THE GARDEN.

1 pgjpo&svM

Operating for December 3.

I *i eillinK to answer any queries. \ftoi la am their real names V&lfa & Wash not £or P ubllcation -]

TO CORRESPONDENTS

..i if you burn the bonoa yon ' (AB»» d S.Cito charcoal, thus destroy fflWWhß nianurial properties The underneath the soil Kf;/in toJot yourtreos or shrubs can get Sro*Kn r ÜBO in garden for vege %&. L.rs it is better to break them up o°'n "Jews with a hammer before apply ft*% aSwaib (8.8.).-Ono of the $&ftjn ever tried in dry weather dt m rXtot round paper bags-old Water the plants to be saturating the soil; then fifflrd'and M Plantaepar *»»*?K . hill of earth just large enough & «** «S bae When a number of bags take them to the place where i (ebW Kplanted, planting the paper bags The bags keep the roots and lrP e r%ien planted give a little water «tlethß soil about the plants; the t> M -n«t almost at once. I have adopted t&^'ti T hundreds, even in tho driest fed veSseld have failed with a

thinning Fruit. aaifiber of fruit-growers may be j with an abundant show of fruit on oftheirfruifc trees. Where such is * a systematic thinning must be ' onti Some trees have a tendency ' every year, and if let alone the jJ in Some instances, will be broken Jort the fruit comes to maturity. J3 also the cause of such a „ naantity of small > inferior-quality L our markets every season, as it is for trees to fully ripen and triyycrops-Intelligentfruit-growers Lwtd contend with this state of 'a jll heavily-laden trees ; they ?Lm a Uiird to a half of the fruit while ■fflrn? and leave the remainder to Lthe benefit of the sap and juices ilfoalcl have had to be distributed to tawny of the fruit as there was a j-for The result of this is that no jjLjost through over-bearing, while Lkthit is left reaches full size, and etoity.B of first-class quality, if for two or three times as much ac Slhkd there been no thinning out. .Joanne time it only costs about half 'mjj to send the lesser quantity to ■v There is no experiment whafc -0 the matter; it is a well-estab jjjoie; which holds good in all plant ifo illow any growth to go beyond jljan sustain is injurious, and though 03 casea it may be difficult to detor jita the limit is reached it does not ■jtsnyvast amount of experience to iletodecide when a tree is overtaxing UnrtL There is, of course, a natural li to picking off and throwing away jilyfijrmecl fruit; but no harm is line by thinning out, the only trouble 1 that the average fruit-grower is I) do less of it than would bo (beneficial to the fruit left. The [to to begin to thin is immediately :b fnu'fc is properly set and shows id grafting beyond this point. The mess, when this stage is reached, is Bind shake the limbs gently so that

tlilgb&f&l fruit will of its own accord Ttheo observe any that show a ■rf yellow at their stems; these a doomed to fall in time, and IJi lremored at once. If thero i too many left on the tree, i ifhreuioving all fruit that is tei, stfydl, of misshaped. Fruit of lie becomes entirely worthless if left me on the tree. Up to this point it if what would have been worthless iategot rid of. All after thin |nj|bernled by the quantity left, manistrength of the tree, and the Mart of the fruit from each other. Unduly crush each other,

nWonght to be taken oft'at once, tetbat every single fruit taken irilort, as the forces which would jboglit it to maturity will only be W Into those left, thus increasing lEjttand quality. HnlcMug (Continued). iJiraKivation of plants we are very Ijfcfeeight of the benefit of mulch- the fivet operation of man in Wfl to cultivate the soil is to destroy J? .(pat covers the surface. The fjftpdpyh, and the undershrubs, I ajl leaves, and other useless j*timed np, and while the potash in *f«ld3 something to the fertility of "MB*is Eoon exhausted in land under When the forests jPtaredawayor the prairies are ?% there is an end of natural •Monertilising element, and there- MTOinff of this kind must be 'Btifldally, if at all, and at the ex-. 'wehasbandman. That he often w idd fertilisers in sufficient P w prevent exhaustion is quite iifrtfewould hear less of exhausted Wtaerative crops. •"miction of the natural mulch J*!g nearly all fertile soils is « the very commencement of ™f Wα we endeavour to make good '"y adding from time to time "Wiposed of vegetable and mineral "">« by practising what is called jwing-thatie, raising some kind Wtnmingit under while in a 1 eacculent condition. Where ■wow cannot be had cheaply ™p amounts, green manuring is ii! n «t cheapest method of re iSS"? ltp the fertilifc y of all that are deficient in vege yLVu ifc k also on Such fioils Wm Pf cultivated plants of C!, 1,, f ound most beneficial. (JJjgy be practised upon nearly wvj excellent results, UJW.nabindlydry climate there plants that ob **ll a Olsture duri "g the period ffi? h than fchev neea ; too fre teM°^ ofc receive half enough. 'FeS « surface of the ground *tt ?, f .P lanfc 9 with some kind liyj? 7" « enabled to retain its in *• i°T r than if ifc was not Wt.rf beca «se evaporation is S o c there is also a con |wiS tnre , fr °m the air that , he ma fcerials used for lNdl?- : , all kinds «* out in and the surface at least three or $CI I about fche sfcem - For kinds of -deciduous orna %WZf ? anure f rom the barn % £ a for mulching, but old i, sill S °r even sawdust or fe "J*, if nothing better can & 6 f , nere may be cases where tyC *? * ould n ot be benefi- J%«3 Lt 6n fchev are Bet in ]ow > *lefe!?7 ! b «t such locations LS£J«? rchardsor S ; Iti. 6d ac exceptions to the SK&JI #** safe to wait until &*Z$ wanfcof moisture in N88?? g water or muleh ' S2»^ ktetodo ai »y Rood; il**»«J«?-V° a Pp!y the mulch Nlijß? f nd fche soi l beneath ™*««lbeforo the dry weather s>jß-? ne - Ifhecan & Old £,i c can manage to Hat least durin| the

STAGE AID STUDIO.

[BvEcTEBPB.]

Han DEL ' s « Messiah," as usual, will be the inaugural work of the Auckland Choral Society's nexfc Beasollj and j udging by the exceptionally large attendance at the firs* Sven' ZiV TuCßday evenin *' ib Bhould b « §1? » v P ron ° unced effecfc - I notice tliab the chorus has been reinforced by a conwderable accession of new member tl t 9M rfon " a, ? l c l e fc akes place on Tuesday, £n ?f 'A n u d wIU P rob ably be repeated for t&e benefit of the public on the Sunday follow i»£, i.e., Christmas Day. The "soloists chosen are : Mrs L. F."Davie a , soprano; Miss Knight, contralto; Mr Edwin Hoa kuiß, tenor ; Mr Henry Brett or Mr A. layler, bass. Mr Phil. Stewart, advance agent for Miss oarne is wain, arrived in Auckland early tins week, and left again on Thursday for iJunedm, to make the necessary prepara tions for Miss Swain's opening there, at the princess fheatre, on Boxing Night, in "The Miner s Daughter," a piece specially written tor her by Mr Bret Harte. The lady is due here early in February, and the pubhc may prepare themselves for a real treat. Her repertoire consists of " The Miner s Daughter " and " The Tomboy." Miss Amy Shorwin has been giving a series of concerts in the western districts of New South Wales, and is now back in Sydney again.

Johnny Gourlay, at the head of a power ful Company got together by Williamson, Garner, and Musgrove, is appearing at the Theatre Koyal, Adelaide, in "Kindred bOUls.

Charles Hugo and bis Buffalo Company are at Sandhurst. Mr Hugo gave his com pany a champagne supper tho other evening to celebrate the fifth anniversary of his marriage to Miss Priscilla Verne.

Lithgow James, who, it will be remem bered, visited New Zealand with the Searelle-Harding Opera Company, is travel liner in the States as leading baritone of the Jules Levy Concert-Opera Company.

Mr Henry Alleyne and Miss Florence Wade, who were here about a ysar or so ago, are now in New York. Miss Wade is going to produce a new play, and Mr Alleyne is trying to " place " some pieces presumably of his own writing.

One of the novelties of the forthcoming season in Paris will be a spectacular drama founded upon Jules Verne's " Matthias Sandorf." Among the most imposing of the scenic incidents to be presented will be the launch of a large vessel in the midst of general festivities, and the eruption of a volcano.

"Ruddigore" will probably be the Chri'rumas attraction at Melbourne, but matters will not be definitely decided until the return of Mr Musgrove and Miss Nellie Stewart, who are now on their way out. Miss Stewart's trip homo has not had the beneficial effect expected. The climate has proved unkind to her.

Yet another "Faust" is threatened. The new version has been written by Heinreich Zolner, Director of the Cologne Male Chorus Society, and it has been accepted by Angelo Neuman, of Prague. The text of tho opera adheres closely to Goethe's version, and the music is said to resemble Schumann.

The American Variety Company at the Melbourne Opera Houso is popular with a section of theatre-goinjj people, and manages to secure good dividends. It has transpired that Madame Garetta and Ouda —her adopted son—receive £80 per week— a very fair salary for variety artists. Fields and Hanson aro also said to receive £40 per week. The latter amount is the highest regular salary paid by Messrs Garner and Williamson to first-class artists in the legiti mate.

Mr Musgrove has secured the entire Gaiety Burlesque Company for a three months' season in Australia towards the middle of next year. The leading artists will be Mias Nellie Farren and Mr Fred Leslie, the bright particular stars of bur lesque. With them come Miss Marion Hood, well-known in Gilbertian opera; Miss Sylvia Grey, an excellent danseuee; Miss Letty Lynd, soubrette ; and Mr T. J. Lennen, character actor and eccentric dancer. The repertoire will include the highly successful burlesque, " Monte Cristo, Junior." " Little Jack Sheppard "isto be played as a Christmas attraction in Sydney. It is seriously asserted that Madame Patti will absolutely retire after her next year's tour. She is to appear in Spain in February next, and on March Bth will sail for South America, making her debut at Rio de Janeiro on Easter Monday. The treat prima donna will give at least 30 performances in South America, and she is guaranteed £1,200 per nitrht, with half the gross receipts over £2,400. It is esti mated by the foreign papers that she will give in all about 48 and will receive on an average £3,000 per night, but this calculation is based upon the exaggerated nightly receipts of £4,600. Williamson, Garner, and Musgrove's Opera Bouffe Company have returned to Melbourne after playing a month in Adelaide with greatsuccess. The Company are playing " The Mikado" at the Princess's Theatre, Miss Braham taking the part of Ynm-Yum. According to the " Age" Miss Braham gives an entirely different reading of the part of Yum-Yum from that_ to which we have been accustomed, making the character more prominent by constant by-play, clever manipulation of the fan, and general vivacity. It is not, however, a simple schoolgirl that is impersonated, but a finished coquette. Mr Leumane, who is the new Nankipoo, makes by far the best representative of the part seen in Mel bourne. After a succession of brilliant successes in Germany Mr DOyly Carte's "Mikado Company are going to try their fortune in Holland. Arrangements have been made for a series of performances in the Grand Theatre at Amsterdam, beginning with this present month. Sir Arthur Sullivan and Mr Gilbert's popular work ha* had some very aristocratic admirers. When the opera was played at the Casino in Co penhagen by Mr Carte's Company, who were making a fortnight's stay in that city, am on<* those present were the Czar and Czarina of Russia, the King and Queen of Denmark, the King and Queen of Greece, the Prince and Princess of Wales and Prince Albert Victor, the Crown Prince of Den mark, the Crown Prince of Greece, .the Princess Marie of Greece, and the Prince W potchi a e r ili'sopera»LaGioconda'Vaßgiven for the first time in Melbourne on Novem ber 8, with great success by the Simonsen Boito the famous author and composer, fafVerdi's literary partner in tie «jd lilllfl Smely beautiful and dramatically.truth, til and shows inventive and imaginative ' « «f a hieh order, as well as consum g Tnthoi Verdi and Wagner is strongly P '? g Sf Zed hbf one of the finest and composition.

DRAUGHTS.

Problem No. 15.—Correct solution received from "J.L.," Auckland.

■,/ Problem No. 18. I By Mr J. Cameron, Carmyllie.

Black.

White. Black to play and win. Solution to Problem No. 15. 17-14 24-27 28-32 9-13 13-17 6-13 2-6 21-17 18- 9 17-14 14- 9 23-18 32-28 23-18 32-23 Drawn. Game No. 64.—" Single Corner." 11-15 16-20 3-12 7-10 23-26 1-17 22-18 19-15 18-15 24-19 18-14 21-14 15-22 10-19 9-14 14-18 26-30 22-26 25-18 23-16 28-24 22-17 14- 7 19-15 12-16 8-12 7-10 18-23 30-25 22-25 29-25 30-25 32-28 26-22 22-18 15-10 8-11 12-19 10-19 5- 9 15 22 Drawn 25-22 27-24 24-15 2218 18-14 4- 8 20-27 2- 7 9-13 6-10 24-19 31- 8 28-24 1-25-22 15- 6 1. 17-14 13-17 10- 7 25-22 22-17 18-14 10-17 14-10 17-21 27-31 31-21 26-22 21-14 23-27 B. wins. Game No. 55—"Cross." 11-15 25-22 10-19 2- 7 31-24 7-11 23-18 8-11 26-22 16-19 4- 8 15-19 8-11 29-25 19 26 7-16 14-18 11-16 27-23 10-14 30-25 19-26 8-11 19-23 11-16 19-15 6-10 18- 4 24-19 16-11 18-11 3- 8 13- 6 12-28 21-17 26-30 16-20 31-27 5- 9 22-17 19-23 11-15 24-19 2-7 6-2 6-101-17-13 30-21 7-16 22-17 10-15 17-13 23-26 15-22 22-18 7-10 28-24 26-31 11- 7 20-24 4- 8 17-13 1- 6 13- 6 10-15 Drawn 1. 11- 7 7-11 11-16 17-13 16-19 26-31 10-15 15-19 19-24 23-26 Dra^n.

Game No. 56.—" Cross." From Anderson's first edition. 11-15 13- 6 15-19 10-15 15-11 6-10 23-18 1-10 10- 4 26-23 1- 6 22-17 8-11 32-28 11-16 15-10 3- 7 10- 6 26-23 4-8 6-1 23-19 6- 9 17-14 10-14 *27-24 16-20 10-14 7-10 6- 1 30-26 16-20 1- 6 20-24 9-13 14-10 7-10 23-16 19-23 14-18 10-15 1- 5 24-19 20-27 6-10 24-27 13- 9 10- 6 15-24 31-24 23-27 18-14 15-18 5- 1 28-19 14-17 10-14 27-21 9- 6 11-15 12-16 21- 7 27-31 14-10 18-22 1-10 19-12 2-27 14-17 31-26 6- 9 15- 6 11-16 26-22 5- 9 10- 6 22-26 12- 8 18-15 8-11 17-13 26-23 9-14 19-15 10-19 22-17 26-30 6- 1 26-31 8- 3 22-17 27-31 13- 6 23-18 14-10 15-11 6-10 1714 30-21 1- 5 31-26 Black 1713 31-26 6-10 18-15 10- 6 wins. 10-15 14-10 31-26 5- 1 26-22 *Losing move, 25-22 draws.

Game: No. 57.—"Glasgow." 11-15 24-20 1- 5 7-10 25-29 19-15 22-17 16-19 10-6 19-23 22-26 12-16 8-11 29-25 9-13 26-19 29-25 11-20 23-19 4- 8 16-11 17-26 26-30 18-11 9-14 22-18 8-15 30-23 25-22 32-27 25-22 14-23 31-27 5- 9 15-11 11-15 11-16 17-14 2- 9 23-18 22-18 27-23 24-20 10-17 27-11 1317 11- 7 15-10 16-23 21-14 14-17 10-14 13-17 23-18 27-11 6- 9 11- 7 9-13 7- 2 29-25 7-16 14-10 9-14 18-15 17-22 30-26 20-11 9-14 7- 2 17-22 2- 7 25-30 3- 7 25-22 17-21 13-17 22-25 26-22 28-24 5-9 2-7 22-25 7-11 21-25 7-16 20-16 14-17 17-22 25-29 22-29 Drawn.

Game No. 58—" Bristol." 11-15 4- 8 19-24 8-11 5- 9 31-27 24-20 29-25 28-19 19-16 31-27 11- 7 15-19 9-14 15-24 11-15 2- 6 27-20 23-16 18- 9 32-28 16-11 27-24 7- 2 12-19 5-14 6- 9 7-16 15-18 9-13 22-18 22-17 28-19 20-11 22-15 2-18 8-11 11-15 9-13 1- 5 13-31 20-24 25-23 27 23 25-22 *30-25 23-19 B.W. *22-18 would have drawn here.

DRAUGHTS ITEMS.

Private letters from Adelaide bring us the information that Mr J. G. Gallacher is the winner of tho Third Tourney at the Adelaide Draughts Club. Mr P. E. Lester id second, beating Mr R. Taylor by one game; and Mr R. Taylor third, beating Mr J. Thompson by half a game. Up to the 29th ult. Mr Wyllie had played 347 games in Dunedin, of which he Had won 322, lost 2, and drawn 23. Mr Gleeson, the score of whose win against the Herd Laddie we published some time ago, is not one of the leading players of New Zealand. His total score in 21 games played was 18 losses, 2 draws, and 1 win. Mr Wyllie has played rather more than twice as many games with Mr J. T. Bell, the result being that, out of 47 games played, Wyllie won 36, and 11 were drawn. As to the statistics of his New Zealand tour, Mr Wyllie has won 983 games, drawn 55, and lost 3, out of a total of 1,041 games played. From the "Leeds Mercury Supplement " we learn that the popularity of Mr Strick land's blindfold entertainment increases with each of his appearances before the Brad ford draughts players. Our contemporary adds that " the spread of the coffee tavern system has done much to popularise the game in Bradford. As a further in centive, the Bradford Coffee Tavern Com pany are about to provide a silver cup, which is to be oompeted for by the players of the draught clubs which meet at the various coffee taverns in Bradford." "It is evident," says the "New York Clipper," " that Mr Wyllie is stronger than a large majority of players in Australia. But in order to convince the checker players of America that he is really the champion of the world he must play a match with Clarence H. Freeman, and win it." The " West Lothian Courier suggests that Mr Freeman should settle with Mr Barker the question of the American Championship as a condition precedent to aspiring fe> another match with Mr Wyllie. Perhaps, adds the " Bristol Mercury," bhe Herd Laddie may be found willing, when he is disengaged, to play a match with " either or even both of the American players—thus capturing two " men " at one " stroke." Mr J. Wyllie's engagements in Otago will not terminate until about the New Year, after which he proceeds to Christchurch, although there are not such a great number of draught players in the latter city as there are in Dunedin, but with such players as Boswell, Little, and Menzies, and a few other hard nuts, the City of the Plains' reputation, as to the game of draughts, is in very good hands, who, I predict, will give a good account of themselves.

A man who has a home paid for needn t bother himself about an "Anti-Poverty Society." An economical wife is the best society be can join.

A FRENCH TERROR.

The Corpse of a Murderer.

A short time since we published an ac count of the execution in Paris of the noto rious murderer, Pranzini. A great scandal has been caused by a portion of Pranzini's skin having been tanned and made into a cover for two purses. A correspondent writing on the subject nays :—lt is now decided that the dissecting-room attendant who gave in return for a glass of beer a piece of Pranzini's skin to a policerrfan for the purpose of turning it into a pair of " keepsake " purses is guilty of a violation of sepulture. The policeman's object was to get promotion. He has declared since he was drawn over the coals about this gruesome way of paying court to M. Taylor and another of his chiefs—for whom the purses were meant— that they begged him to obtain the horrible bit of "leather." So he applied to the cleaner of the Ampitheatre of Surgery—who is an ex-policeman—and he obtained what was wanted from a slice of flesh cut off Pranzini's thigh. Ido not see myself why the bodies of executed murderers should not be really and truly buried—that is to say, left quietly in their graves. As they must by law undergo a form of sepulture, this is what is done. The decapitated body is thrown into an oblong basket, the shape of a laundress's one, made of unpeeled osier, lined with zinc, and having in it a bed of sawdust. The head is placed between the knees. When the lid is shut down tho basket and its contents are taken off in a spring van at a fast pace, and escorted by mounted policemen to a graveyard known as the turnip-field. A priest follows in a cab. The basket is placed in a grave dug the day before. The chaplain hurries through a burial service, and sprinkles holy water on the basket, which is then lowered into the hole by ropes. A few shovelfuls of earth are thrown down. The priest goes away, so does the police officials, and then a signal is given by the man who drove the van to lift the body, basket and all, and hand them over to him. He goes with them as fast as he can to the Amphitheatre of Surgery, where surgeons wanting fco advertise themselves, and journalists ■whom they have told to come, are waiting. A debauch of dissection is then plunged into. The pretext is a desire to know whether any sorb of consciousness re mains, or whetner it can be revived by electricity and transfusion of dog's or any other sort of blood. The brain is then looked into, and put into a glass jar to bo preserved in the Anthropological Museum, and the body dissected. Pranzini, so to Speak, was ransacked from head to foot, and all his organs turned inside out. The vivisectionist school delight in these dis section debauches. My feeling is that when a wretch has gone to the scaffold or gallows he has undergone the full penalty of the law, and that a decent respect should bo shown for his corpse. It is very dan gerous to break down these sensibilities, which are a better guarantee of social order than all the penal laws in existence. The Minister of Justice is greatly to be blamed for letting the surgeons have their wicked will in dissecting the bodies of beheaded felons.

A MOTHER'S COURAGE.

After a Fearful Struggle She Kills

a Savage Bear.

Everyone is familiar with the story of the mother whose child had been carried off by an eagle, and who, to rescue he r child, climbed alone to the eyrie from which tho boldest mountaineer shrank back ap palled. This sfcook illustration of the force of the maternal instinct is now capped by a bear story from Savoy. A bear having killed a shepherd boy, the villagers organ ised a hunt for the animal. The mother, armed with a gun, insisted upon accom panying the party. They came back. She did not. Next day the poor woman was found lying in a secluded spot, her dress in rags, her arms crushed, and her face covered with blood. At her side was a huge bear quite dead, its head smashed by a discharge from tho gun which she had tako.n with her. The hope is entertained that she may eventually recover, but the woman has not yet been able to give an ac count of her struggle with the bear which had killed her child, which must have been terrific. When we get the story of that struggle it will mako the grand tour of all the Sunday-school books in the whole Eng glish-speaking world.

THE MORMONS.

ANNUAL REPORT ON UTAH'S

AFFAIRS.

Condition of the Latter-Day Saints.

G. S. Godfrey, A. B. Williams and Arthur T. Thomas, constituting a majority of the Utah Commission, have filed with the Secretary of the Interior, United States, the annual report of that territory. A memo randum at the close of the document states that Commissioners Cariton and McCler nand, dissenting from many views ex pressed therein, do not sign the report. The population of the Territory is esti mated at 200.000, a gain of nearly 60,000 since 1880. The valuation of property as sessed in the several counties of the Terri tory is given as $35,665,802. The pros perity of the past seven years, says tbe re port," has been equal to that of any former period in the history of the Territory. On April Ist of the present year the total Mormon population in the Territories of Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Wyoming and New- Mexico and the States of Nevada and Col orado was 162,383. The tithing for 1880 was $540,000. The strength of the non- Mormon element is estimated at 55,000. This element now owns of the assessed property of the Territory nearly one-third, exclusive of railroad property. Diyerent religious denominations have now in Utah sixty-two churches. These churches have established and control eighty-seven schools with an aggregate of 6,688 pupils and 230 teachers.

Since the passage of the Edmunds Law, in 1882, 541 persons have been indicted for unlawful cohabitation, and 280 of these con victed. The number convicted of polygamy was fourteen. Many of the persons in dicted have tried to escape arresfc. In the enforcement of the law, the report says, the officers of the Federal Courts in Utah are entitled to special commendation. The national laws relating to bigamy and poly gamy have been in effective operation for about three years. The Mormon leaders and their obedient followers have made no concessions to its supremacy, and the issue is squarely maintained between their as sumed revelations and the laws of the The report then cites the already pub lished results of the election under the registry law on the Ist of August last, and of "the convention in June and the subse quent election participated in by Mormons only, in which a Constitution was adopted with'a view to application to Congress for admission as a State. The commission re gards this as an effort to free the Mormon Church from the toils which the firm atti tude of the Government and the energetic course of the Federal officers have thrown around it, and opposes its consumma- Durino- the past year the names of sixty seven men have been reported to the com mission as having entered into polygamy. The commission reviews its recommenda tions of las* year, except such as were en acted into laws at the last session of Con gress. The commission also recoinraenu3

that authority be conferred upon the Go vernor of the Territory to appoint the fol lowing officers: Selectmen, Clerks, Asses sors, Recorders and Superintendents of District Schools. In conclusion, the com mission submits that in its opinion the re eults which have followed from the passage of the Edmunds Act have been very bene ficial to the Territory. It has provided a fair,honest and orderly system of elections, and it is universally conceded by Mormons and non-Mormons that there has been no charge, nor even a rumour of fraud, in con nection with the registration of votes and the conduct of elections since the commis sion first commenced its work.

PRINCESS BISMARCK.

Some Peculiar Traits of the Iron

Chancellor's Wife,

A friend who, during a visit to Hom burg, has met and frequently dined with Bismarck's wife, kindly sends me an in teresting description of her forthe " Sun's " readers. Princess Bismarck, who alone enjoys the privilege of telling the master of Europe that he needs to change his collar or to be more careful about his personal ap pearance in general, was originally Fraulein yon Pettkamer, a member of a noble Pomeranian family, and she is a most in teresting woman, although probably not one in a thousand readers has ever heard any thing about her. She cannot be called lovely. She is past 60 years, very tall and very grey. Her face is very strong, with large cheek bones. She is rather what a character of Dickens describes as "a fine figure of a woman," inclined perhaps to be bony. Her acquaintance with the people at Hamburg and Frankfort dates from the time long ago when Bismarck, not in the least a great man then, was simply an offi cial at Frankfort. She made friends then to whom she has always remained true, and whom she goes every year to see. 1 Wherever Mrs Bismarck is she rules. When she enters a house every window must be closed tight, and no door can re main needlessly open, as she shares with the French their morbid dread of currents of air. At table she is fond of talking, and speaks very loud and decidedly. She gets very much excited in discussion, and to contradict her is not safe. She is very fond of music and discusses it learnedly, al though she really knows very little about it. This causes many wordy battles be tween her and her old friend, Baroness Wille Rothschild, one of the friends gained in Bismarck's less import-ant days. The Baroness is old, and, like most Rothschilds, not remarkable for beauty, but she is bright, really knows something about music, writes French songs and composes a great deal. She plays and sings her own work, and she and the Princess Bis marck do a great deal of talking about it. The Princess shares her husband's diges tivo trouble, and relies, like him, upon the advice of the expert Dr Schweninger, but like her grand husband and the old Emperor ahe quite refuses to be governed in her living by medical advice, and my corres pondent writes me how she drinks cham pagne almost frozen, in spite of the entreat ies of her lady companion, a precise and amiable old sif tsdame. "The only unfavour able thing about the Princess yon Bismarck," says my correspondent naively, "is that she neglects to consider how youth should be talked to, and even at table, where young girls may be, does not repress her tendency to relate tales with a taint of Boccaccio."

Princess Bismarck has brought her boys up in the way they should go, and, although she lived a long time in a little hotel on Riselegstrasse, they come fre quently to see her, Herbert from Kcenig stein, and William, who calls himself, end likes to be called, Bill Bismarck, from Hainau, not far from Frankfort, where he is Landrath. Neither of the boys resembles his mother, but they take after their father, especially William, who is a wonderfully exact, though mentally diluted, reproduc tion.

A PROTECTIVE TARIFF.

Story of the Manufacture of Thread

in America,

Thjs Trenfcon (N. J.) correspondent of the Now York " Tribune " writes :—A story of the Protective Tariff may yet be written with Newark as the scene. Ifc would begin about a score of yenrs ago, when the Coates family of Scotland had established their thread worke in Rhode Island, and were rapidly absorbing the American business. In Scotland they had intimate friends by the name of Clark, who were their fierce rivals in business. The Clarks found them selves closed from the American trade by a Yankee device for the encouragement of American industry. So they determined to come into the "land which their/rivals threatened to occupy to the exclusion of all others, and they selected a suburban por tion of Newark. There they erected a factory of considerable size and began the making of threads. Two members of the firm came with the business and made Newark their home. Some hundreds of working people were brought with them, and in a little while small houses were built in the vicinity of the factory, then larger ones, and with the thread workers camo bakers and butchers ami grocers, and exceedingly few saloons. And the bakers and butchers and grocers built themselves houses, and other persons liked their com pany and built near them. The hundreds of dwellings became thousands, and the owners of the thread .works built mansions, thesuperintendentsbuilt handsome cityresi dences, and the boom for the Eighth ward of Newark was the principal topic of real estate men and the fortune of many who had owned farms thereabouts.

Then another thread company saw there was money to be made, and naturally sought the" vicinity where the population had been educated in the trade, as it were, and where a labour market had been formed. And soon after still another com pany came, and each built a great factory, and competition for labour and in the making of good and cheap thread was es tablished, and the prices of labour were kept well up and the price of thread was kept well down, and Southern merchants found that there were new customers for the best of their cotton in the market. With each factory more dwellings went up and more butchers and bakers and grocers found trade, while the original factory doubled and trebled in size and in the num ber of hands employed. Later a linen bread company saw the advantage of the labour market, and smaller industries fol lowed. The Scotch are a clannish people, and when a great oilcloth and linoleum maker in Scotland arranged with a big firm of New York dry goods men to start an American factory, he, too, preferred the Scotch colony in and about Newark, and enormous works are rising daily, wherein 500 men, supporting 1,500 persons, at least, will soon be employed. With this comes the announcement that the Clark Company is about to double its capacity by the erection of more mills. These leaders in industry were foreigners, but they are so no longer. They are American citizens and interested in Ameri can enterprise, and what protectionists they are!

Lawyer—Your uncle makes you his sole heir, but the will stipulates that the sum of £20 must be buried with him. Heir (feelingly)— The old man was eccentric, but his wishes must be respected, of course. I'll write a cheque for the amount. New Yorker: What fresh air you have out here. It's so much fresher than in New York. Farmer : Jess so ! That's jest what I was saying to my old woman. Why ain't all these big cities built out in the country ?

EFFECTS OF SMOKING.

Opinions of a Physician who Believes la

the Weed.

Since the death of young Russell Knevals, attributed to the too free use of cigarettes, the question of the injuries resulting from the use of tobacco has again received general attention ; and as usual the medi cal faculty are far from being unanimous in their opinions. Many of its most distin guished members, particularly those who are more conservative, persist in condemn ing the use of the weed in any form, de claring it to be a slow but sure poison, the effects of which are sure to be manifested sooner or later, and in different degrees, among those who are slaves to it, and even in the cases of those who use it temperately. These gentlemen make no distinction be tween pipe-smoking, cigars, cigarettes, or chewing, and denounce them all alike as being deadly in the effect.

Others, among whom are many who stand in the highest rank, are equally positive in saying that tobacco, when used moderately, has no deleterious influence, and some even go the length of declaring it to be, under certain conditions, a soother of the nerves and an aid of digestion. The condemnation of cigarettes under any and all circumstances is pretty general, how ever, and those who are engaged in the crusade against them point to the case of young Knevals as a sad but true example of the result which must certainly follow their uses, and assert that public attention was only attracted to his case out of thousands of similar ones because of the peculiar circumstances attending his death. A well-known physician of New York, who is a moderate smoker himself, and, there fore, not prejudiced like so many others against the use ot a thing of which he him self has no personal knowledge, gave a re porter his views on smoking. He said: "lam now about 60 years old, and have been practising in this vicinity for nearly thirty years During that time I have used tobacco almost daily, moderately, to be sure, but still enough to give me some ex perience of its effects. During the same period, too, I have been called upon to at tend a large number of patients who have used tobacco in every form—moderately and immoderately. The result of what I have felt and seen leads me to these conclu sions :—

" First, that there can be no doubt that smoking all the time will undermine a man's constitution, and lay him open to disease, if it does not of itself lead to serious organic trouble. Beyond doubt, constant cigarette smoking is most per nicious, and never fails to injure. I rank cigars next in hurtfulness and the pipe as the least harmful, though many put them the other way. But because the too free use of tobacco is so dangerous, I do not think it fair to argue that the use of it at all is injurious in proportion. None but cranks now argue in that way about wine. " In the second place, my experience goes to show that, under proper conditions, little, if any, harm can arise from smoking. These conditions are that a man shall not use the cigarette at all, that he should not smoke before he reaches the age of 21, and that he should not smoke before noon. There can be no doubt that boys should not be allowed to smoke. Some say it ' stunts' them, and others ascribe various evils to it. lam not prepared to say just what the effect on a boy is, but I have seen so many lads have their health and consti tution permanently injured by smoking that I am sure it has a very marked bad influence on them. A chief reason of this probably is that a boy has little, if any, discretion, and carries the thing to excess, the amount of his smoking de pending in most cases on his means of buying tobacco. In regard to smoking after midday, I speak mostly from personal experience. I have never known a cigar in the morning to set me up or soothe me. It always has a more or less irritating effect upon me, and I have heard the same from others. In the afternoon or evening, however, and especially after a hearty meal, a cigar has a soothing effect, and I believe on a full-grown man its in fluence is greater for good than evil. In the case of those who use the pipe, it is even better, I think. I would rather see a man smoke three cigars in the afternoon than ono in the morning after break fast. I don't believe that one, two, or even three cigars, smoked be tween 2 o'clock in the afternoon and 8 or 9 o'clock at night, will do any man in good health any serious injury, and I have some times thought that they might actually do him good. Of course, it should always be borne in mind that with some men smoking does not agree, Hut those who are so con stituted very quickly find it out, just as they do that certain kinds of food disagree with them. The trouble is, a great many persist in smoking even though it gives them no real pleasure, just because so many others do it."

WHOLESALE MURDER MACHINE.

After years of arduous labour and in numerable private experiments Lieutenant Zalinaki had brought his dynamite gun to the point of perfection, and gladly availed himself of the opportunity to lay siege upon a dismantled coast survey boat lying, off Sandy Hook, New York, on September 20.

" Bang Sw-i-s-s-s-s-h—co-chunk."

That was the sound which greeted the ears of the interested spectators. It was caused by a blank cartridge, fired for the purpose of getting the range. The cone shaped projectile fell harmlessly into the water about ten yards astern of the star board quarter of the ill-fated schooner, which lay stern on to the gun. Twenty minutes later a second range shot was fired, and this fell 2 yards closer and directly astern of the target. The mouth of the lean-looking cannon was tilted until it was at an angle of 14deg. Then it was loaded with a projectile sift long, and containing 551b of explosive gelatine; 6001b of com pressed air forced the cartridge out of the gun with a crash like a clap of thunder, and in 13sec it plunged into the water close under the starboard quarter of the Silliman, and exploding almost instantly threw an im mense volume of water 150 ft into the air. When the mist cleared away it was found that her mainmast had toppled over the side. Her hull was smashed into drift wood, and parts of it went floating off with the tide. The water tank, which had been firmly fastened to the schooner's bottom, was blown right up through the deck, and floated on the wreckage, and the stump of the mainmast was turned upside down; The bow was held above the water by barrel buoys, and the foremast had heeled over to an angle of 45deg., and was kept there by the steel rigging, which had be come entangled in pieces of the floating wood. This was accepted as a complete exemplification of the capabilities of the gun, and there aro3e a series of.cheers and a din of steam whistles which must have made Lieutenant Zalinski proud of his great victory.

" I am going to buy alight coat to match the trousers," ne remarked to his wife the other day, " and a light pair of gloves to match the coat, and a light soft hat to match—" " Your head, I suppose," inter rupted the Bpouse, gently, and the house hold knew no harmony that day. " I wish I could afford to have the house painted this spring," said Mr Chippenberry, as he stood out in the front yard after supper and looked over his domicile. "Can't you get it lithographed?" sug gested Mrs Chippenberry. "Lithographs are so much cheaper than real painting, you know." ■

POETRY.

SUMMER HEAim TODLb WSSBSSP BE;,-

When the smibeams smto S&ete brightssfc, And <oor hearts axe , troeaad free, ■ Sorrow's firowas ara thea tte lightest, let them frowjo 2 ftsr wiafe cara wet Birds are singing, Witfi© vn& Jolly,. ~ Flowers are smflißg o'er the lea: / Only fools meet melancholy, , \ Summer Jieart3 will merry Oβ. ; f O! Summer days of gladness. When laughing , hearts are young; No wailing cLiree of sadness Should ever lien be sang. / ■ For sunbeams smile their fairest, I And flowera bloom o'er the lea, ■ And Love sings songs the rarest— . Young hearts will merry be. When the wintry clouds of sorrow With old care come round our way, We will bid them come to-morrow, And we'll laugh with joy to-day. For young hearts are ever jolly, • And true hearts are ever free ; : Only fools meet melancholy, Summer hearts will merry be. O! Summer days of bf auty; When laughing hearts aro young Then songs of love ml duty Should evermore be sung. The world is full of gladness, And hearts are true and free, So bid farewell to sadness, Young hearts must merry be. W. R/WILLS,

MARRIED A "COUNT."

The Sad Story of an Attractive ■■ American Girl. \,. A steange case was unearthed some time] ago in Florence, Italy, by A. Schuyler Crosby,' who was then United States Consul at thaV place. One day he was conducting a party, of Americans through' the principal places, of interest in the city, and among the places, visited was the insane asylum. As the party were going through the wards one of the inmates of the institution suddenly called out to Mr Crosby : " Oh, sir, you're an American, are you not? For God's ( sake, come here and listen to my story."; Mr Crosby went to the cell from whence ( the piteous appeal came, and saw behind i the bar a woman much emaciated, but ap parently sane. He listened to her story,/ and after making inquiries set himself to'j procure her release, in which he succeeded, after a great deal of trouble. , The woman's story was as follows : She was born in Mobile, of wealthy parents, 1 and being attractive in appearance, she, had a number of suitors for her hand in marriage. One day an Italian came to the city. He was handsome, and wrote the, prefix "Count" before his name. He soon' got himself introduced into the best cir-' cles of Mobile society, and by his pleasant and courteous bearing, became a great fa>, vourite among the ladies of the place. He became a constant visitor at the house of Miss , the subject of thie sbory, and in- ( timacy began to ripen into love on the part of the young girl. The parents did not approve of the match, but the somo Italian portrayed to the love-smib ten girl in glowing terms the wealth of his ! affection for her and the beauties of the t lovely Florentine home which he wished' her to become mistress of. At last hia entreaties were successful, and the young eirl was married to the "Count" secretly., When the girl's parents heard of it they were enraged. Her father refused to have ] anything to do with her, and instead of : giving her the fortune he had intended to be hers, settled on her the sum of $2,000 j a year. The young couple started for Europe, but it soon became apparent to | the wife that her husband was not only not in love with her, but that his only object in marrying her was to procure her fortune, and, having failed in that through the anger of her father, had no more use for her.

Shortly after reaching Florence the " Count had three physicians called in and they made an examination. of the young girl, much to her surprise and terror. On the following day a covered waggon came to the door and she was told to get inside. When she refused she was seized from be hind and rudely bound and bandaged. She fainted, and when she recovered she found herself in the insane asylum. There she re mained for over two years until she was found by Mr Crosby. Meanwhile the hus band who had causedher incarceration wrote home to the girl's parents that she was very sick and described the expense he was put ting himself to in order to take proper care of the girl he loved so well. The father was too proud to allow him to bear the full ex pense of his daughter's illness under the cir cumstances and sent along regular remit tances. The "Count" paid |500 to the asylum for the keep of his wife and lived in good style upon the remaining $1,500. As soon as the news reached Mobile of the true state of affairs, however, the remit tances suddenly stopped and the young girl was received home with open arms. The " Count" is still living in Florence, but has to resort to other means of earning a living.

HUMOROUS.

Mankind's a kicker, 'tis great nature's laws, The human beings shall be hard to please; Th c man who six mouths since bespoke a thaw Is now kept busy praying for a freeze.

Mrs Young (to friend seeking $ for aid society)—l can't afford to aive you much, for I have a large family to support. Friend —Why, you are just married. Mrs Young —Yes, but our servant has a mother and eight children depending on her for food. "I see that Harriet Beecher Stowe is sick," observed Mr Snaggs. "She has a corn on it, perhaps," suggested Mrs Snaggs.

Dear Oscar Wilde has been appointed editor of a woman's magazine in London. His romarks on dressing ladies' hair ought to be just too sweet for anything. The politician who places himself In the hands of his friends is apt to realise after ward that he ought to have sewed up his pockets first. When you retire for the summer to the country to enjoy fruits and vegetables fresh from the orchard and garden, be sure the conveniences are good for getting j these delights from the city market. i Some one says that one of the latesb freaks with New York girls is to practise smiling before the mirror. It is a harmless' whim ; but it is hoped they will not imitate a freak of their brothers and .practise " smiling " before a glass. Henry George says men cannot own land because they did not create it, and the, Omaha "World"adds that Oeorgo there-' fore has no right to his head, because he! did not make it. This relieves Henry of a fearful responsibility. " ! Anxious millionaire : " Then, sir, I have your consent to pay my address to your daughter. Ah, if I only thought I could win her affection." Eager Father : " Why not, my dear sir, why not? Plenty of others have succeeded." Men are strange creatures. They will waste an hour hunting a collar button in stead of having an extra supply and letting their wife find the missing one. A wife never searches for a lost pin. Her husband finds.ifc when he walks around on his bare' feet. ! Sidney Smith once said that clergymen might be divided into three classes—Nim-! rods,-Ramrods, and Fishing-rods. It was' not a bad epigram, but it has been beaten i by an American, who says that railways, are butlt upon, three gauges—broad gauge»! narrow gauge, and mortgage. { To Jessica. Yes, we have plenty of May! June poetry on hand to last us till. Christmas; but if you can give us something nice and cooling for September we should much enjoy it. As a rule, the poets have , sadly neglected the perspiring dog days,' and left us to swelter tbrqugh. them in the, I most prosaic foe.hJiQ.iv , ' — -^

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*■" THE "AUCKLAND "EVENHN-Q« STAE7 SATOEDAYTDECEMBEB r$T 188?.

