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r[AxL RIGHTS RBSBRVtD. ] W) t [TH"ËuuMAN HUNT. (n) By TOM GALLON, 101 XX Author of "Tatterley," "The Great Gay Road," &c. A\ CHAPTER IV (Continued.) THE SUBSTITUTE. 1 Boyd Litchfield, though with trepidation, announced his intention of going at once; and within a little time the two men set out. And it has to be noted here that there was a curious, subtle change in their attitudes towards each other — a difference that had not been noticeable before. Hitherto, Murdoch Slade had come to the house as a chance visitor, and had been re- ceived as such. Indeed, Boyd Litchfield had patronised him, in a way, or had appeared to do so, ft-r a long time past. But now Mr. Boyd Litchfield appeared almost to fawn upon his friend, and to be ready and anxious to take his advice. It might almost have been thought that Boyd Litchfield went a little in* fear of the other man. And, in- deed, this feeling was voiced when presently they sat in an empty first-class compart- ment, speeding on their way to Charnlcy Weir. Murdoch Slade leaned forward, with a hand on each knee, and looked into the face of his companion, "If it turns out to be true," he said, "we shall have waited a long time." A very long time," returned Litchfield, with a nod. "And you will have played your cards very well, my dear boy." Slade shrugged his shoulders, and sat up, and folded his arms. I always play my cards well," he said. I've played for a big stake in this case-for a girl and for a fortune." And when both girl and fortune are yours, Slade, you won't forget a poor old friend, eh ?" suggested Boyd Litchfield, with that anxious look creeping into his eyes again. Things have not gone well with me, my dear fellow; I may be said almost to be standing on the edge of a volcano. If the crust should crack, and let me throuoh-" I might be disposed to stretch out a hand and pull you back at the last mo- ment," broke in Murdoch Slade a little im- patiently. You'll have to leave things to me; I make no promises." Mr. Boyd Litchfield closed his eyes, and appeared almost for a moment to shiver; his face, as he sat there with his eyes shut, had a curiously drawn and haggard look. The rest of the journey was pursued in silence, until at last the little railway station was reached, and the two men alighted. As if by common consent they made straight for the river. It was a miserable, drizzling day, and Charnley Weir at its best was a quiet place; in this particular instance there did not seem to be anyone about. Perhaps both Litchfield and Slade had felt that with their coming upon the scene something dramatic was to happen—something immediately fol- lowing on the letter. So that, to find them- selves standing on the river bank, within twenty yards of the ruined bungalow, with the vague expectation that something was going to liapnen, caused each man to look at the other somewhat sheepishly, and as though the expected was not by any means going to happen after all. And then suddenly Murdoch Slade laid his hand upon the arm of the other man, pointed straight into the gloomy mist that overhung the river, and asked a question sharply in a whisper. "What's that?" "That" was a boat propelled by a single rower. There was nothing remarkable about the boat itself, coming silently towards them; but a long wake was left in the water, not from the boat, but from some- thing that was being dragged dreadfully be- hind it. The two men on the bank watched the boat coming, and for a reason that both knew, held their breath while they watched. Another man saw the boat coming, and that man was Rodney Manners. He peert-i from an upper window in the ruined bunga- low-a window that reached almost to the floor of the room in which he had been sleep- ing. That for which he had been waiting had happened at last; the shabby figure, lying prone upon his face, with his chin on a level with the window ledge within a few inches of the floor, watched the little pano- rama stretched out before him. And then siiddenly- he sat up, alert, watch- ing. Another figure had come into the landscape a figure so strange that for a moment he fixed his eyes upon it to the ex- clusion of everything else. For this was a figure that hid and dodged, and ran from cover to cover, and watched the men upon the bank; and it was a woman. She crouched along the ground, and ran from one point to the other, until at last she was quite close to Slade and the other man, and was able to watch what was happeuing. Manners puzzled his brains to know who this other figure could be. That which had been towing behind the boat was at last brought up upon the bank and now the girl and the two men were peering nearer to see the thing, wet and awful, that lay there. Manners saw the two men bending over it, and whispering together; he could see that Boyd Litchfield drew away fearfully, while the other more callously went nearer, and dropped on one knee on the wet earth, and appeared to be searching in the pockets. Manners, watch- ing, could see him take out various things -and hold them up for Litchfield to see. And in the meantime the boatman had gone off in haste in the direction of the village.. Wlot Murdoch Slade was saying was that this battered, swollen, broken thing from the river was undoubtedly. the missing Rodney Manners; scarcely any need to examine the features closely for that. The hideous thing had been washing about in the river for some four or five days, and had been bat- tered against the weir and against piles and boats in the river; the face was not a thing to look upon without shuddering. But this was a man something of the build of Rodney Manners, and he had the clothes in which Manners had been dressed. Obviously the man had carried out his threat. Presently the poor burden was picked up by some men, and carried slowly towards the village; Slade and Litchfield walked be- hind. And then the girl came out from her hiding-place, and, to the utter amaze- ment of Manners, lying prone in that upper room, came stumbling along through the trees, wjth her face hidden in her hands, and making straight for the bungalow. And as she drew nearer the man with the shaven face knew who it was, and lay propped upon his hands staring down at her. He had started to go down into the lower room, and was actually on the stairs, when she lifted the latelt of the bungalow and staggered in. Whether with the purpose of hiding or not it is impossible to say; suffice it that she came face to face with that clean-shaven man standing in the shadow of the staircase. She took a step forward, and aied out something incoherent. Manners sprang forward, placed a hand upon her lips, and spoke her name. "Hester-little Hester Wake She clung to him; then, after that first startled moment,, sobbing hysterically, and holding him as thowgh elie would never let him go. And in that supreme moment of his life, when he felt that lie was indeed fthut off from the world of men, it seemed to him that a new joy was stealing through his veins, as he held her close and kissed the tears from her eyes and from her cheeks. "Thank God!" murmured Hester, "tha^ic God! Not dead, as I feared, but alive and well! My love my dear my dear!" CHAPTER V. THE MAN WITH THE NEW NAME. After that first startling encounter it natu- rally took some little time for Manners and the girl to compose themselves. Indeed, the I man found himself holding her in his arms, and soothing her, and saying pretty, foolish things to her almost unconsciously; although surely he had need at that time to cling to something or someone. "There—there—it's all right," he assured her. "Didn't I tell you before that it would be all right—Hetty. Was I so much to you that you could come down here, and coulct weep over me when you thought that I was dead? Don't mind saying what's in your heart now, because there is so much iu my own heart that only you have discovered I never knew before how much I loved you- how much you were to me." The rain was flung in angry gusts upon the windows; the place was cheerless and de- serted and falling to decay yet it is pro- bable that both were happier than they had ever been in their lives before. And yet Rodney Manners hadn't a shilling in the world; the forlorn clothes he wore had be- longed to a tramp; he did not even possess a name. "I never meant to tell you, of course," said Hetty. "You were ever so far above me, find I had to be content just to see you now and then, and get a nod or a smile from you, and know that you were in love with another woman. He heaved a quick little sigh, and then laughed. "I was never in love with her, my I dear, at all," he said. "I was in love with her position and all that she represented to me—all that I had dreamed about. Now I seem to have awakened from that dream, and to find myself the natural, human man again —beginning the world. And I am begin- ning it with a vengeance," he added rue- fully. She crept nearer to him timidly. "You'll have me; I will love you and help you and work for you-" "No—no—that's not to be thought of for a moment," he said hastily. "I can't drag you down like that; it would be the act of a coward. I'm dead—disgraced Rodney Man- ners will be buried away in the earth, and very properly forgotten." "It is you I love, dear," she pleaded, "and not your name. You don't understand what a. woman such as I am can feel; love comes to her once, and once only; and she never changes. There must be a way out for you —for both of us. You have done no wrong that should be punished in such a way as this." "No—I've done no wrong," he answered, after a moment's pause. "I was plotted against—all my schemes undermined. Secret operations were worked against me, so that everything I tried to do was brought to noth- ing. And to think I did not even have time to find out who my enemy was!" he added bitterly. "It doesn't matter now but I feel that I would give something to know who it was that schemed and plotted against me, and how it was that they secured the infor- mation they did concerning my business." Hester Wake closed her eyes for a moment, and leaned against the table; Manners thought she was going to faint. He put an arm about her, and spoke quickly "My dear girl—you are ill and over- wrought you have had a shock, and I am brute enough to stand here talking about my own troubles and forgetting yours." "I'm all right," she said, opening her eyes, and striving to smile. "Suppose—suppose you ever found out who it was that had plotted against you, and—and ruined YOU- what would you do?" • "I don't suppose I should be able to do anything, he answered shrugging his shoul- ders. "Because, you see, in the first place, this supposed death of mine, if I ever tried to come back, would look like a trick—just to enable me to get out of the way. Whereas it was quite an accident." I And then he told her of all that had hap- pened in that very place, what time a certain tramp seized an opportunity to secure a good suit of clothes, and paid for that theft with his life. She listened attentively to every- thing and told him in turn about the letter which had been kept back so many days, and I only found by herself. And white she talked he watched her' attentively, until something in her appearance caused him to make a re- mark. "Why, Hetty—you're all in black," ho said. "What has happened? "I—I always wear dark clothes," she fal- tered, with that frightened look coming again into her eyes. "But not mourning," he answered slowly. "I have lost—lost a friend," she answered, without looking at him. And like a drop of cold suspicion there filtered through the mind of Manners the remembrance of where he had found her, on the night of the murder of Arthur Bradshaw, and of how the police were searching for a girl friend of the dead boy who had been seen in the neighbourhood on that night. Here was another mystery, about which he would not question her at this time; for, strangely enough, despitfe his suspicions, that love for her that had grown out of his pity for her was a stronger thing than he knew, and overshadowed all else. If she knew more concerning the death of the boy than she had yet said, Manners believed that she was involved in it innocently. They began presently to talk of future Slans—if a man in the position of Rodney Manners could be said to have plans at all. How would he live, and where would he live above all, where and how were they to meet? For she assured him, with her plead- ing hands upon the breast of his shabby coat, and her pleading eyes looking into his, that they must meet—soon and often. "I can help you," she assured him. "Out of my great love for you I can smooth away 'difficulties; I can make a new world for you. Now that I know you love me, it will be so easy for us to make a little home together somewhere—perhaps in another country, and under another name. Only I shall know the truth, and no one else." "I can't do that-yet," he answered her solemnly. "There is so much to be found out; there are eo many mysteries which have to be discovered before I can take my place, if indeed I ever do, among men again. Only one hope is there for me out of this tragic business: that, unknown and unsus- pected, I can watch, aa it were from fhe grave itself, and see what is happening. Don't look so frightened," he added lightly, taking her face between his hands and kiss- ing her. "I have told you that it will all come right, and in my heart of hearts I know that it will. If it is any comfort to you to know that a poor waif, belonging nowhere, and having no name nor position, loves you, believe it. "I do believe it! And it is the most won- derful thing that has ever happened to mo in all my life," she answered. And so, in that strange way and in that strange place, they solemnly plighted their troth. To avoid suspicion she must get back to London, and must keep her great secret to herself. Therefore, presently he saw her go through the little neglected garden, on li?, way to the railway station; saw her wave her hand to him at the turn of the path, and so disappear. For himself, he had a duty to perform, and he meant to carry it out. The only difficulty, he thought ruefully enough as he turned back to the bungalow, was that great difficulty of money. For even a man with no name must be fed. Hetty Wake had fluttered about the little house, deeply interested in it and' in all that concerned him; she had lured him on to talk about old days, when he had come to the place in order to get away from business worries that threatened to crush him. Yet he did not connect the thought of that with a discovery he made that night when he went up to the room he had used as a sleep- ing apartment. That discovery was one of money. On the dusty dressing-table that had once been covered neatly with a pretty cloth, and that now was bare, and had a stained, smeared glass above it, he saw a few coins lying. He stood for a moment or two staring at them stupidly; there was a sovereign and some silver .coins as well. He went over in his mind the events of the past few days, and finally concluded that 'he must, after all, have been mistaken in supposing that the tramp had got away with all the money in Rodney • Manners' possession. In some moment of forgetfulness, Manners felt he must have taken the money out of his Docket and dropped it cn the dressing-table. And yet he felt that, somehow or other, he would I have had more than this sum in his pocket. He was not to know until long afterwards that Hester Wake, on that quick journey round the place, had emptied her purse of all it contained, save sufficient to take her back to London; and he wae to know it long afterwards in a strange fashion. The finding of the money put hope into the man; he could go on now for a time, and watch events. With that /purpose in view he drifted into the village, under cover of the darkness, and purchased some food, hearing incidentally a little awed gossip concerning the London gentleman who had troubled himself to be drowned in the river at their very doors. EhlCh an event was wonderful in that quiet place. Manners heard a great deal about the coming inquest and the people who were to give evidence. He came out of the little shop with his purchases bulging his pockets, and looked about him. The place was very quiet; only a low murmur came through the open win- dows of the inn in the tiny High Street. Some new feeling of peace had stolen over the man, some brighter hope for the future than any he had yet had. He had been wounded and betrayed; now, for the first time, he had come in contact with love at its best and its finest-love that meant abso- lute self-sacrifice on the part of a woman. He stood there in the darkness, thinking of that and listening to the low murmur of voices from the inn, glad of even that com- pany before going back to the bungalow. Suddenly, the door of the inn was thrust open, and two men came out. The one, a big burly fellow, with head thrust forward between massive shoulders; the other, thinner and older, with grey hair, and a moustache that was always being pulled by restless fingers. Manners recognised them in a moment as Murdoch Slade and Boyd Litchfield. He could not understand what they were Soing there, nor why they had not returned to London. He leaned back in a doorway and watched them. They were obviously bent upon some errand, an d that errand a secret one. As they turned the corner of the little street arid made towards the river Manners darted after them, and from that time kept them in view. They headed straight for the bungalow, and, knowing that they were bound for that place, Manners began to have a dreadful fear that he might have left something there that would give away his secret. He fol- lowed them stealthily—a mere shadow among shadows-until they came out near to the river bank, and went on side by side towards the bungalow. And now, taking advantage of his knowledge of the place, Manners made a detour and slipped into the little garden, and drew himself up under the window of the room into which he knew they must presently come. He had left the door swinging, and the way was easy for the visitors. Peering in through the window, Manners saw a light struck, and saw the two anxious faces bend- ing over a candle; then they looked about them. Through a broken pane of glass the watching man could hear &11 that was said. "He's been living here—for a night or so at least," said Slade. See—the remains of food, and a glass that's been used." "It's an uncanny spot," said Litchfield, with a shiver. "One feels almost sorry for' the poor devil, sleeping in such a place as this, and then going down to the river and lending it all. What do you expect to find here? "I don't expect to find anything, but I'm not going to take chances," retorted Slade. "A man like that sometimes discovers things at the last moment, and he was the type of man to carry out his purpose, and yet leave behind him some scrap of paper that might make bad reading for us if it were dis- covered. Do you understand?" "I've left all these things in your hands, my dear boy; I know nothing of business," pleaded Litchfield. I "You know something of robberv-and spying—and sharing of plunder—don't you?" demanded Slade testily. "You haven't had your share exactly yet, but you'll get it in I good time. Now, just bustle, and look about, and find what there is to be found." The two men began to search the house; I Litchfield in a perfunctory manner, and Murdoch Slade with some thoroughness. But they found nothing, and presently extin- guished the light, and came out into ths darkness. "We're flafe as houses; I saw to it that here was nothing compromising in Iris pockets when they fished him out of the riySr," said Slade, walking with his com- panion on the other side of the fence, within a couple of yards of the spot where Manners crouched. "We shall get his keys after the inquest, and I can go through everything myself." Manners stood there after they had dis- appeared, in a state of utter bewilderment. He had never trusted Murdoch Slade, chiefly for the reason that he did not like the man; but he had never regarded him as one who would plot against him; and to find Boyd Litchfield, the prosperous fat'her of the girl to whom h" had been engaged, joined in that plot seemed incredible. Was it possible, he thought with bitterness, that even Grace Litchfield had been involved in the hideous thing? Knowing well that they would not return to the bungalow after their fruitless search, Manners went inside, and had some food, and presently retired to rest. The next day- he spent lounging about in the woods and fields, and making casual inquiries in the village concerning the dead man and the time of the inquest. And a couple of days later, when a little knot of idlers had col- lected about the door of the inn at which the inquest was to be held, a man with a clean- shaven face shouldered his way amongst them and lounged in with them. The little upstairs room was packed to* suffocation with jury and witnesses and those of the general public who had come out of idle curiosity, together with quite a number of reporters from various newspapers. For this suicide, from the point of view of the public, was a verv important one. d (To be Continued.)
CHICAGO RACE RIOTS. I
CHICAGO RACE RIOTS. I Serious racial riots have occurred at Chicago, where 25 were killed and 500 in- ured. About 100,000 negroes and an equal, lumber of whites were in the zone of fight- ing, which raged furiously at the street corners and in houses. The fighting in the streets assumed Sf) jrave an aspect that the militia were called )ut, and used machine-guns to disperse the rioting mobs. A large crowd of negroes stormed the irtnourv of the 8th Regiment of the State juard in an attempt to obtain guns and Ammunition, but they were repulsed. Many individual encounters with knives and razors added to the casualties.
GOVERNMENT DEFEAT. I
GOVERNMENT DEFEAT. I The by-election in the Bothwell Division of Lanark reveals another defeat for the Government-the fourth this year. The figures are:- Mr. John Robertson (Lab.) 1.7,135 Provost Moffat (Co. L.) 5,96'7 Lab. majority. 7,168 1 The Coalition majority over Labour at the I last election was 332
A "LIVE" TYRE.I
A "LIVE" TYRE. I Writing to the North British Rubber Co. (the proprietors of the famous "Clincher" tyre), a motor-cyclist says:I have returned you an old motor-cycle tyre for your inspec- tion. This tyre was fitted to my Triumph Sidecar outfit four years ago, with which I have toured over 20,000 miles. I think this must be a record." Twenty thousand miles for one tyre would apparently want some beating.
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The Lutpn police inspector and two of the three constables admitted to hospital with injuries sustained in the recent rioting have been discharged, but one constabic is still confined to bed. The well-known German (fiii,-incier, Herr Martin Nordegg, representing the Deutsche Bank, is reported to have obtained from the United States a loan 10 per pent, of it to be deposited in foreign bonds.
I -PENSION PROBLEMS:
I PENSION PROBLEMS: I HOW TO SOLVE THEM. I By AN EXPERT. Demobilisation as it Stands To-day—The Present Programme The Order of Release-The Select Committee's Report -Sailors' and Marines' Pensions-Infor- mation About Special Grants. I FREE ADVICE TO OUR READERS. i ——— t All sorts of suggestions have been made as to the order in which men should now be released from the Army. The end of the national task is coming into sight, and the authorities feel that it will be better to re- tain certain broad and simple rules every- body can understand, even it individual cases of hardship are caused. The follow- ing are the rules of procedure: -(1). Defi- nite orders have been issued that all 1914 men, except those in India and any there may be in Russia, shall begin' their journey home, within one month of the signature of Peace-namely, by July 28, and that all 1915 men and meii over 37 years of age, except those in India and Russia, shall start for home within two months of the signature of Peace—namely, by August 28. All other men who are now desirous and eligible for demobilisation under existing regulations will start for home within three months of the signature of Peace—namely, by September 28. The above programme of release will apply equally to men who, although demobilisable, have hitberto been retained for essential purposes described as "machinery of demobilisation," but will not, of course, apply to men who, although eligible for demobilisation, have volun- teered to stay -on for a period with the Armies of Occupation. (2). All Derby men who joined the Colours for service before July 1, 1916, excepting those in India and Russia, will have begun their journey home by November 1. (3) All 1914-1915 men, and all Derby men who joined the Colours be- fore July 1, 1916, who are in India, will have similarly started for home by Decem- ber 1, if not released earlier, provided al- ways that no unexpected trouble occurs in that country. (4). All troop s in Russia who have not volunteered to join the Missions will have started for home before the win. ter. (5). As from July 1, no conscript sol- dier will be sent to India or Mesopotamia, and no Derby man will be sent further from. home than the Army cf the Rhine, Finally, says Mr. Winston Churchill in the memorandum from which I am quoting, it is hoped that it may be found possible to release in the early spring of next year all the remaining men of all classes who fought in the war-that is to say, men who em- barked for any theatre of war or garrison abroad before the Armistice was signed, ex- cepting always such as may have volun- teered to continue serving. It is impossi- ble, continues the Secretary of State for IVai-, at this distance of tiir.e to make any definite plans in this respect. Moreover, he sayo it must be clearly understood that if the Germans break out again, or if there are risings in India or Egypt, or serious trouble in Turkey, the before-mentioned programme will have to be modified. And here and there shipping delays may occur. But assuming all goes well, the authorities have every hope and intention of being able to give effect to these arrangements. Con- tract men are not released under these regulations. <- The Select Committee on Pensions, which has been sitting for the last few weeks under Sir Montagu Barlow, have now issued their first Report, in view of the urgency of the matters dealt with. If, as I think will be the case, Parliament accepts the sub- stance of their recommendations, some very material improvements, involving an addi- tional cost to the country up to about £20,000,000, will be introduced. Parliament will deal with the Pensions Report as soon -is possible, and may-be before you rea.. those lines, your daily paper will inform yon as yto their decisions. But I shall be in a better position to discuss this question with you next week. • • g the per?- The Order in Council regulating the pen- sions of sailors and marines disabled, and the families of sailors and marines deceased, is practically identical with the Soldiers' Warrant, except that the disablement pen- sions scale is the same for all ratings, addi. tions to pensions being made in accordance with existing regulations for the possession of good conduct badges or medals for long wrvice, and for time in ranks above that' of able seamen or privates of the Royal Marines. Further additions to pensions are made in respect of service at the following weekly rates: Men of 6 years' service and under 12 years, Is.; 12 years and under 18 years, 2s.; 18 years and under 21 years, 3s.; 25 years' service and over, 5s. In special cases grants can be made in addition to pensions to dependents. A sup- plementary allowance riot exceeding 10s. a week may be granted to a dependent in certain defined circumstances, on the recom- mendation of the Local Committee, where his or her pre-war dependence exceeded the present rate of pension. An allowance may al:so be granted on the ground of depend- ence before the war, provided that: (a) mere \Jias been an adverse .change in the applicant's circumstances owing to a serioua reduction in earning capacity, or owing to the death or loss of earning capacity of a piincrpal contributor; (b) where the income of the deceased sailor, soldier or airman would have permitted him to increase his contribution and (c) there is reasonable ground to suppose that the deceased would have been willing to increase his contribu- tion had he remained in civil employment. « It should be remembered that when a. pen- sion has been refused a special allowance not exceeding 13s. 9d. a week may be granted to a widow, provided that (a) the leath of a sailor, soldier or airman was con- nected with his war service; and (D) that the case is one of hardship. In such cases allowances to children are granted lip to the age of 16, at the rate of 6s. 8d. for the first child, 5s. for the second, and 4s. 2d. or each child after the second. Every dis- ibled man, every widow in receipt of pen- sion, and every pensioned dependent, should understand that the Local Committee was 'ormed for the sole purpose of being their friend ill need. They are not there to pat- ronise you, or to make it appear that they ire doing you a favour. You have a large range of rights under the Warrant, and it s the duty of your Local Committee to help you to get them. N. G., East Liss, Hants.—I am very pleased to learn that the advice I gave you hAs resulted in pensions being issued to those concerned. I am always glad to hear from my correspondents under any circum- stances, but especially when (good results follow on the work I am trying to do for "the boys and their dependents. C. J., Near Lincolil.-You should ask the secretary of your Local War Pensions Com- mittee to make arrangements for this exami- nation. You can get the address of the com- mittee from the post office. T. K., Kinsale.—As a result of my in- quiries, I learn that the account as ren- dered is quite in order. Our Pensions Expert is anxious to assist sailors and soldiers and their wives and de- pendents in dealing with intricacies of tho War Pensions System. Address your queries to "Pensions Ex. pert," c/o Editor of this paper. All essen- tial facts should be stated as briefly as pos- sible, such as name, number, rank, regi- ment of soldier, name and rating of sailor, particulars of families and separation al- lowance and (in inquiries concerning civil liabilities) pre-war or pre-enlistment in- come, present or war income, and full lia- bilities. Do not send any documents, birth certificates, or discharge papers, etc. Will correspondents please make a poin of sending their regimental number, rank, name, and regiment?
-------.. ? THIS WEEK IN THE…
? THIS WEEK IN THE GARDEN. 1 if "Fruits that blossom first will first be ripe. Othello. Layering Carnations.—This is an annual operation which keen growers of the border carnation must have done every year a bout this date. Place a little sandy soil, contain- ing ample leaf-mould, round each plant, pegging the growths into this when tongued. t Privet Cuttings.—By inserting cuftings 6in. to 12in. long made of the half-ripe voung shoots in a frame now, there is a great gain over those inserted outside in autumn. Rooting takes place in from three to four weeks, and if then potted off singly small plants of the golden piivet are quickly available for the window-sill and window- box. w Mock Orange.—Of the hardy shrubs flowering in June the Philadelphus or White Mock Orange is noteworthy. Good varieties are Yoie Lactee, very large flowers; Yir- ginal, large double white; grandiflorus, a tall bush, 8ft. to 10ft. high, with large single flowers; microphvllus, small leaves and dainty blossoms, very fragrant; and Lemoinei erectus, a dwarf, upright growing sort for small gardens. All these and, in fact, all the Philadelphus are readily propa- gated now by inserting cuttings, made of the young shoots, in a close frame in the greenhouse or cold frame. w Planting Broccoli.—Get the plants in- tended for early and late spring use into- their quarters now. An old strawberry plantation constitutes an ideal site. First see, however, that there are no strawberries left in the ground and pull up all weeds; then make your lines in the ground and I make the holes at the required distance with a crowbar. The ground should be in good condition if the strawberries have been well looked after. If the ground is heavy when planting, a little fresh soil could be placed in the holes round the roots. It is alwavs well to remove the tap roots of plants, if unduly extended. Perennial Gaillardias. — Among hardy border plants the Blanket Flowers, or Perennial Gaillardias, are important. Ladies who have used the flowers fcr table decora- tion are warm in praise of their attractive colours and lasting qualifies, when cut, in water. Sow the seeds tlinlv now in drills on- a border outside. Transplanting to the flowering positions may be done in October or April. <t <t to pro p a- Lavender.—This is the season to propa- gate sweet lavender from cuttings. Make up a bed of sandy soil in a sheltered corner, insert the cuttings firmly, and cover with a handlight, or dibble them in a pan or shallow box and place in a cold frame. There are several sorts 111 addition to the common kind, Lavandula spica. Grappenhall is a tall, large-flowered" sort; Munstead Early Dwarf is a low bushy variety for edging. t Leeks.—Leeks of a useful size follow where plants from a thinly-sown row are put out on fairly rich eeil. Plant with a trowel in deep holes, afterwards watering well in with clear water. Marrows Failing to Set.—Failure of mar- rows to fruit often causes anxiety. When several inches long the fruit turns yellow and may commence to decay, either at the stalk or point, and fall off. This is due to the plants haying been inserted iu over- rich material, producing rampart leaders which quickly shed their fruit. To counter- act this, stop the leading growths. It is also due to the absence of male flowers at the opening of the female oner, noit-fertili- sution resulting., Artificial pbllin-ation is sometimes necessary apart from this, especi- ally during wet periods. Lack of water at the roots may also cause this. Keep the growths so placed or thinned that sun and air can easily reach all plants. « Peaches.—From now many fruits will be ripening, and steps must be taken against the attacks of birds. Go over the trees each day and gather the ripe fruits as they mature. If this cannot be done nets should be slung beneath the fruits to catch them as they fall. Unless such means are taken many ripe fruits will be damaged. • # new bed has Young strawberries.—If a new bed has not been already planted, it will be advis- able to get the plants without delay. Where they have been put out, a good deal of attention May tO Hefces«ary during dry foeUs. Water will be required, and the soil must be r^tnovM with the hoe to keep down and prevent evaporation. Keep all runners pinched off and give a light dressing of scot. < < Raspberries.—Most of the berries, if not all, will now be gathered, and the canes should now have attention rather than leave the work to be done in the winter. Re- move large weeds, then cut out the old bearing- canes, afterwards thinning the younj ones to the requirements of next season's crop. Do not leave this work till winter if time can be found for doing it at once. < Potting Strawberries.—If these have not already been placed in the fruiting pots the plants must receive immediate attention. When potted place them upon a hard, cool base and lightly syringe them in the even- ing. Make sure that each plant is provided with sufficient water as needed, and as the plants become established in the larger pots they must have room for development. Each plant should stand clear of its neigh- bour, or growth will be weak and the plants unfruitful. Carrots.—Small sowings of the stump- rooted varieties may still be made. Select a piece of finely-broken up ground, to which liberal quantity of rotten manure has been lightly pricked in. Thin. sowing ensures roots of useful size without any preliminary thinning out. Vegetable Marrows.—Where it is desired to grow extra large vegetable marrows the fruits should be selected as early in the month as possible. Others forming should be removed, the selected specimen raised on a box or large sheet of glas3, and the plant liberally fed with manure water. Butterflv Flower.—The present is a suit- able time to sow seeds of schizanthus to raise plants for spring-lfowering. S. piniia- tus and S. Wisetonensis are the best hybrids for culture in pots and hanging baskets. Quite cool treatment is necessary at present, and in winter only sufficient artificial heat need be employed to keep out frost. Zonfil Pelargoniums.—Early August is a good time to insert cuttings of these plants ^or next summer's flowering. Both the "ingle and double sorts should be grown; the latter are valuable for vase decoration, especially F. V. Raspail, scarlet. Hermoine, pure white, Mrs. Lawrence, salmon-pink, Ryecroft Pride, crimson, Berthe de Presilly, slivery rose-pink, and Henry West, deep salmon. « Begonia Gloire de Lorraine.—Considera- tion must be given to the potting of this. Use a compost of equal parts of peat, coarse sand, and leaf-mould. Pots Sin. wide and 6in. wide are the usual sizes. This begonia1 is also a valuable basket plant. It depends en th, size of the baskets whether one, three, or five-or more plants are used. Moss is the best, material to line the baskets with before jmtting in the soil. t • m Dada Kale or May GrepM.—Tbit is 6M of the most useful of all greens for early spring and where not represented in gar- dens a few rows should be ? in ?it the earliest a ? ? "Ift,  -rr??""JTy; the plants r u F'er ea from transplanting in a large stage than many others of this family. # # i Onions.—During the next few days th< [ onion bed should have a thorough soaking J of water, followed a few hours later bv 1 one of liquid manure or fairly strong sooi. water to which nitrate of soda, half an ounce to the gallon, has been added. Beds so treated will give large bulbs of good. keeping quality. < Cabbage.—The main sowing of cabbages for use next spring should now be made. Avoid sowing in poor or badly-tilled soil. Sow in flat-bottomed drills not less than 8in. apart. If the soil is dry the drills should be well watered before the seed is sown. Har. binger is useful for earliest cutting, Im- perial being a good variety to follow on. Glory of the Snow.—The chionodoxas are dainty early spring-flowering bulbs for the cool and cold greenhouse. Grown in pots under glass, they flower three to four weeks in advance of those in th open air. Luciliae, sky blue, sardensis, rich deet) blue, and gigantea, grey-blue with large" white eye, all deserve attention.
NOTHING NEW.
NOTHING NEW. In spite of man's attempts to oatdo Nature, he generally finds that the mother of the earth has forestalled him. For in- stance, in the matter of petty armaments of a personal nature, the rhinoceros was armour-plated millions of years ago, and the porcupine and hedgehog provided with barbed-wire defences, not to mention the tough hide of the elephant, the shell of the turtle and snail, and the impenetrable husk of the armadillo. In fact, there is hardly a modern weapon which the big game hunter cannot show samples of, taken from Nature's armoury. Further, poison gas has its prototype in Nature. The skunk can keep off most of its enemies by the terrible effluvia it can create at will, whilst the poison fangs- of many serpents come under a similar category. There are also methods of frightfulness in which many insects take an active T)art. Even the device of sending up a smoke- screen is as old as the hills, for more than one fish does a very similar thing in order to escape from swifter enemies of the deep.
ELEPHANTS, IN DISGRACE. I,
ELEPHANTS, IN DISGRACE. I Reports state that the South African Cape Provincial Council have decided to rid the Addo Bush, near Port Elizabeth, of elephants because they do -more damage than they are worth. Naturalists fear that this will be the thin end of the wedge, and that elephants will shortly become extinct. Many protests are being raised which may put an end to the preseiit crusade against the threatened extermination of our long- trunked friends. African elephants are not as popular as Indian elephants, being less ready to serve man. They drink water from the farmers' dams, and spoil their crops, and make no adequate return in the form of willing service. But Indian elephants haul heavy weights about and carry men on their backs. They are not so forgiving as their African cousins, for if one does an Indian elephant a bad turn he will remem- ber it-and you-for years, till an opportu- nity occurs to repay the debt.
EVERYTHING DEARER.
EVERYTHING DEARER. From our experiences during recent vears we have learnt that if anything comes under the control of the Government it will be mis-managed on the one hand and be in- creased in price on the other. Consequently nationalisation of anything is not a con- dition to be desired. From Mr. Justice Sankey's report on the Coal Mines it is a practical certainty that in the next few years the mines will come under State con- trol. As we indicate, State control does not as a rule pay, and that is one of the chief reasons the coal owners have against the mines being taken over. The German Gov- ernment has owned coal mines for a long time, but they have not been a very great success. America can beat Us hollow in. telephones, and they are all privately owned. The cost of telephoning over there is very much cheaper than it is in England, a fact which makes the argument of people who are against State control all the stronger. The sooner we get the working I man to pick up his burden in union with those of the upper and middle classes, the better. Then with all working to one end we can easily do without nationalisation and the consequent inefficiency invariably dis- played by Governments and their depart- ments.
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Heligoland ceases to exist ;'s a fortress in a few days. It is hoped to establish a chair of naval I history in London University.
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Mr. J. L. Graydon, a director of the Palace Theatre, who has died, aged 76, was the pioneer of quick "turns" at music-halls. Mr. Idris Thomas, of Pontycymmer, who has been appointed manager of the Ebbw Vale Company's collieries, began life as a pit boy. Guernsey States, who have decided to buv IJerm Island for £ 15,000, have been in- formed by the Treasury that they must also take Jc-thou for another £ 1,500. N
THE POULTRY YARDEl)
THE POULTRY YARDEl) !tjj Helpful Hints for" Backyarders.9t By "COCKCROW." JHJ ) The attractions of poultry-keeping-quite apart from the possibilities of money making-are many, and aB every cottagei and small householder is in a position t( keep a few laying fowls it is not be won- dered at that the industry is as popular as it is. Half a dozen laying hens can be ac- commodated in a very small space, and iJ properly looked after will lay well and keer in good health and condition. In commenc- ing to keep poultry the best way is to pur- chase a few pullets at the fall of the year from a good laying strain which have been from a d gv the previous March or April. Such birds may usually be depended upon to lay through the winter months. If eggs only are required, it will not be necessary to run a cock bird with the pullete. By getting ready your place now you can casilv look round carefully for the stock you re- quire and start right away in the late autumn. I LOOK AFTER THE BIRDS. If you need your egg-basket to be full during the laying season you must keep your birds healthy. Unhealthy birds are obviously unprofitable. Often birds suffer ill-health through the ignorance of their keepers and often through carelessness. Whatever the cause may be, the result is the same. Many of the illnesses birds suffer from are preventible, and it behoves us all in these times to take the necessary 6teps to keep our birds in good health. "Preven- tion," you should always bear in mind, "is bett-er than cure." That is an old saying, but it is as true to-day as on the day it was "coined." It is to be borne in mind that half the fowls that fall ill, die, so great care with your stock must be taken. I CHOOSE EGGS WISELY. The health of birds needs considering even before they are hatched. That may, M the face of it, seem a strange statement, but if you look well into it you will see that I am right. What I mean is that you should only set the eggs of healthy stock. Eggs set from stoc that you can depend on bring strong, vigorous, and in all re- spects healthy chicks, and are much more dependable than eggs set from stock the past record of which is anything but good. Therefore begin properly by setting the right sort of eggs and taking care of them during the period of incubation. The eggs should be clean and the mother kept per- fectly free from vermin. If you fail to ob- serve the rule of cleanliness with regard to the mother, you must not be surprised if the young chicks become victims of the pest immediately they are born. I A DUST BATH. I A sitting hen must be provided with a dust bath. When she leases her nest it should be within her reach. It is necessary also to dust them with a good insect pow- der, and to sprinkle the nest with it. The coops in which the young chicks live for a time after their arrival into the world mu-4 be kept scrupulously clean, or vermin will quickly gather in the nooks and corners. When rearing new stock, therefore, let cleanliness be your watchword. You cannot be too particular on the point, and you will be well rewarded for the little extra trouble incurred. f THE POTATO BAG. tlere is rather a good tip. Hang up potatoes boiled in their skins in string netting bags just out of reach of the fowls when they are entirely shut up. This pro- vides both wholesome food and exercise. Vary the ^jtatoes with cabbage, grass, and ether greenstuff and when you give these tutors during the day in this way omit them from the mash, or at least reduce t.he proportion. Birds that are being fattened or quite young growing stock need not be safeguarded thus; only laying hens or pul- lets over five months are likely to be made over-fat for their work by a too generous allowance of the "murphy." During the hot weather renew the water supply twice daily if possible, rubbing the slime off the inside of the receptacle before refilling it. Don't forget to stand the vessel close to a wall or shed which has the sun behind it during the heat of the day, so that it ie shaded. I VALUE OF LIGHT. Always remember that light, being one of the greatest purifiers, should be given free access to the poultry-house, therefore it is a great advantage to have a large window placed in position in the shed. A plac-I which is always dark is extremely diflicuJ to keep pure and sweet, while it is equallj x difficult to keep dry. A reason why so many poultry-houses fail in this respect is because when one looks into the house the door is open and the place looks quite light. The true test is to enter the house and close the door. The wiudow should be at least 18in. square, and if 2ft., all the better, It should be made to open and shut, so that during the warm weather it may remain open. To prevent the birds from escaping, wire netting should be fastened on the in- ner side of the window-frame. J FATTENING UP. It is well to Iemember that where there are surpius cockerels intended for the table they should be cooped and fed on soft food prior to being killed. If birds are sent to 4 the table that have- been fed heavilv on grain a dryness and stringiness of theW flesh will be noticeable. Confinement to close quarters and a mash dietry has a softening effect upon bodily tissue, rendering it juicy and palatable. To attain the best results supply soft food twice daily, consisting of ground oats or a mixture of barley meal and sharps, the meals to be mixed to a pastelike (consistency by the addition of sour skim milk or whole milk in a SOUr and diluted condition. Potatoea. may be added to the mash occasionally. Flowers of sul- phur should be added 'to the food, say, twice a week to keep the blood in order, and supply sharp grit. After three weeks of this treatment a marked effect will be ap- parent, especially in the case of heavy birds. (SELLING THE COCKERELS. The time has come when the cockerels of the earlier hatches will have to be thinned out. They should be ready, and their room will be an advantage to the younger broods and the other stocks. Poulterers are pay- ing good prices for well-fleshed birds, but if a direct local sale can be made direct to consumers a better price can be made as, of course, the poulterer must have a profit or he could not keep on, and the same thing, or worse, applies if sold to the travelling higgler. Killing and plucking for a retail trade is easv with practice, and pays well for the trouble (says a writer in "Farm, Field, and Fireside"). There are, too, often a class of consumers who will buy in the feathers and do the plucking them- senes in order to get table chickens direct from the farm, where they can rely on them. Many buyers are not experts at tel- ling the age of' a fowl-at all events, not till they come to eat it!-and they like to buy where they can be sure they are get- ting a well-fed youngster.