Denbighshire Free Press

I ENTHUSIASM WASTED. Yes," said the tourist on Lookout mountain to the stranger who was surveying the scenery, a great battle was fought on the spot whert we stand." Indeed ? < "Yes, sir. The federal and confederate troops had a terrific engagement here, and at one time during the action the entire moun- tain was in a blaze 1" "Indeed ?" Fact, sir. The banks of the river below there were lined with the dead and wounded, and the trees were shattered and stripped by the shells." "Awful I" Yoa may well say so. By the by, where were you at that time ?" I wns in t he battle that you were speak- ing of," replied the stranger, serenely.

TIIEY HADN'T CAUGHT ON. We first Ciinie upon a young farmer afoot and in somewhat of a hurry. Two or three of the fingers on his right hand were badly shattered mid lie had not stopped long enough to envelope the hand in a rag. He said some- thing about U three miles and the doctor" as he passed us. Driving along for about half a mile we came upon a dead mule in harness, with a great splinter driven clear through him. There was a boy about twelve years of age seated on a pile of rails near by, but lie was wiping blood off his heel and didn't seem to hear our ques- tions. Half a mile beyond this was a log cabin. One side was bulged in, the windows shattered and the door in kindling wood. There was a dead dog and four or five dead chickens between the door and the gate. Rullo! the house!" called the Colonel as we halted at the gate. I After a long minute a woman came out. She had several loose teeth, which were bleeding freely, and she had the frightened look of a school ma'am treed by a bear. Been a cyclone here ? asked the Colonel. u No." Somebody shooting ? "No." Can't be no political meeting? No." "Well, what in Halifax is the row, then?" u Nuthin1, 'cept the old man and the boys has got gome dynamite to blow up stnmps with and they're sort o' green at the biznesa.

SHE WAS A LADY. A short, broad-backed young man with hair the colour of a parsnip and the honest sunburn of the cornfield on his face and hands, walked into the office of a Detroit hotel one night last week and wrote on the register in a large and scrawly hand: i Jonas Bebee and lady, Michigan." &he s your wife, I suppose ? queried tbe clerk as he looked at the record. "You bet! Bin my birdie since 9 o'clock this morning l" « Then you'd better put her down as your wife" u Juss as you say," replied Jonas, and he took the pen and made the entry to read: "Jonas Bebee and wife, who is a lady. u She's a lady, is she ? growled the clerk as be scanned the new record. You kin bet your last dollar she is," heartily exclaimed the new-made husband. Yes, air, you kin gamble your last shilling that she'8 a lady from tip to toe. Is that entry all right now ? Yes, it'll do, I guess:" Then gimme a room and a durned good one, too, and we want beefsteak and mashed'taters fur supper. Yes, sir, she's a real lady, Sarah is, and that's how I cum to fall in love with her. Took her to a picnic, and while every other blamed woman ate punkin pie out of their hands she put hem on a chip and used a sliver fur a spoon! You bet she's a lady, and if you ketch Iter puttin' her knife in her mouth at the table I'll slap 2 dols. on to the bill and never say a word

A STICKLER FOR FORM. w Madam," he said in accents of sweetness, suppose you will give me some supper if I split that wood?" Yes," she answered promptly, I will." That would, of course, make it a business transaction, and not an act of charity." I haven't anything to say about what you call it. 4. If y°u "^plit the wood, you can eat. cut you recognize the fact that I am pur- suPP £ r with my brawn and skill ? 1 don t see any objection to expressing it in that manner, if it pleases you." All right. If you 11 let me have anything eat yow happen to have haudy I'll fulw my part of the transaction in accordance with the usual methods of the mercantile world." What I propose is that you shall split the wood and then come in and sit down and help yourself to all you want." I'm sorry, madam, but my early training has made me business-like. In commerce, you know, fairly days is always allowed for pay- ment. That is for the protection of the pur- chaser, in which relationship I stand in this transaction If you mean that you'll come back inside of a month and do the work, I can tell you right here that I have nothing for you." I'd like to split that wood right now and take my chances on getting the supper, but in the eyes of the world that Would be an unwar- ranted procedure on my part. If I were to go head and turn that into stove-wood for you, there would be no way on earth of my putting ^t back into its original shape. And then I'd be completely at your mercy so far as the ful- filment of a verbal contract without witnesses fe concerned." "You split the wood or go hungry," she Responded. "No, ma'am. I'd like to turn in and-make that woodpile fairly dizzy, and I don't want you to think I have the slightest suspicion of ▼our honesty, but it wouldn't be business-

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HER REVENGE. Why were you 10 cross to your busband at breakfast ?" "I couldn't.help it. I felt as if I must soold somebody or burst. Just physical irritability, you know—^and then everything w«nt wrong. Breakfast. was, late, the steak burnt,* tl$. qoSm thin, and the bread stale." j Then why didn't yon scqld thfi^ok ?-n

CYCLING NOTES. To ensure pleasure from a cycle see that yen purchase a first-class machine. 7' After oleaning a chain, coil it round and let the oil drain into a plate. It is far better than I hanging it up to dry. The very first Stanley Show was held in 1878, in The Athenaaum," Camden Town, when 68 bicycles, 6 tricycles, and 11 boneshakers were on exhibition. The "blues" are known to many, and many are aware that they are due to constipation and a sluggish liver. A well-known medical pub- lication mentions bicycle riding as an excellent corrective measure. The date of the great exhibition of cycles in Paris has been fixed for December 15th to the 26th, and is to be held in the Machinery Hall of the Universal of 1889. Agents and manu- facturers going over from these Islos may have the opportunity of spending Christmas in Paris. Paris is undoubtedly a cycling centre, and more wheelmen are to be seen in its street than in any other city in Europe. In this large body of cyclists many specimens of the genus scorcher are to be found, which the Paris Municipal Council by stringent rules are en- deavouring to exterminate. This is the time of the year for the demon sideslip and those cyclists who have not the Dunlop-Welch non slipping tread should ride over the greasy patches charily. In riding over the grease cyclists should sit steadily on their machines, pedal evenly and not pull on the I handle-bars. The racing men in Paris organized a race- meeting in aid of those of their members who are called away to military service. The meeting was held at the Pare des Princes, when a grand match between Jacquelin and Linton opened the ball. The meeting proved most successful in every way. With most cycling clubs this the season for general meetings, when officers are elected and the ensuing years programme decided on. And a critical time it is, for the prosperity of the club rests entirely on the good judgement of its members, who should exercise every care in voting for such men as will prove energetic officers, and such measure, as will help to build up and strengthen the club. While on this subject we would say a few words on racing from a clubsman's point of view. It must be remembered that all cyclists are not speedmen, so a certain section of the members will have to be specially catered for with pleasant club runs and well managed pic-nics. The others who take an interest in racing should be provided with speed fixtures, such as 50 and 100 miles and twelve hours time trials, occasional handicaps, and if a race meeting is to be held, it depends entirely on the club's position as to whether it should be an open or a closed meeting. Open meetings are all very well with clubs that have a large reputation and are well-known, but its money, time, and energy wasted for a small cycling body to try and boom one, as the gate receipts rarely cover the cost of printing and advertising. Now if the club is nice and sociable, and all the members are willing to lend a hand, a olosed meeting is pretty sure to pav, for the simple reason that the expenses allround are considerably reduced. But much depends upon the members, they can build up and pull down a club with equal ease. As useful as mud-guards are, there can be no denying the fact that they considerably impedes ones progress. The windage against the mud* guards caused by the revolution of the wheel making an automatic brake which becomes more powerful as the machine increases in speed. This was proved by two riders whose machines ran equally when coasting, but when one donned the mud-guards he was always last in a coast." As was fully expected the new Dunlop tyre for 1899 created a most favourable impression at the National and Stanley Shows. From all quarters came expressions of approval, and he must have been a bias man indeed who failed to praise and admire such a neat and well made article. At the" National tI especially, where the Dunlop Company were showing, the interest in the tyre was most marked, and it was with difficulty that visitors were able to approach the Dunlop Stand. We have all beard of the lady who went out for a rideon a tiger but a new story has come to hand of a young lady in the Central Provinces of India, whil (coasting down a hill on her bicycle, coming face to face with one of these ferocious animals. There was nothing left for ) her to do but to oharge the beast as he laid in the road, so firmly gripping the handle-bars she prepared herself for the awful thud. It came, and she rolled over on the ground expecting every moment to feel the hot fangs of the I beast on her face. Not receiving that mark of attention which she expected, she pertly stamped her foot, and glancing round found the animal had Bed, regularly oowed at the un- expected intrusion. Like the proverbial grain of mustard seed, small commencements with F. W. Chinn have led to large endings. Some time ago when racing in Antwerp, he, probably unknowingly, transgressed the rules of the Belgian League by appearing on the course in white knickers, and owing to lack of knowledge of the language j did not understand the remonstrances of the I officials. For this breach a small fine was inflicted much to Mr. Chinns' indignation and he with that characteristic nature of an English- man, who always disputes fines inflicted through I lack of knowledge, refused to pay up. The League therefore suspended him, and as they are affiliated to, this, and Unions of other oountries, poor Chinn will be unable to race tiU his suspension runs out or is rainoved.

LOST IN LONDON. In a street in the south of London, recently, a crowd were questioning an urchin who had lost himself. Where do you live ?" said a bystander. "Don't know," replied the little chap. Where do you go to school ? "Don't go to scliool." The audience were in despair, when an old lady said: Where do you get your mother's beer ?" Prince of Wales," was the ready reply. The boy was hauled off to the place, and liif home immediately traced.

A LUCKY MORTGAGE HOLDER. This is not a fable, but just a true little story from Arkansas. There was once a farmer in the hilly district who made up his mind that there were too, many stones on his land to clear away, and so he did not exert himself to raise that staple commodity, corn, or any other product of the soil. lie chopped a little wood, raised a few hogs, and let it go at that. In the course of time, tailing to make his farm pro- ductive for lack of labour, it was covered by a mortgage. It also came to pass that the man fWho held the mortgage soon acquired the farm. You've got an elephant on your bojide," said the farmer. We'll se^said the new owner. Bi-l-itr give it away, or it.'II',reak you as it did me." No; I'll try, first to live off of it." So the new owner got ILpiotiglit and in the first furrow turned over something dark. Q8 examined it audsaid: I guess I'll sl op forming and go to mining., For the dark chunk was coal. Si* LlO farm was changed into a mine, and the man's income j they now say, is over 500 dollars a tweek, and -umiwnxiilg 1114 tim time. • :As was stated in tilgifffet, place, this is not a fable, nor is it written for the specific purpoae of pointing a moral couceruing industry v. idleuess. It il merely au Interesting bit of history of a valuable piece of property. To one man it served as a place for Tim mzor-backs to root around Ïtn fto,another it.d its rich resources of d u*kjt diamonds."

(CopyrigAt. f R URAL LIFE. BY A SON OF THE SOIL. On FBHDIHO Tubxets. Turkey rearing is yearly becoming more popular in different parts of the country, the ignorance so common a few years ago as to how they are best managed having been removed by education in the best methods of rearing. After all, they are easily brought to perfection, and, once south country farmers can be induced to take up the variety-a most profitable one-there is little doubt that the industry of turkey fattening will not long be practically confined to the east and north-west of England. At the present time, indeed, I know a lady on the borders of Mon- mouthshire who has been wonderfully successful with her turkeys, and it is only a few years j since she made a start. The number of orders she has to execute within the next few months would surprise all but those who have tested for themselves the value of the turkey as a profit- producer. Many roarers &hew by the appearance of the young poults that they have not yet learnt what food is best suited for the quaint little birds. The American method io undoubtedly the mcat effective, and a note or two on the subject may not be amiss. Turkeys are among our earliest feeders, for less than twenty-four hours after hatching they will be found eager for breakfast, which, for the first few days, should consist of curds and stale bread soaked A 1VPICAL TUKXKY. in milk or water and squeezed as dry as possible. An onion or two chopped fine, and a hard-boiled egg mixed with the food, will be found very acceptable to the newly-hatched poults, but, as they get stronger, the food can be made up of coarser materials. Corn and oat cbop, chopped wheat, broken rice, &c., can be used to make a coarse bread, or, as they get more accustomed to the food, any of the cereals named can be cracked and fed without any further preparation. The greatest possible care must be taken not to overfeed the youngsters, for they are great gorgers, and their digestive system can very easily be ruined by lack of attention to this detail. Meat food may be given occasionally, but not so often as to cause any bowel trouble. Turkeys do not stand confinement well. At times the young can be kept in a small enclosure for several weeks and all live, while, again, all of a flock will be lost in less than a fortnight's close confinement. I find it best to give saine liberty, even if it is wet and bad, and the hens will drag their poults about in the wet. Some may die, but when confined the chaooes are that all will die. A CABINET CRRAMER. Inquiries received by me respecting a creamer are best replied to by giving a description of one which for some time has been in use in many of the best dairies in the country. This apparatus has been aptly designated a dairy in a nutshell. The cows are milked into a pail with a strainer in the spout, and the milk, as soon as possible after being drawn from the udder, ia strained into the can, or container, and, by the closing of the lid, is excluded from the air, thus j ensuring uniform cream. Each can being sur- rounded with cold water, the germs are, it is said, arretted "before they develop to any objectk ,1", size." Twelve hours after the milk L 1 n ^trained into the container the cream !;■». ss. Each can, or container, is made cor-i terminating in a draw-off tall. Thus a.'1 sediment or impurities in the milk A CBXAXEB. I settle to the tap, and are drawn off with the first draught of milk, leaving behind pure cream. A glass panel is placed immediately above the tap, which shews when the cream makes its descent, when the tap is immediately turned off, and thus the skimming is done io a moment. The process, it is claimed, is a perfect deodoriser of the milk. and also prevents it from absorbing outside taints or odours. Further, the butter thus produced commands a better price in the market, the quantity is increased, and the quality never varies. I am assured that 25 per cent. more cream is gained in twelve hours than in thirty-six hours by using pans or leads. Cleaning BBOWN Field BooTs. To clean the brown boots so much used in tramping or wheeling: Remove all dirt and Pi mud by means of warm soapy water. Set the boots aside to dry gradually, not near the fire; then, when perfectly dry, examine them care- fully, and remove any stains by a little lemon juice applied with a soft rag, after which dry them again thoroughly. Polishes or pastes may be applied with a soft sponge, and after rubbing < well into the leather the boot is rubbed with an I old silk handkerchief or a polishinir. glove. In t case the boots are encrusted with mu4 which has been permitted to dry on, a aheap, strong. Japanese wooden paper-knife will remove the t dirt without risking the leather; and if a high, t polish be desired, the smooth side r of a dev'V shank bone—procurable almost anflwhwo ■ may be used as a burnisher. Thb Us. AND VALUE of Lftra Water. The value of lime water as a purifier^ a dis- infectant, and a germicide is net -generally • known, says Mr. B. Crowe,««wtant dairy expert is Victoria, Australia. Its adaptability for use in dairying places is ■far ahead of other things in that fine. The chief points of advantage-are its cheapness r ease of application, efficiency, and barmlessness; f jr it ia not poisonous, as many disinfectants are. No remedy is known that will permanently sweeten a badly contaminated churn, which should be destroyed. To prevent a churn from going off, it should be filled periodically, say once a week, right op to tbe top with: lime water, and let stand over- night.. This water may be used again to wash Walls, floors, &c. To make lime wateiv put a To prevent a churn from going off, it should be filled periodically, say once a week, right op to the top with; lime water, and let stand over- night.. This water may be used again to wash Walls, floors, &c. To make lime wateiv put a quantity of unslaked lime into a tank or barrel. ¡ Fill up with water, then stir well. Alter settling the water will be cleaz, with a scum (carbonate lime)-oalhe surface. Use the clear water I without disturbing the,lime in the bottom. I Wbea.emptied All up again with water 1M stir, I then leave to settle; and so on. The quaatityj of lime may- serve (or many fillings of the VtXael J with water. As long as the carbonate of lime appears on the surface after settlij)gdt may be considered of sufficient strength. Every factory should have, a'tank in a high position with taps laid cc to plao" required. Lime water ahould be used by all milk suppliers to rinse buckets and mttk eaaeafter cleaning. Thecamoofmilk turning sew lnzans quickly is often .ooount baoori*ie#, in vessels used. A is t:wiu demonstrate this to be tmft-,LL Iwo one vaw-after cleaning, with lime water, and after leaving the cover on for some tiflMt, conemm wi%>nrthsr whiob not beep rinsed .vn^iuae.»xtfflrfc æag tn r rovpT on tat also. Again, if we take two cans, one t le&nsei in the former way and one in the lacter, ft will be found that milk will keep mu \-0 be iu the one treated with lime th»n ill t' t ofhac, Buddito aim LAYBuivg. "1 A writer in. the Rural World makes the follo^K ing very seasonable remarks on budding «■ £ g lavering: In operating for T shield or huddi di take a shoot from tha tree from which the bwS t are to be worked, and cut off the leaves a* haB the length of the leaf stalk. Make a trans veil incision through the bark at a in the stock AJ and from the middle of this make a longi udinsl one a b. A bud should next be removed rntEt shoot by taking the latter in the left h;, ud anf entering the knife about half an inch b(,I,ivv bud, more or less, according to the si?~ £ 2 stock and of the shoot. With a clean sloping <a3 pass the knife upwards and inwards till Ig the bud, and then slope outwards, so that eye may be nearly in the middle of the piece shield thus detached, or rather nearer its upper £ uu, an shewu in the figure. Tn doing thie knife will necessarily cut off a slice of the wood along with the bud; this is usually removed, but it is sometimes retained. To remove it > B CIDI ING. turn the cut surface upwards, holding the pieof between the forefinger and thumb of the Isle hand, enter the point of the knife between tijil inner bark and upper extremity of the wood at e,' raise this extremity a little, so that it can bi laid hold of between the point of the knife an4 the edge of the nail of the thumb, and thil, with a sort of twitch remove the wood. But if; doing this the greatest care must be taken not to remove the base, or soft wood inside the bujL If on examination the bud appears empty, another bud must be taken off, and it will bt expedient to cut it more shallow and insert it without attempting to take out the wood. lag, serting is done in the following manner: WitB the thin handle or blade of the budding knife raise the bark of the stock A at each side of to# incision a b, commencing at the corners imm^P diately below the cross cut at a. In raising the bark the knife should not touch the wood of the y layering. stoolc. When the bark is sufficiently raised w admit the bud, take the latter by the leaf-stalk and gently introduce it, by the aid of the knife if necessary. Let the part of the shield « be s £ the cross cut of the stock, and keeping ws bud steady th the thumb of the lef> hand rat off the top of the shield, so that it may t closely to the upper edge of the cut at a. Tg0 bud thus inserted must be bound in with Aijs matting or worsted, and in doing this let care be taken that no friction takes place. Many experts now'insert the bud in the opposite direction, ». e., the T is inverted. Layering is a very simple matter. It will be observed that a branch neat the ground is bent down, a hollow having beea made in the ground, and that a tongue is cut 06 the lower side of the branch 4in. or 5in. in *«ngth, according to the sire of the branch, and Lhat a* hooked peg is puab«tl down to keep it in place, the upper po. tion of the shoot being tied to a stick, as shewn. The soil is filled in, uw! eventually roots are emitted from the tongue.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "P.I. P. "-Replied to by post.

BKJSKDING SUIRBS. Tke numerous Shire horse aalss which have taken place during the past few weeks have easily demonstrated the profit to be derived from breeding the best types of this more than evet popular breed. There is no doubt that the farmers nowadays who keep one or two breeding mares, and use the tiCtt sire they can get at, find that this department of the farm pays better than any other, providing they meet with a fair amount of luck. Losses, when they do occur, are mostly severe ones, and it is not wise to put one's eggs too much in one basket, but there is no doubt that Shire horse breeding has been the salvation of more than one farmer whom I could mention within :ny own experience in these days of milk, beef, and corn at starvation prices. I believe the good prices we are now experiencing for good, sound, heavy horses will be maintained in the future, and that money judiciously and liberally laid out in the improvement of the breed will be liberally returned. Of eourse, the end and aim of Shir,& henebre"ng is to provide, a suitable animal, for eur own streets, and so long as our Empireuexpands, and new markets are continually opened, so long will the heavy dray horse flourish in the land, notwithstanding the increased use of steam and.electric motors, &c. As regards other classes of horses, I believe the strong, half-legged" vanDer" pays to produce, as there is always a good demand for this class of animal at paying prices if they are bred with plenty,of bone, and they are always useful on the farm at any work-there is going from two years old up to fiv% -when they we ready to go to town at a paying price. Hunter breeding, except under favourable conditions, cannot be said to be a paying pursuit for the average farmer", -the taimal's education and maintenance costing too much, to leave any margin of profit, added to. the fact that in these cutting times there. are comparatively few farmers to be seen out..with the hounds, as formerly. No, it appears to me that a fair amount of bone and strength Ï8 the most market- able production, and anyone who; has three or four young-weeds running about on the land will come to the is a hobby better leItns of abundant capital.. Young nalr horses, as a rule, are a nuisance on a f arm;, whereas a strong half-legged animal, as; I have besure ssit, in. able to take his share in the cultivation crf the farm, and, as a rW* will make mosetfnoBey to the dealer. Of course, we cannot very well do without the more breedy animal, especially if living ten or twelve miles from, market, but, mv remarks are made [row,& coulinercial--pojltt of view.

ANSWERS TektjOfijMUSSFOlfDENTS. "W. S." (Coventryeplied to. by post. AIY score or so of> arnrrmmnilnnt who have written for the lianae aiid ieddressB of the in- cubator 'I.mentiocftii a treek ago are referred te Roberts and CO., JUCWAtor Works, Lyndhurat.

NdB.The Vtlter of Rural Life" will be pleased -to reply IMprrespondence sent to hhn- ttapngh tbev#ditor. Correspondents who rp,-amww by post should ^afe^ncV -Vd -Iddpomw&,envelope.

.t.erwiL,woe,r NUTRITIOUS COCOA, E1» PS' 3 GRATEFUL-COMFORTING. COCO A PMI MBtKniT Affi! 9UPPER.