NOTES AND NOTIONS.

[By a New Zea'lankeu Aekoad.l

[3ri:eiA_ CoiiRESrOND-NCE di' Auckland St ak 3

Ireland Condition os1 hib Irish FAsnoks —Decline in Prices of Land and Aoricul tl'hal P_6d__b—Home Rl-i.e-Feeling in ulster lugavdino it.

" Better a drowned country than a rninod country." So said a certain scion of the Houso of Orange, when, driven to bay, ho proposed to open the dykes in order to destroy his onemies. It would seem a? if the country in which I am at present wero going to bo not only ruined, but drowned into tho bargain. I havo been in Ireland now off and on for three or four wcoks, and it has rained almost tho whole of tho limo. If tho sun deigned to show his faco for an hour or two, the fact was remarkablo enough to bo chronicled when gossipers met. Thoro was good promise of an abundant harvest, but this abominable weathor ha? prevented its realisation. A great portion of tho grain has boon Cither totally destroyod or seriously injured. Tho failure of crops will groatly aggravate tho existing discon tent, nnd this, in all conscience, is bnd enough. I have soen it asserted moro than onco that discontent is a term applicable only to a part of Ireland ; that tlio North— Ulster—is happy antl prosperous. That is tho oxact reverse of tho truth. My ex perience, for tho most part, has been con fined to Ulstor. I havo talked with dozens of farmers, largo and small. Their unani mous testimony is that tho osisting con ditions of lifo aro simply intolerable. Nor is this tho opinion of tho Catholic or tho Nationalist; it is tho opinion of st-unchest Protestants and Loyalists. It could' not well bo otherwise What nro tho facts 1 Everything in tho shape of land ani land produce has decreased in value during tho last five years. Within a niilo of whero I writo this, a farm cf twenty acres—excel lent soil, good rlwolling, and office-houses —■ was sold tho other day for £20 an aero. A littlo over twelve years ago anothor one adjoining it, of similar soil, but with not so good houses upon it, brought £75 per aero.

Tho ten years preceding 'SI wero tho basis on which tlio judicial rents wero fixed. But since that timo agricultural produce of overy kind has fallen nt least 20 to 40 por cent. Now only about ono-tliird of tbo Irish farmers had thoir rents adjudi cated upon, and in many instances tho law oxpenses wholly devoured tho rent re ductions. And thoso reductions wero mado without tho porsietent fall in prices sinco ISBI entering into tho calculations of tho Commissioners. The remaining two-thirds either wero not able to incur the oxpenses of tho law courts, or woro afraid of incurring tho displeasure of their landlord, and not without reason either. A friend of mino, who owns a largo farm and whoso rent was always punctually paid, wont boforo tho Commissioners to have it ro-valued. Ho got some slight re Auction. Ho happened to bo a tow weeks behind with his next galo of rent, and with out any tiolico whatever he received a process from the agent, nnd was saddled with expenses ; and this from a landlord who has repute for a certain modicum of generosity. "If they do theso things in tho groou tree," etc. Now when it is ro mombered that only ono-third of the farmors havo had their ronts revised, and that theso rent reductions wero based on tho ten years preceding 1881, and that since that timo a steady decrease of from 20 to 40 per cent, has taken placo in agricultural produce of every kind, the position oi tho tenant farmer is seen to bo ono of utter extremity. The following example, which I take from an article in tho " Pall Mall Gazette," will illustrate tho arithmetic of the problem :—

" A farmer, with a household of six per oons, and paying £25 rent, sold in averago years up to iBS 4. £100 worth of produce. Deducting his rent, ho had £75 to pay taxes, buy clothes, flour, sugar, material for repairs, renewal of household implements -ml stock, etc. A fall in price of 20 per ceut. leaves him with an income of only £54 for theso purposes, nnd this sum is insuf ficient, as ho was already near the margin of eubsistonce. If the landlord is to boar the whole loss of £20, tho rent must bo reduced SO per cent. —it must bo £0 instead of £25. If tho loss is to bo equally borno. tho rent must be £15, (' c, a reduction of -10 por cent. Whoro tho tenant is not, as in this case (which is only too common a one). on tho very margin of subsistence, it may seem fair to share tho loss— a reduction of 40 por cent, in the rent is at any rate the %'cry least that would seem fair."

Now the cases in which any such reduc tion has taken place aro exceedingly rare. They are not so uncommon in England, but in Ireland wo may practically say no such reduction nor anything approaching to it has taken placo. Indeed, it is not a few in etances, it is tho other nay. Korry is pro bably the ra st virulent of Ireland's running sores at presont. Well, I read in to-day's *' Daily News " (November 2) that n certain Mr Sandcs, tho agent of Lord Ormaihwaito, mokes tho virtuous boast "that on a rental of £10,000 ix -year there was only an increaso of £180 on tho new lettings for a period of ten years ending ISSI," and yet. peoplo wonder that tho Kerry farmers aro not con toutod and prosperous. Thoso facts mako intelligible and truthful tlio testimony of the Korry schoolmaster to tho special commis sioner of tho "Daily News." "Sir," said the farmer, "if the farmers could pay thnir ront they would. Thoso who say otherwise little know what an eviction means to a tenant. It means leaving tho home ho has been brought up in ;it moans that tho fc»v articles of furniture he nas aro thrown out on the road and broken or spoiled by tho rain. It means he becomes a broken man, losing all sense of independenco and drifting into the position of a labourer who picks up occasional jobs." This samo testimony as to the inability of tho farmor to pay evon tho judicial rents was given tho other day by aMr Pinkorton—a tenant farmer, a Presby terian, and a Loyalist-before tho Royal Commission. The gaunt shadow of poverty and starvation is there darkening tho door way of many a farmer's houEe this winter, and tho rejection of Mr Parnell's bill may lead to vory serious consequences Tho action of Sir Redvcrs Buller in Kerry in de manding that he must bo satisfied that a farmer can pay his rent before ho will evict him in the depth of winter indicates that British bayone.s are not to be used io fork out upon tho rcadsido starving mon and helpless women, who are the victims of laws which they had no voice in making, and that are cruel and unjust. It is not impro bable that Grattan's words, spoken long ago, may bo as true this year as when he uttered thorn : "Ireland is a country ill governed and a government ill-obeyed." In theso circumetatiees people are asking : "What is to be dono?" Ireland is asked what she wants, and four-fifths of her people say :" We want Homo Kule ; eivo us that, and we will resolve those difficulties our selves." There is the motive for this demand. Coming down the St. Lawrence to Montreal I converted with a very intelli gent gentleman from the south of Ireland. He was a Protestant, a Land Leaguer, but not a Home Kuler. These were two questions, he said, that had got confused. "There was a political and an agrarian. If the British Government had fairly faced the land question, thoro would have been no talk of Home Rulo." That, I believe, is the thing in a nutshell. _ The Irish farmer is not a politician. His ono absorbing thought is settlement upon the land ; for, more than any other country in the world, land in Ireland means life. Ireland's trouble is tho land question. Home Rule is but a means to an ond, the find being tho settlement of the peoplo upon the land. To got this settlement the Irish farmor for tho most part has lost faith in the British Parliament. Nor do I much wonder at that. Ho must ba but poorly read in history who does not know that Ireland's wrongs were nevor righted till, urged by desperation, the Irish were driven into the committal of crime. It was the rebellions of '9S and '48 and Foniauism that forced atten tion to the state of the oount-y, and to tbesn wo owe most of the reforms .bat havo taken placo. Kor is it different now. How can a farmor expect to get fair judgment from a Bench all prejudiced against him, and whoso interests lie in the contrary direction ? As Mr Arthur Arnold told us the other day, the nobility, who aro for the most part member^ of the Commons or tho Lords, hold about one-third of tbe whole cultiv able land of the United Kingdom. And this is the tribunal to which Lord Salisbury and his Government propose to submit a measure of land law reform. It reminds me of the stoiy of Fat's petition. A clergy man going tho rounds of his country poriih in tbe south of Ireland met a farmor who, though residing in a neighbouring parish, waa a regularattendant at hi? church. Said Pat: "Af yo plaso, yer reverence, would y' mind prayin' for a wee drop o' rain next Sunday, for sorra a thing 'ill grow in me littlo garden wid the present hate o' tho weathor?" "Sorry to hear that, Fat," replied the divine, "but you ought to ask your own parson, not me." "Ah, sure,"

Buys 1 at, " that's jist it. What's tho good in axin him to pray for rain wid thorn cocks lo' hdy a standin' on his lawn," and so tho Irißh farmer has begun to think that thoro is littlo uso praying longer to a tribunal that has such a largo personal interest in withholding the nnswor to the prayer. In regard to this other fifth thero is hesi tation. It is chiefly confined to Ulster, and it is a little doubtful of Homo Rule. Not that it is Eatisfied with the present state of things. Nothing of tho sort. Only it is rathor inclined In bear the ills it has than lly to others it knows not of. The Ulstor ton-nt-farmer i 3 at one with his brothor of tho South and Woatin demanding a radical and rapid reform of tho land laws He, perhaps, does not doubt that Hoina Kulo will bring that, but ho ia afraid that it t,Vill bring him much mora than that. Ho is, for the most part, a Protestant, and he fears that Home Rule may mean Rome Rnle. That is the bugbear that frig-tons him. As ono of tho most intelligent of tho class raid to me the other day :" I would go in for Home Rule at once wero I Eatis fied that the powers conforred upon the Cathoilcs would be wisely and temperately used." This gontleman was a Prosbytorian, and I havo reason to know that ho spoko tho sentiments of tho great majority of his co-reb'gioniats. I tried to convince him that ly.B denomination at any rate could bo very little worse undor Catholic than it had been under Protestant (Episcopalian) as cendancy. Tho fact is notorious that, though tho Presbyterians comprise nearly haii tho Protestants of Ireland, and aro at least cquai to them in intelligence and moral character, yot both they end tho Roman Catholics havo beon pereistontly ex cluded from every public ollico. Tho magis tracy, the Civil Service, tho inspectorships of schools, and ovory office of omolumont has been filled by members of the Episcopal Church- No Catholic ascendancy could pay loss attention to Presbyterian rights than Protestant ascendancy has dono ever finoo its establishment in Ireland. As to a Catholic ascendancy ondangoricg civil and religions liberty, or interfering with tho efficiency of tho educational system, I, for ray part, boliovo tha thiDg absurd. Nature does not bring back tho mastodon, and tho modern world cannot bo wheolcd back three conturics at tho bidding of any priestcraft. For myself, 1 bclievo that tho vory best means of rendering ineffectual whatever dangerous fot'eos thoro may bo in Irish Catholicism is to grant to its peoplo that liberty which thoy unanimously ask for. Macaulay points out in ono of his ossays that English rule in Ireland sorvod no othor purpose than to bind the country moro firmly to Rorao, and if England wishes to cement this bond still moro firmly sho conld not tako a more effectual way than by refusing tho present claim of Ireland to solfgovernmcnt. Tho history of other countries —Catholic countrios—indicatos that if eeclesiasticism should attempt to usurp an unfalrcontrolof political questions, it nrousos in tho very hoart of itself onorgies and forces that defeat its object. In Italy, in France, in Belgium and olsowhore, a liberal party has beon created in tho Church itself which is ready to combat any intolerant measures brought forward by tho clergy. But tho fact romains none tho loss that thoro , is in tho breast of tho Ulstor Protestant a deop-rootetl suspicion of his Catholic countryman. It is Iho landlord's interest to fan this into a fiercer fiamo, anil ho cer tainly is not wasting his opportunities. ■ Fven dukes and marquises havo suddenly discovored that the Or.mgcman is a first rato fellow, and have even so far caton the leek as to becomo themselvos membors of tho brolhorhood. And once moro the Order is bo;ng used a 9 a prop to bolster up a rotten and tottering sy stem. And when it fills, ft" fall it cer tainly must, the future historian will havo to dig it in its disgrace out of tho ruins. It is pitiable, too. that so many of the clevgv lend themselves to the vain effort of bolster ing up a doomed system. Ido not ro much wonder at the Episcopalian body doing this, but I regret to find that (ho Presbyterians are forgetting thoir past traditions. In days gone by there were no more loyal supporters of popular rights than tho Presbyterian ministers, but in the present contest tho most of them aro preserving a solemn si'.enco. I find thoir reasons to bo, either that thoy fear tho religious bearing of Homo Rulo, or to bo boycotted by thoir own con gregations. Ono clergyman, who had tho courago of his convictions, and boldly de clared in favour of Home Rulo, has prac tically bcon driven from his pulpit by an organised Orange rabblo. That sort of thing is a little disconcerting, for, no matter how heroically wo may preach of marfydom for truth, when tho test is personally ap plied the caso with which wo can find excep tions lo the rulo is remarkablo. Thoso who profoss to find other reasons of ju-tification than those of expediency talk of tho folly of listening to tho followers of Mr Parnell as representing the people of Ireland, or_ of handing ovor tho concerns of the nation to Parnell, Healy, and Co. That, of course, is just in anothor form tho vicious principlo that has made the government of Ireland always impessiblo. It 13 the assumption that tho Irish people do not know their own wants bost. It i 3 nonsense to say that tho preso-t representatives do not represent Iho poople. In my opinion, Ireland for the first timo in her history has really got representatives who givo voice to what the pooplo honestly desire, for, with Professor Rogers, "I decline to beliove that a nation terrorises itself, or that the stupendous majorities by which tho cighty fivo were returned aro on illustration of suc cessful tyranny imposed by on übiquitous organisation." What is the use of extend in" the franchise and then turning round nnd tclliDg thoso who have beet? elected thereby that thoy do not represent those who elected them ? Tho issue of that can only be exasperation and fury. In my opinion, tho Protestants of tho North havo just missed some of them, at any rate enduring fame. Had thoy possessed tho foresight to soo in what direction tho tido was running, thoy might havo mounted on the wave and guided it 3 course. Tho national movements of Ireland havo for the most part found their strongost direc tors among Protestants. Evon this Home Rule movemont took its inception from men liko John Martin, Isaac Butt, Shaw, of Cork, and others. Tho in telligonce and firmness of tho Protestant always would give bim a commanding placo, and had tho Protestant leaders had the sagacity to percoivo whither this Homo Rule agitation would have drifted, and tho courage to iuentify them selves with popular rights, they might havo tenpered and directed tha movement. But they havo hold back too long, till now, partly in fear and partly in shamoful dis appointment, they stand vainly protesting .-.gainst an incoming flood which they can neither hinder nor control ; for few doubt the final issue of this question. Unless Lord Randolph Churchill suddenly cuts away tho ground from under Mr Parnell's feet by a Radical Land Bill, Homo Pule in Ireland is a certain issue in the near future. 1 remembar Sir Stafford Northeote -ns he was then—telling the peoplo of Aberdeen, when the last Gladstonian Go vernment tojk office, that you may "oxpect rough weather when you see the new moon with the old moon in her arms. ' This he said in reference to the Liberals stealing Ihe Conservative policy. But when "Randy Churchill, as ehe masses call him, has "bolted" tho whole Radical programme, there is no telling what may happen Only one thing is sure, the days of landlordism in Ireland are numbered ; and for that matter they are numbered all over those kingdoms. The law which permits a small class of man to monopolise the means and instruments of labour and of life in the State, and com pels the mass of the peoplo to pay for tho uso of these—nay, evon to create the valuo of those- and then bo forced to pay for this increased valuo, is inherently un just, and, as Wendell Phillips onco told tho American people : " You may build your capital of granite, and pile it as high as the Rocky Mountains, but if it is founded on or mixed up with iniquity the pulse of a girl will beat it down." Irish landlords know perfectly woll that when tho Irißh pooplo aro accorded tho liberty to make their own laws the system which has enabled them to terroriso and pauperise tho country for centuries will be blown to all tho winds. They aro fighting a battle, therefore, for life, and thoy will fight fiercely : and thoy will be ai leci in this by their brothern in Eng land and Scotland. For the Irish problem is only the first issue of a larger one. Already tho samo fight is boing begun in Scotland, in Wales, and in some parts of England. The forces, meantime, ate on the side of the privileged class, and the gleam of British bayonets may for a little overawe the half-starving Scottish crofter or his more miserable brother of the south and west of Ireland. But physical force settles nothing permanently. "Tho sword," as Victor Hugo finely says, " is but a hideous flash in the darkueis, wbilo right is an etemnl ray." English statesmen have now offered them an opportunity of conciliating Irish antipathies anil creating a loyal and contented people. Thero is jiist at present a lull in tho out rages which unjust laws have created. Since Mr Gladstone announced his adhesion to tho Home Rulo movement, tho Irish peasant's hope has revived, and whsn he reads in to-day's papers the account of the great National Liberal Convention jester

day at Leeds, in which tho real Liberal party enthusias'ioally renewed ita expres sion of confidence in its great leader, he will be still further cheered. But it must not be supposed that his present tone of content is duo to satisfaction with the condition, of life in this country, and that, therefore, no ohange in tho law is necessary. Thero is a danger that this may be so. Lord Randolph Churchill has said that " an absolutely cer tain thing is this ; wo do not mean to bo hasty or hurried in dealing with the quo 3 ti^n of local government in Ireland." If ho does not, and if because the returns of crime havo diminished therefore reforms may bo indefinitely postponed, then, as Mr Morley said yesterday, "Ireland will once moro havo to learn the cruel, the fatal, tho desperate lossoh whicli the party of order haVo a thousand timos tried to bring homo to their minds before, that everything is concedod to agitation and outrage, and nothing is concoded to justice nnd tran quillity." ■■

A Literary Curiosity.

Morls than ordinary ingenuity is shown in the following small composition, originally published in the Northamptoh (England) " Mercury " six years ago over tho initials " C H. 8.," which attracted much attention at tho timo : — A jovial swain should not complain Df any huxorn fair Who ntoelts his pain and thinks it gam To quiz his awkward ait.1. .liixotic bora who look for joys Quixaliu hazardsrun j A loss annoys with trivial joys. Opposing man for fun, A jovi.il Bwain may rank his Uraio, And tox Mi fancy's might; To quiz ia vain, for 'tis mcßt plaia That what I soy is right. If any ambitious writer undertakes to parallel this ho will find it no oasy task. Each vorso has in it all tho alphabet aavo tho vowol most used in tho language, which docs not onco appear in any ono of thorn.

A Triumph of Surgery.

MUCH interest has boon excited in medical circles in London by tho Bitccossful issuo of a remarkablo oporation porforuied in Nov. last by Sir AVilliam McCormac, of the Royal College of Surgeons. A slator foil from tho scaffold of a houso, a distance of oighteon foot to tho ground. Ho was car ried to tho St Thomas Hospital, suffering extrorao agony. No bones wero found to bo brokon, but Sir William McCormac, in diagnising tho easo, camo to the conclusion that tho bladder had bcon ruptured Tho man was put undor an anosthotic, an inci sion was mado into tho abdomen and tha diagnosis verified. Tho contents of tho stomach and the perinieum wore withdrawn. Tho bladder was drawn out, a suture mado, tho organs all roplaced.' tho stomach thoroughly cloansod with antiseptics, and the incision closed. Tho patient omorgod from his inaonsiblo condition rc'iovod of pain, next day was in a comfortable con dition, and is now declared practically out of danger.

Tiny London Bonnets.

1 saw a yory pretty woman tho other, day, and was struck by tho beautiful simplicity of tho dress. Tho skirt hung in perfectly straight folds from the waist at the right side, and on the left was raised about three inchos, just sulliciont to relievo tho mono tony. Tho drapory at the back was managed in tho samo way. A double breasted, tailor-made jaekot, with straight fronts, hid tho bodieo. Hor bonnot was tho smallost I havo yot seen. You know thoy aro all to bo very tiny this autumn and winter.

The Grave of Liszt.

The question of Liszt's last resting place is now docided. Tho body will remain at Bayrouth. Tho municipality hove resolved to raise at that place a monument worthy of the master. This decision was communi cated to Liszt's daughter, Erau Cosima Wagner, by a deputation at whose hoad was the Mayor. Frau Wagner received tho announcomont with plsasure, remarkiogthat it was hor own de-ire that tho body of her father should not bo removed from Bay routh. Tho action of tho municipal authorities was hastened by tho recent offer of tho Grand lluko Alexander of Weimar and Iho town of Pesth to remove the body to tho lattor placo and thero to erect a mausoleum for it.

A Distinguished Architect.

It is curious that so littlo notico has been tnkon by tho papers of tho death of Mr Goodwin, who was unquestionably ono of tho most distinguished and original archi tects of the preEOnt century. He was not so popular a3 many of his loss gifted con freres, but his ir.iluenco was greater than that of many men whose names are bolter known to tho public. Long bofore Buy attempt had bcon mado to popularise art, ho recognised that houses neod not ba ugly in ordor to bo comfortable. Wo aro still, alas lin an ago of stucco and bastard art; but tho little that has boon dono to beautify our domestic surroundings is mainly duo to bim. His knowledge of arch-oology and of the sci.n.o of his profession was unrivalled, and was generously acknowlodgod by Mr Aitchison, R. A., in a recent speech to the students of tho Royal Academy. At I his moment, when the theories in which ha delighted are assuming a practical form, the leadership which would have fallen to him will with difficulty bo filled up. A more succostful man might moro easily have boou spared.

A Novel Mode of Burial.

William H. Hont writes from Lomnin- Bter : "In tho Bmall town of Leominster, in Hertfordshire, tho old Priory Cbuich has boen undergoing a thorough process of restoration, in tho course of which it has boen found necessary to lower the paths leading to tho southorn porch, as tho floor of the church lies somo threo feet bolow the level of the surrounding churchyard. In tho courso of excavations a number of skolotoos have been turned up, more or less in a state of good preservation. The romains thus exhumed wero sufficient to fill two carts, and wore all found within two foot cf tho surface. The remarkable thing about thorn, however, ia tho fact that they were all found lying face downward, and were full-grown skeletons. One icason ascribed for thispeculiarphenomenon i3that at one timo the immediate neighbourhood of the church was the scene of a creat rior, and iho bodies of tho Blain on that occasion wore dragged there and buried. During tho dispute between Charles I. and his Parliament the town was taken from tho Royalists by Colonel Birch, and hold by him for tho Parliament, and a large mound near ;to whero the remains were found is said to havo been thrown up at that timo to protect tho road that runs through Leo minster to Shrewsbury. Thero is a largo hollow near at hand, whence tha earth forming this mcund is s id to have been carried. But this does not explain the reason why all these bodies wete buried face downward, and I have written this in the hopo that somo of your numerous readers may be abe to givo some explana tion of the matter."

Burning the Diamond.

The ancients were as suro no diamond could be burned as they woro that none could ba broken. Adamas, the indomitable, yielded neither to lire nor force. It was not till 1609 that Ho Boot suspected its inflam mability, nor till 1673 that it waa actually burned. In 1691 Avenrani and Targioni of Cimonto, at tho instigation of Cosmo 111, tho Grand Duko of Floreuco, burned the diamond iv the focus of concentrated sun rays, whore it was seen to crack, coruscate, and finally disappear. They had tried to learn the secret of its com position, and, like a true martyr, it had perished confessing; it had burned itself out like a sun. Forty-four years after the death of Newton (who guessed the diamond to be some "unctuous body coagulated," perhaps tha vegetable secre tion of the banyan tree, hotter to shake than the Pagoda), a magnificent diamond was burned, on July 26, 1771, in the laboratory of M. Macquer, and in the pre, sence, among others, of a well-known jeweller, M. Le Blanc, who, notwithstand ing what he had -seen, stood forward and declared the diamond indestructib.e in the furnace, for that he had often subjected stones of his own to intense heat to rid them of blemishes, and that they had nevor suffered the slightest injury in the nrocesi. Thereupon tho two chemists, d'Arcet. and Rouello, demanded tbe experi ment, should bo made before them on the snot Ripit in j"s; clamor utrioque, undiquc. concursus ; with tho result that poor Le Bane, like the savant de village, found himself, after three hours' trial in the crucible, at tho temperature that melts silver, minus one of the most precious of his stock in trade.

AMATEUR JUGGLERY.

A St. Louis Tailor Swallows a Table- Knlfo and has to Bo Cut Open.

St. Louis, Nov. 19.—Joseph Hoffman, a tailor, 40 yoars of ago, resides with hia family on South Broadway. Ha ia small in stature, but has always ondoayoitred to im press upon his household that he was a wonderful man. A year ago he endeavoured to rival the famous jugglers by swallowing a poker, He succeeded in getting it down his throat, but getting it out was a different thing. A young man who was ill tlio room came to the rescue, and, seizing tho poker, drew it out. Hoffman suffered severely afterward from inflammation of the stomach, but finally recovered. His experience did not cure him of his appetite for swallowing solids. Wodnosday night, after partaking of supper, and while somewhat under tho iiifluenco of liquor, he took a silver-plated .table-knife, 9J inches long, and horrified his family by announcing that ho was going to swallow it. Throwing his head back to the angle assumed by professional jugglers, ho took tho knlfo by tho point and inserted the handloinhismouth. Ho pressed it slowly inwad until all but about an inch of tho blado had disappeared from viow. Hoffman thon showed signs of alarm, and whon finally tho knife disappeared en tirely from viow he ran arottnd the room in apparent agony and fright. A neighbour, who happened to bo in tho room, attempted to pull tho knife out, but could not obtain a sufficient hold on it, and it suddenly dropped down into the stomach. Hoffman's agony then became terrible and physicians wero summoned. The first to arrivo wero at a loss what to do. An hour after tho knife had been swallowed Dr. Bernays placed Hoffman under tho influonee of chloroform. Thon throwing off his coat ho commoncod ono of tho most dolicato surgical operations known to medical man. Ha mado an in cision in the abdomen, and aftor locating tho knife in tho stomach mado a small in cision opposite the placo where it was found. The knife was removed end tho out caro fully Eewed up. Tho whole cporation Was performed in loss than twenty liiinutos. Yesterday Hoffman was reading quietly, and tho doctor s..ys thero is a good pros pect for his recovery unloss inflammation sots in.

BLACK SEA HARBOURS.

Very Extensive •Vt'orlis at Batoum

and Novorossisk.

The Russians appoar very much in carnist in obtaining two first class harbours on tho oastern const of tho Black Sen for tho as yot undovolopod rosonrcos of tho Caucasus districts, writos an Odessa correspondent. Tho harbour works at Batoum arc being rapidly complotod, undor tho supervision nnd partly at tho cost of tho administration of tho Transcaucasian Railway Company, who look for a great and lucrative rJom moroial tralllc through this port. Tho r.-til- V.-ay administration havo no* received from the Govorhment a supplementary grant of 1,800,000 roubles, and plcdgo thomsolvcs to coniploto tho works within twolvo months, whon it is bolicvod Batoum will bo tho finest harbour on tho Black Sea. Novoros si.-k, situated higher up on tho Circassian c>,ast, posse asos many advantages from its natural position for becoming a central omporinm for tho rich mineral districts of tho upper Caucasus. Although its sea fron tago has n natural formation admitting of tho construction of n sheltered and doop trater li'irhour, tho necessary wot Us arc not likoly to bo completed before ISSS, The

ftovornmont has increaacd tho fir-'f. tyrant for this harbour from 3,000,000 'o :i,501,000 roubles, and tbo works nro being actively carried on. It is announced that the Gi'oat Brians!? Stcol Company is to bo amalgamated with the recently established Belgian firm of Messrs Coekorill at Nico laieir, with a capital of 13,000,000 roublel-, and a branch establishment of tho united ftrm«, it Is stated, will bo foundod nt Novoroseiek. with a capital of 3,000,000 roublos. With tho Brlansk supply of Russian steel, and tho plant and mochanica! appliancos of Cockerill for marine engineer ing, and tho production of every requisite for shipbuilding, Russia, it is hoped, will bo able at onco to dispon.so with English or any other foreign marine engines and lilt ngs Another report on tao same subject adds that Messrs Krupp have accepted tha terms of tho concession offered by tho Imperial Government for tho erection of a gun factory at Nicolaiefi, conjointly with Messrs, Cockerill. Tho latto>- report, 1 am in a position to stato, 13 ontirely incorrect. Messrs Krupp havo, at, loast for the presont, and I boliovo finally, abandoned all idea of establishing eitnor soparatcly or conjointly with Messrs Cockerill any gun works at NicolaielT. It is, howevor, truo that the Krupps wero for some timo in negotiation with tho Kussian Government on tho subject.

A Sensational Confession.

Tiik Albany " Herald " of rocont date pub lishes what is bolicvcd to bo a true solution of a mysterious murder which occurred at that place six yoars ago. The remaitis of an unknown man, with a bullet in his brain, wero found in tho smouldering a-hos of a straw-stack just outiilo of tho city limits. After an unsuccessful soareh by tho authori ties to find out who tho man was or who killed him, tho matter was dropped. A short timo ago a dotootivo, who was in Albany on business, related the deathbed confession of a man named Harry McOoUum in Idaho, which seems to fit tho case. McCollum formerly resided ia California. Ho stated that tho murdered man, who was in his employ as a hired hand, had seduced his only daughter undor the promise of rr.aniago and had fled to Oregon. His duughtor died, and ho dovotod tho re mainder of his lifo and a fortune of 7,000 do), to lytnting down her betrayor. Ho stated that he followed him to Al bany, thenco to Brownsville and afterward lo Harrisburg. He decoyed him to the placo of his death by writing him a loiter .yarning him that some ono was on his track for tho purpose of murdering him, and that by mooting him at tho straw-stack he would learn something to his advantage. Uis victim camo unsuspecting, and was shot in tho head by tho old man, who was lying upon the straw. McCollum said ho took tho letter ho had writton from tho body, aud aftor concealing tho remains in tho straw-stack set it on firo and left on the train tho noxt day boforo tho body was discovered. Tho name of tho murdered man was not revealed in tho confession, but that of his relativos was, and they will bo written to.

Language of Monkeys.

How They Manifest Their Desires and

Sentimonts. In the way ot language, monkeys manifest their emotions, desires nr.d fears by dies and gestures emphasised by significant ac cents, which vary with too species. Mon keys and children, togethor with savages and uneducated people of civilioi nations, manifest an inclination to mimic the ges tures and motions of all persons whom they soe. Wo think that this trait ia especially prominent in monkeys ; but thousands of incidents might bo cited to show that mankind, old aud young, sharo it with them. Tho attitude and sagacity of mon keys are so human that some savages be lieve that it is out of maliciousness that thoy do not talk, In fact, a monkey might pass for a dumb man, because ho does not articulate the consonants clearly as wo do ; but not all men have this power of articula tioninan equal degree We havo st immei c.'s by birth and by habit. Some savage tribes havo a Ecanty alphabot complicated by clicks and nasal and guttural sounds that cannot bo imagined till they aro hoard. All monkeys havo voices, and many of thorn havo very strong ones. Excepting tho soli tflry and taciturn orang-outang, tho species which livoin troop3aro chatterers, and keep up a groat hubbub. The principal tones of their noisy and rapid language, with tho frequent repetitions of the same sounds, may also be found iv tho languages of the most savage peoplo. They are ,for tho most part, complex, guttural, and harsh articu lations with few variations. But tho al phabets of somo of. tho African and Molan esian nat'ois are not mrch nicer. In both it is generally the labials which are wanting. Laughter is not wholly peculiar to men, for some monkeys have a noisy and expansive laugh analogous to ours. Cook has Btated that ratives of the New Hebrides express their joy by a sort of gut tural whistle, analogous to the jerky, ratt ling laugh of somo monkeys. Monkeys are alsocapablo of showing sorrow and weeping; and it is possible to follow on their face 3 the equivalents of tho physiognomical changes whiob answer to tho expression of tho vari ous emotions. Among these aro tho draw ing back of the corners of tho mouth and the contraction of the lower eyelid, which constitute the monkey's smile, and the de pression of the eyebrow and forehead in an ger.

Clerical Incomes in England.

If would probably.be oaay to draw from tho records of probate during,the last DO yoars an imposing list which mig-'t be en titled "Clerical Savings." But scarcely the most ignorant or ho.tilo reader would boliove that theso savings had been made out of professional incomes. Tho clergy are still, in a groat dogree, drawn from tho wealthy class, and though probably fow persons in actual possession of large in comes take orders, many clergymen in the natural course of events succeoi to such in comes. Fortunes, too, may somotimes be mado by schoolmasters, whoso odcupation is still, fol' the most part, an nppanago of the ciorgy. It is ovon conceivable that a bacbolor Dean who should noglect the social duties of his position, and shut his purse against tho appeals far subscriptions, might lay by eomething considerable out of his income. But it is scarcely possible that any parish clergyman -without means of his own, not being a positivo miser, should save anything beyond the barest provision for his family. Tho great prizes of former days exist no longer—tho Hectory of Doddington, for instance which used to bring in mora than £1,000 -per annum, tho presentcO to which had to give a bond for £100,000 that ho would not accept a bishopric, and so put (lie noxt presontion into tho hands of the Crown. People still talk of " good livings," and apply the terfil to a bonofieo of £1,000 or £800 per annum. Evon if theso sums represented net ineorno, tho livings could only bo culled "good" in virtue of aeon trast with o'hors that are unquestionably not good. They would not be considered pri^os in any other occupation followed by tho upper classes-iti either of tho branchos of tho law, in modieine; in co-iir.erco, or even tho civil service of tho Crown. In the army and the navy, it is truo, the pay is still worse than in tho Church. But the income Is not all that can bo dosired ;on tho contrary, it It subject to drawbacks and deductions which fow laymen appreciate. It is seldom ro momborod thataluindred years ago thero was scarcely a curate, in tho ordinary accepta tion cf tho tertn-i.e, the assistant of a reridont re-tor or vioar—to bo found in England. Such curates ao there wero had tho chargo of parishes hold b$ pluralist in cumbents. Of curates proper thero are now but few ; of assistant curates, a class created to meet tho domnnd for a mure efficient per formance of parish duties, thoro must be at least 5,000. If wo reckon that these roceivo, on an'avcrago, a stipend of £120 por annum, wo havo a burden of £G-0,000 on tho genoral iiicomo Of tile benefices through out the country, a burden voluntarily undertaken, as no incumbont, unless ho has moro than one church to sorvo, is legally lound to furnish himself with an assistant. A compulsory burdon, tho weight of which is not genorally appreciated, is to bo found in tho ratoa. Tho averago housoholdor who groans, and not without causo, under thoso imposts, pays, after nil, only upon tha rent of hie house | tho clo gymsn pays upon his whole income, so fur, at loast, as that in come i 3 derived from his profession. Add to this that his puree is Bupposod to bo ppeil to overy cull of tho needy, that ho belongs, ly right of his profession, to tlio small class of thoso who givo, and that ho is tho ultimate resort whon thoro is a deficiency i" the churchwardens' account for tho expenses of worship, or in tho balance shoot of tho schools, and it is easily scon that tho "good living" is, in fact, something that, from a commercial point of view, is little to bo desired. As to poor livings, it is well known that thoy are loss profitable than curacies, and would scarcely bo accepted but lor the fact that for' men abovo a certain aire curacies nro practically unattainable Whon, therefore, wo read in Mr Miilhail. admirahlo" Dictionary oiStulistics" that" in England and Wales. 11,734 clergymen collect £4,0.")4,000," wo percoivo that -oino thing romains to bo said.. Deduct £625 000 for the expanses of profe-s onul assistance, and £450,000 for rates (reckoned at Ss in tho pound on a ratable valuo of £8 000,000), and wa arrivo at a. total of _'2,U7!),00(>. or an averago receipt of a littlo ovor £'250, to which, however, should generally bo added tho valuo of a house, and somotimes a sum for tho rent of glebo. (I'ebe, indeed, is now a mo.-t imdcsinblo iios-o-i-ion, and tho unfortunate incumbents who derive thoir income wholly from this eotirco aro frequently in a most doplornblo situation. Unabloto let the land, without tho capital or thoskill tocultivato itihomeelves, and knowing that to leave it uncultivated will make thorn liable for rninou.-! dilapida tions, . they find themselves in a kind of financial "littlo oa=o," tho distresses of which it would notboca^y to exaggerate.

Wo can imagine, thon, the dismay, and, unloss thoy have attained to a raro sniiitli ntss of temper, tho wrath with which men who aro already in Fcrious difficulties— urnl tho relief societies could tell piteous tales of clerical poverty even among tho bene fieod- find themselves assailed by an anli titho agitation. About SO years ago, as many ot our readers will probably bo aware, tithes woro commuted for a ront charge, which was lo vary according to tlio ptieo of wheat, barley aiid oats. On the whole, Iho calculation his boon justified by events. Too general averago value for 50 years of £103 has beon £102 lis 9d, tho highest point reached being £112 15a OJ, in IST.-), and tho lowest, £80 15s 8(1, in 1555. Por tho present year it stands at £00 10s 3d. But as tho prices of .-even years are taken into account, tlio variation is gradual, und may .com, ,lt 10-S_t to t,,° tithepayor, too slow ; whon, for instance, ho sees that his payment is increased by high prices obtained j oars before by a pre decessor. It mast bo remembered, al.-o, that in tho 50 years which havo gono by sinco tho Titho Commutation Act waspas-cd circumstances havo entirely charged. Tho prico of corn depends not on the prosperity of EngUh harvests, but on tho seasons In India and America (tho importations from tho Continent boooming yearly less and loss important). In ISSI, c g., tho yield of wheat in tho United Kingdom was 79,000,000 bushels, whilo the importations mounted up to 135,000,000, double tho amount of 20 yoars bofore, and far moro than double tho figures of 18,'i7. Sooner or later, from this, ns from othor points of viow, wo shall havo to face tke fact that English agriculture is ceasing to concern itself with the< production of corn. Tlio Go vernment is very libaral just now in promis ing royal commissions, and it might very well add to the number of its engagements an inquiry into tlio subject of titho commu tation. Meanwhile, it is not oas-y to know where our sympathies should bo bestowed in the conflict which has already broken out in Wales, and which ia not very far below tho surface in many parts of England. The farmers are refusing tho payment of what is styled a legal charge, one>, too, which by an clabora'o arrangement, has lo n Ii ible to vary with the means for raiding it. The tiid'ing-snalo changing ".villi tho ehango of price?, which is so loudly demanded as an

equitable adjust ment ot rent, proves to bo quite unacceptab'o when it is ap plied to tithe rent chargo. Ami their 1 _ -utanco is ultimately hopeless, be cause whatever nba'emeiit may be inn's fr.-.m tithe will naturu'ly be added to rent. On tho other hand, they aro probably re listing under tho presume of necessity, though their action is doubtless accontualc hy religious, and evon political hostility. But the clergy assailed with theso demands for reductions aro probably ill able to grant them. The incumbent of ono of the most disturbed parishes, for instance, has a nominal income of £700, reduced by the fall of valuo nnd by rates, wo may conjecture to something liko £550, not to speak of in come tax, bousa tax, and professional claims. The tithe-payers demand a reduc tion which would still furthor diminish it by more than' £150 -a claim which may not bo anything moro than their necessities require, but which tlio inc'imbont may well bo unablo to accede to. How fow who read this article could givo up more than a quarter of thoir incoruo without creating for themselves very serious embarrass ments. And, unfortvnatelv, thorn poems to bo no way out of tho difficulty. Whero the debtor cannot pay, and tho creditor cannot afford to excuse tho debt, tho situa tion is apparently hopeless. In any future adjustment, if tho tithe rent-charge wero to be" reduced, the clergyman might bo re lieved by having to pay rated only on the value of his house, a constdorablo advan tage to him, which would impose a small and equally distributed burden on the othor ratepayers. The. legal fiction—for so we may call it—that what a man receives for his professional services is real property, is at the bottom of much of the present trouble.—From the " Spectator," October 30th. __________

Consumption Treated.

A NEW treatment for consumption which is attracting the attention of physicians is the injection of remedies directly into the lungs by <ho hypodermic syringe, the needle o' «'hioh iJ passe! through the walls of tha C'lsi-t. Some vcrv encouraging cases are reported in which tho improvement is so great as to justify ono in speaking of them as cures. Carbonised iodine has produced the best results.

THE RUSE OF A PERSIAN PRINCE.

How ho Convicted tno Murderers of j?ri Englishman.

!On tho Bide of the high road to ShJraz, thirty rrtUea before the city Jo W-ctie-j going north, _t_-*4 V. bare pole. Thirf mark? tho place whore tho &?'r?V Q* Sergeant Collins was found after his murder".

Sergeant Collins was an inspector of thtf tolegraph line, a man of groat personal bravery. Accompanied by his wife, two servants and two muloteers, he started on his inspection duty. Collins was hardly convalescent from a fevor attack when he stated, and he had no choice in travelling but to Ho on a mattress flung on a loaded mule. , At oarly dawn, one day, a muleteer sud denly cried, " Sahib, they have blocked tho road." and, looking ahead, the sergeant saw Borne men in front who were covering him with thoir guns. At tile samo moment these men ordered him to dismount. N°w, tho sergeant was the best shot in Persia, "Bo oil'!" ho shontod, firing hia revolver twieo. Tho robbars rushed in, firing ns thoy came, and Collins was hit in two places, death being instantaneous. Af ter beating the lifeless body with their iron-headed sticks, tho robbers blind foldod aud carried off tho wife and the two servants, dotalning them in a doll till after midnight. . At the persistent instigation of the English Minister at Teheran, the Persian authorities arrested tho threo principal robbers. Another of thorn committed suicido tS avoid capture; anothor had died from a gunshot wound, apparently in flated by Collins. But tho Persian authori ties, though they had got tho criminals irt gaol, seemod very loth to bring them to justice But at length Mirza HaESin All Khan, O. S3. _.., our aßcnt at Shiraz, succoeded in goad'ng the Prince-Governor, H. R. H. Zil-es-Sultan, into trying tho prisouors. Tho proceedings were very curious. Thore wa3 no doubt of tho guilt of the men, but thero wero no witnesses of tho murder. The sergeant wa= dead ; his wifo and two servants had beon frightened out of thKir wits, and tho muleteer declared that lie could remember nothing. The Zil-es-Sultan, finding thtvt tho English Minister would not re-lain catisfled, ordered tho robhors to be brought before him. Tho Prince Govornor himsolf em bodied tho law. Half a dozen courtiers lolled against tho wall, their arms ro?pect fully crossed upon thoir breasts. Seated on a sifk mattress in a corner of the room, his back supported by gold-embroidered cushions, tho young princo twiddled his moustache, or played with tho jowelcd hilt of his sahro, or toyed with tho buckle of priceless brilliants which formed tho central ornament of his plain leather waist bolt, The threo mon woro dressod as villagers usually aro, in tall felt caps and long felt coats. When thoy woro hustled into tho hall of (ludienco thoy weto still heavily ironod, for thoso men aro often desperato criminal-, and would not hesitate for a moment to murder Iheir gainers if they thought thoy would thereby ECfc'ufea ehanco of escape. On entering the royal prose-cti they bow almost to the ground. "Salaam I" thoy shout in a kind of chorus ; your vil lager or tribesman novor speaks, ho always shouts. " How do you liko prison V" fays tho Prince, nodding to them with a smile. In roply, tho bandils asserted their inno c nee, calling at every senteneo upon Heaven and tho Prophets. " Are wo not harmless tribesmen, we who live in your Royal Highnoss's shadow? May wo bo your sacrifice I" The Princo still smiles blindly. " Ah, my friends,'1 says he, " I, too, am a Mussulman. We aro all Muesulmon here j and—and, in fact, an unbolievor more or less doesn't much muttor. You havo truly dono a good deed. I shall not really punish but rewaid you. That yon killed the Foringhi thore is, of course, no doubt j and so I must Danish you nominally. What I JJropose to do is to cut off a joint of one finger- of oaefi of you, But what is that? Nothing. Your dre?sos of honour aro ready. ' on will put them on aud will bo instantly liborated. And now, mv children," says tho smiling Princo, " tell'ino all about it. How did you manage it, eh ?" Tho astonishod prisoners received this speech with a burst of joy. All shouting at onco, they hastened to givo the Princo full particulars. "The European fired twice from ono pistol may wo bo your sacrifice I -and Ihcn wo oil fired together, rushing in or. him. Ho was but a European—may your shadow never bo less I We trust iv tho clemency of your Royal Highness 1 May A'o bo your tacillieo I" The smilo faded from the faco of tho young Princo-Govornor, his likeness to tho Shah, his father, bocoming very apparent as his countonancj darkened into ferocity. Ho had got at the truth ; and without moro tib'o, he nodded with appropriate significance lo bis Chief of Police, the Eari-sh-bashi, a burly, black-bearded man, who stood bo hii.tl tho criminals. Tho prisoners were ro ■ aoved ; thoy were hurried into tho public square, in which tho pilaca Etands, and there their Ihioils woro cut. Tho bodies lay cxposetl till sunsot, a terror to evil doers, A red grnnito tablet ia ono of tho Chris lian churches at Julf.i, subscribed for by rho engineer ollicors and noncommissioned oliiears in Portia, commemoratoa the death of Collins.

The Prettiest Clerk in Wash ington.

It is said that tho prettiest girl in tha em* ploy of the Government is a copyist at tho Navy Department. This is saying a good deal, as about 4,000 women hold positions in Washington, and probably 2,000 more in other parts of tho country aro receiving salaries from Undo Sam, Somo of the '• countesses, ' as tho girls employed in the Treasury are called, aro very pretty, but tho bollo of the navy is claimed to be entitled to tho applo of Paris. She is a nieco of our Minister to England. Pholps, and her family leaidein thiscitv For about four years the young lady has boo" employed as a type writer in tho offico of Commodore Walker, tho chief of tho bureau of detail, receiving a salary of $000 a year. She is a dark-eyed blondo, with a beautiful figure, and the etlioers e.f tlio navy are all her devoted slave?. Sho was co much interrupted in hor work by them that Commander McCalla, in whose room tho is, was compelled to pro hibit tho officors from interviewing her in department hours, and got a large screen, behind which her attrac'ions aro now hidden. If the Commander leaves his room for a moment ihoro i.s certain to bo soma bold youncj ta>- about the building to run in for a chat with tbo boau'-.y, and whin Mc- Calla returns the cu'prit is profuse in his excuses. The number of officers who havo typo-wiitimr to bd done is astonishing, and tin y all w-iiit 1 o supai intend the work. Too young lady does not appear to ba aware of her attractions, but cannot but notice that the other type-writers aro not in such de mands as herself. When sho leaves the de partment ,-,t niglit there are generally two or moro officers accidentally waiting in the corridor to escort her safely down tho elevator arid sco her ro the streetcar.

New Ideas in Jewellery.

AMO-C now flower-pins 'is tho pond lily, with diamond centre. In plated ware tho bright-out satin finish is still the most popular stylo. Circles of small opals, each surrounding a larger pearl, mako pretty earrings. Tho newest bottles of aromatic salts aro made ot antique silver chased in Etruscan designs For pendants on queen chains, faceted cubes, vinaigrettes, knots and odd ehapos scorn to bo tho favourite still. Bug and Hy pins appear to ba increasing in eizo, and tho opal is in groat requisition for the bodies of tbo insects. Cats.' beads, mado of small diamonds antl placed i n a spiral wire, are among tho new ornaments used for tho hair. Tho soft will-o'-tho wisp like slory of the fairy lamp gives a beautiful effect in the drawing-room, dining-room or conserva tory. A rare new bracelet is tx single narrow band of gold set with a topaz over a half inch wide and an inch long, with diamonds on each side. Opals are now used with good effect in combination with rubies or diamonds, in the popular lines of flower-pins in Roman or matted finish. Egyptian earrings made of enamelled gold in the form of enakes and ropes are in favour this fall. They are generally enamelled in blue and garnet. The spinel seams lo bo in part usurping tha place hilhei to occupied by tho ruby as a companion gem, and in brilliancy is little inferior to its more costly rival. A novelty in plated ware has recently ap peared—a beautiful hand repousse finish not before attempted in this grade, of wara, which introduces seme of the £iss_t effects of the art in sterling silver.

SCENES IN CHINA.

Dsserlptlon of tho Streets and .People of

ft Olitnoso City.

I did not see so r-ucil of Canton as I had wished, the missionaiiss taking' up most of my timo, but a description of ono Chincso street will give you -a fair idea of their customs. Tho streets aro very narrow, hardly more than six feet wide- paved vrith largo, well-known flagstones, houses built high,1 but vory irregular, in nig zig kind of "fashion. This, lam told.ds done so that evil spirits ia passing from one house to another will butt their heads againet tho houses. The shop 3 are small, with entirely open fronts, a host of signs, banners nnd lanterns hanging from their Upper windows, hoping to shut out the sun, thus giving the streets a dark, dreary look. The bulk of their cooking is done in front of theif doors, and fills the street with smoke Louk in a butchoi. shop, and on tho first hook yon will find a skinned eat, and beside it 13 o portion of a dog. Xott can see at any timo a number of rats, seme fresh, others dried and salted, so that tbe statement made in tho " Sun" a littlo before I left horns that Chinese do not eat such things does not reconcile itself with the facts here. It can be seen at almost any ' batcher's th.p, and it is just as certain r,s you can had beef and mut ton in your own markets. Tho streets nro literally jammed with people — coolies, naked to thoir waists, carrying burdons swung across their shoulders, on a bomboo polo ; women with their babies swung over thoir shoulders, trudging along on their small feet, which have the appearance of having been am putatod from the instep. Here and thoro in the middlo of the road you meot with a largo. stone with Chinese characters. No evil spirit can pass those stones. The Chinese in Canton aro a cur ious people, and seem to do everything just the opposite of Europeans. In their salutations thoy shake their own hands; their oompass points to the south in stead of tho north; tho women wear the broaches, both literally and meta phorically, and keeping tho bat on is considered a mark of politecoes. They hate everything that is foreign and all pertaining to foreigners. You frequently hoar aa you pass along their crowded streets, " Fan kwail Fan-kwai!" (Foreign devils. Foreign devils). They aro opposed to all modern improvements, The only railroad they bad thov toro up, and now there is not a mile of railroad in China. They have ono local telegraph in China, aud tho Chinese mer chants havo lately agreed to boycott it. Humanely speaking;'it would be an impos sibility to convert such a stubborn people, but tho foundation of prejudice is being gradually undermined. Thoy will adopt our methods if they are certain it will bring thorn gain, for they oro avaricious, and the greatest gamblers on the face of the earth.

A Western Romance.

A Youth's Industry Made to Tell In an

Unexpected Manner,

"There goes a yodng man who has a romance," remarked a woil-known citizen of St. Paul to a reporter, as he looked through the window, as a young man of perhaps 25 passed up Fiist Avenue, a re markably handsome lady leaning on his arm. "Tell you about it? Certainly; only I won't give you the names of the parties, for if I did jou would print it, and nearly overy one in the city would' recog nise in tho couple two well known Min neapolis paople. "Some years, ago the young man worked in one of tho big mills, nnd was looked upon as a good man in his position. One day a party of ladies visited the mill, among them tho lady you saw with hira. Whiie looking all tho different things around tli9 mill this young lady dropped from her fioger into a lot of wheat which was beiDg stored a valu ablo diamond ring which had been pro sentcd to her by h.r mother, who had died some years before "Of courso, tbo young lady was nearly heart-br ken, and refused to bo comi>rted by hor friends The young man, who was standing noar by when she dropped the ring, saw the whole thing and made up his mind to recover tho ring. That evening, as soon as his work was done, ho went to the bin in which the wheat had been stored and there, accompanied by a friend, sifted all the wheat and placed it in bags. It was nearly morning when he found the ring The wheat was then emptied back into the bin and tho young man went home. When he went to work again he went to the head miller and succeeded in being re'oisedfor the day. His noxt movo was to dress him self in his best suit and return the ring to the owner. . "To her ho relat.d how he recovered it, and by his pleasing manners so captivated her that Ehe invited bim to call. This he did, and the friendship thus begun soon ripened into something stronger. Tho young lady's father took a great liking to the young man, and gave his consent toa marriage arranged between him and his daughter. Whon tho marriago took place the young man left the mill and was Btarted in business by his wife's father. He is now worth about $100,000, and can lay his good fortune to recovering the lost ring."

Doing it Over Again.

Asa reward for good behaviour littlo Mary, not quite six years old, was allowed to be present at a musical entertainment given at the houso of a friend. Miss T., a very ex cellent singer, favoured Ihe audience with aeong j and was enthusiastically encored. Mary waa noticeably restless during the repetition of the song, and then turned to her mother with the remark, loud enough to bo heard by the company : ' "Mamma, did the lady sing so badly that she had to.do it all over again?" .

How They Live.

Ons_RV-NT and inquiring tourißt—" There does not appear to bo much farm work doing about hero ?" Peasant —"No, sir." Tourist-"How do the people live—on potatoes and buttermilk, I suppose?" Peasant (brightly)—"No, sir; on the visitors."

Thought He Was Sick.

" AfiE yon feeling better, Mr Featherly 1" asked Bobby, nt dinner-table. "Feeling bstter? I haven't been sick, Bobby." "I didn't know," said Bobby, indiffer ently. "Ma an* pa were talking about your genealogy last night, and ma Eaid it couldn't be much worse. I supposed you were sick."

A Lucky Ragpicker.

A bag sorter of Messrs Joynson's Paper Mills at St. Mary Cray met with a lucky fjod a fow days ago. Sho was engaged, in company with somo others, sorting a quantity of rags which had been in stock for a long time, having been sent from France. While doing so the sorters came across something resembling sn old dfess improver, which, after being thrown about somo time, fell to the lot of a Mrs gkinn*r, who cut it open and found in it French coins and notes to tho value of £28 16s. Tho monoy was handed to Mr Joynson, who got it changod into English money, which ho handed to tho finder.

The Kind of Cake She Liked.

The young man was evidently honest in his intentions ; but three years oi constant courtship bad failed to overcome his ex cessive baehfulness. They were sitting on chairs a respectable distance apart.' Said tho young man, having spent five minutes in search of a-subject : " How do you get along with your cook ing ?" 1 ITI " Nicely," replied tho young miss ; "I m improving wonderfully. I can mako- a splendid cake now." "Can you?" eaid the young man, in a pleasant manner. " W hat kind do you like best?" ■ ' i " I like ono made of flour, and sugar, and citron, and raisins, at,d lots of those things, and beautiful on the top," responded tho young miss. , . _ " Why, that's wedding-cako I" exclaimed tho young man, nervously. "Just what I meant," eaid the young miss, shyly. The banns have beon published.

A Cowboy Settles With a Dentist.

Clay AiiLisoN, of Lincoln County, Hew Mexico, is a cowboy of considerable fame in the vicinity of his fancbj Although ad vancing years have made him less vindictive than he waß, he still has a decided fondness for getting even with his enemies. Clay was up in Cheyenne a few days ago with his "bunch of steers," about 1,500 in number, which he sold at a good profit, and as ho was suffering with toothache while there he went to a dentist to get relief. The dentist sized up the man as a cowboy with plenty of cash', and determined to make some money out of him ; so, in stead of applying a little creosote to Clay's aching tooth, he got him in his dental chair and proceeded to bore a hoe in one of his best teeth for the purpose of filling it, which it didn'c in the least need. He was a clumsy quack, and broke about half the tooth off.

Clay got mad, and left, and went to another dentist, who repaired the damage at the expense of §25. Mr Allison, who fairly thirsted for revenge, got it, too. He pro ceeded to the quack's office, seized a pair of his forceps, threw him down upon the floor, and in spile of the yells of the victim, inserted the instrument in his mouth and drew out one of his best molars. Not con tent with this, he grabbed for another, and caught ono of the front teeth, together with a lirge piece of the upper lip, and he was tagging away at it, when the agonised shrieks and yells of the unfortunate dentist, upon whose chest Allison was pressing his knee, drew a crowd aßd ended the matter.

MARTHFUL MORSELS.

Dinner table : -Little Millie to her father, who had given ber the smallest piece of pie on tbe plate : " Pa, why i*. my piece of pie liko Europe?" Papa, thoughtfully: "I don't know -why is it?' Millie: "Because it is the smallest of the grand divieions." A horse frequently wins a raco on tho spur of the moment. " What is tho origin of motion ?" asked a celebrated preacher. Well, thero ao many origins. A call to dinner will bring men to their' feet in a second, and a spider down a girl's neck is tho origin of some of the liveliest motions the world ever saw. "Prisoner, have you nothing moro to add to your defence?" "No, your honour, not a cent; I just gave my last dollar to my lawyer," A sound sleeper—one who snores. Pigs are different from human patients, because they are killed before they are cured. The. easiest way to mark table-linen— Leave a baby and blackberry pie alone at table for three minutes. Counter irritant—The lady who prices everything and buys nothing. Tis a very ancient rnjiig—' 'lime till now has proved it true— ' Do v to ullyour mi_hbiurs As you'd have ihym do to you." Another saving now prevails Ot an entirely dill-rent hue: " Be sure and do yonr neighbours, Or they'll.certainly do yon." The man who was shot in the twinkling of aq eye h_js nes_r recovered hia eight.

SELECTED POETRY.

VANITY FAIR.

"This way to heaven-take your places, quiok, fin: s is the f a'est route- wb know thetrtek. Just pay your monoy—'tis a kind of toll— We'll undertake deliverance of. your bouJ, Rendered oil safe and Bound—you need not fear. The contract will be valid over there. Such is the or? on all Bides, far and nigh, From drum-like longs goeß forth the snout, "Who'll buy?' „ Eaoh undeibidding what the others sell. Prai'ing hia wares, consigning theirs to Bell. Has it then come to this? Is th'o the line They must adopt who handle thmgß divine, Like dealers in some patent balm or pill— Thei? pinaceafor all human ill? Of old, 'twas God or Mammon, now tia clear The twain run side by side, as In a pair. Whilst tho shrew- driver gathers in the reins,. And, with one eye turn.- heavenward, oonnts his gains. ■ , . Strange thoughtß come ocr ns as wo mark tho sight, Conlubios seemß tho order—day and night Are mingled—whilst to mask the ghastly lie •Tie whitened 'Death auetere -ypcerley. • Tear off ihe mask- let's question face to face These smooth-tongued peddlers of the means o- Who claim the right to deal in wares of heaven. But strike their baruains only for what a given- No fee, no grace, their maxim for t_B road Whioh leaflet-, so thoy feign, from eorth to Boa. ■Tin somewhat changed, methinke, from nays of Not such the the-ghts once ruled the Gospel Thon—pnor in pelf, but rioh }n truth and love, The teach?r hopca to Arid hia goods above; : Wow—like the morning dew ail this is gone ;. Jerusalem ia merged ia Babylon. • The Templo «n e_obange wherein, our mart. Wo barter Heaven for gold ; and play a part, No matter what:-so it but puff our wares And briDg in monoy, who the devil cares Whence oomeß this brand now gospel? Who hath given ... Thia nig Jit to drive ' a gainful trade with Heaven— . ,--.'__ To shut tho narrow road against tno poor. And like a Bhop front d c_k caen church s door I Now all is lawful, for some holy end Allays each scruple-Heavenward all things tend. So they give money. Wanted churoh, or houso To hold tho parson. That's enough excuse To j ustif y at once the tricks of trado Pons under oover of me profit made. - The Churoh wants money—such the oonstan. sry Uttered tho echo ot mendacity. •_":■.'_ , Is it so? it Ay, rather say tho Clrcrch wants men— . . , . , • Suoh ia ber real need-she asks in vain. Brain gifted men able to trace the right, _ Men ot clear vision looking toward 8 the light. Of earnest heart, truth loving, good and brave, Bavardß in fearleßsneßß, such must she have. Men who will face the problems of these days. And guide humanity in higher ways: Deaf to the lower voice of fame or self. Disdaining all the sordid dreams of pelf. , Too prond to palter with Borne petty lie In tho poor q nest for popularity. For snob,- the hearts of men now vainly yearn, To such thoir eager eyes would gladly tnrn As to a leader on the embattled plain, . Trusted and known and never found in vain. EOS. ♦ ;

1887: AN OUTLOOK.

"To arms!" the grim-toned words ring thro' the world. Finding a sullen echo far and ri oar. Peace cowera, thoughtful, Btrloken as in fear. A day may see the powers of battle hurled : In wild oonf ueion, and the flag unfurled Whose sombre foldsflaunt mm.death. despair. Sounds of the coming tempest th-o' the air Reverberate; and mas iy clouds are whirled In their fell oyclo of impending storm. Ib It for this we boast our gains and tell ■ Of science, learning, commerce 1 Sbadesof hell Laugh the pretence to soorn. War's baleful form Crushes our progress with Its iron _cad, And bids us eee_ the HviDg'mid the dead. E. H. SULI-VEF.

A DIFFICULT CHOICE.

You ask me to tell the moat charming eyes. Are they those with hues like cerulean skies, Or tho passionate dark, with glances that come Lik- glimpses from Hellas or classical Borne, Or the grave, kindly grey, the looks of which apeak ..... Remonstrance to thoie who think woman is weak! ..-."- , Which is most lovely, most loving, most true, Tho luenlent black, or the grey, or the blue? Your query is difflc-lt-I shall not err In saying I know not what hue to prefer. 1 have loved all by turns, the dark, grey, and blue, , _ . ~, Each kind in its time was the dearest I knew. "_is truo v\ hale the beautiful present doth last It is sweeter by far than the beautiful past. And the eyes which to us the loveliest prove Are the eyes which be'ong to our .latest love. 0. E. He GO.

SERENADE.

Tho twilight skies had deepened. And there I saw afar \ ■ The beautiful moon, attended By one pale, distant star. The beautiful moon art thou, love, And I the pa ient star. And ever I turn towards thee. And ever am I afar I Inda.

INVISIBLE, YET MANIFEST.

No man hath gazed on Him, tho Great All Father, Whosa wondrom love haih triumphed over sin; Neither have angels' eyes beheld Him. rather Veil they their faces ere they enter in To that bright sphere of lifo and light Bupernal "Where dwells the High and Holy One Divine: Where, in tho gory of their joys eternal, Tho spirits of the wise like stars shall shine. Yet see they not His face, whose wondrous power . .', Wields its supremacy through worlds ofspacc; Eon the archangels bow their faeos lower, In adoration of .His love and grace Whose lifo pervades all Nature, and gave birth To every thought ot beauty in tho soul. Of man, His image, mirrored forth on earth In beauteous f l-agments of a living whole. Immortal sonl of man I to thee 'tis given To look w th confidence and childlike love On " God made manifest," and enter Heaven Through gates of Truth, that lead to joys above. Thy life is h'd with Christ's in God the Father, To thee He shows the brightness of Hi. face, i In that pure life whoSe lessons thou mays't gather, And blend thy spirit In immortal grace. All things to thee still manifest His presence, Tho air, the sunlight, or the beauteous flower. All things are found in Him, the wondrous essence. All things reveal Hi 3 love and mighty power. '"'■'.;. Jenny When.

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1887

5



r,fC^ US 1 TT Iff ¥ US3 W J^OT ifl^fl CHEAP ¥QR QUE MONTH PREVIOUS TO STOCK-TAKING. WILSON^ WILLIAMS, 4 McCULLAGH WILL OFFER THE WHOLE OF THEIR STOCK AT COST AND UNDER;! TO EFFECT A SPEEDY CLEARANCE. ALL "GOODS MARKED IN PLAIN FIGURES IN RED INK. SALE PIOW ON FOR ONE MONTH. GENERAL DRAPERS, 172 QUEEIM STREET.



We believe _iat it every one would nse Hop Bitters freely there would bo muchless sickness and misery in the world, and people are fast finding this out, whole families keeping,well at a'trifli-g cost by ite.use. We __v_* all to try U. Read. _»• V_ _.:..,