TOPICS OF THE DAY.

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Loxuok, August 24. '*;, t le.l)iikoby Mrs Donald Crawford 3rT«ry orally record as tho fc*Jh»tot«r of » hysterical woman. <u flrse lf no aoouor formulated tho *JJ- itarW ppo«d«»nfeßdon W Minttdo "TfrCrowford. of all people, ami being an much odor than h s !ffell in only too well with Ins A " Tnbjeaoently the unhappy woman :'■*fith Sir Cliorlw had always been % innocent, but neither her prayers «*7. earnest persuasions of la.nily, ■? j ud powerful political potentates ir:'t' opeventMr Crawford taking n-iilisd'o P"-^ a K]atter of fact( it nQW F^Sthitttttboverytirao Mrs Cmjv »fS a gir Clmrles corrupted her 1-0 his nddreeses to Mrs Mark Sl£» charming and beautiful widow, "'t™ be bas for somo months past boon »*;tteMr.M Mrs Pattwon is e3-- ,nt Govt. House, Madias, at present ;!'!^-t toMr »nd Mrs Grant DuiV. News :-,l,edivorce proceedings reached her soon f .ii'ia" of ths petition in London, S» cabled to a friend request L the announcement of her engago- SJttffirChwlM DilUo mi-ht fovthw. ith public. Tho effect of the action strangle all illnatured ■in in the bud. Even Sir Charles's SL enemies oponly acquit him, i her ho will be able to got foftbe charge as easily in Court eeoms, fLr doubtful. A man's worst foes avo ■ those of his own household, and there h« no question that, looking upon Mrs Soda^eister-in-law, he treated her Sly with affectionate familiarity. inJKtoA a portion of tlm petitioner's '."toation sets forth that tho 00-respon tit deliberately warped tho respondent's jiod by lending her objectionable French

"tanral ether scandals implicating i,u3 personages, and most of thorn, it is ivtd absolutely groundless, luom in Z immediato fnturo. Mr Stead (tho Jitotof "Pa" Jla" C'ilZ6tto ")> irritated '■the incredulity with which his allega i«a3 against tho late Homo Secretary •v,e been received, is now said to have tted the evidence in his possession in a hinds of the Purity Society, and to have -■•"enthem permission to prosecuto if they I'rider it justifiable. Tho strry goes that onetinie prior to the "Maiden Tribute" mtation a clergyman in the West End of London preached a sermon in which ho ro ared to tho way in which many rich men -lie the little children of the poor victims ■f Heir brutal '"st, anti declared he know of jtery great man indeed to whom a aticnlaily gross case of criminal assault sldeasily be brought home. Sir William fisreourt was amongst the congregation, id liter the benediction ht. betook himself fills vestry, whoro ho gave tho parson a sol verbal trouncing. "Sir," ho said, -[lake leave to toll you that you have did prcdyour cloth this morning, Sucli vilo ciaa as formod the subject of your sermon "entirely unfitted for discu9t4on before n Gjregntion composed in the main of rain aDd children." If thero is ono Jbj I myflolf and many parents like a nine more than another, it is our dren'i innocence. Wo do all we can at hi to protect thorn from prurient daily and its consequences. But of :1aI.nse are our efforts it in the House of island under tho shadow of a parson's pm the veil of decent silence is to bo torn cm and a whole flood of obscenity turned !aeintotheirmiud3inthe name, or rather adet tho pretence, of morality ? As for cc high official whom you aver is guilty ■Jthese disgusting crimes, I have no belief bMa existence Your plain duty, if you sotoi such a ca«o, is not to talk about it ii the pulpit, but to communicate with the police"

At tho finio the parson merely observed that ho had done vhat ho had believed to be right. Subsequently, however, whon lie ".Maiden Tribute " a^it'ition camo on, brat to see Jlr Stead, and in telling his story, said; "If I had oho«en I coatrf not :«!y have proved tho existence of the cimiial to Sir William Harcourr, but d'htlave added 'Thou art tho man |"J

Tke marriage of the aged Lord Chief ■* of England with Miss Lowford, of m tennis repute, ia a rare tit bit of Rip for tociety to discuss. Lord Colo immA quite court notoriety. Ho\T long rtfincewo were all rea ling of his quarrol lain elderly daughter because sho would janit matrimony so late in lifo ? Mfcntly inconsistencies of tho most Pji»g find are not incimpatiblo with •sjlega! and judicial attainments. 1H demonstration in support of the sjewntfortko protection of young girls ma by the "Pall Ma.l Gazette," and -''Jin Hyde Park on Saturday last, was a J?8 affair, and tolerably sucee?sful, * hero of tho " New Apocalypse " editor of ths "Pall Mali Gazette") «■« himself personally known to tho i* at the demonstralion on Saturday. ™ appended description written by a '«fy friendly hand may give your readers *«Wea of the kind of man Mr Stead is. "I reportev-you will notice—calls him ■W?, ] confess I cannot nee whore the ■wttaa comes ia y !t?, ia, tl!? (lMori Ption of the scene in IMUrk afore mentioned. It is the work JJyoang man on the "Pall Mall," tho ,'Moncorrespondantof aManchesterdaily: , "8 true centre of attraction was plat- L. r°-J< where one of tho speakers ,^O9 Mr Stoad, the editor of the " Pall t 'JUzßtto." Here Mr Percy Bunting _-Mirman, and lie managed the proceed- Us !T y by ke8 P'ne his beßt s P°kes" i-j. „ to, lll 6 last, passing up eucces kl 'V ataes Rapor, Mrs Sheldon Snl antl,others t» occupy the throng. * were frequent cries of "Stead," but hR kT true t0 hiß purp°ro- At SsaZ. if-• roS8' and then tho fervour W if ur- 'Ih6re was roar "Pon bri£Lk- ee«nnß' with a wavin* of h!lt! >> h »ii fß< and bannera A live editor Htrfi v! sible t0 tho vuISM in tho C"?™ when opportunity oilers «lik»» tit cravin X t0 " see what ho ■W*? Mr Stead's case, of course, this Mill lnte?siHed a hundredfold. Hero •»& wh, okrl litera"yeot all th° W'7.' DX Jot tho past two months. *« Uaßhorfc- slend°r man, with tho <WM .1 f- nd tho 'P^or face of a 3SW? I* i« «We full of char lined, and to bo;row tho express- W Tk° U« nf! lady in "Punch,'1 very % from i feature 9 are cloar cut, the lii &1 l can be sesn of them under ''* dm .moustaonß ar.d close-cropped W» i are thin aRd determined. ■^lc!, in perpondicular <U ttamw1!?Ies> P'raps, only of anxiety is» aE1 : °"eh the y tend to give the a"e' w° repeat, it is tho , ■ and ifc Beems t0 be a 'iida,, °n pl,ace on a pair of shoulders of ? *> hnn! °i belonSfather toa Covenantor 81tOr,° !an overtime. Mr SSWp °P BPli ndid4 at a ""iMMtsr °r, a lerq«emada, or for that «»CWthe Order of the Templn-s Ml>»v poor llebonca fares Eo Mm ''!li «2 fm+i, I." 086 witb a curious gesture, "''*»tnt W h, and as though to stay N looked r CIO^ d Wbile bB surveyed it, ?«conld r fe nd lt almoat ■• far as tho *th et b rea? h to other crowds brought *<i to C .llpa were ahnost white. He ? !a'licu^° nC9 or twio8> b"t nothing I SaP of d 5 CaDl rr ° l .fro« Mm than a sort Hh Z- Then at laat-bu* v<*y ?'. It » a BC°T d ■ bimßolE and went t'3^ with u\° f trium Ph iv tbQ W »rt ffl ako^ ?i' hh ho Ol Cirii IrStoadout of the memo ii^gainV *? enao Momph. It was SfiiSS vfc world ?f th> respect. S "'"nine ,. C2, n,vontio»alitics, and 1 -'"Oampn, ! ll0s«'-cl repoitii," him *yi>Mide I felt that the mighty

city waa without a voice, and I thought v.'iat a grand thing it would bo to mako it spank on great questions as all our lesser citUw throughout tho empiro speak at their town meetings." Hero waa a curious avowal of a policy long antecedent to the present agitation—to mako London articulato—the question of what it waa to pay being evidently loft to time and oppor foro the meeting-and of courso there were many in tho spoech-rworc of far loss originality and interest than those anto bioKrupliicul raomoranda. In epito of himsolf Mr Stoad wad reviowiuy his life work up to that moment, and who, under tho circumstance.', could havo resisted tho temptation ? Tho wonder that ho should bo there and that those thousands should bo thoro at his bidding was evidently the cardinal fact of noto in tho situation and ho kept coming back to it again and again. It was qiiito tho losdtimato prido of tho email obscuro country journalist who had movoi down on London liko a con queror. This was cntiroly as it should bo. ''"he nominal topic of tho meeting had boon thrashed out in -discussion, but ovorybody wanted to know something of tho author of the movement and drank in his overy wort as ho told of his North country origin, o; his neglected education—no university, almost no school, but n poor two years' rogular teaching apart from what ho had picked up at homo. Ho stood where ho was, ho said, by virtua of his faith in (iod, in tho Hngli.-h people, and ho might havo added—no doubt ho did add mentally—his faith in himself. Yet, with fill his faith in God, ho felt that ho was sometimes no better than an atheist, whon in moments of discourage ment he had seemed to doubt (iod's perfect providoneo for all and overy righteous end. That was tho one thing to hold fast by, and with a firm reliance in that thoro could ho no clangor of any time-serving trans action with ovii in tho namo of oxpendency. Some speakors had ought to find an excuse for tho sin of Lon don iv tho povorty of London, and had thought that tho girls who yielded to temp tation under tho pressure of want had a sufficient defence. lie might sometimes have seemed to think so himself, but now ho wished to pay that ho held this jfor a shameful doctrine, and so ho know did tho poor themsolvo*. For every ono girl who Mink into infamy because her earnings woro low how many thero were who resisted the temptation ! At this point Mr Stead sat or rather sank down uttorly ovorcomo by fatigue and oxciteincnt, and tho chairman, to give him breathing time, put the resolution, waving a flag as a signal to all tho other platforms to do tho sumo thing. It was carried with the most absolute unanimity with the show of a perfect forost of hands, with loud shouts and ejaculations, with every sign of the wildest enthusiasm. When this was all over Mr Stead essayed to resume, but evidently his work for the day was dono. Ho gasped out a fe-v more sentences, and then tho chairman camoto hi?aid by dismiss ing tho meeting, with an exhortation to all present to stick to tho truth and do their duty.

Tho chief theatrical event of the month as been the production of " Hood man

Blind," a new play by Mr H. A, Jouea (part author of tho "Silver King "j and Mr Wil i-on Harrett, at tho 4'rincesses'. Tho first night was a prolonged triumph, and per formed as it is in London, thero can bo no doubt the piece would always be an un qualified success. As a stock melodrama of the better class " Hoodman Blind " is, however, far inferior to tho "Silver King," or oven to tho " Light? of London." With job scenory and haphazard representation it would not, in my opinion, attract moro attention than "The Black Flag" and half a hundred otber hot and strong Enst End hair raisers

Tho odd titlo of tho new play comes from a line in " Hamlet,"

-What devil tt-nsil That thus hath cozoneil you lit llooilmau BlinuJ'

Iho plet, however, is simply ' Othello" ru mimed, and, so to spoak, written up to date. Jealousy is the dramatist's theme, tho j' alonsy of a stalwart Buckinghamshire farmer ono Jack Youlett (Mr Wilson Barrett) who, trusting to tho fallacious evidences of hie own souses, believo.s he haa ?orn his good and truo and comely wife exchanging rapturous embraces with a swarthy an.l disreputable stranger in tho light of tho moon under tho eaves of their picturesque farmhouse. The rustic logo, by whom tho farmer is thus " cozonod " and infected with the " poison ■ which works liko madness on the brain," is one Mark Lc/zird,admirably played by Mr Wiilard, a scoundrelly local land-agent, who burns with concealed hatred and envy of the happiness of the young couplo with ro~entmont at tho wife* rejeoti jti of his insidious advances. Tho se'-rut of the deception is not withheld from tho spectator The double, who, with her Sripsy companion, has been engaged for a blind to enact this scene in tho shawl of tho persecuted heroine of "Hoodman Blind.1' is a half-titter, whose marvellous outward resomblanco is maintained by tho simple expedient of assigning the part both of the original and doublo to Mit<s East lake. In all but her sordid appear anco, her couso sentiments and coarcor speech, .less, the waif, i.s identical with tho farmer's wife, and thus it is that Jack Yeulett is deceived liko Jonn Perrybingle, and after one domestic scone of bewildered protestations on tho one hand, and of mad violence on tho othor, (lies from his ruined homo and his child, leaving his wife to seok for him in vain in thn labyrinth of London. It will fee BMn at onco that this prologue serves to prepare the way lor thoso sketches of familiar localities and for those alternate scenes of pathos and humour, of serious business and of incidental pictures, of poor lifo rfnd manners, in which Mr Jones, liko his greater rival, 6. It. Sims, has so often found his account The spectaclo of Miss Eastlako making pillow-laco for her living in n garrot whilo sho is visited and bo friended by an honost blacksmith of rough manners but yonerou*toolings, accompanied by his wife, who i* of a congenial temper, could not fail to be popular," especially as tho unhappy heroine is cheered in hor dis tress by tho society of ii pretty little son, charmingly played by Miss Phu'bo Carlo. Equally euro of winning tho hearts of tho audience wore tho occasional glimpsosof Mr Wilson Barrett in soro need of more support than is to bo obtained by casual labour by the river side, till maddened by his distresses, and by the thought of the supposed faithlessnosa of the woman he had so fondly loved, ho stands ono moonlight night on the Thames em bankment about to seok a refuge from his troubles in the glittering river. The plunge ia taken, but with far other objects than he had expected. At the instance of his contemplated suicide, a wretched woman casts herself into the tide, and leulett, instantly forgetting his own troubles, plunges in and brings her ashore. It's Jess, the waif, broken down by sickness aud by tho brutal neglect and illtreat mont of tho gipay. For a _ moment tho rescmblanco doceives him once more, but the truth dawna upon him, and an explanation folbws cro tho woman dies in his arms. Henceforth there is nothing to be done but to ro-unite tho parted cmplo by one of those oxpodionta in which the experienced dramatist is rarely wanting, and to bring to justice tho scoundrels of ths play who have added murder to thoir other crimes. The scenery (asusual at tho Princesses') is an entertainment in itself. Specially notablo are tho maasivo sctn representing the Yeulett's old farmhouso by moonlight, tho glado in which tho gamo of " hoodman blind " is sa successfully played, tho Thames Embankment at Cleopatra's Neodle, and the village market place at Amersham. Histrionic honours fall chiefly to Mies East lako, wloe O'ifcaat Jess is a wonderful bit of realistic voting, especially in a music hall scene in which sho singa a comic song, thouj/h dying of consumption. A notable addition to tho rapidly-growing library of shilling books i 3 Major Arthur Griflitha'a "Fast and Loo.se," a novol which, you may romombor, 1 recommended to you when it appeared in tho threo-volumo form last February. Tho author has for yoars been Governor of Millbank Prison, and con sequently knows what he is talking about whon ho describes a convict. Tho plot of "Fast and Looso" is its strong point. Some rascals form au elaborate conspiracy to rob a bank. The strictly honest and incorruptible cashier has, however, to be got out of tho way first. This tho thieves manage cleverly enough, butthosuspicionsof a shrewd young fellow who is in love with tho injured man s daughter are aroused, and by degrees he scents the right, trail and dis covers the truth. I don't set up " Fast and Loose " as a first-clase novel, but as a strong sensational tale of the Miss Braddou sort, it is distinctly worth buying. In "John NeodhamV Double "—another shilling " dreadful "-Mr .Too Hatton has utilised, elurmily 1 think, the gossip circu lated several years ago with regard to the supposed crimes of John Padleir, M.P., a Lord of the TroMury, who committed suicide on Hnmstead Heath in 1556. Sad leir was, so tho story went, seen alive in 'Frisco some years after his death, and -Mr Hatton explains this poesibility by making

a ruined and dosperato speculative murder, and personates his '"doublo," a man whom ho strongly resembles, and for whom ho lias been continually mistaken. Tho idea is not bad. Mies Braddon v onldhavo worked upft capitalyarnoatofit.butMrltattonfaileSome h vw. His stylo is singularly bald and trito. Undismayed by the very " warm " recep tion which tho English clitics gave " Les Fillcs do John Bull," M. Max O'Koll has boun at work all summer on another book of a similar kind, ilLos Chors Voisins," which will bo published in Paris next wcok. it is intended to be a humourous study, con tra- ting French and English character, bring ing into relief from tho writer's point of view the beat sides of both, and is pro fessedly written with a view to dissipate mutual international prejudices. Translations of favourite French novels poem to bo growing in popularity. I hear 10,000 copies of Boisgobey'a "Several Hand" (La Main Coupeo) were sold within 21 hours of its tii.st issue, and his "In tho Serpont's Coils," recently published, also sells well. Maxwells, too, announce translations of Mathoy's " Duko of Kamlou" and "Two Duchesses," which shows such specs, must piy. Personally, 1 find translations of French almost without oxception inxpres sibly dull, Boisgoboy and Gaboriau one can tolerato, bocauso their art consists in creating intricacies which keep thoroador's curiosity on tho stretch But oven their stories pall after a while.

Florence Warden's " Prince of Darknoss," published in three volumos last woek, will materially onhaneo her reputation. It is equal to tho lt House on tho Marsh," and superior to everything sho has written. If you want to know tho rights of a great social scandal which voxed society not long ago, read "The Fourth Son of the Earl of Moo," a talo in the holiday numbor of " Uolgravia."

A French Murderer.

Politically, nothing is impossible in France, and if Pel got? acquitted to-day or

tomorrow, and by virtue of his acquittal rccovore his civil rights, ie would surpriso no one to .=eo him in tho Chamber a fow

cars hence. Ho hta failed in his trade as a

poisonor, inasmuch as ho has been detected, and failure, in no matter what, is an almost sure passport to the Republican camp. It would really bo ditlicult to iind ono successful man among the -ISO which tho Republican majority is composed. Meanwhile, thoro was a rush this morning to Melun, whoro Pol's

trial is proceeding as I write. Pel is still looked upon as an original inventor, inasmuch as ho is supposod to be the fire t who combined cremation with poisoning. 1 advisedly say supposed, for up till now thoro is no proof of his having dono either. The charge of having poisoned hia wifo was dismissed, or rather pronounced " nonproven," at

the first trial. But o;on if Pol has done all of which ho is suspected, ho is not an original miscreant, In looking over some old lan- journals tho othor day I accidentally hit upon his prototype Lelii-rro, alias Chovalier, who was sentenced to death by

tho Assize Court at Lyons in 1820, lived almost as rotirod as Pel. Ho had a very good situation at tho Porfocturo of tbo Uhone. Nor did the crimes of which he was afterwards found guilty lead to his arrest. Ho was caught trying to abduct a little girl. Ho pretended that his child had just died suddenly, aud that he had endeavoured to obtain another, not having tho courago to reveal tho loss to the grandparents.which

lusf, he pretended, was owing to his neglect Attention having been onco awakened, tho public, who up up till now had considered nhim an honost man, began to concern thor-

solves about him. Ho had many of tho stnr.ll foibles of Pel, such as wearing falfo foreign decorations, »c, and ho himsolf confessed that his name «as Lolievic, and not Chevalier. Ho had deserted his regi ment, and taken tho papers of a fellow soldier. But thoinquiry broughtto light much graver facts. Ilis riret mi-tress ,a native of Holland, but tho widow of a French ollicor, had died under suspicious circumstances. He then married the daughter of n wull-to do farmer of St. Btionne, Tho marriage settlements secured tho wife's fortune to the survivor. troon after her union tho young girl was taken with violent colics. A short time afterwards sho died, and the doctor certi fied to a disenso i>f tho bowels. Lelievro tonii to himself a second spouse, Margtieri'e Piz.ud, who, after having been very unwill ing to nvirry him, declared him to bo the best of husbandd. Sho became infinite, and her husband's attentions increased, if that could bo possible, Ho calculated upon the timo of hor confinement to oxocuto his plans with regard to her. It is needless to say that she al»o brought a handsome dowry, of which Lelievro was to have tho bonch't in case of hor death Marguerite Pizard gavo birth to a boy under such favourable cir cumstances that l.olicvro had to postpone his contemplated misdeed. It was moroly postponed, not abandoned. Six months after her conlinement sho was a corpse. N'ino months later ho married his third

wife. Similar man iago eottlornouts as with tho two previous ones were drawn up. Ho again waited for tho critical and trying period of childbed, for Mario Requot, liko unruuuiita Pizard, was about to becomo a mother. Ho changed his mind, however, and Mario Kcquet died beforo eho could bring her child into tho world. This time Lclitvre was about to be dotectcd. In fact, tho nuree gave tho

alarm fo Marie Hequot's parents, telling them to insist upon a post-mertom examina tion, but tho latter recoiled from tho scandal lil>o the parents of Pol's wive ; and onco moro Lelievro escaped, lie married a fourth timo. But whilo watching his

timo to make Benoito Besson share tho fate of tho four othor women who had thrown in their lot with him, ho began to rotloct that tho child born of his second marriage prcvonted him fjom onjoyin^ Marguerito Pizr\rd's fortune to tho full. Ho wont to fotch the bilbo, ostoneibly to place it with another nurse, lie pro tended that on tho road tho branch of

a troo violently struck it in tho face, and that it had tumbled into tho river. Tho truth was that it had been thrown in. It wa^ for this rcaeon that ho had wanted another child, becauto, after tho deed was done, ho reflected that it had been dono too

hastily,■though ho would not admit this. Kenoito Besson'a life was savod by a miracle Verily there is nothing new under tho sun, even in crime.

The Queen's New Guide

The Queen is (says "Truth") essontially German in her ideas on the duties of wives, who are mere Hausfraucn whon thoy aro not nurses or pedants. Sho ever and over again laid down that a true woman should not have a head for politics, and she printed hor opinion in a letter to her uncle. Sir Theodore Martin's biography teems with expressions of Her Majesty's contentment at tho overshadowing place which her husband tilled besido the Throne. Ho was her only possible private secretary in a wide and confidential eonso. This position she took up when he was only twenty-one, and knewnothing of England or the practical workings of tho English Constitution!, which is tho least theoretical of any in the world. As Princo Henry of Battenberg is six-and-twenty, and his brother, Prince Louie, has been long enough trying to got on in England to coach him in English ways, thore is a reasonable pre sumption that ho will be regarded as bettor fitted for tho work of " private secretary " than the Princo Consort was in IS4O. Tho Queen was a young woman throughout her mirriod life. She is now sixty-six, and therefore moro in need of a loaning.stall than she then was. If truo to tho Queen's conjugal ideal, the Princess Beatrico will botoo'tnuch engaged in domosticoccupations and felicities to help Hor Majesty in the discharge of State business. Her husband, therefore, will bo of necessity the "sup port" and "guide" which HorMajesty was trained in her youth to require. She first " looked up" to Leopold and Stockmar ; then to tho Princo Consort; aftorwardfj to Brown, who had the advantage of being a canny and independent Highlander, and of having no un-British interests or proclivi ties ; and she will, in the nature of things, end by looking up to Battenberg and depending upon his judgment. Either the Quoon is a nonentity, or ehe is not. If the f oimer, she is a terribly expensive idol; if the latter, is it expedient—with her bringing up, regal antecedents, German womanliness (which is as different as day is from night from French, Irish, or American femininity)—that she should be, with tho sanction of both Houses of Parliament, placed at her time of life,whon the will is easily in fluenced and " disposing power " woakened, in tho hands of this young man? As I re spect our old Throne, I cannot refrain from hopinf that, should Her Majesty find the Battenberg Prince as necessary for hor " support " as were her lato uncle Stock mar and the Prince Consort, ehe will medi tate upon the good sxatnplo whieb the Em peror 'Charles V. set to ssonarcha whose energies are not equal to the discharge of their public duties.

THE ARMSTRONG MYSTERY.

Rooovery of tho Missing Girl Eliza.

Prom " Lloyds Weekly," August 30th.

It waa on Tuesday announced that the young jjirl Eli/.a Armstrong had been re covercci by her mother. Tho rocovory was made in the following extraordinary inaanor :—On Monday night thousands of persona congregated in tho street at Maryle bono, where Eliza Armstrong's parents rosido, owing to tho informotion getting about that tho gill liad been brought home. Tho door of tho house was literally besioged by anxious inquirers, but there was v strong forco of police, and all information, by order of the authorities, was positively re fused. It appoars, however, that on Sunday two gentlemen called upon the mother at her house, who came as friends or mediators between the mother and thoao who had poseoesion of tho girl, They informod hor that tho girl would bo at a certain address on Monday, at which the mother could go and see hor, but on the solemn assurance that she would not attompt to take her a«ay. The mother protosed to consent to tho arrange ment according to the vorsion given by the friends, and then communicated with tho detectives at Scotland i ard. An arrange mont was made thattho mothorshould koop the appointment, and when tho gentlomon called for hor she should go with them. Thoy came on Monday morning, and she wont with thorn. A body of dotectivos folloHod in a cab bohiod, and whon tho mothor was taken to tho houso at Wimblo don.whoro hor daughter was, the dotoctives very quickly put in an appearance and claimed the mother's right to tho girl. It is statod that tho persons at tho house were greatly surprisod, and gave tho girl up witli tho best gi-aco thoy could. Sho was neaily dressed, and when sho arrived in tho street with hor mother und tho dotcclivos she was carrying a small bouquet of (lowers. It was reportod on tho following day that the father (Armstrong) had returned, and his account of his journey to Franco is inatructivo, as showing the way in which the child was shifted lrom place to placo when it was known that tho pursuers wore on tho track, lie left London on tho l'.lth inst. travelling in tho company of a detec tive, and proceeded, via Calais and Paris, to a town in tho South of Franco. On reaching this placo ho was taken before the Mairo, who diroctod a polico oliicer to go with tho detective and tno futher to tho houso whoro tho child was supposed to bo. This houso was found to bo shut up, and tho visitors woro given an nddress at anothor town some 30 miles distant, to which tho inmates had removed. They went to this placo and found "tho parties," as Arm-1 strong calls them, but only learnt that Eliza had boon removod. The lady who had had the child in hor chargo informed Armstrong that his daughter had been " roscued " from a bad house, and that her parents <vero infamous pooplo and had sold hor for vicious purposes. Not being able to trace tho child furthor, tho soarchers returned to England. Armstrong states that ho is convinced tho Booth family were mixed up in the matter from tho very boginning

In order that our roadors may bo able to follow tho incidonts of this extraordinary case, wo reprint tho narrative which ap peared in Lloyd's Special Edition of Sunday last :—

Down to last night Eliza Armstrong had not boon rostoro i to her tnothor, and whon enquiries wero mado yesterday at tho ad dross in Franco given by Mr Bramwell Booth, it was discovered that the <jid had been again removed. After the declarations and otl'or made in our columns last Sunday by the Salvationist?, this will assuredly awaken foelings of grave distrust in tho public mind Wo have no wish at this juncture to make chargos against any indi viduals ; but looking to the statements pub licly mado ky Mrs Josephine Butlor, Mr Stoad, and (Jenoral Booth, it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that the ease is not being oponly and fairly dealt with. Tho poor mother—against whom such terrible accusations are mado, without so far any other warrant, than tho statements ofßobocct Jorrott — has now boen lonix mtfcs striving to regain postfefMQn of her child. During tho whole of that (iuio tho girl lias been confessedly in tho custody of tho Salvation Army, and yet General Booth cays ; "nobody but arrant tools would believe such things " of tho organisation over which ho holds unlimited sway. First Wrn Butler and then Mr Stead avow ontiro respon sibility for the spiriting away of tho child, but throughout sho is hold faat by the Salvationists ; and it is impossible to cloarly understand Jerrott's prociso relationship to any of the parties, though thoro can bo little

doubt that she has boon associated with all three. On Monday last Mrs Armstrong re ceived a second letter from Franco, part of which was in her daughter's handwriting, the remainder being ponnod on hor behalf by a eocallod " governess." It is a aimplo opistlo, breathing the tondorost affection for home, and closinc with this appeal in tho child's own words, " Write again soon, dear mother. (!ood-byo. God bless you and my father." During tho week the futhor has gone forth to seek his child, but so far only to moot with disappointment; for accord.

ing to a telegram received yester.!«j, on tho searchers reaching tho addross furnished tho polico and tho mother by Mr Bramwell Booth, thoy learned simply that Eliza Arm etront; had gone away.

Interview with Mr Bramwell Boot h

Mr Bramwell Booth having visited the oilico of " Loyd's" yosterday, during our absence, and left word that ho would bo at tho Salvation Army offices in Quoon Victoria-street for a few hours, we called thero a littlo later. Tho result of a comparatively long conversation amounted to very little. He again dis avowed all responsibility for tho taking away of tho girl, and asserted that ho had boen fully oxpecting to receive from Mrs Armstrong or tho polico an application for tho restoration of the child. We pointed out to him tliat, in whatever light he might regard it, the case would havo a very ugly appearanco to tho outer world

from the fact that when the address given at Winchester was visited tho girl was .'not there ; and now, after an interval of several weeks, that the fathor had gone to France in quest of his child, she had again dis appeared- Mr Booth then said tho lady with whom Eliza Armstrong had been stay ing had moved noaror the coast, so that she was now in a place more readily available for bringing her home.

Mr Stead Explains.

During tho interview with Mr Bramwell Booth it was announced that Mr Stead had called, and the question was asked if wo would see that gentleman. Our sole object being to got at tho plain, unvarnished truth of the matter, we readily yielded to the suggestion. Having last week traced poor Eliza Armstrong from her humble home, through tho disgraceful examination to which she was subjected, and onward to tho door of a brothel in tho neighbourhood of Oxford-street, the principal quostion wo had to ask Mr Stoad was, if ho knew where the girl paseod the right ? He etated that sho was taken from the house about mid night to a respectable lodging in the neigh bourhood of llarloy-street. After sleeping there with Rebofca Jorrett she was driven tho next morning—Thursday, Juno4th -to Charing Cross station, and handod over to one of tho female members of the Salvation Army, by whom she was at once taken off to France, where &bo has since remained.

Another Confossion of Responsibility.

While speaking at tbo conference at St, James's Hall on Friday night, Mr Stead, on being mot with a cry of " Armstrong," said:—

I will tell you about Armstrong. There is Mr.i Booth standing hera as the repre sentative of the Salvation Army, who hae been abused about Lizzie Armstrong, and I pay that Mrs Booth and General Booth and all the Salvation Army who have been abased about Lizzie Armstrong are ac inno cent of everything concerning taking that girl away from her home as Mr Stansfeld is. They had absolutely nothing to do with it (loud appluse). I take some shame to myself that I have not taken an early op portunity of clearing the Salvation Army absolutely from all responsibility in the matter, and I alone, standing before you now— I am solely responsible for taking Lizzie Armstrong away from her mother's house (lcud applause). We took that child from a place that was steeped in vico, from a mother who haa admitted that she was going to a brothel aa she thought, and instead of taking her to a brothel we placed her in good and Chris tian guardianship (great cheering). lought to make one explanation ;we did take that girl to a brothel for about half an hour; she did not know it was a brothe', the simply knew she was going to an hotel, but no suspicion or shadow of a thought of anything wrong crossed the girl'a mind. AVo took her there, and wo took her away from there. o placed her in the hands of the Silvat'on Army, who had absolutely nothing whatever to do with takiug her froai her mother's house, and nothing whatever to do with taking

her to the brothel afterwards; and yet they have had to bear contumoly, re proach, and slander from people who knew, because I have told them myself, that I alone am responsible. Mrs Armstrong Defended.

Mr Edward \V. Thomas, of the London Female Preventive and Reformatory '•<■■■■■' tution, writes: —Mr Stead :i( ■; . . ~\. , 3 c. .lames's Hall that it was v fact that Mrs Armstrong, the mother of thoabovo girl, did really sell hor child, and that 1 know it to bo tho caeo. Xn lair play, I must bu allowed to answer this assertion. My attention was first drawn to this caso on July 13, and vory suon after, having busi ness at tho Murylobone I'olico Court, 1' obtained Mrs Armstrong's address, and also" that of Mr Broughton. It is quito true that tho Armstrongs aro a poor family ; it, is oqually truo that thoy livo in a low neighbourhood, forced to do so by their . poverty. Mrs Broughton is tho wife of an i 1 honest, hard-working man, and instead of keeping a house of bad repute, they simply occupy ono twin, a front parlour, The woman Jorrett wont and engaged Eliza Armstrong from tho mother's houso, and all ordinary assurances wero given that tho srirl would bo kindly and properly treated as a young domestic ; further, that a periodi cal coirospondonce should be kept up bo tweon hor and her child ; and in spite of f his, tho woman took tho child direct to one of the most diabolical places in London, whore she wuasubjected to such gross treatmout as to excite feelings of the greatest indigna tion against all tho actors and actresses in this wretched business. Tho woman Jorrott I saw in tho uniform of tho Salvation Army, 1 recognised her as an old acquain tance, and was told that sho was a changed character now and a truly converted woman. I can only say it was about timo thcro was a change, for she has boon(toiny knowledge) a person of tho worst possible character und a most notorious liar. Now, what has been tho oll'ect of all this upon tho Armstrong family ? Simply an increase of thoir poverty, and tho poor woman's health bo gins to show signs of breaking down under the distress and anxiety sho has suffered It is a case domanding public sympathy and assistance I shall bo glad to apply any small sums that may be entrusted to mo for the benefit of this unfortunate family. A Dcfenco of Hope Cottage. Mr James tlowott, of Winchester, sendß us a letter concerning tho homo over which Jerrett presided. Ho begins by saying :- "Having an Englishman's lovo of fair play, and a hint that your article on the above subject was a good deal overdrawn, togethor with thupublicntlou of Mrs Butler's letter, I proceeded to moke inquiries ; first of a young woman who was an inmate of Hope Cottage, undorMiss .lorrott, but now a sorvant in my house, and whoso conduct is most exemplary Sho said :As girls to gether we made somo noiso, but novor quarrelled and fought Two of tho girls could not agroo, and they sometimes had high words. Wo never did ting nil night on any occasion. Wo only had one Salvation Army captnin, Miss Mnfieo, foi- about ten or twelvo days; sho was conducting service in the city. Wo usod to go with her, and upon gotting homo, and after supper, we had prayers and sang a hymn or two, but woro generally in bod by 11 o'clock. At other times, when we hnd not boen to a meeting, we were in bed about nine o'clock.—Now about Mi"c .lurrett ?—Well, sir, she was exceedingly kind, and studied our intorest in every possible way. Sho made us very comfortable, and wo had really got tn lovo her. 1 don't ore what sho was boforo I knew hor. but I do thank hor most t-incrrcly for all her kindness to mo whilst at llopo CottagO.— At this, sir, I proceeded to Mighcliiro, paw several of tho neighbours. I asked one : Did they quarrel and fightt —Well, no; thoro were high words coin).' on now and again, but never fighting.— Wero Salvation Army captains there often ? -No ; only one for a short timo, about two weeks, and then thoy used to sint; a good deal late at night. — lint it says hero "All tho night through." —Well, sir, it was lato lor up. T" ny goncrally loft off, when tho captain \ .s

there, about elcvon o'clock--that I i il lato. —Did you ever complain or threate v complain to tho sanitary authoritie —

Woll, that was when a poor girl whom

Jorrett rescued was taken ili, and ;'io etoncli was mj u'roat tii.it 1 told Miss Jerrott it must be altered, which she promised to do, and tho next day I ho poor girl was taken to tho hospital, and has sinco died. Any thing else did you complain of? —Only thu lato singing, ftnd Mi*s Jerrott promised it should not bo again, and the kept her promise.

General Booth's View of the Case.

Speaking at a meeting at Exotor Hall last wook, "General" Booth, re ferrmpf to tho caso of Elizs Armstrong, said he could not go into tho particulars of what somo of them hid « m in .the news papers. Nobody but arrant fools could boliovo such tiling of the Salvation Army. Tho history of their actions for 20 yours, and his own public Hfo for .'io yoiu'P, were a autliciont proof that they would do nothing which was not ia accordanco with truth and righteousness, oitlior to this littlo girl or anybody olso. Tho Salvation Army took her (Armstrong) uninjured, to I'CSCUO lier from real moral danger. Thoy bolievod it to bo real moral danger. Thoy boliovod it now. Tho police boliavod it. Everybody who had inquired and seen for themselves believed it. Thoy had taken great carcoi her while they had hod her, and they offered to restore her mother. When hor mother made a tc-do about tho matter—or when soincono olso helped her so to do--sho camo to headquarters and saw his son, and, in tho presence of two pollcomen, sho was asked if she wanted hor child back again. The child was offered hor, and sho went homo to conßult with hor husband, and w-aa to let them know Sho had novor lot thorn know, and but for tho newspapers and two or three noisy peoplothey should suppopo tho mothor was perfectly happy and .'atielied. Lastly, they woro quito- prepared to rostoro hor child .safoaiiil hoiiiul, if 4ho iuiisttd upoii it.

THE SOCIAL PURITY MOVE MENT.

ADDRESS BY THE BiailW 01

MELBOURNE,

Thk annual assembly of tho clergy of the Church of England within tho diocese of Melbourne wus opened locontly at the Diocesan Registry, in King-street, The Right Key. Dr. Moorhouso, Bishop of Mel bourne, addressed tho meeting at great length, and his discourse was listened to with earnest attontion throughout, and frequently applauded by tho clergy and laity assembled, who tilled tho hall to overflowing. Dr. Moorhouso referred to a scheme which would bo laid boforo tho Assembly for a subdivision of tho dioceße of Molbourno, whicli has bcon growing too largo to be superintended by one bishop, tho mother diocese to contri bute £20,000 to the new dioco?o, and £10,000 in five animal payments, to bo sup plemented by contributions amounting to a furthor £10.000. Tho Bishop hinted'that tho appointment of a Bishop of Sandhurst would provide the means of undertaking tho visitation of country districts, which under present arrangements could not pos sibly be roached. Bo advocated the estab lishment of a high school for girls, as educa tion ■without religion must fail to attain its highost aim, but he protested against undertaking such a scheme in ti spirit of proselytism. The V/hitc Cross Union Tho following is a report of tho Bishop's remarks on this subject:—"Last year we formed a White Crocs Union in this dioceso, and I am glad to report that, although tho progress of tho Society has not been what wo could have hoped, yet wherever unions have been formed and worked, thuy have not been without a cheoring measuro of suc cess. Some of our clergy have held Imnk from this work, chiefly it would eeom be cause of its delicacy and difficulty ; but surely after we have rend those awful ex posures of the vice of London which havo recently appeared in our newspapers, all such objections must be scattored to the winds. (Cheers.) Some of us perhaps may have rcgictted that such horrible revelations should have been made to all women and children who road tho daily prints. But they have been so made. Young and old, men and women, know all about them. And to talk about the delicacy of tho subject after that ia like talking about the danger of referring to infection when thousands are known tobedyingof a pestilence.- (Cheers.) And that those revolutions ate substan-. tially reliable I do not for an instant doubt. Thoir most damning disclosures are not a whit worso than tnofo which have been made on her own authority, and on that of tho Rev. Mr Llorsloy, by one. of tho noblest and purest-hearted women in England. I will not shock you by going into dctuils ;it will bo enough to Eay that they relate to the foul and unnatural corruption of children — in come casea of more babes. Where i 3 our manhood, where is the rightoous indignation

I which outrht to sweep these scoundrelly de ■ filers of children into prison, and shave their heads and stamp upon them the brand of ', infamy, whether they be rich or poor, beggars or nobles?— (Loud cheers). Mr Moody is no alarmist. Ha is a shruwd man with a keen cyo and a large knowledge of Hm masses ot Kngland. And what did he ! say tho other day in the presence o£ 3,000 j men in l.ivorpoolV "You aro altogether I mistaken in supposing that it is intemper ance which is the chief sin of England What is eating into tho heart of your nob'o country is tho bin of impurity." Now, I know whore I stand, and know the Bolenrn responsibility which lies on mo to tell tho truth in this matter—no moio, no loss; i and, speaking under tho sense of this ro ! (tponsibility, 1 say that 1 havo good reason j for repeating Mr Moody's warning hero. j Emphatically, tho greatest dangor of our { youngmen is not drunkenness, but impurity, | Our warmor sun, our lonely forests, the j early age ut which our young people oarn j considerable wage?, even the secular tone of our thouiiht, all contribute to this '■esult, And tho danger is not distant. But is thero anything, I ask you, in tho establishment anil working of White Cross unions which can stain the while purity of tho most innocent '! Do we not keep a wise reticenco ''. Do wo not respect the holy rescrvo of tho uncontatninatod'.' la not our work of that quiet and unobtrusive kind which thrusts no one into proniinenco ? Wo take a pledyo from the young man that he will treat all women with respect, that ho will frown down all obscene conversation, that he will nover defile his eyes with foul pictures or literal nrcs, that like a knight and a hero ho will dofond tho weak and ignorant at per sona) risk, it need be, from tho attacks of villains formidable for their craft or their wealth. Nor aro the generous students at our universities behind thoir humbler brethren in devotion to this cause. The protection of tho weak appeals to their man hood. Tho strength of purity is found to beckon thorn with a commanding gesture which they cannot resist. "At Oxford," wo hear, "tho Purity Association has grown from 200 to 500. At Cambridgo large and enthusiastic audiences of young men are addressed by such inoii as Canon Wcstcott. At Edinburgh a powerful White Cross move ment is being seton footnmong the students, tho medical students taking very promi nently the lead, an.i the highest men in the University aro giving it their sanction. Trinity College. Dublin, has also formed an association on tho same basis as Oxford and Cambridge, tho students themselves taking tho initiative ; and Glasgow and Abnrdeon li ivo both taken up tho White Cross." Thank God for all this. It shows that the blood of tho mass of our people is still pure, and it presaj^i I venture to say, the growth of a public opinion which will bo ho awful in its indignation that tho vice which would turn England into a Sodom will, ero long, bo driven back in terror and chained dowu to tho black abyss from which it camo. Tho Remedy. Ono word to anothor claes upon this sub ject, and 1 havo dono. Why do men hesi tate to join this crusade- because they are conscious of wrong-doing in thoir past, or oven of tho rebellious stirring of ovil im pulso in the presoat ? I think these are the vory men who should bo most heartily with us. They need tho support of su?h a move ment ns this, and they know their need.

Aro they not ashamed of such sensual selfishness? Yon know as woll as I do that thoro nro low and miserable quarters in our groat city which aro a di'grnco to our civilisation

—which lire tho scats of moral pestilence— tho centres of deadly contagion. Wo re joice to think that Christian men and women, liko tho members of tho Salvation Army, have penetrated those jungles of vice, and aro labouring there for Christ with a courage »nd dovotion truly admir able. Moved by such considerations as these, Homo excellent ladies, members of our Church, havo undertaken a rescue mission to tho streets and laves of Melbourne."

REVI E W.

CONVICT ONCE," AND OTHER POEMS.

| By I. Brimton Stephens,] I'iii;i.i-iiki> liv Gkoimsh Uoiikktson' And Co., JIKI.IIOPKM-:, I-VHXKV, AlJKl.AlllF, AND IJIIISUANE.

I.'oktu; passion hath not slumbered uri kindled in these now lands. Tho pootry of Australasia, collate! anil selected, would

indeed i..ako a col'cction of no small bulk or indillaront merit. Nor, when wo spoak of poetry, do wo moan mere jingling rhymes of doubtiul senso and less doubtful vacuity of inspirationiillire. Tlio passion of soul-firing genius has found voice in songs which ac knowledge a birth placo bonoath Australasia skios. hut backward in point of sweetness aro thoso volumes which havo mirrored tho verdure and sunshine of this evergreen hind, But New Zealand's troasuros of pootry aro matched in friendly rivalry by thoso of tho neighbouring colonies—works too littlo known to lovers of the harmonies of tho human imagination. The desultory modo of publication, in newspapers and fugitive fragments, has no doubt much to do with tho obscurity of works that mciit a- bolter fate ; but now that publishing in tho colonios hag become a lusty business, we may expect a moro hearty and universal recognition of the growing school of Australasian singers. Among tho best known and most worthy is Mr J. 15uinton Stephens, whose collectod poems, bearing tho above heading, havo lately boon issued in a handsome volume. Mr Stephens is a truo poet of the land ; his work is no weakly reflection or diluted reproduction of the songs of other men, but tho strong flow of a heart which is moved by the powerful and novel influences that surround him. ' It is Aus tralian sconery, and the purpose and motive forco of colonial lifo, that inspire his muso. His versos havo tho touch and finish of an adopt in tho technical nicitics of the poet's art, but behind that thero is the genuine fire of L'arnasHUH. Tho composition which gives tho title to thy volume is a powerful poem of 208 stanzas. It is divided into throe parts, and narrates tho struggle* of a released female convict to muster hor passions, how sho lapsed for a timo, but finally triumphed. Wo can hardly, by selections, do justice to tho oxcollcncios of this ambitious effort, but it is full of beauty, as ono or two passages, culled almost at random, will show :—

VastnoFS of vorflurous eolitudo, forest com-

p'cxity boundloss, Whi'-ro is no stir rave the fall of a leaf, or the

wuve of ft wing; Lono minny regions wharo virginal Naturo iv in]sc;ea<ele»sanrt soundless. Rich wi h tho richnesß of Buramtr, yet froah with the freshness o£ spring; Where i« no stir nave of loaf in Its falling, or hird in Ha winfdttfi, Or tho un frequent bwoet idyll low nmrniuraa by devious streams: Whciro is no paeaion. or sign of desire, 6avo the infantilo clinging Of tho y ouDg tendrils or opening o£ tho flo werß to a morntDß of beams. Or, turn wo to the passages when, ac cused by ft reawakened conscience, the Magdalene thinks of tho calm roposo of a suicide's death :— Oh Cor tho sou,! Twere no easy to coaso in its yielding ombr&ccmenr, Cauuht likn a rain-drop, and merited in the hnßO'-csa of inflnito rust, Only ihn laugh of a ripple o'erbubblinf? the dimpled displuoenicnt, Than tho great level of calm and the hush of tho pansionlesa breast, Curae on those unduloun pastures and far vista'd wncda unavailing, Boantof contiguous umbrugo, untnoot for the tomb that I crave! Oil Tor the dark-curtained sloop of the eoa, for her kindly unfailing Knd of all dolorous things in tho bliss of tho kisu of tho wavo! Tho miscollaneons poems includo many pleasantly entertaining sketches of Aus tralian life : "My Chinee Cook," "To a Black Gin," "A Piccaninny," "The Squatter's Baccy Famine," " King Billy's Skull,"" Quart Pot Creek," end " Marsu pial Bill," are of this class. Thero aro also poems more ambitious—"Tho Australian Anthem" and "The Dominion of Aus tralia " Altogether this is a noteworthy book, which will introduce a favourito Aus tralian poet to many Now Zealand readers who havo horetoforo been denied tho ploi suroof his acquaintance.

Commonplace Things.

Vounu people fall in love and talk of weddings and tour?, r.ith little thought of such commonplace things as boiled potatoes or carpet sweepers. To imagine that any condition lower than moonlight and stars would over touch or make thoir happiness i« a sharp discord to their melody of love. They would bo happy anywhere or on any thin", so ho had hor and she had him. And yet, a badly cooked dinner or untidy room may turn a. paradiso into purgutory. We are not tit to live on moonshine nor to grow strong on poetry. Kot thnt I would ridicule the beautiful fancies or the day dreams of young affeo don, or throw on» shadow over the forecast ing love, but, wo aro very earthly creatures ulfer aU our romance aud ideality. And on the very material blessir--* of material comfort and satisfaction rests the possibility oi the continuity of those higher i. j«r ;f being.—Rev, T. A, Green.

RUSSIAN PRISONERS.

Account of Their Horrlblo Sufferings.

'. Pki.vce Joseph Luiiomlbski, a Polish exile, i thus describes tho condition of the la -1 bourers in the silver and quicksilver mines, ii It must bo remembered while reading it '' that Luboiuirski was not an unprejudicod i w itnosa;— i The convicts never eco the light of day, '. but work and sleep all thu yonr round in the depths of tho earth, extracting silver i under the oycs of taskmasters who havo urdora not to spare them. Iron gates, guarded by sentries, close the galleries that radiatoi'roiii thu shafte,undtho miners are thus separated from one another in ■ Bquads of twenty. They sleep in recesses hown out of tho solid rock- miserable ken nels into which, like beast?, they creep on nil fours. In the quicksilver mines the Siberian oxilo racks with the horrible pains produced by contact with that in sidious metnl. There were men kept at labour under the lash who were as gaunt as skeletons, and whoso hair and eyebrows had dropped oil. They have only two days of rost in tho year—Christmas and Easter. On all other days, Sundays included, thoy must toil on until they sink. It is only when they have lost the use of their limbs that they aro hauled up and placed in the infirmary to die. Five yeara in the quick silver mines will make a man of 30 look 60 years old. No one who has served in the mine is ovor allowed to return home; tho most he can obtain in the way of grace is loavo to come up and work in the road gangs, and this is rarely granted. Women aro served the eamo as men. Tortures of the Nihilists. Accounts from other sources, not, how evor, without suspicion of prejudice, de clare that tho Nihilists condemned to work in these mines are subjected to still greater tortures, tho women being especially the objects of tyranny and outrage. If, how ever, anybody supposes that this country is filled with Nihilists or any other class of discontented people, ha is very much mis taken. There are essentially buttwo classes of people, the nobles—and this includes the military—and the peasants. The middle class i 3 very small, scarcely noticeable in Northern and Middle Russia, and only as- suming observable proportions in the south crn part of tho country where commercial towns aro more numerous. Of these two classes the nobles can have littlo to com plain of,and the peasants appear to be con tented. The latter aro coarse,dirty,squalid, and ignorant. They livo like pigs; but like pigs, though they occasionally grunt, they seem to enjoy their condition and grow fat ns thoy wallowin their mud. The Nihilists come from tho small middle class, or are recruited from tho ranks of the poorer no bilitj and thoir numerous relatives. Such is the loose system of morals in Russia that it is filled with illegitimate children, who, obtaining no recognition from their fathers and receiving no adequate support from thoir mothers, aro thrown upon the world to fight it as thoy may. Some of the inhabit ants belongtothisclass ; otheraarePoles.and somo arc Jews. Of such as are condemned to exile in Siberia—and this often means death in tho minos—a number, in tho first instance, are sent to this city, where they »ro allowed to remain under guard until the end of each wcok, when they must take up their much forthedesort. Every Saturday morning at 9 o'clock tho cortege sets forth. It usually consists of one to three carts con taining the women, while the men follow on foot, tho whole detachment being strongly guarded by mounted Cossacks. Condemned Prisoners. I was a witness to an affecting incident last Saturday. I got up oarly and wont to a guardhoueo distant about a mile from tho Kremlin, from which I was informed the Siberian exiles would start. Upon reach ing tho place, I found a small crowd assem bled to overlook tho evont. In front of tho guardhouse stood a cart, which recalled the tumbril of tho French Revolution. Within it wero a few articles of dress, some food, water, and a pair of woman's shoes. A peasant (Mujik) hold the horse's head. Four mounted Cossacks patrolled the guard house and kept tho crowd back. Not a word was said by anybody. All waited in silence tho coming of tho condemned. Propently tho door of tho guardhouse was opened. An officer camo forth and handod a paper to ono of the Cossacks, who took it with a salute, and instead of tucking it in his bolt plaocd it in his hat. Tho guard houso door now opened again,and a Cossack soldier camo forth driving two women be foro him with *ho butt of his rille. Thnre was no violonco shown. He was guiding rather than pushing them. Ono was an old woman upwards of 60 years of age. She had a vory Gorman-looking face, and was evidently neither a noble nor a peasant. Jler countenance was dry and hard.and ex r>ro?sod noithir shame nor regrot. Her companion, a woman of not more than half her ago, had a more refined air, but seemed equally stoical or stolid—l could not say which quality it was. She was also of a German type. When thoy reached the cart they were assisted over tho tail-board by the Cossack, and thoy squatted down and commenced to talk to one another in low tones. They seemod indifferent to the opinion of tho lookers-on. Thoy wore followed by three or four othorcouples until tho cart was full. A Russian KO3C. Tho last comers madoasonsation. They wore a wild-locking . ezebol, evidontly a Finnish peasant woman and a- young girl of 17 or 18 years, who seemed to be a Rus sian and a noble. She was, in complexion, a brunette, delicate, slender, and evidently unused to any rough treatment or fare. She was not pretty, but had a very in teresting face, with rather a large mouth and nose, and great, black flashing eyes hedged with long eyelashes. Ber dress was a poor ono and much stained. As she looked about her with a despairing air, her eyos caught those of somo one in the crowd, and sho stoppod and trembled, but said not a word. Some commotion took place in that part of tho crowd to which tho prisoner's looks had been directed, but no sound broke tho ailence. Tho peasant and tho noble -woro lifted into tho cart, the former with compressed lips and monacing air, tho lattor overcome with fatigue and fainting with shamo and emotion. Next came the male prisoners, somo fifty or sixty in number. They were a sorry-looking lot, and hardly seemed worth so much trouble Not ono of them was fit for mining work. Of the whole number there were not more than two or three faces that wore interest ing, or that appeared to indicate men of superior intelligence. They were formed into column behind the tumbril and the Cossacks took stations on their flank. A Reprieve

Another commotion now occurred in the crowd. A man running from the city rushed into the midst of it, calling aloud a woman's name. The Cossack officer frowned, and two of his patrols were sent over to tho crowd to preserve order. At thoir approach the people fell back and dis closed in their midst an old lady in a faint ing condition, held in tho arms of a young man, ovidontly a rolative or friend. They were both of the noble class. The young man hold a reprieve in his hand, a reprieve for one of the exiles in the cart. The pro cio'is paper had been brought over from the telegraph otlice, near the Kremlin, in a single unbrokon dash, and the bravo courier wa3 lying on the ground exhausted and panting'for breath. Committing the fainting woman to those near him, the young man advanced and showed tho repriov'O to tho Cossacks, who there upon conducted him to tho othcor at the guardhouse. Both of the gentlemen went inside, the door closing behind them. Meanwhile tho fact had been communicated to the young girl in the tumbril thatshe had been reprieved. How it was done I know not, for nobody had approached the cart and no words had been spoken aloud. She stood up and looked about her until sho saw hor mothor, the old lady who had fainted in the crowd. A Pitiful Scene. The agony of the young creature was piteous to behold. Sho clasped hor hands, sho stretched them toward her beloved parent. Sho appealed by her looks to the guard, who refuted to notice her. She cried aloud, sho attempted to leap down from the cart, but was cauprht aud pushed back. She wrung her poor hands and turned her weeping eyca to heaven as though all earthly help had been refused and naught waa left but an appeal to God. At this moment tho guardhouse door again opened, and again the officor came foith showing the reprieve to the young girl in the cart, and briefly informing her that her sentence had been mercifully deferred, he ordered her to be liberated, and then personally conducted her to the guardhouse, to which placo altf) tho girl's mother --as shortly afterwards conveyed. I could fancy the reunion of mother and child after Hich an episodo. I learnt in the city that tho lattor «aa a concert finger, who had been found guilty of singing " inflammatory " 6Ong», and eentenced to a fate ten thousand time worse than d •''• th 6 gold mines < r ' Ural. Shehu-.«...i "called back" j*jtiii

time. A day later.and she would navfi been despoiled of all that renders the life of S woman sweet and hopeful. Tha City of Moscow. Moscow is the strangest city I ever saw. It is situated in the midst of a plain, with low, rolling hills, and upon tho banks of a small river. To the eight it is a mixture of everything. Mahometan mosques, with gilded domes; Christian chinches, with gildod cross and pointed spires ; tho feudal fortress and assemblage of gloomy buildings which collectively are called the Kremlin ; Tartar caravansaries ; European hotels (one of thorn kopt by a man who usod to run a hilliard saluon" on Franklin street, Now York), >\ mcrican horse-cars, Engliohcoupos and horsos,MiiKcovitownggons,and a French oporahouso ! Tho dressos of tho people arc as varied in stylo as tho odifices, while the contents of the shops are more varied-I mean as to nationality and era—than either. I aaw the great bell. I stood on tho ground within tho Kremlin walls, and saw a crack in it big enough to thrust one's arm into. I also saw the Treasury and tho Palace, and enjoyed tho honour of a reception given by Prince Dalgorouski. Alex, del Mac.

The Trial of Mrs Dudley.

O'Dohovan Rossa's evidonco at the trial of Airs Dudley, and the running commentary upon it by the prisoner, form a curious soquel to the attempted assaesination of the notorious Irish American. The New York papors contain full details of the trial. Sneering at Rossa. Rossa said that he was quite willing to take Mrs Dudley's proffered money, for he wanted all ho could get for the cause, but he had his suspicions aroused when she wanted him to sign a receipt, fearing that she was trying to get him to commit him self. ■ "Did you not think she was crazy when phe asked you to sign such a receipt as that ?" he was aßked. " I did not think so," answered Rossa. "Oh, no," interposed Mrs Dudley cpn temptuou ly, "he is incapable of thinking anything." Rossa looked weary, but started in again. " I talked in the parlour with her for about 20 minutes," ho said, " and— " What a lie, it was an hour and a half," exclaimed tlia won.an. For the only time during the examination Rossa was taken off his guard. He shook his head at the prisoner, and answered— "Oh, I don't believe it was so long as that." "Don't you, indeed?" she said con temptuously. Roesa said further that Mrs Dudley told him that eho did not want any more foolery with dynamite explosions. Severermeasures were necessary,even if they cost huaan life. Rossa claimed to have told her that it was not his business to use the money, only to gather it. " Don't show thewhitefeather, Donovan, exclaimed Mrs Dudley again. "If I were a coward I would not show it." Rossa said that the woman did not shoot him in the hotel, because he was face to face with her all the time. "Do you think that your face would have prevented me?" she said eneoringly. Rossa loft the witness standing, and hurriod past Mrs Dudley to get his broad brimmed hat. " Oh, for God's sake, don't kill mo!" she exclaimed in mock horror, imitating the cry she claims that Rossa made after she shot him, Rossa paid no attention to the remark, but made for the door, As he rattled down the iron stairs these words floated after him—"God save the Queen ! Down with the dynamiters !" After the victim of her hate had gone, Mrs Dudley became comparatively # as quiet as she had been noisy when he was pre sent. Mrs Dudley's Cross-Examlnatlon. Mrs Dudley was as cool and calm when she finished talking as if she had merely been giving a servant a few directions about the kitchen. Mr Nicoll undertook to cross examine her. " When you left England," he asked, "did you leave with the intention of shooting O'Donovan Rossa?' "No, sir," answered the prisoner: " that intention was formed after I got here." "How long have you been familiar with the name of liossa '!"

" I have heard his name in England, but 1 took very little notice of it. Since I have been hore I have learned that ha seems to be a god among the Irieh people." "When did you form your purpose of killing him ?' " Certainly not until after the London ex plosions." "My associate suggests that I ask you why you shot Kossa in tlio back ?" " Would you have had me walk up to him and say—'Stand still, Jeremiah, my boy, till lam after shooting you.' I know he woundn't stop to let me shoot him. So I did the best I could under somewhat trying circumstances. Then, you know, Jeremiah has always favoured assassination. He said that Cavendish and Burke wore rightfully butchered. He oven went so far as to call Fagan a traitor because he took the infernal machine out of the hold of the steamship ' Queen ' to save the lives of the innocent and unsuspecting men, women,and children. Be said to me—' What are a few lives more or less by the side of our holy cause V " "It has been suggested that if you were acquitted, you would proceed to finish your work—that is, to kill Rossa V "All that I can say is, that the person who made such a suggestion is more fit for the Utica crib and a strait-jacket than I am. It would only bo a fool or a maniac who would kill such a craven cur as he has proved himself to be. Why, Bir, I assure you that he is not worth powder and ball." " Did you intend to give him the Bub ecription that you promised in your lettors ?"

" Yea, sir, I promised him a subscription, and I gave it to him." " What whs it ?" asked Mr Nicoll, in sur prise. " A bullet," answered Mrs Dudley, laugh ing, and ovorybody in the room laughed with her.

" But did you intend to give him any money?" aßkod Mr Nicoll, beginning to feel a little uncomfortable.

"No, sir," was the answer, "nut for dynamite, nor for his grocer's bill. He taught mo my lesson, and I learnod it quickly. I wrote the Utters because he had written in his paper that any meanß against England or the English were right ful. I wrote them as the first etep towards killing him. 1 also visited his office, un known to him, and saw him when he did aot know who I was. I wanted to see him and to hear his defence before I killed him." " Perhaps you wished to ascertain his principles, his ideas, or his chaiaeter!" said Mr Nicoll suggestively. "Principles !" said Mrs Dudley. "He has none. Ideas he has very few. Charac ter, he does i ot possess any." " What do you mean by saying that you gave him a fair trial ?", " I moan what is generally moant as a judgo without a jury I gave him several fair and impartial hearings. I spent an hour and a half with him in the parlour ot Sweoney'a Hotel the Saturday before, listen ing patiently and judicially to his defence But his evidonco loft me but one course. I was compelled to convict him, and to sen tence him to death." " You know, of course," urged Mr Nicoll, "as aladyof extraordinary intelligence, that the laws of England, as well as those of America, guaranteo an accused person trial by jury T" "Yoa, sir," said the witnci-s sharply; "and in England trial by jury is no sham. It is your laws here, not English laws, that need chango. Why didn't you try him, and save mo the trouble ?"

" Well, we have endeavoured to get a complaint within the law against him," " Pardon me, but I don't think there has been any great effort. I should think his paper is in itself evidence iulfieior.t against him. Why, it ia a standing incentive to murder. It seems to me that some one else could have reached him as easily as I did. Roasa concedes that himself. He has said in his paper, 'Why does not eomeonethatisnot paid with British gold, as that Dudley woman was, put out of the way Pierrepont Edwards and Minister Wost '!' If it was easy and justifiable, as ho suggested, to kill those gentlomon, why was it not just as eisy and justifiable to kill him? I found it easy, though lam only, as ho called mo, 'an EnJ glish spoy.' " The accent was so inimitable that everybody in the room laughed again. " Did you contemplate assault upon others?" continued Mr Nicoll "Some one haß suggested that you do not think that your work in America ia done ; that if you were released you would set about killing a number of those whom you regard as eneories of your country." "Oh, how tiresome," exclaimed Mrs Dudley. "It is not, and never has been, my mission to put everybody out of the way that ought to go. If you don't want Rossa here why don't you remove him your fiolf, and not letivo it for me to do 1 I don't nretend to h!ive the time or inclination to

; .:'.: .il _v a uonf.ral slaughtering tour removing evtr^body tQafc the Ainerica^ people don't want among them."

" Pardon me," said Mr Nicoll, " I only meant to say that it was roported that you intended to kill Parnell, Gladstone, and my honoured chief, Mr Martino." " That's falsa. Parnell is amenable to the laws of my country. Gladstone has gone wrong. Neither of them deserves to be eliot. I haTO tbonghtthat District Attorney Martino does, for keeping mo in prison co long-" " May I bo pormitted to inquire whether that foeling oxtonds to myself?" said Mr Nicoll with his prettiest smile, . "Well,'that dopomla. I don't think, though, that you would bo i> groat loss to tho community at large."

The Queen's Sausage-maker.

While upon the subject of royalty, 1 may mention an amusing anecdote concerning Prince Albert Victor. The Prince was in Sheffield the other day, and in the course of his travels passed the establishment of a well-known pork butcher, over which ware displayed the royal arms and the logond, "By special appointmont to Her Majesty the' Queen." As everyone in England knows, this signifies nothing, except that perhaps twenty years ago a royal footman or scullion may havo made a trifling pur chase at the store in question. The Prince would have passed on, unheeding the im portant fact, had it not beon for a young Sheffield blade, jealous for the repute of his town, vrho yelled out in the forcible vernacu lar of that part of Yorkshire: "Hi,tha ! Yin's tha nhop vreer tha granny buys sassages." A shout of applause drowned the laughter of the Prince and his suite — London Cor. "Philadelphia Telegraph,"

A Fair Precipitate.

A celebrated Parisian belle, who made a profuse use of cosmetios from the soles of her feet to the roots of her hair, one day took a msdicated bath, and on emerging from it was horrified to find herself as black as an Ethiopian. The transforma tion was complete; not a vestige of the "supreme Caucasian race" was left. Eor physician was sent for in alarm. On arrival he laughed immoderately, and said : " Madame, you are not ill, you are a chemical product. You are no longer a woman, but a sulphico. It is not now a question of medical treatment, but of simple chemical reactien. I shall subject you to a bath of sulphuric acid diluted with water. The acid you will have the honour of combining with you ; it will take up the sulphur, the metal will produce a sulphate, and we shall find as a precipi tate a very pretty woman." The doctor went through with his reaction, and tha belle was restored to her membership ',wit U the white race.—"Journal of Chemistiy."

ALL SORTS OF STEMS.

Brazil has still 1,000,000 slaves. Camels are fond of tobacco smoke. New York City has 63,000 paupers. Camp meetings originated in Kentucky. A horse cannot jump more th<in twenty seven feet. Horses trot best when the tomperature is 80 degrees. A good-sized whale will produce two tons of whalebone. The number of plants U3ed by man doos not exceed 3,000. A bullet travels a mils in three and two tenths seconds. Gas injures leather. Russia and calf sufl'or most, and morocco least. British policemen are prohibited from voang at Pailiamentary elections. An eminent physician thinks that men should not run after they reach 40. A train moving at thirty-five milo3 an hour clears fifty feet in one second. The pine tree, says an authority, sorvra as a refuge for more than 400 species of insects. The average duration of life in Russia in twenty six years—tho lowest of any European nation. There is no legal tender in China, and siWer is the money metal of that countiy, passing by weight. The " Lancet" says the London hospitals are full of small-pox patients who " did not believe in vaccination." The Britishßible Societyhas issuedaNcw Testament at a penny a copy. In nin« months 950,000 have been sold. The excess of births over deaths in France in 1883 was 06,843, against 97,027 in ISS2 and 108,299 in 1881. The receipts of the sixteen principal rail roads in Groat Britain hava fallen cilf £520,000 in the last six months. Dom Pedro, of Brazil, is the oldest living sovereign. He has reigned fifty-three years, or since he was G years old. The wholesale uprooting of edelweiss in the Austrian Alps is to bo prohibited by law, to prevent its absolute and fipeedy extermination. There are 1,600 kinds of pears, 1,600 sorts of appleH, 150 plums, more than 150 varieties of gooseberries, and about 125 of strawberries. Gayly the bicycler Glideß o'er tho tar. Like a, domigod olden Attrida of a star.

His girl at the caeunient sits WatohiDK his pranke, While Bally, tho cook, erica, " Sly ! Look at them ehanks."

Nobruska, v.'ithia the thirty yeaid of iltf settlement, has acquired 250,000 acras of forests, whore 000,000,000 trees have been planted. The origin of bottled boer has boen traced back to 1548 and fastened upon Dn Alexander Norvel, the second master of Westminster School.

Mormons are holding meetings every Sunday and attempting to make converts in Berlin.

Time makes all things oven. The bath in which Marat was slain is to bo sold for the benefit of a religious fund.

Nicolini has offered his roal wife £10,000 of Patti's monoy to lot him get a divorca and marry Adelina in real earnest.

A now ironclad is to be built at Venico for the Italian Government. She is to be of large tonnage, and will be named the Uni burtu.

The "Pall Mall C4azette" is the Salv.i tion Army organ, and the Salvation Army mean to clear out the aristocratic rookericv,

Delicate creatureß, with collars and shoes,

Shirts, studs, and trousers, designed to amuec, Ever Involved in their opiceno feuds.

Sexless and sappy—these aro the dudes.

No wonder the country is sick of the lot. No wonder it's anxioua to send h;m to pot; Their vacuous twaddlo on comfort intruder,

A. flg tor suoh manikins—down with the dtidca!

The German gunmakera have their foundries rilled with gigantic cannon for Turkish vessels and for Turkish coast defences.

Times may be bad, but the annual income of London and its environs is at lea.-t £330,000,000.

The Prince who gave away the weight of an elephant in silver would not have beon rich enough to buy the "London Timos," which, according to a current item, is valued at £5,000,000.

The maidens' ball in London was very successful. Each maidon paid £5, and io ceived thoreby the privilege of inviting livo gentlemen. The wall-flowers were exclu sively of tho male sex. The Bishop of Murcia, in Spain, has suld his Malaga estate and given the proceeds to tho fund for the relief of the cholera sufl'orore in his diocose. She stood benirto tho counter, Th- day ho'il no'er forget; She thought thn muslin dearer Than any she'd won yet; Ho watched her playful flutters The Bilks and satins tosa ; The shopman looked uneasy, .And felt a little ciose. " Show me some volvot ribbon, Barege and satin turo," She Raid, "I want to purchase!" Then gave the Roods a jerk. T ho shopman, all obsdionce, Brought Hitins. silks, and crape ; At length, with lics'tai inn. Sho bought a yarrl of tape! While Edward T. Taylor, tho seaman* friend, wua delivering ono of hietemperanco lectures, a wollknown drunkard present disliking fomo of his remarkp, commenced hissing. Father Taylor turned tho attention of the audience to him, and then paid in his own peculiar way, as he pointed to him : " There is a red noeo cot into hot water ; don't you bear it hies?" A bashful youngman who was afraidtopro poee to his sweetheart induced her to fire at him with a pistol, which he assured her was only loaded with powder ; and after ehe had done so fell down and pretended to bo dead. She threw herself wildly upon the body, calling him her darling and her beloved ; whereupon he got up and married her. At a party given by a. prreat banker, whfl had made his millions, a lady wit pointed out to her companion, also a banker, the wife of her host, remarking, " What a spiel did croaturo. She ought to bo a Countess." "Oh, yes, beautiful and clever onough," wus tho roply ; " but perhaps clio prefers to be a discountusa." "ROUGH ON CWRNS.--.ut (oriv,^V'!to^« , Cpmg ■ Ciiik reiitf "W-:-:«. i«--""""ul """• c"'" • *■"'* Kimjiismi. ftWBB * Co., ■»£«''•■ AwEud.

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1888.

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