HomeMy WebLinkAboutExeter Times, 1899-8-17, Page 3• • •
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It was on a Sabbath eVeralnia, towards
the lattez eud, of the moeth of July,
that the Rev. Mr. Lloyd, curate of Tin-
tern,. ire Monniout hehire, set £arth to
visit is daughter Hester, 'who resid-
ed in One a those romentically site-
ated eottages, which foisan so baterest-
ing a feature in the InOUngainOUS Ken-
•ery of the Wye, between Ross' and
,Chepistow. *The distance he' had to go
was scarcely a. mile; but the walk was
toilsome, for his peth lay among the
hale, through whiele it was rudely out,
aud the totem fragments of role on
whint he trode gave Way at every
atep., His thoughte, however, were too
enmeh occupied with the sad object of
his visit; to permit et his heeding the
rugged road, or even the sublieas beau-
ties of 'nature which were spread
aroutid him.
Hester was his eldest daughter, and
the eldest also of !nine brothers and
.sisters -aa large faneily to feedeelothe,
and educate, upon the scanty StiPend
°felts curacy, theu.gh eked out by a
Pdtrimonial property, and a for-
tune of two hundred pounds, which he
.had with his vvife. When all was
put together, and the profits of a small
school added, as well as those which he
received from the sale of a quarto,vole
woe " On the Daweings of the Ever-
lasting Gospel Light," Parson Lloyd.
was a somewhat poorer mien tlaan his
neighbour, Farmer .Morgan, who al-
ways boasted that he could spend a
hundred. •an.d twenty pounds a year,
and pay everybody their own. But
Farmer Morgan at last, did net pay
efierybody their den, for he went in-
to the Gazette, and there were cinly
three shillings in the poiend for his cred-
itors, while Parson Lloyd contrived to
.make both ends meet; perhaps because
he teak are never to have a creditor,
always deferring the purchase of any-
thing he wanted till he could spare the
money to pay for it. "He who inakes
his necessities wait upon his means,".
he would. often say, "will never find
them troublesome; but reverse the or-
der, and let your means be the drudges
of your necessities, and, run as fast
as they may, they will never overtake
them."
Hester 'Lloyd had married Farmer
Morgan's second son, David; and it
was always said, by those who pre-
tended to know the secret, that she
did so, more from a desire to diminish
the heavy burden of her father's fam-
dy, than from may violent affection she
had for the young man. To say the
truth, they Fere a misma.tehed Pair.
David was a coarse rustic, of violent
passions, a moody temper, and su.speet-
ed of dissolute habits. Hester, on the
eantrarY, was naild and gentle in dis-
position, affectionate and trained up
In the strict observance of those sim-
ple, unobtrusive virtues which became
the comparative humility of her sta-
tion, and the character of her parent-
al roof. When, therefore, she married
Dayid. Morgan, some shook their heads,
and pitied the poor girl for the sac-
rifice she made; while others turned
up their eyes and wondered how even
Love could be so blind.
The union had. neither the approba-
tion, ittor the disapprobation, properly
*so called, of Hester's father. She was
•of an age to cheese discreetly, having'
passed her three -and -twentieth year,
when, as was certainly her case, the
heart did n,ot take the lead in choos-
ing; and he left her, therefore, to de-
eide for herself, after' temperately dis-
cussing with ,her, upon several occa-
sions, whatever might fairly be urg-
ed in favour, or to the prejudice, of
the young man. Hester herself took
a twelvemonth to consider of her de-
cision; and filially yielded her con-
sent to the pertinacious, rather than
the ardent solicitations of David Mor -
rt has been said by an ancient °gni°,
•that marriage has only two happy days,
the first and the last; but Hester was
doomed to find even this stinted por-
tion of matrimonial felicity too liber-
al an allowaece. On their return from
chu.roh, an'unfortunate difference arose
hetweeu her husband and her father
upon some trifling subject of rural
economy—the breeding of pigs, or the
cultivation of barley, or some matter
not a whit more,bnportant. David. was
loud, overbearing, and a:t last insol-
ently rade. Nay, he SO far forgot him-
self, at cele moment, that his hand. was
raised to seize Mr. Lloyd by the collar.
"Forbear, young man!" said the rev-
erend pastor, mildly; " and learn to
have more !command over your pas-
sions; or they will one day hurry you
into conduct which all the rest of
your days may not be sufficient ' to
atone for."
Deyid felt the rebuke. He felt
ashamed. He saw the cheek of Hes-
tee turn pale, and he felt sorrow for
what he had done. But his father-in-
law also felt the indignity that had
been offered to him, and he slowly
walked away towards his own house,
Hester looked after him. She said
nothing. She only thought, as she
leaned upon her husband's arm, and
proceeded silently towards his father's
house, what a change one little half-
hour had wrought in her condition!
Her now obedient steps went one way,
her heart, at that moment, another.
The former taught her she was a wife;
the latter, that elle must oease to be
a daughter. It was a sharp lesson, to
come so early. She mid nothing. But
though her tongue spoke not, the mi. -
easy teeflectiorts et David clothed it
with words of bitterness; and he strove
• as attach as his nature would Jet hire,
• during' the re,st of the day, to dispel
the gloom with whieh his vielence of
• temper had cloeded the beginning. Hes-
ter was neither angry nor sullen; but
she was sad; and she could not con-
ceal that her eadeiess was greatest,
when as she sat down to dinner, the
marriage feast leaked one guest, whose
absence was to her, if not the absence
of all, at least the absence of all
comfort,
Mr, Lleycl was a shicere Christiana
Without any particle of sanctity, he
diligently endeaeoured, in ali his deal -
legs with his fetiow-eveadures, to fulfil
the commands of Hina whoseninisth
he was. He eould not therefote, let
the euxt go down Upon hie wrath; but,
like a primitive disciple ef his Mas-
ter, he sought the dwelling of his
etetny, with the word cat eeme end
the hand of. fellow,ship. So pure a judge
had he been in hie own clause, that he
coitsidered he had done wrong, very
wrong, in suffering himself to be ItePt
!away from the wedding -table of his
daughter, by his reeentment for a
haatY speech .uttered. by her husband
I will gen"! seta he, "teed heal this
vvooed before I sleep." And he did go
and it was a blessed sight for Hester
to behold, as she saw lier father en-
ter, with a benignant smile upon leis
eountenanee, walk up to her husband,
and. taking hina by the hand, exclaim,
"190n, we have never been enemies;
let MS then continue to be friends I"
David was overpowered by this unex-
piloted display of rneek goodness; and
his voiee really faltered as he replied,
grasping Mr. Lloyd's hand with non -
est warmth, "(�d forbid we should
n,ot 1" Hester kissed her father, and
wept; bat they were tears of much
gladness. It was a areatetul evening
after this, Mr, Lloyd, showed by his
cheerful conversation, and. kindly man-
ner, that the spirit of ,anger had en-
tirely departed from him, and with it,
all reeollection of the offence. David
din not shake off, cpaite- so soon, his
reraembraece of the morning; for he
was vanquished, in spite • of. himself,
and he felt—as a man generally does
who (*Thralls a wrong, and finds coals
of fire 'heaped upon, is hetet by the
generous conduct of the person whom
he has wronged--huhibled and asham-
ed in his presence. Hester was su-
premely happy; •foe she beheld. her
father and her husband,' side by side,
under her own roof.
Months rolled on. and the neigh -
boars began to 'think David Morgan
quite an altered man since his mar-
riage. He was,olvil and. obliging ; went
regularly to church every Sunday
rose early to his work; attend,ed to
his farm.; returned home sober, and
before dark, on market -days; got into
no quarrels; smoked his pipe in the
evening, on a bench before his own
door, and drank a pint or two ot his
own home -brewed. ale. In short, he ex-
hibited all the outward qualities of a
steady, thriving, and industrious far -
mar ; and it was prophesied, if he went
on ao, that he would soon become a
better man than his father, by the
difference of many an aore added to
those which he already rented. Hester
observed. this auspizious change, and
might almost be called 'a happy wife.
She was notentirely so; for there
were out-breakings of temper at heme,
lightning -flashes of the mind, and
distant thunder -murmurings of the
heart, winch the eyes and. ears of
neighbors nor saw nor heard. The
sky was clear above—the sun shone
brightly-- but the elements of storm
and tempest perpetually loured along
the horizon, which the first guat of
wind would drive into angry Going=
To Hester's watchful eye alone, and. to
her anxious spirit, 'were these signs re-
vealed.. She could not conceal froxn
herself the trials and the dangers they
hourly ineneeed; but she could conceal
them from all the rest of the world
—and she did. Not even to her fa-
ther did she speak of them. They
were the griefs of her own. foreboding
heart, and, they were buried there. If
they should ever be disinterred. thence
—if they should ever be realised, and
write themselves in such characters
upon her face as she could, not hide—
if her countenance complained for her
—she must submit; but till tben, she
was resolved hope should chasten fear,
and. the faith she plighted at the altar
forbid her lips to become the accusers
of her husband.
It was about two years after her
marriage that the bankruptcy of old
Morgan, happened, For some months
previously, Hester suspected matters
were going wrong; not from anything
wthiett her husband communicated to
her, for he had grown reserved, sul-
len, and morose, but from. the manner
of the old man himself, from their
frequent conferences in secret, and
from his total neglect of his farming
stack: Da.vid, too, instead of rciinding
Iris own affairs, and looking after his
own crops, or attending the markets,
as he was accustomed to do, sold lian.d
over head upon. the ground; took Hie
first prite that was offered; replaced
nothing which he sold, but kept the
moaey, and talked of setting up, by
and by, as an innkeeper at Ohepstow.
Meanwhile, debts were contracted, and
none were paid; creditors became
clamorous, and David grew more • and
more reckless of their clamours. At
first he could net pay; at last he would
not, and ithelF might do as they liked.
If Hester ventured to remonstrate, she
was chui•lishly told. to mind her own
business, and look after the house,
though there was every day less and
less itt it to look after, for whatever
eeuld be spared; and often what could
not, was converted into money. Old
Morgan pursued muoh the same course;
and it seemed as if father and son
were striving with each other who
should make most speed in the race of
destruction• .
Thus matters went on from bad to
worse, and from worse to worst, for
nearly three months; and then old
Morgan was made a bankrupt. Every
one predicted that David would soon
follow; but every one lam.enied it at
the same thee, an account of poor
Hester, who was universally respect-
ed. Indeed, it was mainly owing to
this feeliug et respect for her that her
husband's creditors had not .either en-
forced their claims or thrown him into
a prison. They did not seruple to tell
her so; and though she felt grategul
for their kindness, she knew it wae! a
forbearance that hung by a very slen-
der threael, and each, clay she expected
to see hien dragged to Jail. If that
did happen, what was tabecorine of her
far advanced in pregnancy with her
second child, and not a roof to shelter
Iter ereept her father's?
She was sitting one evening, eadly
ruminating upon all these thinies, and,
expecting Davirl'e return, who had
gone out early in the Malting, she
know not Ithither, when jaceb Grif-
t maternal unole of her httsband
a respected but poor old man, &napped
in. He sat dawn, and she drew hen a
mug of ale, whiele however, he scarce-
ly Watched. She talked, to him, firat
upon ane eubjeet, and then upon an-
other ; but he hardly answered her,
and altogether his behaviour was se
strange, that she looked, at biltn ae if
she thought he had, already had a lit-
tle too 'in:Liebe-a failing which she knew
sonietianes• overtook "uncle J'acob."
8he *as soot eonvinced, however, that
the aid Man Was not now in his cups,
Whatever else raig•ht be the Matter
Witti hiom fot he was leenting forward
T HE Xx.rrrR, TIMES
on hies staff, whieh he held with both
'Ids hamlet and the tears tent) tiicaling
down the furrows of hie sun -burnt
faoe
"In the name of heaven, Saeob, what
aila you ?" said. Hester, laying dawn
her *lark, and goitig towarde him.
"1 amthinking,' said Jacob, with
a heavy groan, that burst from him
we he spoke --"I am thinking, Km
Morgan, how any poor sister jute
weald have taken i to heart if she
were alive now, which, thank Caod, she
is not I But the Lord help as 1 what
we may come to in othis world!" a
flester's kneetottered—her color
fled—and. elle seated herself gently by
'his side, as she exclaimed in a trenaul-
eles voice, "What Is the rietatter,,Tacob,
that you talk thus?"
The old man shook his head, while
he answered, "Matter enough, I fear;
but who would have thogght It?"
"For God's sake," replied Hester;
"tell nae what it is you mean, Has
anything happened to David?"
"Ay,' said Jacob, "and his father too.
I was coming into inlet:mouth to -day at
noon, and lead juet crossed over the
Manny Bridge, when I saw a sight of
people before me; I walked -up to them
to finetout, if I could, whet was golag
On --and you ,might have knocked ma
down with a feather the next mom-
ent — for what should I see
but David and his father,
old George • Morgan, handoutfed to-
gether like two thieves, and being led
el prison? They did not see me, and
was glad on't • for I 'couldn't have
spoke a word to them, my tongue
stuck so to the roof of my mouth, like.
ishall never forget how 1shook."
"Are you sure you were not mistak-
en?" inquired Hester, in a voice so
thick -end inarticulate that Jacob sud-
denly raised his head frorn the staff
oneashich he had continued to support
Lt. .
"Ana I sure this is my right hand?"
answered. Jacob. --"But, Lord preserve
yaul what ails you, Mrs. Morgan ? You
look( as white as .your apron; you are
not; faintish, sure? Here, take a sup
o' this ale—'twill warm you, like, and.
do you good."
iHester was indeed pale enough; and
she trembled so violently, that Jacob
might well suppose she needed some-
thing to warm her; but she kept from
fainting,' and after a few minutes she
was able to ask him whether he knew
"vehat the Y had done, that they were
taken to prison?"
"I could not get at the eaghts of the
naatter," said. Jacob, "but from what
I understood, should guess it was
something about old Morgan's bank-
rtept job; though I .don't see, for my
part, how that could concern David."
"Non 1 either," replied Hester, wip-
hag her eyes, and. sighing as if her
heart would break. "But whatever it
is, I have had the dread of it upon nee'
'spirits for these many months. Iefelt
certain that some misfortune or other
was hanging over me; and:it has come
, at last. My husband's conduct was so
I
• changed—he had grown so careless
about everything, had. so entirely neg-
lected his affairs and his home —that
I was sure, unless some ehange for the
better took place, nothing but ruin
could, come !out of it in the end. Oh
dear, God knows, my situation is
bad enough, just now, at any rate."
And Heater's tears flowed afresh, as
the thought of what her situation was
presented itself to her mind.
"Don't take on this way, Mrs. Mor-
gan," said Jacob. "After all, things
may not be so bad as they appear; and
be they never so had, -fretting, you
know, won't mend them. It is a sad
business, to be sure; but we must hope
for the best. Besides, many an inno-
cent man has been wrongfully suspect-
ed, and taken to prison, before now;
and. who knows but this may be
David's case, ae and old Morgan's, too?
So keep up your spirits, Mrs. Morgan,
and. don't grieve. Here, take a drop
of ale."
Hester had much oause to grieve.
She had said truly, that the conduct of
her husband for a long time past had
beensuoh as to prepare her for trou-
ble of some kind or other; and her
grief, therefore, on the present occa-
sion, was less acute than it she had
fallen suddenly from the sunny height
of domestic happiness by an unfore-
seen and. unexpected blow. But who
ever found himself sufficiently prepar-
ed for misfortune? Who, till it came,
ever ceaaed to hope that it might not
came? And. who, wheat it comes, can
say, I have watched for you so long
with a troubled heart, that now you
findme without a tear to shed, or a
sigh to breathe? Alas! the stern real-
ity i has a pang of its own unlike that
we feel in the most vivid anticipation.
Does the child you love, the mistress
you adore, the parent you venerate; lie
an) the bed. of death? What though
you have whispered this fatal secret to
youself again, and, again, and again?
What though your spirit have moat -ti-
ed over the dying object, in all the
• anguish of inevitable bereavement?
Al me I wait till the eye is closed., and
the tongue is mute—for ever; tarry
till the soul is departed--tillethe thing
you dreamed et the thing yoa feel—and
them( you will know the difference be-
tel/tete the fear of losing, ay, and even
between what constitutes mere man's
certainty of losing, .and the miserable
certainty- that you have lost.
Hester felt this difference. She had.
insensibly trained her mind to meet
an undefined calamity; but now, when
it came upon her in a specific shape
and character, she almost sank be-
n,eath, the shock. It was too true what
Jacob Griffiths ha(1 told, her. David
and, his father were both. it Monmouth
jail; and they were there upon a
charge of having contrived, and
brought about, a fraudulent bank-
ruptoy in the case of old Morgan, un-
der such elecutastances as made it
doubtful, at one time, whether their
livewould not be forfeited. Matters,
bowever, were not pushed to that ex-
tremity, but they were tried, found
guilty, and received sentence of trans-
portation, the father foi• lito,end
David, for foutteen years. Hestee was
far advaneed in pregnancy when her
husband; Was threwe into prison; and
the very day on which the judges en-
tered. Monmouth, she became the un-
happy mother of a soh, whose father,
scarcely more than eight -and -forty
hours afterwards, was branded as a
felon by the verdict of a just and iin-
par tial jury,
(T0 be Ceetinued.)
THE ONLY WAY,
The tride.--I dant want to have any
trouble with you, Bridget.
The Cook—Then, boned, ma'am, let
no hear no complaiete,
CROPS SOMEWHAT LIGHT,
THE GOVERNMENTS REPORT NOT
AN ENCOURAGING ONE.
rail wheat Aiwa tout -Barley Menet the
nett Shoreeng, tent lite; Atireege eine
'teen eareeiy Ditereinee.
'The fellowing report of the crape of
Ontario is auramarized from one com-
Pitied by tile One:arid Retreat!. of Indus-
tries, from statements se,nt in by car-
respotnelents under date i/f August 1st.
tall Wheat. — Thie erop came
through the winter in pent' condition,
much: of it having ,bsen killed awing
to tack of shelter and the formetien
of Lee, and a coneiderable aereageNVIte
plenghed up. With the exception a
Algeeraa, and a levy other &set/one
Where there was plenty of snow, the
yield hap turned out to be a very
smIall one—in fast, Ube lowest for a
number of years. Tire quality of the
grain ranges frelm plump and. hard
to+ smell and sharenken, even in the
same localities, end sometimes in the
same fields. The weietlaer at harvest-
ing was on the wheels favorable, anti.
the reep was got in itt good, condition.
Spring Wheats—This variety of
wheet is more largely grown in the
eastern half of the province. Taken
altogether, the crop may be consider-
ed a good ape. The yield is likely to
go above the average, and the quality
of the grain is on the whale satis-
factory.
Barley.—This has been a highly sue-
oggeful crop in tam main, and at the
time the carreariandents wrote, had
been seoured in exeellene condition iza
the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Coun-
ties, while harvesting was progress-
ing favorably in other sections. The
falling off in the delmend for barley
for malting purposes some time since
caused a considerable reduction in the
acreage devoted to its cultivation, but
latterly the largely increased regnire-
ro,ents for this grain for stock -feeding
purposes have brought it again into
favor, and this season the area sown
to' barley as be -en ancreased.
Oats.—This crop is rather back-
wa.rd. itt. neatly !pares, so that corres-
pondents could not speak positively as
ta the yield, but the reports are as a
rule highly satisfaetory. The crop
bids fair to bet a lenge one, with fine
straw and planet) grain in those neigh-
bourhoods where the drought has not
interfered with its growth.
Tays.—There is very little rye grown,
and what is now raised in some parts
is Mainly used as feed. A considerable
percentage Of Ath'e crop was wintee-
killed., nut the remainder has thriven
end yielded well, both as regards
straw and grain.
Peas.—Iteparts as to tire condition of
the pea 'map are somewhat variable,
but as far as otta be; judged by pres-
ent indications there will be an aver-
age wield. A geed deal of injury was
caused. by excessive rains ear,leein the
season, more especially to low-lying
fields.
Beans.—The area devoted to this crop
has considerably diminished owing to
low prices,. Beans are grown only in
a few localities, more especially in, the I
Western Lake Erie eounties and the
extreme eastern section. A.ppearances
point to a liberal yield, but the
drought is an unfavourable condition,
and if continued the result may be
poor. Some correspondents not that
the harvest is later than usual -
Hay and Clover,—The production of
hay and clover will be somewhat below
the average, the principal cause of the
shortage being the heavy frosts of last
supply of grove-% Bevies and email
fruits have been generally plentifu1
and good, Omagh ea retinal looelitiete
they have ran rather small in exnasee
game* of the drought.,
Tne Apiary.—Reports vary consiaer-
ably tegarding bees.• A few cornea,
paudents report as high as 75 lbs. sur-
plus, iatmee' Per hive, Out e number go
eg haw as 10, And event 5, Ib. per. hive,
The everage will be Oxalate 25 lbs. The
bueirwheat crop will...in many instances
decide whether tbe bees Will have to
be "fed baelc" or not.,
Pastures and Live Stoele-elleporte
as to the condition of pastures and the
effect upon the supply of fodder and
dairy produce vary greatly according
to tonality. In the Lake Erie and
Lake °uteri° counties, ,and some other
poets, the pastures tare generally dried
up and bare, resetting in a consider-
able falling of in the MiPPIY of Milk
end a shortagettn dairy produce, with
dimouraging prospects for the keeP
of 'cattle during fall and winter. In
the northern and eastern parts of
the province -where More rain ha fal-
len, the pasturageghas remained good,
with abundant supplies of milk for
dairying IntrPeses, and o pronpects of a
plentiful eepply of feed for stock.
Labotur and Wage,s.,—The demand
for farm tabour is still decreasing,
owing to the mew frequent practice of
doing all the ordinary farm work with -
ant other assistance then that furnish-
ed by the family, or the exchange of
mark amoiag neighbours, As a gen-
eral thing wages appear ta be some -
whet higher in the West than in the
Beet, with a elightly upward tendency.
Abut $1: ar $1.25 per day withboerd
seems to be the standard or average
wages for harvest hands thOugh as
low as eixty or seventy'. eents is quot-
ed as theefiguee in SOLOS cases; while
on the other tend the scarcity of help
in some neighbourhoods has raised the
figure to $1.50. end even $2'. The rate
far monthly engagements with board
usually range,s between, $15 and §2e,
anything over this limit for a short
eugagelmenit covering the; summer sea-
son, white arrengetments for a long
terra are frequently trade at consid-
erably lower figures.
WALKING PARTIES.
At one time it was prophesied timt
wheeling would in time entirely take
the place of walking as an exerciee,
and. that we would. hear no more of the
popular walking parties that were at
one time so beneficial to those who in-
dulged. in them as a health measure.
They promise to become a "fad." this
year, however, if we are to judge from
the enthusiasm manifested now that
the pleasures of early summer ram-
blers have again been tested.
It is claimed that until quite recent-.,
ly walking seemed to be a lost art
among women. It is true that ladies
walked miles in shopping expeditions
or promenades on fashionable thor-
oughfares, but for a party to set out
for a twenty-five or fifty mile tramp
into the country was a thing unheard
Bu.t the fashion has been set, and
walking parties are the proper thing;
and, behold! Dame Fashion, never slow,
comes to the front with well-designed;
and comfortable coatume for such oc-
casions. The short skirt, the broad,
thick -soled shoe, and the high gaiters
insure freedom and ease of motion; and
thus clad, with small knapsack swung
over her shoulder and stout( staff In
hand, the girl may tread her native
soil with pleasure and independence.
True the pedestrian on the other side
of the sea has the advantage, of a cool-
er climate. But there are days in,
spring and fall, and even cool days in
SUMMer, when the women on this side
the Atlantic may start off on a ten or
twenty mile jaunt in entire comfort.
A short time ago two young ladies,
inter, which it' the absence of snow,
killed a great deal .of the elover in
every part of the province. Drought
has been another though a minor fac-
tor in decreasing the yeeld.
Corn.—The cold and wet weather pre-
vailing at the time corn should have
been planted delayed that work consicl-
erabla and the consequence is that 'at
the time of reporting the crop is herd-
ly as far advanced as usual. How-
ever, taking all the reports received,
the crop is likely' to turn out to bet a
fair one should the lateness of the sea-
son not bring it into frosty weather.
Several correepondenth report the
erection of new glee this year.
,Potatoes. --There promises to be a
good yield of potatoes, though in
many quarters rain is badly needed
and in consequent*. of long continued
drouth the early potatoes have been
somewhat email in. size.
Roots.—Root crops, more especially
in the eastern and northern parts of
the peovinee, suffered from too much
moisture at seeding tune, which caused
some loss. At a later period the went
of eain was severely felt in many
localities, which it continued may re-
sult in light crops.
Flax.—This crop is not now largely
grown, as a number of the mills in
'Western Ontario have been closed for
some time. Where raised it has been a
fair crop this season.
; Tobacco — Correspondents in Essex
end Kent, where tobacco raising has
been chiefly tried in thisaaerovinee, re-
port that the area iit 'leaf is very much
smaller this year than, in the previous
season, owing. to the poor market. The
plant is regarded as being a little date
this year, but with the( exception of
reports of injury from "cut worms"
and grasshoppers, it is generally re-
garded tie being in good oonclition.
Ernie—There is likely to be a sear -
city of fruit this season, owing to var-
ious causes. The severe winter destroy-
ed a lae•geeeoth
pertion of e fruit trees
in some seetiatts, and appears to have
iejured inttny which survived, Heavy
rain during the bressoming seaton
greatly interfered with fertilization, as
did, frost in some neighborhoods. The
apple crop is Ivory light, tbut as a rule
the, quality ie good, and ;the fruit fair-
ly flee from saah. The pea& crop is
practirolly a White, owing to the
general destruetioe of the trees, whiob
suftered more severely from the winter
than. did the other varieties, , Pear
trees have not been so prolifie cia
and. the StIpPiSr will be light.. Theee
Was about au average crop of cheerios,
though softie demage from wortneteed.
Week letiot is specifiedReports ben-
cerning the vineyards aro highly et-
couraging, the vines being healthy and
orettiaing an abundant
clad in the regulation tramping cos-
tume, walked into a village well-
known as a summer resort. They
were regarded. with no little interest,
as their garments told plainly that
they had travelled some distance. At
the house where they stopped for the
night they entertained the guests de-
lightfully with an account of their ex-
periences and adventures.
Their homes were in the far West,
but they had been East for some time,
having just been graduated from One
of the leading Eastern colleges. At
the close of the college term a party of
five graduates set off for a hundred. -
mile tramp. At the time when the
young ladies arrived in the little
mountain village they had almost
reached the mark. "Oh, we have -had
all sorts of experiences," said one of
tha young ladies with a merry laugh.
"Some people were afraid of us, and
some thought us insa_ne; but we have
enjoyed every foot of the way. We
have stumbled on some of the quain-
test little towns and meta some of the
strangest people, and we have obtain-
ed more practical knowledge of the
country than we could possibly have
gained in any other way.- ,
ft was evident that these young
ladies had not missed anything, as they
described the scenery they had enjoy-
ed. They were well tanned, as they
wore only- small caps and tarried no
umbrellas. But they were as fresh and
bright as daisies, notwithstanding the
fact that they had made over seventeen
Miles that day. In answer to a ques-
tion put by a guest as to feeling
weary, one of the young pedestrians
replied, with a laugh: "I think we
could damn this evening with as inueh
enjoyment as any of you who have heen
in -doors all day. Except for our
shoes," she added, with a roguish
glum, as she displayed a sole worn
almost through.
Ae the fashioti spreads there is no
reaeOn to doubt that in the near fut-
ure walking tours will rival bicycle
tome in popularity. There will cer-
tainly be this advantage, that a walk-
ing toer would be within the reach ot
many woman to whom a bicycle
d mod of
is an Un 1luxury.
Of entree she will not be able at first
to walk ten miles a day, or oven five.
But a little systematic; training will
soon enable the average girl to accom-
plish fifteeti ranee a day with perfect
comfort.
A LESSON IN PALMISTRY.
jack, do you believe i$ palmistry
Yes, I do; when a man gives me the
tips ef his fingers I know 1 Oen% bor-
4
DOMINION PARLIAWIENT.
What tile Logisla,tors of the Country
are Doing at Ottawa,
FOR THEIR HEIRS -
Mr. Fielding tented further Supple-
mentary geed -mates se follows t
To, 1.),4y eata legal repreenttatiVes the
balance of. eeesional baderaeity of the
late•Senator Sanford, $2.43
To pay the wieloer a the late Sen-
ator Boulton the, balauoe of hie ses-
sional indemnity, reyote,
To pay Lady cliger }mimeo of sal-
ary od.' the Late Sir James D, Edgar
to jette 30, 1900, $3,600.
'fo pay Lady Edgar halAnee Of me-
sa:mat indemnity of the late Sir James
D. Edgar, 8808.
To fay the legal representatives of
tihe late Han. John E. Wood his ses-
sional. indemnity, $1,000.
To pay the widow of the late Hon.
C. A. Geoffrion the balance of bus ses-
sional indemnity,
,ToPay die widow of the late HOU.
lVa.Biemalretsi.t:,4eisa,661.
1ance of bin session-
i.iaExpenses of committees, witnesses,
shorthand writers, etc., I$5,000,
SALARIES RAISE%
The bill respecting the Departments
of Clustoms and Inland Revenue, pro-
viding for the increase of the, salaries
of these Ministers from $5,000 a year
to $7,000, was read a second time and
taken.
up' in committee.
Sir liVildfrid Laurier said that there
did not seem to be any great difference
of opinion as to the merits of the bill
ander discussion, No one contended
that the Ministers of Oustoms and In-
land Revenue were not.entitled to the
same salary as their colleagues. So
far as their being given a seae itt the
Cabinet, he thought that it was advie-
able that Ministers at the head of two
such important departments as those
of Customs and inland itevenue should
have a seat at the Council Board.
Mr. Foster eaid this question had al-
ready been fully debated, and he
did not think that there was any very
great difference of opinion as to the
salaries these tavo Ministers should re-
ceivhee
Tpemenittee then reported. the
hill and Mr. Fielding reeved its third
Ir"Drdi.nIallaroule moved in amendment
;thee the hill be referred back to com-
mittee teeth inalructians to strike out
the clause presiding that the Minis-
ters should receive their salaries for
the pest year at the irate Of $7,000 ,a
Yeera
The amendment was Lost upon divi-
sion.
THE MEAGHER CASE -
On in item for the. Department tof
• Justice, Mr. Clancy brought up the
old story about the -armee of Thomas
Meagher in Canadian waters, on the
Se Clair River, .law aeUnited States of-
ficer of Customs last summer, ,for vio-
lating the 'United States laws.t Sir
Wilfrid Laurier repeated what he had
already stated, namely, that thefUnit-
ed States Government regretted the
occurrence, although not admitting the
reported, facts in the case and stated
that Avery, the 'United States officer,
had peen dismissed. If there was
anything new he vrauld, bring tt
ALIEN ...LABOR L.W.
• On the item of a:5,000 for the alien
labor law enforcement, Kr. Clarke,
of Toronto, pointed out that as the act
Was not beings enforced he did not see
what the grant was for
Sir Wilfrid Laurier explained that
the law was not being !enforced see
verely while the conference was on
between Canada and the United States.
What he ineantewas this: If a strike
was on in Cainada and the employers
were attempting to bring in workmen
from the United States, the Govern-
ment wanted to be able to put the
taw in force l It was not intended to
rigidly enforce the law at present,
while the work of the commission was
not finished.
BOYS WHIPPED BY MACHINERY.
New toughie ot eiscipiine introduced in
Seolch gehooM
I specially visited the mud row, sit-
uated. between Tollcross ad Carznyle
about eight miles from Airdrie, this
afternoon, to review the lads who re-
cently received the first honors and
four stripes from the newly acquired
whipping apparatus at Airdrie, writes
a correspondent. The apparatus is
shaped like the breast -piece of a' vio-
lin, is abotii five feet long by three
feet broad. The boy is fastened on by
leather straps on his arms and knees
aria the weapon is an orditary birch
rod.
"You show up the Airdrie authori-
ties," said. the mother of a lad named
Allan to nae. 1 asked hira—a bright
Wee Chap of 10-11 he would like to
visit Airdrie again. The boy was
equal to the occazion and promptly an-
swered. no. He was the first to be
had
niltbihiearecahhsae‘tIrscirt ; be
iktLo:ect.e cocivah mplain
nub rt r°°Ilfsaw: iparase es andtbhea
between elal
ehlne
He Was not favorably impreesed
with the exeeutioner. Ile was a big
man, says lie, with it great, big, red
face—and a doetor looked the Ile did
not smile when he received the thee
lash; it was very sore, Angliee, pain-
ful. It felt like a big bunch of
"jaggy" leather. A brother said he
would have lartid i.",5 if he eould have
prevedted the lad being lashed, The
other buys spoke in the eante strain
and did hot relish the itttroductiou of
machinery, though the puniehmeht ap-
pears ,no morecitgrading than it school
birching, That is a form of eohool
ciptiee unknown, to ScoRth beard
eclabols, where palliates, or strokes oh
the palm of the hand with a bane, is
I , -a"l* th f Intin
et wet I mg o o cia is toe
illg punishialieet.
VALUE OF SMALL ISVENTIO
iloonnous Forgithes awn, Doom Ns**
Wrong 5inop$0 lacerates,
The leveetion of the roller sktkto
wade 200,000. The girelet-peletett
sorew lute beep repoPsible far 400!
wealth theta most eilaer mines. On.
hundred thousand pounds ie first -01a**
securities woold not re,preseot the for-
tune made by the man who first
thoughl of copper tips to children's
shoes. Even a little thing like tile
comniou needle threader is wcirtia
000 a year to its owner, while the "re
turn ball,"—a woodeti ball faetened on
a piece of elastic—yields 410,000 per
annum; this is only one of the many
profitable toys. We may mention the
"Dancing. Jim Crow," which produces
£15,000 a ear;ythe "wheel of life,"
worth in all fun. £400,000; the viraik-
iag figure, "john Gilpin," and the
"chameleon top." The sale of the
last -name± toy has been enormous
and the profits also enormous. In-
deed, the "chameleon tep," as a Profit-
able invention, has probably excelled
any one discavery in modern times,
however valuable and important this
may have been. As far as profits are
concerned, the inveation of toys pays
better than those oi anything else.
Money has been and always can be !
made more easily out of simple Pat-
ented inventions than out of any in-
vestment or occupation. .
• Great diseoveries take so many years
and oast so much to perfect that the
fortunes made from there are small
compared with those we have instanc-
ed,_The Tan w1,1q gi§.9eY.ered that,a,
candle if tapered at the ed woiild
stick fleetly into its socket patented
the idea and afterward founded the
largest candle factory in the world,
Might not anyone have thought of thie
simple :device? Out of the millions
who own umbrellas how many realize
that these unfortuuately indispensable
articles represent wealth unteldl The
frame, the cover, the materials used,
all are the result of numberlesh exper-
iments and patents. An umbrella- „
years ago useu to be made of whale-
bone and. gingham. It weighed as
nauch as a portmanteau. Alpaca was
substituted for gingham, then silk fox^
alpaca.. Each change m.eant a fortune
Lo the inventor who brought it about.
For a long tirae the ribs were solid;
thee Samuel Fox arose, took the um-
brella and. cut grooves along its ribs.
He designed the "patent paragon
frame" and lived to see his invention
used. universally. At the 'death of
Samuel Fox his heir was benefite& to
the extent of £1791000—the residue of
a( total profit of at leest £500,000.
THE OLD WOMAN AND HER 'TATIES.
_—
The Student aud the Kettle Full of Ptela.
toes—Roast' Seal for Dinner.
Robert Stephen Hawker, the /amnia
mar of Merwenstow, known far be-
yond his little Cornish parish for his
wit, his verses, his eccentricities, and
his kindness of heart, was, as a young
man, extreanely fond of practical jokes.
While an undergraduate at Oxford he
mounted, one night to the. cottage roof
of Naney Heale, an old woman, com-
monly reputed to be a witch, and peer-
ing down her chimney flue, saw her
crouched before the fire, watching an
iron kettle full of potatoes. Very
quietly the mischievous student low-
ered a rope with a hook at the end,
hooked; the kettle, and drew it slowly
up—up—up, and out of sight.
Poor, near-sighted old Nanny, when
she saw her trustecl utensil vanishing
thus mysteriously, peered after it in
blinking bewilderment, crying out in
despairi at the top of her voice:
"Massey 'pan my sintul scull Art
gawn off—'taties and all?"
naoment later there was a knook
at the door. •Youag Hawker had re-
turned. the kettle, and hidden himself
near enough to hear her joyful ex-
clamation as sbe nearly stumbled over
the repentant wanderer.
"So then," she cried, "theern come
back to holt( Ay, 'tis a-oold out o'
doors re
Oddly enough, the student's jest dir-
ectly benefited nis vietifu, for when
she went about the next day telling
her tale, the authorities supposed that
the poor old ereature's wits were leav-
ing her, ahti compassionately increas-
ed her weekly allowance from the
town.
If he puzzled old Nanny about her
queerly -behaving 'taties, however, an-
other old woman, Jean Treworgy, of
tbe tiny Cornish seaport of l3oscastle,
once puzzled him and a friend of his
nearly as much. They stopped, very
hungry, at her little Mtn "The Ship,".
and inquired what fare was to be
"Meal and 'taties," said Jcian, add-
ing scornfully-, "some call 'em purta-
ties, but we always says, 'taties here."
The 'guests ingaired what kind' of
meat--sexal, Iamb, beef or rautton--she
would, provide,
"Meat," she responded, "nice, whole-
some meat arid 'Laties," and no more
VVOLI1C1, She say
-
The meal was at length served. The
'Mlles were good, and the meat was
not bad, but it was peculiar. They
could not ''place' it. It was tender
and not unsavory, but it had no famie
liar outline or joint or bone about it,
The hungry youths ate, but felt a
trifle squeamish, and when Hawker
suggeeted that it might be a "piece et
laescastle baby," his friend daehed
haetily to The kitehen to make
farther inquiries-1th vain. Old. Joan
&nil stuck serenely to her "meat and.
'taties" and. with that they had to be
tonteht.
Nol. till years aftersvarde did they
learn that the Meat svhteh had beett
eerved to them was a viatcl. kuown to
llostastie kitchens alone in all tag -
land; it was young roast seal,
A FRIENDLY TIP.
Youtig A.elhor—Tell me frankly what
you think of the • manustript of my
book. I want to get 11. in "shape for
publication, as I have several oilier
irons in the fire.
• Critical Friend—Well, that being the
case,1 would edniiie you to use the
teateaseript for filen It Might tt te,aat
,help to 'heat the other irons.