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

OUB SHORT SiOBY. I I A POLICEMAN'S STORY. I I ctm an ex-polieeman-whioh fact will account for, and, I hope, excuse, the ruggedness of style and want of polish noticeable in the following story--a true story, too, and one as strange as any that you read in books. I have only taken the liberty to give fictitious names. It wts the last night of the Old Year. A dense fog hung like a pall over Leeds, and the smoke of the tall factory chimneys of Hunslet and Holbeok deepened and intensified it. The street lamps were burning at midday but their sickly, splut- tering light only served to warn the wayfarer against knocking his nose against the posts on which they were perched. The long row of cabs on the Briggate stand loomed through the gloom like so many hearses about to otart on a funeral procession. Still, the streets were thonged with Imarketing folk, and the "publics" apparently did a brisk trade, to judge from the number of muffled figures that continually dived down the narrow, ill-odoured passages shooting off Brig- gate and Boar-lane—for many of our oldest- established Leeds "pubs" hide shamefacedly away from the public gaze, up blind courts a.nd suspicious-looking entries. This day I was on the Briggate beat. I spent most of my time at tne corner of Boar-lane, watching the misty tide of humanity surge along. l am not inj,ich of a philo- sopher still I could not help pondering on the amount of joy and sorrow, hope and ambition- ay, and crime, too-that floated along on that restless life current. I was standing in a door- way, in a brown study, from which I was aroused as a dozing man is when a lamp-light is sud- Z, denly fla.shed on his half-closed eyes. What was it that awakened me? you ask. Only a woman's face—and a face, too, I had never seen before. The Old Year was dying in noisy sobs, for !;he wind had begun to blow gustily, lashing heavy rain-clouds across the sky. It was neti:,rig twelve o'clock, and the streets were becomvig quite deserted. I was crouched in a doorway out of the rain, again in a brown study, this time saddened by the memory of the spectral face, when, to my astonishment., the owner of the face herself stood right before me, as though she had just risen from the ground. "Oh, sir, poor baby's is so very ill," she plain- tively exclaimed. "Do let him nest on this step while I run across to the doctor; and God bless you. No feeling man could resist the plaintive voice and sad, appealing eyes. Instead of allow- ing her to place the child on the cold steps, I wrapped it up in my cape, and cuddled the tiny thing to my breast to keep it warm. Twelve o'clock boomed out in deep pulsations from the Town Hall clock. The doctor's house was right opposite but after waiting fully five minutes I thought it strange that I did not see the door open. I waited ten minutes, half an hour, an hour, and still no signs of the woman's return. "Strange," I thought; "what must have become of her?" At last I ventured across the street, and rang the night-bell. The doctor popped his night-capped head out of the window, and asked my business. "Has a. woman been here just now, doctor, for medicine for a sick child?" "No!" And the window went down with a snap. Here was a. fix! A policeman cuddling a baby, which had come from nobody knows where, and belonged to nobody knows whom How my comrades would jeer if they saw my predicament; or the street scamps I had so often "run in." I opened my cape under the lamp, and gazed down into the little creature's face. A sweet, bonny face, and tne black, bead-like eyes looked up so trustingly into mine that I resolved from that moment to adopt i™, if the mother did not return. But what would wife say? Half a dozen young rascals appeared quite as many as I could pro- vide for. "No matter," I said, "God will pro- vide." And when relieved off my beat I made some plausible excuse about my bundle, an (^pro- ceeded home with my New Year's gift. The wife was waiting for me by the fire. "A. happy New Year, George." The same to you, dear. And I have good news for you. The best friend you ever had in this world has sent you a New Year's gift." "lvho, George?" HGod." And I placed the baby in her arms. The next day a woman's lifeless body was fished up out of the muddy waters of the Aire. I knew the pale, ghostly face at a glance, and, strange as it may seem, thanaed God that now the baby was really my own. » Years passed, and the shadow of great sorrow rested, it seemed permanently, on our little home. One by one our children were snatched away from us. When Death once knocks at a door he always returns, like the Indian, in his own footprints. Our foundling was now our only comfort. We called him, Christian and surname, after myself—George King. He was tall, dark, and handsome—quite distinguished-looking, in fact, and wife often said he was sure to turn out the son of some great man, like the little castaways, who became princes in the fairy tales. We gave George a good education and when nineteen he received an appointment as clerk in Sir William Hatfield's office. I ought to state that Sir William, although Yorkshire born, had only lately come to reside among us. < When George was about six months in; his situation, the quick eye of my wife detected a change in him, and drew sage conclusions from the fact. A woman can detect anything but her own little failings. George, though never slovenly in attire, suddenly became almost foolishly fastidious as to his personal appear- ance. Besides, he lost his appetite—a sure sign that a lost heart had preceded the lest appetite. Now, in my courting days, I was never much afflicted with the raptures and pains and anxieties of love. It was all plain sailing to port with me, and pretty quick sailing, too, for from the day I first, set eyes on my intended wife to the day of our marriage was little better than two months, so that I could not be expected to sympathise much with George's injured appetite and dreamy musings.' But a little incident hap- pened. about this time that set me seriously thinking. One afternoon, when taking a volume from the book-nre.ss, a photograph fell out, on. the back of which some gushing love verses were written in George's handwriting. "Poor lad," I thought, after examining the card, "he has run his bark amid rocks and whirlpools at the very start." I resolved to try and talk him out of this love madness—for the photogranh was that of Miss Ada Grahame, the niece of Sir William Hatfield. That very night I called George aride into our back room. "George, it will not do." I held the tell-tale photo so that he might see it. "It will never do, lad. You might as wisely try to pluck a star from the sky. She is quite as far away from you, md just as hard to secure. Who is she? Sir William's niece, and the prospective owner of something- like tii-ety thousand a year, while you are "Oh! stop! stan! I know who I am! I'm nobodv's child but I know she loves me!" And the poor fellow flung himself on the sofa in a naroxvsm of tears. "Hufih. hush, lad-vou are my child; a-nd it's because I love you I speak; and a. choking feeline came up in mv own throat. Isaidnomore, and George lived on his madness like the bee on its honey store. The love romance got whispered about, ns mif!ht have been expected from Miss Grnhnme's undisguised love for the fatherless lad. Matters came to a crisis at last, as I knew they would, and as I had often forewarned George. One evening, about six o'clock, Sir William's coachman rode up to the door and handed me a note containing a request, very lik,e a command, that myself and "son" would wait on him at Vs private residence "in an hour's time." We followed the coachman, and were ushered into a, room to await Sir William's summons. When I entered—George was told to remain outside— Sir William and Lady Hatfield were seated I together in solemn anger, nursing thunderbolts. "Policeman, read this And he angrily fluttered into my hand an intercepted love epistle of George's. While I was pretending to read, madame blurted out, "your presumptuous son is dismissed from our employ with a bad character." "He is not my son, my lady, and he is not a bad character," I answered. "Whose son is he?" asked Sir William, with the thunder-clouds darkening on his brow. "I don't know, Sir William, neither does the bov." The thunder-clouds exploded in a torrent of rage. He tugged at the bell, and summoned Miss Ada. As she came in. George, prouder and handsomer than ever, also entered by the opnosito door. "Ada," Rpoklo Sir William, "aware that you have taken my advice of this morning, I have sent for you that this man—nobody's son, he now turn out—may learn from your own lips how you despise him. It will cure his infatua- tion." "Oh! but I love him, uncle!" And the little heroine, with flashing eyes, stood proudly erect, like an'uplifted lance. I have seen tragedy queens in theatres in their grandest moments, but never one so queenly as, Ada was at that instant. But there were scenes within scenes. While this was taking place, Lady Hatfield was slowly, dreamily advancing to George, her eyes staringly fixed on his hand- some face. She suddenly clutched him like one demented, and, dragging him right under the blaze of the chandelier, tore open hits-shirt- front. Throwing herself on the lad, she shrieked, "Oh, Sir William, the vine leaf! the vine leaf!—my long-lost darling What a moment that was. Sir William and Miss Ada looked dazed and stupefied. Lady Hatfield had found her son, and had identified him from a purple mark the exact shape of a vine leaf, on the lad's left breast—I knew the mark well— but more through her deep mother's love. Other marks of identification were found. But now that the mist had cleared, we all saw the won- derful likeness between mother and ,son-the same dark eyes, the same haughty air, the very same trickery of facial expression. The reader can fill in the remainder of my story. George married Miss Ada; but he still remains a good son to us—a real God's gift. Why or how the baby was stolen has never been revealed. That secret was buriod with the poor suicide under the waters of tho Aire.

SAD DOMESTIC TRAGEDY, HUSBAND ATTACKS HIS FAMILY. Disturbed in mind by having been out of em- ployment for some months, Leslie Webb, of Slough, determined to kill his wife and her step- daughter, and take his own life. Creeping into the bedroom where the two women were quietly sleeping, he battered. their heads with a poker, and then, as they rushed downstairs crying for help, he went into his own room and with a razor almost severed his own head from his body. He was quite dead when the police arrived, and the condition of the two women was so serous that a doctor had to be at once called in to attend to them. At the inquest on Webb the jury returned a verdict of suicide, but gave no opinion as to the condition of the man's mind at the time.

THE COUNTESS AND THE BUTCHER. The Countess Guelph was fined 10s. and costs, at Bragiiton, as a result of an altercation with a local butcher. Dissatisfied with a piece of steak which was cut for her, the Countess demanded another piece of meat. With this request the butcher refused to comply, and the Countess said some hard things to him. She punctuated her remarks by striking him on the. head with her parasol. The unfortunate man's injuries necessitated medical treatment.

BRITISH FLEET IN THE BALTIC. SNUB FROM GERMANY. The Swinemunde municipality has negatived the proposal of the Liberal members of the council that a banquet should be given in honour of the British Fleet, which will arrive at that port on August 28. The reason given for the council's refusal is that the visit of the British Fleet is no-t in con- formity with the sentiments of the people.

VICAR'S DRASTIC ACTION. "IRREVEREKT WOMEN." The following notice has been issued by tha Rev. G. M. Parsons, Vicar of Crantock Church, Newquay, Cornwall:— "The Crantock Church is closed until further notice, except at hours of divine service. The church has hitherto been freely open. "It is deplorable that it cannot so remain as it ought to. This is wholly due to the irreverence of numbers of women, who, walking uncovered, presume to enter God's house with no sign of reverence or modesty upon their hends. "A small veil or kerchief would betoken this, and be sufficient, but remonstrance during several seasons has proved in vain. Such a refusal by men to offer the customary respect of uncovering would justify their exclusion from God's house. "The corresponding refusal by women to cover their heads obliges it. The church is closed, with deepest regret and shame for the cause."

LION PLAYS WITH CHILD. FATHER AND MOTHER IN TERROR. The strange spectacle of a lion playing with a child is reported to have been witnessed at Vryheid in Natal. A Dutch farmer, accompanied by his wife and little boy, were out shooting game. Suddenly the attention of the parents was drawn to the child, who had toddled a shor; distance away to gather wild flowers. Crowing with delight the little fellow was pulling the hair of a, full- grown lion, and the animal appeared to be enjoying the operation. Spellbound and horrified the farmer and his wife stood gazing at the scene the father, even if his gun had contained anything but shot, could not have fired because of the child. The lion skipped sportively round the boy, until, startled by loud shouts from the parentSj it walked quietly away, followed by a lion rss, which up to then had lain concealed in the L"Jng grass. A hunt was afterwards organised, but the lions had disappeared into the thick bush.

The combined ages of three persons upon whom inquests were. held at Soutiwvark the other day totalled 222 years. Carnarvon Prison is full, and a large propor- tion of prisoners convicted in the county have to be .aceoiivmodated in R-utain Gaol. Under the boarding of one of the points at the Great Eastern Railway station at Southend a nest of hedgehogs has been discovered. They 0 apparently suffer no inconvenience from the heavy traffic. Half a million copies of pirated music and £ fi00 worth of plates, it was stated at the Thames Court, have been seized by officers of the Music Publishers' Copyright Association during the. last three weeks. 11 THE VALUE OF LAUGHTER.—If more women realised the saving grace of laughter there would be fewer tragedies and heart-breaks in this world. If you, dear madam, were able to make your lover laugh, you might consider yourself clever indeed. But if you can keep your husband laughing you should be enrolled among the seven wonders of the world. You see a man's life is usually full of duties and cares that you, possibly, cannot realise. If you could, perhaps, you might try to chase the heaviness from the spirit of moodiness from the mien of your best-beloved in place of sitting silent and grieved at his want of cheerfulness. Scm« times you feel that so much merriment may be beneath your dignity. Don't believe it; men often long for the joyous spirit that so charmed them in sweethearting days. It seems a little thing to pro- voke laughter, does it not ? Somehow you think it hardly within the lines you have drawn for the con- duct of a wife. But it is a saving grace, you may depend a man arely reaches a period of life when there is no more of the boy left in his nature the mischievousness is still there—or, rather, the spirit of it-and you need but give the opportunity to bring it forth, with great benefit to the family generally.—" Chicago Journal."

BOY'S AMAZING ADVENTURE STEALS A STEAM YACHT AND ESCAPES FROM PRISON. The remarkable case which was heard at Boston on Friday, when a youth, named Charles Smarth, of Hull, was charged with stealing a steam launch on the River Wifcham, at Boston, had an amazing sequel on Saturday afternoon, Smarth escaping from the custody of the Boston Borough police in a particultrly bold and audacious manner. After being placed in the cell he seems to have lost no time in making good his escape. After dinner on Saturday he was employed in cleaning out the cells, and when the work was done he asked the officer in attendance if he could not be allowed out in the exercise-yard. The constable consented. Immediately be was left alone the lad, with remarkable agility and daring, climbed the waterspout (50ft. high) which leads to the top of the municipal buildings. Having gained this point he scrambled along the gutter for some distance, and then crossed the roof at the end of the block, where he descended by means of the exhaust pipe of the gas engine used for driving the electric plant. Drop- ping to the ground he scaled a low wall separating the buildings from a brewer's yard, and with no further obstacle to overcome he was quickly in the street, and free. As it was market day, West-street was at this time-between two and three o'clock—particularly busy, and several policemen were on duty in and about the building. Smarth. however, got safely away. Twenty minutes after locking him in the exercise yard the officer responsible for the prisoner returned, and was astonished to find Smarth missing. A hue and cry was at once raised, and the place was thoroughly searched, but with- out yielding any trace of the fugitive. Attention was then directed to the waterspout, and the pro- gress of the climber was tracked along the giddy path he had followed on his road to liberty. It was then ascertained by Chief Constable Adcock that a youth had been seen by officers in the fire station adjoining the police-offices to enter the street from the end of the building and hasten away towards the Great Northern level crossing, but they did not suspect that anything was wrong, and appear to have paid little heed to the incident. It afforded, however, a clue to the direction taken by the fugitive. Police were despatched on bicycles, the telephone and telegraph were set in operation, and a description of the runaway was circulated throughout the district and the neigh- bouring police division, which were scoured in every direction during the night. After an exciting chase Smarth was recaptured just before noon on Sunday by Detective-sergeant Young, of the Lincoln City police, and Detective- inspeetivo Sparrow, of Boston. Durirg Sunday night the Boston police heard that a robbery had been committed at Tattersball-bridge post offiee, and, conjecturing that the thief was the escaped prisoner, steps were taken to follow this clue. It was to late to communicate with Lincoln, but Inspector Sparrow proceeded thence on a special train carrying the city water supply, and on arrival arranged for tho approaches to be watched. With Sergeant Young he stationed himself on Witham-bridge, and during the morning Smarth came towards them riding a bicycle he had stolen. He made a rush to get past the officers, but In- spector Sparrow overturned the bicycle and Smarth was promptly arrested. He was brought back to Boston on Sunday afternoon and again lodged at the borough police-station. Upon him were found twenty postal orders for various amounts and other articles stolen from the post- office.

MASCAGNi'S SOUVENIRS. Signor Maseagni and his wife wear watch fobs alike, and these have been the occasion of much curious comment. They are common Italian coins, each punctured with six holes, in which are set off bits of some white substance the nature of which is* not ap- parent except on close examination. These are in reality the teeth of the first two Mascagni children, the teeth of the mother's charm being the first of her little daughter's, while the proud father wears in his charm the milk teeth of his first born son. The Signora is much surprised at the comment theise unique ornaments have occasioned, and not long ago remarked that to her they were dearer than any pearls, and that she saw no reason why she should not wear them if she chose.

FIELD AND FARM. THE ESSENCE OF FERTILITY. When we speak of good land, save the" Agri. ewtturad Gazette," something must be under- stood beyond the mere fact that it produces good crops. Probaibiy many people would find it ■difficult to add much more in explanation than that good land is capable of yielding an abundant Tatiirn, while bad land is incapable of doing so. What is the difference between gored and bad land? The question is important, and extremely (instructive, as it is only through a knowledge of (the essential properties of fertile soils that we ,can approach the subject of their improvement. There are soils so poor in the necessary elements 1Qi! fertility that skill and capital are wasted upon thc-on. Such soils are to be seen covering enor- mous areas of moorland, heath, and forest, which Slave never yet induced either landlord or tenant ffco attempt their reclamation. They carry a her- Sbaga largely consisting of heather, interspersed rwioh brown or whitish grass, and if turned up ifchev are sure to be parti-coloured, loose in tex- ture, and thin. If they are compared with good 'l,and. it will be at once apparent that they differ in every respect, discernible through the senses. ,Good land is always uniform in colour, fairly attentive in texture, and of a sufficient depth. It 1Î.S, therefore, evident that physical or mechanical properties distinguish bad land from good. A <iark colour is an indication of richness in vege- itable matter, which itself is a guarantee of pro- sductive power, wthile a moderate retentiveness is an indication of a fair proportion of clay. Depth to of vital importance, and is indicated by uni- formity of colour and texture, well below the ppiough sole. The above features are charac- teristic of good land Such soils are sufficiently retentive as regards water, and if underlaid by <1 porous subsoil are .scarcely likely to suffer from infective drainage. The general textural or mechanical nature of a soil is not the only condi- tion, as a good soil must contain a plentiful store of available plant food. Thus the two principal conditions of fertility are a good mechanical condition and a sufficient stock of plant food. tekrils possessing these qualities are capable of [producing a succession of good crops under rota- rio/ion. and vary in character from strong clays to pighit loams. Heavy land of good quality has ibeen demonstrated to be capable of producing ■several grain crops in succession with the help oof phosphates and nitrogenous manures, as, for .example, at Rothamsted and Sawbridgewortli. (Light lands are usually looked upon as unsuit- iahle for continuous corn growing and are con- sidered to be better adapted for grain crops, (with, grain taken every other year. The fou'r- scour-se rotation has always been regarded as suit- sable for their soils, and it is important to think out why an alternation of roots and grain, or clover and grain, should be necessary. Light <soils are not always poor, .and may, in fact be as 'rich as clay soils. They do not always easiiy scorch or "burn" under the, summer heat, and xAialk soils are known to stand drought better thaa many clays. They are very responsive to applications of artificial manures, and, if well tfa-rtned are capable of growing as heavy crops as da,y land. Light land can, for instance, produce fcta twelve sacks of wheat per acre, -and is not ,o-rt-amed wheta managed on the four-course system of half corn and half fodder. Root crops .1.00 well known to require land to be in higher condition than grain crops—a point rather diffi- cult to concede by those who look upon the root crop as an essentially renovating crop. WHEAT PROVINCES OF CANADA. I Two large portions of the Canadian North- West are about to become separate provinces. At present the Dominion has seven provinces— Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward ilsland, New Brunswick, Manitoba, and British iColumbia. To these Alberta and Saskatchewan »re to be added. These immense tracts of -country hitherto have been included with As- einiboia and Athabaska as the North-West (Territories, with a common capital, Regina, in A-ssiniboia. The two new provinces contain great tracts of excellent wheat land, and there -c ■> still 16,000,000 acres not appropriated in. Alblarta, and 17,000,000 in Saskatchewan. In Aihab-aska, which has been very slightly settled nil present, there are 19,000,000 acres' of unappro- priated land. A map published by the Dominion <TOv.ernment shows that the two new provinces Tvili divide nearly all the north-west between them, except a little land in the east. of Atha- fibaska and Saskatchewan. In the whole of the north-west, although four times as large as 'Manitoba, only 585,697 acres were under wheat last year, while Manitoba had over 2,000,000 acres, It may be anticipated that, under fresh nd individual provincial governments, the two aiew provinces will make much more rapid pro- gress than they have made hitherto. Active efforts, no doubt, will be made to attract immi- grants, and agriculture will be developed with ■energy. They are well suited to cattle breeding, •already carried on in them upon an extensive £ oale. Regina will be the capital of Saskat- chewan, and Alberta will temporarily use Edmonton as a capital. POTATO PROSPECTS. I Every householder in the country is (says the "Daily Telegraph") interested in the Potato crop as constituting an important item in the Aaily bill of fare of rich and poor. Last year the imports of Potatoes amounted to about 600,000 tons, of the value of C2,440,000, while tfor the six months of this year ended June 30 rthe imports were 124,054 tons, as compared with 388,229 tons in. the corresponding period of 0904, the value being £ 1,083,819, as against 1£1.997,713. The value of Potatoes grown on (holdings of above one acre in extent in Great [Britain and in Ireland last year was about £ 20,000,000. It should be mentioned that the agricultural returns for Great Britain do not Snelude crops grown on holdings that" are one jacne or less in extent, so that the quantity pro- duced is considerably higher than the official statistics indicate. The area devoted to the growing of Potatoes in 1904 was 1,188,742 acres I in the United Kingdom, and the produce reached it-he large total of 6,230,272 tons. Mr. R. E. Turnbull states that the quantity of Potatoes used for household food in the United Kingdom -was about 5,640.000 tons, or rather more than 2t cwt. per head of the population. The order in which Potatoes reach the markets is worthy of note. Hundreds of tons of jiew Potatoes from the Canary Islands are on the London market in November. These are fol- lowed by crops from under glass from Guernsey, tand consignments next arrive from Spain and [Portugal, succeeded by he field crops of Corn- ,Nan, Jersey, and the St. Malo district of .France. The Scilly Islands .supply large quanti- fies. Early Potatoes are lifted on the West -Coast of Scotland immediately on the close of the Jersey and St. Malo season. Lincoln, with 76,249 acres, last year yielded.-416,417 tons; 'Lancashire, with 44,665 acres, gave 380,239 ■tons and Yorkshire, with 52,933 acres, 316,217 'tons followed by Chester, Cambridge, Kent, 'Northampton, and Stafford. In Scotland, Fife Heads with 15, acres, producing 118,612 tone, iP,erth having 13,678 acres and 109,260 tons, and .Forfar 13.305 acres and 104,706 tons. The pro- duction of Potatoes last year was large, having <mly been three times exceed«d. England and 'Scotland both had a yield per acre largely above ithe average, the former by 6 cwt:, the latter by almost 30 cwt., while an average of over seven -tons per acre, as was secured in Scotland, had -never previously been noted in any of the three divisions of Great Britain. Wales was' not so •fortunate, the 4.154 tons per acre there returned representing about 12 cwt. less than the mean.

Mortimer: I've saved a great deal this I month by not smoking." Margaret: Where 'is it now?" Mortimer: "I don't know; it's just saved." Knocked) down at Munich by a motor-car belonging to the Grand Duke Cyril of Russia, a priest named Giocioli was severely injured. f ines, which with costs amounted, to zV,78, imposed upon sixteen motorist's at Andovcr, bringing the total for this year to 821. A iady has been apointedi as rate collector for ajphaaor (Hants). i A buff Orpington kerel, bred by Mr. R. M. (Gill, of Greoalt Kingshill (Bucks), a well-known Saucier, has been sold for the extraordina-ry [price of £ 40 t," fancier in the North of

I GARDEN GOSSIP. I (From the "Gardener.") Crimson Rambler is naturally later than many other climbing roses, and this fact should not be overlooked by planters who want roses for speci.al dates. It grows in popularity every year, and seldom fails to load itself with clusters of blossoms. As a covering for an arch it is < • < superb. An Elegant Table Plant.-Re.adera whD are familiar with the old Cyperous altemifolius will ireadily grant that a good specimen wants a lot of beating as a taible plant. W halt, then, shall be said of C. a. gracilis? a new form which is to the old one as Venus of Milo to Johnny Trundley, or Maidenhair Fern to Pteris serrulata. Dwarfer and finer in all its proportions, this variety is dndeed a gem for the table in a small pot. A plant purchased now could be increased during the year to almost any extent, and nice specimens could be provided against the dull days of winter, when their presence in the conservatory or dwelling room would give much pleasure. » Franco a Sonchifolia.—This is an easily grown plant, and one tha.t is well suited for greenhou&e decoration, the leaves being oraameutal, while the flowers are showy and last in good condi- tion for a considerable time. Altnough it is often met with but one foot or so high it forms very large bushes when well grown, in fact bushes five to six feet high and several feet through may sometimes be seen. From cuttings rooted in the spring nice plants in six or seven inch pots may be had to blossom well the fol- lowing year, and these if grown on again, will form fine specimens the following year. The flowers are deep pink and born from June to August in large inflorescences. A house free from frost is all that is necessary for its well- being. Lavender.—The flowers Should not be too much out when the spikes are cut, or they drop off wiiiie drying. The proper way to dry Lavender is to lay the stems thinly on sheets of paper placed on mats for facility'of removal. Give it all the sun possible, and protect from rains and uews. # # # Giiber herbs ready for perserving, such as sage, pot marjoram, and tarragon, should be traeted in much the same way as Lavender. It as customary to cut sufficient for use, tying the material in bunches, and hanging each bunch on a nail in a store room. < Runner Beans.—Attend to gathering these as early as the pods are fit for use. ,ve ample supplies of water, as unless the roots are well supplied with moisture a continuous supply of succulent young pods is out of the question. Lettuce.—-Sow, withiin the next ten days or so, ample supplies of the Cos varieties, and'a hardy sort of cabbage to stand the winter. All the year round is excellent for the purpose, as is also hardy Hammersmith. Endive.—Where there is likely to be a heavy demand for this during the winter and early spring, put out a number of young plants. As "these will not become very large, they will not need a great amount of space, six to eight inches apart being sufficient. Figs.—These should now receive some atten- tion in the matter of thinning, stopping, and general regulation of growth. Fasten up strong shoots securely, as with the great weight of the foliage the branches are easily blown from their supports. Strawberries.—Get old plantations cleared of runners and the usual crop of weeds to be found when the fruiting season has ended. Cut round each plant with an old knife to sever the runners, and the whole are then easily hoed off and raked up. Wlhere new plantations are required, care should b. 1 -ken tihat a ssuff, cient number of plants axe 1 for the purpose. Midsea.son Vines.—As the grapes are cleared, have thejiaes thoroughly cleansed by syringing with an insecticide, following this the next day with a heavy syringing of clear water. Give ample ventilation night and day, and if from any cause there appears to be a possibility of the canes not ripening satisfactorily, allow a gentle heat in the hot water pipes. The laterals may be shortened somewhat, according as they are strong or weak in any case, all eublaterals may be cleared away. Muscats that are hang- ing ripe will need some care, as during the heat we sometimes experience in August it is quite easy to allow the, bunches too much sunshine. On the other hand, during a spell of dull, damp weather it may be needful to turn on fire heat to allow a circulation of air through the house. Calceolaria amplexicaulis is still unexcelled for its clear lemon flowers. Unfortunately it is somewhat difficult to keep over the winter, and must be treated differently from other and hardier Slipperworts. Cuttings dibbled into sandy soil in ordinary cutting boxes, placed in a cold frame, with the sun excluded, will, if seen to now, be well rooted previous to winter. The plants will pass safely through the cold weather in a pit from which frost is excluded. Secure cuttings of a greater than usual length. ° Mushrooms.—It is now time to set about getting a bed prepared for autumn using. Manure of just the right nature is notoriously difficult to procure at this time, but there n>ed be no hesitation in accepting half strawy littr and half droppings, if the material is fairly fresh and has not been heated to excess. Manure of this kind may be placed in the mushroom house at once, thrown into a heap to heat for a. day or two, then spread out and formed into a bed. Spawn it shortly after, and cover with a 3-inch laver of good soil, firmlv patted down. Frame Melons.—The earlier crops will now be ripening, and advantage must be taken of every means to further their process. Some lay the fruits on tiles and slates, exposing them at the same time to the sun's rays; others, and perhaps preferably, elevate each fruit on a flower pot clear of the foliage. The benefit of lifting up the lights at top and bottom alike, ever so slightly, is perhaps not recognised. It, however, is the means of introducing a steady supply of pure air without affecting the tem- perature to any extent. Hydrangeas.—Plants propagated early in the year should now be under watered, but not kept quite dry at the roots, in order to ripen up the wood and to set flowers before winter, that the plants may be ready to force successfully in January. ♦ Saving Sweet Pea Seeds.—Pods set on early bloom will now be ready to gather. Tie the pods of each sort together with the name attached, and hang them upside down in some place where rats and mice cannot possibly reach them. < < < Giant To,m.atoos.-Amo-io- market growers size in Tomatoes is generally considered to be of the first importance, and many a ,oüd- looking, well-flavoured variety has been aba i- doned by the market man simply on the score of lack of avoirdupois. What tj" rage after size may lead to was amusingly illustrated by a Jersey grower with whom I had a chat not long since. He had tried and given up varietv after variety, at last to find what he considered "the very thing" in a giant sort called Rt, Kilda. The first year he grew this all v ent well; good big fruits were obtained in num- bers, and next year he planted it in all his houses. Then were the pigmy varieties avenged! St. Kilda. so liked the good Jersey soil that it became unmanageable, and turned out fruits large beyond the. dreams of the grower or the desires of the consumer. The climax was finally reached when from jne l-cose on the same morning sixteen fruits were gathered which weighed over 321b. It Mrs realised that such specimens were no rse to the man who wanted to buy only lib. of tomatoes, and who objected to having half a fruit for his money, and at the time of my visit to St. KiVa had been relegated to the home whence no tomato ever returns I

Four boys have been fined at Durham 'or using dynamite to kill and catch fish in the Wear. On a visit to Cornwall, a gentleman MacPherson was accidentally drowned at Port- hallow, near Looe. Carrying with fit an income of £1533, the living of Wem, Shropshire, has been accepted by the Rev. tho Hon. A. Parker, vicar of Wyiaondham, Norfolk. Norfolk. Detectives disguised as tra.mps were mainly bl-* responsible for the fact that a Kingston publican was fined for using his premises for betting pur- poses. Surprised by a constable whiLst robbing an orchard near Crewo, some boys turned on the officer and stoned himi until he lest conscious- ness. No trace of the culprits has been found. During cavalry disemlbarkafcion experiments at Dover in a rough sea one of the boats was swamped and the soldier crew thrown into tha Siea. Several men wfre severely braised.

A I OVER, X100,000 MISSING. I PARIS BANK CLERK ABSCONDS. I EXCITING ADVENTURES. Remarkable details have now come to light con- cerning the flight of Gallay, the absconding bank clerk of the Comptoir dEscompte, who is now alleged to have taken with him upwards of 9100.000. It transpires that Gallay and his female accom- plice, a woman named Merelli, before leaving Paris bought and sent to Havre by rail no fewer than eighty-six trunks and boxes, which with their con- tents weighed over eighteen tons, and were of the estimated value of £1600. In the name of Baron de Gravald, Gallay hired a powerful motor-car, on which he travelled to Havre. He took with him a French chauffeqr, who has been interviewed, and who describes the journey as the liveliest he has ever made. Gallay and his companion, he states, were continually laughing and joking. They spent money lavishly, and put up for the night at Rouen at the most expensive hotel in the town. Before leaving they called on several banks and appar- ently withdrew large sums of money. Arrived at Havre, the absconding clerk went on board the yacht Catarina, of Cowes, which he had also hired in the name of Baron de Garvald, and transferred his baggage to the vessel. On August 3 the Catarina got up steam and sailed from Havre. It appears that Gallay is making direct for South America, as the yacht has been signalled both at Cape Verde and at Teneriffe. The chief South American ports have been warned by cable of his expected arrival. Mme. Gallay, the deserted wife, who is living at G arches, near Paris, appears to have been com- pletely deceived by her husband. In the course of an interview she narrated a painful story of her married life. It appears that for seven years Gallay treated her with consistent brutality. Only a few days before his departure he hired the villa in which she is now living. He disappeared without the slightest warning on July 8, and Mme. Gallay feared that some fatal accident had befallen him until she read of his flight in the Paris papers. She is now left abso- lutely destitute.

I NEW FASHION IN EXECUTIONS. ——— I GHASTLY SPECTACLE. The Hong Kong Daily Express states that seven men were executed by strangulation at Canton, and another, whose crime, that of sup- plying arms and ammunition to the Kwangsi rebels, was considered of a more serious cha- racter, had his head chopped off according to old custom. The men who were strangled were first of all tied to crones, and then cords about their necks were screwed up tight. A large audience turned out to see the new fashion," several Europeans being amongst the crowd. As soon as the affair was over, one of the Europeans immediately stepped into the ring to bargain with the No. 1 executioner for the cords he had used. I know of one instance (says the correspondent) of a tourist bribing the executioner to hold his sword in the air, above the condemned man's head, for three seconds, so that a clear picture might be secured. It was a gruesome sight; and after the execution, the blood-bespattered tourist secured the executioner's sword, even preventing him from wiping it.

SOLDIER'S SHOCKING DEATH. I MANGLED BY AN IRON ROLLER. A shocking accident, which terminated fatally, befell George Kenyon, gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery, at Cliffe, near Rochester. Leaving Cliffe Fort, where he was stationed, to go on furlough, he was overtaken on the road by a large iron roller, drawn by four horses, which was being removed from the fort to Gravesend. In endeavouring to jump on the wooden frame to ride, he lost his balance and fell in front of the roller, which passed over his body. An ambulance was at once obtained, and the unfortunate man removed to Fort Pitt Hospital, Rochester. Here it was found that he had sustained fractured limbs and serious internal injuries. He died on Sunday morning. The deceased, who was 31 years of age, was a single man, and a native of Liverpool. Two horses were sent to fetch the roller on Friday, and they refused to draw it. It is a strange I coincidence that the deceased was to have pro- ceeded on his leave on the Friday, but lost his train.

I CHASED BY DETECTIVES. I DIVE FROM CLELSEA BRIDGE. Two men were driving a horse and cart across Chelsea-bridge early on Monday morning. Two detectives, noticing that the horse had not been properly harnessed, wished to look rather closely at the turn out. The two men in the cart whipped up the horse and galloped quickly away. The detectives went in pursuit, a policeman stopped the horse, and the two men jumped out. One of them went over the bridge into the river, and the other ran down the road! The man in the river swam some distance, but becoming exhausted went near the shore and then he was caught with a boathook and dragged to land. The other man was caught with rells trouble. Both men were charged at the South- western Police-court with stealing the horse, cart, and harness, and remanded.

I CHINESE JUMP OVERBOARD. The Sagami, which has arrived from the Far East, reports that three Chinese stokers committed suicide by jumping overboard in the Indian Ocean, The captain is of opinion that it was a case of force of example superinduced by the great heat, although he has a suspicion that the men had decided, actuated through Oriental devilry, on a new form of desertion.

I OLDEST LEGISLATOR DEAD. Mr. David Wark, representing New Brunswick in the Canadian Senate, died at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Monday morning He was the oldest legislator in the world, being aged 101 years six months and a day. His mind remained clear to the last. Death was the result of advanced years. Mr. Wark did not attend the Parliamentary session this year, but he was last present when he attained his hundredth year.

I CYCLIST'S SHOCKING DEATH. The death, as the result of a cycling accident, occurred on Monday morning of Mr. Henry Matthews, a well-known resident of Endon (Staffordshire). Mr. Matthews was cycling home on Sunday night from Longsdon, through a very hilly district, and coming down a dangerous incline he lost control of the machine. He dashed into a telegraph post by the side of the road, and was picked up unconscious and so terribly injured that he never rallied.

New Girl: "Oh! missus, tnere's sometiiuig ■the matter with the milk!" Mistress: "Mercy me d hM is it?" New Girl: "A yellow scum has gatherew] on the top of it." I'm 'feared it's spoiled." Mistress: "Where were you brought up?" New Girl: "In London." Mistress "I fJltougUx m much."

NOBLE THROUGH BAPTISM. Nobility is usually a heritage., but in the case Of one famous English showman the title was gained through baptism, and not through birth. The circus business is heredi,tarya,broad, and, appreciating the advantages accruing from an unusual cognomen, the son of a circus pro- prietor wa,s baptised "Lord George Sanger." Since his menagerie has several times shown before royalty, -there are thousands who firmly believe that "Lord" George gained his title as did Sir Henry Irving and other titled actors. As -t trade mark the name has been worth hundreds of pounds to the exhibitor and, was responsible in a large measure for his early suc- ceiss-a success which continued until he was in- duced to form his circus into a stock company, on the Barnum and Bailey plan, when the inter- ference of the directors prevented his unique methods of self-exploitation.

TRICKS OF THE CHARMER. While the shouter outside the show was bel- lowing to the crowd that the snake charmer with- in had a hypnotic eye that cowed the venomous reptiles into submission the sturdy personage herself was telling a curious visitor some of the tricks of the trade. "The only secret of the game," she said, "is to attain a fondness for my loathsome pets and a knack of handling them without arousing their anger. When irritated they shew it by a slow movement of the tail after the manner of a Indeed snakes have many other feline charac- teristics. When this occurs I have to put the snake 'back in. the cage, for the quick tightening of the muscular coils when I place the python around my neck would be death to me. "For this reason I have to have four or more pythons, which represents an investment of over nfity pounds apiece. The main, reason, however, is that these constrictors1 eat only once every twelve days, and then they go on the sick list for several days during digestion. "Where help is always handy the python is not to be dreaded by the skilled performer. Still, the blow that an angry enake will deliver on the chest is a triple extract of the shocks, ad- ministered by "Jim" Jeffries, a mad mule and a racing automobile. If the python could follow this up by coiling about the body my bones would be reduced to jelly in short order. "My biggest constrictor is now on the sick list, as it is now dangerous and venomous. The big fellow is now totally blind, for he is shed- ding the film or skin from his eyes, and he will strike out at the slightest provocation. In a short while this reptile will have a new pair of eyes and be my.star performer.