County Observer and Monmouthshire Central Advertiser Abergavenny and Raglan Herald Usk and Pontypool Messenger and Chepstow Argus

GARDEN GOSSIP. I (From The Gnrdener.") I Fexm&-Aiiy stove or greenhouse ferns that stand in need! of increased) root room may now have their wants attended to. Take out the old crocks, remove as much of the old soil as possible, :and repot suiffciently low to enable abundant supplies of water to be given. Use the potting stick freely to firm the soil, and employ a compost, consisting of fibre and sand as far -as possible. Propagating Bedding Plauts.Cuttings of tendier plants will root quite well now if dibbled thickly into cutting boxes half filled with open sundly soil, placing a sheet of glass ais a lid! to the box when filled! with cuttingis and setting the box on the pipes of a not too warm stove. Lobelias and many others subjects can be safely left .after rooting in the same box until transplanted into flower beds, but with the precaution of supplying an occasional dose of liquid) manure. C,al-ce,olaxias.-Where the positions are ready for these and space in the frame is wanted, the plants may be carefully liftecl with a trowel and planted. It is well to examine the soil before lifting, and if it is at all dry give a thorough soaking of water. If frames are wanted, and planting sites are nest ready, the Calceolarias amy be planted closely together on a warm border for .a few weeks. While here they should be well pinched in to make sturdy plaints. < Tuberous Begonias.—These, too, should be placed in a structure or room where there is sufficient warmth to move the buds, in order that they may be planted shortly. Tuberous Begonias Seated as to planting like potatoes do splendidly Embed each tuber in a handful of leaf soil which induces early root produc- tion, and at lifting time they rise quite clean three inches below the surface is a suitable depth. Vines.—Where young Vines are to be planted and material has not yet been made up for them, no delay should! occur before wheeling it into the vinery, and) if moderately dry, as it ought to be, compress it as firmly as possible. Do not make up the full depth of border, but leave a few inches for matterial to place on the top of the roots. Be careful meanwhile to apply only a little water to the Vines. Keep them in a cool structure, so that tra. buds move slowly but strongly. Weeds.—This is the time when weeds as a rule get a start in gardens and make themselves a .nuisance off and on during the whole season. Nothing pays so well from the labouring point of view as an early use of the Dutch hoe., running it through every bit of bare ground and over the to,peof crops, such as the potato, as yet out of its reach. Annuals in Borders.—Many annuals, may now be sown in and borders. Mignonette, Shirley Poppies, Linums, Marigolds, Nemo- philas, and many others can all be sown in the open ground1, needing no protection and' little after attention beyond thinning and watering. > Violas.—There should be no further dfelay in transplanting these where" they are requiried for providing a long season ofuoom. Plant firmly in good soil, but do not over enrich. with heavy dressings of manure. Blanks in Beds.—Where blanks exisifc in flower beds, caused by the death of various plants, the shrubbery or herbaceous border should) be hunted round for suitable filling material. This can be frequently found in the shape of odd clumps of Tulips, Hyacinths, Muscaris, Primroses, Doronicums, Dielytras, and similar subjects, all of which may be lifted to fill blanks in important beds. Of course., Wall- flower bed! blanks can be, filled wikth the same kind of plants, as these move well when care- fully handled, even if almost in bloom. J Ro,ses.-It is time to get the pruning of nearly all varieties finished now. Some of the Teas in exposed positions may be left another week, but so far as possible the work should be comple-tedl and the ground) about the plants made neat ,and tidy. The varieties should; be pruned! according to their charac- teristics, some succeeding with but little cutting, others wanting the reverse if fine flowers are needed. < Dahlias.—Where old stools are planted, the (tubers should be moistened and kept warm for ill few days to start the buds. They may be planted out as soon as the buds appear and succeed better than if more advanced previous to planting. Let the top of the tubers 1Vhn. planted be quite 5 inches below the surface. Black Currant Mite.—The Black Currant has been infested with this pest for many years and no cure has been discovered, but I (says W. Wilkie) can suggest how to prevent an attack on clean bushes. The mite emerges from the burst buds in June, and enters the, young buds for next year. The preventive is to dust all the ground and the bushes round with hot lime, so that it will remain upon the buds. Before this is done the burst buds should be gathered and burned in May, and the lime will keep the pest off when once the bushes are clean. The bushes require hard cutting to secure young wood, and when this cannot be got an attack of the mite cannot be prevented. Strawberries.—An effort should be made to finish Strawberry planting at once. Choose a perfod when the surface soil is not sticky, and put the plants in with a trowel, making a hole big enough to accommodate their roots when spread out. Tread firmly after planting, but lightly loosen the .surface soil with a Dutch hoe, as a final operation. All blooms should be re- moved as seen from plants put out thus late. Fruit Trees.-Newlv planted fruit trees should now be pruned back, cutting the shoots each to a wood bud, and in a manner calculated to preserve the symmetry of the tree. A wood bud may be known by its tapering, pointed tip; a blossom bud is shorter and round at the ex- tremity. The bud selected for pruning to should, wherever possible, be on the outer side of a branch. Beds of Mint.—Mint is such a standby of the ly of the house in summer that the gardener who neglects to provide a good supply may well expect a stormy season. A few 6-inch long roots I planted now on a well dug and dunged site will give untold pickings later on, save many a penny, and ensure the Mint being fresh. I Sowing Asparagus.—Wherever the soil can be got into condition seeds may be sown. We find it necessary to sow two or three rows each season in order to keep up a supply of roots for farcing. We sow on the flat in rows 18 inches apart, and by missing every fourth row paths are made for the sake 01 cutting and weeding without treading upon the plants. Where the soil is heavy and cold it is necessary to form raised beds.

OUR SHORT STORY. J A WOMAN'S WIT. I •rHB STORY or THE CIRCUMVENTION OF A J RUSSIAN PLOT. I When John Garstdn, banker, was quitting his office by the private door in the evening, Harris, one of the clerks, came hurrying out. to him with a telegram. This for a moment caused him to put on one side a matter of very serious moment, which troubled him exceedingly. "Just come, sir," said the clerk, and he waited while his employer tore open the missive and read and read again with utter amazement the laconic message;— Have been sent for. Mother seriously ill." "Is there an answer, sir?" asked the clerk. Gar,stin started) as if from out of a. dream. "Answer? No—yies—no. All right." And he strode rapidly out to where his one-horse brougham was waiting. "Strange," he muttered, as he got in. "We were, there only a week ago, and she was well enough then. Gone to Northampton Strange! Strange!" He reflected' that he could do nothing, for though he at first entertained the idea. of fol- lowing his wife to the Midland town, second thoughts restrained him, as that same night he had an engagement, <a business dinner with a friend. "And I could be of no service if I did go," he thought. So he contented! himself with despatching a telegram, and then continuing his already arranged programme, which was to dine with Edward Masters, the old banking colleague aforesaid, .though he scarcely looked forward to a really enjoyable evening, as the respon- sibility recently thrust upon him by a St. Petersburg client rather weighed him down, while a letter he had received the night before in a dieguised hand, bidding him be on his guard, addled to his disquietude.. "We will have a bottle of yellow seal," said Masters cheerily, as they sat down. "You are not yourself." W ell no." "What's wrong?" Garstin told, about the trust. "It's a compliment." "A poor one." "No, on the contrary." As they rose from table Masters proposed that they should dirop in at the Opera afterwards. Faust' is on to-night. Will you come?" Garstin hesitated, hardly liking to accept when his wife had been called away. "But I can do her no good by remaining away," he thought, and he exclaimed— "Yes, with pleasure; but I scarcely feel like enjoying music. Yo;u see that Continental firm will ruin me if I am not careful." "But you will be careful. Tut, tut! Where is your old nerve? I remember the time when you twitted1 me." The other's calmness was catching, and it was not until the performance was some way through that Garstin found,, himself returning to his old fears, and that was on account of what was passing quite near. He was convinced of it. There was a violent quarrel proceeding in the next .box, and one of the voices seemed familiar to him. Yes, there it was again, andt, strangest of all, the talkers mentioned hie name. "Ah, if I could but be sure!" And he strained his ears and listened more attentively than ever. Someone was behind that thin red partition, engaged in plotting against him. They were only quarrelling about ways and means. "I must know," he murmured, and1 he half rose from his seat and then sat down again, trying for a moment to interest himself once more in the scene of festivity in Nuremberg, depicted so gaily on the stage. "You are not enjoying the opera," said Masters, turning to him sharply. Garstin looked quickly round at his inter- locutor. "I admit I am worried," he said. "I will just have a turn in the corridor, and come back to you." Masters nodded, and the banker, feeling for his cigarette case, slipped out of the box with but one idea in his brain, namely, to try to dis- cover what was passing in the box next door. It was almost twilight in the corridor, and he stopped and listened. The talking was less animated; a chair was pushed back, and Garstin had only ju-st time to slip off into th6 shadows ere there was the click of the fastening of the box door, and the latter was thrown violently open, to give egress to a young man. who strode away rapidly down the corridor. Garstin caught a glimpse of the lighted interior of the box and the brilliant vista of the crowded theatre beyond, and then he was. following the slim retreating figure as quickly as he could. He caught up to him once and touched his arm. "Excuse me, sir," he said; but the other eluded him,, and pursuit was difficult, for it was the entr'acte just then, and in the lounge his swift passage was stopped by saunterers, who seemed out of sheer malice to block his way. When he reached the arcade the stranger was gone. There was a distant footfall far off in the night, and two of the coachmen waiting we,re talking about the race next day at Sandown. "But I know that man," he murmured, as he made his way slowly back, more puzzled than ever. Once more in the box, he told Masters all, and the latter laughed. "Nerves, my boy," he said—"nerves! That's what's wrong with you. You want a change." "You know that is impossible." "From your point of view." "But t "You have received a warning letter," said Masters, "but that may amount to nothing. If vou fear to that extent, why not transfer to Threadneedle-street? The bonds would be all safe there." "But the bonds were entrusted specially to me." "Yes," said the other thoughtfully. "Yes, it is difficult to be sure." "And your advice is-" "Not to worry." But not to worry, though excellent advice, is most difficult to follow upon nearly every occa- sion. and there was the absence of his wife. "I will run down at the end of the week and bring her back," he said. Business at the bank was, however, exigent just then, and Garstin was busy after hours. On these occasions he had a dinner brought iT! The boy who had brought the meal that night was a stranger, but Garstin scarcely noticed that circumstance, and the chop was nearly cold ere he rose and went over to the side table, where the small, banquet from the City cafe had been placed. jjmj.jQuref}, as he uncorked the half bottle of Medoc, "I shall be glad when the pre- sent rush is over." t. He sipped the wine, and then attacked the chop. "Strange my wife hasn't written," he said softly. Strange, indeed! Well, this is Fri- day; to-morrow I will go down there. The old lady cannot be worse, or they would have tele- graphed." He took another sip of the wme. "Yes, they would have been sure to have telegraphed. Don't think much of that wine, though," he went on musingly. He lit a cigarette, took a whiff or two, andl went back to his diesk to write; but the figures in front of him began to dance before his eyes in the weirdest manner conceivable, twisting themselves up into absurd fancy totals which, if real, might have set his mind at rest as to the soundness of his fortune, no matter what hap- pened. Then voices began to sound in his earfry mo ek- ing voices which made light of his worries. Absurd!" he muttered, rousing himself with a great effort. "Absurd! What naa come over me? Is it overwork, or what?" And he en- deavoured, but vainly, to once more rivet his attention on the work. It was to no purpose. And then a strange, unaccountable thing hap- pened. He could not stir or speak; a numbing sense of helplessness was upon him, and the bank was being entered. Of that he was sure. Through the lazy film of the cigarette smoke he seemed to see a window being smashed, and a number of marauders climbing in. He tried to struggle up, but fell back again, although his faculties were becoming clearer. At length the noise grew louder. It came un- doubtedly from the inner corridor which led to the strong room, and he mastered the lassitude which had come over him and went reeling to the door. The electric light in the lobby had been switched off, but in the shadowy light cast by a lantern he distinguished the figures of four men. "The bonds!" he muttered to himself. "They are after- the bonds!" And he raised a cry. Simultaneously there was a sound of hasty steps from above, and as Gar&tin staggered into the corridor it was to see one of the marauders rush at his nearest companion, while a second later Garstin himself was felled by a blow. When he came back to consciousness it was to see an inspector of police bending over him. "Not much hurt, sir, are you?" he said. 'to No-no; I'm all right. But have you got them 1" "Safe and sound. Look at 'em, sir," said the officer, with a smile, as he assisted Garstin to rise and he jerked his head in the direction where a squad of his men were guarding three individuals, whose appearance suggested that they had been in a rough-and-tumble fight. "We shouldn't have got them, though," went on the representative of Scotland Yard, "if it had not been for him." And he pointed to a youngish looking man who was arranging his necktie. "He wants to be off, but I thought you had better see him first,. Ah, a smart one, he is, and no mistake Put us on the scent a week ago." # Garstin looked in the direction indicated, and saw the young man, and there was something indescribably familiar about his appearance. "Do I know you?" he asked, and he ap- proached the stranger, who seemed reluctant to meet his gaze. "No," was the reply. But Garstin gripped his arm. "Jennie he cried, under his breath. "Hush! Not now." "But what does it mean?" She implored his silence by a look, and Garstin then turned to the inspector. "I do know him," he said quietly. "But for you and him I should be in a bad way, I'm afraid. It is a very smart capture, inspector." "I could not help acting like I did, J aokj." said Mrs. Garstin later, after the captives had been removed. "But you did not go to Northampton?" "No, I did not go to Northampton." "Your mother is not ill?" "No," came again. "Then how was it? That night at the Opera —I saw you there?" "Yes." "I knew it! But now tell me all." "It was from the newspaper, Jack." W, ell T 11 "I saw it there-I puzzled out the advertise- ments in the morning paper personal column, and discovered that the fortune which I had heard you mention had just been entrusted to you was to be stolen. There was one member of the party who was to arrive from Brussels and meet the others at the Opera. I went instead, and told him in the same way through the news- paper that he was not to come, but to remain in Brussels. I warned the police. I did it to save you." Garstin was silent a moment. "They might have killed you," he said tenderly; and then what, do you think would it have mattered to me what I lost or what I found ?''

BARRING THE BULLDOG. In some interesting notes on the sale of a bulldog for £800, the "Field" states that it is well the fortunate disposer of the animal lives in England and not in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, for there "it is illegal to keep a. bulldog; anyone infringing the law is fined, and the creature is destroyed." It seems that £ 800 is not the highest price for a bulldog, P,1,000 having twice been paid for an animal of the same moo. Collies and St. Bernards have also changed handSiat £ 1.-000. One St. Bernard, indeed, was sold for £ 1,300.

OYSTER ALLOTMENTS. A considerable industry in oyster-growing seems likely to be promoted in the Wash by the system of marine allotments which has been organised bi the Eastern Sea Fisheries Com- mittee. The early experiments in this method ol tenure have, according to "Country Life," succeeded so well that more than 200 fresh oysrber "lays" have now been staked out on the north side of the Witham, and this week 150 of them. have been taken up by the fishermen of Boston and other neighbouring places. These lettlngs are for a term of three years, and the rent is £1 an acre, which holds four separate "lays." The allotments are well situated, out of the reach of heavy seas, while the beds will be perfectly free from all danger of poHution. And this latter point in these days is important.

THE BEST BUSINESS WOMAN. I "A Frenchwoman," says a contemporary, "is the best business woman in the world," and, of course, we feel a tiny bit indignant, because we had an idea that we were so businesslike and independent ourselves. When we, consider too, the restrictions upon her liberty to which the French girl has to submit, and which, though gradually relaxing, still keep her in a very different position from thiat occupied by an English girl in her freedom, then we think the assertion absurd; yet, after all, it is character that tells. A Frenchwoman is naturally busi- nesslike, writes "Lady Phyllis," in the "By- stander" quick, clear-headed, ever on the alert, ready to seize an opportunity, prompt in catch- ing at details. I do not mean to say that the French are more intellectual, nor even more intelligent than other races. We may make a discovery, or suggest an idea, but while we still suffer from the effort our French sisters wiH appropriate our handiwork and put it into use. VHiat we want is to be prompt; the Ij^enoh are prompt, and they are decided, and they know what tells. It is a case of the proverbial early bird.

THE DEPOSED DALAI LAMA. I It is stated from Pekin that although the de- posed Dalai Lama has managed to escape from Chinese surveillance at Urga and fled to Kiachta and crossed into Russian territory where he is being protected by the Muscovite, he is known to be still in the neighbourhood of Kiachta, quietly ensconced in a Mongol monas- tery in that vicinity, in spite of Russian asser- tions to the contrary. People in Pekin, how- ever, according to the "North China Herald," say that if Yen Chih, the Deputy Military Governor of Urga, has any "go" or stamina in him be can easily make a dash some dark night C, ad 11 upon the Dalai Lama's retreat and "persuade" him to go back to the Imperial Dragon a parental fold. _h_

A marriage has been, arranged', and will shortly take place, between Captain Hubert Cecil Prichard, of Pwljlywrach, Cowbridge, Glamorgan, late East Yorkshire Regiment, imaQfor Glamorgan Imperial Yeomanry, and Nora. Diana, elder daughter of Mr. A. Piers, of Montreal, Canada. Learning that a (Doctor was deprived1 of his fee in consequence of the patient diying in hospital, a jury at Crawley added a rider to their verdict suggesting that in view of their responsibilities medical men. should receive fees in all circumstances. In consequence of the increasing co-mpetition of the Bradford Corporation Tramways, the Midland Railway Company have asked for an abatement in the assessment of their lines within the. city. The eosrmnattee have offered a redue- tion of 93,000, which will moaa a loss to the corporation revenue of gl,MQ

LATE LORD SALISBURY AND I COLONIAL PREFERENCE. WHAT SIlt MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH SAYS. I In a letter to the "Times" Sir Michael' Hicks Beach says: "Mr. Chamberlain interprets his sta;tement that the late Lord Salisbury was privy to the negotiations with the Colonial Prime Ministers up to the date of his resignation in 1902' to mean that Lord Salisbury was per- fectly aware that the Government of the Do- minion of Canada desired that we should take advantage of the then existing corn tax and give them a preference on the import of wheat, and he made no objection of any kind to the dis- cussion of this question.' That is quite true. But its value as a proof that Lord Salisbury then approved of Colonial preference' may be measured by the fact that, while the Colonial Conference was proceeding, I was permitted, on behalf of the Government of which Lord Salis- bury was the head, to assure the House of Com- mons that there was no intention of using this very corn tax, which I was then carrying through Parliament, for the purpose of Colonial1 pre- foo."

A YOUNG GENIUS. I France, in the person of one of her youngest architects, has just won a triumph, of which she has every reason to be proud. The city of Barce lona invited the architects of the world to send ir competitive plans for enlarging the town, beautify- ing the working-class quarters, and for unifying the five or six suburban towns that have growc without much regulation in the outskirts. Prizes of £1400, £ 400, and E200 were offered. It is surprising that only five architects-two Spanish, one French, one German, and one Italian com- peted for prizes so respectable. The Frenehman won-a young student named Jaussely. He is the son of a working carpenter, received only elemen- tary school education, and developing his owr talent almost unaided, carried off in 1803 the Prix de Rome for architecture.

,D. I THE ZAMBESI BRIDGED. I GREAT ENGINEERING FEAT ACCOMPLISHED. I The British South Africa Company on Saturday received a cable from Sir Charles Metcalfe, their consulting engineer, now on the Zambesi, announc- ing that the bottom booms of the Victoria Falls railway bridge were bolted up at seven o'clock in the morning. This is a source of great satisfaction to all concerned in the great railway enter- prise initiated by the late Mr. Cecil Rhodes. The news conveyed in the telegram when reduced to less technical language implies that the two ends of the famous bridge over the Zambesi, each of which, from the necessities of the case, has had to be projected gradually from either cliff across the gorge, have now been safely joined. The slightest deviation from a just level would have caused great difficulties, and the satisfaction is the greater that the delicate feat of engineering mentioned in the despatch has been well and truly I accomplished.

I LORD MILNER'S FAREWELL. I Lord Milner was entertained at a farewell banquet in Johannesburg on Friday night of last week which was a remarkable demonstration of the public esteem and gratitude. In his speech, after some references to the improved outlook as regards material prosperity, he said that self- government would not of itself bring every bles- ing, but he appealed to the colony to accept the new Constitution heartily and work it with a good will. He did not believe that the Boers, as a body, would refuse to co-operate with their British fellow subjects; but if they did, he would not feel that the progress of the country would thereby be greatly retarded. The policy he recommended was to continue to treat the Dutch and British on an absolute equality, and to await with patience that gradual approximation which such a system would slowly but surely produce. After defending his fiscal policy, Lord Milner said he should prefer to be remembered for his efforts, after the war, not only to repair the ravages of that calamity but to restart the Colonies on a higher plane of civilisation than they had previously attained. He advocated an amalgamation of all the railways in South Africa, touched on the native problem, and, in conclusion, urged on all who had been his fellow-workers to remain faithful to the great idea of Imperial unity. On Sunday Lord Milner left Johannesburg after attending a great open-air demonstration in his honour. He passed through Pretoria, where he also had a hearty leave-taking, and left in the evening for Delagoa Bay.

THE WAR SECRETARY AT WOOLWICH. The War Secretary (Mr. Arnold-Forster, M.P.), speaking at Woolwich Polytechnic on Saturday last, alluded to the value of scientific training. Whilst admitting that we had made great advances, especially in the standardisation of materials and parts of machinery, he suggested that in certain kinds of chemical investigations and in other matters we were behind foreign rivals.

KAISER'S VISIT TO GIBRALTAR. I At the banquet given last week-end at Gibraltar to Kaiser William, Sir George White proposed the health of King Edward and of the German Emperor in an impressive speech. Over 40 guests sat down to dinner, after which Lady White held a reception, which was a most brilliant function., The Convent gardens were' illuminated, as were the ships of the fleet. The German Emperor was greatly pleased with the manner in which the artillery band played a well-chosen programme, and honoured Bandmaster E. J. Else by shaking hands with him and con i gratulating him. His Imperial Majesty expressed great gratification at the attentions shown him by Sir George and Lady White, and remained at the Convent until after one o'clock. At eleven o'clock on Saturday morning the Emperor landed, and visited the new military hospital, afterwards driving through the town. The liner Hamburg, with the Emperor William on board, escorted by the crusier Friedrich Karl, sailed for Port Mahon en route to Naples on Saturday. Salutes were fired by the British Fleet and from one of the land batteries.

DEATH OF A QUEEN'S BRIDESMAID. We regret to announce the death, which happened early on Saturday morning in London, of Lady Dina. Huddleston, who was one of the eight bridesmaids of Queen Alexandra. Lady Diana had been in failing health for some months, and it was for the purpose of obtaining expert medical advice that she went to London five weeks ago. A daughter of the ninth Duke of St. Albans, and an aunt of the present duke, Lady Diana Beauclerk, to give her maiden surname, was born in 1841, and in 1872 she married Sir John W. Huddleston, then Baron of the Exchequer. She was left a widow in 1890,"and never recovered from her bereavement. Indeed her husband's remains, after the cremation, which took place at Woking, were carried about by her wherever she went, and the small bronze urn always rested on a table beside her bed. It was his wish that he should be buried with her; and it was to ensure this request being fulfilled that she declined to allow the incinerated remains to be placed in the family vault during her life. ■-

RURAL HOUSING.. I Lord Rosebery, writing to Mr. Alderman Thompson, chairman of a conference held at Guildford on Saturday on the housing question and rural housing and small holdings in the villages, said that he was convinced that there was no more important subject in the range of our social politics.

Increasing criminality in France has been ascribed to increasing alcoholism, but M. Lucas- Championniere, in a medical review, points out that in America and Germany there are as many, if not more, alcoholics as in France, with fewer criminals, and he finds another cause of the evil in the decline of moral and reffgious instruction in France.

EPITOME OF NEWS. ..4 The False Statements (Companies') Bill, which is presented by the Attorney-General, and sup- ported by the Lord Advocate, the Attorney- General for Ireland, and' the Solicitor-General, provides a. penalty of two- years' imprisonment or fine of £ 600, on the conviction of any officer or auditor of a company who makes any state- ment relating to the financial affairs or property of the company which he knows to be false in any material particular. The Act applies to every company formed for purposes of gain, whether incorporated by charter, registered, or unregistered. The opportunities of an Education Committee in an agricultural county were strikingly demonstrated at the meeting of the Essex Education Authority. The authority dealt in a single sitting with such questions as the afforestation of derelict acres, which will be undertaken in the autumn, when the assistance and sanction; of landowners have, been obtained, experimental sugar beet cultivation, which was arranged on eight farms, seed being supplied to the farmers, the milk standard, the, manage- ment of a model dairy at a forthcoming agri- cultural show, andl the details of for various competitions at local shows. This seems at first sight to, tr:av181 far beyond! elementary and secondary education pure, and simple, but it is considered to be a programme of technical instruction of the right kind in an agricultural county, where the object aimed a.t is to educate the producers in the best and most useful ideas. Brighton has before now been represented ini Parliament by a Lord of the Treasury, Lord A., Hervey, who at a by-election in January, 1853—• due to his appointment—was returned without m contest as one of the Conservative members, It is a noteworthy fact that in 1832J the firsb elec-tiom after the Reform Act, the Conserva- tive candlidlate (Sir A. J. Dalrymple) only polled! thirty-two votes out of a total electorate of 1,649. The development of what was once an obscure "fisher-town" into one of the greatest centres of wealth, pleasure, and fashion is thus strikingly illustrated. The- present body of electors numbers 19,937. The other day, a party of clerks out of work,, having heard of a big job at some cement works near Rochester, decided to make their way there, as they were assured that they, would have no difficulty in getting taken on., Instead of this, however, they were promprtly, taken up by a local constable, who had his suspicions aroused by the sight of strangers waiting in the early morning for the works to open. The unfortunate victime were duly brought before the magistrates, and remandtedl for a week. At the second hearing they were discharged and given a shilling each. During,, their week's incarceration, however, 'all chancei of employment had vanished, and they had tot- trudge home sadder but wiser men. The Bishop of London told a pretty story at his address to society women the other day. He said that when he WIaIS staying at a country, house some time ago he gave an address to a number of children of the well-to-do classesi and depicted the sufferings of some of the slum boys and girls. He had alluded to one particular little sufferer, when a little girl, a daughter of his host, rushed out of the room, and in a few minutes flew back again, and witia a passion of tears threw her best doll into his arms, and sobbed, "Oh give it to the poor, little girl who has always to lie on her back, and can never go out." The other childireit, affected with her enthusiasm., brought him dolls and toys until his portmanteau was over- flowing, iand he had to have a huge package made of them for the youngsters in the h,ast-end of London. Pipe-major at twenty years of age! Such is tho record of George Stewart MLennau, who has just been appointed pipe-major of the leb Battalion. Gordon Highlanders. He comes of a family of expert pipers and dancers. His cousin was one of the most famous exponents of the two arts that ever lived. The pipe-major- began his studies at eight years of age; two years later he appeared by command before Queen Victoria at Balmoral; when he was eleven he gained challenge medals in London. and Edinburgh; and he was amateur champion, of Great Britain when he was twelve. Sin.co then he has won medals to the number of fifty,; and innumerable prizes all over the country- He joined the Gordon Highlanders asi a boy. It is believed that Pipe-Major M'Lennan is the youngest man ever appointed to such a posi- tion in the British Army. At the Palace Theatre, in London, just now Mr. Sydney Lee, ¡the foremost English magician of the age, is giving a pure sleight-of-hand entertainment, BUOO lalS few London audiences have had an opportunity of witne-at since this clever conjurer has spent most of his time in exploiting the Continent, South Africa, Aus- tralia, andl the principal provincial cities and! towns of Great Britain. The applause which welcomes his efforts at the Palace must be very gratifying to the entertainer, as he succeeds the world-renowned Goldin, who has won the ile,s of Royalty. It is quite possible that the Queen, who is well-known to be an admirer of card) feate, will invite him to BuckingEamj Palace, where the Royal Family will have an opportunity of deciding between the merits off1 England and America. Experts in cards who have scrutinised Sydney Lee's marvellous dexterity maintain that nothing to equal it has been seen in our generation. Questioned by an interviewer, the modest young pre,E;tidigitateur said, "Whatever merit there may be in my per- formance is gleaned from my study of the great Houdin's method. Valadion and Purssovd were my masters., and if I have, as is said, improved upon their manipulation, it hus been due to the great French professor of legerdemain whose equal has not yet .been horDi into the world." The wife of Jeremiah Barber, a New York constable, walked into the police-station and handed him a letter, wherein it was stated that his uncle, James Elgar, of Oakland, California, had recently died and left him the bulk of his fortune, valued at 200,000dols. Barber was still trying to realise his good fortune when his wife returned in a cab, bearing a cablegram summon- ing him to Ramsgate (England) to claim the sum of 100,000dols. which another uncle, Thomas Elgar, recently had bequeathed him. Barber says he will probably remain in the police force after getting the money. Elaborate tests are being carried out on the main lines of the New York Central Railroad near Schenectady. They are to include raoes be. tween similar trains rurnning side by side, the electric on the local, and the steam trains, on the adjoining express tracks. Thus, an Empire State express train, hauled by a. steam loco- motive, will start from rest on the express track, side by side with an exactly identical train hauled by the electric locomotive on the local track. Mr. Justice Bigham and Mr. Justice Warring- ton are the Easter Vacation judges. It is under- stood, however, that only one occupant of the Bench will be responsible for urgent matters between April 20 and May 1, the period during which the Courts will be closed. Mr. Justice Warrington, it is believed, will take the Easter work, Mr. Justice Bigham discharging the duts at Whitsuntide. Mr. Richard Cavendi,s,h, M.P. is th.e uephew of the ill-fated Lord Frederick Cavendish, the victim of the Phoenix Park tragedy. Thai n1! n,ever;liave taken place if Mr. and eloquent ad- i6 of the Irish Vice royalty was Mr. Osborne, whose gra is now Lady Moira Cavendish, who seconded the motion for the abolition of ifc* Irish Viceroyalty in the House of Commons is Wood is the material employed in the con" staruction of all buildings in the rural districts of Russia, with the possible exception of the churches. Dwellings of peers and peasants are alike constructed of wood. There are no eastles in Russia like those of the old feudal nobles OT England or of the Continent to connect past and. present.