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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1890-6-26, Page 2A Politioal Par. A politican'loved a maid, Aud, for his delectation, o Y is Taught her the theory of . free t a , And•bow to run the nation„ She listened with au ardent zeal To all her lover told her, Till her fond interest made him feel $ I:inboldenedto be bolder, And so one moonlight eve be popped Tbo one momentous question.. Her heart its boating almost stopped Just at tho bare suggestion Qf matrimonial joys, but soon Sbelownocl his love requittod And so beneath the silver moon Their troth the lovers plighted, Then said the statesman s " Tell me, now, My precious darling, whether You know tbo meaning of the vow That we have sworn together." With a e1y blush, she whispered then "To me its meaning this is Protection—from all other men ; With you—free trade, in kisses," 4ox, ADOPTED BY THE DEAN, A TALE OF TWO 00IINTRIES. When she went down to her husband in the drawing -room, she could not resist giving vent to her feelings about the Collin. sons, and Rilohester people in general, who, by their senseless want of tact and (sympathy, had given the poor ohild such a bad idea of English people. " Your patriotic soul is grieved, eh, Kate ? " said Sir Henry, smiling. " Well, I really don't think it is fair. The dean is a kind-hearted man—at least you are always saying so, bat why does he not see to this child ? They will rain her soon, if he does not descend from his celestial heights." " Don't speak evil of dignitaries, my dear." ." I can't help it, I never did like Dean Collinson, and I never shall. In this, as in everything else, he seems to me blindly selfish. I can't see why any man, however clever he may be, should receive an enor- mous salary for doing nothing in the world except looking through his own telescope." " Shocking 1 shocking ! " said Sir Henry, but he laughed, nevertheless. " Well, Kate, you are a wonderful woman, and in time I dare say you will reform Rilohester, but I very much doubt if you will sever,the dean and his hobby, or rouse him to a sense of hie duties." And even hopeful and enterprising Lady Worshington fully acquiesced. CHAPTER XX. Eeperanoe went back to Rilohester really the better for her visit to the Worthingtons, and with a desire to make the beet of everything at the deanery. She was far brighter than the had been before, and made honest efforts to love her cousins, and though she was daily in despair over her failures the endeavor was doing her great good. Nor was she by any means destitute of pleasures. Frances Neville lent her books, took her for drives in her little pony. carriage, and talked in French as mnoh as she pleased. Mrs. Mortlake, it is true, was fond of making unpleasant allusions to Esperanoe's "new friend," and Cornelia indulged in a few sarcasms at her expense, bat Esperanoe could endure this as long as she was allowed still to see Frances. Sem after Christmas, Bella had a sharp attack of bronchitis), and was so much pall .d down by it that as soon as the mild February days began it was deoided that she e'Ionid be taken to the south. Accord- ingly .Ire. Mortlake, with Eeperanoe as a compinion and help, went down to Bourne- mouth with the fractions little invalid. It was not a lively prospect certainly, and Esp. ranee regretted leaving Rilohester while the Worthington,, were still at home, knowing that by the time they returned in the spring, the Hall would be empty and deserted. Had it not been for the delioione sea air, and the change of scene, she could hardly have borne the ceaseless fret of her Iife. Bella was both ones and trouble- some, and Mrs. Mortlake being anxious and harassed, and at times rather dull, was more fault-finding and wearisome than usual. 1~ ranoee Neville's good counsels, and still more her example, was however fresh in Esperance's mind, and she struggled hard against the despondency and fretfulness which were now her ohief temptations, and at last her reward name. Toward the end of their stay at Bournemouth, one rainy, dismal afternoon, when Bella had been more provoking than ever, a letter arrived from Dean Collinson to Mrs. Mortlake, with news which made Esperanoe almost frantic with delight. " My father proposes meeting us in Lon- don," said Mrs. Mortlake, calmly. " He says ; " Cornelia and I intend to come up to town next Tuesday, the day you fixed for your return, and if you will leave Bourne - math by an early train, I will see you torose -London; in the afternoon we have an engagement. Cornelia suggests that your cousin might like to see her brother on the way through, in which case she can return with ns) by a later train: " Eeperanoe uttered half a dozen exola mation in French—then, recovering her menses, went on more quietly in English. " How very good of them to think of it. To aee Gaspard once more ! and so soon, too, scarcely a week ; it seems too good to be true ! " It will be very tiresome for me to have to take Bella home all alone," said Mrs. Mortlake, " you have no consideration." Luckily, Esperance's delight was too deep to be mach affected by this wet blanket, nor did she suffer from any pange of conscience at her desertion of Bella— Gaspard mud stand first ; and she was in enoh spirits), that she even turned Mrs. Mortlake's complaint into a sort of corepli- ment, and rnade heraelf half believe that she liked it. How long that week seemed 1 Yet the anticipation was so delightful that she could afford to wait patiently, and she went about the house with such a radiant face, that Mrs. Mortlake, in spite of herself, was touched. At length the great day came. Early in the morning the first start was made, and without a shadow of regret -her heart was too full of joy for that--Esperance bade farewell to Bournemouth, to the sea, to the pine mode, to the Banda, and, in an eoetaay of happinees, counted the minutes till their arrived. It was airing to be met by snoh quiet, nnintereeted people as the dean and Cor- nelia, and a little hard to be quite attentive enough to cloaks and umbrellas. But at length all was happily over, the drive ao. London accomplished, and Mre. rose li, : `Mortlake lett with Cornelia at the station to await her train, while the dash Himself escorted Es erance to Gaspard's rooms. p Perhaps s had she not been so happy, she Would have oared more about the baker's ohopp , and the shabby lodgings which would hook her uncle; t probably a but she had.... p y not a thought to spare for any one but Gas- pard, and sprang from the cab without the ee running into the lead diffiden oho it pea with r 1 , a p 412 ispeeed to shake hands with the landlady, slad leading the asoAialled and dismaye d dean up the dark, narrow atairoaso. In loather moment a door on the first Landing ' wan cfaickly opened, and Eeperanoe,with a or of joy, flew into Gaspard's arms, while thel , dean shading his eyes with his hand, looked on bewildered, but half tonohed.. Eeperanoe soon remembered her uncle, and disengaging herself from Gaspard's embrace, turned to him with an apologeeio, wistful glance. " Forgive me for keeping you waiting, uncle ; I ought to introduce Gaspard to you." The dean held out his hand, muttered something polite, and was taken into the dingy little room, which Esperance remem- bered so well, but looked far more, shabby and comfortless than in her time.. No sooner had she turned to feast her Gyms with the sight of Gaspard, however, than her happiness was suddenly ohilled, for he was looking very ill, pale, and worn, and frightfully thin, while the soar on hie cheek added to the ghastliness of ibe whole fade. She could not help oontraating him with the sleek, comfortable, well•to-do dean who took everything so easily, and found life so pleasant. Apparently, however, he was not quite at hie ease now, for be moved his hat nervously between his hands, and seemed to find conversation a difficulty, eo Eeperanoe thought at least, for Gaspard, in very good Engiieb, did almost all the talking, while she counted from the dean six consecutive remarks of " Oh, iadeed." He rose to go very soon, to her relief, Gaspard promising to bring her to the atation in time for the 5.45 express, and escorting his guest to the door, with a grave dignity, which reminded Eeperanoe of her father. She grudged the interruption, and waited impatiently till he returned. " Ten minutes out of our precioue time," she said, half petulantly, as after a few parting words with the dean, Gaspard harried upstairs. " What were you saying to him 2 " " Only a little gratitude, which I couldn't bring myself to with you near, my precious bien.aimee. What a delight it is to have you 1 Let me have a good look at you!" Each surveyed the other in silence. Gas• pard was apparently well satisfied, for the " Mariana " look which he had feared, was not there ; but Esperance, atter a moment, hid her face on his shoulder and burst into tears. " Cherie, what is it ? " he asked, full of concern. " Are you unhappy at Rilohester ? is anything wrong ? " " It is not that," she sobbed. " But, oh, Gaspard, you can't think how ill you look!" " Is that all ?" he said, laughing. " Dont break your heart over such trifles—do let ns enjoy ourselves in the few hours we have together." She made an unsuccessful effort to check her sobs, and he, fearing that his attempt to turn away from the subject had wounded her, returned to it. " Mon amie, it is very pleasant to be thought for, and spoiled onoe more, but yon must not really think I am i11. It is not half so trying as lite dating the siege, and the quality of the food is muah better— thinness is natural to the family." " But tell me, Gaspard, are you really living still without meat? " asked Esper- anoe, with an earnestness which made him laugh. ," Yee, I am turned vegetarian, teetotaler, and all sorts of virtuous things." " And at the deanery," exolaimed Esper- anoe, passionately, " even Bella's wretched little oat has meat every day." Gaspard laughed uncontrollably, and Eeperanoe, seeing the ludicrous side of her remark, at length joined him. " Poor Bismarck ! don't you think you could take him back with you to that happy place ; he ie not half so well need." " If only you were there." " What 1 to eat those terrible breakfasts at eight o'alook, and those joints of meat, which yon desoribed to me with such horror ? Have you forgotten what hap- pened when "" Autrefois le rat de ville Ivita len rat des champs ? ' You would find me sighing for Bismarck and my eau sacra by the end of the first day" Esperanoe was Boon talked back to cheerfulness, and relieved Gaspard greatly by the account she gave of herself, and of the kindness Lady Worthington and Miss Neville had shown her. She wisely refrained from showing the darker side of her lite at the deanery, anxione, as far as possible, to make him easy about her. " Your funds must want repleniehing," said Gaspard, when he had heared all she had to tell of her present life. " How have you managed to get on ? " " Oh, I have done very well," said Esper- anoe, " and I don't want anything yet. I have been making up some of my old oolored dresses this spring." " But, cherie, you can't have existed for ten months on that sovereign I gave you Met June and yet have such a nioe turn -out." " Yon men know nothing whatever about such things," said Eeperanoe, laughing gayly. " That sovereign lasted me till Christmas, and then, luckily, uncle gave me another as a Christmas present, and that is to but another six. months. Then besides, some one sent me three pairs of gloves as a valentine, eo now you know all my resources. The idea of my having any- thing from you 1 What do you take me for, Gaspard 2 " " For a very wonderful little manager,". geld Gaspard, smiling. " Bat, seriously, it will be the greatest help to me, for, as you know, money is not too abundant, nor likely to be." " I used to hope that poor Monsieur Lemeraier would somehow come miraonl- mealy to the rescue, and find that our lessee had not, after all been so great. Have you heard from him lately, Gaspard 2 " " No, not from him, but from madame," replied Gaspard, sadly. Then, as Esper- ante looked up inquiringly, " I wanted you not to hear of it, cheek, bat einoe you have asked that cannot be. Poor Monsieur Lomercier was arrested as a Communist." 'i He was not shot ! " .exclaimed Esper. twee, horrorstruck. " No, no ; that he did escape, though poor madame was kept in suspense for some time. He is transported for life." " Poor monsieur 1 Oh, I ani so grieved for him 1 Do you not remember, Gaepard, how earnest—almost noble—he looked when he wished no good-bye ?-how hopeful he was about the Commune ! " Gaspard gave a heavy sigh.' " Poor Lemeroier 1 if ever a man meant well, he did. Well, oherie, if it had not been for yon,I might perhaps have been with him, and the disgrace of that would be worse than starving here." The words slipped from him inadver- tently. Esperanoe' shuddered, bat took no notice of them, fearing to rex him. " And poor madame?" she asked, after a brief silence. " it is some months since I had her latter ; she was in France, then but bent on working r n her wayout to him. O the are ruined for Monaienr Lem (mune oior Y ,er er never had a notion of saving, so abewas looking out for a situation as governess." "Poor madame 1 how cad for her l But She fs brave and goodhearted ; aIle will join monsieur before long, without doubt. Oh, Gaspard, how I wish I were old enough to go out as a governess, then I 'could help yea, perhaps." " Yon do that already by your eoonomy; besides, I am not in despair yet. I have heard, it said, ,that >,f work is honestly wished for, and really Bought, it comae sooner,or later." " But in the; meantime ?" said Esper- anoe, with a quiver in her voice. " We most endure, Cherie, and trust in God." Hie tones were grave and low, and Esper- anoe, in spite of a a thrill of happiness, was awed by thein. She was more and more reminded of her father, and though her heart oohed when she thought of Gaspard's sufferinge, there was comfort in fleeing how good was being brought out of evil. A year ago he had been miserable and depressed out of heart with himself, and in every way unsettled now, notwithstanding his troubles, he was more hopeful, and more bravely patient, while Eeperanoe was con• alone ot a certain growth and expansion of his whole character, which, though she could not in the least fathom it, enabled her to lean where she had before upheld, and to reverence where she had simply loved. The clock struck five all too soon ; and when Gaspard spoke of preparing for the start, a terrible yearning to stay with him almost overmastered her. To go bank to the weary, struggling, scolding lite at Rile Chester, after the short respite, seemed almost unbearable, and had it not been for her anxiety to leave Gaspard well satisfied with her comfort and happiness, she must have given way. Bat the loving little deception helped her, and she kept up bravely. Just at the last the landlady, who had been very fond of her, brought up some coffee, whioh she begged ma'meelle to accept ; and Esperanoe, who bad tasted nothing since the morning, made an effort to be grateful, drove back her tears, and managed to swallow some of it, and to talk to the good.natured woman. In spite of her dread of leaving Gaspard, she almost looked forward to the time when she might allow herself to break down, the torture of this prolonged parting was worse than anything, and it was really a kind of relief when they set out for the station. They found Cornelia and the dean walking up and down the platform, and Esperanoe rather enjoyed introducing Gas- pard to her cousin. Cornelia, who had from the first been much more desirous to help Gaspard than to adopt his sister, was evidently struck with him, talked with him, at first patroni• zingly, but soon with real cordiality, and showed her best side, while Eeperanoe was unselfish enough to be thankful that her little plot was thus aided. Gaspard'e last words, spoken rapidly in French, proved how successful she had been. " Good-bye, mon mar, if you knew the unutterable comfort it is to see you these well taken care of 1 " He was satisfied ; a care was taken off his mind ; it was well 1 but as the train moved slowly off, and the necessity for restrain woe no longer felt, an agony of loneliness overwhelmed the poor child. Would it have been better, she wondered, if she had told all her troubles to Gaepard and gained that sympathy for which she wee craving ? Was she right to let him think she was happy and contented, when in truth she was miserable ? And yet those thankful words at parting were worth suffering for ; it she had denied herself the relief of a complete outpouring of her heart, it had at leant gained peace of mind for him, her self-control gave way, and the long pent.up tears buret forth as ehe thought of the many privations he had tried unauccessfnlly to hide from her. The dean was engrossed in his newepaper at the further end of the carriage ; more- over, he was a little deaf ; but from the all - observing Cornelia nothing could be con- cealed. She had been prepared for a few natural tears, but when the long -drawn, quivering sobs continued, and even grew more violent, she thonght it time to inter. fere, and began a low.toned but deoided remonstrance. " My dear Esperance do control your- self ; it is so childish to go on this way; you weaken your whole character by it." It was very true, no doubt, but she was past being reasoned with—what did her character signify when Gaspard was starv- ing? So she sobbed on, while Cornelia aoolded without any effect, until at last, alarmed at the increasing paleness of Esperance's face, she asked suddenly the matte-of-faot question, " Have you had any dinner ? " A half -impatient " No" was the answer. " What 1 nothing at all einoe the morn. ing?" " Some ooffee," sobbed Eeperanoe, still impatiently. " You foolish child, then of course yon are faint with hanger. Why can't you take proper care of yourself 2 " " Do you think I would rather bear that than take anything from Gaspard 2 " said Esperance, indignation for a moment checking her tears. " Yon rich people have no conception what real poverty means 1 Would you have me take oare of myself, when he has been starving for months on bread and eau sucre ? " " Is that really a fent 2 " asked Cornelia, greatly ehooked, while the dean, hearing an unusual noise, looked up from his • paper, and bent forward to listen. Eeperanoe was jest sufficiently alive to feel that a crisis had come ; with an effort she raised her. self, grasped the arm of the seat, and chok- ing back her tears, said, " I have done wrong, Cornelia ; he would not wish any one to know of his privations ; pray forget what I said." " I can make no snoh promise," said Cornelia, ooldly; " besides, if, as I infer, this is really true, it is not a think to be forgotten." Esperance had fallen bath to her former position, but through her tears Cornelia caught the words, " He would not like— more obligations." Perhaps her vexation at this accounted for the very severe way in which she administered wine from a Seek to Esper• anoe. " Now pray drink this and stop crying at once ; if yon had a tithe of your brother's powers of endurance, this would not have happened." It was certainly neither oompiimentary nor consoling, but Esperance's loving nature was more pleased by the reference to Gaspard's virtues, than stung by the reproach to hermit. She swallowed the wine, revived a little, dried her eyea, and cowered down into her corner, where she soon fell asleep. Cornelia sat watching her gravely; eters and unsympathetic as she had seemed, her heart was really tonohed, and Esperanoe'e outburst, with its pride and pathos, had awakened her compassion, She was genuinely sorry for the poor child, but to let this appear in word or deed seemed to her impossible, and after the salutary scolding she had adminiatered, she would have deemed it mere weakness to change her tactics; eo that it was not until Es er- onoe was fast asleep, that she r didunbind her oloakstrraps, and spread a warm, shawl over her. , eat beside the Then she moved to the e dean, and began, in her business -like way, "Father, I wish yeti wotild help that poor boy to some work,: he looks no ill. Do you not know ot'aomething he could do in RS, cheater 2 Did I not hear that the librarian wanted some copying done? " "'CG'e do not want himat Biloheator," said the dean, t little sharply. " I have had foreigners to my house onoe too often; we don't want your poor Stint Amy's story acted over again.'. „ Bertha 1 ' exolaimed Cornelia, ". oh 1 that could never be ; he is a mere boy, top." t' A thorough. De Mabillon," said the dean, " The very image of hie father, manners and all ; a substratum of pride, then a coating of dignity, and over all that, deeteste,bie French polish. Pahaw l why can't a man be plain spoken 1 I hate palaver." Cornelia smiled at her father's unwonted energy. " But you would scarcely wish to leave even a Frenchman to starve, and I am afraid it has nearly come to that with Gam pard de filabillon." " My dear Cornelia, you are quite mis. taken if you think I am going to adopt both Monsieur de Mabillon'e children. I have taken in the little girl for your poor aunt's sake, but farther than that I will not go." " So her firstborn must starve, becanse of that limit you put upon your good -will," said Cornelia, with more eercaem than respeot. The dean shifted about uneasily, looking thoroughly miserable. To be forced to talk of anything but the heavenly bodies, wae a pain and grief to him at any time, bnt when the earthy bodies under dispute happened to be De Mabillons, hie wretched- ness was complete, for he had never forgiven M. de lt'labillon, and yet he was ashamed to remember that be had not done so. " What can I do for him ? " he asked at length, galled by the aonscionsnese of this nnrepented, yet would-be forgotten sin. Cornelia had been thinking deeply for some minutes, and her anewer was ready sooner than the dean cared for. " I have been thinking, father, could you not write to Mr. Seymour ? " " How do you know that the young man has any liking for ooffee planting ? " ques- tioned the dean, glad of an excuse. " I fanny be has a liking for anything that will give him bread, poor fellow. Mr. Seymour's furlough will be over soon, I should think, and it he knows of any open• ing for him in Ceylon, they might go oat together." " And pray who is to bear the coat of the premium 2 " " Let us wait till we know there is a premium to pay," said Cornelia, oom- posedly, and there she allowed the oonver• elation to rest, satisfied that she had gained her point. The dean soon forget his vexation in sleep, and Cornelia sat mussing, while the silence wae only broken by a little half sob from Esperanoe now and then. Cornelia watched her apprehensively, hoping that she had heard nothing of what had passed, and wondering how the new idea world please her. On the whole, in spite of her apparent contempt, she was nearer liking her than she had ever been before, and even betrayed no irritation when, on arriving at Rilohester, Esperance awoke confused and weary, and persisted in speaking French. (To be continued). India's Leading Ports. I have received from India an interesting statement respecting the position and pro- gress of the five leading India'porte— namely, Bombay, Calcutta, Rangoon, Mediae and Kurraohee. It appears that Calcutta progresses more slowly than any of the others, while Bombay, in epite of the growth of Indian trade, preserves her position not only in relation to the others but to the whole trade of India. It ab. sorbs between 43 and 45 per cent. of the total trade, although its neighbor, Knr- raohee, ie growing rapidly. The latter is the port for the Panjanb, and at present has less than 5 per cent. of the whole trade. The trade of Calontta increases ab- solutely,thoagh relatively the proportion declines. In 1884 this proportion was 37 per cent. of the whole, while in 1889 it was down to 34. Rangoon ranks third in im- portance, with a steadily increasing trade, and Madras fourth. Calcutta, it is sag- gested,suffers on remount of its distance from the sea and the nature of the naviga• tion of the Hoogly. In consequence of the development of the railways in India also, trade has a tendenoy to collect in Bombay, which is nearer to the great import and export market of Europe, while on account of the phenomenal development of its, cot- ton industry it is simultaneously becoming the principal port in India for the trade of China and the far east. Rangoon, also, ie becoming more and more. a port for the trade of Burmah, although Akyab must always remain a great rine port and Moulmein an important centre 'per the timber trade.—Glasgow Herald. The Phylloxera Dying Ont. It is something to know that the pbyl. loxera is believed by competent judges to have done his worst. One hundred and fifty thousand mores of vinyards are still more or less infested with this noxious worm ; but generally the vine -growing districts are recovering from his ravages, thanks to remedies that have come into use. Meanwhile, the area of fresh plantations of American vines, either producing direct or grafted on French vines, is rapidly inoreae- ing. On the other aide of the account another pest called the 000bylie, or vine worm, which attacks the flowers of the plant, is reported to have exacted tribute in the Gironde equal to 40,000,000 gallons of wine. Miss Ormerod will, perhaps, be able to tell ns how this new enemy is to be dealt with.—London Daily News. Napoleon and Victoria. One of the reminiscences which the Queen loves to recall ie of the time when Louis Napoleon was her guest aboard the royal yacht Vittoria and Albert. The French monarch praised the sumptuous furnishings of the vessel, and oonfeseed that he had never felt able to afford so great a luxury. " Bat for you, madam," said he, gallantly, " yon are the Queen of the seas 1" This compliment tiokled the Queen mightily. The title was a new one, and it hit her fanoy.—Eugene Field. The Clove Cure. She was talking confidentially to her bosom friend. " Now that we are married," she seed. "John has stopped drinking entirely. I have not deteoted the odor of liquor about him einoe oar wedding day." Was it difficult for him to atop 2" in. gaired the bosom friend. " Oh, no ; not at all. He jest eats cloves. He says that is a certain cure." George e Eliot used to have printed g onthe top of her letter paper: "Yon are par- ticularly requested to burn tbie letter when rea:' Sarah Bernhardt gays that all her ill. get nausea came from y 1 ting angry, Some injustice, some stupidity or ingratitude on the park of those by whom sheds our. rounded throws her into a violent it of anger, for wbioh she has to pay by a sick. nee, of a few days. The. Montreal Conference sitting in Ottawaeeterda reoomm n �' y e dad the estab- lishment of a Connexional Fire Inenranoe Company. George Washington Butterfield, an American, has aned the London i+'inanCiat 14''etae for £200,000 damages for allegedlibele MAKING AIONnT.. The British mint made a net profit of £780,691 on coinage last year, or more than £50,000 in exoess of the .combined net profits of seventeen years before. Shyer bullion wag purchased at 42 13.16d, per Ounce, and issued in coin at 66d. Per ounce,' There was also a profit on the gold and the bronze coinage: Lately the price of "silver bullion has gone np, eo that a similar profit Cannot be again expected. This, however, will not be an unmixed evil. Mr. Fre. mantle, in a former report, called etten• thou to the grave and increasing danger resulting from the excessive diaproportion between the value of coined and of un - coined silver. The fraudulent coiner who uses base metal can be detected with nom. parative ease. When he uses genuine silver and puts a stamp upon it which tnrne 43d. into 66d., his coins will peas anneal and will etand any teat wbioh can be applied to them, while hie gain on the transaction will be as large as be could reasonably wish -quite large enough to stimulate his exertions. lYlr. Fremantle was not sure to what extent this half. honest false money had already got into circulation. He does not recur to the sub- ject in his report for 1889, but be mentions facts which prove conclusively that the old danger has not yet been dispelled. The exceptional profit of the Mint for the past year has come very opportunely. If there is a gain from coinage in one way, there is no less certain loss in another way. The gain may recur—the experience of past years shows that it is not to be depended upon. The lose from the wear and tear of money in use will beyond doubt continue. It has now reaohed a very formidable amount. According to the best estimate whioh Mr. Fremantle can form, the entire gold coinage in circulation in the country is £102,500,000, made up of 80,000,000 sovereigns and of 45,000,000 half-sovereigne. It bas been calculated that out of this whole number, nearly half the sovereigns are so defective in weight as to be light aoaording to the Mint standard ; and that of the half -sovereigns more than seven - tenths are light. Oa the basis of these figures, the immediate cost of withdrawing light sovereigns from circulation ie set down at £442,920 ; of withdrawing light half- eovereigne, at £361,470. When this has been done, there will still remain the coat of making provision for yearly wear and tear. A sovereign becomes light in about nineteen years ; a half 'sovereign in about nine years. The annual loge on the neces- sary amount of reooinage ie thus shown to be, the entire charge of keeping the gold coin- age at full weight. Something has been done already by the calling in of pre-Vio- torian light gold. Coin of this description has been received at the Bank of England and has been withdrawn from circulation to a nominal value of £1,944,000, or, since the difference between the nominal and real value has been borne by the State, at a total loos of £40,493, as judged by the actual as compared with the legitimate weight. But there was a farther loss when the gold came to be recoined. The old money was very dirty, and, when It was weighed, the dirt adhering to it was counted as so much gold—a mistake whish had to be rectified when it name into the hands of the Mint. It was also somewhat below the right standard of fineness. ' The total loss on the withdrawal of light pre•Viotorian gold in the United Kingdom has thus proved to he £42,922, the average defioienoy on eaoh pound having been 5.2994. The coinage of the present reign will, of oonrse, be more nearly of full weight ; but much of it has been long in oiroulation, as there has been no general re-ooinage attempted since 1842 45, when about £14,000,000 of light coin was withdrawn. They Play Baseball at Tokyo. Rev. C. C. Cooking, a returned.miseion• ary from Japan, gave en interesting account of Japanese enetome and character. The World learned among other things that Tokyo is blessed with gas, eleotrio light and baseball matches. There is a suspicion growing, Mr. Cooking nye, that Missionary Large was not murdered by thieves, but by some desirous of revenge. It is well. kuown that Mrs. Large received several threatening lettere from people who wished to get hold of a little portege of here for immoral purposes. The little girl was adopted by Mrs. Large some years ago at the earnest request of the dying father and has been on every occasion courageously pro- tected. The worst element to contend with is the political party called the " Sosbay," whose adherents are composed chiefly of yonng Buddhists. From some of these it is feared Rev. Mr. Large Dame to his death, as they have recently threatened many of the missionaries. The govern- ment and educated olaesee, however, are making every effort to put down dieter - winces, and although Prof. Summer was the victim of a murderous assault not long ago the prospect is not at all serious.- Toronto World. His Wonderful Vision. Brown—Did the landlord see the leak in the roof ? Mrs. Brown—No ; bat he saw the pane of glass Johnnie broke. Socias Item froth Shycargo. " Have yon been invited to Mrs. de Bronson's divorce on Friday 2" " No; only the intimate friends are in- vited to that—but I got cards for her mar- riage to Gen. Henderson on Friday next." —Life. An Opportunity. He (to heiress)—They tell me your father has a large heart 2 She -Yes, he has the heart disease. He—I love you. Sometimes It Is Late. Editor (looking at hie watob)—The paper not gone to press yet. What is the matter ? Foreman -The Nihilists' daily threat to the Czar hasn't come in yet. ----:ter—. A Glaring Defect. Editor (to new reporter) -In this article about continental affairs there is one im• portant omission. Reporter -What is that, sir 2 Editor—Yon do not nae the expreeeion On the chese.board of European politics.' Williamaldor t W t Astor has employed artiste at an expense of something like $10,000 to illustrate ono copy of each of his novels. These copies form a private edition de luxe, eaoh one being labeled "My Pergonal Copy, ' and occupy a prominent place in his library. Empress Augusta left Queen Victoria a splendid gold bracelet containing the words " For ever" set in precious atones. Recorder Smyth is one of the bestpaid officers in New York. He is acid to e in receipt o f salar.i. salaries aggregating $19;000 a year, ieiolnding an allowance of $2,000 for office rent. Elia salary at judge is $12,000. Ted—Elia isa singular' gular absence. Ned— Plural, you mean. He ran off With another fellow's wife. Miss Alford, a nieeo of the celebrated Dean Alford, has won firot place in the clhtetoai tripe at Cambridge. 1 TEA.'1?ABLD GOSSIP Test o118EnvAN'r DEAaoN• I've noticed, when I've paestsed the plate around, Tho girls look as) ew'est sbokiug doves ; I've, also nota ed oo ers alwa a fall. Frani bands dorso ug in wenty-shilling gloves. going --Everything,ie oin to hearts iipe jewelry. toasted 0—Lambidle.chops want to be served with. —The toughest ball players) chew gam as aseiduoaely as any dude. —Mutton chops fried in bread °ramble, like oystere, are a fine thing. — Some ot the Bummer girls will wear masculine blazers with their titian shirts. There are some people in this world Who take great pains To make their fellow -men believe' That lungs are brains. — Do you ever take good black pepper on. your strawberries 2 It's the lateet gastro- noneio fad. " —The enumerator (tnrning back)—One question more, Mr. Blank. " Well, out with it 1" " Are you single or bald headed 2" —The big, big fish story and the news- paper circulation liar get in their work on a suffering public with the advent hot weather, —Ah New York, New Haven ea Hartford Railway policeman used his club on a man whose language had offended him, and a, jury taxed the road $6,500 damages therefor. —Mc. Hayseed (stopping at door of seat nary room, Museum of Art)—I wonder what's in here? Mrs. Hayseed (hastily)—Hush 1 Come on 1 They ain't got them gals ready for exhibition yet. —Johnny—Mamma, what's the use of keeping the whip you use on me behind the motto, "God bless our home? " Mamma, —Can you suggest a better place? Johnny—Yes ; put it behind the motto " L need thee every hour." —A lady patient is under treatment in a New York hospital for "acromegaly." This means that the bones never cease to grow, and the victim becomes distended to an enormous size. She now weighs 195. lbs. and is very spare in flesh. —A Rockwood Justice fined a man $IO for violating the Hawkers' and Pedlars° by-law by taking orders for clothes to be made to measure. Judge Drew, ot Guelph. bas quashed the conviction and eaddled the. complainant with all the costa. —A Philadelphia magistrate keeps hia cellar filled with chickens to accommodate, Chinamen who swear on the blood of ak freshly slain bird. Though Adam and Eve were full young to wed. They managed the matter quite well ; No arrangements were made, there was no vaitt No reporters the story to tell. Their wedding was quiet lee quiet could be, They 000koa no provisions to waste, And to wed in a garden among the green trees Was surely the height of good taste. —" The beantifnl women of the world " are requested, in a oironlar, to send their photographs to the Baroness Stara von der Deokler at Tiflis. These will be examined by a committee of artists, and those selected will be put in an album with tha title : " Types of Female Beauty of the Last Years of the Nineteenth Century."' Then the album will be sent to the Moscow alneenm. The cheapest way would be to send the album to Hamilton to be filled. THE HENPECKED DEACON. " Awake 1 arise 1" the parson said, In thunderous, rolling tones, Which startled from his slumbers deep The pious Deacon Jones, " All right, all right, my dear Mariar 1" Said he between his snores ; " I'll be down direct to build the fire And do the mornin' chores." —The May fire losses in the U. S. and Canada are reported at $8,838,100. The total for the first five months of 1890 is $42,156,245—over $14,000,000 less than for the same term last year. UNAPPROACHABLE. The dazzling scintiltatlon Of the stellar agcregation And the flame that lights the opal's evil eye Pale beside the coruscation Of that grand illumination, The hotel clerk with a diamond in his tie. — Mise Sara • Jeanette Duncan, well known to Canadian newepaper readers, was one of those presented to Her -Majesty by Lady Knuteford at a recent "drawing. room. The lady is better known in Canada as "Garth Grafton." — A steamer just arrived at Halifax passed a procession of ioebrge 150 miles long. Times are so hot on the Nova Scotia coast jest now that the nimble -footed. bergs doubtless thonght it the part of wisdom to take counsel of discretion and akin. —The Kingston Canadian Order of Foresters chartered a boat to take visiting delegates for a trip among the Thousan Islands. She was an American bottom and floated the British flag at her bows and the U. S. flag at her stern. Lient.- Col. Cotton refused to allow the band to go on board unless the U. S. flag was pulled down. Tbie was, of oonrse, refused, the Foresters joining in saying the flag must stay up, and His Mightinees and hie band: was left on shore. Failure of a Floating Exhibition. The plan of sending a fioating,exhibition to the ports of the world is said not to have been a success. " That, at least, has been the experience of those who sent out a large steamer, formerly British, but now under the Spanish flag, which was loaded with samples of Spanish goods and products with a view to obtaining orders in South America. Her movements, both in Spanish and American ports, were attended with delays and difficulties, which are supposed to have been owing partly to bad manage- ment and partly to want of funds." Almost a Hint. Gentleman Visitor—It Beeme to me that I have foreotten something. Lady—Yes, yon' have forgotten to go liome. Sam Small, the vangelist, has been elected President of the Methodist univer- sity of Ogden, Utah. He will remove hie family there and make Ogden his future home, severing hie oonneotion with the Sonthren Methodiet Conference and affiliating with the Northern Methodists. The De Rinke brothers, Jean the tenor, and Edward the basso, demand high prices. The former wants 10,000 franca per night,. and the latter 5,000 to sing in America. Gileo-What will yon do if ehe doesn't like the lines you have written in hat album ? Tubbs Enclate them in quota- tion marks. Magazine Editor, to sub—You'll have to leave oat your literary notes on account of the pressure on our art department. Sub—; - Another portrait of Lincoln ? Editor No—three new soap advertisements. Sir Percyder Anderson, neon, the British re ray, flat tive in the i p - e a African boundary negokla- tions, hbe gone to Berlin. Rev. R. H. MoDondd, D. D., of Cali fornix, eaye that etatistioe above that the liquor traffic causes at leapt 90er eons. � ot the pauperism and oxime in the city and County of San rranoleoo.