Pontypool Free Press and Herald of the Hills

A dynamite faclory at Paliille, n-ar Porpiguan blew up the other night, but happily without lo- ot life. Manufactured ice is now being sold in Bombay a the rate of a quarter of au anna a pound, or less thui a halfpenny. The London Gazelle announces the promotion c, Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar to the rank of a General. The Rev. John M'Clellan, has been elected prin- cipal of the Royal Agricultural College, &t Ciren. tester. Modified forms of the microphone and telephone have been successfully used during Mr. Gladstone's recent speeches in Scotland. 0 A "national committee" for aholishing the sale oi livings and next presentations is being formed, and a prospectus has been issued by the chairman, E. Herford. SHOCKING ACCIDENT WITH A LIFT.—On Tues- day afternoon six workmen employed at the wool a.nd jute warehouses of London Docks entered the cage of the hydraulic lift on the top floor to de- scend to the basement. The men had been warn- ed against using the lift. When it had reached half-way down, the chain suddenly broke, & they were precipitated to the floor. All are fearfully injured. One died on the way to the hospital, two immediately after arriving there, and the others were not expected to rz-vive the night.

STOCK AND SHARE LIST. Supplied by Messrs. THACKERAY & SAYCE, Stock and Share Brokers, 1, Pearson-place, Cardiff RAILWAYS. Paid Prices Stock Great Western £ 100 .111 112 „ London and North Western 100 .147 148 „ Monmouthshire 100 .165 166 „ Rhymney .100 1721 1731 „ Taff Vale 100 .211 213 PREFERENTIAL. Stock Monmouthshire 5 per cent. 100 .122 123 12 Do. New. convertible 6 12! 13 Stock Taff Yale No 1 100 .211 213 „ Do. 4 £ per cent 100 .110 112 „ Do. 5 per cent 100 .121 123 GUARANTEED AND LEASED Stock Rhymney, 5 p. c. guaranteed 100 .120 122 50 Aberdare, 10 per cent 50 .120 121 20 Coleford Mon., & Usk, 5 p.c. 20 23 24 Stock Great Western 5 p. c. (guar) 100 .128 129 „ Hereford, Hay, & Brecon 100 94 96 „ Do. do. Pref. 100 9q 97 DEBENTURE STOCKS. Stock Hereford, Hay, and Brecon 5 per cent 100 .124 125 „ Great Western 5 per cent. 100 .128 130 „ Taff Vale 4 per cent 100 .102 104 BANKS. 20 BristolWestofEngland,Lim. 7 £ 8 8k 100 GlamorganshireBankingCo. 100 .145 150 10 Glamorganshire 10 141 15 10 London & Provincial, Lim. 5 11t llf 50 National Provincial 21 76 77 20 National Provincial 12 43 45 10 North and South Wales 10 27 27! 20 Swansea (Limited) 7 8i Bi GAS. 10 Aberdare 10 11 Ili Stock Bristol 100 .175 176 „ Cardiff A 10 per cent. 100 .180 182 „ Do. B 8 per cent 100 .135 140 25 Do. Shares 7 per cent.. 25 30 32 10 Llynvi Valley. 10 10 11 Stock Newport A 100 .172 177 11 Do. B 100 .128 132 20 Do. C 17 18 19 25 Swansea 7! per cent 25 32 33 GAS AND WATER. 10 Bridgend 10 8 9 Stock Do. Deb. Stock 100 .101 102 „ Pontypool (Max 10 p. c.) 100 .135 145 12 Do. ( do. ) 12 16 18 10 Do. (Max. 7 p. c.) 10 9 11 10 Ystrad 10 21 21J WATER WORKS. 25 Bristol 25 63 65 Stock Cardiff 100 275 285 11 Do. 1860. 100 .200 220 10 New 6 13 15 Stock Neath 10 p. c. Guaranteed 100 .185 195 10 Do. 6 per ot. Preference 10. 7! 8! 10 Newport 10 17 19 10 Do. New 7 14 16 Stock Pontypridd 5p. a. Preference 100 107 109 MISCELLANEOUS. Stock Alexandra Dock, 6 p.c. Pref. 100 .110 120 1. Ditto 8p.o. Pref. 100 ..120 130 10 Bristol and South Wales Wagon Co., Limited 4 C 6 £ 23 Ebbw Vale 20 8 £ 9| 100 Nantyglo and Blaina Iron Works, Preference 100 23 24 10 Newport Abercarn Colliery 10 6 £ 7J 5 Do. Tramways 5 3 3| 20 Patent Nut and Bolt, Lim. 14 21 21i 50 Rhymney Iron, Limited 50 23 24 15 Do. New 15 7 8 25 South Wales Colliery 24. 4t 4, 50 Tredegar Iron&Coal, A Lim. 26 19 19t 25 Do. do. B Lim 25 20f 211 Bank Rate 2 per cent. (since 10th April). SELLERS:— London and Provincial Bank Shares at Ill- Great Western Colliery Shares Gloucester Wagon Shares at 9j Cardiff Restaurant Shares Rhymney Railway 6 p. c. Preference Stock at 1411 Bristol and West of England Bank Shares Porthcawl Gas Shares at X9, etc., etc. THACKERAY & SAYCE, CARDIFF, December 10, 1879.

CORRESPONDENCE. The Proprietor does not hold himself" responsible for the opinions of his Correspondents. The columns of this paper are at all times open to the ex- pression of opinions on subjects of a public character. Correspondents are requested to write on one side of the paper only, and to avoid personalities; and must enclose with the letter their OWN names and postal addresses, not necessarily for publication (unless intended by them), but for the satis- faction of the Editor.

SHOPS IN PEKING. In this city, the northern capital of China, the streets are wide, and cut each other at right angles; as they do in American cities. They are lined with shops, a large number of which are extremely handsome, their entire facade being richly carved and gilded from top to bot- tom. Instead of hanging boards, which in other Chinese cities announce to the passer-by the.nature of the goods fetailed, the shops here have all tall, upright posts, sometimes rising from the roof, sometimes standing on the ground, overlaid with gilding and bright colours. Other varieties of decorative art abound on all sides, some of the shops being painted to represent a most elaborate mosaic, the design and execution being rich and beautiful in tho extreme. Everybody has seen an ornamental screen or centre-table, inlaid with exquisite patterns and every shade of tint. Imagine this work- manship transferred in all its wealth and splendour to the front of an ordinary shop, and you will have some idea of the efifeot produced. In this strange town the paths are sunk in some places two or three feet below the level of the roads, along which pass, in an almost unbroken stream, strings of camels, moles and carts. In the latter vehicles are frequently to be seen bril- liantly tricked out ladies, with their cheeks and eyes bedaubed with coarse magenta paint; mandarins-only the very highest of whom are permitted the privilege of BedauB-and occasionally a living Buddha, in the form Df some Lama priest of rank, dressed from bead to foot in gleaming yellow silk. The practice of rouging the face is very extensively adopted in Peking, not only by tvomen but by boys as well, who aleo adorn themselves with large silver ear-rings. Indeed, the love of colour is ft striking peculiarity of these curious people.

THE individual who got up a sensation grew dizzy md tumbled down. A NKVADA moralist says, It's mournful to see a more'n full. EPPS'S COCOA.GRATEFUL AND COMFORTING*— By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by L oareful application of the fine properties of well- elected cocoa, Mr Epps has provided our breakfast ables with a delicately flavoured beverage which may ave us many heavy doctors' bills. It is by the judicious ise of such articles of diet that a constitution may bo gradually built up until strong enough to resist every endency to disease. Hundreds of subtle maladies are loating around us ready to attack wherever there is a reak point. We may escape many a fatal shaft by ■ eeping ourselves well fortified with pure blood and a jroperly nourished frame."—Civil Service Gazette.— Sold only in packets labelled "JamM Epps & Co,, homoeopathic Chemists, London."

431-ittis, Jtflaruages, anb Zeatbs. DEATHS. Dee. 4, at the Union Workhouse, aged 71 years, John Moseley, labourer, Llanfrechfa Lower. Dec. 5, at Talywain, aged 77 years, Margaret, widow of Mr James Morgan, labourer. Dec. 5, at Pentwyn, Abersychan, aged 86 years, Mary, widow of Mr Cornelius Regan, labourer. Dec. 6, at Blaenavon, aged 17 years, Mary, daughter of the late Mr Peter Bartle, engineer. Dec. 7, at Abersychan, .aged 36 years, Mr John Davies, tailor. Dec. 7, at Blaenavon, aged 59 years, Mr Henry Jones, landlord of the Victoria Inn. Dec. 7, at Cwmyniscoy, aged 70 years, Mrs Mary Morgan, widow. Dec. 8, at Abersychan, aged 55.years, Catherine, wife of Mr Ebenezer Tasker, roller.

ANSWER TO RIDDLE WHICH APPEARED IN "FREE PRESS" OF NOV. 15TH. Sir,—Seeing a riddle in your issue of a week or two ago, signed H. S. I beg to answer it Your riddle is good, I am bound to confess; And many are puzzled, but none yet can guess. My opinion is this, allow me to say, To the F and the L add the E and the A. Pontnewydd.

EMIGRATION TO TEXAS. To the Editor of the Free Prest. Sir,—I would not trouble you again, but I think your readers will misunderstand the matter in the way MrWhite puts it. I own I have not thought the mat- ter of such importance as to inform emigrants of the charge of Is. per package on landing their luggage at Galveston. If an emigrant has a couple of large trunks, he pays 2s.; if he is a family man and has half-a-dozen, it costs him 6s. I do not see anything in this to deter emigrants from going to Texas; the point is too frivolous to discuss any further. I say again at various places along our line of road we have Emigrant Homes at which emigrants are directed to stop, and no charge whatever is made for rent, stoves, firing, or cooking utensils; and unless Mr White wishes to imply that the charge was made at one of these Homes, it has no reference to the case. The owner got, no doubt, as much for the hire of the stove as he could; its the same all the world over. Now as to the mosquito. The new-comer soon finds the best way to prevent their annoyance, and the bar (not ban") is simply a muslin curtain hung over the bed to keep them out. Now, Mr Editor, is the Eng- lish emigrant so degenerated from his predecessors as Mr White would lead us to think ? Do they want coddling to the extent of presenting each one with a few yards of muslin, instead of leaving them to find out the necessity of it themselves ? The idea is absurd. Emigrants do not stop at Galveston ? it is simply an island of sand divided from the main land by a chan- nel two miles across. The price of provisions, even if as given by Mr White, need not deter the emigrant; before he has been in the State six months he is his own butcher, baker, greengrocer, &c., &c. I cannot see how any amount of logic can prove articles of food dear in a country that exports the same to England and makes a profit out of the transaction. To say food is dear in Texas is to say coal is dear at Newcastle. I now send you the promised true account mentioned in my last, but should it be too long for insertion, I will send a copy to any of your readers who may ap- ply to me for it. Yours truly, London, Dec. 9, 1879. W. G. KINGSBURY. 26, Finsbury Pavement, London, E.C.

(REPRINTED FROM THE Swindon Advertiser.3 To Dr. W. G. KINGSBURY. London. Dear Sir,—I have just returned home after a three months' tour in the South-Western States of America to find a somewhat bitter controversy raging respecting Texas and its capabilities as a field of enterprise for the British farmer and emigrant. The success or failure of an emigrant to Texas depends in the first place on the conditions of an emigrant's existence in that State being thoroughly understood. I fear this is not very often the case, and that a large proportion of those who go out there only begin to learn when too late things which they ought to have learnt before leav- ing their old homes. Now, the first character I should assign to an emigrant would be that of a plod. ding, industrious man, who was prepared to make pre- sent sacrifices in order that be might reap some reward in the future who was prepared to joyfully resign all claims to comforts, luxuries, and ease in the hope of es- tablishing for himself, and those who might follow after him, an existence superior to anything promised him by the Old Country at home. It, however, is to be feared that a very large proportion of our emigrants do not go out prepared to make these sacrifices, but who rather, whilst expecting to realise all the golden promises of the New Country, claim to retain all the privileges and en- joyments of the Old Country. Such men must inevit- ably come to grief. I can aver from my own knowledge and observation that the man whose troubles, as related by the interviewing correspondent of the Galveston News, gave rise to the recent correspondence about Texas, belongs to the latter class, and that his disap- pointments and his complaints were as inevitable and might have been as clearly foreseen as the working out of the simplest natural law. As you know, this man had a wife and several children. He was sold a small estate in Texas, on which he paid a deposit of j610, and he was then conveyed from England to this estate on far more favorable terms than he could possibly have made him- self. His troubles, however, seemed to have com- menced long before he reached Texas. When crossing the Atlantic his children were very sick, and when he landed he at once became a prey to the mosquito. From New York he appears to have gone by water to Galves- ton, which, considering the sufferings of his family when crossing the Atlantic, was certainly in judicious. Now, the Galveston mosquito enjoys quite as ravenous an ap- petite for new blood as does the New York mosquito, and this man no doubt came off as badly with their poisonous biles as I did, and as tens of thousands of others have done before me. At length he reached the end of his journey, and was placed in possession of the house and land he had previously bargained for at New Philadelphia. He had not, however, been here long before his troubles and his complaints became a more confirmed nuisance and annoyance, if that were well possible, to his neighbours and all who had to come in contact with him, than they had been to bis fellow- passengers during his passage across the Atlantic and from New York to Galveston; so that before many hours were passed there was but one desire in the whole neighbourhood, and that was that this man would take himself and his family off back again. And that he might do this every facility was offered him. A free pass for himself and family back to Houston was provided, and arrangements made for obtaining for him the £10 he had paid as a deposit on account of the land, and which, of course, he would forfeit had there been any other desire than that of getting rid of him at any cost. In due course, he and his wife and family found their way back to Houston Station. And here I first came into direct contact with him. My attention was directep to him through a violent contention he was having with the baggage master, who was insisting on weighing bis baggage and charging him with the excess, he having now left the railway over which his free pass extended, and taken his ticket from Houston to Galveston. This action of the baggage master caused the man much an- noyance. which be did not fail to disclose in violent abuse j and his condemnation of the country, and all things in it, was both loud and deep. Having secured a seat in the carriage near to this man, I entered into conversation with him, and soon found that he had no practical knowledge of agriculture whatever. He had never even worked on a farm but that up to the time of leaving England he had been constantly engaged working at some trade. It was also clear that he had expected when reaching Texas to have found a tract of land with everything necessary for working it, as well as sheds containing every kind of implement, but above nil, a comfortable dwelling bouse in which he might take bis ease, and where every arrangement had been made for his comfort and convenience. Incredible as it appears, one of his loudest and most serious complaints was that he could not obtain new milk in the morning for his children. A man standing on a Texan prairie, cup in hand, waiting and listening for Milk ho!" and for the appearance of the milk-pail, would make a first- class comical picture: for although cows are to be seen in every direction in the neighbourhood of the railways in droves of thousands, a milch cow is a decided rarity, cows in Texas being kept almost exclusively for breed- ing purposes. Driven almost to desperation by the jeers of those who laughed at his complaints, disappointed at not finding many a new, as well as all the old, comforts ready to his hand and call. this man had left the newly-formed colony on the Texan prairies he had gone back to Houston only to be interviewed by a most exacting baggage master and then, when full of bitter feelings, with a soured and exasperated temper, and sore and itching hands he fell in the way of a reporter hunt- ing for anything sensational for his paper. I am, dear sir, yours respectfully, WILLIAM MORRIS. Advertiser Office, Victoria-street, Swindon, Novem- ber 27th, 1879. [Not having space for the whole of Mr Morris's letter, we have extracted the parts which refer to the point specially under discussion, namely, the complaints of a British emigrant to Texas, as published in the Galveston News and reproduced in our issue of Nov. 22nd. Persons who may wish for more information would do well to avail themselves of Mr Kingsbury's offer, and apply to him for a copy (printed) of this interesting communication.—ED. F.

THE NEW ROAD FROM PONTNEWYDD TO CWMBRAN WORKS. To the Editor of the Free Prett. Dear Mr Editor,—Some few weeks ago you kindly inserted a letter in your much-appreciated paper wherein a few questions were put to the Chairman of the Llanvrechva Upper Local Board in respect to the above road. Since that time I have not seen his reply. I am quite sure his usual manner and well-known courteous habits would not prevent him from giving a reply to so simple a question. I wish to correct a statement inadvertently made in that letter, viz., that the Llanvrechva Local Board joined the Llantarnam parish in the cost of the lower road, which is not the fact, as the Llantarnam parish bore all the cost. But, as was stated, they en- tered into an arrangement with each other jointly, after obtaining the consent of A. C. Pilliner, Esq., through whose land the road had to pass, to make the upper road from the furnaces to Pontnewydd, which arrangement was carried out faithfully to the letter by the Llantarnam parish, but not so by the Llanvrechva Local Board. Then why not inform the public the cause ? Thev are certainly entitled to know. Yours, &c., A RATEPAYER IN BOTH PARISHES. A—————■———|——

NEW SERIAL TALE. We have much pleasure in announcing that the publication of an OriginalDomestie Story, of great interest, entitled" NEMO," by Mrs, I). Moseley, will be commenced in our issue of December 20.

KING FROST has put in his appearance with more regard to his duty in the proper observance of the season of the year than summer deigned to show us. A fine autumn, and every prospect of a seasonable Christmas, have lightened the heart of even the proverbial grumbler, and skaters are indulging in their health-giving recreation with a zest that bids fair to atone for the absence of enjoyments in the past. As a necessary conse- quence, or at least a never-failing result, of the frost, several slight accidents have occurred, but as yet we have happily none of a serious nature to record in this neighbourhood. The present weather is in every respect beneficial to persons in robust health, and this, with the favourable reports forwarded by the several Medical Officers of Health for some time past, is very encouraging. Another matter of congratulation is the gradual decrease of crime in our midst, although we have this week to chronicle a most dastardly outrage upon a respectable young girl which occurred in the Pontypool police district. The authorities are on the alert, and several carcases of bad meat have been seized from local butchers and con- demned as unfit for the food of man. With these exceptions the week has been tolerably quiet, and as there are undoubted signs of returning activity in the iron trade and other branches of local in- dustry, we see every reason for indulging in hopeful feelings.

Mr. Brasseur, a Belgian gentleman, has recently patented in Eng'and a buoy, lit on the top by means of a vacuum tube and an induction coil, the primary current being derived from large battery ylatcs immersed in the sea. Two ol the Koyal Irish Constabulary arrested a man named Magin on board the Inman steamer City of Berlin, on Friday, as he was about to start foi New York. He was removed to Cavan for trial, charged with committing a horrible outrage on a young lady. Messrs. Siemans Bros., of Charlton, have arranged to light up High Street and the Market Place, Woolwich, with the electric light, and lamps are being suspended from the tops of the houses next the thoroughfares. Each light will be equal to 6,000 candles. H.M.S. Comus is about to leave England for China, and will call at the Island of Tristan D'Acunha. Any persons wishing to forward packages for the in- habitants should send same to the office of the com- mander-in-chief at Devonport, not later than the 13th inst. Several persons, including the guard, were severely injured, some fractured ribs, through a signal engine colliding with a passenger train at Dumbarton station, on Saturday morning. The guard's van was smashed, and a first-class carriage wrecked. A shocking discovery has been made on the strand, about a mile from the city of Cork. A parcel, tied with rope, was found, containing the arm and hand oi a man and the hand apparently of a woman. The parcel was weighted with stones. The police are making enquiries into the affair. The libel'case of Lambri v. Labouchere, arising out of an accusation in Truth that Lambri was a card- sharper, came on Saturday before the judges in the Bail Court upon a demurrer to the defendant's plea, rt was ultimately decided that the pleas should be imended, and the case should go for trial. In the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice, on Friday, the motion in Dallas v. Baggart md Currans (the Royal COlmaugbt Theatre) was heard. The Master of the Rolls grantod an injunc- tion restraining both defendants from interfering with the theatre, Mr. Currant to pay the COjt of iho motion

PONTYPOOL COUiSTY COURT. The usual monthly Sitting of this'Court was held at the Town Hall on Wednesday, before J. M. Herbert, Esq., Judge. The number of plaints entered for hearing was considerably below the average, and the majority bein? undefended, were disposed of by the Registrar, M. Edwards, Esq. The following were heard by the Judge :— ADJOURNED PAINT CASE. Lawrence v. Perry.—This was a case which has been twice before the Court, and was last adjourned for a valuation to be made of some paint. De- fendant bought a quantity of paint of the plaintiff at a certain price, but he contended that when it was delivered it was not according to sample, and of not near so much value to him.—Mr Sandbrook deposed that he had inspected the paint, and valued it at 8s 6d per cwt.—His Honour gave judgment for J&2.—Mr Watkins was for the plaintiff. A BOLD PLAINTIFF. William Rosser v. Vipond 8f Company.—Plaintiff was employed by the Company, and he claimed J62 18s, a month's wages in lieu of a month's notice to leave.—Mr Greenway appeared for tho Company.—Plaintiff said he was recently dis- charged from his employment without any notice. When he was engaged the foreman told him that there was to be a month's notice on either side.— Cross-examined: Remembered Friday, 7th Nov., he stopped some trucks going down tho incline. He did so by order of the foreman, and drew up the trucks near to the latter's cottage. Did not know that the foreman took some of the coal from the trucks to his house. A policeman spoke to him 10 minutes afterwards. Knew that the fore- man was apprehended the same day, and sent to prison for 14 daysjjfor stealing the coal. Witness was discharged the next day.—Mr Greenway's contention was that plaintiff was discharged by the Company in consequence of his complicity in this transaction.—His Honour, in giving judg- ment for the Company, severely commented upon the conduct of the plaintiff, and said he ought to consider himself fortunate he also was not charged with being concerned in stealingrthe coal. INTERPLEADER CASE. Joseph Greier, claimant, v. Thomas Bowen,execution creditor.—Mr Watkins was for the claimant, and Mr Plews for the execution creditor, who lives at Nantyglo.—Some goods had been seized under a bill of sale, and these were claimed by the claim. ant by right of priority.—The case was adjourned for the production of a witness. A HORSS TRANSACTION. Lewis v. Ashcroft.—Plaintiff, for whom Mr Mor- gan appeared, is a farmer at Abercarne, and the claim was for balance due on the sale of a horse to the defendant, who is a horse-dealer. There was really no defence, and after hearing the evidence His Honour gave a verdict for .£3 4s 6d. A BUILDER'S CLAIM. Lewis v. Treharne.—Plaintiff is a builder, Ac., at Coedygric, and he sued the defendant for J53 19s lOd for labour done and materials supplied. De- fendant engaged him to draw out certain plans for the erection of a building, and to supply the neces- sary materials, which he did.—His Honour at once gave judgment for the full amount.

SHOCKING OUTRAGE ON A GIRL NEAR PONTYPOOL. At the Pontypool Magistrates' Clerk's office, on Wednesday last, before the Rev J. C. Llewellin and C. J. Parkes, Esq., two young men, farm ser- vants, named Albert Smith and William Hobbs, were charged with committing a. rape upon the person of Mary Newman.—Prosecutrix, a genteel- looking young girl, deposed that she was 16 years of age, and lived at Llanvair Kilgeddin. She went to work at the Rev Mr Lindsay's every day, and slept at home, returning in the evening. A quar- ter of a mile separated her home from Mr Lind- say's house, and in going from one place to tho other she had to cross a meadow. On the previous evening she was going home about half-past nine, and when near the middle of the meadow she waa accosted by both the prisoners. Hobbs first took hold of her, throwing her apron over her face, and placing his hand upon her mouth. The man who « was with Hobbs took hold of her feet, and threw her down. She tried to cry out, but they pre- vented her by holding their hands over her mouth. Prosecutrix then related in detail what followed, from which it appeared that both the prisoners successively outraged her, and then rail away. She resisted to the full extent of her power. For a time she was much exhausted, and on getting home at once related what had occurred.—Hobbs declared that he was at home at nine o'clock that night, but admitted having been in the meadow.— In answer to the Bench, prosecutrix stated that she was certain as to the identity of Hobbs, as she had known him from her childhood. ThepriacnM were then remanded till Friday, for the completion 7 of the depositions.

INDIAN HUMOUR. The Amerioan Indian, although very taciturn and re- errvtd, presents many notable features of character. Perhaps no wild man possesses 80 keen an appreciation of humour, and so thoroughly enjoys a joke as the American savage. During the long evenings of the year the Indians delight to gather in groups about the camp-fire and indulge iu story telling. Their adventures in hunting aud war constituting the burden of the re- cital. Probably the popular idea of Indian eloquence, arii ing from the recorded speeches of Red Jacket, Corn Stalk, Tecumaeh, and others, is somewhat exaggerated, but now and then Indians are found among existing tribes who actually possess great natural powers of ora- •nryV Spotted Tail, the celebrated Sioux, is an eminent illustration of this. When in council he becomes en- gaged m aiscusaiou, with a joke he closes his argumont, turns the laugh on his opponent, under oover of which he withdraws from the argument aud the room. An officer of the army who had been intimately connected with the southern Sioux for some years, told me that on one occasion, in a council, the conversation assumed a humorous turn. Duriug the session he told the In. dians that no honest inim were now to bo found—that a perfectly honest person had growing from the palm of his hand a tuft of hair. Tho Indiaus looked rather in- credulous, but "Old Spot" gravely assured them that such was the case—that from his own hand a tuft of hair once sprang, but that he had worn it all off shaking bauds with white people.

GERMAN LIFE. The German delights in the open air, and his children imbibe his tastes. Babies seem to live out-doors and their multitude ai d plump, nerveless serenity are at once noticeable to a strange. Mothers and nurses take them out for a long afternoon in the public parks not a little walk, but a "stay-spell. Long walks, too are a favourite amusement, and with good roads, restaurants at convenient points along the way, and often a beauti- ful landscape at the end, they are not without charms, even to a weak-backed American. For the three months I was in Dresden we regularly every Wednesday—the children's holiday—made such an exoursion, and my memory is full of charming rural views so presented to me: trips on the Elbe to the summer house of the king of Saxony, a restaurant being on one side of the royal garrns. to Meissen and its porcelain manufac- tory walks through pine woods overlooking the river, and always the odd little restaurants, whioh gave us, beside the beer, glasses of rich milk, plates of fruit and home-made cakes. So universal is the pleasant fashion that everything is arranged to aid it. Steamers ply up and down the Elbe street cars take one where steamers fail: and day after day steamers and cars are crowded with families taking holiday. It is a perpetual picnio, Without the fuss aud form of a picnic at home entails. And, however frugal the German may be, has ahvaYf the few pence needed for these excursions, which he considers necessary to health as well t" happiness.