South Wales Echo

LONDON LETTER. — 9 i Specially Wired. By Our Gallery Correspondent. LONDON, Thursday Night. LONDON, Friday Evening. The House of Lords is not often fluttered by exciting scenes, but there was some excess of emotion to-night when it was dis- covered that the peers voting for and against the resolution for opening the British Museum on Sundays were even. For a minute or two preceding the an- nouncement of the figures it was seen that it must be very close. In the Lords the common practice is for a stream of Con- servative peers to emerge from one lobby and a score or two of Liberals to come in from the other. To-night the Liberals and Conservatives were mixed on this social ques- tion, and elbowed each other in either lobby. There was a considerable muster of bishops called together to resist the motion. Laughter and cheers followed the announce- ment that there was a tie-a rare conclusion of a division, though not unknown in the House of Lords. The effect was that with- out further process the motion was rejected. When a tie occurs in the Commons the Speaker is called upon to vote. But in the Lords, the Lord Chancellor presiding had already voted, and according to the standing orders, a tie is equivalent to a negative. It is a pity that Sir Wm. Harcourt should be prone to offend his own friends by the curtness of his manner. He has taken singular umbrage at Mr Jesse Collings, be- cause he brought under the notice of the House, and more particularly the Home Secretary, the case of two brothers who were sent to prison for three weeks with hard labour upon a charge of snaring a rabbit. It was an exceptionally bad case against the magistrates, but need not be here re-stated. As the simple fact, the Home Secretary being most unwittingly brought to revise the case, has been obliged to discharge one of the men, against whom not a tittle of evidence was presented, except that he happened to be working on the spot where the other man picked up a snared rabbit. In replying in the first instance to the question, Sir W. Harcourt gained some Conservative cheers by laying great stress on the fact that one of the two men was not a blameless character, having been seven times in prison for petty offences, which might be true, but which certainly had nothing to do with the case directly submitted to him. Yesterday Mr Jesse Collings gave private notice of his intention to put a further ques- tion on the subject, an invitation which Sir William met by strategically retiring from the Treasury Bench before Mr Collings had an opportunity of rising. To-night there was no escape, the question being among the printed list. All Sir William could do was in a surly manner to throw out an answer the curtness of which compares strangely with the ornate little speeches he is accustomed to make in reply to questions. However, the victory rests with Mr Collings, who has succeed not only in obtaining a remission of a week's unjustly imposed imprisonment, but in giving warning to amateur magis- trates exercising their brief authority in remote districts. Mr Gladstone itt now taking a comparative rest. He comes down at question time and has a more or less bad quarter of an hour with Ashmead-Bartlett, but he is fortunately relieved from the drudgery of pass- ing the Seats Bill through committee. Sir Charles Dilke takes complete charge of this, and fulfils the task with unqualified success. Undoubtedly the matter does not present so many difficulties as if the bill had had its birth under ordinary circumstances. Everything. is cut and dried, and there is no danger at every step of a party con- flict arising. Nevertheless, much tact is needed to keep up the appearance of free debate, and this Sir Charles displays. Mr Gladstone shews his confidence in an un- usual degree by absenting himself for the greater part of the sitting. A storm burst to-night over the placid surface of the committee on the Seats Bill, arising from an unexpected quarter. When the bill was introduced, no provision was made for dealing with the grouping of boroughs in Scotland. During the autumn session complaints were made of this, and the Lord Advocate invited the Scotch members to meet him and state their views. They, after some discussion, left it to him to formulate a scheme, which he did, and which it was proposed to graft on the main bill. The whole of Wednesday was given up to the discussion of this subject, and there was every prospect of to-night and Monday being similarly appropriated. But as soon as the House got into committee to-night, the Lord Advocate announced that, finding the opinion of Scotch members divided on the subject, he would withdraw the whole scheme. Hereupon Scotch members rose one after the other, and expressed their indignant astonishment at this treatment of Scotland. In their wrath they talked about imitating the Irish tactics, and since they are not to have their own way, preventing other people having theirs, but this is not likely to prove more than an angry threat, and the bill will plod along. The remainder of the sitting, at least up to half an hour after midnight, has been exceedingly quiet. The Scotch members, content with their protest, have gone away like sensible men, and the debate has ranged over the various local topics raised by the Amendments, but the Irish members are hovering about, and apparently mean mischief. They seem now to have entered upon a new line of tactics. They no longer, to any appreciable extent, obstruct business in the earlier hours of the sitting. The questions to-night, for example, fell below fifty, and there was not an undue proportion of interrogatories from the Par- nellite camp. What they now seem with deliberately odd humour bent upon is to kill off the Chairman of Committees, the Speaker, and such members of the Govern- ment as are bound to remain in their places till the House rises. They disappear en- tirely for hours after questions, and are, it is understood, taking their rest in anticipa- tion of remaining up all night. However this be, the fact remains that they begin about one o'clock in the morning to display demoniacal activity- They kept the House sitting till three this morning, and threaten to better this in the day Just opening.

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l" YANKEE YARNS. [ NOT NOW. Captain Jerome, while visiting Colonel Higgin- son, took a derringer from the table and asked: This thing loaded ?" But befoie the colonel could reply, the weapon was discharged, the bul- let tearing- away one of the fingers ot the visitor. Then the colonel, who is widely known on account of his extreme politeness, bowed gracefully and rejoined Not now, my dear captain." I IX THE SAME BOAT. Jud Clark is the son of Judge Clark, who owns numerous coal mines in Pennsylvania. Jud is a regular dude. Owing to the hard times some of the mines have been closed, and thousands of workmen have been thrown ont of employment. As Jud was taking a walk not long since, several unemployed men said to him :— For God's sake give us employment. Our wives and children are starving. All we ask is work. Can't you get us some work ?" My dear people-I can' help you; I, myself, have nothing to do. We are in the same boat." I A CONSIDERATE EMPLOYER. Colonel Farnum, a Houston undertaker, has observed that Jackson Coon, the coloured man who drives the hearse, has been going about with his lower lip hanging down, and exhibiting other sulky symptoms, so he asked Jackson if he had met with any disappointment in love. No, sah, but I'se down de mouf bekase you don't pay me moah wages." I give you low wages for your own good." How's dat?" If I were to raise your wages, you being a jolly sort of a darkey, anyhow, it would put you in such a good humour that you would grin and giggle all the way to the graveyard, and emit loud horse-laughs while the coffin was lowered into the grave. Then my regular customers would take their trade to some other undertaker, and you would be out of a job." I CAST OUT OF THE MAILS. In the Uhicago post office there is a one-armed man, whose duty it is to open :letters and packj ages containing urimailable matter and throw ic aside. The postal laws are very strict in their definition of what is mailable and what is not. Liquids of all sorts, poisons, explosives, inflam- mable articles, fatty siib-t.ances, live or dead animals not stuffed, live insects liable to decom- position, comb-honey, paste or confections, guano, and all other substances exhaling bad odours,come within the ban and arc discarded from the mail whenever detected. Yes," said the one-armed man to a Daily News representative, who found him examining a box bound with wire and holding a dozen live queen bees, I come across some queer things once in a while." Can't you mention a few Well, I might if I had time to think." He was given a cigar to aid the tardy process of his thoughts, and he said: "Well, a good many of these queen bees come through from California to different persons in the East." Do the laws not exclude them as live insects ?" "No; special exception is made in their case. The Postmaster-General was petitioned by a num- ber of gentlemen in Lower California who make a business of raising a species of bees, famous for their honey, to have them passed in the interest of bee culture. He granted the petition. A dozen of these queen bees are said to propagate in a very short time a large hive." Do people generally know what articles are prohibited by the postal department ?" "Well, you would scarcely think so if you had my position. I am very surry to say, though it is not an overpleasant one, that I may have to give it up soon. Still that is neither here nor there. I was saying, in answer to your question that a good many queer things come through the mails. The queerest, perhaps, are tarantulas and snakes. I think a dozen tarantnia.s must have been killed in this office during the time I have been here. It is singular that they were not de- tected when they were put in the office whence they were sent. They were sealed, however, and in each case the bcxes on the inside of the paper covering were marked 'tarantula.' They came to me as 'suspicious packages. As soon as I re- moved the wrappers I saw what they were. Then I took the boxes and pounded them with a ham- mer until I was satisfied the tarantulas were dead. For all I know they were dead before I beat them, and it may have been in some cases that I was not killing tarantulas, for I didn't look at them at all. The only reason I have for thinking that they were not dead is the fact that a tarantula will live in a mail bag when almost any other animal will die. Hundreds have prob- ably gone through without our knowing it. It seems to be a popular thing with people visiting Mexico, Colorado and Lower California to send them to their friends in the East. As to snakes, I have encountered them many times. They usually go through alive, too. They y .1 are mostly water or garter snakes. The limit on packages in the mails is four pounds, so that we receive none that are very heavy. Birds' eggs fre- quently go through. They are passed. I have thrown out Limburrer cheese, which comes under the head of odorous substances. Packages con- taining all sorts of animals in bottles of alcohol are common. I have a little corner filled with some rare specimens. A great many bones, hu- man and otherwise, go through. If they are clean they are passed. You should come around in holiday time and see the articles we have. It would take a day to enumerate them. Just imagine a large general and fancy store and you have the Chicago Post-office at Christmas."

ALLEGED IMPUDENT FRAUDS. At the Manchester City Police-court, on Friday, John Hawkins was charged with obtain- ing £ 30 by false pretences from Mr J. T. Warton, Skelton Castle, Skelton, Yorkshire. He I was also charged with obtaining a like sum from Mr Piers Egerton Warburton, M.P., of North- wich, and with attempting to obtain JB30 from Mr E. P. Bates, of Wavertree, Liverpool. Prisoner described himself as an agent and surveyor, carrying on business at 151, Ebury-street, Bel- grave-square. London, S.W,, but latterly he has Jived in Birmingham and Manchester. On Thurs- day morning he called at an hotel in Manchester, and obtained a letter addressed to the Rev. J. C. Warton. For it he gave a receipt in that name. A detective was present and apprehended him. In the letter was a post-office order for £ 10. Evidence was given showing that on Wednesday Mr J.'T. Warton, of Skelton Castle, received a telegram purporting to come from his brother, the Rev. C. Warton, stating that he had been sum- moned to Manchester unexpectedly, and had lost his purse, and asking that £ 10 should be sent him to the Wellington Hotel. The Rev. J. C. Warton waa called as a witness, and denied all ) knowledge of the prisoner. In the other two cases telegrams had been sent in a similar way in the names of relatives or connections of the persons applied to, and asked for money on different pretences. In Mrs Egerton's case the telegram purported to be sent by her brother, and a cheque was sent forwarded as requested, and was cashed. On the prisoner were found some papers containing references to these cases, and the names and addresses of a number of persons of position, together with particulars about their fiiends and relations. He was remanded until next Monday.

THE CORK CORPORATION AND THE ROYAL VISIT. The Mayor of Cork, on Friday, announced his intention of following the example of the Lord Mayor,by observing a respectful neutrality during the Prince's visit. A very large and highly influential meeting re- presentative of the county and city of Cork, was held on Friday, to take steps to give their Royal Highness the Prince and Princess of Wales a fitting reception on the occasion of their visit to Cork next month. The meeting comprised men of all shades of politics and religion, and very considerable enthusiasm was displayed. A com- mittee to prepare address and carry out arrange- ments was formed, and upwards of £ 1,000 were subscribed towards enabling the committee to make suitable preparations for giving their Royal Highness an enthusiastic reception.

CAUTION TO COLLIERS. A telegram from Vienna dated March 19th, in Friday Times, states that in connection with the disastrous colliery explosions at Karwin and Saarbriicken, Herr Rudolph Jail, the well-known geologist, who has made a special study of volcanic eruptions, publishes a caution to mine overseers. He says that explosions in mines usually coincide with, or follow close upon earthquakes and he mentions as days that will be dangerous in mines this year, all over Europe March 30th, June 12th, July 12th, September 8th, and September 24th.

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FACTS AND FANCIES. -(> PUBLIC BUILDINGS.—Taverns. "CALL TO Amis."—A wail from the cradle. THE CHIEF CONCERN OF FARMER AND TAILOR. -Sow and sew. PLAIN ENGLISH.—It is all very well to say that a man was hanged on a legal techniality but the rope usually has something to do with it. A GOOD REASON.—Irish witness for defence: Is it myself that understands the nature of an oath? Fa ix and I ought to Haven't I been twice tried for perjury and convicted ? SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE.—A little boy of three years, whose mother played the organ in church, and who was obliged to be left to the care of others, was asked one Sunday morning what his kitten was crying so piteously for. I don't know," he said, but s'pect the old cat has gone to church." LEGAL.—Two countrymen came to a lawyer to consult about bringing a joint suit against a neighbour. The first began to tell the lawyer the cause of the trouble, embellishing it rather liber- ally. Don't tell him any lies, Bill," interrupted the other. It is his business to put in the lies. You will get him confused if you go to mixing your lies with his." THE OLD THING.—An American nouveau riche, having purchased an ancient castle on the Rhine, with all the accessories, was found by his daughter, on the first cold day, warming his hands at a lire which he had kindled in a suit of plate armour. Oh, pa, what have you been doing ?" Replied the lord of the manor, with satisfaction, "The feller that patented that stove must have been crazy but I've made the old thing heat up D'YE AIIND?—At an hotel recently a man and a woman of Milesian extraction took seats at the dinner-table. Directly afterwards ayoung couple seated themselves opposite, and the young man took a stalk of celery from the glass in the centre of the table and commenced eating it. The Irish- woman opposite looked at him a moment with an ;,ir of disgust, and then nudged her husband and said, in a stage-whisper Pheirn dear, d'ye mind the blackguard eating the bokay ?" A SWEET DITTO.—Sandy was a country garden er, and, like many other country lads, he had a sweetheart. One night Sandy told her that he likit" her "awfu'weel." She simply respond- ed. Ditto." Sandy was not very sure what that meant, but thought he would ask his father so, next day, while at work, he said, "Father, can ye tell me what ditto is Ou, ay, Sandy replied his father. Dae ye see that cabbage?" Yes." "And daeyo see that ither ane, that it's jiht the same?" "Yes." "Weel, that's ditto." "Gracious guidness! exclaimed Sandy, "Did she ca' ma a cabbage ?" Vi IIY HE DIDN'T TAKE IT.-Not long ago an old pioneer who had lived in Texas in the days of the early colonists was boasting of the good old times. Why, sir, I was once offered a league of land for a pair of old boots!" "Didn't ycu take it ?" said the party addressed. "No, sir; I didn't." "Poor land, I reckon." "Why, bless your heart, sir, it was the best piece of land out- doors—grass five feet high, a clear stream of water running through it, and an undeveloped silver- mine in one comer And why in thunder didn't you make the trade?" "Because," said the old man, in a regretful tone of voice- "because I-I didn't have the boots." MONSIEUR,-A French sportsman with an empty game bag recently entered a country tavern at nightfall, and, with an air of gloom, bade the host serve him with half a bottle of wine. Yes, mon ami, I did not bag' a single thing," said he to the innkeeper. "It is the first time such a thing has happened to me in the course of my life." Well, if you are anxious to take something home," replied Boniface, I have a hare out in the stable that I would not mind parting with for ten francs." A hare? Dead ?" "No-alive. I caught it yesterday," I'll take it." The landlord led the sportsman out into the yard and brought out the hare, which he tied to a stake by a cord fastened to its leg. "Now, monsieur, blaze away I" The sportsman retired a few paces, brought his gun to the shoulder, and blazed away the charge took effect on the cord, the hare bounded lightly over the fence, and disappeared in the azure distance. Tableau

DISASTROUS COLLISION IN THE BRISTOL CHANNEL. A Schooner Sunk. I Arrival of the Crew at Cardiff. I About half-past four on Friday morning a collision, happily unattended by loss of life, but which involved the complete loss of a schooner and cargo, occurred in the Bristol Channel. On Thursday the schooner Hirondelle, of Brixham, Captain Cove, left Cardiff with a cargo of coal for Dakar, and had proceeded on her voyage as far as Lundy, when, at about half-past four on the following morning, she came into collision with the brigantine Mary Anne, of Newport, outward bound. The Hirondelle received such great injuries that in the space of some five or six minutes dura- tion she sank, her crew having barely sufficient time to lower their boats and secure a refuge on board the colliding brigantine. The latter at once put back for the Penarth Roads, where she arrived in the course of the afternoon, and the shipwrecked crew were then put ashore at Cardiff in their own boat. In the hurry and confusion attending the sinking of their vessel they were unable to save any of their personal effects,and some of the men being only scantily attired, their con- dition on coming ashore was pitiable in the ex- treme. The Mary Ann, after landing the crew of the Hirondelle, proceeded to Newport. Her bows, etc., are reported to be considerably damaged. -—————————

A CARDIFF LAW CASE. I Action by a Provision Merchant. I In the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice, on Friday—before Mr Justice Mathew and Mr Justice Smith—in the case ot Johnston v. Iiinsey, Mr A. J. David m°v<ed, on behalf of the defendant, a provision merchant in Cardiff, to set aside the judgment of the y court judge of Cardiff in L action brought by Mr Johnston, another provis.on Tnerchant, to re- cover the sum of £ 50, in refusing to accept the rujes nf t' -r? butter sold to bim 0n the 19^ f TVer" uool Provision Association, on the iy„h of Juiy last The trial reality 1 in a verdict for the plaintiff for £ 35.-Their Lordships granted a rule nisi. nisi.

LOCAL COMMISSIONS. I The London Gazette of Friday night contains the followiw"- War Office. Pall Mall, March 20th. 1885. MILITIA ENGINEERS. — lioyal Monmouthshire- Charles Montagu Crumpton Roberts, gentleman, to be lieutenant. VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY.—1st Glamorganshire— Captain Frederick William Aylwin resigns his com- Captain Frederick William Aylwin resigns his com- mission. VOLUNTEER RIFLES.—1 t Brecknockshire—Major Crawshay Bailey resigns his commission. V* morgan—Lieut.-Co Charles John Nixon Gray resigns his commission also is permitted to retain ms r nk., and to continue to wear the uniform of the corps on nis retirement.

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No. 119, G REAT PORTER SQUARE. By B. L. FARJ EON, Author of Si^n of the Silver Flagon," Blade- o'-Grass,1' Grif," &c., &c. 4 CHAPTER XLIII.-M. HOLDFAST'S DIARY. Thursday, 3i-d July-No news of my son, I see by this morning's papers that another vessel has arrived at Liverpool from New York. It left four days after the Germanic, so that, up to that time, Frederick could not have called at the hotel for the letter and money waiting there for him. I am growing seriously uneasy. He could not have mis- taken my desire for a reconciliation. What can have become of him ? He was in poor circum- stances. Was lie absolutely in want ? If he is dead, his death lies at my door. A heavy lot is mine. I shall no. er again know peace of mind until I and Frederick clasp hands once more in love and friendship. Perhaps the secret enemy in New York who worked against me—watching my movements and in some mysterious way becoming acquainted with every step I took-was working also against my son, watching him and misdirecting him, as I was misdirected. It is not an unlikely suppo- sition. As I was sent in one direction in search of him he may have been sent in another, in search of me. Thus have we been kept apart from each other. It is certain that, shortly after he called at my hotel, he must have left New York. My hope is that nothing worse than poverty has be- fallen him. I am appalled at the thought that he may have been made to disappear, and may never more be heard of. It has been the fate of many a poor fellow in that fevered city. I pray to God that my fears may not prove true. The people in this house are very quiet. They do not appear to entertain the slightest curiosity concerning nie. I walk in and out as few times as possible, and I have not met one of the lodgers face to face. A man might live here for years in perfect obscurity, and die and be buried without being recognised, if he pleased. There is no lone- lier city in the world than London. What is my wife doing? Taking counsel of her accomplice, Pelham, and debating with him whether she shall accept the terms I have offered her. She must accept them she has no alterna- ti ve but the alternative of poverty and exposure. A life of pleasure is before her; it is all she lives for, and the income she will receive from me will secure it. But should she refuse? No, she will not refuse. With such a cool, calculating villain as Pelham to counsel her, the risk of a public exposure is small. Friday, 4-th July.-The quietest of days. Since Wednesday I have not exchanged a word with a human being. No one takes the slightest notice oi me as I walk in and out. There is as little life in the Square as ;11 the house. So perfect is my retirement from society that I might belong to another world. Until I am finally and completely severed from my wife I certainly do not seem to belong to this. Still no news of my son. To- morrow my wife will be here, and there will be an end to my state of inaction. Ji, Salwday, 5th July.—The second interview with my wife has terminated. She could have had no intention of putting me on my guard, but she has done so, and on Monday I shall take a step which will prevent injustice being done to my son, in case he is alive. My wife came into my room, as on the last oc- casion, closely veiled, and with spirits as animated. "My love," she said, removing her hat and cloak, and throwing them on the bed, not a soul saw me. The servant girl, with her face as black as coal, opened the door, and asked what I wanted. 'The gentleman on the first floor,' I said, and pushed past her. And do you know I took the precaution to disguise my voice She wouldn't recognise me if she heard me speak in my natural voice. I did this for your sake, my dear-you are so anxious for secrecy. Am I not considerate ? I don't mind being seen and known, for I have nothing to conceal, but I must obey you. And how have you been all this time? Well, I hope. How foolish you are to remain cooped up in this miserable house when you have a comfortable home waiting for you I have expected you- upon my word I have; and your room is ready for you, with a nice fire always burning, and your slippers, placed right and left, just by your arm- chair. 0, I know what a wife's duty is. Let me prevail upon you. Come home with me now. I will not reproach you-indeed I will not. I will be just as faithful and lOvingas I have ever been ?" She paused for my answer. You are wasting time," I said. 14 You know well that I shall never again enter my house while you are there. My dear," she said, tapping my arm lightly with a pearl fan I had given her, "you cannot en- tirely deceive me. I have been thinking a great deal. I know what men are, especially such gay men as you. My dear, it is my belief you are a Don Juan. I had my suspicions when you first made love to me—an old gentleman like you fall- ing in love with a girl like me, because I have a pretty face, and bright eyes, and a lovely mouth. You were iond of kissing it once-O, you men, you men Will artless women ever be a match for you? 1 am afraid never, you speak so softly and promise so much. Yes, I have been thinking a great deal, and I know all about it now. I know why you have been absent so long I know why you come unexpectedly to London, and hide yourself as you are doing; I know why you will not enter your ho us a while I am there." She paused again, and half sullenly, half gaily, gave me to understand that she expected me to I challenge her knowledge. It is of no interest to me," I said, but it may bring us nearer to our real business it .1 aSK yon for information on these points." 11 Why," she said, with an impudent laugh, "there is another lady in the case, of course, who is to step into my shoes. It is useless denying it. Old men are not to be trusted. Come, my dear, make a clean breast of it. I won't scold you more than I can help. It is quite natural, though I have my feelings as a woman, and I warn your new fancy to keep out of my path. You;must have been a sad rake when you were young— almost as bad as you son,who made love to me in the most shameful manner; to me, his second mother." I scorned to pursue the subject. Wilful, wicked, sinful, and cunning, as she was, I felt that to a certain extent it would be as well to let her have her way with her tongue.. „ T When you have fully relieved your mind, 1 said coldly, I am ready to enter into the business matter which brings us together. But she had not yet done I'ie she exclaimed. BusIness-business- business How often are you going to use that word ? Is love a busmess, then? Yon can tell me, for you must have had hundreds of sad adven- tures. I have had very few as yet, but there is time for plenty more. My dear, I positively re- fuse to enter into our special little affair until you assure me there is no other lady i» the case. Compelled to reply, I said There is none. b'he mocked me with a deep slSb, saying "You bave taken a weight off my heart: and then in a brisk tone, And now, my dear, we will go into matters." She drew her chair close to the table, and produced a dainty little pocket-book, from which she drew and consulted some slips of paper, a few of them covered with figures. "Yon offer ine,slie hundred pound* a year, upon conditions which will cover me with disgrace, aUo ivr Pe(,i'.e point at me. Is that correct ?" 'Not quite, I replied. "You have omitted that you are to live out of England in any name you choose except the name of Holdfast. Your new acouaiatauces will know nothing of your past life." It will be a miracle if it is hidden from them,' she said betraying a method in her speech which proved that she had carefully rehearsed what she came prepared to say. I do not intend to live in a desert. If I am driven by your cruelty from the country I love, and where, with money, a lady may enjoy ail tue pleasures of life, I shall live on the Continent, in France, Italy, Germany, where I please, but certainly where I can best enjoy myself. English people travel everywhere, and I shall be sure to drop across old acquain- tances, or, at least, people who know me at sight. My face is too prettv to be forgotten. Perhaps you will admit that I cannot lose myself entirely, and that Lydia Holdfast, by whataver name she goes, will always be Lydia Holdfast in the eyes of casual or close acquaintances." I shall not relate my troubles to any one," I observed, as yet ignorant of her intention in adopting this line of argument, nor need you, if you choose to preserve silence." Have you not already spoken of what has occurred ? she asked, with a keen glance at me. "Have you not already selected confidants to whom you have poured out false stories of your wrong?" No man or woman in the world possesses my confidence. My griefs are sacred." How poetical But although we shall not talk, other people will. Men and women are so charitable! They don't like scandal, and hurts them so much to rob even the most innocent woman of her character No, no, my love I know the world better than to believe that. Not that I have ever taken away a character, man's or woman's, but then everybody is not like me, artless, and simple, and inexperienced?" No words of mide can convey an idea of the impudent manner in which she thus lauded herself,knowing the while and knowing that I knew, that she was speaking in mockery. If she desired to irritate me by this exhibition of effrontery, she failed. » T preserved my composure throughout the anw* 1 scene. She continued: "So tiiau my would be completely taken away, and ladies whom I should wish to be on friendly terJOS would turn their backs upon me. I should bØ thrown into the company of women who would not he admitted into a decent house, and of men whose only aim would be to pass their time agree- ably and play upon my feelings. My dear, I a j fond of good society 1 doat upon it anil 1 breaks my heart to think that respectabil^ would shrug its respectable shoulders at me. is right that I should put it plainly to you, is lC not?" Go on," I said "you have more to say, aø1 have come prepared." ) On, yes, i am prepared, you see. I > obli¡;ed to consult my Il<)tes, my poor little head is so weak. You remember how I used to salffog with it, and bow often you bathed it for me. Gold would not have been too good for me to eat then, would it ? A look would bring me at my feet you could not do enough for ine and now I dar» say you would like to give me a dose of poison- What courage I must have to shut myself in here with you alone, where nobody knows either of us. and where you might murder me, and run away- without fear of discovery It is the courage of innocence, my dear. Where did I leave off just now ? 0, about my being deprived of respectabl6 society, and thrust into the company of black- guards. And for this, and for giving up my beautiful home and position and forfeiting my good name, you offer me twelve hundred pounds a year. And you worth millions You mistake. My business is broken up, and I I' am njt so rich as you suppose." < You are a miser, my dear. Yod are worth at least ten thousand a year. I do not forget what you told me when you honoured me wit your love and contidnce. At least ten thousand, and I am to accept twelve hundred. My darling hus- band, it is not enough. Wherever I live I shall j. require an establishment. I have your daughter to bring up—the darlingest little thing you ever i saw You shall not see her now, if I can pr0* | vent it—casting shame upon her, as you havi done, before she has learnt to say Mamma • will do my duty by her—a mother's duty, and a father's duty as well, and I will bring her up ( to hate you. If you live long enough, you shall be made to feel it. And now, wnen she cannot speak for herself, I am to stand like a tame cat, and see her robbed She is to be made a beggar. Such a beautiful girl as she will be will have to go in rags, because the father who disowns her is 1. •' in,y a mean, stingy monster. I hope I do not offend • < you, my dear, but the truth is the truth, and had best be spnken. Yes, she will be beautiful—-but beauty and beggary Well, we know what comes of that partnership. She shall not be j compelled to sell herself, as I did, to an old rtioney bag, with no heart, and you shall not cheat her and me of what is due to us. No, my dear, i stand up for my child, as every mother should." "Tell, me," I said, "in as few words as possible, what it is you want." "I shall use," she replied, "as many words as I please. You would like to rob me of my tongue as well as of my rights. What is it I want ? An establishment—money to provide suitable home for your discarded child." How much money?" Three thousand pounds—not less." You shall have it; in addition to the annuity I have offered you." How generous you are What a pity you were not a young man when you met me first! We might really have got on very well together for » few years, until you were tired of me or I was of you. Three thousand pounds will be little enough to furnish with, but I must manage. Then there's the house; and living abroad is so expensive* It is like going into exile-the same as those dear French refugees. It will cost at least three thousand a year; I can't see how it is to be done for less. And to wait every quarter for the cheque' to pay servants, and butchers, and bakers. and dressmakers. No, my dear, it would be too harassing—it would be the death of me. So A have consulted a friend—a lady friend—you don » believe me? You think it's a gentleman friend. Well, my dear, I shall not quarrel with you on that point. Say a gentleman friend, ther, I'm not particular. He has advised me not to place any dependence upon a man who hal treated me as you have done. He is right. will not place any dependence upon you. I. not take your word, and will not be with a paper drawn up by a lawyer of your choosing. Lawyers are rogues they will oo anything for money, and you are rich enorgb _r'° buy them. No, my darling husband, it must be a sum of money down, and then we will OW good-bye, and agree never to kiss and be frieuas. It will be as if we had never known cacii other." ¡ (To be continued.) j

SERIOUS FIRE AT GRI0K- H0WELL. I A Flannel Factory Destroyed. Early in the morning of Friday a fire broke out in the Llangattock flannel factory, owned by Mr ) John Powell. When discovered about three f o'clock, it had gained considerable hold on the lower part ot the building, and every effort was made by numbers who sooa came to the spot to extinguish the flames. As, however, entrance to the interior of the building could not be obtained, this was im- possible, and the fire gained strength, until by six o'clock nothing but the bare walls remained. The machinery and stock-in-trade was insured to the extent of L200.

THE CRISIS IN THE SOUTH YORKSHIRE COAL TRADE. Our of 60,000 miners and others employed in the L South and West Yorkshire Collieries, 30,000 are under notice, and 10,000 will be added by next Wednesday, in addition to which Earl Fitzwilham, who employs a thousand men at Elscar and Stubbin pits, has intimated that next Wednesday he also will give his men notice. The prospect of the strike is not causing any increased demand, and coal-owners state that a month s enforced, idleness would be of great benefit to them, ooal; accumulating rapidly at the pit banks, and! railway sidings being blocked with laden trucka.

SERIOUS ILLNESS OF SIR WATKIN WILLIAMS-WYNN. :a •ii wa Williams Wynn, M.P., is seriously ( ill at Wynnstay. He is suffering from congestion of the lungs. He has been visited by Sir William Jenuer.

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