did enunciation, good phrasing and creditable expression. Miss Mary Rich- ards seemed incapable of filling the hall. One has heard her to better advantage. Hei' best rendering was 0 rest in the Lord." Mr. Llewellyn Jones, a, National Eisteddfod winner, has a very good top Councillor H. E. MALTBY, Chairman of Committee. register, which was much admired in •' Then shall the righteous." Master Trevor Watkins was given too little to do. It is a great pity that one of the lesser soprano solos was not allotted to him. What he had to get through was very well done. The double quartet sing- ing by members of the choir was quite a feature of the performance, the first sopranos especially being good. The playing of the orchestra—some 28 in number—was quite satisfactory. Greater demands are made on the skill of the performers in this work than in any of Handel's, the string parts espe- cially being more difficult. So an efficient hand is absolutely necessary, and here wo had one. The success of Mr. Lewis as conductor was immediate and complete. Conduct- ing from a full-score copy, which he evidently understood, unlike some of our conductors who use one merely for show he had all the forces under control, always calling up an instrument or voicje when required. It is to be hoped that the Mardy Tuition Society will continue as they have begun. They have a thorough musician Mr. T. E. RICHARDS, M.E., Organist. i to take them in hand, and it behoves all to he loyal to him, and aid him in his efforts. The first concerts were in every wav successful, and my thanks are due to the committee for the hearty invitation to attend.

HINTS FOR THE HOME. THE MODEL HOSTESS. A woman may possess wealth untold, she may have the kindest of hearts and the brightest of minds, but unless she has absolute control 01 her feelings there will be some time in her career as hostess that she will display annoyance or flurry, and the contagion spreading to her guests will cause an otherwise successful enter- tainment to die out in undisguised failure. A model hostess must to all appearances be made of stone, so far as disagreeable happenings are concerned. Even though a guest or careless waiter inadvertently breaks a bit of china which can never be replaced, she must smile on as though the loss of the entire set would but em- phasise the pleasure of the evening. Her well- bred c(. m inspires her guests with a feeling of confidence, and though in her heart she. may be very dubious about certain important details of her dinner or dance, if she do,es not. she v her anxiety everything will pass oft to a happy con- clusion. An imperturbable calm and a ready tact are the two important factors in the mak- ing of a model hostess. Secure these by hook or by crook, and you need never fear for the suc- cess of any of your entertainments. MOLES. Moles on the face are now being successfully treated by the use of sodium ethylate. The mole is painted with the sodium ethylate, a line glass rod being used. When the mole has a var- nished look, the ethylate is gently rubbed with the glass rod to make it penetrate deeply. The mole turns nearly black, and a hard crust forms over it, which is nearly three weeks in becoming detached. When it comes off, the mole is raucfl lighter than before, and this treatment can be continued until the mark is scarcely noticeable. THINGS WORTH KNOWING. Fruit acids are excellent to relieve a rheu- matic condition of the system. I If your feet ache after dancing, soak them before you get into bed in hot bay salt and water, dry them and rub briskly, especially about the ankles, with a rough towel. Sleep as many hours as you find necessary completely to recuperate your strength and, as nearly as possible, take half of these hours be- fore and half after midnight. The teeth should be brushed at the morning toilet, and always at night- just before retiring, because then the process of decay is more con- stant than at any other time, on account of decomposing- food which may be lodged in the interstices. Dampened "alt applied to a mosquito bite will relieve the itching at once. In fact, damped salt is a good cure for the bite or sting of any insect. It should be applied quickly and bound tightly over the pot. HINTS ON CHILDREN'S FOOD. Milk is an excellent food for children. The curd makes flesh and muscle; the cream, which is the fat of the milk, gives warmth to the body. Milk also contains the salts necessary to keep the blood healthy. Children should have abundance of good wholesome foods, vaned from day to day as much as possible. Plain pudding, especially boiled ones made with suet, are excellent food for children. If you wish your children to grow up healthy, do not give them rich cakes, pasties, or highly-seasoned foods. Encourage children to eat porridge, for oatmeal contains lime, which is necessary for hardening children's bones. Give children all the fruit and vegetables that you can afford; these should be eaten in the early part of the day. SMOKING AND RED NOSES. According to the Medical Press and Circular, a red nose i by "no means a sign of drunkenness, and is as common among teetotalers as tipplers. Indigestion is responsible almost more than anything else for red noses, while excessive tea- .drinking is apt to play havoc with the com- plexion in general and with the nose in particu- lar. Sometimes the congested nose is a. sign of some serious disorder of the heart, or it. may point to a sluggish circulation. The habit of in- haling cigarette smoke and puffing it through the nostrils may contribute to the external wealth of colour. VARIETY IN FOOD. A sickly, waning appetite can frequently be ,e no stimulated by some change in the commonest articles of daily food. Slices of dry bread are particularly uninviting, but the same bread, lightly browned with a delicately poached egg resting on the crisp toast, becomes altogether another item in the daily menu. Oat porridge is a good breakfast dish, yet it is well occasion- ally to substitute in its place some description of fruit. There are some forty or fifty ways in which to prepare potatoes, remarks the Family Doctor, yet how few are the tables, especially in this country, where one sees the vegetable ex- cept in the stereotyped boiled, whole mashed, or fried? HOW TO PUT ON A DRESS. A dressmaker whose speciality is the dressing of young girls complains: I can make a smart costume, but unless the wearer of it docs her part she will not appear smart. Costumes that look stylish on my own models often seem commonplace, even slovenly, on the girls for whom they are made, either be- cause of the careless manner in which they are worn, or for lack of repairs, or because of a dis- regard of accessories. On my models the skirts hang evenly, because they are carefully adjusted. They never sag at the sides, front, or back, or shew glimpses of petticoats, for they are never thrown on hastily as though pitched at the wearer with a hayfork, and their bands are fas- tened properly with hooks and loops instead of safety pins. Sermons might be delivered on the subject of the placket hole, of the absolute neces- sity of knowing positively that its fastenings are in the right place and firmly attached, and that a glimpse of petticoat or straying lingerie stn'ra is likely to offend a critical public. Skirts that are pinned to blouses cannot be expected to hang gracefully, for if they do not draw up at the back they will certainly do so about the hips. Every well-made, frock has on its skirt belt a set of three hooks which perfectly ioin with loops on the blouse, but in a month after a frock is de- livered to the average schoolgirl such fastenings have dropped off, and are rarely replaced be- cause of the fallacious idea that a safety pin will answer the purpose as well. Belts and girdles worn by schoolgirls generally fail to fulfil their mission of concealing the joining of the skirt and blouse simply because they are too ha.stily adjusted, while nicely-fitting stocks fail to cover the blouse neckband on account of being too tightly drawn about the throat or because the blouse has been dragged too far below the belt. Ripped or buttonless gloves are inexcusable, as such slight repairs are quickly mode, but to go out with a torn veil is most of all reprehensible, as this shews more than any othcr.,faultv detail of the girl's garb." NICE DISHES. CREAM DRESSIXG FOR BOILED FISH.Take one pint of milk, or cream and milk, put in a sauce- pan over the fire, and when it comes to a boil thicken with one tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a piece of butter the size of an egg. Let it boil one minute, stirring constantly. Then stir in three hard-boiled eggs chopped fine. Salt and pepper to taste, and turn over the fish boiling hot. SCALLOPED TOMATOES. Scald the tomatoes and remove the skins. Stew them with a little butter, place them in a buttered dish strewn with breadcrumbs, and pour over them a white sauce, cover the top thickly with crumbs and small flakes of butter, and bake till well browned. As a savoury, tomatoes may, after being stewed till tender, be placed on small rounds of buttered toast, sprinkled over with grated Parmesan cheese, a little salt and cayenne, breadcrumbs, and butter, and put in the oven for a few minutes. FRIED ARTICHOKES -Peel a number of arti chokes and cut them into small squares. Put them in cold water for a few minutes, then take them out and dry them carefully. Fry t-liem in boiling fat till they are a light brown, drain carefully, sprinkle with salt and pepp<n% ond serve. French cooks use mushrooms and arti- chokes in equal quantities together with toma- toes and eggs. A very tasty dish.results. STUFFED LEG OF MUTTON. — Choose a small leg, beat it well, and remove the bone, being -:ure. the. careful not to disfigure: the joint. Prepare a mixture with some breadcrumbs, chopped herbs, and onions, the latter previously parboiled in a little stock—this must not be too moist. Put the mixture in the place of the bone, tie the joint I round to a presentable shape, and bake in the oven till tender.

AN ISLAND OF WONDERS. White Island, which lies in the Bay of Plenty, off the coast of New Zealand, derives its name from the clouds of white steam in which it appears to be continually enveloped. Its area is only 600 acres and its height about 800ft. above • tl sea level. In form and colour it is like a re- F imel, while its interior with its grey, icaton, almost perpendicular cliff's, re- (;1\ the Colore urn at Rome. Overhanging the southern landing place stands a column of rock c1 >.) resembling a sentinel, which has been t 1 to the memory of Captain Cook. The Hni.i \A the isiand of a pale green hue., and ui.hula, dipped imo it becomes of a red brick c The fumes of sulphur are always plainly perceptible. On a fine moonlight night, a special correspondent of the British Australasiim tells us, a wonderful sight is afforded to anyone who will sit in an open boat on one of the lakes of the island. Covering an area of fifty acres is an immense cauldron hissing and snorting and sending forth volumes of poisonous steam, while all chances of egre" appear to be denied bv the silent, and gloomy cliffs. -+,

¡ The Friend j That Failed. -0- The friend to whom this man always turned. in moments of doubt was a book. Now that last resource has failed him. Reading print makes his eyes and his head ache. That may he your case, too. If reading print has become a trouble, it isn't because I you've lost yout taste for reading— it's because you suffer from weak vision. Call and Jet us test your sight free of I charge. If Eyeglasses will remedy the Walter, and they generally do, we can I Put the matter right for you, at a moderate cost. —o— David George,M.R P.S., CHEMIST & OPTICIAN, Central Drug Stores PENTRE. C3S4 =-==- D. M. WILLIAMS, Accountant and Public Auditor, DRYN GELLI HOUSE, AND LLOYDS BANK CHAMBERS, TONYPANDY. Tr A —- ^uesnien's Accounts written up, Balanced, DeM.. or Audited. 8 Arrangement, Mortgages and Transfers of Jn-i Properties negotiated. Q*ruptcy and Probate of Will Accounts !«. Prepared I'ance, House and Estate Ascent, RsnS Collected. New Public Hail, Absrdare. FREETHOLIGHT Mr C COHEN, London LECTURES on Sunday, March i„h< 19 09. 21" ¡¡ p.m.-Science. Faith and God: ACrltlci,„ of p m -_vh >r *"? ^iver Lodge. j)j8 ihe Meaning and Benefit of Unbelief. J 8S10n earnestly invited. SILVER COLLECTION. 4726 fashion. Fashion. Fashion. Keen Buyers of Fancy Goods should see TATEM & CO.'S w STOCK OF Paris Goods- -+- New Merry Widow Frame latest,, Coils Sets" „ Curl Pads Al. T r»e >• Back Nets ° ^'P"t°-date Range of Back Combs, Side Combs, and Dressing Combs. lPit!R WELL. FIT WELL. LOOK WELL. TATEM & Co., Human Hair Merchant, 7&28, Castle Arcade, CARDIFF. Tel. UlHa. 4721 FPE" !f ^°u are troubled 8 peer closely at your a eye ,HPer then you are suffering from S Wan ull,r knowledge of the I an eye will help you to the quick- g Call nr,ri ueSt Way of relief- 8 Priv. t- ,ye 5'°ur sight tested in oui 8 at,e Room, FREE OV CHARGE. | J NOVIjN SKY VIN SKY ^J^^roaker, Jeweller & Optician, j TRADUNRAVEN STREET> TONYPANDY 1 ,Uh °P clf te toyshop (Opposite Motiah | Qlandwr Hotel, VS RR AO-RHONDOA. P.O. TeJepone 18 PENTRE. .1:1 n 1" all its Branches at M Charges. AND WEEDING COACHES, &C. 01 G DAVIF.S 4602

KEEN VISION. The men with the be.or eyesight are found at the Equator and in the vicinity of the Poles. It is stated that good vision is most commontv found in the country, and on barren wastes 'broken by few objects in the line of .sight. There, we are told. the keenness of vision de- veloped would be amazing to a city-bred man whoso sight is nearly always deficient in many respects. Esquimaux have been known to detect white foxes stealing along the snow-covered wastes at incredible distances, and to be able to discern objects clearly in places where the chance traveller would see only fields of blinding white. The Arabs of the desert are provided with keenness of vision quite equal to their northern brothers. The Indian's keen sight is, of course, proverbial, and it is doubtful whether any white men of this country have ever at- tained his remarkable proficiency in this respect. — 9

C ATEK ■ >! T.L AR\s Mill If itY. An extraordinary case of ll1in1Îcl'Y in a cater- pillar has been discovered in Argentina. The larva, about four inches long, feeds on a. plant to the stem and leaves of which it presents a striking resembianco in form and colouring. Pale blue in colour, with three longitudinal fawn stripes, the larva has two of its front seg- ments swollen in such a way that they closely simulate the nodes of the food-plant. But, more remarkable still, one of these enlarged joints bears a pair of white knobs exactly matching the white knobs on the plant's nodes which mark the points of attachment of fallen leaves.

How BEES Ksow EACH OTHER. Each bee-hive has its own particular odour, and so have the bees belonging to it. The bees who keep watch outside the hive are very care- ful not to let in any bee until, by means of their antennai, they have ascertained that she has the right odour; but in the height of the honey sea- son these hive-keepers apparently receive in- structions to let in any bee well laden with honcv. whether of their own hive or not. Such a bee in future will belong to the hive which has admitted her. If the bees of two hives are put together, care must be taken fir. t to give them the same odour. Otherwise there would be a deadly struggle, and possibly both hives would be lost,

KVEKY MAN A BRICK. When one man says admiringly to another, "You're a brick," he perhaps seldom knows how the saying originated. In the golden days of Greece an ambassador once came from u by the king over his capital. He was surprised. to find no walls round the city. Sire, lie exelilitiecl, I have visited nearly ail th? t >wns in Greece, but I find no walls for their defence. Why is this? Indeed," the king rephod. you cannot have .ooktxl carefully. Come with me to-morrow, and I will show you the \valls of Sparta." On the following morning the king led his guest -jut upon the plains where l:is army was drawn up in battle array, and, pointing proudly so the lie wails of Sparta—everv man a brick! ——

SUPERSTITIONS OF ROYALTY. The German Emperor has always been care- ful that the ancestral cradle of the Hohenzollerns should be used for each infant member of his family in succession. This cradle .is over two centuries old, and is of curiously carvcd black oak. It is supposed to protect the baby who sleeps in it from convulsions and other childish ailments. Italy has a remarkable superstition. It is believed that dire misfortune will befall the present monarch if the chamber of the dead king be interfered with till at least two genera- tions have passed. Therefore, the room of the late King Humbert at the Quirinal is shut, no one except members of the Royal Family being permitted to enter it. Thus it will remain, silent and unused, like the apartment of King Victor Emmanuel, King Humbert's father, which is just as it was at the time of his death, some thirty years ago. «

AN AFRICAN ALPHABET. There is in use on the West Coast of Africa a system of writing of native invention which is said to be successfully competing with English writing. It is called the Val language, and was invented by Doalu Bukere, assisted by five of his friends. The characters resemble Egyptian hieroglyphics, but the tongue is said to be a harmonious one, relatively easy to pronounce, and with a grammar that is reasonable and far from difficult. It is being more and more used in West Africa, and will probably become the dominant form of native speech in Liberia and adjacent countries. «

POLITE TURKISH CITIZENS. A noteworthy characteristic of Turkish town life is its extreme sobriety and consequent orderliness. Notwithstanding the mixture of races and the scarcity of policemen, street brawls or disturbances of any kind are of rare occurrence, and Greeks, Jews, or foreign sailors are usually responsible for them. Foot-passen- gers make way for each other in the narrow streets with extreme good nature and mutual compliments; the driver of cart or carriage utters continually his warning cry, and there is little of the coarseness and vulgar brutality to be met with in many Western cities.

ALPINE TUNNELS. The following arc the great Alpine tunnels at present constructed Mont Cenis (1857-70), 7 miles 1,730 yards; St. Gotthard (1872-80), 9 miles 463^ yards; Arlberg (1878-83), 6 miles 550 yards; Albula (1899-1903), 3 miles 1,150 yards; Simplon Albula (1899-1903), 3 miles 1.150 yards; Simplon (1898-1905). 12 miles 537 yards. It will be obvious that a high-level tunnel through the immense barriers formed by the Alpine ranges entails long and steeply graded ascents to its portals. The Mont Cenis Tunnel has a maximum alti- tude of 4,248 feet above sea-level. The highest point reached by the St. Gotthard Tunnel is I 3,787 feet. The Arlberg line has climbed up to an altitude of 4,300 feet by the time the centre of the tunnel is reached, and its approaches are almost as steep as those on the St. Gotthard. But while the Simplon Tunnel is the least steeply graded, and therefore the most econo- mical to operate, of any transalpine railway so far constructed, the tunnel itself achieves a fresh record in respect of depth. The depth of its axis beneath the surface averages 3,740 feet, and where the frontier between Switzerland and Italy is crossed attains the phenomenal depth of 7,000 feet. The deepest point in the St. Gotthard. Tunnel is 6,076 feet, in the Mont Cenis 4,090 feet, and in the Arlberg 1,600 feet. e Rabbits can see behind as well as in of themselves. Alaska has a fish which, when dried, forms an effective candle. Algerian vineyards produce more grapes to the acre than any others. The sperm whale can remain under wafter for twenty minutes at a time.

■■■ ■: ,'H Medical Advice i FREE OF CHARGER DAILY. By the World-ienowned Arg'o-Ameiican, <sy y Old established Mcdic-a! He can only l-e ecr suited al Ins. Purate Business— 2SO, Elute Street. (by Cordon Coffee Tavern, nca-i Custom "i'{ Hotse Street), ;Ù,. CARDIFF. A CURE FOR tHE UNCUBED Cheapest and best enemas. Trusses, elastic goods, belts,];'cto,/always kept in stock.&f t£. j Hours- ga m. to 10 p m. daily ( £ U>DAYS 1'X( RI !?!< ."• 459.7 CEBTAJX CL EF: FCR IIAT-,r- ANI) &OIT COBXS K PilSIJ'fS kKD BABMLESS. In L'cttes, Pjiee 1/- by Post, 1/1 ficm the PJoprjeton- D. MOIRCxAZ4 6a Co, (Late J. Mundy), Chemist, 1, HIGH STREET CARDIFF., A Profitable Investment Means favourable results, combined with security. To ensure mtisfactory returns you must know what you buy, and bry what you know. It is always safe to invest in a. box of KERNICK'S ".=,. a VEGETABLE ;CA ■"> Z PILLS first, because they are worth more than face value, and secondly, because the yield in impioved health and bonny looks amply repays the first. outlay many times over. Thousands have proved this, and L always recommend them for Headaches, Dizziness. Indigestion, Liver and Kidnej* Troubles.} Sold by all Chemists and Stores in 7-id., Is. Ud., and 2s. 9d. boxes. Ask for Kernick's Vegetable Fills, and see that you get them. District Council Election, 1909* (CANDIDATES SHOULD NOT NEGLECT TO ANNOUNCE THEIR MEETINGS IN THE COLUMNS OF THE RHONDDA LEADER ELECTORS WILL READ THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER WHEN THEY WILL NOT TAKE ANY NOTICE OF LITERATURE THROWN IN AT THE DOOR. PAST EXPERj^NCE HAS TAUGHT MUNICIPAL ELEC- TION WORKERS THAT THE PRESS INFLUENCES MORE VOTERS THAN ANY OTHER MEDIUM. mmbl P 0 ML a' loi For Cake and [Pastry- Making. mignam- FRYING AND COOKING PURPOSES. SIXPENCE PER POUND. In One PoundJPaekefs. UIW- ASK YOUR GROCER. -+- Wholesale of the Welsh Bacon Curing Co., LLANDAFF. 4718. Your Eyes are Brend-Winners! I NO matter what your occupation -L' may be, everything depends on your sight Without g"00d# keen sight, you cannot hope to hold your own in these days of keen Competition. It is an age of the survival of the fittest; the weakest (those with weak sigtit) no under I A re your eyes right? Can you work for hours without fat gue or di comfort? Can you see as well as you ought? If not. have them put right Cab ahe fitted with a pair of pe, iaJ ly adapted glasses which ijive sirenth and vigour to even the weakest eyes. -o^ Note Onh Address— FM»r RSGHtoiDS Chomist & Optician, The unraveii Pharmacy, TO*•<••• vpa nby (lowel' end).. the hen.ist, nearest the Trealaw Bridge. 8111