STAGE AND STUDIO.

finished a his *.. fcjidet**". has sung &s&!*ss a» gentlemen s^' i.i,M discovered another 1 AS^MnMd&ridArnoldson, fe B^iSthaToice oia bird J»H oeMdn, and has 5^ 9r£ i Bosina in the j* :f Jf DeW« « Basils ¥?*■ 2 that Patti heard her fj^triend,'1 Behold my

'/' ■ nii .nfchor. pressman, and to produce an opera #A hiftrnished the words and ?tii .^.complimentary Sydney as a d »nd tady Carnngton, igSfaSSfr Am stephen ''"S.ffli* has completed a book >JS&Hn*rfhb" Strange **■"-?V Phietbn."- I* will be JfS Strangd Adventures of a arranged that the life Ssiy in October.. Liin.v'dun has finished a history ffSSfcprinted privately for 50n5 &* family and hIS PCr" trtss.the Mastn\ of . i Jd to be busy compiling the thelato Dean

HSPSi "AmpHtrite," two pic- KJoM hyM. P. Baudry, were KSWfor 40' 00° '?""*; M,- K&S''i» Affionrs Vendangeurs ■:WHm\ til Corot's ,"Le CJouP de ffi'fef 5,100 franc* i Diaz's " vaches a. Eyf' for 8,700 francs; Greuz's K!geeß bmste" for 10,800 francs; HjWi"Portaii'de Jennie Dame " for XL. aid Mignard's "Portrait '■■Whim Princesse" for 6,550 francs. pi^iyiM be able to compile similar K^gicj. (Jit taste is in auetion ii'nf«Mt.ltelian greyhound. And jKjHJm S» mistress was out, and fijpliyfepiihoashe had seen her Riaify nig fee could sing was— ■ ih^ukiaon the sea; (do ypu C i() 1 s^le didn't lite the ocean, W iidoTttDiojo'er the main j ilijj't|ot» notion. Rjftiffii jmatearehavo been rakiner in HisTi" lolantho " company. The IBai'si ecatinaed for a wnole week, Hrifelps on Friday and Saturday Ht^mMldoris. Excited by this ■ ffia,«k Dnnedin amateur com- HtUM'tiilt tab» rehearsing " The I .jffliiiiapM"wid "Les Cloches do I ftßteehAmiteor Opera Society, '1 it'its/ji^pg "Pinafore"' at no » as it The cast will be a strong tMk *IW)i bt own Amateur Opera H&l&g' Jiiijntly still hibernating. H tan, tilling- he may economise in, glsaio cat down his printing and adver : fe "I °f* »iy Buexjeas," ho wisely re jjllttitCtthdy'jMiss Alice' Rowley, ; wapS i .jiiece of music entlted i;Bw>*-tttiptive of the ianioua t:("M■«&» ißtt^ic in dedicate! to ■■;,'■ \ ' ,rey. It is gaid to he pleasingly f- ""^hout, ftricl the composer hat T^*™^ Wsins localcolour to P^MdlxTOe Theatre Royal, the ' B^J^a 'ipera Company com ttPatfeeoßd Season on August 27 ; JPWwi «pera "Belisario. The jPWj tfinaed; and presented a W«J#icfe, the Governor and Wwtongiipiigab those present, iftl\!iTt f heaM8 > Melbourne, Miss ■IfglTOhasmadeasuccessful debut ■Sf!«medj " London Assur -R, /?T**-J»pa ?ayß that the : KS W.% Spanker has never ■uS^S 4!» Melbourne during ■gWjttrs than ife is by Miss Hj^.Mnlt,. «on of Dion ■S^'y made his; appearance KS ■*"**■ ab the Steinway ■P^te^c^ pany ■*wffiu»n I the P™*B as ■?*©fi 6^ one *ha* has K^l^ opens at Abbott's ;KQ"Aite. "The Ws w P«K! P ars a« ToPsy- «" W Wf5"V choir, I • believe' in i^ not unction. «>JacheirtoZ n to a>l™teer fe^tfe^fe rehearsing KH^tv3 v J h. lcll the P O ng H&j*Wie6 l *i«r?Pn»cnred the ■KjjWSSJi 0111 nd 6 'dnd »^:i CSL°g; »-w »j? ,$8 »A<3 harmonic

DRAUGHTS.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Draughts Editor, Otago " Witness. —Slips duly received; have returned the compli ment, and shall be pleased to do so regularly. J. P. Kidd (Remuera).-Many thanks for your interesting let or. The problem you send can bo drawn as follows :-9-14, 17-10, 19-24, 28-19, 15-31, 20-16, 31-22, 16-11. Dra*n. Thanks for y.urgood wishes. Shall be pleased to hear from you again. Problem No. 4.—Correct solution received from J. P. Kidd, Remuera; J.G.8., Newtpn; War ton Crag and J.L., Auckland; G. Battersby, Mount Albert.

Problem No. 7. By Mr R. Robertson, Glasgow.

Black,

White,

White to move and win, Solution to Problem No. 4.

18-15 16-7 9-14 5-9 9-14 14-17 23-16 3-10 10-17 17-21 21-25 25-30 15-11 W. wins.

We wish to draw the student's particular attention to the finish of the following game:—

* Black wins by what is technically known as " the first position." It very often occurs in various forms at the finish of games. To know when you have the first position, and to win with it against all the skill that your opponent can bring to bear against you, is one of the qualification* necessary to be a really good draught player. We purpose giving a thorough analysis of tho above position in our n»xt issue.

The following is a very useful posi tion to know. It also occurs very often at the finish of games. Although not so intri cate as the first position, still it requires very careful play to bring it to a successful conclusion. It is technically known as the second position: Black King on 1, men on 3 and 6 White King on 8, men on 12 and 13

The above position illustrates very forcibly the theory of exchanges. It will be observed that Black has the move before the first exchange flakes place. The ex chKh^e gives Wh'iwfee move, but Black is in position to force another exchange, re gain the move and win. It will also Be well for the student to know that a simple exchange of piece for piece alters the mote, except When both capturing pieces remain on the board ; then the move is riot altered. It is by having the move that the first and second positions are won. [The mere move ment of the pieces is not alluded to here, but What is technically known as having the move.] On another occasion we shall in- ; form our readers how to ascertain,, by a very simple rule, which side has got the move. ■■•■... ---(Tiie Draughts EnrrbA.) Slit,—l am very glad irideect to see that you have started a draughts column in your Saturday's issue, which I venture to prophesy will be a great suceeSs. Draughts is one of the Bestf of family games, and every father of a family ought to be able to teach Ms boys—aye, and his girls too, for that matter—to play, if only to keep them' off the streets at nighi ; but draughts is of a highly. educational value, as training the minds' to habits of concentration. Now that the great Wyllie is at hand, everyone ought to be pulling himself together for the fray. Even now, beginners can learn enough before his arrival to have a shot at hitri, and the best plan; to learn is* to study tKe.g&mes iti the | STAit to learn how to open games ; arid tbe , problems' to learn how to finish well and neatly. No oft'e' rieed be afraid to iackle Mr Wyllie. He is not a proud man; and will likely play all comers' at so much a gairie. And it will be nice, in after years, to be able to say that " I once played the Herd Laddie and vtrp ntarly got a draw off him."—Yours, etc., J.P.K.

Draught Items.

The return match between Pohs^onby and Auckland is.to take place to-night at 7.30 o'clock. On the formeroccasionthePonsonby players were victorious, but the Auckland players expect to regain their losfc laurels at the return match. .A very close contest is expected. Ponsonby, having an unbroken fecprd, will do their best .to keep it so. Some players think that because their opponents are a. man ahead it is mean play to exchange. There is no such thing if* mean play afc draughts.. You play to win, arid if an exchange' will quicken the resulb in yoa'r favour, by all mean* Qx chango. regardless of what your opponent thinks or says. To illustrate, thel fallacy of such an opinion, we will suppose! White has a king, in each double corner, and Black three kings in the centre of the board.. Kow, the only way that Black can,possibly win is. by foremje. an exchange. Whoever thinks it mean play to exchange because youareajnan ahead ?hould leave off play ing until he learns more about the game.

PHOCLAKATrOSr O* MXKkIA<fM rfrMA*Jfl£«r. —The Bftrebonos, of Little Parliatfient of 16SS, first introduced thoifo regulation* for regtitnStio'n to *hicb' y?§ have reverted of late years. Marriage wan declared to be a civil 6oa tract, and tfaa legally fblernnized by s Jastic© of the pSSce. Marnafee by tt clergyinia was optaorfal. TKe' barSbe -wefp published bri three eiiecfeSfci*© SundSyi Ht6r morning Btotvias, 0f the ptofclamatidn *al made in the market-place by the bellman on three euftcelisive raark*t flayW. TM parlih register of Boston; Lincolnshire, fflrHißhoa thef irotnber <rf marriages !«f both placet :— f"?': ;■;■• jjftftetylaco^ . OimceH. '.■.?,'v'.'.'.".7. xoa V.V.VZV.V.V. It In 1658, g^reon* were al&we<t ,to adcrpfc the religious ceremony if they prdEwt«dit»

BERNAL THE BANDIT.

One Man Resists a Baud of Brigands.

Among the passengers to San Francisco Titely by the steamer Granada, was Jose Lorenzo y Barreto, of Guadalupe, in the State of Sinaloa, Mexico, who shot and killed four men of the bandit king Eracolio Bernal's band on the 3rd of June last. Meagre details of the attack on the isolated mining camp, which Barreto defended bravely and, almost alone have reached the United States.

Barreto is part owner of the Estaca sold mine, a short distance from Guadalupe. The night before Bernal made his descent, Barreto and his partner, Francisco Eche guren, brought from Guadalupe $9,000 to pay off the men. This money was placed in a safe in the company's store. Bernal became possessed of this information, and early next morning Barreto, who slept in the store near the safe, was awakened by a demand to open the door. He arose, and looking out through a window, saw a score of armed men. He refused to open the door, and wa* told that ho did so at the peril of his life.

Terrible Odd*.

One man, who was evidently one of Ber nal'e lieutenants and leader of the party, consulted with the rest, which gave Barreto time to form a plan of action. He to alone against twenty or twenty five men. The door was heavily barred, the building was a strong one, so he deter mined to reiisb and resolved to sell life dearly.

Like all stores in that country, the com pany's establishment was well supplied with firearms. Barreto collected all the rifles, pistols and ammunition he could, and took his station near the window.

As soon as he heard the bandits hammer ing at the door with the butt ends of their rifles he began to fire at them through the window. The promiscuous reports of rifles and pistols made the- bandit* believe that they had been expected and that the store was well defended. Barreto was therefore overjoyed when he saw them retreat, bearing with them several wounded, but keeping up an indiscriminate fire at the enemy concealed behind the window in the store.

Eecap» was impossible. The band was still in sight, but Barreto hoped that the firing had awakened the miners and his partners, who would form a small army and come to his rescue. The Superintendent of the mine and Barreto's partner, Eehe guren, did try to rally the men, but fear ing Bernal's wrath, even if they escaped with their lives, the latter refused to pro ceed to the rescue. They 6aid that Bernal was euro, sooner or later, to return with a larger force if defeated that time, and would annihilate them all.

Eeheguren and the Superintendent fol lowed the men into the mine where they sought safety.

Borreto, who was anxiously awaiting de velopments in his improvised fortress, soon discovered to his utter dismay and disgust that tho retreat of the bandit leader was simply a ruse to gain time, as he was await ing re-enforcements under the leadership of the bandit king, Bernai, himself, and which arrived just as the miners, Echeguren and the Superintendent, were entering the mine.

Barreto saw from the window thafc Bernal, after speedy consultation with his lieuten ants, had formed a plan. There were aboufc 150 men in aIL One-half of them immedi ately opened fire on the window behind which Barrefco was concealed, while the others proceeded to pound in the door, which of coarse finally yielded. Barretto ;n the meantime had kept up a continuous fire, killing four and wounding sii men, himself beinp: wounded in the arm.

Bornal entered the store at the head of the men. He immediately hod instituted a seirch for Barreto's companions, who he believed had secreted themselves. He re fused to btelieve, until finally convinced after a personal investigation, that it was Barroto alone who had resisted co bravely and killed four of his band.

A fttagsanlmons Brigand.

"I trembled," said B&rreto in relating hie story, " I trembled lest he should, on making this discovery, order me shot down on the spot. His little, sharp eyes rested on me for a moment, and then he opened his lips to speak, to pronounce my death sentence, I thought. ' Where is the money!' he asked curtly, at the same time glancing at the safe, and without waiting for my answer he advanced and examined the lock—it wfl« one of those old arrange ments, opened with a key. He divined that I haa this in my pocket, and had me searched. Finding it, he opened the safe, took out the bag of money, which he handed to his men, and then he again ad vanced to me. Behind me were the fire arms which I had used in my defence. He picked them up one by one, examined them with the eye of an expert, threw aside those which were of poor make and selected the best, which he gave to his men. This he went through with remark able coolness. Then he turned to me once more, gazed at me from head to foot with a look which a man would give while ex amining . a blooded horse he intended to purchase. "' You are brave felllow,' said he finally. 'I make you a present of your life, I for give you the death df my fellows, because you are & brave mam' Upon a look from their captain the Bandits lei go their hold on me.

"In the meantime a detachment, had Been sent in the mine to bring out Eche gurftn arid the Superintendent. These were strapped on mules and carried away by fiernal to his mountain retreat. He in formed me that if I wanted either one or the other alive within five days they would be released for a ransom of $15,00b. This sum was raised and paid over to Bernal the next day, whereupon the captives were set free.

A Rbnantio Roltber.

Passengers on board the Granada, which came from Mexico, vouch for Barreto's story as true, and supplement it by others equally as blood-curdling and even more exciting in detail. Bern*! ha>* tariff b6en ft terror in Mexico. The mountains where* he makes his home tire his stronghold. Every attempt of the authorities to capturei him hSs failed. He has repeatedly ffrptflsed and defeated whole companies" of soldiers who have invaded the mountftinrfuS district* urgfed on by the" pro mise of heavy rewards' for his capture. His" Datid coflsistfc of from 150 to 200 Men —mttrelerors," ansansins and fugitives from justice, who have sought wfety under his standard. One" reatfeto wfcy he* can carry on hfa depr&ktioris" with bo much fr'eeftotti, it is Raid, its betatuW tha settlers hold him in fear and terror. H6 ha* rtever molested a poor mail's po.ißosi!*n«, Mid if any of his fetrti did sd He always made restitution with ample mtereftU All kinds of tales of the munificence and " kDid »nd noble deeds " berfomed by this aesßtfsin ar« extant. The poor do ii 6% molest him because he does not molest them. The arm of the taw is not eitrong enough to rea6h him, and he is thus enabled to hold supreme sway. It is isid that he, like the robber barons of old; swoops down ori whole settlements and relieve* them of their richer. Bis men are always oh the forage, diid hs it costs: a great deal to maintain said equip them, the imount and extent of their dopredations may be imasriried.

Mr, Walter Man, of New Jersey, recently Caught the largest fiah that.ha* ever been taken qn.aro4Bci}d ne- .I*^*B a tarpon, and; yreighed ISllbs. Previously only one of these huge fish had been caught with rod.and. #ne, by^MrWood in- March, 1885, and it measured sft Bm, and weighed 931b.

Saved by a Parrot.

A pa-rrot may unconsciously render a human being a service as well as cause him to get into trouble. A whaling barque wag wrecked in the South Seas some years ago, and the crew was forced to take to the boats. The boats were sepai-ated. One of them containing the captain and sevon men and the captain's parrot drifted about for many days till both provisions and water failed. Then came dark and dreary weather, and the men began to feel the pangs of hunger and thirst, still no welcome sail appeared. The parrot sat on the gunwale of the boat and scanned the surrounding ocean day by day. It seemed to have lost its powers of articulation. But it did not seem to suffer as the men did. It often dipped its beak in the briny water and appeared re freshed. At last the poor seamen were helpless. Their swollen tongues lolled out of their mouths, and they could hardly talk above a whisper. Death was near. One night the captain just, managed to raise his head over the boat's edge, as he thought he heard a noise coming over the waters. He was not wrong, not far away he saw the red light of a large ship. He essayed to shout, out the sound died* in his throat with a gurgle. He aroused the others, but they were as helpless as he. Oh, God! must the ship go by and they die now ? A thought struck the captain. He reached out his hand for his parrot. The bird was at hand and nipped affec tionately at its master's hand. "Ship ahoy, Becky; ship ahoy," said the captain in a hoarse whispor. The parrot gave a strange whining Bound. The captain repeated his words. The ship was near them. The second attempt to make the parrot speak was a success. It leaped up on the gunwale, and dipping its benk several times in the water, shrieked out in weird-like tones : " Ship ahoy ! ship nhny !" An answering hail came. It was heard. The men were rescued.

Asi 4>ffi!e« Key's lucky Sftstake

In a real-estate office the other day I heard a gentleman relating tho experience of an Eastern friend of his who many years ago, for a bad debt (?) of $20,000, was compelled to accent Western land [of the estimated value of §15,000. Ho paid constantly in creasing taxes upon the land for a number of years without going to see it. One day his agent telegraphed him, asking him what no would take for tho land, which had finally come to bo far within the corpo rate limits of Chicago. Tho owner figured that, with taxes and interest, the land Had cost him $30,000, and more in a joke than in anything else —not dreaming that the offer would be accepted—wrote a telegram say ing that he would take 850,000, cash for the property. Ho sent the message by his office-boy, when the clerk insisted that the sum be spelled out in the message. The office-boy re-wrote it, and by mistake wrote f500,000 instead of $50,000. In an hour back came the reply : " Offer of half a mil lion dollars accepted. Make deed and come on and get certified cheque." The man made his office-boy a handsome present for his clerical error, and gave his old-time debtor $25,000 with which to re-establish himself in business.—St. Paul Pioneer.

Olive Culture in California.

The Spanish fathers domesticated the olive and grapo and wheat, on tho lands around the Missions they established in California, more than a hundred years ago. Their motive va« to secure a 6upply of the bread, wine and oil used in the sacraments of tho church, and out of this pious purpose sprang three leading material industries of modern California. Mr Ellwood Cooper, »eeking California for the betterment of his health, noted tho ancient olive trees shading tho ruined gardens of tho old Missions, and was temptod to try the commercial value of the olive. The world knows the.eucceas,of his experiment, and it has roused such interest that many hundred thousand olive trees are now growing in this State, and California will soon divide with the elopes of the Mediterranean the pleasures and profits of producing this luxurious oil. Joaquin Miller relates that, stopping recently in a wayside farm-house in Alameda county, near Mission San Jose, ho found the children at lunch dipping their bread in a dish of olive oil, and upon inquiry learned that it was made on the place and was pre ferred to cream and butter by old and young. So, two thousand years ago* did the children at the foot of the Mount of Olives dip their unleavened bread in this sweet oil, and its use amongst the Hebrews, in preference to the grease of the prohibited pig, laid the foundation of that majestic physical type which, in the sons and daughters of Abraham, has survived all vicissitudes to be the puzzle of the modern world,and the pride of its most ancient race.

THE NEW COINAGE.

The effigy of Queen Victoria found on all the coins struck during Her Majesty's reign represents her as she appeared when fifty years younger than at present. Advantage has been taken of the present jubilee year to issue an entirely new coinage, with an effigy of the Queen as the people now know her. The Queen appears wearing the Star and Riband of the orders of the Garter tint! the Victoria and zUbert. The words " Victoria, Dei Gratia Britannarium Regina, Fidei Defensor," appear on all the new coins, arranged so as to suit the size and re quirements of each one. In the new effigy Her Majesty appears crowned, with a veil depending from the back of the head. The new figure is a life-like portrait, and the whole coinage must be regarded as very satisfactory from a numismatic stand point. The reverses of the new coins vary greatly. Some, as the sovereign and crown piece, continue to bear the very noble figure of St. George and the Dragon, as originally designed by Pis trucci. This design it is interesting to trace from the date of Henry VIII., when it appeared in a very Gothic form, to its present rendering! due to Pistrucci. The reverse of the modern English shillings and smaller coins usually bears words or figures signifying the value of the coin. These are surrounded by a wreath and sur mounted by a crown. In the new coinage this design is replaced by the royal arms. The new halfcrbwn bears the original re verse, which has been retained as being one of considerable merit. .It consists of the royal arms, with the elegant arched ciown surrounded by tho gar ter, which is again inclosed in the delicate network of the collar of the order. The florin and tho double florin, new coins, bear on the reverse an ex ceedingly effective design composed of four crowned shields bearing the arms of the United Kingdom arranged in a manner somewhat similar to those on the present florin. The shields are separated from each other by four sceptres radiating from the star of the Order of the Garter, which oc cupies the centre of the coins. The device ha« been traced back to the time of the Saxon Kings, and its beauty attracted the notice of Thomas Simon, who modified it for the coinage of Charles 11., The issuo of an entirely new gold and sil ver coinage by a monarch after a reign of fifty years is believed to be unexampled. Medals have been struck under similar con ditions, but new coinage has not been is sued No more permanent record pi iier Majesty's jubilee than this new coinage can be conceived. A.vwe have vmd represen tations of Alexander the Great and or the lons line 1 of the Roman Emperors on their coins, which are common .at the present time, long after the majority, of their cdl fices and other works have passed away, so future generations may trace the progress of ♦'-* reign of Queen Victoria in the two C ;. r.:. >c t i??n esi of the imperial coinage.

Some Odd Chinese Advertise ments.

The " North China Herald " quotes several Curious specimens of a class of advertise ments quite common in Chinese news papers. A husband whose wife has eloped from him inserts an advertisement, in which he details at considerable length the circumstances under which he married the lady and the story of her elopement. He married her in July, 1878, and he goes on to say :

We lived together as husband and wife in kindness and affection for seven years, nor was there any change in our peaceful relations. My wife is twenty-seven years old this year. In July, 1883, I followed the Ko-ch'ing battalion ("the " courteous and tranquil " battalion which the late Viceroy Tso Tsung-t'ang brought with him through the Settlements here) to their quarters at the West Gate. As my son was also on duty with the detachment, my wife and I took up our residence at Shanghai. In the March of this present year we removed to the Hui-fang Lou, when, it seems, my wife, under the pseudonym of Chou Ai-ch'ing {Chou I'Amourcuse), began to frequent the Ti-i-Lou, where she would sip tea —circum- stances of which 1 wasatthe time quite ignor ant. Later on, on the 15th oftheSth moon, a Huchou man, whose namo and surname I do not know, went privately with my wife, n<soKung, to the temple to burnincense. He had the effrontery to wear a blue button and the medallions and beads of an official. This went on until at eight o'clock on the night of the 17th of this month my wife secretly fled from the house, carrying a bundle with her. I cross-questioned the nurse, and f>o became acquainted with the preceding facts-. T cannot control my wrath and bitterness) My wife, fse Ktin>r, BBS? ifi is plain, been enticed away by this rnscnlV, deceit. How, ■I wonder, can a more tailor's blor-k succeed in pejj»(Klin<* a girl who hr-.v a lawful hus band? Surely he hns not law or justice before his eyes ! It is on this account that I (ltd advertising. Should any .kind-hearted gontlemnn who can give mo information do s"6 by letter I am rondy to reward him with 20 doH ; should he bring her back, I will gratefully give him 40 dols. I will most certainly not eat my words. His kindness and benevolence for a myriad generations, to all eternity, shall not be forgotten.

But, before my eyes is skill my one-year old baby girl, wailing and weeping night and raorninp. Should that rascal presume on' his position and obstinately retain her mother as his mistress, nofc only to all eter nity shall he be infamous, nofc only shall ho cut short the line of his ancestors and be bereft of posterity, but wo three, father, and son,' and little daughter, will alike risk our lives to punish him. I hope and trust he will think thrice, and so avoid an after repentance. I make' this plain declaration expressly. Letters may be addressed either to No. 4, Hui-fanp Lou, or to my niece's husband, Haia Lao-san, at the Yung-10. The advertisement tells a sad story, nor is the pathos at all lessened by the artless ne.ii of the writer, who thus lets his soul bare to the newspaper-reading public. Here is a piteous appeal worthy of the agony column of tho "Times." The title is very striking

Avoid incurring death by thundtr! —lour mohher is weeping bitterly as she writes this for her boy Joy to see. When you ran a*ray on the 30th o£ the Bth moon the people of the shop came and inquired for you, and thab was the first news we had. 1 nearly died of fear at tho time, and since then sleep ar,id food have been in vain, and lam weeping and sobbing still. The letter that came from behind the horizon I have, but jt gives no placo or abode where I might seek you. I am even now at my last gasp, and tho family has sufferod for many days, from grievous insults of others. If you delay longer and do not return, I cannot, cannot bear it, and shall surely seek an end to my life, and then jrou will .stand in peril of death by thunder. If you come, no matter how, everything is siiro to be arranged. I have thought of a plan, and your father may still be kept in ignorance. My life or death hangs on the issuo of these few days. Only 1 pray that all kindheaitod people everywhere will spread this abroad, so that the right man .nifty near °* *fc- S° will tney lay up for. themselves a boundless store of secret merit.—Written by one in Soochow city.

We shall quote once more : "Lost to-day," a slave girl named V6ng p'ing [" the Phoenix Screen,"] aged just 14 years, .a Cantonese, dark complexioned, with slightly protrusive front teeth, dressed in tunic of blue cotton, with a green wadded cotton jacket, black cotton drawers, white stocking 3 and.cjoth shoes, but with nothing further oh. She went out this morning at eight o'clock to buy things and has not been seen to return. Should anyone know of her whereabouts and inform me by letter I will recompense him with two largo pieces of gilt silver. Should he detain her and bring hor back.l will, recompense him with ten large pieces, I will assuredly not eat my words. A notice. Advertisement by Wu Shunch'eng, of the I-ch'angh-'ien, hear the Second Ferry.

BATHING IN FRANCE.

Luxury of a Dip in tK<s Blno witli a Willing Attendant.

To begin with, the bathing-boxes are made attractive and light by their canvas covers stretched over a pretty-shaped framework of wood. A mirror and a rack of fresh towels, ft basin and Such necessities of the dressing-room adorn the interior, as well as a soft rug on the floor. The bathing master is in attendance, and a pull on the little bell rope which hangs inside the door brings his alert little person to the bath-house to do the bidding of the occupant. This cheerful attendant arranges' Monsieur's bathing wardrobe and dressing-Case, and provides him with warm water, all for the modest sum of one franc. When the bather is arranged in his bathing suit of careful cut, with his long mantle deftly adjusted by his valet of the bath, he daintily treads his way toward the platform extending out into the water and which ends in a spring-board. He makes up his mind as he wanders along to the shock of his first leap into the blue water. Another bathing man is ready to receive our gentleman as soon as he shall reach the first breaker, to help him to swim, if he shall need such assistance, or toll him where ard the safe places. On the opposite side are the bathing machines for the' ladies with a neat little coiffed m*id in attendance. Here there is the extra garment of the bath—the cork jacket—which -th 6 polite little mistress of the bath insists that nlddame shall wear, willy nilly. Two hours is not considered too long for a bath at Tronville, while at a fashionable American-■ resort half an hour is thought to be quite" enough, if not a wicked waste of precious" time. Such ib the differ ence in people.—" Boston Post."

Area of British .Colonies.— From an elaborate series of calculations we see that England.is reported to have 65 square miles of colony to the square,mile of her own area; Holland, 54; Portugal, 20; Den mark, 630; France, 1-90; Spain, o*B6 square miles. The. area of the British ■colonies is nearly 8,000,000 of, square miles —rather leas than the area, of the Russian Empire, including. Siberia and Central .Asia i but if the a.rea of the native feuda tory states in India, amountiticj to 509,284 Bquare. miles be added, over which England exercises .as. great control as Russia does over much of the territory under its uway, together with that of the United Kingdom itself, 120,757 miles, then the area of the British Empire exceeds .that of1 the Russian Empire by about 2pO, 000 square" rnfles, and jb covers; within a fraction of one-sixtn: of the wnole land Area of the gtobe.

MEDICAL JOKES.

Some Bald Headed. Chestnuts of the Fast Centuries.

There is a curious little work, the contents of which are said to have been collected by Hans Sachs, the Nuremberg cobbler and master singer, in 1517, says a writer in Uiambers's Journal." This curious book was reprinted several times in the seven teenth^ and early part of the eighteenth centuries, but is now somewhat scarce. It' was issued without place of publication or publisher's name, in small form, without cover. The book pretends to have been prepared by Hans Sachs for his private use, that he might make merriment among his friends when drinking, and they were tired of his songs. It does not contain any anecdotes ; it is made up of a collection of riddles more or less good, some coarse and some profane ; but the age was not squeamish. The title under which the little work was issued was, " Useful Table-talk, or Something for all: that is, the Happy Thoughts, good and bad, expelling melan choly and cheering Spirits, of Hilarious Wish-wash, Master-tiler at Kielen-hausen." The book consists of just 100 pages, of which a quarter are consumed by prefaces, introductions, etc., and about thirteen filled with postcripts and index. Tho humours.of the book are somewhat curious ; for instance, in the preliminary index of subjects it gives—"lX. The reason why this book of table-talk was so late in being published." When we turn to the plaeo indicated for the reason, we find a blank. There is no such reason. There is a ful some and absurd dedication to the " Honor able and Knightly Tile-burner," who lives "By the icy ocean near Moscow, in Lap land, one mile from Podolia and three miles above it."

Although we are nofc told in the place in dicated why the little collection was not issued immediately after the death of Hans .Sachs, nor among his works, we learn the reason elsewhere, in the preface, where we are told that the jokes it contained were so good that a rivalry enstied among them as to precedence, and till this was settled it was impossible to get the book printed. The collection contains in all 196 riddles. Among them is that which gives the date of the book, and that is- a chronogram: " When was this book of table-talk" drawn up?—A.—ln lobzlgba Vsen D fllnffhVn Dert slbenzehen Denlahr " (1517).

Here are some of the conundrums : Q.— After Adam had eaten the forbidden fruit, did he stand, or sit down? A.—Neither; he fell.

Q. —Two shepherds were pasturing, their flocks. Said one to the other: '' Give me one of your sheep, then I shall have twice as many sheep as you." " Not so," replied the second herdsman; "give me one of yours and then wo shall have equal flocks." How many sheep had each? A.—One had seven, the other five. If the first took, a sheep out of tho flock of the second he had eight, the other four ; if contrary, each had six.

Q, —What is four times, six ? A.—6666. Q. —What does a, goose do when standing on one leg? A.—Holds up the other. Q. —When did carpenters first proclaim themselves-to be intolerable dawdles ? A.— When building the ark-—they took a hun dred years over it. q,—(Jnder what law are the soldiers ? A.—Can(n)on law.

Some of the riddles have survived in the jocular mouth to the present day. For in stance, who does nob know this: Q. — What smells most, in an apothecary's shop ? A. —The nose. There is one conundrum that surprises us. The story was wont to, be told by Bishop Wilberforce that he had asked a child in Sunday school why the angels ascended and descended on Jacob's ladder, whereupon the child replied that they did so because they were moulting ancl could not fly. But this appears in Hans Sachs's book, and is evidently a very ancient joke indeed.

In this collection also appears the very heavy riddle : " Whichis heaviest, a pound of lead or a pound of feathers ?" which every one knows, but with an addition, which is an improvement. After the answer, "Each weighs a pound, and they are equal in weight," the questioner saya further: "Not so, try in water. The pound of feathers will float, and'the pound of lead will sink."

Q.—How can you carry a jug of water in your hands on a broiling summer day, in the full blaze of the sun, so that the water shall not get hotter? A—-Let the water be boiling when you fill the jug. _ Q. —How can a farmer prevent the mice from stealing his corn ? A.—-By giving them his corn.

A. A certain man left a penny by his will to bo divided equally among his fifty relatives, each to have as much as the other, and each to be quite contented with what he got, and not envy any of the lega tees. How did the executor comply.-with this testamentary disposition ? A.—He bought a packet of, fifty tin tacks with the penny and hammered one into the back of each of the legatees.

THE RINGS IN TREES.

Every day some pet theory, long held and honestly venerated, is-, beingr demolished, and sent to the limbo of myth with Tell's apple, Washington's cherry tree, and' Other old acquaintances. Now the age rings in trees has to suffer limbonisation, if "the; word may be allowed. Mr R. W. Furras,. an agent of the. United States Forestry Department, who has given much attention bo the age of a tree as indicated by rings, as well as the period at which trees of different species stop growing and that at which the wood is at His .best, Has- reached some conclusions of gerieral interest. He says: , . , _/ " Concentric or annual rings, which were once accepted as good legal evidence, fail, except" where climate,, soil, temperature, humidity and a 1! other surroundings are regular and well balanced. Otherwise they are mere guesswork. The only region within my knowledge where either rings or mea surements were reliable indications is in' the secluded, even and" regularly tempered valleys of the southern Pacific Coast." Annual measurements of white elme, catalpa, soft maple, sycamore, big hickory, locust, coffee tree, burr and white oak, black walnut, osage orange, white pine, red cedar, mulberry, and yellow willow (nineteen" spe cies), made in Southeastern Nebraska, show that "annual growth is very irregular, sometimes scarcely perceptible, and' again quite large," and this he attributes to the difference in seasons. As trees increase in age, inner rings decreasein size,. Sometimes almost disappearing. Diminished' rate- of growth after a certain age is a rule. Of four great beeches mentioned by Louden there were, three, each about 17 feet in girth, whose ages were respectively 60, 102 and 200 years. Mr Furras found; 12 rings in a black locust 5 years old, 21 rings in a'snell bark hickory of 12. years, 10 rings in a pig' hickory of 7 years, It rings in a wild crab apple of 5 years, and only 20' ririgs in a chestnut oak of 25 years. An American chestnut of only 4 years had 9 rings, while a peach of 3;years had only 5 rings. ,' Dr. A. M. ChiMs, a resident of Nebraska from 1854 to 1882, a careful observer for the Smithsonian Institution, who counted/ rings on some soft maples 11- years 2 months'old, found on one side of me hearfc of one of them 40 rings' and'not less than 35 anywhere, wfiieh were quite distinct when the wood was green, but aiter it luid seasoned only 24' ririgs could be dis tinguished. Another experfc says that all our Northern hard woods make many tings . a year, sometimes as many as 12, but as the last setjof cells in a year's growth are very small and the first' very large, the annual growth can always be determined exqept when from local causes there is in any par ticular year little or no cell growth; This may give a large mtmber on one side.

POETRY.

FROM HORACE.

"Ovid dedicatum poaoit Apollineni V&tesf (Lib. 1, Carmen Su) For what shall I—a poet—pray, In kneeling at Apollo's shrine) Shall I entreat that fortune may In cloudless radiance on me shine 1 Shall I desire the golden grain That clothes Sardinia's fertile soil? Such harvests as Calabria 8 p-ain Brings forth as recompense for toll I Or gold, or ivory, or fields Like those where Liri's waters flow, Where summer to no north-wind yields. Where roses throughout winter blow! Oh! no! I prize not such; but give, Ye goda above, this gift to me, That I a spotless life may live; And give my lyre sweet melody. O.E.Htjgo.

TRUTH.

Oh ! noble, wondrous, sacred Truth I Thou childhood's beacon—lamp of youth, Thou manhood's guide: Thou glorious crown o'er siiv'ry locks; - Ihou armour—proof 'gainst falsehood's" shockfl, Thou mem'ry'B pride. Thou peerless gem, of rays serene ; Thou mould of morals—virtue's queen; Thou star benign. Thou soul ennobling— heavenly art— j | Guide thou my footsteps, tongue, and heart ' With light divine. And be my weapon, helm, and shield, Whilst on this earthly battle field. In peace or strife. My highest aim, my guard and guide. Within thy wall let me abide Throughout this life. Thy glory cheer the darkest day Or this life's journey: guard my way From lies'fell dart Let heart and mind in thy strength, soar; Above the darkest powers roar, . And o'er hell's art. Within thy sphere the air is pure, In thy domain to dwell secure When storm winds rage. Earth holds no safer dwelling-place, High Heaven ne'er granted greater grace To youth or age. If thou could'st sway the human mind, And with thy grandeur teach mankind : To banish lies. If man to man truth always told, Then Heaven's great hosts could here behold A paradise. M. MONSTEDT.

THE EXILE.

I dwell in the heart of a busy town Where Nature never wins; Where all is toil till the sun is down From the hour when day begins. But midst the city's busiest streams, Above its loudest hum, I hear some sounds, I dream some dreams,-. That as sweet visions come. When evening's radiant sunset-shine Lightens the city's towers, ... I seem to be back in the home once mine, And the sunrays fall on flowers. The beautiful church, with its whisp'ring trees, : Calls to me far away, And the Sabbath bells sound over the breeze, Summoning us to pray. And there, 'neath the shade of those lioly wallß, The unforgotten rest; The bright sun shines, and the sweet dew frifla O'er each unconscious breast. The days that are dead have, too. their grave., Low in my silent heart; But Memory out of the past I save. And never will she depart. IHOA,;

FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS.

DESPERATE ENCO3ST2R WITH &, TIGER.

The following graphic account has beeh' given of '" the plucky manner in -which i a Major Lyons killed a man-eater in its deha few days ago :—Major Lyons, accompanied" by a friend and one or two riatives, reached the entrance o( the cave late in the ovening, and no doubt with much interest waited the turn of events. A-hushed silence pre vailed, and it was' thought the, tiger nad gone out for his evening meaL He- might)" be in some dark corner, and it was necessary to force him out, so volleys of stones were flung inside, and he was shouted at, but-no response. Then torches were lit, and' as the* glare nickered over the place, his highness; who had probably been having^ a nap x ad vanced towards ,the entrance. Major Lyons's gun was* at-his shoulder, and both barrels were fired into the tiger, who irr sta,ntly dashed at his assailant ih grand style, the latter standing face to face with the wounded tiger, determined to fight itr out to. the last gasp. . At; this critical' momeiit when the tiger pbunced'on him' h«j* was somehow left alone to tackle the brute. He struck the tijpr twice with thebutfcend of his gun with little effect. All at once matters changed, and the tiger, showing symptoms of- distress, took to his heels, which clearly indicated .that he had been hard hit'while he was coming oiife of the cave.. Major Lyons, having re-loaded: hisguri, now went in pursuit of the wounded tiger, and found him under a bush sitting on his haunches, with his tongue out, alia looking very sick. He was not quite ex hausted, however, for he jumpedrupand charged down at the sportsman, roaring loudly. Another and ai severer encounter now took place, in the course of which the' tiger fixed one of his paws on the calf of Major Lyons's leg, lacerating it most dread fully, while the latter thrust the muzzle of his rifle down the throat of the animal, who, with the weapon in his mouth', slunk away into the.adjaceTit bushes. And this was the end of as strange an adventure as wilt ba: found in the annals of tiger - hunting. Major Lyons's tiger watsfound next morning dead a few yards fromthe.SDot \vhere; the>< last combat took place. Eighteeh men. brought it to Khancala, and numbers of people went to see it. It was a large tiger, measuring nine feet two inches in length, and three feet five inches round its body*

.TANSr UONCASTJSB.

Janet' Doncaster's youth, was passed in the narrow Norborough society. Hers wag not at all a merry childhood. In thefirsb place, Mrs Doncasfcer had been very disap pointed that her child was a daughter and not a son. She had set her heart upon having a son, and bringing him up-to b&a missionary. A girl could not be a mission ary, and was consequently not so interestiiigf to Mrs jDoncaster as a boy would'have" been Then fco her mother's anxious eyes', Janet at the early age-of three years and a half showed unmistakable signs of a worldly dW position. The giddy infant was highly de lighted with now clothes, and the smarter they were the bette¥ she liked, theim She learned to sing r nigger melodies that sho heard sung in the street much more quickly than she learned to sing JDiv Watfes 4s hymnef. She" drew no hard and fasfr line between Sunday stories and Monday stories; ah* would ask first for Jack the Giant Eiller, and then for Daniel in the-lion's denj ni 4' manner that- made her mother trembtel-. iWheh she said: her prayers" at het mother's!' knee, Mrs Doncaster navingi impressed" upon her that she was not; to lean* any form of prayer, but to ask oft God from her heart whatever- she" mostj desired to have, she prayed for "a: red cloak; with velvet buttons, 'xactly liko. AnnyrGrey's Vere is anover at ye shop." Then, when instructed not to ask fojj materiall but for spiritual blessings, her in tefpirefetion of a spiritual blessing was thsaft there might always be short sermoni' Hi ;chui'ch. V^hen she had scarlatina, and, Mrs Doncaster had begged her to: pray foe her recovery, Janet, having been, told that when she was beginning io get* better her skin would peet off; and that when ifr was all off she would be quite well, joined her little hands in bed and said in a soft voice, i( O God, peel me q-uick." Made de» perate by the comical things Janet: asked for h'ir iii her prayers, Mrs J)6neaster ab length taught Janet «i mixed foxnxof prayer, ana thus excluded the- possibility of in* convenient originality. — " Janet Don-4 : caster," by MiMlcenfc Garrett Fawoei^t v

fHI AUCKLAND EVESIKG- STAR, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1887,

3



Game—No. 16 : " Ll-15 12-16 .3- 7 >2-18 "24-20 et32-23 15-22 8-12 9-13 35-18 27-24 18- 9 8-11 10-14 514 i9-25 24-19 22-18 4- 8 .7-10 13-17 £-22 28-24 18- 9 a This move loses ;

•Single Corner. 6-13 11-18 12-19 21-14 23-14 24-15 10-17 1- 6 6-10 31-27 20-11 15- 6 17-22 7-16 *2-I8 26-17 27-23 B winis 13-22 16-19 19-15 23-16 30-25 would nave

Irawn.



Bl ack to move and win

1- 5 8-11 5-9 11-15 9-14 15-19 6-10 19-24 10-15 24-28 15-19 28-32 19^24

32-28 24-27 28-32 27-31 32-28 31-27 28-32 27-24 32-28 24-19 28-32 19-15 52-28

15-11 28-32 10- 6 12- 8 28-24 27-31 32-28 23-18 3- 7 32-28 14-18 8- '3 24-19 31-27 28-24 18-14 7-10 28-32 18-23 3- 7 19-24 27-24 24-28 6- 1 10-18 32-28 23-27 7-11 24-28 24-19 28-32 14- 9 15-19" 28-32 27-24 13- 6 28-32 19-15 32-28 1-10 19-24 32-28 11-16 32-28 15-10 28-19 24-07 28-32 16-23 B. wiilS.

