MAIL BUDGET.

Evening Star, Issue 6324, 23 June 1883, Page 1 (Supplement)

MAIL BUDGET.

[Compiled by Our London Correspondjent.]

THE NEWS OF THE FORTNIGHT.

London, May 4. The news of the fortnight this mail is practically nil. A well-known proverb says that "after the storm comes a calm," so it is perhaps natural that after a period of explosions, murders, and assassinations we should be enjoying a few weeks of comparative dulness. Still one scarcely expeots to find letters to the •Times' about gigantic gooseberries and phenomenally ■ intelligent pet animals cropping up at the beginning of May. These pleasing journalistic devices are usually reserved for the dead season, and their appearance at such an unnatural time is certainly startling evidence of a dearth of really interesting intelligence. In Ireland the trials of the Phoenix Park murderers progress slowly. At first the public, anticipating fresh disclosures, used to *' rush "each edition of the evening papers •containing special reports of the various «ases, and follow every phase with eagerness. Very soon, however, they tired of J reading the same old evidence over and over again; and now even the most " sensational" journals only devote about a column per diem to the trials. Fitzbarris, the cabman, better known by the sobriquet of "Skin-the-Goat," has got off. I understand the prosecution scarcely desired a conviction in this instance. They only want to hang the men whose association with the assassinations is proved by overwhelming evidence and in the clearest possible manner. Fitzharris, you remember, was certainly present "when the ghastly crime was committed, but whether as a deliberate though tacit accomplice, or only as an accidental associate, who feared the " Invincibles" too much either to protest at the time or betray them afterwards, seemed doubtful. The jury, at any rate, gave the prisoner the "benefit of the doubt, and to his intense astonishment the man found himself acquitted. The story is now told that Fitzharris desired to plead guilty, and was only dissuaded from so doing by the doctor at Kilmainham. He ha* not, of course, been Bet at liberty, but will be presently tried on a charge of conspiracy. There has been a rather amusing debate in the House of Commons about the Duke of Edinburgh's special mission to the Czar's coronation. Prince Alfred, you know, is mean, very mean indeed. Though the richest of all the Queen's sons, he spends less than many a ordinary commoner, and it seems to be tho end and aim of his royal life to squeeze as many emoluments and wellsalaried sinecures out of the nation as the nation will allow him to squeeze. This being so, it appeared only natural that when the question of sending an Envoy extraordinary to Russia arose the Duke should claim to be appointed. You see, as the Emperor's brother-in-law, H.R.H. had to go in any case, and though, with a possible Nihilist explosion in prospect, the mission can hardly be wholly a pleasant one, still, it must be a considerable mitigation to have all expenses paid. Unfortunately for the Duke, Mr Labouchere is a member of Parliament, and not only a member of Parliament but a "confounded Radical" into the bargain. This gentleman does not approve of paying too dearly for the privilege of Royal rulers, and so when Mr Gladstone asked Parliament to vote sundry thousands for the Russian expedition " Labby" boldly opposed the Prime Minister. I don't know whether the Duke of Edinburgh is sensitive, but if he can feel at all he mußt have writhed when he read the editor of ' Truth's' terribly candid sarcasms. That Lord Wolseley and Lord Clanwilliam, who were neither of them rich men, should j require a little money to enable them to \ represent England properly in Russia was, j Mr Labouchere considered, natural and right; but for the richest Prince in the three kingdoms to come hat in hand to Parliament begging for money to enable him to visit his brother-in-law was simple effrontery, and ought not to be encouraged. Prince Batthyany is dead. To colonists this item of news will not very probably mean much, but here in London few men were better known than the rich old Hungarian. For more than thirty years Prince Batthyany (or " old Batt" as his familiars called him) waß a prominent and popular personage in society. Possessed of boundless wealth, and brought up from birth amongst the creme de la creme, he yet felt a keen sympathy (not perhaps altogether untinged with contempt) for the poor and unfortunate, and the extent of his private charities is now known to have been enormous. The manner of the poor Prince's death was rather shocking. A regular attendant at Newmarket, he went down there on Tuesday week to attend the First Spring meeting, and the same evening entertained the Prince of Wales and several friends at dinner. The following day the old man seemed in his usual health, and drove to the course as usual; but as the horses were being saddled for the Two Thousand Guineas, he, without word or warning, fell dead. Excitement killed the Prince. The proudest moment of his life was in 1874, "when he led his horse Galopin into the saddling paddock after winning the Derby. Last Wednesday, a son of Galopin was second favorite for the Two Thousand, and the poor Prince had talked much of securing a good standpoint to witness the colt's success, which he never for an instant doubted. Had he lived ten minutes longer his wish would have been granted. Prince Batthyany's sudden death cast a terrible gloom over the company at Newmarket in faot many people went home at once.

INTO THE CHANNEL TUNNEL. The boring of a tunnel under the English Channel is an enterprise of such, world-wide interest that I make no excuse for quoting the following entertaining description of a visit to the workings recently contributed to a London daily paper by Mr Sala : "Not many days ago," writes the wellknown journalist, "a few favored individuals assembled before noon at the Charirg-cross Railway station, in response to an invitation of the chairman and directors of t je SouthEastern Railway, to journey down to Dover, and there to inspect the boring under the eea, which was intended to strike upon the French burrowing from the other side of the ' silver streak,'and, together, form a Channel tunnel. There were thirty of us, all told, including the chairman and directors of the South-Western line. My fellow guests and I were not asked to write or to speak in favor of the scheme, only to see for ourselves what progress had been made when the fiat went forth to stop the works, and to judge for ouraelves how men may feel on a twenty minutes' journey through a seven-feet pipe, destitute of cranny or crevice whereby a streak of light or a breath of air can penetrate from the upper world. Sir Edward Watkin might have quoted, had he cared to be under an obligation to the prophetic genius of Dante Alighieri, the saying attributed to Virgil in the fourth canto ofthe ' Inferno:'

Now go we down to dusky regions blind, I lead the way—do thou pursue behind.

" In due time we found ourselves, alighting from the special train, on top of an eminence overlooking the sea, with Shakespeare's Cliff above and to the right, and to the left the Admiralty Pier at Dover. The sun was shining brightly overhead, and a light, fresh wind curled the foam-crested, hurrying waves nearest the shore—a wind which, farther away in mid-channel, bellied the glancing sails of merchant ships outward bound, moving between our steep platform and the dim lines of the French coast, visible underneath a long, lifting cloud-bank. Here on the furthest headland, upon a soft carpet of spring turf, where the keen, salt savor of the sea filled the nostrils with delight, and the unsullied air made breathing an appreciable pleasure, was the mouth of the pit leading into 'the dusky regions'—the blind alley beneath the bottom of the sea. And here anyone acquainted with the lay of the land may easily perceive that Sir Edward Watkin has already altered the shape of England. Al 1 that great cylindrical mass of earth, 21ft in circumference and 6,900 ft in length, taken out of the boring, has been heaped up on the foreshore in front of the cliff, adding a new estate to the Company's assets. Although the addition thus made cannot be called a novel accession to the territory of the Crown, yet it represents a suggestive method of enlarging a kingdom by turning part of the country inside out. •'A tall shaft, a steam-engine, an air

locomotive, and a couple of wooden shanties mark the spot destined, it may be, to abut upon the English mouth of the Channel tunnel, or rather of a Channel tunnel—for there are other schemes afoot to join London and the extremest point of the continent of Europe in a continuous railway journey and without change of carriages. Sir Edward Watkin airily calculates that the cost of the enterprise in which he is interested would amount to three millions sterling, and that the tunnel would allow the passage of 250 trains each way every day, at an average speed of forty-five miles an hour. So that the tunnel of twenty-two miles in length might be traversed in half-an-hour—a speed, be it said, very much higher than that kept up in the longest tunnels of the St. Gotbard, between ; Switzerland and Italy. The South-eastern boring might, so it is said, be accomplished in three years, or more than thrice as quick as the estimate arrived at by Lord Richard Grosvenor of the rival scheme which he so ably advocates. The question of tho feasibility of making a sub-way under the sea between England and France is declared practically settled, and it remains only for i the Joint Committee of the House of Lords and Commons, who are engaged inquiring into the expediency of such a means of communication, to conclude their labors, and issue a report which, for the time being, will ' probably make or mar an enterprise on which I the fate of England may hereafter depend. "'Coming events cast their shadows before.' In one of the wooden shanties, maybe in both, were towels, and soap and water. There were also clothes-brushes, and a supply of white canvas overalls, jackets, and caps. Into those sheds went thirty well-dressed gentlemen, presently to emerge transfigured, if not transformed. The costume de rigueur of the Channel Tunnel may have its but it is not suggestive either of 'a thing of beauty'or'a joy for ever.' Six at a time we went down the pit to where, as Dante sings: • I observed a flame so brightly burn that it o'ercame the hemisphere of night.' That was, in this case, the clear effulgence of electricity, which lit the shaft with intervals of light between lengths of halfdarkness for some distance along the way. Six at a time—the heavier men welcoming the companionship of their more spare brethren—we stepped upon a small platform, shut in and parted by an iron railing, and attached to a crane with strong chains. In a moment or two the platform rose in the air; then, with a swift downward motion, it rushed through space, spinning round and down and down the level sides of the narrow way—always seeming to grow wider than the space above—until through the little opening at the top we Baw the starß twinkling in a patch of purple sky. "At the bottom of the shaft, at the mouth of the boring, no more than 7ft in diameter from end to end—excepting here and there a somewhat wider square opening, technically called a ' turn-out '—we found a couple of trollies, fitted with seats on either side, after the manner of the tramcars of the military train familiar to habitues of Wimbledon camp. Running along the sides of the trolly, close to the ground, was a footboard like that attached to a railway carriage, and above the seat was a semicircular hood, lined with red baize, sufficient to protect the head and shoulders from dripping wet or particles of de'bris, but not wide enough to save the legs and feet. By reason of the space taken up in the lower arc of the circle, so as to make a level floor, along which the rails were laid, it was necessary that we should sit with knees drawn up and heads bent during the whole time occupied in journeying to the face of the tunnel and back again. "A Rembrandt or a Salvator Rosa might have done pictorial justice to such a scene. Under foot for a great portion of the way the ground is almost ankle-deep in slush; and the stalwart fellows who drag and push the trollies—trudging manfully along—have enough to do to keep their foothold. The travellers, for the greater length of time, moving through a dim twilight, cannot well make out tho features of even those who sit beside them. Now_and again the little electric lamps, set in rude niches of the naked grey chalk, cast a brilliant but fugitive light on the passing train. Then, for a while, all is again but darkness visible. There are shadows above and beneath, and all round, Looking backwards or forwards, through the deepening gloom, the traveller sees an ever-receding, seemingly endless funnel-shaped perspective, lit at long intervals as with fiery eyes. Onward, and yet onward—to no sound save the splashing made by the tall workmen trampling through mud, and the drip, drip of the water upon the hood above our heads—we are dragged and pushed beneath the shingle and the sand of the shore for a time level with the beach, and then down, a quarter of a mile deep, past low-water mark, under the bed of the Channel.

" The bore has cut clean through the grey chalk in a circle as round and true as the inside of a wedding ring. So thoroughly, indeed, is the instrument adapted to the work and to the material that in dry places it is possible to see the chisel marks made a couple of years ago. At intervals along the route, where it is feared the water might come through, the sides and roof have been packed with lead or clay, and held up with solid iron bands, apparently about 18in wide. Sometimes, in the fitful flashes of light, the eye rests upon falling red rivulets, like streams of blood, pouring down the damp walls. Ever and anon there are ' faults' in the clayey chalk not yet remedied. So we go on and on, moments seeming as minutes, until the electric lamps cease altogether, and the long, awful cave is enveloped in a darkness which would be impenetrable but for the glimmer of a few tallow candles stuck into the bare walls of the cutting. Even a mile and more from the mouth of the shaft it is not difficult to breathe; for the same machine which works the bore pumps drives a continuous supply of fresh air into the 7ft pipe which at present forms no more than the nucleus of a tunnel. At a distance of 2,300 yards from the pit-mouth we come upon the simple and wonderful piece of machinery which can pierce through the bed of the sea with extraordinary celerity aud at a cost cheaper than is required for the making of an ordinary tunnel under a hill. By permission of the President of the Board of Trade the engineer u allowed to make a couple of turns in order to show our party the method of its working. Presently we remount our not too comfortable carriage; and pass stooping, once more, along the fearsome narrow way; pass by spaces of horrible shadows and glimpses of welcome light. And, finally, we are swung up through the shaft into the outer air, where the glad sunshine catches the tall cliffs face and bathes the smiling and as yet unbetrayed Channel in an atmosphere of golden glory." . SPORTING NOTES FROM HOME.

London, May 4. In my last "notes " I gave you a hurried description of Roysterer's sensational victory in the City and Suburban Handicap, but had neither time nor space to deal properly with the rest of the racing at Epsom Spring Meeting. Truth to tell this was not very important. The principal two-year-old contests, however—the Westminster Stakes (distance, five furlongs; value, L 667); and the Hyde Park Plate (distance, five furlongs; value L 500) introduced us to some nice youngsters. The winner of the first-named was Kincardine, a handsome bay son of Seesaw and Sweet Annie, who just managed to get home by a head from Mr Beauchamp's Panic (by Blair Athoi—May Queen). Kincardine belongs to Mrßenholm, who backed him heavily to win the Brocklesby Stakes at Lincoln. In that race, however, the colt never seemed formidable, and he was, consequently, not mu<m fancied at Epsom. In the Hyde Park Plate Kincardine and Panic met again with The Wrekin (winner of the Molyueux Stakes, Liverpool), as tiieir most formidable opponent. There were sevou runners, but the three named had the finish t,o themselves, Panic squeezing past the post in front of Kincardine this time, and Wrekin third.

After Epsom came Sandown Park, which it one of the prettiest little courses in the world, and invariably attracts swarms of "society" personages, the Prince and Princess of Wales being most regular in their attendance there. On this occasion the King of the Netherlands, and the Duke and Duchess of Albany, honored the meeting, as well as the Heir Apparent; and the show of dresses on the lawn and in the paddock would not have disgraced Goodwood or Ascot. Sport, as is usual at Sandown.

I proved considerably above the ordinary suburban form, nearly all the races leading to close and exciting finishes. On the first day the Walton Two-year-old Plate (distance, five furlongs; value LI,000) attracted a field of nine, but nothing was fancied save Lord Rosebery's unnamed colt by Lord Lyons out of Incense, who carried off the Sefton Park Plate at Liverpool so easily. At first bookmakers offered 6 to 4 on the field, but the frantic rush to back the Incense colt speedily reduced it to. a case of "odds on." Finally the betting stood: 11 to 8 on the Incense colt, 7 to 1 against Mr Bird's Kemmerton, and 20 to 1 against any other. The favorite got a good start, and at the distance came out so boldly that everyone thought he would win in a canter. Nearing home, however, the beast began to tire, and being resolutely challenged by Mr Hendry's Criterion (the rankest outsider of the lot) was beaten rather easily by half-a-length. Criterion is a leggy chestnut by Childeric out of a half-bred mare. He seems pretty smart, but will never again beat the Incense colt, who clearly lacked condition.

The Great Sandown Hurdle Race resulted in a dead heat between the favorite, Captain Machell's Sybil (6 years, list 81b), and Mr Beasley's Halmi (5 years, list lib), a despised outsider. It was not run off, which made those who had laid evens on Sybil exceeding wroth. The International Steeplechase on the last day at Sandown was a very pretty contest. Five smart chasers (Jolly Sir John, The Scot, Montauban, Standard, and Albert Cecil) ran; the first-named (who, it will be remembered, fell in the Liverpool Grand National) being favorite at 5 to 2, whilst 3 to 1 each was laid against Standard and Scot, 4 to 1 against Montauban, and 6 to 1 against Albert Cecil. With the exception of Jolly Sir John (who blundered at the first fence and fell at the second), the runners kept well together for half-a-mile or so, when Albert Cecil went to the front, and negotiating the four miles with ease won in a walk T>y twenty lengths from Montauban; Standard third.

And now come we to a more interesting subject—viz., the first of the great "classic contests, to win one of which is the aspiration of every true turfite. Let me see now if I cannot convey to you colonists some idea of the importance of the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes. It is a subscription of 100 sovereigns each (half forfeit in case of nonappearance at the post), for three-year-olds; colts to carry 9st, and fillies Bst 91b. The entries are made when the competitors are yearlings (or, in other words, more than eighteen months before the race is run), and they usually prove sufficiently numerous to make the prize almost as valuable as the Derby itself. In 1882 the Two Thousand was worth L 5.000; in 1881, L 6,150; in 1880, L 4.850; and in 1879, L 6.250. This year there were eighty-five subscribers, and the stakes are valued at L 4.600. The Two Thousand is run across the beautiful stretch of Newmarket Heath known as the Rowley Mile. This straight mile and seventeen yards (for that is the exact distance) forms the most perfect racecourse in the world. Fifty horses could run abreast along it without in the least interfering with one another, and its peculiar gradations are sure to find out the weak points of all cranky or unsound animals. The Two Thousand was instituted in 1809 as a sort of public trial for the Derby, the result of which, however, it has only ten times indicated in seventy-six years. The first Two Thousand winner to secure the blue riband of the turf was Smolensko, in 1813; then came Cadland in 1828, Bay Middleton in 1836, Cotherstone in 1843, West Australian in 1853, Macaroni in 1863, Gladiateur in 1865, Lord Lyon in 1866, Pretender in 1869, and lastly Shotover in 1882. Two Thousand winners do not always turn out to be flyers of the first water. One or two very bad horses have struggled home for the race, and never done anything afterwards. Both well (the hero of 1871) is a case in point, and Charibert (1879) was also a mere T.Y.C. sprinter. Some unlucky animals seem to have never got over their Guineas victory. Macgregor won the Two Thousanl by five lengths, and started the hottest favorite ever known for the Derby, but he couldn't come near Kingcraft at Epsom ; and neither Camballo, Chamant, nor Peregrine ever won a race after his Newmarket victory.

Though outsiders constantly win the Guineas, the betting is usually confined to the one or two performers who ran well as two-year-olds. When speculation on this year's race commenced in January Mr Crawfurd's Macheath, the champion youngster of last season, was at once made favorite, and, had the fates permitted, would probably have won easily enough. His owner's melancholy death, however, rendered the colt's nomination void, and Mr Perkins's Chislehurst, a North of England animal that had showed good form in the Middle Park Plate, reigned in his stead. Others fancied during the early spring were Lord Hastings's Beau Brummel (who did not run, being specially reserved for the Derby), Mr Blanton's The Prince, and Lord Ellesmere's Highland Chief. No genuine first favorite appeared, however, to be well backed till about a fortnight before the race, when Lord Falmouth's Galliard was highly tried with Dutch Oven (winner of last year's Leger), and the running of his inferior and stable companion Grandmaster in the Craven Stakes showed the colt must have an immense chance for the Guineas. After this, Galliard settled down a firm favorite at 3 to 1, as little as 5 to 2 being at times taken. Then came the City and Suburban, and the wonderful running of Lowland Chief, which attracted notice to Highland Chief. On Monday Highland Chief and Galliard were equal favorites at 100 to 30, and on Tuesday Highlaud Chief became positively first in demand. The nearer it got to the hour for the decision of the great race the more ominous grew the rumors about Galliard. The trial, the knowalls said, was not what it had been represented to be, and Archer, who was to ride Galliard, had backed Highland Chief. Directly the Ring assembled the colt went to 5 to 1, though the "Archer's mount" money brought him back eventually to 9 to 2. Both The Prince and Chislehurst were, however, in better demand for some time; whilst the money for Highland Chief seemed illimitable.

The Two Thousand afternoon was all that could be wished in the matter of weather, and the attendance was even larger, than on Cesarewitch day. Fifteen runners were telegraphed for the great race, the field being swelled at the last moment by several hopeless outsiders. In the paddock Prince was liked best, Chislehurst seeming on the small side, and Highland Chief over-trained. Mat. Dawson put Galliard to rights at the quiet Ditch stables, and those who went there to have a look felt quiet satisfied, not only with the colt, but also with Goldfield, who had plenty of backers at 10 to 1. Of the outsiders St. Blaise and Lord Falmouth's second string—the great strapping Grandmaster—were most fancied, and it was generally conceded that Hamako—a noblelooking son of Hermit and Hippia—would see a better day. As this is one of the classic races I append particulars :

The Two Thousand Guiseas Stakss, a subscription of 100 sovs each, hj ft, for three-year-olds; colts 9st. fillies Bst 91b ; the second received 200 sovs, and the third saved stake. R.M. (1 mile 17yds). 85 subs. Lord Falmouth's b or br c Galliard, by Galopin— Mavis, 9st .. . - (F. Archer) 1 Lord Cadogan's b c Goldfleld, by SpringfieldCrucible, Ost (T.Cannon) 2 Mr C. Blanton's b c The Prince, by Balfe—Lady Sophie, 93t (C.Wood 3

Highland Chief, Ganimede, Grandmaster, Export, Auctioneer, St. Blaise, Montroyd, Bon-jour, Chislehurst, Modred, Hamako, and Padlock also ran.

Betting at the start: 11 to 4 against Highland Chief, 9 to 2 Galliard, 5 to 1 The Prince, 6 to 1 Chislehurst, 10 to 1 Goldfield, 25 to 1 St. Blaise, 25 to 1 Montroyd, 33 to 1 Ganimede, 40 to 1 Grandmaster, 50 to 1 Hamako, 50 1 Bon-jour, 100 to 1 Padlock, 100 to 1 Export, 100 to 1 Auctioneer. The field were despatched in excellent order at the first attempt almost, and A\ictioreer raced away to the front, soon putting a dozen lengths between himself and Montroyd, who, in turn, was closely attended by Goldfield, Prince, Highland Chief, Grandmaster, and Galliard, whilst on the extreme right were Chislehurst and St. Blaise well up. When rather more than half the distance had been compassed Auctioneer and Montroyd shot their bolts; and very soon after Grandmaster, Ganimede, and Padlock disappeared from the front rank. Descending the hill a few hundred yards further on, Highland Chief began to roll about like a

ship in distress, and loud shouts from the Ring proclaimed all danger from the favorite at an end. Meanwhile Goldfleld, Prinoe, Galliard, St. Blaise, and Chialehurst seemed to be all well in it, and the excitement as they neared home grew intense. Chisiehurst was the first to "craok''; and then St. Blaise, though straggling along manfully, had also to retire. The issue now lay between Prince, Galliard, and Goldfield, and as they ascended the hill the latter was well in front. Galliard, on the left, seemed a head behind Lord Cadogan's colt; and at their quarters thundered the Prince, apparently going well. Inch by inch the last named decreased the gap, but he oould not quite get up to his two opponents, of whom Goldfield swerved, and an almost painfully exciting finish witnessed the Buccess of Galliard by a head, and that by no means a long one. It was a splendid race splendidly ridden, but the impression remains that Prince will turn the tables upon both his conquerors in the Derby. The time is given at lmin 50sec, which is faster than the records of Shotover, Petronel, Charibert, or Pilgrimage, and equal to that of Chamant, but not up to the famous performance of Diophantus. Galliard is a very handsome dark bay colt by Galopin out of Mavis. He was bred by Lord Falmouth at Mereworth, and made his appearance on a racecourse at Newmarket last July, when, with odds of 6 to 4 laid on him,. he won the Chesterfield Stakes from a good field. At York August Meeting Galliard won the Prince of Wales's Stakes easily, and then went on to Doncaster to oppose Macheatb, Chisiehurst, Prince, and Hauteur in the Champagne Stakes. He ran badly, being in fact last, and after that was not seen in public till the Two Thousand. The One Thousand Guineas Stakes is a subscription'of 100 sovs each, half forfeit, for three-year-old fillies (only), and stands in exactly the same position to the Two Thousand as the Oaks does to the Derby. For a long time it was run over the Ditch Mile, which is an easier as well as a shorter course than the Rowley Mile; but a few years ago the venue was changed to the latter. Both races for the Guineas are, therefore, trials of equal merit. Monsieur Lefevre's beautiful filly Hauteur was so immeasurably the best of her sex as a two-year-old that the prophets selected her even m January last to win both One Thousand Guineas and Oaks. Last week, however, the filly was reported to have lost a trial with the second-class Montroyd, and so little were her looks liked in the paddock that, instead of being an "odds on " chance, 9 to' 4 was freely offered against her. Others fancied were Lord Falmouth's Britomartis (who, however, is not within 171b of Galliard), Conntl Lagrange's Mahbran, Mr Dawson's Lady Brooke, and Sir Frederick Johnstone's Lovely. The One Thousand afternoon proved wet and miserable, and the remembrance of the awfully sudden death of poor Prince Batthyany, who fell down dead in the paddock on the previous day, depressed everyone sadly. The Prince of wales, however, was present, and when the bell rang for the event of the day the rings were again crowded to excess. I append particulars; —

Tub Onb Thousand Gdikeas Siakbs, a subscription of 100 sovs each, hj ft, for three-year-old Allies; Bst 121b each; secend received 200 sovs, and third saved staks. R.M. (1 milel7 yards). 58 subs. M. C. J. Lefevre's br f Hauteur, by Rosicruoian— Hawthorndale .. .. .. (Fordham) 1 Count F. de Legrange's ch f Malibran, by ConsulMark Over (J. Goater) 2 Sir F. Johnstone's bl f Lovely, by Alvarez—Electric Light (C.Wood) 3 Lady Brooke, Britomartis, Ettarre, Consuelo, Biserta, and Golspie also ran. Betting: 9 to 4 against Hauteur, 7to 2 Britomartis, 5 to 1 Malibran, 7 to 1 Lady Brooke, 100 to 8 Lovely, 100 to 7 Ettarre, 25 to 1 Biserta, 50 to 1 Consuelo. Conseulo, Britomartis, and Lovely were prominent for three-quarters of a mile, when the former dropped back and Hauteur appeared on the scene. Opposite the public stands Britomartis was beaten, and, Malibran challenging Hauteur* and Lovely, a desperate race ensued between the three placed horses, Fordham just managing to squeeze the favorite home by a head from Malibran, who was only the same distance in front of Lovely. Time, lmin 50sec. Stakes, L 2.900. Hauteur is a beautiful brown filly by Rosicrucian out of Hawthorndale, and was bred in the West of England by Mr Carew Gibson, who sold her to M. Lefevre as a yearling for 350 guineas. Last season Hauteur ran nine times and won five, her victories including the Acorn Stakes at Epsom, the Champagne at Doncaster, and the Clearwell at Newmarket.

This week Chester meeting, once the greatest of all the spring re-unions, is in progress. Nowadays the Cup is but the shadow of its former self, the popular City and Suburban, together with the rich Tradesmen's Plate (worth close on L 3.000), at Manchester having completely overshadowed it. There was no ante-post betting worth mentioning on the Chester Cup this year. Six runners only came to the post, and even they were of very inferior quality. The particulars must, therefore, be given without comment: —

Tub Chester Trades Cup, of 800 sovs, added to a handicap sweepstakes of 25 sovs each, 15 ft. Old Cup course (nearly two miles and a-quarter). Mr Leopold de Rothschild's b f Biserta, by Lord Lyon—Parma, 3 yrs, 6st 31b (carried 6st 41b) (S. Loates) 1 Mr C. J. Merry's ch t Beauty, by Prince Charlie—• Symmetry, 4 yrs, 7st 121b .. (G. Barrett) 2 Sir J. D. Astley's br c Saucy Boy, by Scamp - Bridget, 3 yrs, 6st 6lb .. .. (E.Martin) 3 Gaydene, King Archibong, and Greenbank also ran.

Betting : 9 to 4 against Greenbank, 7 to 2 Biserta, 4 to 1 Beauty, 5 to 1 Gaydene, 100 to 15 Saucy Boy, 16 to 1 King Archibong. Greenbank made the running at a miserably slow pace, and, together with King Archibong, held command till five furlongs from home, when the pair retired, and Biserta went to the front. The filly was allowed to lead till the stands were reached, when Beauty and Saucy Boy challenged from opposite sides. A grand race ensued, but Biserta maintained her advantage to the last, and won by a neck from Beauty, who was the same distance in front of Saucy Boy. Time, 4min 44sec. Value of the stakes, L 832. P.S.—The Great Chester Stakes, run this (Thursday) afternoon, were won by the Duke of Westminster's Whipper-In (by Hermit—Scarlet Kunner), Lord Rosebery's Roysterer second, and Lord Cawdor's Witchcraft third. Six ran. Betting: 11 to 4 against Whipper-In, and 100 to 30 Roysterer. Archer, the great jockey, has not been in luck this season so far. A list of winning mounts, etc., compiled up to April 21, is as follows: — Mounts. Won. Lost. Wood, C 63 17 46 Archer, F 52 14 38 Fordham, G 39 12 27 Bell, G 26 9 17 Lemaire, A. F. .. ..19 7 12 Piatt, W 27 7 20 Martin, E 38 6 27 Fagan, J 27 6 21 As much as 25 to 1 was laid on Lowland Chief having won the City and Suburban after the horses had passed the post. Judge Clark, however, describes the finish very minutely. He says Lowland Chief came up within the last three or four strides, when Gallon twice struck Roysterer, and the Earl of Rosebery's candidate responding, got to the fore at the very last moment, securing the victory by a head. (

CLIPTOMANIA.

CUTTING FROM THE SOCIETV PAPERS, ETC,

At Newport a marriage recently took place at which the bride was a widow, aged eighty-two, and the bridegroom a bachelor of eighty. The bride was given away by her grandson. ' Truth' heard the other day a curious instance of the difficulty of very young children to realise the sense of words. A lady taught her child to say amen after grace. For a day or two all went well; but the child's mind had been working, and she surprised her mother by solemnly saying amen, a-women. We wonder how many children under five could give a reasonable explanation of the word amen. A lady writes from Australia to 'Truth ': —"I constantly see in the papers sent me from England accounts of strange inquiries put by servants to their employers. While arranging with a cook some time ago I had a most extraordinary request made to me. The woman asked if she might bring her baby, which, she added hastily, would be no trouble, as it was pickled. It turned out that the poor little scrap was born and had died while its father was absent on a voyage,

from which he never returned 1 . The mother, anxious to preserve the remains, and being ignorant of any other method, pickled the infant. She became so attached to her dead child in this state that she objected to be without it. I confess I felt a sympathy for her and granted her request. I have never regretted it; she is a capital servant, and her poor little relic is quite unobjectionable. I feel sure that your readers will view with horror the idea of such an inmate—yet, when rich people incur vast expense to embalm, and even cremate their dead, great sympathy is often felt with them, and no repugnance shown towards the expensive remains. My poor cook felt all the sentiment of wishing to have her beloved dead. Was it her fault that her way of having it was necessarily cheap and original ?" Liberator, the winner of the Grand National Steeplechase in 1879, was sold at Newmarket recently for fifty guineas ! He was bought by a trainer to " lead work."

Mr Walter, M.P., recently stated in the House of Commons that he had had a promising young friend who smoked, and who died of paralysis, at an early age, in consequence. This is not the effect of tobacco on all. John Nerlioff, aged 105, who lives in the State of New York, was recently interviewed. Here is his testimony in regard to tobacco :—"* How long have you been a smoker ?' 'All my life.' 'How much do you smoke now ?' ' It depends upon how much tobacco I have. If I have plenty, I smoke all my time.' 'What kind of tobacco do you use ?' ' Any kind.'" Smoking, we should fancy, acts as a preservative. A smoked herring lasts longer than a fresh one. So it is With human beings. It is a curious fact that although the Scotch are greater smokers than the English, yet less tobacco is smoked in Scotland than in England. This is due to the canny character of Scotchmen. Owing to the large quantity of water in the ordinary tobacco sola, a pipe goes out before the tobacco in it is smoked out. The Englishman throws away this damp tobacco; the Scotchman carefully extracts it from his pipe, and then, when it has dried, replaces it. ' Truth' takes the following extracts from the most admirable summing up of Lord Coleridge, in the trial of the publisher and editor of the ' Freethinker' for blasphemous publications. One or two observations seem specially apropos : "It is true (if vp regard this prosecution as a piece of pis cution) that persecution, unless thorough-going, seldom succeeds And, therefore, no doubt, the observation is correct, that, as a general rule, persecution, unless far more extreme than in England in the nineteenth century is possible, is certain to be in vain. It is also true, and I cannot help assenting to it, that it is a very easy form of virtue. It is a more difficult form of virtue quietly and unostentatiously to obey what we believe to be God's will in our own lives. It is not very easy to do it; and it makes much less noise in the world. It is very easy to turn upon somebody else who differs from us, and in the guise o* zeal for God's honor to attack somebody for a difference of opinion whose life may be more pleasing to God and more conducive to His honor than our own. And when it is done by persons whose own lives are not free from reproach, and who take that particular form of zeal for God which consists in putting the criminal law in force against others, that, no doubt, does more to create a sympathy with the defendant than with the prosecutor. And if it should be done by those who enjoy the wit of Voltaire, and who do not turn away from the sneers of Gibbon, and rather relish the irony of Hume, our feelings do not go with the prosecutors, and we are rather disposed to sympathise with the defendant. It is still worse if the person who takes such a course takes it, not from a kind of notion that God wants his assistance, and that he can give it—less on his own account than by prosecuting others—but it is mixed up with anything of partisan or political feeling, then nothing can oe more foreign to what is highminded, or religious, or noble in men's conduct ; and, indeed, it seems to me that anyone who will do that, not for the honor of God, but for the purpose of the ban, deserves the most disdainful disapprobation. The Queen was struck the other day, or some of the "courtiers" about her, with the notion that a panacea had been discovered for agricultural distress. This was the simple expedient of eating no lamb. The pretty baa-baa of the ields was to be spared from the knife and the cruel butcher. The ukase accordingly went forth, and lamb fell in fashionable quarters from Is 2d to 9d a pound. What was the result? Ruin to scores of farmers. There are hundreds and hundreds of agriculturists who pay 30s an acre extra for "early grass lands"—lands, that is, which will fatten lambs without much expense. The farmers make, and look to make, from their sales in this direction, prefit large enough to pay their rent, and so recoup them for bad seasons and loss of crops. In a moment, and by a freak, a deserving class of men are suddenly hampered still more heavily, and still more heavily handicapped. A curious exhibition has lately been on view in the north of London. It consisted of nothing but an array of cigar ends collected during seven years' peregrinations up and down the metropolitan thoroughfares. The enterprising collector reckons that in this time he has travelled nearly 12,000 miles on foot, and he has picked up 600,000 pieces of cigar, averaging an inch and a-half each. He is said to have valued his stock, thus literally composed of odds and ends, at LI,BOO. "When a girl of fourteen," writes a correspondent, " I was one of a family party sojourning at Dieppe, which was then rising into repute, where the English tourist was yet comparatively a curiosity. The solitary jug provided for the ablutions of two young ladies was of so minute a size that we were obliged to keep sending our English maid to refill it at the pump. 'Please, miss,' said she, one morning, ' what does " too-joo dee lo " (water everlastingly) mean ? It's what Mariette says when she meets me.' A few days later we had a ray of light thrown upon the Gallic estimate of our innocent actions. Our landlady stood conversing with friends exactly below our open window, where she was unavoidably—as perhaps she intended—overheard. 'Oh, my dear friends, you cannot imagine what these English are like. They are so dirty—so dirty ! The quantity of water which it takes to get those creatures clean everv morning is something appalling.' " During her last visit the Empress of Austria had a rough time of it at BadenBaden. Some boys, it appears, for some reason or other took a dislike to the Empress from the day of her arrival, and leagued together to insult her on every possible occasion. When Her Majesty walked she was hooted by the little rascals, and when she rode they showered stones on her. The climax was, however, reached last week, when they stretched across the forest road which the Empress invariably used for her morning gallop an old rusty chain, in the hope of bringing her horse and herself to grief. Fortunately she perceived the obstacle in time, and cleared it amid hoots snd yells from the disappointed urchins. Her Majesty informed the police, and a dozen of them were captured as they returned with innocent faces to town. They are to receive exemplary punishment, and all the youths under fifteen are forbidden to enter the woods till after the departure of the Empress. A correspondent writes :—" English babies now have visiting cards. That is nothing. In America no pet dog is regarded as a swell unless he has his card-case. The dog-card albums which adorn many a drawing-room table are quite instructive articles. Some of the cards have small pictures of the beasts. The last name of the dog is generally given as that of the lady who owns him. The American pet dog has every luxury. Tie has Christmas and New Year present, and, lucky brute, he is not expected to return the compliment. His birthday is observed as regularly as are those of any other of the family. He has more collars than the alleged master of the house has neckties. His basket rug is far handsomer than any mat in the sitting-room. His drinking vessel oould be sold for enough to buy a whole set of bieakfast coffee cups and saucers."

Primroses were very widely worn in London on the anniversary of Lord Beaconsfield'B death, and the beautiful woodland flowers decorated the button-hole of many a coat that had been turned for the occasion. At least 50 per cent, of the good folk who donned the yellow blossom eacre4 to the

memory of Peter Bell and lah.. ~,AHtieal had not the slightest idea of the " www significance of their floral embellishment. ! Apropos of Primrose Day (says the i 'Referee') I saw an amusing incident out* side the House of Commons. Lord Rosebery, whose family name is Philip ■ seeing the Premier in Palace yard, buttonI holed him. Mr Gladstone, with a smile, I pushed his friend's band away. " Don't do that, my dear boy," he said, "you are a Primrose, and my button-hole is not at your service today." A young lady at home from boardingschool for the holidays was asked if she would have roast beef, when she replied: "No, I thank you } satiety admonishes me that I have* arrived at the ultimate Btage of deglutition consistent with ! dietetic integrity." The young lady never | was asked if she would have anything over It is (the * Whitehall Review' understands) an open secret that the Scotland Yard authorities had long been made aware of a scheme for blowing up the Hoitses of Parliament, Sir William Harcourt being, of course, apprised of the fact. It was, however, the desire of the police to take the ringleaders red-handed, and the Home Secretary at first favored the scheme. At the last moment his courage is said to have given way, and, prevention being better than cure, the immediate arrest of Messrs Gallagher, Dalton, and Norman was ordered, the police having been for some time past in readiness to lay their hands on them. There is still living in Munich, at the age of eighty, the daughter of bookseller Palm, of Ntirnberg, who printed a pamphlet against Napoleon 1., and was shot by the latter's order, in spite of the entreaties of his family and the efforts made in his behalf by royalty and prominent men of his day. She lives principally upon a small pension annually paid her by the successors of a Berlin house, the real publishers of the pamphlet, whose name her unfortunate father refused to betray. When amorous couples meet our ken, Arm linked to arm, it's clear, Though girl's object to stingy men, They like men rather near. "Mamma, is the old hen going to be sent away for the summer ?" " No, Charlie, but why do you ask?' "Well, I heard papa tell the new governess that he would take her out riding when he sent the old hen away for the summer." A literary person advertises a desire to write novels for those who supply their own plots. This is a distinctly novel idea in literature. It is an idea borrowed from commerce, reminding one of the enterprising Cockney publicans, who placard their windows with the thrilling announcement that you can be supplied with So-and-So's entire at threepence a quart "in your own jugs." Or of the obliging dressmakers whose neat window-cards convey the pleasing intimation that "ladies'own materials are made up." Or of the courteous cottagers at beauty spots in the neighborhood of big towns, who let it be known that they supply boiling water to parties who bring their own tea. The ' Gaulois' has received from a lady in society an estimate of the requirements of a lady of position for ordinary expenses of dress, apart* from jewellery, laces, and trousseau which she already possesses. The total is 47,700fr per annum. A sum of L 1.900 seems somewhat inflated, but as only L6O is set down for boots, and L2O for umbrellas and parasols, it will be seen at once that the estimate is calculated on the most moderate scale. Many are the occasions on which a baby may be said to resemble an untidy bundle of clothes, so it is rather hasty to conclude that because an infant was found to have been sold to a rag-gatherer the other day therefore the mother mußt have put it in the bag wilfully and criminally. Odd accidents occur in this world. Flies get into the amber, milk into the cocoanut, and why not babies (milk and all) into the rag bag ? The very poor have not much domestic leisure, and their children often have no better cradle than the floor. What is more probable than that when the orderly mother comes to "tidy up a bit" in a hurry she should catch up her baby and clap it in the rag bag with other unconsidered trifles ? A well-known church newspaper has the following advertisements :—" A clergyman's friends offer L2OO for church, school, or charity, on his presentation to living worth Ll6O net and house." " Wanted, by a graduate priest, experienced, nineteen years ordained, thirteen beneficed, a curacy. Resignation contemplated simply on account of continued and probably permanent inadequacy of endowment." '' Exchange—choice living, over L4OO net, in S.W. county; nice church, schools, house, and grounds; population about 1,000; no drawback. Wanted, similar living, S.W. of London ; population under 500." A man who wants L4OO a-year for attending to the spiritual wants of 500 people, only 100 of whom, on the ordinary basis of calculation, would be adults, cannot be accused of being too eager for hard work. A correspondent, writing to the editor of the 'Sporting Times,' says:—"l have discovered thirty-four synonyms for intoxication, which may interest your readers, viz.:—Bosky, buffy, boozey, lushy, tight, foggy, screwed, hazy, mooney, muddled, muzzey, snipey, lumpy, muggy, beery, Blewed, groggy, ploughed, cut, half-seas over, mops and brooms, far gone, speechless, paralytic, blind, sewed up, obfuscated, drunk, tipsy, inebriated, three sheets in the wind, on the ran-tan, in his cups, on the bust."

The latest mathematical question runs as follows :—Two girls meet three other girls, and all kiss. How many kisses were exchanged ? " He is a man after my own heart, papa, said Julia, reverting to her Augustus. _ '«Nonsense," replied old practical; "he is a man after the money your, uncle left you." And then all was quiet. The printer of palpably false I.OOOf bank notes, yet to a sudden view wonderfully like the real, which some weeks ago had a ready sale on the Boulevards in Paris at two sous each, was sentenced recently to a 50f fine. It seems that some frauds were committed by means of them, though they were dated April 1, and purported to be payable at a farcical bank of Lourdes. A report had got about that " lolanthe " would probably be the last of the famous series. Mr Gilbert has, however, now himself contradicted the report, and declares that a new comic opera will be ready about October. "And at what time does your master breakfast?" they inquired of the servant of our greatest pigeon-shot and cricketer. "Well, he don't breakfast at all, but he's usually sick at about eleven o'clock," was the instant reply of the domestic. At a fashionable wedding in New York the other day the ceremony was performed under a floral umbrella. This was probably a little suggestion of the bride's mother, who wanted the groom to understand by the emblem that he ought to put up something for a rainy day. A distinguished scientific man is said to have discovered a means of tattooing by the aid of photography. By this new device anyone can have the photograph of any person he pleases transferred indelibly to the surface of his body without suffering any of the pain consequent upon the ordinary processes of skin illustration. It is even further urged in favor of this new discovery that anyone suffering from baldness can have a very presentable head of hair photographed on to the bare surface, and thus avoid all the inconvenience of a wig, while presenting a far more satisfactory appearance. It is curious to learn that the sale of the Revised Edition of the New Testament has greatly fallen off in the United States, to the great grief and dismay of the publishers, who had goro in heavily for it as a moneymaking Bpei_..!ation. There were some thirty American editions of one kind or another brought out, and they were bought eagerly at first; but as soon as popular curiosity was satisfied the sale fell off to almost nothing. One American bookseller has asserted that the proportionate sale of the Revised to the Authorised Version is only as six to 600, and he declared that the transatlantic publishers will be very cautious in investing in the Revised Version of the Old Testament. It would be interest; •? to know far the sales on this side oi the Atlantic correspond with those of the Ui.ited States. We are quite accustomed in this country [ to see actresses who are earning 30s a-week J wearing, diamonds which could not well be i purchased out of the savings of thfe enor-

mous salary. We are content to asfctha curious to believe that these ladies adopt the stage as a profession merely for the love of tm> ° r *> DB * perhaps the love of the artntio presents- wh «? showered upon them Eas a good *if * sents, however, which \2* gilded youths a* our theatres lavish on the ie&eMW nort dear to their eyes sink into titter ingfgajfiS cance compared with the w*y in which tha Mexicans reward tfrlrnt when it appears among them. Mdlle Xbeo has recently been playing in Mexico, and on her benefit night received, apart from her share of the doer receipts, a heavy bracelet of gold, bearing her name, formed of big diamonds; a big ingot of unpolished gold and silver, with "Theo" in gold letters in relief; a silver box containing a complete collection of Mexican coins; a massive crown of silver, adorned with 30oz of gold j a rich collection of Mexican clothB; a mail-box of embossed silver; an ivory fan of exquisite workmanship, bearing her monogram in gold; and, finally, a whole gallery of those quaint little statues illustrative of Mexican life. The price of the illustrated magazine which Messrs Macmillan propose to issue in October will, it is stated, probably be sixpence. In the midst of a erowd of persons slowly* making their way into a London theatre one afternoon, a remarkably corpulent gentleman, who was closely following a fine girl, amused himself by certain tender squeezes and amatory whispers, which at length so annoyed the fair one that, turning her head as far as the circumstances of the case would admit, she exclaimed with great sharpness of tone, "Be quiet, sir ! I wish you would leave me alone." " Very well, my dear/* said her plump persecutor, " but pray don't eat me." " i'ou are in no danger," replied the nymph, "I am a Jewess, and forbidden to touch poik in any form." A late Lady Lonsdale, a sister of Sir Charles Stuart, was unfortunate in her marriage. Very early after their union she made a discovery of her husband's infidelity; but she bore it with great temper and forbearance, and conducted herself through life with admirable discretion and propriety. On one occasion (which would have sorely tried the temper of most wives) her conduct was truly praiseworthy. Going into a shop to purchase some lace, Lady Lonsdale inquired the price of a splendid boint cloak, which lay on the counter. "Theprice of this, ma'am," said the shopman, to whom Lady L. was unknown, "is a hundred guineas; but it has just been bespoke by Lord Lonsdale for Mts G " (his lordship's mistress). «*Thon show me one at fifty," said Lady Lonsdale, " that will do for his wife." A Jew De Mot.—Somebody asked Baron Rothschild to take venison. "No," said the Baron, "I never eatsh wenshon; I don't tink it ish so coot as mutton." '' Oh," said the Baron's friend, "I wonder at your saying so: if venison is not better than mutton, why does venison cost so much more?" " Vy," replied the Baron, M I vill tell you vy; in dis varld de people alvays prefersh vat is deer to vat ish sheep.*' A good tale is told of Colonel X., who was at the time in the 60th, under a Colonel Kerry. X., though reputed a good scholar, and familiar with several European languages, made horses a perfect hobby; sO much so, that he usually himself groomed his own stud. One day, as he was hard at it in the stables, clad in an old blouse which covered up all but his remarkably closelyshaven head, a strange groom wanting a curry-comb called out to him: "Ullo there; just hand us over a curry-comb," The colonel taking no notice, the groom bawled out: "Are you deaf, old T un*" " Well!" exclaimed the thoroughly exasperated groom, on getting no answer to his remarks, "its d sh easy to see where you've come from with that short crop." A poor man residing in Greenock applied to the magistrate the other day to have two of his children admitted on the poor rolL " How many have you ?" said the worthy Baillie. " Five-and-twenty, sir," replied the petitioner. "Five-and-twenty!' reechoed the Baillie ;." and all by one wife ? " Oh, no, sir," replied the poor man, "I am wearing the fourth.'" The five o'clock tea is liked as a custom in Paris, but the tea itself is not quite to the taste of French society, which never will take to tea as a beverage. We hear that this summer sorbets are, consequently, to be substituted, as they are usually delightfully perfumed with essence of rose, lfly-of-the-valley, jasmine, and bergamotte. Consequently, they have a valuable alterative quality when administered to gentlemen who smoke potent " bacca." The Empress of Russia, since she laid aside her mourning, has appeared in some gorgeous Parisian toilettes at the recent Court balls at St. Petersburg. One of these was eomposed of pink uncut velvet, pink crape, and pink tulle. The train of nncut velvet was bordered with clusters of pink ostrich plumes, matching*the velvet exactly in hue, and "was caught back with scarfs of pink crape embroidered with silver, which erossed over the point of the skirt and were held in place with a tuft of plumes. The skirt front was covered with flounces of pink tulle embroidered with silver. Down che leftside went a garland of roses in ruby velvet. The back of the skirt, underneath the long velvet train, was composed of plaited flounces of pink craps. The low-necked corsage was ornamented with pink feathers and with a garland of ruby velvet roses that was attached to the right shoulder and met that on the skirt at the left side of the waist. ir-jiT One of the presents received by Mdlle, Van Zandt since her success in "Lakme\" at the Paris Opera, is a white moire parasol, on which months of downright hard work must have been spent. On one side a bird in full song is embroidered, round whom other birds have grouped themselves to listen, and on the other there is the cage from which the warbler has escaped, and within it are three figures intended to represent the young diva in the three rStea of CbSrubin, Dinorah, and Mignon. To the sensation for some years past enjoyed by riders in hansoms—viz., that they have been perchance driven about London by one of the two real baronets who are known to occupy the box-seats of a couple , of " Forder cabs "—is now added a new one for all who buy bonnets in the Kensington district. This latter class, it seems, stand an equal chance of being served by the twa cousins of a Midland countess who are known to be behind the counter of a millinery establishment in the Court suburb.

It is calculated that upwards of LBOO worth of primroses were sold in London ill connection with the Beaconsfield celebration on the 19th April. One West End florist sold wholesale and retail more than 9,000 bunches. A deluge of newly-coined and fashionable slang has (says the Paris correspondent of •Truth') come suddenly upon us. That expressivu word "chic, which fitted so much that is Parisian, is in danger of being swept away by the horrible "pschutt. This term is of German origin, and was, the rumor runs, put in circulation by the Princess Lise Troubetskoy. She had it from Bismarck, who jestingly laid a wager that if she introduced it into k high-life de Parte it would at once be accepted as current lingual coin. He did this to give an example of the levity of mondaine society here. The Princess, on arriving from Berlin, told an infatuated dandy, bearing an old name, and ' engaged in squandering a large fortune, how she had read in the German papers that he was trts pschutt. He at once asked her the meaning of the term. "Why, a mirror of fashion—nothing more nor less." So the fine gentleman went round the petite salons, which are open at the end of winter, declaring that Buch a picture, such a beauty, such an equipage, such a toilette was awfully '•pschutt." It is not yet decided whether the new word is to have one or two ?B at the end. Fashionable mothß and butterflies converse only about what is "pschutt." We associated " chic" with cleverness and some taste. "Pschutt" is a flower of brains softened by dissipation. The word already has got to mean that there can be nothing pschuttish without plenty of money, and that one can in making a guy of oneself at great expense be tout d/ait pkihutt. Mr Walter Besant's story "They Were Married," which formed the summer number of the ' Illustrated London News 'last year, has been dramatised by permission of the author, and will shortly be presented to » London audience. - Smokers may be interested to know that "our Fritz," as the Berliaers call their favorite prince, smokes oigars which qost

him only 7s 6d a pound. They are of a Dutoh brand, and he imports them by th& •dozen boxes at a time from their m&ker at Amsterdam.

John Brown's place in the Royal House* hold is to be filled up by Franois Clark, who has for jkhk» time been one of the Queen's " Highland servants." He is to accompany "her Majesty in her walks, rides, and drives, and will be in constant attendance to take her orders; but, of course, he will not be in any way a confidential servant, nor will he Occupy the exceptional position held by John Brown, whose proper official designation was "Personal Attendant and Page." The Queen's "Personal Attendant" is Rudolph Lohlein, formerly valet to Prince Albert, who is employed to look after a variety of routine affairs, and who acts in minor domestic matters as a sort of secretary. Lohlein had a house within the precincts of Windsor Castle assigned to him on the death of the Prince Consort, and he always resides there. He was an object of enyy to John Brown, who found that it was impossible to prejudice the Queen against him, and after several quarrels the pair established an armed neutrality. A Brighton gentleman, whose enthusiasm runs in an eccentric groove, is reported to have presented Marwood, the hangman, with a sword, in token of admiration for the manner in which he has discharged his duties, aud the benefits he has conferred ttpon sooiety. The finisher of the law has accepted the gift, and speculation is now rife as to what he will do with it. He cannot use it in his business, as it is no longer the custom in this country to cut off the heads of criminals. Neither can he strut along the streets with the weapon dangling by his side, as fashionable sparks were wont in Goldsmith's time. It may be that he Will suspend it among the family treasures in the ancestral home at Horncastle, or peradventure it may find its way to a Wardour street curiosity shop or the Tussaud gallery. If the feelings of the dread functionary were consulted, he most probably would have preferred a few solid English sovereigns to the keenest blade of Toledo. Now, if that admirer of capital punishment had sent him a tough coil 01 new Manilla hemp, one could understand it; but that the same compliment should be paid to one who manipulates with the rope as to distinguished soldiers does impress the ordinary observer as incongruous. Assuredly this is not a sword of honor.—' Standard.'

Lord Rosebery was surprised when he won the City and Suburban with Aldrich nine years ago, but he was literally amazed almost beyond expression when Roysterer's number went up. The horse had been beaten in his trial, and his owner's investment was limited to LlO, the trainer backing him for a similar amount. When the horses were at the post Lord Rosebery was standing with one or two friends on the "Admiral's" stand. After there had been several false starts Lord Hartington exclaimed "Roysterer won't go up to them; they ought to be sent off without him"; to which Lord Rosebery replied "I am sure I don't care if they are," showing that he had no expectation of success.— • Truth.'

The approaching coronation of the Czar recalls an old story about the Due de Moray, who represented France when Alexander 11. was crowned. As usual in these cases, the ambassador extraordinary spent more money than the Government allotted him. To recompense himself, the duke took out a large quantity of wine, which, being included amongst his luggage, was allowed to enter Russia free of duty. Once beyond the custom-house, he sold the wine at a good profit, and was enabled thereby to eclipse all the other envoys with the sumptuousness of hia displays. M. Waddington, who goes out as the French representative on the present occason, might take a hint from this stratagem. M. Delibes's new opera "Lakm6" has been produced at the Paris Opera Comique. The scene is laid in India, and the heroine is a maiden priestess of the religion of Brahma. She is a "child of the gods," and she lives in the sacred wood, where no Christian is, under pain of death, permitted to enter. Two English officers and three English ladies, however, contrive to penetrate into the recesses of the sacred forest, but all escape save Lieutenant Gerald. He rhapsodies over the jewels which Lakm6 has left about, and when the heroine enters he suddenly avows his love. They are disturbed by the Grand Brahmin, who vows vengeance as Gerald escapes. In the next act the revenge is effected, and Gerald is stabbed. He is, of course, not killed, but is tenderly nursed by Lakme\ She leaves him for a moment to obtain the sacred water which shall be to them a token of marriage. The moment is fatal. Gerald is found by his brother officer, and is urged to return to hia duty, the opera ending with the death of the heroine. The music is said to be pretty, but somewhat feeble.

' Life' says a rumor of a very cruel nature is in circulation to the effect that Lady Florence Dixie has been forbidden to appear at Court. There is not the slightest foundation for such a report. The only reason why Lady Florence is not seen at Court is because she refuses to bow to the various Eeculiar regulations insisted upon by the ord Chamberlain with regard to toilettes worn on such occasions.

The all too tempting and indigestible array of hot buttered cakes, crumpets, muffins, toast, and other greasy and dinnerspoiling abominations that now so largely appear with the afternoon tea are seldom consumed by lady visitors who care about the appearance of their gloves. A silver cake-lifter, something like a pair of oldfashioned sugar tongs, but shorter and with broad flat ends, is the unhappy inspiration of a lady well known to society, who has lost no time in providing her afternoor callers with them. While, until one gets used to it, it looks decidedly odd to see a piece of cake carried to the mouth with tongs, everybody is asking where they are to be procured. If half the rumors about explosions, etc., that are flying about London are true, Macaulay's New Zealander had better pack his portmanteau at once, and take a through ticket for London, or he will be too late. Poor old Guy Fawkes must look to his laurels. For centuries he has been the best on record as a would-be blower-up of Kings, Lords, and Commons, but the present year of grace has hurled him ignominiously from the pride of place. We have a sth of November every day now, and if the deeds of the dynamiters continue we shall have a sth of November twice a-day by-and-bye.— 'Referee.'

Pope Leo XIII is by no means an idle man. He rises very early, and after hours of private devotion is always present at the first mass celebrated at 7 a.m. At eight he takes a cup of chocolate mixed with coffee and reads the letters and despatches that have arrived for him: At nine he receives the Secretary of State, and afterwards prefects and secretaries of congregations in rotation. At noon His Holiness receives the princes and ambassadors. At one o'clock he goes to prayer and devotional reading, after which he takes a very frugal dinner. It is calculated that though the Pope receives something like L 360,000 annually for the expenses of the Holy See, his own food only coats about 2s a-day, everything included. After dinner he visits the chapel, and if time permits takes a walk in the gardens of the Vatican, where he directs the gardeners and takes the healthy interest in their work that would be shown by any ordinary country gentleman. After his walk he converses with any visitors who have been allowed to approach him ; and at four o'clock he once more gives audience to his cardinals and bishops. About 7 p.m. he takes a little rest, and works alone till half-past eight, when supper is served. From that time till about eleven or twelve the Pope occupies himself with reading theological works sent him by the Nunoios from all parts of the world. This is pretty well for a man who was seventy-four in March. Whatever may be said to the contrary, the reign of terror in Dublin is far fr r ni ovrir. It may be that the Government hav ■•-•A the ringleaders of the. assassination /, but all honest men who have been L lit by force of circumstancea into any kind of connection with the trials of the past three months lead lives of absolute terror. This in more especially the caße with jurors ; and there are cases of men in the prime of life who have become prematurely aged in a few months. Trade terrorism is also in full swing, and the discharge of a workman, however worthless he may be, is not undertaker withoefc. misgivings. In boycotted district f tradesmen apply in vain (when they apply ataU> for their account*.

It may Interest our fair readers to know that the total Bum represented by the jewels presented to the Princesß Isabella of Bavaria on her marriage amounted to close upon 1(12,000. One set alone, given by the King and Queen of Italy, cost L 4,000. The bride • groom gave his miniature set in brilliants, and the Duke d'Aosta's offering was a bracelet made of nothing but diamonds, of the value of LI,OOO. In addition to the present which she gave in conjunction with her husband, the Queen of Italy also sent a Bcorpion composed of one large pearl and several diamonds. The recently married Infanta de la Paz gave a beautiful bouquet made entirely of brilliants, and the King of Bavaria contributed a bracelet and broooh of sapphires and pearls, value LBOO. A gamekeeper s lantern is the latest invention of interest to sportsmen. It has a magnesium and petroleum light, and is fastened and carried by an epaulet on the left shoulder; and when it is desired to throw the light on an object, this is done by pulling a string, which is fixed to the lantern and held in the left hand. This causes the door to fly open, while the magnesium and petroleum are kindled instantly by the action of the door opening, and the ground is lit up like daylight to the distance of shooting range in front. The petroleum ! light burns on afterwards, and can be used ias an ordinary lantern. To the person using the lantern the glaring magnesium light is not blinding at all, as the door opens to the | right, and therefore thoroughly protects the I eye. The left hand of the shooter and the 1 gun only are lighted up, while the person himself remains invisible to the deer or other ' animal, which becomes bewildered, and stands staring into the light in a half-dazed I manner. For the purpose of night shooting j the invention is mucli used on the Continent, ! and has been found very effective, especially for shooting wild boar. It is also admirably adapted for identifying poachers, and is, 1 indeed, useful for all who may require a very ! strong and sudden light in the night. Such I a lantern as this would be of service to sen- ! tries and policemen. i A London society journal has received the following letter:—" Sir,—As your paper has deservedly much influence upon social and domestic affairs, these hints on ear-boring may be very useful to our rising generation of ladies. Thus persons who suffer- from scrofula, such as nurses, should never have i their ears bored, but persons who have | scrofulous ophthalmia, or chronic affections ! of the eyes, earrings in such cases are re- ' regarded as aetons wheu inserted into the I lobules of the ears for therapeutic purposes. j So in these circumstances ear-piercing has a j beneficial effect upon eyesight when tender. Spanish doctors always bore the ears of I infants. These gentlemen have done so for I several centuries, for the weight of the earring, which is inserted iuto the ear-hole, draws any humorous affection in the eyes to those parts. Thus Mezzofanti, in boyhood, was subject to chronic ophthalmia, aud his ears were perforated to wear rings therein. Even gentlemen not infrequently have their ears punctured to insert neafc, plain-gold rings when the eyes are sore, not for vanity, but to cure them. On the Continent babies' ears are perforated when the eyes are tender. Gold is healing for ophthalmia when wearing ear-lobes."

A prominent society Jady, who had ideas of her own, made quite a sensation at her wedding, which was solemnised not long ago. Her dress was composed of a kind of a delicate creamy-peach satin, and her veil, of misty tulle of the same shade, was caught by a wreath of starry Irish daisies, whose double petals were the faintest blush pink. Her bouquet, instead of being of the customary stephanotis or Marshal Niel roses, was composed of a great bunch of dewy Bon Silenes, tied by a broad pink satin ribbon. The effect was decidedly pleasing, the pink flowers showing in beauty against her masses of dark hair. Another society lady, who is to be mairied this spriug, is to wear a forget-me-not-dress, which seems very appropriate, as she goes to live in a distaut country. "Why is it not exactly the thing?" says she ; "is not blue true ?" Some lovely costumes could be devised if coming brides would agree to wear other robes than the endless white satin, tulle veil, and orange blosioms. It teems to us that the natural vanity of a woman should teach her better. Why should a moderately goodlooking bride, for a'l bride 3 are not divinely fair, make her&elf positively plain on her weddiug day by donni-'g white, when a dress or flowers of some other hue would light up her face, and mayhap make her look a beauty on her wedding day, if never before or after ?

It is high time that Henri Cinq came to rule over his faithful subjects in Brittany. The other morning a man was found crucified on the highway. Suspicion fell on his sister aod brother-in-law, with whom he had quarrelled; but the crime could not be proved against them, and they were acquitted. It transpired, however, during the trial, that the prisoners had engaged an old woman to make a pilgrimage to the statue of a certain saint, and pray for the punishment of their relative; and they gave it as their opinion that the crucifixion was the good work of the saint in question. A very curious book could easily be made of the addresses presented to the various sovereigns of Great Britain, and of their replies. The address of the townspeople of Coventry to Queen Elizabeth merits a foremost place:—

We men of Coventry Are very glad to see Your gracious MajestyGood Lord! how fair you be! To which Elizabeth replied :

My gracious MajVty Is very glad to see You men of CoventryGood Lord ! how fools ye bo !

Anyone interested in the temperance question should read Mr William Gilbert's tearful book, "Legion, or the Modern Demoniac." It is enough to make the smallest imbiber of spirituous liquors renounce them aU on the spot. However, like all advocates of total abstinence, he looks at the matter through spectacles that magnify. Surely, too, he is rather behind the age when he lectures doctors on the evil way in which they used to recommend stimulants on all occasions to their lady patients. Doing this is rather like shooting a dead lion, for that kind of prescription disappeared long ago. Mr Gilbert is right in saying a good deal about sherry-drinking in pastrycooks' shops, where it certainly seems a pity that wine should be so easily procurable ; however, this age is above all others a sensible and practical one, aud doubtless this will soon disappear, as the port-wine drinking of the last generation has done, killed by public opinion. A navy captain at a Portsmouth ball, when his partner, a "lady of rank," suggested the propriety of putting on his gloves before they led off, exclaimed " Oh, never mind me, madam ; I shall wash my hands when I've done dancing."

What next ? There is a new paper published for the avowed purpose of " promoting happy marriages " in the United Kingdom and the colonies. Possibly this enterprise has something to do with the work which has been carried on for years by a widow lady in London, who has an office for marriages like a servants' registry. She says she has been the meaDS of bringing about many blissful unions. A proof of her success is that a lady for whom she found a husband six years ago has lately written to announce his lamented decease, and to ask for another partner. As is the custom in Paris churches, a lady was handing round the plate to receive the contributions of the faithful last Sunday. She came to a very wealthy man, who gruffly said "I haven't anything." "Pray help yourself, then," sweetly remarked the lady, *' lam collecting for the poor." A well-known Halifax magistrate recently became the owner of a bull pup for show purposes. So great was either his fear of small-pox or his faith in vaccination that he took the precious animal to have it vaccinated. The doctor suggested the animal's car as the proper plaue ; but tho owlicifeared that part was too prominent, and that a mark there would lessen the pup's value as an exhibition animal; whereupou the obliging practitioner vaccinated it in the tail.

Mr Henry Hal lam sustains the leading tenor rdle in Clay and Sims's new opera "The Merry Duchess." In our flowing affairs a decision must be made—the best if you can; but any is better than none.—J. A. Froude.

Of all the lights you can carry in your face, joy will reach the farthest out to sea,— H. W. Bcecher.

LADY DIXIE AGAIN. Lady Florence Dixie appears to be still occupying a large amount of attention. The following lines are going the round of the London clubs :

"You hav» told, Lady Florence," the young man cried, " A story that reads like a play; And your tale, Lady Florenoe, is hard to believe— Oh! why did you tell it, I pray ?» " In the tales that I tell," Lady Florence replied, " I remember that rumor flies fast; And all that I cannot conjeoture at first, Gets somehow put in at the last."

"But those men, Lady Florence," the young man orled, "Those ruffians, with knives, got away, And yet of your struggle all traces are gone— Oh, where are their footmarks, I pray?" "Of your questions, bold youth," Lady Florence replied, " I hoped I had heard quits the last; I thought of my figure whatever I did, And my corsets must vouch for the past I"

"But the truth, Lady Florence," the young man cried, " Credulity's passing away; You are cheerful while Leaguers are bent on your deatn— Oh, tell me the secret, I pray!"

" I am cheerful, young man," Lady Florence replied, " For my case doth both Houses engage; And Royalty's sent to ask how I am— In fact, I am just now the rage."

Our readers know, of course, that Lady Florence Dixie's sister Lady Gertrude Douglas—is the wife of a baker at Hammersmith. She married him last year, and bought the business for him. We hear now that she finds there are difficulties in the way of a marquis's sister keeping a shop. They have got plenty of custom, but the customers won't pay. They think a Lady Gertrude cannot want payment for her loaves. And so she thinks of throwing up the business and living with her husband (he is nineteen and she is forty) down in the country. THE PROFITS OF AUTHORSHIP. The L 12,000 received by the late Lord Beaconsfield for his last novel is believed to represent the largest amount given in England for any work of fiction. Scott received LB.ooofor "Woodstock,"and George Eliot the same amount for " Middlemarch." Bulwer Lytton's novels, oven when he was the rage, did not bring him in more than from L6OO to Ll.OOO; but ha subsequently received handsome amounts for the copyright of a collective edition. Lord Beaconsfield's earlier novels, notwithstanding the success of the first, "Vivian Grey," had a very limited sale, and could be bought for next to nothing within a few months of publication. They never became in general request as components of a library, and in England were only read with interest by persons familiar with political and social life. " Coningsby" excited by far the most interest, and the key, which soon afterwards appeared, was eagerly scrutinised. Probably "Endymion" and "Lothair" have, together, produced more than double as much as all the previous works of the author, albeit very inferior to some of them. The " Curiosities of Literature," by the elder D'lsraeli, must have produced a large sum of money; it forms part of every good collection of English books, and has pasted through many editions. Dickens left LBO.OOO, and a considerable slice of this came from books; but it was his readings that made him affluent; and so too with Thackeray. For receipts from actual writing no one has yet approached Scott, whose income for several years ranged from LIO.OOO to L 15,000, mainly drawn from this source. Richardson was the first Englishman who made a really good thing out of writing, and mainly because he was publisher of his own novels. In the past thirty years French novelists have received very large sums, but Balzac's rewards for his genius and tremendous toil were miserably small. Probably Miss Braddon's receipts from writing rank among the first half dozen highest of the writers of fiction; she has the advantage of a publisher for a husband (Mr John Maxwell). Reynolds, who wrote "The Mysteries of London," and other works of a sensational type, was, from a pecuniary point of view, one of the most successful of British authors. Many of those books which pay so well are the last that would occur to persons as being lucrative.

A VERY PRETTY SCANDAL. Oossip has been rife at the Austrian Court. It is said that several ladies of the highest rank have incurred disgrace and rustication for awhile, in consequence of their thoughtless attempt to produce a sensation at the great fancy pageant ball, which took place at Vienna the other day. Six young ladies, under the direction of a certain French leader of fashion in the Austrian metropolis, had announced a surprise to be given by their tnirit in the ballroom precisely at the hour of midnight. The Empress alone was admitted to the secret—an entrie of a group of "Koussalki." These are the waternymphs of Germany, most beautiful and ethereal beings, who frequent the lonely lake, or gather by the still brook in the meadows, and wander by moonlight, singing melancholy strains descriptive of the sad fate which compels them to haunt this earth bo long as the lover from whom their own early death has separated them shall be living still. Her Majesty approved highly of the romantic device, and the arrival of the nymphs was awaited with the greatest interest. Exactly as the clock struck twelve the tntrie. was announced by sweet mudc, written expressly for the occasion, and in a car composed of rushes and aquatic plants, the lovely lady was drawn down the centre of the ball-room, followed by her attendant procession of beautiful nymphs, crowned with water-lilies, waving long bullrushes in their hands. But all expression of admiration was checked at sight of the frown upon the brow of the Empress, and the scorn with which she repressed the homage of the water nymphs as they passed by on their way to the place which had been kept for them at the head of the hall. The scanty attire of the Koussalki created so much displeasure that a chamberlain was commissioned to inform their leader that they would be dispensed from dancing, for which they had been set down. The Koussalki had followed too closely the poet's description of their costume. It consisted simply of a thin skirt reaching to the knee, and edged with a fringe of grass and wild flowers. The skirt was held on to the shoulders by a simple wreath of myosotis, and no bodice whatever was visible, the bust being covered with a flesh-colored maillot. The discomfiture was complete, as may be imagined, and some time must elapse ere it will be forgotten. Although the attire of the Koussalki was but scant, it was most expressive, being of a species of silver cloth made only in England, which serves for the costume of the Queen of the Naiads in all the ballets and pantomimes where the character is introduced. In following the theatre the ladies presumed they were not in error, and it is a pity either that there was a mistake on their part or in the view taken of the costume.

A RUNAWAY HEIRESS. Madame Signourel, nte Olga de Pointis, aged twenty-two, who has just appeared aB a witness at the correctional tribunal of Carcassonne, cannot certainly complain that ker life has hitherto been wanting in dramatic incident. The daughter of a rich widow, and heiress-apparent of the chateaux and forest of Caragulhes, she was regarded for a long time by the steward employed by her mother, a certain Poncignon, as a means of enriching himself at the expense of pretenders to her hand and fortune. The servitor introduced various aspirants, more or less needy and decrepit, to the hand of his young mistress, extracting from them at the same time handsome fees for the introduction. At length the heiress, weary of these unsuitable matches, ran off, as heiresses are so fond of doing, with a man of straw, and took refuge with a wine dealer at Carcassonne. The disappointed Poncignon resolved to give chase, and organised a grand conspiracy, in which tlie principal parts were to be played by an ex-policeman and a make-believe mayor. These worthies, dressed in suitable disguises, and armed with a sword and a revolver, accordingly presented themselves, with a solid escort of subordinates, at the house of the wine-seller. They entered, but by some mishap seized upon the wrong man and the wrong woman, after which, being threatened with a pistol by the keeper of the shop, they abandoned their project and made off. They have been tried for their unsuccessful attempt at abduction, and let

off with sentences of imprisonment for about a fortnight. Meanwhile the mother, who ■ ems to have been almost equally indignant, set off in company with her steward s wife in search of the fugitive, and, presenting herself in turn at the wine-dealer's door, demanded to see the young lady. Upon his refusal the widow fired at him with a revolver, but without effect; and the la9t incident in the story is the appearance of this bellicose lady in the Polioe Court, where, " having regard to her peculiar situation," she was fined the sum of ofr.— •Globe.'

THE ROSICRUCIANS. Obeying the diotates of her compassionate heart, the Queen has been pleased to proclaim the institution of a new Order, which will henceforward take a high rank in Christian chivalry. Her Majesty designs to recognise and reward with the insignia of a special decoration such services rendered in nursing the sick and wounded of her army and navy as furnish examples of particular and signal and individual devotion. The decoration will be called "The Royal Red Cross," and is to consist of a cross, enamelled crimson and edged with gold, bearing on its arms the words "Faith, Hope, and Charity," with the date of the institution of the Order, and an effigy of the Sovereign in its centre. On the reverse side will appear the Royal and Imperial cipher and crown, and the cross will be suspended by a dark blue riband edged with red, tied in a bow, and worn on the left shoulder. Ladies of foreign as well as Brifah birth will be eligible for the new honor, if they be deemed to have merited it by exert'.ons on behalf of British soldiers and Bailors, and have been recommended to the Throne by the Secretary of State for War for the time being, or the First Lord of the Admiralty. The names of those on whom the decoration may be conferred will be published in the 'London Gazette,'in which these interesting details are now made known. There can be no doubt that the country will receive with respect and pleasure this Royal rescript, which fulfils the best object of these Orders, in encouraging the noblest and gentlest virtues, and recognising the truth that war is redeemed by the " charity" which "abideth with faith and hope," and is the greatest of the three. The new "Rosicrucians" will be honored by all who see the ," Royal Red Cross," and know that it must be the of a brave and tender heart beating below the blue aid red riband. — ♦ Daily Telegraph.'

A LEAP FOR LIFE. THE TRAIN AND THE BURNING BRIDGE. At the end of two years' service in the Indian country I was coming home on my first furlough.. From time to time, as the train stopped, rumors reached us of troubles brewing. At the stations we groups of excited men were found discutsing the respective rights of labor and capital with an earnestness betoking that with them it was a question not of science, but of bread. As thoughtful people feared, the storm burst at last. A movement begun by honest working men seeking justice, not by violence, though it may be by mistaken methods, was taken up by a lawless class of desperadoes whose motto is: " What you cannot steal—destroy." Night was setting in when we reached the town at which the news met us of the terrible railway strike affair at Pittsburg. The train was surrounded by a howling mob. The engineer and fireman were driven from their posts. A rush was made through the cars. Passengers were maltreated and pi und ered. We were at the mercy of a troop of infuriated savages, as barbarous as any to be found among the scenes of my late campaigning. " Here's one of 'em now ?" cried a brut .1lookiog wretch, glaring at me from under a pair of beetle brows; "one o' them soger chaps, on bis way, no doubt, to shoot down honest men."

Immediately I became the centre of an angry swarm, whom the sight of my uniform seemed to ir dden.

"He won't go much furder, will he, boys?" added the man who had before spoken. "Not if we knows it," growled another of the gang. " Let's have 'im out, boys." I was grappled by as many hands as could reach me, and dragged from the car into the midst of a surging, clamorous crowd.

I tried to explain that my presence had no connection with the existing troubles, but none listened. The dress I wore was enough. " Ma»ig the murderin' butcher !" " Tear his heart out!" These and such like exclamations drowned my voice. " A rope ! a rope!'' yelled the crowd. A rope was Bpeedily forthcoming; on such occasions one is always ready. " Now just let me manage it," taid the man who seemed to act as ringleader, jumping on the locomotive. " H'ist him up, boys." I was thrust forward and hustled up the steps, when the man who claimed the " management " began tying me to one of the stanchions.

" What'er yer doing, Jim ?" queried one of the il'est-looking of the lot; " that's not the way to hang a man." " Don't you larn your granny how to milk ducks," was Jim's response, while going on with his work, which he continued till I was bound hand and foot, and fast secured to the stanchion.

" Onhitch her, boys !" The bolt was drawn, and the engine uncoupled from the train. "Good-bye, Mr Soger«man," cried Jim; •'look out for the bridge !" and giving the lever a jerk he sprang from the engine, which shot forward under a full head of steam, and soon carried me out of hearing of the yells and jeers which greeted Jim's performance. Swift as an arrow's flight I was borne on to meet a fate as appalling as inevitable. In the disorganised condition of things I could scarce hope long to find the track clear.

In vain I struggled to release my hands. They were held as in a vice. At length I discovered that the cord which held them could be made to slide up or down on the stanchion.

In this way I was able to reach the knots with my teeth. I tore at them with the fury of a wild beast rending its prey; but they might as well have been rivets of steel for any impression made. I was on the point of giving it up, from sheer exhaustion, when a slight slip in one of the knots lent me courage. 1 redoubled my efforts, and—oh, joy!—one of the knots yielded. Others followed, and soon my hands were free. At this moment I cast a look forward. The light on the engine threw its glare ahead, rendering the line visible for a considerable distance. It seemed unobstructed, and I was about beginning work on the remaining knots when a sight met my eyes at which my blood curdled. It was a thick cloud of smoke, at whose border the bright lines of the iron rails abruptly ended. I remembered then the taunting caution " Look out for the bridge! " It had doubtless been burnt by the mob, and the column of smoke rose from its ruins. To be drowned or crushed to pieces was the fate the villains had plotted for me. I had not time now to untie the remaining knots. My knife ! In robbing me the scoundrels may have forgotten that. I uttered a cry of joy at finding it safe in my pocket. A few seconds sufficed to set me free. It was useless to shut off steam. The mere momentum would now bear the ponderous machine with no perceptible diminution of speed to the fearful verge. A leap to the ground would have dashed my life out. I had but one chance, and resolved to take it. I stood on the side step looking out sharply. By the head-light I could see the river's brink, and that the water came up to the piers on which the bridge rested. Pray Heaven it may be deep enough !—my life depends on that. The critical moment came. The engine bounded through the air many feet before plunging out of eight. At the same instant I sprang from the side, and was shot far out into the stream, whence I swam ashore unharmed. SECRET DESPATCHES. M. Steenakers, who had much to do with the Postal and Telegraphic Department in France under the National Defence Government, has just brought out a work on the subject, containing a good deal of interesting

and curious information. Amongst other topics which the book treats of is the many and ingenious devices resorted to for concealing despatches, and insuring their safe arrival. Soles of boots, says M. Steenakers, were one of the favorite hiding places, a little lead-lined cavity being made between the double sole to contain the precious papers, after whioh the boot was finished off and worn by the messenger. A coat-button, composed of two hollow copper plates, was -another receptacle, the button being afterwards covered with cloth, and quite undistinguishable from the rest. Despatches were also frequently stitched into the seams of trousers, or hidden between the lining and cloth of a coat collar, or inserted into the hollow rib of an umbrella. Occasionally they were conveyed in a scooped-out cigar, in the bowl of a pipe, between the leaves of a cigarette paper book, in a tuning-fork, in knife handles, in a two-sou piece hollowed out, or in a dentist's instrument. Even in an artificial tooth, M. Steenakers relates, despatches have sometimes been successfully secreted. Small ivory balls, about the size of a nut, were very frequently employed as despatch boxes. The advantage which this plan offered was that, in the event of the bearer being taken by the enemy, he could generally manage to swallow the ball unobserved, and thuß baffle the search of his captors.

A TICHBORNE WITNESS IN TROUBLE. Ada Menne Sempriere, alias Mina Jury, was charged at 13ow street before Mr Vaughan with being a convict on license and failing to notify a change of address' as required by the Act. The prisoner was a witness in the Tichborno case, and on the 29th of May, 1876, she was convicted for larceny from a dwelling-house, and sentenced to seven years' penal servitude. She was discharged in February, 1881, and duly reported herself as living at an address at Streatham. She subsequently notified a change of address, and should have reported herself on the 24th May, 1881, at Old street station. It now transpired that about three weeks or a month a;*o the prisoner went to a woman named O'Grear, living in Fountain court, and represented herself as her aunt. She stayed there until Tuesday, partly as a friend, and partly as a lodger, although Mrs O'Grear declared that she knew nothing of her. —Detective-sergeant Reade now stated the prisoner had been traced from place to place for some months, in consequence of numerous complaints that had been received by the Charity Organisation Society regarding her. It appeared that she had obtained various sums of money from different noblemen and gentlemen by means of what were described by Mr Vaughan as being the most flagrant misrepresentations, made by a rank impo3tor who had succeeded in living upon charily for a considerate time pa3t. One of her victims was the Duke of Edinburgh, from whom Bhe obtained the sum of Lls, on the representation that she was known to His Royal Highness at Adelaide in the year 1867 a3 Miss Gordon, daughter of the late Colonel Gordon, and niece of Sir Dominic Daly, Governor of AdeWe. She also stated that she had afterwards married a man named Sempriere. It appeared that the Earl o.* Kilmorey had recommended the prisoner's case to the Duke of Edinburgh, after an interview with the prisoner, when she convinced His Lordship thai she was Mrs Sempriere, nee Miss Gordon, and alluded to many things relating to the Royal visit to Adelaide in 1866, and spoke so unreservedly of the late Sir Dominic and Lady Daly, their family, and establishments etc., Lord Kilmorey had expressed an opinion that no impostor could have been so conversant with the facts alluded to. It however transpired upon the subsequent inquiry at the Agent-General's office that the prisoner was a well-known impostor, and that so far from being the niece of Sir Dominic Daly she was only the widow of the head warder of the convict prison at Adelaide, and had been in England for tome years. She had represented that her second husband, Sempriere, was a clerk in a Government office, but no one of that name was known at Government House. In addition to the above misrepresentations, it appeared from the voluminous correspondence submitted to the magistrate for his perusal that the prisoner had represented that she had ai rived from Australia at Alexandria on the 7th of June last, accompanied by her husband and son. She stated that they were on their way to England to place their ton in business, but that on the 11th of June Mr Sempriere and her son crossed the square in Alexandria from their lodgings and were killed by Arabs. The prisoner represented that she had made her escape with people of all nations, arriving in England in November, after being laid up more than three months with brain fever through fright and want of necessaries. Letters were sent to a number of noblemen and others containing these misrepresentations.—The Lord Mayor wa3 appealed to by the prisoner as "the niece of Sir D. Daly, Governor of South Australia, where her happy home was." She asked for assistance until she received a remittance from home, when she would return whatever was advanced to her. From the correspondence, it appeared tbat the prisoner had interviewed Mrs Gladstone, and had received LlO from that lady. Mr Vaughan said the letters before him revealed a tenible state of imposition and fraud, but what he had to deal with on the present occasion was the charge of failing to report. For this offence she would be imprisoned with hard labor for six months, and at the end of that time possibly steps would be taken to prefer other charges against her.

THE PARIS FASHIONS. [From the • Daily Telegraph's' Lady Specia'.] The philosopher who decided the temperature by a graduated scale of materials, and whose valet in the morning was wont to inform him that the thermometer stood at fur pelisse or white ducks, as the case might be, would find it a difficult matter this season to reconcile bis garments to the changefulness of the weather. In the sun his instrument would designate a thin tsxture; remove it into the shade and it would specify another, wintry in its aspect; and he himself, in common with the rest of us, would be sorely to prepare for both alternatives. Sunshine tempers but does not annihilate east wind, and the scorching effect of the one has to be provided against at the same time as the searching keenness of the other. This leads to the most curious anomalies. Women wearing sealskin mantles may be seen with sunshades in their hands, and, while feminine coquetry —the natural outcome of spring brightness—tempts them to adorn their headß with spring millinery, the instinct of self-preservation causes them to retain the warm wraps of midwinter. This contrast is all the more remarkable that the millinery is excessively bright of hue. Seldom, if ever, haß fashion been so gaily disposed. It is satisfied only with the most brilliant of flowers, in which all the most gaudy tints of Nature are intensified, and to these it adds silks, ribbons, and straws dyed in corresponding contrasts, with gold braid, gold beads, gold and colored lace, and what not. Indeed, some of the new bonnets are like the sparrow's nest, composed of "bits and shreds" of a dozen hues and shades, "cunningly interwoven," the smallness of their size alone saving them from obloquy. What shall be said of a bonnet formed loosely out of gilt wire, lined with variegated green and brown messes, edged with a narrow garland of small field poppies, tied with claret-tinted velvet, and further decorated with a posy composed of two large poppies, some gold thistle-down, and green grasses? What, indeed, save that it pales in eccentricity beside the bonnet of green moss, tied into shape by wisps of crimson ribbon, and bearing on its brim a pastoral idyl in the shape of a tiny brown bird and its mate—Madame refreshing herself, after the fatigue of Bitting on the little spotted eggs in the nest hard hy, -with a. peck at the large bunch of scarlet ash berries, and Monsier bee bdant seemingly entertaining her with sympathetic song. It is difficult to make an estimate of the number of copies likely to be made of this particular model. Perhaps only a few women will have the courage to tie it on their heads with the requisite complement of green velvet strings. But others will go to still greater lengths in the way of color. Take the copper-colored capote, for instance; can anything be more dazzling? The straw is smooth and bur-nished-like the pots and pans of a Parisian

kitchen, there is a dainty trimming of iridescent beads on the edge of its open orim, and a handful of dazzling marigolds fills the hiatus which fashion has decreed to leave in the back portion of such capotes. The basket straw hat, dyed Tyrean purple, peacock blue, Bacchanalian crimson, and decorated—the purple perhaps with rich ripe strawberries, the blue with purple and green plums, the crimson with a branch of orange tree laden with yellow, orange, and deep blood red fruit, are all sufficiently startling in their way. Basketwork is the order of the day. I hear that Englishwomen are placing half-baskets among the folds of their ball dresses, for the accommodation of flowers and trailing plants—a fashion that made its appearance here some few seasons back, but has since been discarded, and one of the attractions at a grand fancy fair and ball now being organised in a charitable intent is the costumes of the amateur vendors, each of which is to represent a flower, the bodice being of flowers only, imprisoned in a trellis-work corselet, and figuratively styled corbeille de Jlenrs. This holdß forth almost as pleasant a prospect to the public as Sara Bernhardt disguised as a mummer, and Judic beating the time for Arban's band. But to return to our muttons. Bonnets are not by any means all baskets. Some are made of flowers, with no visible foundation. These, low in the crown and small in the brim, have rather wide strings, and a bow of velvet or other ribbon nestles among the blcfesoms. Wallflowers, stocks, pansies, marigolds, and daisies are suitable for the purpose, and such tree blossoms as acacia, laburnum, elder, ribus lilac, aid double cherry. These bonnets do not require youth as a necessary attribute, whereas a face much past the prime looks out of place beneath one of the peakedbrimmed capotes—of those that fashion has nick-named the "ruffled hen" bonnet, the close quillings of cap border following the upward tendency of the brim bearing a strong resemblance to feathers, much emphasised when the lace is of an e*cru tint, preferred to white as more becoming. However, there are black hen bonnets too, and these need something very brilliant in the way of flowers, cowslips and dandelions finding special favor. The ornamental blossoms for these and other bonnets are not only arranged in the conventional bunch with attendant green which half covers one side of it, but also in close wreaths without leaves, those of the larger flowers, crush roses, carnations, and the like, besides clustered flowers, being placed in a circle round the crown, and the smaller ones in a narrow string of blossoms at the edge of the brim. So are white and golden-hued straws, garlanded with pink or waxen hyacinths, brown or Cyprus green bonnets with crimson-tipped daisies, scarlet field poppies, wheat ears, etc.; for green corn and grpses as well as seeds and berries are iuc'aded in the fashionable flora. The contrast is great between such flowerdecked head gear aud the newest inventiou of the milliner, an Anne Boleyn cap, edged with large pearls and made up of cloth of gold and velvet. But contrast is the very essence of la mode this season. Dressmakers revel in contrasts. The fashionable shot silks provide them with a convenient vehicle for mixing two, if not three, colors. An elegant Parisian, renowned for chic, is described as wearing a Louis XV. coat of dove-colored chiselled velvet, shot with pink, over flounced dovecolored silk, shot with old gold. Felix is very happy in his management of materials that approach so nearly to the fairy tisse3 of which "Peau d'Ane's" famous robe couleur du temps and manteau couleur de soleil were made. He makes charming gowns of electric blue shot with old gold and brocaded with sapphire in spots and other devices; natty, be-frilled mantles, in tamer contrasts, borrowed from the pigeon's plumage, and elegant pelisse-like garments, renewed from our grandmothers' youth, in soft tints of azure and pink combined, as in the hollow of a pearl oyster shell. The plain Bilks of evening, too, are glace, and there are quiltings of many colors and shaded silks on some of the rich habits and Carmargo tunics, made of eighteenth century brocade. At the same time, lam well pleased to find that superabundance of iournure is not an eccentricity favored by this special authority, which is good news, and lessens the probabilities of future crinoline. As for the train robes, they fall in long uninterrupted folds from the pouf (formed by the draping of the material back from the sides) to the limit of the long trailing tip, severe in its untrimmed simplicity of outline, though sufficiently rich by reason of the splendor of its pattern. Short gowns need a little more support behind, especially when the forms chosen are those of the Louis XV. tunic or the Camargo, as the effect of a tucked-up skirt or train has to be given. It is to be hoped, however, that Parisians are beginning to see the dangers of the road in which they were travelling and to stay themselves in time, and yet it would seem they have been outstripped in the race by our English countrywomen. To put the daily Press to the ignoble purpose of a dress improver—rumor says that the ample sheets of this journal have rendered good service—has certainly not been attempted here. The eccentricities of which the designers of materials are guilty are more numerous than ever. I remember the excitement that the first Greenaway sateens produced. Now, the picture-book gowns have grown quite common —hunts, Watteau pastorals, Noah's Ark, Japanese subjects, landscapes, nothing comes amiss. Satins are brocaded with flights of peacocks, birds of paradise, and swallows. This is a well-beaten track. There are greater novelties in the shape of woollens, in veiling with broad, indistinct patterns, geometric or scroll-work, that have the appearance of being worn on the wrong side, and woollen damasks reproducing flowers in bright and light colors on dark grounds. The flowers are excellently well rendered, some large bunches of crimson poppies and white daisies, with grasses, on a fawn-colored ground, look as if they had been painted by no unskilful hand. Besides these there is the canvas or bunting damask, its thin, cream-colored texture woven with grotesque devices of a Gothic order of art. Such materials are not easy to arrange. When they compose the tunic this must be long and simply draped ; for skirts they are best made rather full, turned up and gathered at the bottom upon a foundation trimmed with a series of silken frills. The pattern ought not in extreme cases of size to extend to the bodice. Of another order of ideas altogether are the cashmeres embroidered in cross-stitch, in small conventional patterns like the chasing in Renaissance work. I have seen short plain skirts entirely worked over in this way in dull red and blue on dove color, the tunic being a deep Henry 11. bouillonne of plain dovecolored cashmere. To the favored series of spots, varying in size from a pea to a crownpiece, are added rings of color, which have the advantage of being Jess conspicuous when large. Dark blue foulard covered with big rings of bright scarlet makes a gown by no means wanting in elegance when draped with bunches of blue ribbons backed with scarlet; and by outlining the scrolls on black matelasse" gauze with crimson or strawberry-red some very pretty effects are obtained. Small scarf-like mantles may be composed of this gauze, and trimmed with ruchings of black Chahtilly lace. To fit such mantles for the festive occasion of a garden party, wedding, or fancy fair, it is merely necessary to add a large bouquet of roses on the left shoulder.