" Bother the hospital, sir. I shall give .Barlow my London business." It was really astonishing how that visit to Paris had developed Mr. Barlow's character. Of course it was not the mere going abroad •—for there is no evidence that Mr. Cook's are intellectually any the better for that—but the experience of life that had been opened up to him. It had evoked all sorts of qualities and feelings at the existence of which in him only one person in the world had guessed. In short, at bottom he was worthy of her. Before Amy married him he had become as a brother of his blood to Matthew-; for lud he not seen poorPhrebe at the very last and done his best to avenge her ? Sabey, •ef course, knew all about it and sympathised with him as only a good woman can with -a rival—who is dead. Matthew did not talk mnch of his unhappy first love ; but he thought ab'iut her a good deal—always tenderly, purely, and with gratitude. It ■was curious, and went to confirm Uicle Stephen's theory, that the nature of this man, so reticent and unsocial, should have been bo thorougldy known and appreciated fey threi woman ; two of whom may be said !to have lived for him, and one to have died for him. It may be taken for granted that when a man is beloved—in honest fashion—by more than one woman, ho is deserving of love. As to Uncle Stephen and Unclp Koger I •don't know which idolised their nephew xno«t; and in one case at least it was quite independent of his succe«s in the world. 'The success, however, had, I think, some influence upon his own character; it_uncon sciously expanded under it in a genial and ftnotesome way, like a ilower that, after s long winter, feels the kiss of the sun. He bad no more disappointments, aad only one regret. Yet, after all, was it not better even for poor Fhteba herself that she was ■dead ?

In tho same desk in which had been dis •covered -that memorandum of his tender "forethought for her, there wag now a scrap -of paper, tom and bloodstained, on which were scrawled the words that had saved Matthew's life ; and on them—it is no dis iionour to his manhood to confess it—he never looked witbout a tc*r.

THE END.

Menacing a Liverpool Vicar.

EXTRAORDINARY" STATEMENT.

THE vicar of Holy Trinity Church has issued for the information of his parishioners the following statement: —

By threats, by offers of peenniary advan tages, by the held out prospect or a serious diminution of bis income from the church, and by a variety of other mean?, persistent attempts have been made to induce the ricar to surrender what he conscientiously believes to be the simple and faithful worship •of the Kefonned Church of England. Hera •are some fact 3:— :^. ■ f-^SW9 In October a request wns urgently made 'that the choir, when saying the Creed, •should turn to the east. In the latter part of December a request was made, accom panied by a threat, that when the curate took the service should he be allowed to intone, at about the same time the utmost pre»»ure was brought to bear upon mo to •adopt a hymn book (Ancient and Modern), ■which, in my opinion, teaches, amongst other questionable doctrines, trans-sub stantiation and tha worship of the Virgin Mary. " At the commencement of January, intimations, almost equally a threat, were made io me to give up the usual Congrega tional hymn for an anthem. More or les?, from December to the middle ofj March, strong and'untiring efforts have been made to get me to introduce the foregoing hymn book and to make the Church Service less and less Congregational; in the middle of February 1 was strongly and persistently urged to allow to be •advertised in the newspapers that, after a certain Sunday evening service, an •organ recital would he given in the church ; in the middle of March I was again and again pressed to allow the curate, not merely to intone when he took the service, but to surrender to him the chief portion of the service, when I took it; at the same •time I was aleo stronqlv ureed to have the •communion table (called in this case "altar") covered with black on Good Friday, and to have, on Easter Sunday, on the same table, a cross with flowers ; in a most unpleasant way, accompanied with semi-profane in sinuations, have I been urged to give up -evening communion; and by clandestine means nave attempts been made to intro duce into the church certain hymns and practices to which, it was known, I was •opposed. lor peace sake, a3 well as fearing tho consequence of the threats which were mado, I moat reluctantly conceded a part •of the intoning request (but there will bo no more intoning after Easter Sunday), and also the morning anthem. As to the other requests, if not demands, I have firmly re fused to yield, Though I have done this, I ihare under all circumstances kindly reasoned with the party or parties con cerned. I can mention several other mat ters, but I have stated enough to show that should my income from the church be seri ously diminished, through" almost every form of opposition which has been used me, it will be in the defence of what I deem to be vital principles. J. Hknky Skewes, Vicar,

Curious Relationships.

•GOSSIPS are considerably agitated by the fact that as the brother of the intended bride of the Duke of Westminster recently 'married Lady Beatrice Grosveno. young t est daug liter of the Duke and of the late Duchess of Westminster, therefore by this intended union the Duke will find him self brother-in-law to his daughter and Ids son-in-law. There have, however, been many more intricate relationships than this established, For instance, there were,married at Durham, Canada East, an old lady and gentleman involving the following interesting connections ; — The old gentleman is married to his daughter's hnsband's mother-in-law,andhis daughter's husband's wife's mother. And yet she is not his daughter's mother; but she is his grandchildren's grandmother, and his wife's grandchildren are his daughter's stepcbil 3ren. Consequently the old lady is united in the bonds of holy matrimony to her daughter^ brotlier-in-law's father-in-law, and her great grandchildren's grand mother's stepfather; so that her son-in law may say to his children, "Your grandmother is married to my fa fher-in-law, and yet he is not your grandfather; but he Is your grandmother's son-in-law's wife's 'father." This gentleman married his son in-law's fatber-in-law's wife, and he is bound to support and protect her for life. His wife is his son-in-law's" children's grandmother, and his son-in-law's grand children's great grandmother. Similarly, ■ a Mr ;Harwood had two daughters by his first wife, the eldest of whom was mar ried to John Coshick ; this Coshick had a daughter by his first wife, whom old Har •wood married, aed. by her ho had a son : therefore John Coshick's second wife could say as follows :—

'My father ia my son, and I'm my mother's mother; My sister iamy daughter, and I'm grandmother to my brother.

The Salvation Army and its Curious Crusades.

The Salvation Army and its Curious Crusade.

Interesting Converts, the " Devil Dodger," the " Converted Clown," and the ''Happy Baker,1'

The doings of a band of religious extremist* who, in the opinion of a few, are mistaken enthusiasts, and of many more merely de signing frauds, and who ntyle thcmsclvc* by the high-soundinsf iam» of "Salvation Army,1' have caused much talk in England recently. Their eccentricities are pithily described by a recent number of " Truth," in which Mr Labouchcro cU-courses as fol lows :—

I bought a "War Cry, "si weekly no w« paper, published b> th« •' Salvation Army", last week to endeavour to make out pre cisely what that interesting combination really consists of. The "G. neral ia Mr Booth ; he, his wife, his three sous, nnd bis daughter seem to be at the head of the movement, and tbo latter appears to have oven higher military rank limn her father, for she w called "Marochnle" Booth. There are colonels, majors, captains, lieutenants, and sergcanb) in the army, mid special sub scriptions are invited not cnly for these officials, but for their wives. In some places barracks havo been erected, in others " halls" havo been bought I pre sume that all these people are paid. If so, I do not wonder that tlio army finds re cruits, and that ita officers loar as large a proportion to the moo as they do in the Mexican forces, for it i« far more pleasant to march, shout, and pniy than to work. It would, appear that, betides army rank, anyone may, if he pie?**1 *, dub himself with some quaint dosignati'm. In Hcmles* ford, the "Converted Drunkard" testifies; in Accrington, the "Hallelujah Fish monger;" in Cramborno. the; "Converted Clown!' and the "Blood-washed Minor;" in Leicester, the "Happy Baker;" in Blaioa, the " Converted Welshman;" in Swindon, the "Hallelujah Parson;" ia Belfast-, the "Devil Dodger;" and in Glas gow, the "Devil Walloper." Miat quiet people should object t" the noise which these strange poople make in the street 13 not surprising, for I read that in Mansfield " brass instruments, drums, triangles, and tambourines sound the praises of God in the open air;" in Cunning Town, " Private Wright blew sr.nie shrill blasts from his horn and thoroughly aroused the natives; then wo soloed tiio;ii with banjo accompaniment;" at Blyth, "we had the big drum, kettle-drum, clationet, triangle, and tambourine ;" and at most of the other places where the Salvation Army ia ia iorco the same sort of mu-iiu seems to be in the ascendant, INTERESTIKO CONVKRSIONS,' The experiences of the converted before conversion are curious. At Mi<!dlesborough a recruit explained how he " used to turn black houses iato white onen by the aid of whitewash." At Blackburn "one who used tobacco for twenty-one years, and could not pray without a chew, has, after a hard fight, made a surrender." At Hali fax a '• brother said that when he told his wife he had joined the Salvation Army, she called him names, nud threw hii shield through tho window. He and his son got on their knees, and played that God would have mercy on her. Whilst doing so, old boote wore flying about, but they prayed on, and the "n-xt night she came and got herself saved." In Chester le-street " there was a man so bad that he went by the name of Charlie Peace, he would come home sometime': «o drunk that his wife bad to hide his rnzors, but now a wonderful change has been wrought in him." In Windsor, a brother says, "I used to go to public-houses, and stand on my head on the table, and play my con certina, and dance with my feet against the ceiling, but lam saved now." This is the career of Captain Bsaty, as recorded in the "War Cry." The C-iptaia was a boot finisher, but " ho drank," and cuch was his temper that he was "occasionally most dangerous;" Indeed, one clay ho " seized a chair, struck his wife to the floor, and then kicked and dragged hffr about the room." It was his habit to smash his furni ture,'and to use the pieces "as missiles for any one who came to iuterfere." So bad a man waa he, that it "seems as though ho were the devil in human form," and lie was called "Friday." Vainly did he en deavour to mend his ways ; " Satan set his servants to work to prevent poor sin-stained Friday from becoming a saint," and ia the guise of the "publican liviag opposite would frequently manage to have a. pewter pot on his door-step to tempt him." How ever, after a terrible bout pf drunkenness, "Mr Ballington Booth visited the poor drunkard's home, and he is no w a ' captain' in the army," THE WORKING OF THE SPIRIT. Here is an account of a midnight meet ing in Manchester: —" From the very first commencement the Holy Spirit fell upon the people. The bottom of the Temple was packed, there must have been 800 present. While singing the first hymn six converted sinners came to the fountain without any preliminaries, whilst the sol diers rushed out to the front and sang. Batch after batch did follow, add the scene soon baffled description. During tne night over 500 laid their all on the altar. A large number fell under the power, and had to be removed. No wonder that the saints should danoe, as they did, for joy. Old and young alike were overjoyed, faces shone, Kime shouted, some sang, some clapped their hands. We left the temple at five in the morning, better both in body and soul than we wese when the meeting began." Not only, however, are the meet ings held in |room 3 and in streets, but in railroad carriages; for Captain William Dear writes from Lynn: "The pickets of the 99th 'Death and Glory' lads and lasses went to Downharn the other day for a skir mish, and had real.' blood and fire' meet ings in the railway carriage. The travellers were greatly affected." AN OPPOSITION AEHY. It need hardly be said that General Booth and his family are not likely to retain a monopoly of this business, and already opposition "captains" and armies are in the field; to {the large indignation of the promoter of the movement. He warns his friends not to believe in Captain Sterry, who calls himself a [Salvation Army Cap tain, but who has been convicted for desert ing liis wife; nor in Major Gillies, who is to "be imported into Bath, and who uses every possible trick to produce the impres sion that he is one of our officers ;"• nor in Captain C. M. Harrison; nor in "a man called Peirett;" nor to be connected "with a movement called King Jesu's Army," hailing from Dawley. Oa the whole, it is pretty clear that lads and lasses who issue forth on excursions to neighbouring towns to "skirmish" meetings, at whica joints dance and shout until five in the milling, whilst converts bvthe hundred so conduct themselves that "they have to be removed;" where converted clowns, devil wallopers, and others blow trumpets, boat drums, and play upon clarionets, are not likely to bene fit themselves and others. But if the Sal vation Army, with its officers, and its

meetings, and its binds, are regarded by their promoter as doing so much god, I should like to know why he considers that "King Jean's Army," with the same or ganisation, and passing its time in precisely the same performances, is pernicious? What is the diil'crcnco between tue two forces ?

Thus ends Mr Labouchere's remarks for that week, but on the next ho returns to the charge thus : — > Last week I gave some extracts from the "War Cry," tiic organ of the Salvation Army, and now I see that a protest has been entered in tho " Tinies '' against well intentioned persons subscribing to tha movement. It is pointed out that General Booth is avowedly its absolute and irre sponsible head, and that, in the scheme which he has organised, he is as autocratic as the Pope. I should like to know how the money already subscribed has been ex pended. The entire family of the General, fiis wife, his sons, and his daughters, hold rank, and seem to travel about the country as it pleases them or their father. Are they supported from the funds ? Moreover, so far as I can make out from the " War Cry," every person who can show that he has been a greater scoundrel than his neigh bour has only to declare himself converted, and to assume an absurd soubriquet, such as the " Converted Clown," or the " D.-vil Walloper," in order to be dubbed a cap tain, given a uniform, and a salary. In towns which the army occupy, the proeocd ings commence with " teas," then a march takes (place through the streets, when in struments of all kinds are played and hymns bellowed, after which there is a meeting, which sometimes is prolonged until the next morning, at which men and women shout, weep, dance, pray, and fall into fits. I respect every etlbrt to elevate the morals of the community, but.l hardly think that nil this sensational tomfoolery will be productive of any advantage, except to those who, like the Booth family, tho Converted Clowns, and the Devil Wallop ers, make a living out of it.

The Boy and the Skeleton.

BY MARK TWAIN,

WHEN I was a boy_ in a printing-oiHce in Missouri, a looso-iointed, }oiiK-le<zs:ed, two headed, jeans-clad, countrified cub of about 16 lounged in one day. and without moving his hands from tho depth of his trousers pockets, or taking oft' his laded ruin of a slouch hat, whoso broken brim hun" limp and ragged about his eyes and ears like a bug-eaten cabbage leaf, stared indifferently around, then leaned his hip against tho editor's table, crossed his mighty brogans, aimed at a distant lly from a crevice in his upper tooth, laid him low, and said with composure — " Whar's the boss);"

" I am the horn," said tho editor, following this curious bit of architecture wonderiuyly along up to its clock-work with his eyo. "Don't want anybody fur to learn the business, taint likely?"

"Well, 1 don't know. Would you like to learn it ?"

"Pap's so po' ho can't run mn np mo1, bo I want to git a showsomers, if I kin, taint no ditl'unce what—l'm strong and hearty, and I don't turn my back oa uo kind of work, hard nursoft."

" Do you think you would like to learn tho printing business ?" 11 Well I don't ro'ly k'yer a durn what I do learn, so's I get a chance fur to make my way. I'd just as soon learn priut'n 'a any thing." "Can you read? '■ Yes—middlin'." <• Write?"

"Well, I've seed peole could lay over mo

thar."

"Cipher?" "Not good enough to keep store, I don't reckon, but up as fur as twelve-times twelve I ain't no slouch. T'other sido of that is what giU me." "Where's your home ?" "I'm f'm old Shelby."

"What's your father's religious denomi nation'"

" Him ? Oh he's a blacksmith •" «i jfo,—no; I don't mean his trade. What's his "religious denomination?" "O—l didn't understand youbefo'. He's a Freemason."

" No—no, you don't get my meaning yet. What I mean is, docs he belong to any church ?"

" Now you're talkin I Couldn't make'out what you was a tryin' to fget through yo' head no way. B'long to a church ! Why, boss, he's been the pizencst kind of a Free will Baptis' for 40 year. They ain't no pizener ones 'n what he is. Mighty good man, pap is. Everybody says that, if they said any differunt they wouldn't say it whar I waz : not much they wouldn't." " What is your own religion ?" 11 Well, boss, you've kind o' got mo thar —andyityou hain't got me so mighty much nnther, 1 think 't if a feller helps another feller when he's in troublc.aud don't cuss, and don't do mean things, nur noth'n' he ain't no business to do, and don't spell the Saviour's name with a little g, he ain't running no reaks—he's about as safe as if he b'longcd to a church.'' 11 But suppose he did spell it with a little g,—what then? "Well, if he done it a purpose, I reckon he would stand no chance—he oughtn't to have no chance, anyway, I'm most rotten certain "bout that."

"What's your name',?" "Nicodemus Dodge." "Ithink maybe you'll do, Nioodemus, We'll give you a trial anyway." "All right." "When would youlike to begin?"

"Now."

So within 10 minutes after we had first glimpsed at this nondescript he was one of us, and with his coat off and hard at it. Beyond that end of our establishment which was furthest from the street, was a deserted garden, pathless, and thickly grown with the bloomy and villainous "/jimpson" weed, and its common friend the stately sunflower. In the midst of this mournful spot was a decayed and aged little '' frame " house, with but one room, one window, and no ceiling—lt had been a smoke-house a generation before. Nicodemus was given this lonely and ghostly den as a bedcham ber.

The village smarties" recognised a trea suie in Nicodemus right away—a butt to play jokes on. It was easy to see that lie was inconceivably green and confiding. George Jones had the glory of perpetrating the first joke on him ; he qaye him a cigar with a fire-cracker in it, and winmed to the crowd to come; the thing exploded pre sently and swept away the bulk of Nico demus's eyebrows and eyelashes.—He sim ply said—

"1 think them kind of seeg'yars danger some—" and seemed to suspect nothing. The next day Nicodemus waylaid George and poured a bucket of ice-water over him.

One day, while Nicoderaits was in swim ming Tom M'Elroy "tied" his clothes. Nicodemus made a bonfire of Tom's by way of retaliation.

A third joke was played upon TJicodemus, a day or two later—he walked up the middle aisle of the village church, Sunday night, with a staring handbill pinned be tween his shoulders. The joker spent the remainder of the night, after church, in

the cellar of a dcerted house, and Nicode urns sat on the cellar door till toward break fast time to make sure that the prisoner remembered that if any noise was made some rough ticatment would be the conse quence. The cellar had two feet of stag nant water in it. and was bottomed with six inches of soft mud.

But I wander from the point. It was the subject of skeletons that brought this boy back to my recollection. Before a very long time had elapsed, the village smarties began to feel an uncomfortable consciousness ot not having made a very Shining success out of their attempts on the simpleton from "old Sbelby." Experimen ters grew scarce and chary. Now the young doctor came to the roscuc. There was de light and applause when he proposed to scare Nicodemuß to death, and explained bow he was going to do it. He had a noble new skeleton—the skeleton of the late and only local celebrity, Jimmy Finn, the village drunkard—a grisly piece of property wich ho had bought of Jimmy Finn him self, at auction, for 50 dollars, under great competition, wbon Jimmy lay very sick in the tanyard a fortnight before his death. The 50 dollars had gone promptly for whisky, and had considerably hurried up the change of ownership in the skeleton. The doctor would put Jimmy Finn's skele ton in Nicodomus a bed !

This was done—about half-past 10 in the evening. About Nicodemus's usual bed time—midnight—the village jokers came creeping stealthily about the jimpson weeds and sunflowers towards the lonely frame don, They reached the window and peeped in. Tliero sat'the long-legged pauper, on his bed, in a very abort shirt and nothing more; he was dangling his legs coutentedly back and forth, and wnoezing the inus icof " Camptown Kaccs," out of a paper over laid comb which he was pressing against his mouth ; by him lay a new jeweharp, a new top, a solid india-rubber ball, a hand ful of painted marbles, five Ipound of " Btope " candy, and a well-gnawed slab of ginborbrcad as big and as thick as n volume of sheet music, He had sold the skeleton to a travelling quack for three, dollars and was enjoying the result,

Terrible Outrages on Women and Children.

Tjie terrible stories concorning the outrages on women and children which have been reported by telegraph appear to have had but too solid a foundation. A special corres pondent of the "Golos" gives a heart rending description of the appearance of the town and ot the misery and desolation' of tho Jewish inhabitants. He says that over 1,000 houses arid 300.shops and warehouses had been completely pillaged nud rendered untenable; that ltU Jews had received moro or leas serious bodily injuries, and that tho whole population were in danger of starva tion from want of food and shelter. The " Golot" correspondent openly accuses tho local officials not only of ncgligcnco of their duties, but of having wilfully acted iv such a manner as to insure the discomfiture of the Jews and tho success of tho rioters. In the " Vushod " a letter is pub lished from a privato correspondent in Haiti, who, it states, holds an official posi tion in the town. Ho says : " Tho entire town i* completly devastated, and all the inhabitants arc ruined, as tho result of a twoidavs'pillage and tho brutal violence of tho mob. About 6,000 families arc with* out food and the first necessaries of life. Children are dying from cold and hunger. Adults are starving, and have nothing left but the clothes on their backs. All those who were well oft" have been reduced to beg gary. Send someone to inquire into our misery, publish everywhere what has hap pened to us. The plunderers maintain that they havo permission to destroy the Jews. It was not a riot, but robbery with violence. I repeat that we aro without abroad, and have nowhere to lay our heads. Death by starvation awaits us unless help be quickly forthcoming. On April 3rd wo prayed the authorities to ask for troops for our protec tion ; we foresaw the disaster. There were several cases of violation, and if it be neces sary we will give the names of the outraged women and of the wounded and killed.1' Tho ordinary correspondent of the samo journal gives a similar picture of the des truction of property and misery of the Jewish inhabitants of Halts, and says women and young girls were violated in tho most barbarous manner. When such facts aro published in tho Kussian journals under the severest censorship, and with a full knowledge on the part of correspondents as to their immediate responsibility for their statements, it is evident that'the atroci ties at !Balta havo exceeded in horror even anything that occurred during the outbreaks of last year,"

Jewelled Garters.

The fashion of wearing jewelled carters has spread so rapidly that jewellers all k«ep the article in stock. They are very expen sive. A membor of a conspicuous firm explains : "The rage is recent, but none the less strong, and it promises to spread indefinitely, as the rage is as unlimited as the purse. All the prominent society women and many who are not in society ■wear them. You see, women constitu tionally delight in pretty things and their adornment is of more interest and enjoy ment to them tnan anything else. If you will come down stairs I'll show you the stock."

There was a show case full of them, each pair mounted in a velvet box. The pattern was the fame in all as far as the band was concerned. The band was a full inch wide, made of fine elastic and covered with beautifully woven siik, of every conceivable shade, pale blues and warm reds predomina ting. They are designed to match the tint of the dress worn with them. In one case two heart-shaped clasps of coloured gold, inlaid with cross-bars of turquoises and pearls, joined the ends of a scarlet band with little frills of silk along the edges. The price was 100 dollars. A pair with two oval clasps of hammered gold, perhaps an inch in length, could be bought for 48 dollars, while the cheapest pair, wich plain gold clasps, was 46 dollars. " Irs a curious fact," said the jeweller, ■'that the cheap ones won't sell, when a customer wants an elegant garter, he—l mean she—is willing to pay for it." A pair that cost 225 dollars had two shields with three big pearls in each and little diamonds at the edges. Another pair was expensive through its delicate lace, which was arranged in a fluffy bow-knot, with two little gold disks clasping in the centre.

Atkinother establishment the jewellersaid: "The majority of theni are made to order, Your visit is most opportune, as I have just finished the most expensive pair that ever left my factory. The price is 1,200 dollars." In thjs the lace and pearl coloured silk-band was joined by an elaborate clasp. On one side was the lady's monogram in pearls : on the other the coat-of-arrns, with trosted storks' heads, a crest of delicately carved gold, and a motto set in chip diamonds. It was a pres ent from a mother to her daughter, who is to be married soon.

"Has the demand for such gartera in creased ? "

"It is a hundred per cent, greater than last year, and grows constantly."

FOR THE LADIES.

Selections for Ladies.

They say Fortune is a capricious mistress. But sometimes she is a good woman, and gives to those who merit. "Julia, there is no moon ; will you meet me at the gas-lignt corner '>." "No, John j I am no gaa.nmter."

" Women," saya the Italian, are wise off hand mid fools on rcllection and oftentimes fools off-hand.

The Poetic FJamc.—"l never act my hand to writin' poetry till two years ago/ said a ruralist, tiltiug back in a grocery cluir, " but the minute I took to goin1 with that Johnson girl I couldn't help it." Spiteful. —What city in Franco is a man about to visit when lie goes to got married ? lie is going to Havre (havo hpr). An old bachelor boiii" asked the question promptly replied, " To Rouen " (ruin). Too literal.—A. doctor's wifo tried the persuasive effect of her tears. "Wife," said he, " tears arc useless; I have analysed them. They contain a little phosphate of lime, some chloride of sodium, and water."

A Distinction without a Difference— A gentleman in courting is said to be " paying his respeetfull addresses to her." Let the grocer's man full in love with Betty at the are* gutc, he only "follows" her. "I liont miss my church as much as you suppose," mud a lady to hor minister, who had called up during her illness, " for I make Betsy sit at tbe windows as soon as the bells begin to chimo and tell me who are going to church, and whether they have <;ot ou anything now." " No mau shall ever kiss mo except ray future husband," she said, as she was about leaving the Kate. " Suppose I agree to ber your future? " —"Why, then I'll kiss you," she said eagerly, and she did. Her mother was informed that he had proposed, and the old lady called on him the next day to arrange matters, and before he know it ho was eternally booked. It was a very mean advantage, but a bird in the baud is worth two in tllQ garden gate,

The Dress Folly.

It appears that ladies nrc not to be allowed to pinch themselves to death without inter ruption. Dr Treves delivered in fashionable Kensington a second lecture on the "Dress of the Period," which he abused quite [as heartily as upon a former occasion. Art ordinary evening dress he roughly referred to as •' consisting of a mass of drapery round the lower part, which was sufficient to clothe half-a-dozen children, while tho shoulders were left almost bare," Ho noxt attacked tho beauties of tho fashion plates,with their square shoulders and narrow waista, com paring them with a tiguro of Venun -a lady who for ages lias been tho sculptor's typo of beauty. It should terrify any woman of ordinary norve to lcnrn how many ills spring from this much abused feminine practice : they range from a rod nose to npoplcxy, ami must iill doctors and under takers with delight. Tho fashionable French boot camo ia for abuse ; ao did trains, p:idß ; gloves, and crioolettcs, the lecturer having the shameless audacity to exhibit a specimen of the last-named auxiliary. By this time tho meeting,which wo arc told consisted of a " numerous and fashionable auditory," had warmed to the subject. The ltcv. Prebendary Harry Jones tnok upon himself to protest against the "continual distortion of tho great organs of life." The chairman, Mr Savory, F. 8.5., followed with a volley. Modem dress he characterised as an "atrocity." What will it all cad in ? The lecturer de clared that it is possible to have a medium between fashionable attire and frumpish ness, but the iindicncu laughed at him.after which ho timidly advanced the position that in his opinion it is possible to have a perfectly sanitary dress which shall not be without beauty. This is not saying much in praise of the healthful costume.

The Style and Etiquette OF Dancing.

Lkt us commence with the "Lancers," as it is the favourite squara dance. "Lan cers"of eight are only danced at after dinner carpet dancoa and in the home circle, while the' 16 "Lancers" arc invariably danced in the ballroom as follows :—

The set consists of eight couples, two of which stand at the top, two .at the hottom, and two couples at either side. The best dancers and the smartest people usually take the most prominent places m the set namely, the top and bottom, while those who nro not quite certain .of the figures prefer to take the side places. In the first figure the two ladies in the top and bottom leading couples, and the two gentlemen who staiul vis-a-vis to them, advance and retire, advance again, turn with hands to the left to their places, each leading couple join hands and cross over to the opposite end, passing between the opposite couple, who cross at the same time passing outside the leading couples; then the order is reversed, and they return to their places, the leading couples parsing outside. The ladies, then set to the gentleman on their right, and the gentlemen to the ladies on their left, and turn with both hands to places. The figure is thon repeated by the cher couples; this completes the figure. The second figure is commenced by the two leading couples at the top and bottom of the set advancing four steps, retiring and re-advancing, each gentle man places his partner opposite him, they set to each other, and turn with hands to places. The side couplesjjtlien range themselves in. two lines, with the top and bottom couples joining hands, they advance four steps andretire.and turn partners with hands to place?. This figure is then repeated by the other couples. "Wlvn Hie side couples dance the lines are formed at the sides instead of at the top and bottom ; this completes the second figure. The third fi gure commences by the eight ladies advanc ing to the centre and curtseying, joining hands, and moving to the left in a half circle, and back again to their places. The eight gentleman form an outer circle to their partners and dance to their left and back to their places ; the eight gentleman, then advance to the centre and turn faciDg their partners, they then join hands, move round to the left until they arrive at their places ; while the ladies take four steps to the left, then turn and take four to the right, which brings them back to their places, and thus the third figure is finished. This is now the now fashionable manner o£ dancing the third figure. The old-fashioned third figure is so seldom or never danccd,in which the leading lady and gentleman, who are vis-a-vis, advance and stop, curtsey, bow, land retire, the ladies then joining hands in the form of a cross and dancing half round, changing hands and back to' places, while the gentlemen dance round m the opposite direction. The fourth figure is commenced by the leading top and bottom couples taking four steps to the couples on .their right, to whom they bow, then four steps to the couples on their lefc also bowing to them, who bow in return, then face partners,and turn wjth eightsteps to places, the couples on the left set to part ners the while, fcometimes the couples who remain in their places take hands and dance round. Before finishing the figure tha top

STAR SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT, JUNE 24 ; 1882.