"MYSTERY GOLD."

A Dangerous Counterfeit,

(Fkoji Oue London CouutsroNUENT.)

London, May 1. A CASK has rocontly been tried at one of our Metropolitan Polico Courts in which disclosures were made of a singularly startling and disagroable charactor. The facts cannot bo too widely known. The instrument of fraud known as " mystery gold" may not have penetrated to tho antipodes as yet, but Australia allbrds such a happy hunting ground for "sharps" of all sorts that it may not bo very long before your jowellers and pawnbrokers make an unexpected and possibly oxponsive acquaintance with tho dolusive metal, It appears that on the 7th instant a complaint was preferred by Mr Alfred Knight, a watchmaker, of Blackfriars lload, against Messrs Davison, pawnbrokers, of Dairy Lane, who had detained a nccklot, pur porting to bo mado of gold, which Knight had ollered to them in pledge. Tho com plainant deposed that ho had bought tho nocklet about three weeks before, bolieving it to bo gold, and that ho had given four \

pounds for it. Tho man from whom Knight purchased the necklet told him that it was made of eighteen or fifteen carat gold, and that it. had bolonged to tho vendor's wife.

Tho name and abode of the vendor, who k a publican resident in Gray's Inn Lane, were not withhold, and when ho was ex amined before tho magistrate ho stated that his wife had givan five pounds for tho article. He did not, however, discloso tho namo of tho person from whom his wife had bought I it, nor was any bill or receipt produced in Court showing the prico paid tor tho in culpated ornament. When Alfred Knight offered tho necklet in pledge to the assistant of Messrs Davison the pledger asked for an ndvanco of three pounds ten shillings upon it. "The assistant," said Knight, when under examination before Mr Vaughan, "took tho necklet, and said it was not gold, but base metal." The complainant, who, as a watchmaker, might naturally be expected to bo familiar with the naturo of all kinds of metal, added that, before offering tho necklet in pledge, he had taken it home, had tried it in the ordinary way with acid, and had satisfied himself that it was made of genuine gold. Strangely enough, the magistrate did not require tho com plainant to produce tho acid with which he had tiied the necklet to his own satisfaction, and to conduct thoexperiment in open court. ' Had Mr Vaughan demanded this practical confirmation of the truth of Alfred knight's statement, much light would perhaps have been thrown upon the transaction The latter deposed, however, that, before ofl'er ing the necklet at the establishment of Messrs Davison, he had applied for a loan upon it from Mr Harrison's, a pawnbroker in Holborn ; but Mr Harrison's assistant, without stating his reasons, refused to nave anything to do with tho necklet. Tho pledger then applied to Mr Davison, of Urury Lane, whose assistant, in addition to refusing to advance any money upon it, detained tho necklet, and requested, on behalf of his employers, to be permitted to hand it over to tho police in order that fuller inquiries might be made by them as to the whole transaction.

The solicitor who appeared before Mr Vaughan on behalf of Messrs Davison stated that his clients had, of course, no desire to retain the necklet, but that they deemed it their duty to stop it in the in trest of the public, who ore at this moment in course of being defrauded to a very large extent by a spurious metal called " mystery gold." It was added that a gang of men had recently gone down to Brighton, where in a fow days they had cheated pawn brokers and others of more than one thou sand pounds. The necklet was made of a composition called "mystery gold," con sisting of copper platinum, and tin—gilt on the outside by the electro process—which will stand the ordinary test of nitric acid, and is the same weight with genuine gold. The legal representative of Messrs Davison informed the magistrate that a large number of spurious sovereigns made of " mystery gold" are now in circulation ; that they had the same weight as the precious metal itself, and the same ring when dashed down upon the counter or tablo ; and that they are capable of resisting the usual tests applied to them. Ho asserted that a large body of conspirators are now employed in the manufacture of this ingonious counter feit for purposes of fraud, and that by it the public had already been dofrauded to the extent of thousands of pounds. Nor is gold the only metal for which a spurious substitute is now in course of preparation. A fluid described as a " mystery detector," which at once exposes the difference between this fraudulent metal and real £»oM, has recently been invented. It is stated that silver as well as cold, is now being imitated, bo as to defy the aquafortis test; and it is obvious that unless a'detector can be discovered, safe and unerring in its; operation, and doing no damago to coins or a Ucles of jewellery to which it is applied, there is the greatest possible danger that the United Kingdom and foreign countries may soon be flooded with counterfeit sov ereigns, as that coin is more widely spread than any other over the surface of the globe. In regard to the demand made by Alfred Knight for the restoration of his necklet, Mr Vaughan stated that Messrs Davinon were fully justified in detaining it, knowing what they did as to the wholesale manu facture of articles of this fraudulent class and as to the conspiracy which was on foot for passing them off for gold. He added, howevor, that there was no absolute proof that the complainant was aware of the fraudulent nature of the necklet. "The circumstances," paid Mr Vaughan, "wore open to the gravest suspicion ; but suspicion was not proof, and he must have clear evi dence to show that the complainant had guilty knowledge of tho nature of the article he was ottering in pledge. He must therefore order the necklet to bo given up to the plaintiff." This decision will act, we feav, _as an | encouragement to the dangerous ring of conspirators who, for aught we know, may at the present momeut be manu facturing "mystery" sovereigns whole sale, and putting them into circulation. It would perhaps have been more satisfactory if Mr Vaughan had called upon Alfred Knight to produce the acid with which he ■claimed to have tested the spurious necklet, ;and had invited him to make the experiment in open court. Be this, however," as it may, there can bo no quostionasto the importance •of calling public attention to the existence of "mystery gold," and perhaps of "mystery Silver," in our midst, and to the danger of their being put still more largely into circulation in the form of spurious coins and of counterfeit jewellery. It cannot bo denied that sovereigns which are so woll coined as to bear inspection under the microscope, which have tho right metallic ring, and are of the same weight as the genuine symbol, constitute an injury to society againßt which ample provision should at once be made. In the case which Mr Vaughan dismissed, Mr Edward Bressey, a pawnbroker, of High street, Stratford, who is also an accomplished chemist, deposed that articles composed of "mystery" had frequently been offered to him in pledge, and that he had devoted a great deal of time to finding out a test which would distinguish the composition ■ from gold. He said that he had applied nitric acid to the necklet offered by Alfred

Knight to Messrs Davison, and that it soccesafully stood the teat. "I then '•' tested it," he continued, " with a new test : which I have discovered, and found that ■ ■ there is no goldin it—not evenagrain. It is gilt outside by an electro process, but there . "no gold in its composition. I believe it I ' *o be exactly the same as an amalgam of •r copper, platinum, and tin which 1 have Myself prepared. That it is made up for ~, fraudulent purposes there can be no doubt. ' i

Three Africans Cooked in a Gigantic Pie.

Gigantic Fie

Cats Coast Castle, February 3.—The

British authorities here have executed the : fen men convicted of the murders and riots ;:■ at VVinnebah two months ago. The riot 3 arose out of religious disputes, and when they were quelled it was found that three ; natives had been killed and cut to pieces, 1 their remains being prepared for cooking in 115 J. gigantic pie. Tha ten culprits were ■hanged inside the prison hero.—From the '■•'■ "London Standard."

Lost in the Australian Bush.

A. Girl Found After Wandering Three Weoks.

A .special correspondent of tho "Molbournc Argus " gives tho following graphic account of tho finding of tho young girl, Clara Crosbie, who had boon lost in the bush for three weeks :—

"It was on the 20th day after the girl left Mrs Hainos's house that a couple of friends started out to look for a horso which had strayed in theranges. Mr J.O. Curwan, a farmer and contractor, of Warburton, who has been 14 years in tho district and knows his way about, was accompanied in this quest by Mr Willkin Smith, a piano forte tuner, of Kew, who was on a tour through the district. They struck tho Cockatoo Creek, and as th y watched tho turbid stream flowingthroughthooozybedof a large morass MrCurwan began toexpatiato upon the advantages of canals for drainago purposes with as much fervour as the late Mr Hugh McColl usod to praise camils for irrigation purposes. The friends grew so interested in the subject that they got oft' their, horses to discuss it, and they were soon deep in tho history of the Suez Canal | and that of its engineer, Lesseps. Then re mounting, and skirting the swamp, thoy were riding rapidly away, when Mr Smith found the head of a starved domestic cat, which had vainly sought succour in a holo in a tree. Mr Curwan obliged his ' town chum,' as he calls him, by waiting till Mr Smith onco more left his saddle, and with a stick fully disontombod the feline victim of misplaced confidence in the nutritive re sources of the Lilydalo bush. He was just mounting again, whon a low sound, liko a young blackbird's whistle, caught tho acuto ear of tho experienced bushmau by his side 1 Hish !' said Mr Curwan. 'What's that';' Again, the wailing plaintivo noto was borno softly on the breeze. . It was enough this time. Mr Curwan was sure it was a coo-e-e. 'I never,' he says, 'hoar a coo-o c twice in the bush without answering it. I answered it, and the soft weak voico camo to us again, just a little louder. I was suro something was wrong, but I could not say where tho sound came from, bocauso of the echo of the hills. I galloped up tho rise in front of us, and cooeed now and again. Every time wo coo e-ed—indeed oftenor—we got tho re sponse of that low yet piercing noto of dis tress When we got ou to the hill I was suro the voice came from tho swamp we had loft. As fast as logs, bogs, and ravines would let us we advanced towards tho spot where we had been talking about canals. I heard some one spoaking, but could not make out the words, and the scrub was so thick I could not sco any ono. At last 1 caught sight of ti littlo girl, and it wont to my heart to see her so thin and woe begone, but I could not boiieve it was Clara Crosbie, or that she could have lived so long. Tho little creature was tottering towards us in her ulster, without shoes or stockings on, but quite sensible. She said, 'I want to go home to my mother. I have been lost three weeks.' She was po weak that she could scarcely stand. I jumped oft' my horse.put my coat round her, and took her up in my arms. She said she wanted a drink, but I wished to hasten back to the camp with her, as I was afraid she might go off. It would have been terrible for her to have died in my arms after all she had suffered and I had found hor. She said she lived in a troe, and used to go for water, but that she had been too weak to go for any for two days, and I quite believe it. She said her clothes were in the tree, but we did not stay to look for them, but started home at once. Mr Smith went on to bring some tea, and, although ho can't ride, I never saw a man go across country in better style, as if there was no such thing as breaking his neck in such a tangle. He met me half way, but 1 had given the little thing a drink out of my hat before that. Didn't she lap it up eagerly, and then talked all the more about how she wandered away and crossed tho creek and found the hollow tree, and got too frightened and too tired to travel any more. Wo gave her some tea and toast, and when we got to the camp the cook said he saw a man who was lost in New Zealand, and the doctor gave him oatmeal with some brandy in it. But Clara smelt some pork and potatoes, and she did beg hard for some of that dinner. I believe she thinks me hard to this day. After she had eaten a littlo, and now that she felt quite safe and the excite ment waa over, she began to look worse than whon we first found her. We could see the ravages which hunger and exposuro had made, but, considering what she had, gone through, she was wonderfully chirpy. She kept asking to be taken to her mother. She was taken there in the blankets of six of the boys, for every man wanted to hivo a share in wrapping hor up, and then she was washed and put to bed by Mrs Claxton at tho hotel, which was nearer than hei mother's house. She has been improv ing ever since, but you will see hor for your self byand-by, and got her to talk to you. In (i week she will be as right as ever, but it was a close shave. I don't think she would have lasted anothei night, as the next night astiif frost was on, andsho had got too weak to go to tho creek for the water upon which she hod lived. How alia lived. God knows. I have seen men used to hard ship knock under in a fourth of the time. And then think of the loneliness and tho wildness of the place where she was found. It was enough to drive a child like her mad, She's a living wonder."

Shocking Tragedy in Adelaide

Three Persons Shot Dead,

At '2 o'clock on June 13 a tragody occurred in Stanley-street, North Adelaide, which ended in the death of two men and a woman. The particulars of the affair hava been gained from a Mrs Schutt, who resides in the neighbourhood. She was coming out from her mother's house at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, her house being situated on theother side of thehouse'vhere the trag edy occurred, whenßheraetaman running out of the house who said, " That woman is my wife, and that fellow—l have shot them both, and now I'm going to shoot myself." She said to him, "Oh, don't do it be fore me," and aha ran on to the footpath. Ho followed her, and pointing a revolver to his hoart, shot himself dead. Police constable Wellington was immediately cent for, and on arriving found tlio man lying on tho footpath. The body was taken into the front room of the house, which has only two rooms. On onter ing the house_ the body of a young woman was founj, with a pistol shot in the middle of her'breast, while her clothes were slightly burned. In tho house next door was found the dead body of the other man tibovemen tioned. The inference therefore is that the man whose body was found lying on the footpath wont into tho tirst house and shot tho woman, and that a man with whom sho was living ran into the next bouse for pro tection, when the murderer followed him and shot him there. The murderer must then have gone into the street, where he met Mrs Schutt, and shot himself before her eyes. The man and woman who were shot by the murderer had been living to gether under tho name of Mr and Mr.s O'Connor. They had only taken the house lastTuesdey. Very little is known about them, but they are said to have relatives in North Adelaide. O'Connor was a plough man, but of the murderer nothing whatever is known beyond the fact that his name is Alfred Lines. A letter was found on the body of the latter, addressed to Joseph Lines, Kooringa. It read as follows:—" Adelaide, June 12. My dear father and msther,—l have found Lizzie and Morris. They are living together as man and wife. I shall be dead by the time you get this letter. Be kind to the children. I would not now care to live, as I find they are living together. I have brought a revolver, and am going to shoot both of them and myself. I hope God will forgive mo for what I am.going to do.— Alfred Line*" Drs. Gorger, Jay, and W. Campbell were call in, but life in each case was extinct. The revolver used was a nve chambered one of the ordinary size, and was found lying on the foothpath a fow yards from the body of Lines. The body of the woman was placed in the front room, where she was shot, whilo tho bodies of thetwo men havo beon removed to the back room, whore they are lying together. All of the deceased appear to have been shot in the breast, wounds being visible thore. A great crowd congregated in the locality, and the greatest escitomentwaecauaodbythofrigbtfulnature of the tragedy.

History of a Rich Montana Gold Mine.

On Saturday there arrived at the Gilman Hotol, in this city, a plainly or rather poorly dressed, cadaverous-looking man, about 50 years of age, who took a dollar room. Soon thereafter it was whispered that the now arrival was Thomas Cruse, tho man who had sold the Drum Lummond mine, in Montana, for 1,600,000 dollars. Half of this amount is said to be deposited in the First National Bank in this city, and the other in a Montana bank. It was noticed during the millionaire's presence in the house that he spentno money that he could possibly avoid. On Sunday he asked whore the Catholic Church was, and, instead of hiring a carriage and travelling as becomes a man of so much wealth, he trudged on foot to the church and back. On Tuesday he loft for his home in Montana, Yesterday a gentlo man was met who knew Mr Cruse well, and he said : " Yes ; I am well acquainted with him. For tho past twenty-five years ho has been a prospector in Montana and Idaho, and his present wealth is due to the fact that he is one of thoso fellows that get hold and never let go. Why, it's twenty years since he struck the mine that ho sold for more than a million and a half. In order to develop it he would work for a while for others to obtain a stake for grub, tools and powder. Then he would put in his time on tho mine until his funds were exhausted. Finally ho struck pay dirt, and his en- I thusiasm know no bounds, and for two or I throe yoars before he sold out he made a living out of it. How ? Why, by extracting a fow hundred pounds of ore and taking it to his cabin, and reducing it to a pulp in a mortar and washing out the gold in a bread pan. You sco the mine, although rich, could not bo proporly developed without capital. Being of a secretive disposition, ho had a door at the ontrance of his secret treasure, which he kept locked at all times, and the miners usod to facotiously call tho place 'Cruses prison.' Tho story of the great richnoss of tho mine spread far and wide, and big oilers were mado for it. Among thoso who made an oif&r for tho mine was Mackay, of bonanza fame, but tho hardy prospector know full well the value of his rind, and would not sell until he got his figure. Cruse was a stayet from away back, and don't you forget it. Had it been me, I would have sold out long ago. Fin ally an English syndicato commenced to anglo with the lucky prospector, and at ono time negotiations reached such a stage that the papers wero drawn up and read to Cruse, who was also represented by his attorney. A clause in the agreement was read by which the purchasers could buy tho one-sixth interest ho rotainod should they so desiro. This jarred on tho old man's oars liko a false note to an orchestra loader. ' I want that stricken out, and I'll give you just five minutes to do so. If you don't the jig is up,' sententiously said the man who had waited twenty years for a purchaser. ' Well, but that's a mere formality, and it's not likely the company will want to freeze you out,' said the representative of English capital. This sort of expostulation was kept up until tho hands of the clock marked the expiration of the five fateful minutes. 'Tho jig's up,' slowly and sternly said Cruso. And indeed it was, and the failure to accede to the request made by Cruse cost 100,000 dollars extra, and it was eeveral months before he resumed negotiations. Had the clause been struck out, five-sixths of the mine could have been purchased for

1,500,000 dollars, but when the negotiations were resumed 1,600,000 dollars was asked and received for five-sixths of the Drum Lummond mine." The mine is situated about three miles from Butte City, M. T.,and is probably the* richest gold-producing mino in the world." —" Portland Times," April 30.

The Murder of Captain Cook.

Tub author of " The Sea: its Stirring Story," published by Cawell and Co., gives tho following account of the death of Captain Cook: —" Captain Cook mot his death on tho Island of Hawaii (Sandwich Islands). It would appear that, previous to tho fatal day, there had been some little trouble with the native Captain Cook was naturally annoyed at and perplexed by the occurrences. In the courso of the night a boat was stolon from the Discovery, and Cook at once ordored n body of marines ashore, going with them himself, and taking a double-barrelled gun, one barrel loaded with small shot and the other with a ballot. The other boats were ordered out to pre vent any canoe from leaving the bay until tho matter was settled. Arrived ashore, he marched up to the old King, who toovery appearance had had no hand in the theft, nor had connived at it, for he promised to go on board with the captain, the latter intending to keep him as a hostage. The chief's two sons were already in the pinnaco, when his wife entreated him with tears not to go off to the ship. Two chiefs also, at this juncture, forcibly laid hold of tho old man| and made him sit down on the beach. Cook saw from the general aspect of affairs, and the gathering thousands on tho beach, that ho must give up his idea, and pro ceeded slowly to the place of embarkation. It appears that while this was going on some of the men on the boats stationed around the bay had fired on some escaping canoes, and, worse, had killed a thief. The news arrived ashoro just as Cook was leaving, and the natives immediately began to put on their war-mats and arm them selves, one of them, carrying an iron dagger, which be brandished wildly, threatening Cook with a large stone; and the captain at last could stand his insolence no longer, and gave him a volley of small shot. This against the native's thick wurmat was about as effective as shooting peas against a rhinocorous. Next came a volley of stones in return, whiloan attempt was made to stab a marine officer, who returned a heavy blow from the butt end of his musket. A native crawled behind a canoe, and then aimed a spear at Cook, who soon gave them the contents of hia other barrel, killing one of the assailants. • In quick succession volleys of stones were answered by a volley of musketry ; four marines fell, and were speedily despatched. Cook now stood by the water's edge, signalling the men to stop, firing and get on board; but in the scuffle and confusion his orders were not understood. A lieutenant command ing one of tho boats blundered, or worse, to tho extent of taking bis boat farther off, so that the picking up of the wounded marines was thrown entirely ou the pinnace, which had boen brought in as near shore as the master was able to como. Poor Cook was left alone on a rock, where he was seen trying to shield hia head from a shower of stones with the one hand, while he still grasped his musket in the other. As soon as bis buck was turned the natives attacked him, one club bing him down, and the other stabbing him in the neck. Again he dropped in the water knee dseo, looking earnestly out for help from the" pinnace, not more than a few yards off. But the end was near. The savages got him under in deeper wutor. In his.death struggle he broke from them and clung to the rock. In a second there was another fall of the commander, and the end had come. His body was dragged ashore and mutilated. Afterthemonescapedundercover of the fire kept up from the boats. But for Cook himself, one of the most humane of commanders, nothing seems to have been attempted in the huny and excitement of the scuffle."

Courtesies of the English Hunt

ing .Field.

Vmum a run with the North Warwickshire Hounds yesterday afternoon.Mr Whitworth. of Lapworth, was riding across some land belonging to Mr .Cattell, of Ford Hall, Tamworth, when ho was accoated by tho owner, who waa out shooting, and who objected to Mr Whitworth riding across tho fields In the course of an altercation Mr Cattell struck Mr Whitworth's horee over the flanks with his gun. Mr Whitworth retaliated by striking Mr Cattell with his whip, whereupon lie latter hit him over the back with the gun, which exploded, but fortunately the charge did _ no* damage beyond tearing a large rent in Mr VV^it worth's coat and sotting it on fare. Other huntsmen who witnessed -the altercation camo to Mr Whitworth's asaistanae and extinguished the rire.-Prom the St. James's Gazette."

SKINNY MEN,--'w«i)<-Hr.iithi;™™."'"^/Jr./"':

Professor Vambery on Russia.

Professor Abminius Vambery, who arrived in England on April 26, visited Sheffield next day, and deliverod a lecture in the Albert Hall in that town. In the course of his address he said : People believe that Russia would remain at Taahkend and not go further, but many disbelieved it, and it turned out that the believers were right. (Cheers.) RussiawentonacquiringKhokand. In the whole of this work Russia had not more than 2,000 men, but it must be borne in mind that fighting in Central Asia was not like fightingin India. It was not like struggling with the Sikhs and the Rajpoots. One Russian soldier could easily put down 100 Tartars. The Russian was armed with good, modern weapons, and had good gun. powdor ; but the Tartar had only an old, rusty gun which rested on a kind of wooden fork. When he attempted to shoot he looked for a lovel spot, and put tho fork on the ground. The other end wbb a cauldron like cavity, in which he placed his coarse powder. He then made a fire with stone, and having lighted his tindor.ho began to tap upon the powder for certainly five minutes. (Laughter.) Then tho gun exploded, the fork tumbled down, and I God alone knew where tho ball went. [ (Laughter.) To fightagainst such an enemy needed no great bravery, and there was nothing to boast of in victories thus achieved. (Hear.) In 10 years Russia ac quired the whole of Central Asia on the right bank of the Oxus, and a portion on I the left bank. Then Russia turned from Khiva tot ho Turcomans, and never was there a more atrocious war made against any poor people than the Russians made against them. (Cheers.) His young friend Mr Marvin had given a good description of that war. After the chief mino had been blown up the Russians ran into the fortress of Ak Tapa, and out of 40,000 Turcomans 10,000 were killed by shells. When they Hod the Russians chased them, spoiled them of their property, and then butchered them in cold blood, not only soldiers, but old men, women, and children. Thus Genoral Skobeleff could report to the Emperor that the Turcomans were quiet, for there was no quiet like the quiet of death. Russia attained tho .u'oiil of her desire. The Russians meant, after conquer ing Bokhara, to go on towards the south and reach Afghanistan, but there they found they had made a mistake. Beyond Turkestan was a desert which could not be crossed in less than six or eight weeks. Russia, thereforo, saw that she could not proceed with tho conquest of Afghanistan in that way, and saw tho necessity of turn ing round to the west and endeavouring to assail India by way of Morv and Herat. Ho then described the further progress of Russia. If England's otatesmon had not *hown that indulgence towards Russia she would not have ventured to go so far. (Hear, hear.) Itwasmost sinful indulgence. (Cheers.) He ridiculed the proposal that England and Russia should divide the spoil, for, while England did not strive after fresh territory, Russia was striving for India, Russia had spent £80,000,000 in ad vancing in the north of Central Asia, and she would never be quiet until sho got India into her hands. The question was, Wuro the English people willing to give up India and hand over to men who were unfit for tho task of civilisation the glorious bequests of Cliyo and Hastings t ("No.") He did not believe that. (Cheers.) It would bo tho greatest misfortune to humanity if England handed over her noble heritage to tho barbarous Russians. Ho laid particular stress upon this because on the Continent the remark was spreading that England was abdicating. He could not believe in the abdication of Great Britain. Englandcould not abdicate. They said that England would become, like Holland, a second-rate Power; sho would loose India, loso her for tune ; Germany would take ono-half of tho trade, and Russia the other half. She would fall to pieces. So they said on the Continent; but ho believed it impossible, and it cut him to the heart when he hoard such words. (Loud cheers.)

Prayers for Rain.

The action of Dr. Barry, Bishopot Sydney, in directing the Use of tho prayer for rain in the Anglican churches at the present time ia commented upon by tho Melbourne press and contrasted against '.Dr. Moorhouse'a want of sympathy with tho practice One of tho journals quotoa tho following interest ing extract from the published biography of tho Rev. Charles Kingsloy:—"The summer of 1860 was a very wet one. Rain fell almost incossantly for thrcd months. The farmers were frightened, and the clergy all over tho country began to use the prayer againat rain. Tho cholera had lonjr beon threatening England, and Mr Kings toy's knowledge of physical and sanatory scienco had told him how beneficial this heavy rain was—a gift from God at that particular moment to ward off the onomy which waa at band by cleansing drains and sweeping away refuse, and giving the poor an abundance of sweet clean water. It was a notable fact that while ignorant peoplo wero crying out against tho rain, the chemists complained that there was so little illness thoy had nothing to do, and tho medical men pronounced it to bo a very healthy season. The parishioners of Evors ley, however, remonstrated with him for not using tho prayer for fine weather, and he answered them by preaching a sermon on Matthew vii., SMI, whichprovokedmuch discussion, and was published under the title of ' Why should wo pray for fair weather ?' He sent copies of it to eevoral aciontiOo men; who of course agreed with hia views, but to many people it was a cause of great offence. ' Accept my sincere and hearty thanks for your sermon,' says Pro fessor Owen,'in which you alone—so far as 1 know—in your calling, have had the honesty and courage to utter the truth in reference to its subject; the word will not be spoken in vain.' Thoformon began thus: — ' Tho prayer for iair weather, which has boen read lately, I understand, in most churches, was not read this morning in this church, and I think myself bound, my friends, to toll you why I have thought it bettor not to read it. I trust that you will listen to mo patiently and fairly ; and that oven if some of you should not agree with me, you will still all give mo credit for having thought over the matter carefully, and for wishing to say what is true, and to do what is right. I have not read tliic prayer for two reasons. First, bocauso I do not know that it ia needed. Secondly, because 1 am afraid of being presump tuous.'"—(Vol. ii.j pp. 109'H0.)

An Island Murder.

Thk threo-inasled echoonor Fairlio, which arrived at Sydney a few days ago from the Solomon Islands, brought particulars of tho murder of Mr G. B.| Adams, the commander of a small cutter which was wrecked on San Christoval in the early part of April. Tho matter was first reported by the steamer Ripple, but tho statements then published were not correct. It appears that the cutter, named the Sholfa, was of four tons register, und was sailing under the American flag. Adams, who was quite a young man, was an American, and was in the command of the vessel. He had with him Captain AVilliam McDonald, a passenger, and James Micholl, a seaman, besides some natives. The Sholfa arrived in the group about three months previously from Fiji, and when she was wrecked she was on her first trading voyage. While running down, the coast of San Christoval in the early part of April she got becalmed, and drifted on to a reef, where she apeedily became a total wreck. All on board suc ceeded in reaching the beach, and at once started in search of assistance from some friendly natives who were known to reside in the neighbourhood. The road led across not a few creeks, several of which had to be swam, and as Adams,could not swim, he was left behind atone creek until the friendly natives could come to his aid, and ford him over in a. canoe. While bis companions were absent, however, the wild natives, or "bushmen," as they are termed, must have come down and attacked him, as on their return they found him quite dead, his body boing pierced by several spear wounds. The murder .was most cold-blooded and un provoked. The friendly natives came and took the body to a suitable spot some dis tance from the sbeno of the murder, where it was decently interred in the presence of Captain McDonald and Nicholl. Captain Hawkins, of the Fairlie, met these at Ugi» and obtained a full statement of the circum stances ol the case from thVui. , .mi a

Heavy Damages for Reckless Driving.

In tho Lord Mayor of London's Court, before Mr Brandon and a common pry, the case of Beresford v. the London Road Car Company ha 3 been tried. It was an action in which the plantiff, the driver of a hansom cab, claimed damages from the defendant company for injuries he had sustained through the negligent driving of the defendants' servant. —Mr Crisp and Mr Scarlett appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Roberts for tho defendant.—lt appeared that on November 14th plaintiff was driving along Cheapside, and when near Milk-street, the defendant's driver, who was driving a road-car, came up behind him. There was a space between the plaintiff and the vehicle behind him of about seven yards. The driver of the dofendant company drew into the space to avoid the other traffic, i A cart in front of the complainant backed aguinst his horse, and he had to back a little. Ho asked the defendant's driver to stand still for a little while until the traffic moved on. He, however, refused, and tried to draw his horses into the other rank. In doing so his fore wheel caught the box of the wheel of the cab and turned the horse on to tho pathway. The plaintiff again asked him to stop, but he would not, and then the hind wheel of the car caught the tire of the oab wheel and turned the cab over on to the pathway. If the car had stopped when requested, the accident would not have happened. The plaintiff was thrown under the cab, and received such injuries that he had been unable to attend his busin ess ever since. He now went on crutches, and he was told by the surgeons at the hospital that he would have to go in again and have another operation per formed upon him under chloroform. He had never had a good night's rest since tho accident occurred, and had suffered a great deal of pain. He would never be able to follow his occupation again. The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff, and assessed tho dainaage at £250.

A Wedding at Dcs Moines Under Romantic Circumstances.

Dks MoiNKS, lowa, April 28.—A wedding, under unusual and quite romantic circum stances, occurred in this city yesterday. Tho suddenly accepted groom is Loren F. Bishop, a good-looking young man, who keeps a bakery in East Dcs Moines. Yester day Miss Mary Shoemakor, a pretty miss with a merry laugh and a pretty figure that is the perfection of grace, came into Mr Bishop's bakery to buy some frosh rolls, and she looked at the young baker in such an irresistible way that he was quite beside himself with admiration. " Miss Shoe maker," said ho, " you look so pretty that I havo half a mind to go right with you and get married."

" I never refuse a dare," said the pretty girl, with flushing chucks and eyes that sparkled with a roguish light. " Well, shall I go and got my coat and go and get a license}" "If you want to you may, and I'll go with you, too."

The young man's face sobered down a little, but he went and got his coat.

"Do you still want to go!" ho gently in quired.

" Why, I thought it was you that wanted to go," said the maiden, hesitatingly. '• Well, I do ; but I thought maybe you would give it up." " If that's all, we'll go," was tho repiy. Loren was caught, and he had the good sense to see it. They wont to the County Clerk and got a license, and before the sun set they were married.—Special Despatch to tho " St. Louis Globe-Democrat."

Absconding Solicitors.

It is just announced that another well, known London solicitor, in largo business at the West End, has suddenly disappeared, leaving liabilities roughly estimated at £250,000. There have lately been an ominous nnmbcr of casoa of this kind. The latest was, that of tho Messrs Parker, of Bedford Kow ; but there havo been many others fully as bad and almost as heavy. Peoplo have a habit of ranking tho family solicitor a third co-trustco in all large family trusts. Tho result is that ho hag all tho title deeds in his possession, and has really tho entire control of tho trust ostato, the other trustees leaving everything to him. This is a very great temptation for a man who has been speculating in land or stock, or otherwise getting out of his depth. So long as he can pay tho cestui que trusts their dividends, or, if the corpus of the trust falls in, can replace it out of the other trust' funds, he can, and frequently does, escape detection. Ho can even delude him self into the belief that the respousibilities of a trustee are no higher than thoso of a banker, who never keeps sufficient cash to meet all possible demands, and could not carry on business if he did. Sooner or later, however, the day arrivo3 whon tho missing fund cannot bo replacod, or the overdue dividend paid. Then the solicitor dis p poars. Be usually goes to Spain. The council of the Incorporated Law Society is very much shocked and distressed. A number of families are ruined. And in a few months the whole matter will bo for eotten, unless another solicitor should follow in the same track, and so recall the story.— "London Globo."

Riel's Rascally Record

Fkank Eastman, who has been clork to the Senate Committee on Claims for the pant two years, was District Attorney at Helena, M. T., in 1882. In a conversation on the Canadian Insurrection Mr Eastman said : "I know Louis Riel well. He was the leader of the Red River Insurrection in 1872, and was guilty of the most atrocious and in human Crimea ever perpetrated by man. Add to the tortures of the Inquieition every agony that devilish ingenuity could suggest or invent, and you may get a faint idea of the manner in which Kiel treated the unfortunate captives who fell into his hands. The Canadian Government securod the eevices of a priest to visit Riel, and after much trouble he succeeded in inducing Kiel to surrender. In apite of his many acts of fiendish cruelty and the fact that he was guilty of high treason, the Canadian Government failed to givo him the hemp he go richly deserved, and ho is now reaping the fruits of its mistaken mercy. In November, ISB2, Kiel was en gaged in selling whisky eight or ten miles inside of the lower border of the Blackfeet Reservation. He procured the liquor in Fort Bfinton, and failing to pay his bills and being unable to secure any more credit, he transferred his valuable custom to Helena. Here hie credit also ran out, and when C. A. Broad water, the partner and agent of Wilder of St. Paul, told him he could be credited no longer, Riel said, " All right,' Meester Broadwater, but I would like to meet you out on ze porairie," thus conveying a delicate suggestion of the hereafter.

Kiel was shortly after indicted for sell ing rum to the Indians, and when brought to trial refused to answer any questions, frankly stating that he refused bacauKe ho did not care to criminate himself. During the trial a juror asked Kiel if he was not the man who incited the Red River Insur rection in 1872. "Sair," replied Ricl with great dignity, " I am ze man who attempted to introduce republican institutions in zat country." As no other witnosses could be procured, Riol was acquitted, although there was no doubt in the world as to his guilt. He was indicted at Benton for election frauds at Rocky Point, in the spring of 1883, and, being unable to procure bail, was imprisoned in eaol for two or three months. Then he succeeded in securing bondsmen in the persona of William H. Hunt, the son of the ex-Secretary of the Navy, and then Collector of the port of Fort Benton, and Thomas Cummings, a former collector. After being released he went up into Manitoba, and from recent events it is evident that tie was engaged in laying his plans for the present insurrection. Ho returned to Fort Benton and was tried, but as the people around Rocky Point led nomadic lives, it waa impossible to obtain any witnesses Bave Kiel's half-breed wife and brother-in-law. Of coureo ho was not convicted.—Washington Corr. "N.Y. Sun.1'

"ROUGH ON RATS."-clrars ..ut rats.mi.e.ra.'lOT. »,<■■.. .nil ,1--1-!)!il-, i~.~..(1,i iiK.'cK^'iuUJ.ic''. nll'Mi-,,-•■■)■>''-'»• At JJXUI'SiStN # i. . i 1 ■'~ , -1| |' ■•

A LIVELY IRISH GHOST.

An Unexplained Mystery.

A remarkable case was heard lately in Dublin. Mr Waldron, a solicitor's clerk, sued his next-door neighbour, who is a mate in tho merchant service, named Kiernan, to recover £500 damages for injury done to his house by, as he alleged, the defendant and his family. Kiernan denied the charges, and assorted that Waldron's house was haunted, and that the acts complained of were done by spirits or some person in plaintiffs place. Evidence for the plaintiff was to the effect that every night from August to January his hall-door was con tinually being knocked at, and his windows broken with stones which came from the direction of the defendant's premises. Mrs Waldron swore that one night she saw one of 'the panes of glass in the window cut through with a diamond, and a white hand inserted through the hole so made in the glass. Sho caught up a billhook and aimed a blow at the hand, cutting one of the fin gers completely off; the hand was then withdrawn, but on her examining the placeshe could find neither the finger norany traces of blood. On another occasion the servant, hearing mysterious knockings, fell down with fright, upsetting a pail of water over herself. Mr Waldron armed himself with a revolver, and brought a detective into the house, while several policemen watched outside. They, however, could find nothing. Kiernan's family, on being accused of causing the noises, denied it, suggested it was the work of ghosts, and advised the Waldrons to send for a Roman Catholic clergyman to rid the bouse of its terrors. A police-constable swore that one evening he saw Waldron's servant kick the door with her heels at about the time the rapping usually commenced. Chief Justice Morris said the affair suggested the per formance of the Davenport Brothers or Maskelyne and Cooke. It was quite inex plicable from the absence of motive, and remained shrouded in the mysterious un certainty of the Man with the Iron Mask, the authorship of "Junius's Letters," or "Why Anderson leftDycer'e." The jury found for the dofendant.

Sketch of General Aliknanoff's Career.

George Kennan, tho Siberian traveller, gives an interesting account of a visit with Capt. Alikhanoff, several years ago, to a little Russian postinDaghestan. AatheCap tain of that time is now Governor of Merv and commander of the Russian troops on the borders of Afghanistan, his history becomes of interest. The following epitomises as much of Mr Kennan's narrative is deals with AlikhanofFs personality: "Mr Kennan found him to be a master of several lan guages and a polished gentleman. Upon his table were a Kussian translation of ' Evan geline,' the current European magazines, and a goodly selection of choice works in German, French and Russian. He was familiar with American history. Hiscareer, as related to Mr Kennan, ie very romantic. His father, Ali Khan, waa one of the few learned men in a powerful mountain tribe of Daghestan, and cast his fortunes with Schatnyl, ' the prophet warrior of the Cau casus,' in resisting the encroachments of the Russians. Ali Khan was Military Secre tary to a local Governor, who could not read. Ali Khan could read and write Arabic, and did all tho letter-writing to Schamyl in the struggle with Russia. For some reason Scnumyl's Secretary became Ali Khan's enemy, and forged Schainyl's order to the Governor, under which Ali Khan was serv ing, to behead the hitter immediately. Tho Governor knew he had received an order from Schamyl, and Ali Khan was called. Ho ran over it hastily before interpreting, and saw it was an ordor for his own execu tion. Escape seemed impossible, but he improvised an interpretation by which the Governor was commanded to join Schamyl immediately. Ali Khan got tho priviloge of visiting his family during tho Governor's absence. When the Governor had departed the Secretary hastened to his home, bade his family farewell, and rodo for his life to tho nearest Russian post and surrendered. He gained tho confidence of the Russians, became an ofticor, and assisted them greatly in overcoming tJcbamyl. Finally, when Schamyl waa surrounded, Aji Khan waa commissioned to demand his surrender, Schamyl upbraided him, and was shown the ordor for beheading. Schamyl denied n\\ knowledge of it, and then refused to surren der. He waa captured by storm. Before hia downfall, Ali Khan had, by a daring raid, rescued his son Muskoot, now Gen. Alikhanofl'. This son was educated by the Russians, and has proved to be an able and valuable ollicer. He is described as strik ingly hundsome, like most of the Caucas sian?. The language of Central ABia is his native tonguo, and ho can deal with the wild tribes to tho bost advantage."

The Price of Vanity

Ekie, Perm., April 26.—Mrs George Varley, a wealthy but vain lady, sixty five years old, but addicted to affectation of juvenility, has been victimised by a specious young scoundrel named Eugene Macdonald, who succeeded in making her believe he possessed the secret of perpetual youth, and that he was many centuries of age him self. Professing to be conquered by her en treaties and tears, he agreed to distill ten drops of the elixir, equal to ten centuries of youth, if she would furnish him with the amount of gold required for melting in his crucible and retorts at Dunkirk. The credulous creature converted considerable property into gold, and gave him all her gold orn&ments. She left her home with him and staid at n friend's in Dunkirk, he requiring a whole night to manufacture the elixir in his laboratory. In tno morning oho discovered that he had left town the same night, and had sent a note hoping that tho elixir would cure her of her vanity. Mr Varley recovered his wife this saorning, overwhelmed with humility at the fraud perpetrated upon her.

Divorce and Re-Marriage

It is no uncommon thing in the United States for men and women who have been divorced to re-marry their repudiated partners. A Vermont paper contains- an account of a case in point. A woman lately applied to the County Court at Island Pond for a divorce from her husband on the ground of incompatibility of temperament. The decree was in due courso pronounced, but instead of going away in opposite direc tions the emancipated pair left the court arm-in-arm. The man insisted upon seeing the woman, first to the nearest railway station, and then all the way to her home, thirty miles off; and ere he parted from her he had persuaded her to marry him once more. Still more curious is a story which is reported from Lewiston, Maine. A woman called to see a lawyer in tov/n, and having reminded him that twelve months before he had beon instrumental in procur ing a divorce for her, explained that she had since become engaged to her late hus band, and that she wished to ! sue him for his breach of promise to marry her a Becond time.

Are the Jews a Distinct Race

Are the Jews a distinct race ? was the ques tion asserted, denied, and learnedly argued on Tuesday night, Feb. 24th, by various ominent Jews, including the Chief Rabbi Delegate, before a crowded meeting of the Anthropological Institute. AIL the pecu liarities of the Jews that are apparently racial were minutely discussed, with the result of leaving two very distinct impres sions. One was that mixed marriages be tween .lews and non-Jews are so infertile that the average number of their progeny does not equal the number of the parents ; consequently half-castes tend to die out. The other was that the qoestion of tho dis tinctness of the race was in other respects an exceedingly difficult one to decide.— "London Telegraph."

A Husband's Honest Confession.

" Do do you love me still, darling ?" gushed younj^ Mrs Crimtionbcuk tv tbo partner of her joys and sorrows. " No, wife, I cannot honestly say that I do," was the husband's frank confession.

"And why not!" asked the wife, prepar ing to deluge the place with tears.

"Because, you never are-still," came from the hardhearted wretch,—From the ■" Yonkera Statesman."

CLIPTOMANIA.

(Specially Selected by Our London Correspondent.)

A reporter, in writing an account of a country ball, eaid that the belle of the even ing "looked au fait." The compositor thought that he knew better, and set it up so as to read, " she looked all feet."

The desideratum of exercise for the manual worker is that which does not fatigue his already wearied body, but em ploys his mind, and gives him something bright to think about and look forward to during his working hours.

We have heard lamentable tales lately about the discomforts which "the nobility and gentry " are suffering in consequence of the " depression," andthings muetindeedbe very bad when, the other day, at Christie & Hanson's, the late Lord Wilton's cham pagne realised only 2505, 300s, and 410s per dozen ; while the claret was given away at 160s and 175s per dozen. Evidently we are living in very hard times.

There is no truth in tho statement which has gone the round of the papers, that the Queen has been engaged during her stay at Aix-les-Bains in preparing the public addresses of the late Duke of Albany for publication. It is contemplated to publish a selection from the Duke's speeches at some future time, but the work has not yet been put in hand, and the Queen most certainly will not take any personal part in it.— "Truth."

The Cullon House cellar of wines, belong ing to the late Lord Seaneld, hasboen sold in Edinburgh, but prices were low, consider ing the quality of the wines and the high reputation of the cellar. Port of 1847, thirty-threo years in bottle, went for 90a per dozen ; whereas at Forster'ss last year 145s was paid. Some choice old Madeira fetched only 60s, and Lafite of 1858 went for 110s. There was some very fine old whi3ky (Glenlivet and Balmenach), which was almost given away.—" Truth."

A funeral in St. Paul's Cathedral is not only a rare event, but it is also an exceed ingly costly honour. 1 hear that the fees which will have to be paid by the Corpora tion of London for burying the late Lord Mayor in the Cathedral will make a good hole in a thousand pounds. When a royal funeral takes place at Windsor, the pre liminary fee to the Dean and Chapter "for breaking the ground " is £200. This item is the more unreabonable inasmuch as the royal vault is not under St. George's Chapel, and no "ground" is "broken," the only disturbance being the temporary removal of a certain sbb on the floor of the choir in order that the coffin may be lowered into the vault beneath, whence it is wheeled along a passage to the royal "tomb-house."—" Truth."

A precocious youth named Robert Hodg son, aged seventeen, who made such fierce love to a young lady at Croydon, and pressed his suit by firing a revolver at her and slightly wounding her in the back, has been sentenced to nine months' imprison ment with hard labour. His ardent spirit will doubtless bo cooled by reflection, prison discipline, and enforced employ ment ; and as all the Christmas mistletoe will be withered by the time he gains his liberty, it is to be hoped that on his release there will be nothing to excite him to further homicidal attempts at courting. At any rate, he may thank his stars that very probably the intervention of a stay bone prevented his being conducted to the gallows. The gal owes him one, however.

Tlio Maharajah Dhuleep Singh, whose pecuniary position has not been entirely satisfactory for some years past, has re solved to quit England, and he is, therefore, proposing to sell his famous sporting estate of Elveden, in Norfolk. The property ex tends to some 17,000 acres, of which two thirds are oc-cupied by the owner's game farm. The shooting on this estate has always been very good, and at present it is probable that it could not be surpassed even in Suffolk or Norfolk. In one season 9,600 pheasants were ehot, also 9,400 partridges, 2,000 hares, and 70,000 rabbits. Of course, such wholesale slaughter is not sport, but mere brutal butchery; still such " big bags " are now the fashion, and altogether the sort of thing which attracts, so that Elvedon will possibly find a purchaser " at a price."

Several experiments have been tried by persons anxious ta secure a ghost, and to receive the reward offered by the Society for Psychical Kesearch for a live ghoet delivered on the Society's premises. One man residing in a haunted house covered the middle of the floor of a room in which a ghost was in the habit of walking with an inch of soft and very tenacious asphalte. On the following night the ghost, who was an unusually large one, tried to walk over the asphalte, and stuck fast in it The experimenter instantly rushed to the ghost with withes of witch hazel, and, as he might have expected, stuck fast himself, just out of reach of the ghost. The latter, after a few minutes of struggling, extri cated himself and disappeared, but the investigator remained glued to the spot all night, and was prized out by the servants in the morning. While this experiment soerii.s to show that ghoEts may be trapped with asphalte, it by no means follows that they can be tied and boxed.

Some time ago I remember that a man named Holtum was tried in the provinces for fracturing another man's skull with a cannon ball. Holtum was going through a performance, part of which consisted in catching a cannon-ball shot Irom a gun, and one of the audience volunteered to try the experiment upon himself, with the natural result. At Holtum's trial, he was either acquitted, or got off with a nominal penalty, and no stepß whatever seem to have been taken to prevent a recurrence of such acci dents. Last week, I see the "Cannon King," as he calls himself, had his own skull fractured in a similar manner, and he now lies in a precarious state at Newcastle. One might have thought that, after the first disaster, the police would have taken care to see that Mr Holtum had no further chance of injuring either himself or anyone else ; but there seems to be no sort of con trol over the performance of dangerous and idiotic feats such as this cannon-ball trick. —"Truth." Canon Liddon has offended the ladies. Tho eminent Churchman recently ventured to say that English domesticity was being threatened " by a new ideal of life proposed to themselves by a small section of women anxious to imitate the life of men " even to the adopting of " male studies, male amuse ments, male occupations, male ambitions, modes of thought, talking, and writing." He might have added male dress, but he did not. We think the Canon was, in the main, wrong. Women who act as he says are those who from necessity or choice purpose earning their owu living, and so find themselves forced to compete with men on their own ground. So long as the young men of the day continue to carefully abstain from taking upon themselves the yoke of matrimony, it behove 9 the maids of the land to take care of themselves and prepare for a solitary old age as best they can. Otherwise the ratepayers might ere long bo burdened with the support of homes throughout the kingdom for super annuated spinsters.—"Modern Society."

Here is an instance of the growing ten dency to apply prayer as a solution of practical difficulties. A Scotch congregation at Dumfries has been passing through a great controversy as to the advisability of building a fresh church. Finally it was decided that " the Head of the Church " should be invoked in prayer to decide the issues. Four office-bearers, therefore, were told off to pray, two for the new building and two others for sticking to the old one. This prayer-tournament is a very interest ing revival of certain medieval practices ; but how on earth is the issue to be decided V Is it the party whoße last man holds out the longest in supplication, or in other words falls asleep last, which shall be deemed victorious, or must the congrega tion, like the Apostles, have recourse to casting lots after all ? Or will the minister, who is supposed to have a decided bias in the matter, take upon himself to determine whicli party hap, in the opinion of " the Head of the Church," prayed with most eflect ? In view of so important a now de velopment of the practical uso of prayer, it is plainly indispensable to have a workable rule for measuringthe comparative .strength of various supplications.

"BIJCHU PAIBA."-.o ,)' .j,,,,,,., ..,,,, nvJ , M

ORIGINAL POETRY

THE GEM BY WAITEMATA'S SHORES.

(From An Ujjtublisiikd Poem, "Mount Eden">

Unrivalled in the charms which poets prize. The bold, commanding site, the noble sweep Along the harbour side, the varied scenes Of sylvan beauty which enshrine und graco This gem of the Pac.fic; yonder city Shall boast a glorious future, and this hill , Shall be her centre then. The glistening spire Shall rise where now the lark's rich song ascends, And where the rill now winds its silvery way The crowded street shall send its busy hum Up to this very summit. Though she lacks The classic monuments that consecrate The ground o'er which they tower, though alia owns No proud cathedrals and no lofty columns Like those which glisten 'neath Italian skies, Yet she cun boast a more imperial setting Than Rome or Amo's city. She shall yet Bo great as well as beautiful and fair. For British hearts shall love and British skill . Adorn tho gem by Waitemata's shores. E. S, HUSBAND. i Auckland, 22nd Juno, 1885.

THE LOST THEME.

I was thinking of the glory That embrlKhts the Father's throne, I was with the busy multitude— O ! wouW I were alone By some sequestered nook, Or by tome quiet shore Where thoughts that aro immortal Would be loat—Ah 1 nevermore.

But the flish of mind is wasted,

And I've forgot its iheme; Itmighthavc been so c vision

1 though', of 'n a dream; But I 'wakon'd but to sorrow

To find the vani- hed lore, For the Baying and the music Now are loot for evermore.

It was, if I think rightly, A tone of B'lver hells- Some fatr lore of tlia angels That o'er a spirit swells; A vision of pome glory-burst, That shrouds sorae phantom hells— The chorustjf the itolden harps And joy-BonKS of the bells. And 'twas rlnglnsr ever ringing Some truth of H: m above, I could hpar the anthem singing Of the Father's s race and love: And I thought "This will be printed," So clear it was and plain- But, with the crowd it vanished From out my throbbing brain. It was a whispering glory, A ] O vp.°n<-e from the throne, Whnt T should bn-e heard myself Standiug >, uh God alone; ■ But the busy world was round mo And I have lost its theme— 'Twaa a vißion of a sunrise That has faded like a dieam. W. R. Wills. June 19th, 1885.

HERE OR THERE?

May God be near thee, friend. When wo are far away; May his smile cheor thoe, fnond, And muke all light as day. Look up! the sky, the stars above Will whisper to theo of His changeless love.

In distant, desert places The mounts of God are found; His sky the world embraces, And makes it holy ground: The heart that serves, and loves, and clings, Hears everywhere ths rush of angel wings.

To God the there is here : All spaces are His own; The distant and the near Are shadows of His throno : All times are His, the now. the olds What boots it where life s little talc is told ?

'Tis not for us to choose; We listen and obey; 'Tis His to call and use; 'Tis ours to serve and pray: It matters little, here or there. God's world is wide, and heaven is everywhere

We cannot go so far That home ia out of sight: The mount, the evening sttir, Will say, Good day! Good night! The heart that loves will never bo alone; All earth, all heaven it reckons as ita own. Henry Burton.

DREAM CHILDREN.

I trust the dear Lord's wisdom, I do not question his will. But oft u3 I sit in my chamber, In the twilight calm and still.

I long for the children's voices, I long for the clinging arms, As unto my ear they whisper Their tiny griefs and alarms.

And my silent room ia peopled With forma I can almost seo. The fornre of the dear dream children Who cluster about my knee.

lean heir their merry prattle. I feel their breath on my ooeek, And mv fancy again makes real Tho dear ones my heart would seek,

And so I sport with my children,

And watch their sweet, quaint ways. Till my heart grows htavy with longing And my eyes are dim as I gaze.

For alas I they are but shadows Th»t out of the darkness grow; Only the frail dream children That the heart alone can know. OARO CoLEMAJf

WILLIES WARNING.

[Founded on a Celtic superstition that wher ever a person in looking wnen ho hears the cuckoo tor the first time in the teaeon, there »ill hebe ere the mmc lime iti the following y ear, or whatever he is eutiagtd at maj be ai ceuti d aB aprophi ticahadowii>gofsomeimportantevtntto take place within the Bame circle Of time]

" Oh, mother, I heard the cuckoo to-day. And I knew that the summer was come. And I thought I would about out a glad ' hurrah;' But somehow my lips were dumb.

" And oh. what a feeling canoe over me; Oh, mother. I wished you were near; So lonely I felt in the bright green fields That I heard my heart beat with fear.

"And such a strange fear, ma, you couldn't ftuesß: The thoughts of it even I dread. Just an if the whole world had left me thero. Or maybe as it I were dead.

" And the song the cuckoo eang so far away Seemed as if it were np tn iho sky: And I thought to myself what you'd do, mother, Supposin' your Willie should die.

"For I thought that, it Bpoke all to me, mother And it wanted me far away, To live up with God in the sky, mother, So I prayed as you taught me to pray.

" And then my fear left, and I felt so glad- But mother!—dear mother! don't cry! For couldn't I watch you and pray for you It I lived up with God in the sky V

" Oh, Willie, what notions get into your head I How could yon. child, think such a thing.' But what were you doing, or where did you look, When you first heard the cuckoo Biog r

" I sat on tbe grass all alone, mother, Just taeairiu <he wee bneh at the mound. And with Johnnies wee spade in my hands, mother, 1 was diguing a hole In the ground.

"And 1 thought, as I dug, what you used to say- How God takes the good; when they're dead, From the darkness and gloom of the grave, To the brightness of heaven instead.

" Then t thought how I'd like to be one'of those Who were good and loved God so well: Then He'd give me a crown when I'd die, mother- Sure He would now, mamma? Can't you tellf"

The mother spoke not, but her chucks grew pale— Her fond heart was wrecked in a sigh— For she h«w ere the Spring would revisit tho earth Her Willie, her darling, would die.

The summer is nigh, by the hedge's green, By the glow of increasing day. And nature pours thanks from the beo'a low hum To the la'k'a soul-awakening lay.

The summer is nigh, but the flower-gemmed lea By the freßh grass green and long; By the balmy winds from iho geuial south, Nay more, by the cuckoo's song!

But a child less mother stands at her door, And she hears its first clear cry- She casts her eyts down to the dewy south, And then up to the mild blue sky.

She thinks of her darling little son, And she dashes away a tear. For she knows that an angel pleads her causa In a purer and brighter aphere.

DOUGALt) MAWADYEN

FAIR IS THE SEA.

Fnir is the f ea; and fair the Bca-borne billow. Blue from the depth and curlod with crested argent; Fair is the sea; and fair theßmooth sea niar gont, The brown dunes waved with tamarisk and willow; Fair ia tbc sea : and fair the seaman's daughter. FuiriT tnan all {air things in earth unrl ocean ; Fair is the s-a: and f iir the wayward motion, Tho waveriuK glint of light on danoiDg water; Fair is the sea : and fair the heavens above it. And fair at ebb the graFs-grecn wildernesses; Fair is the sea; and fair the stars that love it, Rising from waves new-washed with orient tresses; Kftir is theeua, of all fair Eea tilings fairest, Stella, Uufli gca-torn star, art belt aud. rarest i ' • J. Ay Bwrtftijig.

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1886

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