Abergavenny Chronicle

WAR PENSION BONUSES. In consideration of the high cost of living the War Cabinet has decided that, for the period from November 1, 1918, to June 30, 1919, a war bonus of 20 per cent, shall be added to the ordinary war pensions granted for disablement or death due to war service of disabled men and their children, and the widows and children of deceased men. The increase will apply to treatment and, training allowances fo-r families, and also to those for 'men themselves, except men in, institutions who pay only the nominal sum of 7s. a week for their maintenance. With. certain restrictions it will also -apply to dependents' pensions. The bonus will not apply to alternative pensions, but a widow may draw ordinary pension and allowances for her children white the bonus makes the total higher than the alternative pension.

HOW BOTTLES ARE MADE. In many glass-works, especially thosf equipped for the manufacture of medicine. bottles and similar small goods, the old- fashioned type of furnace is still in use. This furnace consists of a series of smelting-pots, arranged symmetrically in a fireproof brick casing, and heated from all sides by direct fire. These pats are charged and used siie- cessively. ^When the glass ia any given pot baa attained a sufficiently high temrerature, each workman on the shift in turn inserts a long, hollow iron rod, called a blow-pipe, into the mouth of the pot, and by a peculiar twisting motion extracts a sufficient quantity of the molten metal for the manufacture of a bottle. The glass is inserted into the neck of a mould, and the bottle is blown into the required shape. As the bottles are made, they are placed in the "lear," or annealing- stove. This is to defer the cooling, and to prevent uneven tensions in their walls. The "le&r consists of a long tube or tunnel, highly heated at one end, and- gradually de- creasing in temperature to the other. The bottles are dropped into square trays, and' when one tray is filled it is pushed forward to make way for another. An a rule, the cheaper class of goods, such as sauce and ink bottles for the "penny" market, remain in the "lear" for twenty-four hours.

STRANGE COLLECTIONS. Collectors gather together articles more »r less interesting, but probably few go in for such bulky objects as those chosen by a distinguished Britisher. Old doors are the object of his desire. His doors come from old houses, castles, and abbeys of historical interest. Some time ago he obtained, at considerable cost, a door through which, during the French Revolution, Marie An- toinette, Charlotte Corday, Dan ton, and Robespierre passed on their way to the guil- lotine. Probably nobody, of to-diy has a etrong desire to bring together" a great variety of teas andslluffs. Lor£t Petersham, ihowever, a noted man i,ii his day, had a hobby for acquiring various kinds of te., aiiii sniie. AllroCnd his sitting-room were shelves, an the one side laden 0 with canis- ters of Souchong, Eohea, Congoit, Pekoo, Russian, and other teas, and on the other with handsome jars containing every, kind of snuff that the collector could Jay his hands on. The Dowager-Queen of Italy is the possessor^ of an odd collection, one that has the in iest of association. It com- prises the t and! head gear of Royal per- sonages of different periods. It is said "to include a sandal Worn by Nero., a pair of white slippers that belonged to Mary Queen of Scots, shoes worn by Queen Anne and the Empress Josephine, and gloves that were once the property of Mario Antoinette.

THE LARGEST CHEESE. I tThe world's largest cheese, 8ft. in diameter and 5ft. high, weighing slightly over 12,0001b., was recently manufactured at Appjeton, W isconsin, the services of more than foufcy expert cheesemakers and thoir experieneSd helpers being required for the job. The cheese contained exactly 12,0001b. of curd, 3301b. of salt, and 311b. of rennet, making the finished produce weih 12,3611b., three times larger than the bi??e-St cheese ever before manufactured. The curd came from thirty-two different cheese factories, and the milk, 18^000 gallons in quantity, from over 1,200 farmers, was produced by 8,000 pure-bred Holstein and Guernsey cows, valued at 9300,000. The greatest care had to be taken to ensure t'he curd being uni. form..

COSTLY SEASON TICKETS. Seventy years ago, a "season" ticket .between London and Brighton cost XI(po. Subscription-tickets they were called in those days. In 1858 the first-class fare from the metropolis to Carlisle was 56s. 6d., and to Liverpool 45s. A first-class "single" from London to Birmingham originally cost 32s. 6d. Railway tickets at that time were slips of green paper, detached from a counterfoil. On these the booking-clerk laborieusly inscribed the passenger's name and destination.. Later on, metal discs, stamped with station names, were used. These were collected by the guard on the completion of the journey, and returned to the booking-office to be used over again.

Supplies of American apples nave arrived, and will probably be on the market in a few days. In order to abolish child labour, the Ameri- can Federation of Labour and otner Mganisa- tions are advocating the passing of a federal law to tax the products of child labour. Reporting to the Lancashire County Coun- cil, Dr. Cox states that. there appeals to be genera l agreement that one effect of the war has been to increase the prevalence of tuber. culeeia be all th belligerent countries.

I 1. HOME DRESSMAKINCI., I -I I A DAINTY LITTLE BLOUSE-SLIP. I ) For the firrlt time since the outbreak ol war in 1M4 we shall be able to keep Christ- t mas with something of the old Christina* spirit, and to feel that we can really enjoj our Christmastide now that the pressing burden of anxiety has been lifted from oui shoulders. It is quite evident that peopk are thoroughly realising this, for everyonq eeems to be making preparations for a gaye: Christmas season than has been our lot foi the last four yearns. Invitations are alreadj numerous, and will increase in number as the New Year approaches, and, conse- quently, evening toilettes-gown.s, blouses coats, and accessories—are more in evidence now than they .have been since the wai began. Now, one of the prettiest, as it is one oi the most necessary, accessories for weal with an evening dress or blouse is a very dainty and pretty blouse-slip, especially as I [Refer to H. D. 265.1 11 I the majority of the newest corsages are semi-transparent. Well, here in our sketch is just the very garment for the purpose, aa dainty a Blouserslip as even the most fas- tidious of women could desire. As sketched. the slip is intended for wear with a Mouse rather than with a gown, but by cutting the ncck very much lower, and thus narrowing the shoulder-piece to a mere strap, the blouse-slip would be equally suitable for wear beneath a full-dress evening toilette. THE MATERIAL.—First, about material. Fortunately, there are plenty of pretty fiihrics from which to choose. If you like the real lingerie type of garment I should advise the choice of cambric, nainsook, tarantulle, or fine muslin. But if you prefer something smarter, you _might make up the Mouse-slip in Georgette; er8pe de Chine, which mav be had in several weights a.nd many qualities; in chiffon, plain. or printed; in Jap silk; or in striple ninon. The majority of the newest blouse-slips are made up in coloured fabrics, palest pink, lemon yellow, champagne, delicate blue, or faint mauve, but quite a number of charming examples are also shown in white and ivory You will need 1J yards of material, 3Sin. wide, for the medium size. THE PATTERN.—There are only two pieces in this pattern, a front and a back, so it ii very easy to cut out. In addition, you will need two strips of material about 2in. wide, to face up the edges of the open backs. THE CUTTING O'UT. Fold the material so that the edges come together and lay the pattern upon it, as shown in the diagram, taking care that the straight edge of the front comes to the fold of the material. I- FOLO I I I -SELVEDGES Of b' MAT'Eo t- I Remember that no turnings are allowed for in the pattern, therefore you should leave about three-quarters of an inch on each seam edge, and ample material for turning up a fairly deep hem at the. bottom. THE MAKiNG.Join together the under- arm and shoulder seams by French sewing. Next face up the open backs with the two- inch-^ide strips of material, putting a wrap facing on the left side and a flat facing on the right. Next put on. the fastenings, but- tons, and buttonholes,, or press-studs, as you prefer. Now trim the blouse-slip in any way you fancy. The model sketched in our illustration is particularly pretty, and the trimming is quite easy to manage. Here a wide band of lace, with the upper edge vandyked, is plaoed on the blouse-slip a Couple of inches from the .lower edge and tacked firmly into. place. The material at the back is then cut away, the new edges turned in and the edge of the lace sewn firmly down on to them. The neck is finished' by a doubled band of material which is joined on to the blouse- slip by veining-stitch. A dainty narrolv lace is then. set on to the outer edge of this band, also bv veining-stitch. The armholes are trimmed in exactly the same way as the neck. Slots are wbrked in each point of the wide lace and a ribbon threaded through, the ends of which are tied in a smart bow in front. Finally, turn up a double bem round the bottom of the 'blouse-slip and thread it with IP. [ "w-. EVENING SHOES. I Quite the prettiest of the new dancing slippers are the models carried ont in gay brocade. These are shown in all softs of pretty colours, the brocade being almost in- variably shot or worked with gold or silver thread. The favourite brocades are bright HOV TCf OBTAIN Paper Pattern of the above BLOUSE SLIP. Fill in this form aad send it, with remittance in stamps, to 'MISS LISLE. 8, La Belle Safavage, LONDON, E.C. 4.. Writr. clearly. t Name Addresa Pattern No. PAPER PATTERNS, Price 9d. each, pdst free. PATTERNS cut to special ine&aare, tiff*ach* MISS LISLE will be pleased to receive suggestions and to illustrate -,designs of general use to the HOME DRESSMAKER. L blue and silver, peach pink and pale gold, lemon yellow and silver, rose and gold, and grey and silver. Generally speaking, these shoes are perfectly plain in shape, but are I ornamented over the instep by a beautifully painted gauze butterfly, a glittering paste I buckle, or a quaint little quilling of ribbon. I THE LATEST UMBRELLA. I The very latest umbrella is a practical model with a short and very serviceable handle, which is suspended from the wrist by a very narrow strip of plaited leather in exactly the same colour as the handle. The ferrule end of the umbrella is short and rather thick, and is made of bone or of some composition which looks exactly like ivory. The tip3 of the umbrella spokes are made of the same ivory white substante. Black, dark blue, purple, dark wine. and deep green fabrics all appear as coverings for the modish umbrella.

I WORSHIP OF THE MONGOLS. 1 Tbe home of many strange tilings, Mon- golia .is almost unique in the queer form that its religious activities take. Indeed, to the Westeirn mind, so grotesque are some aspects of Mongolian worship, that it is im- possible for us to see in them the slightest trace of religious meaning. At certain religious celebrations, the lamas, or priests, array themselves in the quaintest And often the most repulsive garbs. A,t#this p.rtcular festival great religions significance attaches to this curi- ous dance, for which the priests wear huge masks, not at all unlike £ he guy-faces" so dear to the heart of the British boy in November. In Indian file, and decked out in .gorgeous apparel, a certain number of the lamas dance to a queer music, circling round rhythmically alono- white chalked lines. These quaint religious costume- dances are very popular among the people. ————— —————

CHURCH BELLS NOT IN CHURCH. I At Levens the church bells are not hung in tho church itself, as is the universal custom, but following the fashion of the temple bells of Japan, they are hung in the churchyard under a small shelter resembling the roof of a lych-gate. When the time comes for calling the people to church the bells are struck with a wooden mallet, and thus give out a rich and meliow sound. The ringing of the bells in this way does not produce such a volume of sound as the ordinary .chimes struck with metal hammers, but thjs is more than com- pensated by the fact that the churchyard bells, hanging thus in the open air, are not impeded by four walls, and all the sound prcduced can travel afar without restraint. ■— —

I WHERE HEELS COME FROM. I Heels, it is said', owe their origin to Persia, where they were introduced upon sandals, in the shape- of blocks of wood fixed underneath, such being the root idea of those deformities to which woman owes so many of her woes. In Persia, the first home of the heel, however, these blocks of wood were used simply to raise the feet from the burning squids of that country, and were 2in. ltigh. With the Persian women these blocks were vastly higher than those affected by the men, their height being from 18in. to 2ft., thus bccomifig more of the nature of stilts than anything else. Strangely enough, many years after a similar fashion came into vogue in Venice, but the motive in this case was comically different, for by its means jealous husbands thought they would be able to keep their wives at home. The supports of such shoes in Venice were called "chapineys," and to appease the vanity of the ladies, and doubt- less also to sugar the pill, were made highly ornate. The height of these "chapineys" determined the rank of the wearer, an extra coating for the pill, the noblest dames being permitted to wear them half a yard or more high.

i I I DOVER'S ORDEAL. The inhabitants of Dover had a very trying time during the war. The town was attacked by Zeppelins, seaplanes, aeroplanes, destroyers, and submarine. The first bomb from a German aeroplane was dropped during the forenoon at the back of St. James's Rectory on the day before Christmas, 1914. The Dover anti-aircraft R"N.V.P. who were disbanded in 1916, were the first in England to illuminate a Zeppelin on August 9, 1915, when three sailors were injured. The Zeppelin was winged, and came down at Ostend. Dover had 113 warnings; on twenty-nine occasions bombs and shells were dropped in the town itself, and on several other occasions it was only the ter- i-ific-barrage put up that sa%vd the town. The first moonlight raid took place on Janu- ary 22, 1916, when one man was killed and two men, one woman, and three children injured. The record number of bombs dropped in one night was forty-two, on September 24, 1917, during a night bombardment. Sixty-one shells were fired, only one falling in the town, the others falling in the surrounding country. On February 16., 1918, during another bom- bardment, twenty-two shells fel) in the town one child killed and three injured, and a man and woman injured. The total number of bombs dropped on the town was 185j whilst the shells numbered twenty-three; four men, seven women, and three children beiYig killed, and eleven men, twenty-three women, and twelve children in- jured. The casualties to the men of the ser- vices are not available. The damage done amounted to about £ 30,COO.

WILD ANIMALS AT SEAl I The dangers and difficulties of transport- ing wild animals from foreign climes to this country are tremendous, yet considerable cargoes of this troublesome freight are handled every year. One English dealer recently came over from India with various animals to the value of at least £ 2,000. The weather was rough, and among the animals that got loose were a tiger, an Indian badger, and a specimen of the sacred Indian monkey. Several sailor endeavoured to catch the tiger; and af.;er being loose foi two days, and badly mauling one man, it was eventually recaptured. The Indian badger was loose for a fortnight, and no one could conceive where it had hidden itself, although it always managed to consume the meat and rice which 'was put out for it. As for the sacre d monkey, every time anvone ran after it, it went to The top of the most, and it was not before the end J. of the voyage that it could be^nduced to descend. A more dangerous experrtfnee was the occasion of a hyena breaking loose on board a ship from the PeMBap Gulf to London. The captain o:rdered e beast to be shot, but it could not be found. The crew became very nervous, and it was decided to leave food about and to keep the creature well fed, to prevent it attacking anyone. When the boat was docked, and the cargo unloaded, the creature was found in the hold alive and in good condition.

Special schools for consumptive children are to be established by the London County Council. The Board of Agriculture has arranged with the Sheffield Corporation for the use of land fbr experiments with respect to the effect of smoky atmospheres on the growth of pota- toes, and the effect of spraying on produce grown under such conditions.. Lov€ Kyllachy, who was a judge cf the Scottish Bench irom 1889 to 1907, has died at the age of seventy-six.

OTHER MEN'S MINDS. To punish the wrongdoer is an essential part, of the upholding of the judgment of God.—Bishop of London. THE MEN WHO KNOW.' If it depended on sailors and soldiers wars tvould cease for all time.—Admiral Six Rosslyn Wemyss. THE BURDEN-BEARERS. Our young men will have to shoulder their responsibilities at a much earlier age than in the pa-st.G-eneral Sir William" Robert- son. "VENGEANCE IS MINE." We now cry out for vengeance on the guilty, but do not let us forget that God has already punished more than any human tribunal can do.-I)ean Inge. NO DISTINCTION. Christianity makes no distinction in favour of the victorious against the van- quished.—Lord Parmoor. STILL THE SAME. Pessimists may be assured that the British are the same gallant, dhivalrous race they always have been.—Lord Shuttleworth. ONLY CAMOUFLAGE. The apparent stupidity of the Englishman is a useful camouflage in many cases. He looks like a fool and talks like a fool, but when he has his back to the wall he wakes up; it has very nearly ruined ns again and again.-Dean Inge. I A HEALTHY SIGN. I What is' called industrial unrest is one of I the healthiest signs of the time,3.Lord Leverhulme.. A"" I I I-  o;  EARLY TO RISE. I For a great part of my professional <.år1 I used to get up at half-past four. I came to the conclusion that it was a dog's life, and gave it up.—Sir Edward Carson. LIMITATION OF ARMAMENTS. The size of an army and navy reasonable for nations to retain should be fixed before the German navy leaves Scotland and the British Army leaves the Rhine.—Sir Edgai Jonee. AS A WARNING. Let the public punishment of these (Ger- man) malefactors be such that the ■frhole civilised world may know that a similar fate • awaits any future aggressor, and a great step will have been taken to ensure a per- manent peace.—Sir L. Worthington Evans. WHEN THEY COME HOME. The Government Wants to bring our .soldiers back to clean, healthy, happy British homes, not Bolshevist pigstyes.—Mr. Chnrchill. A GOOD TRAINING. Any woman who has been a guardian to qualified to be a disagreeable..and therefore a successful member of Parliaisent.^Mr. Birrell. A SHAKESPEARE ALLIANCE. If only for the perpetuation of Shakes- peare's works, England and America should enter into a joint stock co-partnership.— Hon. James Beck. GERMANY MUST P„4T. I am entirely for Germany paying every -I cent. of the cost of the war. Tenderness to the Hun is not, and never has (been, one of my faults.—Sir Eric Geddes. A TOURING 'PARLIAMENT. I should like to see the Parliament of the English-speaking peoples go the rounds of England, America, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.—Major Evelyn Wrench. IN THE SCULLERY. I In the new type of house the scullery must not have a cooking range, otherwise people will live there.—Professor Adshead. THE HOUSING MINIMUM. With few exceptions every house should have at least three bedrooms, a parlour? living room, scullery, end bathroom.—Mr. B. S. Rowntree. THE "GENTLEMANLY" TURK. Never again should the Turk be allowed to rule over one single soul in the world. All the talk about the gentlemanly Turk is the greatest rot.—Bishop of London. I STOCK IS MONEY. Our national Debt before thje war was £ 700,000,000; in t Prance to-day we have property of higher value than that figure. We ,hare enough railway stoek and material there to complete two of the biggest rail- ways in this country.—Sir Eric Goddes. I BISHOPS AND POLITICS. Bishops may bo estimable gentlemen per- sonally, but politically and collectively they are a curse to the country. They have no place in politics They ought to go back to the Church to which they belong.—Sir A. Conan Doyle. ) BRITAIN AND AMERICA. Friendship between the twon great English-speaking democracies is of- priceless advantage to this country, and, as I Hiink? to the world at large, and must on no ac- count be endangered or impaired.—Lord Robert Cecil. I THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. I believe a league WIll t>e required to superintend and control not only tae crimi- nal ambitious of great autocr but tq prevent any rash and inconsiderate conn- tties going to war. It is impotssible to tialk about democracies except for countries which have reached a relatively advanced stage of civilisation. The League could be a trustee for those less developed. Holding this view, I regard the League as the greatest work of the Conference.—Mr. Bal- f our. I ALL IN THE VAN. I Practibalv every country in tlle world I thinks it is" in advance of it3 neighbours—if in nothing else, in the position of its woomen.-Ptofeasor Gilbert Murray.

ZEBRAS AS WATER DIVINERS. A curious change has taken place in the habits of the African buffalo, says a tra- veller. Since the rinderpest deeimatêd the herds, the buffalo, which formerly came out in the daytime, now remains out all night instead. It S possible that this change of habit is a protective device, as the fly which, carried the disease is diurnal. The zebra has somewhat remarkable water-divining powers. A good deal of the African water flows underneath the soil and quite out of sight. The animals dig up the soil with their hoofs when they need water, and they have never been known to make a mistake in their quest.