LAKE COUNTY.

July 20.— Fino but frosty weather has been the order of the day for the past week, and from all appearances it would soem as if it would continue for the cunent month at least. Fortunately the threatened coal famine is much relieved by M Gales pit, which is now in full working order, and able to avert any cerious privation In that lino. Carters are doing a roiring business, as nobody is willing to freeze, "coals" being in every household a cry that must be answared in some shape or form. Obituary.— Death has been doing his relentless work in our midst with unusual activity, considering the numbt-r of residents. On Monday last the wife of Mr L H top, chemist, at Qucen*town, succumbed to that fell disease cancer. Perhaps it is true that after a long aud patient endurance death cinie to the sufferer as a relief, Btill the bereaved husband and family mourn a los 3 that is irrepaiable. The deceased lady -was in her forty-eighth year at the time of her death, aud leaves a family of mostly "grown-up children. With her two sisters (the Misses Sproule) she opened a private school for young ladies in Dimedin which met with much success, in the early seventies. Eventually she became governess to Mr B. Hallenstein's childivn at Thurlby Domain, near Q iccnstown, whvre she was married to Mr L. Hotop. The funeral took place on Wednesday last, aud was attended by friends from far and nea-, the corlc>e being a very large one, showing that the hymiiaUiy with the bereaved family is general and sincere. The Rev. Mr Cotes delivered a funer.il Fcrvice in he Anglican Church, Queenstown, prior to the burial, and afterwa>ds conducted the obsequies at the crave.— The accidental death of James Keati' g last Saturday created quite a deep, and *ad impression in the parts where he was best known, as ha was per,sonaliy a favourite with all who knew him, and also becau' e of the tragic finding of his body by his wife. Itappeaw that Mrs Keatio<r, going in search of him, followed • hor hu baud's tracks along the corpoiation water race at an elevation of neaily 400 ft above Arrowfcown. Coming to a certain poiut of the race she saw the object of her search lying in the bed of Bush Creek, but to lea'h him she had to make a long detour, as the sidling was f,»r too steep for a safe d sient. When at last sha reached the sceuc of the accidur.fc she found the body to lie quito cold aud stiff, death peeming to have hcaii instantaneous. The coroner's jury (\[r Jnhn Busier foreman) found a vi-nlict of "Accidental death," recommending the corporation to provide a tope by way of railing for this the moat dangerous part of the race, a recommendation from which its nature may be inferred. T be funeral took place on Tuesday last. The deceased having been a member of the local lodse of Freeimsons waß arrmvled the impressive burial ri«s of the order, Mr M^haffey acting as chaplain The widow aud two young tons of the decrased have the universal .sympathy of the district; in their sad affliction. Hia ouly a few months since Mrs Keating lost a son 17 years of age by a former marriage, so that her trials have been heavy. Died in Harness.— A cattle drover, who a few weeks ago succetsfully navigated the snows of the Crown Ringe with a mob of cattle, lost a valuable collie dog ia a somewhat (strange manner. The track up to the Crown .Range saddle fivm the Wai-aka country lies up the Cardrona Valley, and eros-os the ce j k some 30 times. Tha day was a coM one, and every dip in the icy water adtfed a film of ice to the poor dog'« body until it was enveloped in a nolid mass of ice, malting motion impossible. What the parting for master and brute must hive been in the midst of apparently interminable wastes of snow and solitude is hotter imaßined than described. Other Hardships.— The recent severe weatber hag been especially hard on sbcep out upon the hills and on all wild birds. Shecpfivrmers have dove all they could under the circumstances to get mobs of sheep out of the snow, yet for all that the loss will be a heavy though riot an appalling one. The poor birds, too, are having a very bad time of it, for in crowding round house doors and settlements for a few cnmibi they meet a new enemy in the domestic cat, which, relishing the charge of diet and of sport, ia thriving on the unwary aud hard-pressed birdies And ho the world lives. As for bunny, he is out of all consideration. He is a national miibaoce. Even the people who consider him from tbe gastronomic point of view cannot forgive him for being poor and iv low condition jnst now, putting it down as bunny's fault entirely. The Weather continues pretty hard, and accidents aru heard «f fr«in several parts of the district, but fortunately so far none are of a serious nature.