THE GARDEN.

(By Houtus),

Calendar of Operations, March 15.

[HORTUS is willing to answer any queries. Cor respondents must y;ive their full names and addresses, though not for publication.]

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Music! Mklo.vs (A. 8.. Whangarei). — These should never be watered or shaded from tho sun; the drier the plants are kept the richer and finer flavoured the fruit will bo. They ■ also like plenty of sun. Lift your fruit ott'the . ground. GSet an old jam tin and a shingle; place tho jam tin firmly on the ground, the shingle on top and the fruit on top of the shingle. This will raise it clear of the foliage, thus giving it more sun and air. This has been a very bad season for melons.

Gladioli (D).—Do not lift these until the haulm is properly ripened oft". Aa long as there is any life left In the haulm it is supplying nutriment to the bulbs, which will assist in keeping those flowers up to the mark. If your bulba are lirst-claaa, allow them properly to ripen, then lift, dry them in the nun for about a week, and store past for planting n«xt season. Bulbs of indifferent quality lift, dry in the sun for a fortnight, and replant. They . will give ilowers during the early spring, but this system still further deteriorates their " quality.

Kitchen Garden (Amateur.)— You have given me no idea of the scope of your garden, quality of your soil, &c. I can only gather that you want to grow something, therefore I would recommend you to plant a few cab bage and oaulinower, one row of celery and two rows of leeks. Sow a few turnips and carrots; also a row of prickly spioago, and if yc>u like salad, sow mustard and cress fort nightly in small patches. Kead the weekly " calendar.

Kitchen Garden.

Continue turning over every vacant piece Of ground whenever the crops come oft', put ting in plenty of manure at the same time. Onions, as they become dry enough for storing, tie up in strings and hang them up to some dry airy loft. They will keep longer in this manner than if spread on a floor, and at the same time occupy less packing room. Celery : Give liquid manure, and when the stalks have attained about six inches in length, tie them loosely up. Then bring the earth into the trench about the stalks. Do the same with leeks which have been planted in trench. Straw berries : Whenever the runners are strong enough for transplanting, have them trans planted at once, even if they have to be watered once or twice. Plants that are got Out early soon got established before winter, and make splendid plants for fruiting next season. The littlo extra trouble in early planting will be repaid by the extra crop and quality next season. Tomatoes : Water with liquid manure, tie up, and pinch back. Thin out some of the foliage if the fruit is crowded with leaves. The3r will ripen better and quicker if exposed to the sun and air. Don't allow too much fruit; thin off superfluous flowers before they si;t. Keep vreeds down. Flower Garden. There ought to be now no delay in strik ing cuttings of the different bedding plants. X the propagating bad lias already been made up, as directed a week or so ago, cut the quantity of cuttings of any given vari ety, prick them out in the prepared bei, water, and cover tl>em over with peelings, scrim, or other matter, so as to keep away the fierce rays of the sun. Proceed thus till all the cutting? from different varieties have been taken. Every evening take the covering off, replacing such in the morning, giving a slight watering every evening, just keeping the soil moist. Keep continu ally stirring the soil in the mixed borders ; gather seeds of the various annuals as they ripen ; clearing away the haulm of those that are past flowering. Sow a few hardy ones for early spring flowering. At tend to the tieing up, staking, and pinching of dahlias. Give frequent applications of liquid manure. Bedding plants will still require constant attention to pegging, pinching, and watering. Chrysanthemums : Tie, stake, and give liquid manuro. Herbations will require attention, cutting out decayed stems, &c. Walks and lawn as directed last week. Greenhouse. Water, air, etc., as directed last week. Achiminpx and gloxinias which have done flowering water sparingly till the foliage decays, then place underneath the stage. A few rhrysantheinuins in pot might be introdti'-jd into the house. They will look very effective when in bloom. Look after insect*, keep them down. . The Auckland Horticultural Society hold their Autumn Show next Friday and Saturday. I would therefore like to say a few words to those who take a pleasure in horticultural matters. All who grow either fruit, flowers, or vegetables always want to grow the best kinds, and up to a certain mark of excellence. It is sometime.* a great puzzle to find out what are the test kinds. Now. by visiting the show and taking notes of the different exhibits, more will be learned in one day than could be taught in years by limited Individual practice. From all partenfthe surrounding Auckland dis trict the icst produce of the gardens will be sta<pi. They will be judged and awarded prize* according to merit. The judging of the separate classes has been entrusted to cultivators noted for their pro ficiency in those classes. Therefore every award should be taken as a standard of its class. Amateurs and others interested can see what; that standard is here, and next season try and give sometliing better. These shows are held for the above purpose. Formo'l> only a few seemed to take any in terest in them, but I hope they will receive moreattention in future. No districtcan pro gress in horticultural matters, unless greater iuterest istaken in horticultural exhibitions. Keeping Grapes. The system of keeping grapes during the winter I do notthink has yet obtained much attention from those who have vineries. It is no w practised in Great Britain and France with success. Some of our readers may have a few grapes, and for their benefit we will shortly detail the process. Cut the bunch of grapeß off with about ten inches of wood attached, then insert this piece of wood in a long, naked bottle, letting the bunch hang clear of tho bottle, tha bottie to be tilled with water in which animal char coal has been steeped for some time, also patting in a small pinch of animal charcoal in each bottle. This charcoal entirely frees the water from any impurities from the deposit/ of any organic matter that may have been in it. Afterwards place the bottles with the grapes in a cool dark place with a dry atmosphoro, and when tho water evaporates to the extent of one or two inches add a littlo more. It is always ne cessary to keep tho base of the "wood covered with wato;-. A great number of the best grape-growers now in Britain r.nd France keep the late varioties of this fruit to May and Tuna the following season, and sometimes as late as July. Some growers have built elaborate houses for keeping their winter grapes in. In those houses they have a great number of appliances doing away with the bottle. The best of those for small growers is a V lube nv-fla of tin or nine, in which one bunch i inserted in each end of the tube an<! hung up to the house. This was in\ci;ted by Mr W. Dobbs. The varioties of grapes wltich seemf*most suited for keeping are Lady Downe's seedling (tho best), but the black Alicante, liarborossa, black Tripoli, Bue.khwdt's f*riuee, Royal Vineyard, G»o» Column, Syrian, White Vine, and Tfcobbians, succeed well when

cut perfectly ripe. The most important thing to.be observed is to cut the fruit per fectly ripe, nnd to leave the wood above the bunch perfectly intact—not to cut it off as shown in most illustrations describing this process. The water absorbed by the wood is then diverted from the fruit into the branch beyond, thus preventing deterioration in flavour. There is another method which is sometimes practiced, and that is to cut the grapes when ripe and pack them away in dry sawdust or powdered charcoal, which, in a measure, keeps them free from the diseased particles continually floating in the air ; but this method has its disadvantages : the fruit gets covered with dust, etc., which detracts from the appear ance as well as the commercial value. Whereas in tho process formerly detailed, :hey can bo put on the table in a plump, fresh state as if cut from the vine. Value of an American Orange Grove. Thefollowingmoderatecalculationhasbeen made for orange culture in Florida, and is endorsed by the editor of the " Florida Agri culturist"' as a fair estimate. If the premises are correct, the conclusion is inevitable : 1, Twenty-one acres of land affords sufficient space for 1,000 orange trees, 30 feet apart ; 2, if well cultivated on high hammonck land, the product will be 500 fruit per tree in ten years ; 3, as fruit sells onthetree at one cent, the product for each tree would be 85 per annum ; 4, if thetreeproducesSCiper annum, the value of each tree my be placed at §50. Conclusion : If each tree is worth SSO, the whole grove of 1,000 trees would be worth $50,000. Laying Out a Flower Garden. It is a mistaketoiay out flowerbeds in exact geometrical forms, unless one has the means to adopt the geometric style of landscape gardening. This style has a bed in one part of the lawn balanced by a similiar bed in another corresponding part, has trues in straight and balanced rows, and walks with straight borders and acute, straight angles. It admits of few curves, and no irregularities. It calls for an exactness of detail which is expensive, and to most persons displeasing. This style of gardening is going out of date, to be superseded by the more free, graceful, and informal natural style. The natural style admits of long and beautiful curves, of irregularities in surface and positions of planting. Theleastneglect mars the beauty of the geometric style, but it may sometimes add to the charm of a natural landscape. Trees irregularly scattered in clumps and as single specimens give a much more plea sant effect than if planted in rows, where every specimen must look alive to preserve the symmetry. A vacant place or a smaller tree makes a 'row unsightly, while it adds to the charm of a natural arrangement. Some flowers will be surG to grow poorly or fail to come up. Such a failure spoil* the effect of a geometric design. Some plants will persist in growing higher or coarser than plants in a corresponding bed, and tha beauty of the whole design is lessened. It is better to scatter flowor beds wherever a suitable place occurs for locating them. It is poor taste to plant directly in frost of the house. A straight walk from the front gate directly to the front door isnot in good taste, and is still less so if it is bordered with flowers or shrub. Most individuals make the mistake of planting too many flowerbeds. The beauty of a clean lawn is enhanced by a few tasty beds, while it is spoilt by too many. Make the beds wide. If they are narrow, or have long, narrow points or ap pendages, the grass roots from each side will be sure to join feet under the bed and choke out the flowers. A sharp-cut sod is the neatest border for a flower bed. Stones, shells, bricks, and beer bottles do not make tasty borders. It is a mistake to plant too many kinds of plants. A bed with nothing but phlox is far better than one with a dozen species of plants.

Exhibition of Fat Women.

If it be true, as is now stated, that " fat " women, to whom their " fat" (and not their face) is their fortune, are simply vessels of wind blown in through needle made pores, there is a new source of fun for the world. Though showmen never per mit such a liberty on the part of their patrons as the poking of the " object* " in the ribs, there arc divers more decorous ways of testing their soundness. For in stance, theadmiringpublicare often favoured by the fat fair one being ordered to " walk round and shako hands with the ladies and gentlemen." It is a poor crowd, from a strategic point of view, if the assemblage in the small show-van cannot contrive a crush arounrl the suspected prodigy. Should the] lady "go ofr' under pressure, the trick explodes with her ; but if on tho other hand, the •" too solid flesh " does not melt, the wind theory clearly will not hold water.

Suitable Presents.

Ik jewellery there have been several novulUes designed specially for New Year* gifts.. Bracelets seem to have taken tho place of lockets in this season's offerings; narrow bracelets, not in pairs and to match, but dif ferent on each arm, and a single bracelet is now considered better style than a group of bangles. Ffexiblo bracelets in links and curved chains of gold are popular, and there are wire bracelets that fit any arm ; theselast are the merest wire of gold to support a row of precious stones that are seen on the back of the wrist. Costly bracelets consist of coloured stones, alternating either with dia monds or with pearls, which form slender bands all round the arm, and quaint stones, such as tinted diamonds and sapphires that are almost purple, arc much affected. Brooches are in the form of slender bars, and theie are all sorts of lace pins, those in namel, in which such flowers as violets, for get-me-nots, daisies, and single carnations aro closely copied from nature, both in colour and form, aro tho most successful.— Paris Letter in the " Queen."

Marrying under Compulsion.

A wedding took place near Platte City, in the United States, on the 27th of December-, that excited more than usual interest, owing to the presence at the ceremony of fifty men as witnesses, all armed with shot guns. The bridegroom was Mr William Montgomery, the son of a wealthy farmer m the district, and the bride was Miss Alice Cooper, an orphan young lady, of considerable personal attractions. The courtship had to all outward appoarances gone on swimmingly for some months, but the other day Mr Montgomery, for some unknown reason, announced his intention of breaking tho engagement. He was sub sequently arrested, gave bonds, and was released. On the following cvenin"- fifty of the neighbours, including .Tustioo *bny and Miss Cooper's uncle, armed themselves with shot-guns, and got a marriage licence. They then proceeded to Montgomery's father's farm, and surrounded the house. After a few minutes' delay tho door was opened by the young man, who, in a tone of surprise and annoyance, requested to be informed "what was tho matter." In reply he was given the option of occupying a lot in a neighbouring graveyard or of at once marrying Miss Cooper. He chose tholattor alternative, and Justice Day immediately tied the knot, at the same time delivering an address to tho young couple, of so touch" ing a character that thero waj hardly a dry eye among those present on the occasion.

THE QUEEN'S NEW BOOK.

A Record of Domestic Life.

Lon-dox, February 11. — The Queen's new book was distributed to the press this morning. It consists of a disconnected diary from August 27, ISG2, to September, 1883, with a long lapse from October, 1572, to final date, covering the period of transi tion from the administration of Beaconsfield to that of Gladstone. The entire book is devoted to domestic family affairs. The political allusions are only incidental. The illustrations are numerous and include por traits of the Queen and Princesses Eleanor, Louise and Beatrice. There is also a portrait of Grant, the Queen's body servant, and one of herattendant.tholateJohnßrown. Thore are pictures of two of the Queen's collie dogs—Sharp and Noble—and several views of scenes in the Highlands from sketches by the Princess Beatrice. In the preface the royal authoress says: "Remembering the feeling- with which our ' Life in the High lands' was received, the writer thinks the present voiume may equally awaken sym pathy, as, while describing- a very altered life, it shows how her sad and "suffering heart was soothed, and cheered by the ex cursions and incidents it recounts, as well a? by the simple mountaineers, from whom she learned many lessons of resignation and faith in the quiet aud beautiful Highlands." DEDICATION' TO Tilt SCOTCH. After the dedication "To the loyal High landers, and especially to the memory'of my faithful attendant and friend, John Brcwn," the dhry opens with an account of tko building of the memorial cairn in honour of the Prince Consort. It reads as follows :--" Wo started off' in a little pony chaise, led by Brown, Bertie, the Prince of Wales in front, Eleanor and Louise on ponies and with the two little boys, Arthur and Leopold. I actually drove the little car riage to the very top of Craig Lowrigan, Grant and Duncan pushing the carriage behind, with sweet baby Beatrice. We found at the top the view so fine, the day so bright and the weather so beautifully pink, but no pleasure, no joy—-nil dead. There at the top is the foundation of the cairn to be erected to my precious Albert. I and my poor six orphans placed stones on it and our initials are to be placed on the stones all around it." Several succeeding entries mention other visits to the Prince's cairn, along with the family records and remarks of domestics. The following may serve as an example of the latter :—"When near the cairn Grant said, 'I thought you would like to be here to-day on his birthday.' So entirely was he of the opinion that this beloved day, and even the 11th of December, the anni versary of his death, must not be looked upon as a day of mourning. There is so much good and strong faith in those simple people. In October, ISG3, when making an ex cursion from Balmoral to Clova, the carriage was overturned, the face and right hand the Queen were bruised and Brown's knees were badly hurt. The succeeding entries refer to Brown's injuries :■' I was much grieved at breakfast to find poor Brewn's legs badly cut, and lie said nothing about it, but today one became so inflamed and swelled so much that he could hardly move. The doctor said he must koep it up as muoh as possible and walk very little, but did not forbid his going out with the car riage. I did not go out in the mornino-." The next day, October 12, the Qneen writes: " Brown's leg is much better. The doctor thought he could walk over the hill to-morrow." MEMOIRS OF PRINCE ALBERT. When making her first visit to Glassalt Shiel Mountain Lodge in IS6S the diary describes the house warming as follows : " Brown came to say that all the servants were ready. There were present—Louise, Arthur, Jane, Lady Churchill, and a number of domestics and police. We made 19 alto gether. Five animated reels were danced, in which all but myself joined. After the first reel a whisky toddy was brought for every one, and Brown begged that I would drink to the tire kindling. The merry pretty little ball ended at 11 o'clock, but the men went on singing in the servants' room for some time, all very happy, but sad thoughts rilled my heart, both before dinner and when I retired. I thought of my darling husband, whom I fancied I must see and" who always wished to build here. Then the sud thought struck me that it was my first widow's hoii.-L-." I.OKNK A Nil LOUIXK. On October:;, IS7D. the Princess Louise became engng.jcl to the Marquis of Lome. The event tool; place, the Queen says, during a walk from Glassalt Shiel to Dhu Lorm. when; the Princess had gone with Lady Ely, the Lord Chancellor and Lome. "Louise, on returning at night, told rue Lome had spoken of his devotion to her and had proposed to her. She had accepted, knowing I would approve. Though I was not unprepared for this result, I felt pain fully the thought of losing her, but naturally stave my consent and could only pray she might be happy." The sole reference to the affairs in France in 1870 occurs in speaking of a sermon which sho heard in Balmoral. A PLAINT OVH.R THK PBIXCK IMPERIAL. In June, 1579, the Quoen records the re ceipt of the news telling of the death of the Prince Imperial : " Brown knocked and came in. He said there was bad news, when I, in alarm, asked 'What?' He re plied, ' The young French Prince is killed.' I could not take it in, and asked several times. Beatrice then came in with a telo gram in her hand and said, 'Oh ! the Prince Imperial is killed.' I feel a thrill of horror now as I write the words. I put my hand to my head and cried out 'No !no !It can't bo true.' Then dear Beatrice, who cried very much, as 1 did too, gave me the tele gram. To die in such an awful, horrible way ! Poor, dear Empress ! Her only, only child, her all, gone ! I was quite beside my •self. Brown was so distressed. Everyone was quite stunned. Little sleep did I get at thinking of the poor Empress who did not yet know it. The prince was good and so much boloved. To think of that dear young man, the apple of his mother's eye, born and nurtured in purple, dying thus, is too fearful, too awful. And it is inexpli cable and dreadful that others should not have turned round and fought for him !" One section of the diary gives the recol lections of " My dear and valued friend. Dr. Norman MacLeod. ' WORRIED P.V AN U'.TIEVr.RENT REPORTER. During her excursions the Queen's pri %-acy was greatly troubled by reporters. When visiting Olenooe she writes : "The day was most beautiful and calm. I sat down on tho grass for luncheon y then I sketched. Here, however, in this complete solitude, we weio spied out by impudent, inquisitive reporters, who followed us every where. One in particular, who writes for some Scotch paper, lay down and watched us with a telescope, dogged me and Beatrice when we were walking about, and was most impertinont when Brawn went to tell him to move. He went sway at last. Brown came back, saying there would have been a fight if he had not gone, for when Brown said the Queen wished him ts move, lie said he had quite as. good a right to remain as the Queen Had, Brown answered, very

strongly, that the higheat gentleman of England would not do as ho did, much less a manly reporter. The other reporters came up and advised the man to go away quietly.

TEARS FOR THE DEAD GILLIE,

The concluding page is devoted to the death of Brown. It contains those senti ments : '' I{is loss to me is irreparable, for he deservedly possessed my entire confi dence. He served me truly, devotedly, and untiringly. To say ho is daily and hourly missed by me, whose lifelong gratitude he won by lifelong care and devotion is but a feeble expression of the truth." So far as its political interest is con cerned, the book throughout is disappoint ing. All the Queen's remarks have direct relation to personal emotions. Even in her allusion to the Egyptian cam paign, and the battle of Tel -el - Kebir, her only thought is for tho safety of the Duke of Connaught. The " Diary " says : " On the eve of the attack I prayed earnestly for my darling clild and longed for the morrow." The next day she gets a telegram announcing tho great victory and reporting that the Duke had behaved admirably, whereupon she says : "I felt unbounded joy and gratitude. I showed the telegram to Beatrice and em braced her, warmly saying : ' What joy and pride and cause for thanks we have to know that our darling is safe and so much praised. I feel quite beside myself with joy, thoagh grieved to think of our losses.' "

THE AUSTRIAN THUGS.

Murderers by Profession—A Terrlblo

Story of Crime.

[fROM OtTR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Withix the past week Europe has beon shocked by the discovery of a long series of appalling murders, so diabolically and des perately cruel that it seems utterly impos sible to believe in the humanity of the guilty wretches who committed them. Hugo Schenk, the head of this confederacy of murderers, is a Silesian by birth, but most of hu victims were "done to death" in the neighbourhood of Vienna. This samo Schenk, hi* brother.-", and an accomplice named Schlossarek are now—thmik heaven ! —in prison, and have confessed to a cata logue of unspeak/ibly dreadful crime*. They and their assistants pursued the call ing oi murder as a regular trade, and for the past three year.- have lived luxuriously on the profits of Mood. Tliu Sehenks, Silesians by birth, are the hoiix of a Judge, who caused them to be well educated. They have the manners and bearing of men of rank ; and Hugo, the arch-villain, is de scribed as tall, handsome, gracious and ac complished—as calculated by nature to please a young girl's fancy and win her love. At home, in Silesia, they behaved them solves so vilely, acquired such drunken and dissolute habits, that their father turned them out of doors, a hopeless disgrace to their family. How thesotwo riotous young spendthrifts first took to the occupation of murder is not known ; but tho authorities have di.-covered that they associated them selves with Schlossarek, a confirmed crimi nal, and with several other bad characters. It is not uncommon in Vienna for femala domestic servant* who hare Bared money to advertise for husbands in tho local papers ; and Hugo Schenk—a married man living apart from his wife—used to answer such advertisements, sometime* under pretence of being an engineer in receipt of a "cod salary, and occasionally as a wealthy aristo crat with a contempt for class prejudices. He would meet the girls by appointment, and, after paying court to them for a few days or weeks, induce the silly, trusting creatures to draw their money out of the bank, and, so provided, accompany him on a journey to get married. His lying tale was always carefully prepared and plausible —one not likely to attract suspicion, par ticularly in a country like Austria, where the relations between the seies are noto riously free to a fault. The victim thug secured, the handsome Hugo Schenk would get out at some romantic spot where ho had arranged that his accomplices should be in readiness, and together they would strangle or shoot the girl, secure her pro perty, conceal her body, and return quietly to tovjTi, a.- if nothing had happened, to plan fresh murders and to carry on their regular business of killing. According to the Victoria correspondent of the "DaiiyTelegraph," theganglaid their schemes in a most methodical manner, and sometimes had several projected homicides in hand at once. Hugo has confessed to having planned five murders for last wec-k alone, which he reckoned would have yielded a profit of thirty thousand florins. It seems, moreever, that he intended to give up business in his native country and cross to America with his mistress, a girl named Emily Hoeohsmann. This girl did not know how ho got his money until the day of the arrest, when she offered herself as a witness for the prosecution. It appears that Emily Hoechstnann herself had in the first place been marked for slaughter; but Hugo, finding her very poor as well as very pretty, spared her, and persuaded her to live with him as his wife. Ono day last autumn he left home for a few hours, ar ranging to meet at a coffee garden tho same evening, and on that occasion was the life and soul of the company—a merry fellow, brimming over with jests and anecdote-. Moreover, this jovial boon companion and1 attentive lover was very hungry, and ate heartily, excusing himself on the ground that he had been hard at work. However; as he said, he had not forgotten his sweet heart, and there and then made her a present of a watch, bracelets, and rings That Hugo had been at work that day is true, for he and his friends had ohot a cook named Ketterl, stolen from her tho trinkets ho had given to Emily, and flung her body into the Danube. It has been stated above that this fiend in human shape was Hvih" apart from his wife, but whore tho wife 5 at the present time—that is, if she be still alive—remains a mystery. A man some what of Hugo's stamp was observed, at one time, from a passing railway train, strug gling with a woman, not far from Lundon burg, on the Northern Railway of Austria. The passengers were sure they saw the male figure in the act of raising his arm to stab the female with a dagger which he held' in his hand ; but when tho polioo-arrived at the spot indicated both were gone, leaving not a trace behind. Hugo now admits tlmt he did murder a woman in that neighbour hood, but declines to say whether she -was his wife or a stranger. Thei&ean, however, be very little doubt that he killed a great many women '>e*ides thoi® whose disap pearance has been reports** to the police. Two are accounted for tit May, done to death after four weeks" courtship ; and at that time the House- of Schenk had no fewer than fifty others on their books, with all of whoiv. Hugo corresponded in lover like terms, while (she intimacy -which was to lead to their grave ripened. As a rule, thegangpreferred to deal with servant girls, because-, from tho fact of their being in humbla circumstances, and generally living away from their families and removed from early association in the country parts, it be came comparatively easy to get rid of them without raising much of a hue-and-cry. Since the arrests, however, the Pesth'autho-

Tities are anxious to have likenesses of the accused," as of lnte years, several youn<» women ot that city have mysteriously disap° peared, and in a manner which would suggest dealings with the Schenk establish ment. Yet though, for the reason named, the brothers found it more convenient and safer to limit their operations within a cer tain rank of life, Hugo did not disdain to fly nt higher game. There was a certain Kosa Ferenczy, a woman of thirty—imagin ative, romantic—theillegltimatedaughterof nobleman, and possessed of some means of her own. The villain laid regular siege to the poor lady's heart, persuaded her to become his mistress, end occasionally visited her in the remote suburb where she lodged. Though Rosa Ferenczy was fright ened of her lover, and during his frequent absences suspected him of being a scoundrel, yet he had only to show himself, when all her fears and suspicions vanished. About Christmas timoho took her to tho opera and to tho theatres, and must have promised her marriage, for she said to her landlady, on going a journey with him, as she supposed, to visit his sister, "You will either see me happy and married or never again." Schlol larek was with" them when they set off, and within twenty-four hours Madomoiselle Frenezy's corpse was picked up in the Banube, near I'rosbourg. By that transae tion the rirm netted one thousand eight hundred florins. The other partners, how ever, always complained that Hugo was a mean man, and did not make a fair distri bution of the profits of tho concern. Had these Austrian Thugs—incomjxir ably more base than the worshippers of Bhowani—continued to conduct their fright ful and abominable trade with ordinary prudence, they might still be nt large ; but one of them, having killed a servant-girl, had the audacity to take her bank-boolt to the post-offico with tho object of drawing the deposit standing to her credit. The woman had been missed. Suspicion was naturally aroused at the post-office, and the three principal members of the firm were consequently arrested. Of those who were at that time among the first on the Schenks' list, one is the daughter of respectable parents, and confidential maid to- Baroness Malfatti, a benevolent old lady residing in a solitary villa situated near Vienna. Hugo had induced this girl to steal a string of jwarls from her mistress, valued at twenty thousand florins, and he b.-ul ac tually concocted a plan to murder the woman herself, the Baroness, and all the household within a few hour.-of hi* wrest. Such cold-blooded malignity is simply ap palling, and to compare these devilish mon sters with the aect which formerly practised Thuggee would be manifestly unfair to the dark-skinned assassins for conscience' sake. Indeed, we doubt whether the hi.-toryofcrime records any villanics more horrible than theirs. Individual murders as bad as any of those done by tho Austrian gang have cer tainly been committed, and hideous massacres of whole families, as in the case of Trop mann; but tbo Schenks and their accomplices killed again and again, in cold blood, for the sake of plunder. Sooner or later they must have come to the scaffold. One or moro of tho band would have been sure to betray the others. Homicide has, unfortu nately, been rife in England of late, and many mysterious murders remain unac counted for. Nevertheless, such a long series of crimes of a particular kiad as are charged against the accused in this case could not possibly take place here without leading to searching inquiries and conse quent dUoovery. The firm of Schenk Bro thers, wholesale assassins,could not.indeed, have traded anywhere subject to the pub licity of an active newspaper press. Hugo, the decoy, must constantly hare been seen in company with his victims ; and it seems very strange that tho Austrian police were not able, long ago, to trace him and hia ac complices to their place of business. That they will be executed is a matter of course. Yet an instant, sudden death seems too light a puni<-hment for such detestable villains.

Lea and Perrin's Sauce.

AlTHoroH inferior in money-making power to _ a mint, sauce, too, can make the guineas roll briskly in, and notobly has this been the onso" with Lea and Pet-tin's Worcestershire. A scrutiny of the label will show that it is prepared "from the re ceipt of a nobleman in tho country." The nobleman is Lord Sandys, and _ Messrs Lea and Perrin's con nection with the sauce came about rather curiously. Many years ago, Mrs Grey, author of " The Gambler's Wife" and other novels, well known in their day, was on a visit to Ombersley court, when Lady Sandys chanced to remark that she wished she could tret some very good curry - powder; which elicited from Mrs Grey that sho had in her desk an excellent recipe which her uncle, Sir Charles, Chief Justice of India, had brought thence and given her. Lady Sandys said that there were some clever chyniists in AVorcester, who perhaps might be able to make up the powder ;at all events, when they drove in after luncheon they would see. Messrs Lea and Perrins looked at the receipt, doubted if they could procure all the in. gradients, but said they would do their Best, and in due time forwarded a packet of tho powder. Subsequently the happy thought struck some one in the business that the powder might, in solution, mako a good sauce. The experiment was mtule, and by degrees the thing took amazingly. All the ■world, to its remotest ends, now knows of Worcestershire sauce as an article of com merce ; and, notwithstanding that, in common with most good things, it, is ter rib'y pirated',, an enormous trade-It done in it. The profits, 1 am told, amount to thousands of pounds a year, and I cannot but suppose that liberal cheques, bearing tho signature of Lea and Perrins, haxe passed from that firm to Mirs Grey, to whom it is so hoaTily/ indebted for its prosperity.

Barnum's White Elephant.

Thh following is Mr Labouchere's descrip tion of Btmram'f "white " elephant: He is a welt-proportioned beast, bet- he can bq called! white by those who are in the habit of callmg^ black white. The only differeaeo between him and othor>-elephants is that hehas a cream-coloured patch with, spots onhis; trunk, »ndoneortwjonhischest, and that tho tips of his ears aro-of the same hue, and look like a sort of lacework. 1 have no reason to doubt that he is a holy animal ; : but, »las ! his rwesenco in the* flosh among ns dispels on« more illusion. —the sacrod white eUpliants whiclii iho Siamese- worship are, so far as. colour k concerned, pious frauds. In. Mexico there is a race of TncJians wttn light patches on their gkjns. These mottled savages go by the namaof Pintos. '•Toußg' Tuloung" is a Pinto.;- ho looks like an elephant with a sligjtit touch of leprosy. AVith a coating of wiitewasb, however, and with a few priesis in go goous Eaßtom raiment to minister to him, I should think that h« is likely to pi-ove remunerative as a show beast.

Cnpes, though universal, aro too comfort able to go out of fashion. This mode has passed into the condition of a wrap, and is no lonjjer dressy, unless of tho fine dark fashionable sable, which can never be vul-v garbed on account of its expense.

S.TAR SATTJMTt&y? SfJsPPUEMEJNTIY ]ffARCH,IS, £88*:%

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