The Rhondda Leader

The Adventures of John Bramwell Jones. (Continued). The morning's lessons had not pro- ceeded very far before Bram betrayed an unusually restless disposition, and when addressed by his teacher, showed his resentment in a, sullen and sulky demean- our. To all the teacher's entreaties to be a good boy and attend his lessons as all other good children did, Bram turned a deaf ear, and exhibited his supreme con- tempt for those good children by holding his hand up to his face and making faces" at the nearest girl to him, and at the same time giving her a well-aimed kick under the desk, by way of enforcing his particular opinion of good children in general. Having exhausted her persuasive powers upon the recalcitrant boy, Miss Williams, the mistress, sought to enforce her will by another method. (Incidentally I may remark that the method which I am about to explain was rather popular with school teachers in those, days with which this narrative deals, but I am glad to understand that this kind of discipline has fallen into disrepute during late years). Taking hold of the hand which the offending youngster held up to his face, the teacher, despite Brain's frantic attempts to remain seated, pulled him from his form, and pushed him before her down to the front of the class. Then, with an expedition and expertness which only testified too clearly to her close ac- quaintance with the process, the teacher laid the sullen and resisting offender across the first form, in full view of the school, and proceeded to undo his nether garments, Having accomplished this feat with commendable dexterity, she laid a firm grip on her brand new cane, and brought it down with astonishing vigour upon the youth's exposed flesh, that made made him literally leap with the pain which it inflicted. During the time in which this little performance was enacted, all heads and all eyes in the school were turned in the direction of the front form, and the gravity of Brain's offence and its conse- quent punishment was visibly impressed upon the countenances of the other scholars. Having inflicted this condign chastisement upon the rebel, Miss Wil- liams wound up with boxing his ears, and in the interval of each application of her hands to the sinner's youthful ears, inter- jected such unconnected bits of English phraseology as follows: Young man, will you do it again ? "—clap-clap—"Look here, do you understand English?"—an- other box of the youth's ears—" My word, did I ever see? "still another application to his already reddened ears—" I will have you to obey me, young gentleman, or I'll break every bone in your youthful body. I will not have you here to make faces at other children, and kicking them as if they were so many footballs. No! I will make you understand tnat I am mistress here, and that while you are in this school you must do all what I tell you, and answer every question. I ask. Do you understand that, young fellow ? Do you know that your mother cannot protect you here, and that you shall not do as you please? If you understand plain Eng- lish, please remember that! During this extraordinary vindication of her own rights and demands within her own domain. Miss Williams had grown very red in the face, and towards the end of her indignant recital had become very confused in. her terms, and especially was this confusion of terms apparent when she insisted of having an answer to such question as whether the young gentle- man thought she was a woman or a baboon," or whether she had been brought, up in the North Pole or under a tub in the workhouse garden, or whether he thought she was a raggy mummy" (which mysterious designation was sup- posed to have something in common with a ragman's daughter), or whether was she not a respectable schoolmistress, looked up to by everybody except by those people who never knew how to behave to their betters? Not possessing the requisite knowledge to answer all of these questions, or having not the least inclination to enlighten her as to his opinions about her state of being, Bram made no motion to reply; but applying his fingers to the injured part of his young person, where the pain was intense, he gave vent to his feelings in a series of howls, which drowned every other noise in the interior of the school- room. Bram's mortification being com- plete, his teacher carried him bodily out of the schoolroom and placed him in the lavatory, where, after many threats of similar punishment in the future, and even severer punishment if he would not improve himself, she left him, and locked the door, saying that he should remain there until half-an-hour after the rest of the school were dismissed. Left to. his own meditations, Brain's thoughts flew back to the lia^ days when, he accompanied his mother on her washing days, and mentally prayed that he might yet accompany her and leave the terrorised haunts of the school for ever. He dwelt on the humiliation which he had suffered at the hands of the schoolmistress, and that in sight of Billy Snooks and Tommy Savage, his two bitterest enemies. How they would gloat over his punishment and tell it with animated spirit, and many little additions to the incidents of the day, when they would gather that evening under the bridge which crossed the river! He shrunk from the consequences of Tommy Savage telling all about his treatment in glowing language to Edith Peasticks, the little maid whom he thought he dearly loved; her, with wholm he had shared many a piece of cake which lie received for errand running, and took a great delight in gathering pebbles in the river bed" to play with. How man- times had he shared the spoils of plunder with the little lass, such as apples, pears, and so forth, which he had stolen from people's gardens, at the, risk of thrashings and glooimy forebodings of whole nights spent in the- eells, of the village "lock-up," where rats and mice ran about, and where little children who misbehaved themselves were made to he down on planks, and suffered the rodents to gnaw off their fingers and toes. All this he had suffered cheerfully in the past for the sake of Edith Peasticks, and now Tommy Savage, who would like to have Edith for himself, would tell her all about the morning's business, and then ask her not to have anything more to do with Bram Jones, but to play with him and let him be her sweetheart. These were the thoughts which passed in the youth- ful brain of our young hero, and how greatly they mortified him can be best understood when I say that the prospect of his losing Edith Peasticks cost him more pain than that which was inflicted by the mistress' cane. Suddenly, a grand idea struck him (grand ideas have a knack of suddenly presenting themselves); he had heard other boys, boys who were working in the pits—doorboys—when they gathered of a night, tell exciting stories of marvellous escapes from prison cells and castle dungeons by means of windows, and appear before their mothers, or, better still, present themselves before their sweethearts, surrounded by that halo of romance which always characterised thoise adventures. Why shouldn't he try it. There was a little window to this lava- tory, and even if the height of the win- dow from the floor outside was not very great,, well. it would not matter just for the first go-off. Yes, that was the very thing. He would be like so-and-so, who escaped from that awful prison when the blacks wanted to roast him alive. The story must have been true; he had heard Tommy Murphy tell it with his own lips, and Tommy's father was a deacon in the big chapel on the square. He would get out and tell the story to Edith Peasticks before Tommy Savage came home from school. Acting on this sudden inspira- tion, bred by the thrilling narrative which Tommy Murphy used to tell in awesome manner, our young hero washed away the traces of recent tears from his face in the wash-basin which figured as one of the chief ornaments of the lavatory, and having wiped off the water with his penny handkerchief, he put his foot upon a coal- scuttle which had been left there in the morning by the school cleaner, and wriggled out of the window, fell in a heap on the other side, and moving along on his hands and knees to avoid detection, he reached the yard of the school, and made a bold bid for the gate, and so for liberty and fortune. (To be continued).

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Correspondence. The insertion of a letter does not neces- sarily mean that the Editor agrees witb the views expressed therein. All correspondents must write on onb side of the paper only, or their letters will be rejected. No letter will be published unless the writer -sends his name and address, not necessarily fen publication, but as a guarantee of good faitn. Lavis v. Lavis. To the Editor of the Rhondda Leader." Sir,—In your report of the above Police Court proceedings in your issue of August 26th, you state that an order was made against me to contribute 5s. per week to my wife. I shall be glad if you will con- tradict this in your next issue. The Stipendiary refused to make an order against me, and I offered to give my wife 5s. per week if she kept herself from the drink. She has not, done this, and more may shortly be heard of the case.—-Yours, et°'' WILLIAM LAVIS. 4, Ynyswen Terrace, T'reorchy, September 3rd, 1905. Is the Bible Inspired P To the Editor of the Rhondda Leader." Sir,—I remember when I was a young boy in a Sunday School, about 40 years ago, when a young man said that he did not believe that Adam was the first man on earth the teacher said that he was a disgrace to the Sunday School. At that time, if any man doubted the story of creation in Genesis, he was counted an Atheist, at once. The myth of the Garden of Eden, the temptation by the serpent, the trees of knowledge and of life, and the fall of Adam, which we see repre- sented on a Babylonian cylinder, is obviously an allegorical attempt to ex- plain the origin of evil. These philoso- phical myths are, however, very various among different nations. Ethnology, again, takes up a limited branch of the same subject, but one which is more immediately interesting to us-that, of the variety of human races. The narra- tive of Genesis states positively that every man in whose nostrils was the breath of life, was destroyed by the Flood, except those who were saved in the Ark, and that the whole earth was overspread of the three sons of Noah—Shem, Ham, and Japheth; that. is, it asserts distinctly that all the varieties of the human race have descended from one common ances- tor, Noah, who lived not more than 5,000 years ago. Consider the vast variety and diversity of human races existing now, and in some of the most typical instances shown by Egyptian and Chaldean monu- ments to have existed before: Noah was born the black and woolly haired Negroes, the yellow Mongolians, the Aus- tralians, the Negritos, the Hottentots, the Pigmies of Stanley's African forest, the Esquimaux, the American Red Indians, and an immense number of others, differ- ing fundamentally from one another in colour, stature, language, and almost every trait physical and moral. To sup- pose these to have all descended from a single pair, Noah and his wife, and to have spread over the whole earth from Ararat, since 3,000 years B.C., is simply absurd. No man of good faith can honestly say that he believes it to be true; and, if not true, what becomes of inspiration ? In dealing with the historical portion of the Old Testament, it, is important to keep clearly in view the distinction be- tween the historical and the religious and the moral elements which are contained in the collection of works comprised under that title. It is open to anyone to hold that there runs through these writings a certain moral and religious idea which is gradually developed from rude begin- nings into pure and lofty views of an Almighty God who created all things, and Who loves justice and mercy better than the blood of mules and rams. It, is open to him to call this inspiration, and to see it also in the series of influences and events by which the Jews were moulded into a peculiar people, through whose in- strumentality the two great Monotheistic religions of the world (Judaism and Mohammedanism) and the quasi-Mono- theistic (Christianity), superseded the older forms of Polytheism. With inspira- tion in this sense I have no quarrel, any more than I have with Archbishop Temple's definition of original impress; though, possibly, with our limited facul- ties and knowledge I might think evolu- tion a more modest term to apply to that unceasing pnrpose. JOBN JONES. 75, Dranmn Street. Tonypandy.

The Llwynypia Sick Fund. T. R." sends us a reply to Mr. W. May's letter in our last week's issue which is far too lengthy for insertion. He char- acterises the attempt to exonerate the committee as "futile," and the reason given for a bank declining to advance money upon deeds outside the Rhondda as "absurd." He says "there are other banks," and there are properties in the Rhondda of which the committee holds securities." T. R." thinks the invest- ments should be good enough to secure their value without, having to resort to commission agents." He suggests that a professional auditor should be engaged to examine and report on the accounts and value of securities. "T'. R." further contends that the invitation to general meeting on regular club night is useless, as not one-fortieth of the workmen could be crowded into so small a space." n. requires a fair and honest explana- tion of the position of affairs, and if Mr. May still declines further correspondence, invites others of his fellow-workmen to assist in throwing some light on matters, which he thinks appear to be intention- ally kept dark.

Council Employees' Outing. Following the wake of the indoor staff, those of the outdoor employees of the Rhondda Urban District Council resident in the upper part of the Rhondda held their outing on Saturday last, when about 30 availed themselves of the trip arranged to Swansea. Favoured by a gloriously fine day, the trippers made every possible use of the time at their disposal, and visited, among other places of interest, Mumbles, Sketty, &c. Food was par- taken of at the Devon Restaurant, Swan- sea, and the inner man was never more amply replenished. The arrangements were in every sense satisfactory, due to the energies of Messrs. Tom Davey, Ystrad, and Evan Evans, Treorchy, who undertook to the duties for the occasion. After a long day's constant sight-seeing and jollification, the party returned home by the last train, each and every one expressing keen delight at the day's enjoy- ment.

Attempted Suicide at Clydach Vale. John James Harries, hitcher, a young married man, of Clydach Vale, was charged before the Ystrad magistrates on Monday with attempting to commit suicide. His landlady said that at about 2 p.m. on Saturday, defendant came to his lodg- ings, and fell down, uttering groans. She asked him what was the matter, and he replied that he had taken poison. Dr. Morgan, Clydach Vale, who at- tended the defendant on Saturday, said that he groaned very much, and gave evasive answers to the questions asked. He first of all said that he had taken spirits of lemon, but there was no evi- dence that that chemical had been used. He examined his teeth, and found traces of crystal of sulphate of zinc. Witness had seen him prior bo this, and knew that he was irritable. There was nothing mentally wrong with him, and there was no suicidal tendency. To P.C. Thomas, defendant said that he had had a row with his wife that morning, but at the Police, Court defen- dant said it was done in a fit of passion and that he had been living very happily with his wife. Two friends promised to look after him, and in remanding the case for a month the Stipendiary advised him not to com- mit such a rash act again.

WISE AND OTHERWISE. Some men work overtim* trying to dodge hard work. After a man runs into debt he either walks out or stays in. The wise man who has anything to say to a mule says it on his face. "Papa, what is intuitionP" "Merely the feminine of suspicion, my son." A distant relation is one who is very rich, and doesn't recognise you. There may be people smarter than you are, but of course they dodge you. Quarrels of women seldom last verv long. They understand the art of making up. A. "Theirs was a case of love at first sight." B. "Yes; should judge that very little foresight was displayed." Pauline: "I married in haste." Penelope: "Well, I suppose you thought it would be better than not marrying at all!" Curious, isn't it, how much bigger the sum seems when you have to pay it back than it was when you borrowed it ? "Maud says she's wildly in love with her new motor-car." Yes! Another case where man is displaced by machinery." Artist: "I should like to paint your daughter's face." Mrs. Newlyrich: "H tr maid does it satisfactorily now, thank you." Slobberly: "Say, Bobby, can't you get me a lock of your sister's hair ? Bobbie: "Yes;but not just now. She's wearing it! "So you're engaged to the man I rejec d three times?" "Yes, he mentioned it; he said the luck of odd numbers was really wonderful." Mr. Dumhead: "Nelson was coming to call, but I told him you would be engaged this evening-" Miss Olemade (rapturously): "Oh, William!" Bluster; "Do you mean to say that I am a liar?" Blister: "I hope that I could not do anything so umrentlemanly; but I see you catch my idea." Father: "That cat made an awful noise in the back garden last night." Arnold: "Yes, father; I think that since he ate the canary he thinks he can sing J" Elsie: "Mammals so disappointed. Her cake didn't turn out as well as she expected." Tommy: "Oh, good luck I Then we can have as much of it as we want." "It takes three generations to make a gentle- man, they say." "Yen; the first makes the dough, the second makes high connections, and the third makes an ass of himself." "What's the annual subscripion to your paper?" "Fifteen shillings." "Is it intended for any particular class of readers ? 11 "Yes; it's for those who have fifteen shillings." She: Faint heart never won fair lady, you know." He: "True. I fear I shall never muster up courage to propose." She: "But then ladies are not all fair. I'm a decided brunette." Mr. Green: "Thatyoung Snodgrass seems like one of the family." His Only Daughter: "How so, papa ? Mr. Green: "Why, he looks scared when your mother's anywhere near." I wonder why this gun kicks so ? remarked the amateur sportsman, after missing another easy shot. "Probably it's kicking at your hard luck!" replied the guide sarcastically. Unwelcome Suitor: "That's a lovely song. It always carries me away." She: "If I had known how much pleasure it could give both I would have sung it earlier in the evening." AJgy: "So you've been taking Miss Haughtie out boating on the river. Rather stylish girl, but too reserved for me." Reggie:" Yes, I expect she is. I've just reserved her for life." Mr. Totterly: "Could you marry a very old man with a good deal of money, if he told you frankly how old he was and how much he was worth ? Miss Timely:" How much is he worth ? "I pity the man who can't learn something from his own mistakes. Now, that's one thing I can do," said Bragg. "Ah! You're always learning something, aren't you ? replied Knox. Mrs. Burden: "It's strange that a strong man like you cannot get work." Tramp: "Well, ver see, mum, people wants references from me last employer, an' he's been dead twenty years."

Gossip, The English Grand Lodge of Wales, I.O.G.T., is to be at Ystrad on Septem- ber 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th, 1905. There will be over 300 delegates from all parts of Wales. There will be several meetings held during the week, which will be addressed by several well-known temper- ance speakers. A tomperanco sermon will be delivered at the, English Congregational Chapel on Sunday afternoon, September 10th, by the Rev. J. Todd, Glasgow. On account of there having been such a large number of men lately reclaimed from the drink habit, we rejoice in these series of evening meetings, as it will give those people, and all generally, a thorough idea of the principle of total abstinence, as the motto oif the I.O.G.T. is, "Total abstinence for the individual, and pro- hibition for the State." The I.O.G.T. has and is doing constantly a great deal of work. It is one of the most universal Orders in the world; and no wonder that it should be found in all narts of the globe, because it states that the world is its field; and this is literally proved by its world-wide prominency. Young men in want of something to do, should join this Order, because it is not a monetary benefit Order, but a pure and simple temperance organisation; and there are many young men and young women, too, in the two Rhonddas who have reason to bless the Order, because it was there they taught to express them- selves in public, by speaking and singing, and it was there they had a thorough conception of their duty to themselves and to others. Set the church bells ringing, Peace is in the air." The great, event of the present week is the signing of the Peace Treaty between the plenipoteiitaries,, of Russia and Japan at Portsmouth. The greatest victory of the war was achieved at Portsmouth, and Japan and Russia may be congratulated upon it. Likewise President Roosevelt, who, by his intermittent endeavours in the interests of peace, has seen his efforts crowned with remarkable success. -+--+- -+- In the journalistic world, the triumph par excellence has been won by the Paris journal, Le Matin," for it cabled the whole contents of the Treaty long before the Treaty was signed. The feat of the "Matiii recalls the journalistic sen- sation caused by M. de Blowitz, who as the Paris correspondent of the Times," telegraphed the contents of the Treaty of Berlin some hours before its signature. The only difference between both cases is that while Blowitz telegraphed a piece of news which the people eagerly waited for, the correspondent of the "Matin" sends us news much of which we had learnt before. -+- -+--+- Strange things happen in our midst every day. We are reminded of this by a paragraph which appeared in one of our local dailies, which pointed out that the Education Authorities at Cardiff are sending out forms to parents residing within the district, asking them to sign a cross opposite one of two questions. The questions are to this effect: Do you wish that your child should be taught the Welsh language? If the person to whom the form is sent- desires that his child should be taught the old language, he is requested to put a cross opposite the question. The other question is to the effect that if he doesn't want his child to have a knowledge of Welsh, to put a cross against that question. Just fancy a town which aspires to the honour of being the capital of the Principality asking the resi- dents whether they wish their children to be instructed in the language of their country! -+--+--+- If I had any children of my own, I would much prefer them to have a know- ledge, and a thorough knowledge, of our own beautiful language, not a smattering, than to bother their heads with the intricacies of Latin and Greek, languages which they would have no earthly use for once schooldays are left behind. -+--+--+-- I see by the daily papers that a certain State "out in the West" are taking decisive steps with regard to flirting. A certain Judge sets down the rule that if a young man happens to meet a. beautiful young lady on the street, he may doff his hat. and even smile at her. If she ac- knowledges his salute, and smiles back at him. he may further ingratiate himself in her good graces but, on the other hand, if she takes no notice of him whatever, he must not pester the young goddess with any further attentions. All nego- tiations must then be closed. -+--+--+- I wonder how would this rule work out in the Rhondda. What would happen, say, if John Jones met Jemima Williams, who is by no means a bad-looking young lady, on Tonypandy Square, and he with all due ceremony took off his hat in recog- nition of her graceful presence, and she made no acknowledgment whatever of his attentions? Would he leave the young lady alone and pursue his own steep, rugged path un-cheered and uncomforted by her grateful words? I am loth to think so. I almost believe that nothing would prevent him from getting the desired interview with the young lady. -+--+--+-- They were seated in the dress circle of the Lyceum Theatre, Pentre. and William had parted with four shillings out of his scanty pocket money for two seats, one for himself and one for Lizzie Watkins. his best girl. Near the end of the third act. William's enthusiasm knew no bounds. The villain had been baffled at every point, and the fair heroine had escaped from death no fewer than five times in the course of ten or fifteen minutes. He clapped his hands until they were almost swollen, and he shouted till he was hoarse. By and by, Lizzie ventured a remark. William made no assent. Isn't it grand! murmured Lizzie. "Grand!" rejoined William, ecstatically. why, did you see the clever- ness with which she saved her father from the villain's dagger ? Oh! I didn't mean that!" pouted Lizzie. What, then? enquired William. Why. her dress, of course!" returned "Lizzie; and William's nose sought the companionship of the ceiling.

Strange Accident at Pentrei Woman Fall. Through a Landing. On Tuesday afternoon, a married woman, Mrs. Curitz, wife of Mr. Curitz. clothier, fell through a landing which runs at the back of the house. It appears that the flooring of the landing was in a rotten condition, and when the unfortunate lady, who is of a somewhat corpulent tendency, stepped out on it, it gave way, and she fell down to the floor beneath, a distance of 12 to 15 feet, and sustained a fractured thigh and other injuries. Drs. Thomas and Henderson were immediately in attendance. Her condition is considered to be extremely grave, as the unfortunate woman is also enceinte,