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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe East Huron Gazette, 1892-06-30, Page 67 MORNDALL's wAREnip but from what he had gleaned, the evidence was fearfully against the prisoner at the bar. To state it briefly ; William Armsti-Ung had been four years m Isaac Twyford's employ - PART III. offered a higher salary and a house to live By insSrE. inACLEOD. ment as foreman at- the Mill, when he was e in by a con factor at Boston. The old s miller was unwilling to part with him, and , offered to raise his wages to those proposed s' by the corn -dealer; but young Armstrong t declined. The chance of a house rent-free _ was a great inducement for the change, as 'Meier Randall only remained &few day at the Hall, having a large circle of friend to viL0 before returning to his militar dutiesjn India. There was to bee week' hunting e.t one -place, a week's shootinga another ; then a stay with former brother tee officers at Woolwich and Aldershot, lastly to his married sister in. Worcestershire. Sir Philip and Lady Haftbnry were rieln spend ing thes:r money freely, as wealthy people ought to do. They entertained Largely. A country seat with a succession of staying guests is charming ; at least the Major found it so after his long sojourn in the East, and for the time be quite gave himself up to the enjoyment of English nome-life and society. He was a general favourite, being bright, agreeable, fine-looking, and an amusing raconteur of Indian adventures; unmarried, on the verge of forty. Now forty 's really an excellent age in a man; for he is exper- ienced, as clever perhaps as he willover be; the glamour of youth with its rose -tinted al mosphere has departed, an 1 he sees his fellowmen with plain black and white out- lines, yet is still young enough to enjoy life. Such was Major Randall: There were few ladies who would have refused him had he made proposals of mar- riage; but he was not a merrying man; an early disappointment—through death—had 'must(' him to relit). !• ish that idea. for ever. There were frequent dinner -parties at the Hall, and occasional dances; the time pass- ed swiftly and pleasantly. Several times he attempted to take his departure, but had been induced to stay on by his _sister and - brother-in-law's aolicitations. At last he tsserinated his visit in a very tinexpectede - lsrly wished_ to see her master and apologize manner. One night after a musical even- to him for the hasty words he used : it en to be at variance with the old ing, or home eoncert, in which the Major pained hi ,ehad distiaguished himself—for- he had a -miner, who bad formerly treated him with • te e • lam it would enable him to marry a young girl .to whom he was- engaged. Unfortunately, _ his master didnot take the refusal in good part, and thought him too- young to get married. High woras had followed, and a quarrel ensued. Mr. Twyford was well known and re- spected as a just man by all the country round; but it was also acknowleded that he was a severe one ; still, he was not sup- posed to have any enemies ; yet, within a week of his disagreement with Armstrong, he was shot dead on the high -road .leading from Merstoke to Grantham, beside which his mill wa t situated. He hid been the best part of the day at Merstoke transact- ing business, but had unexpectedly been de- tained until late; indeed it was nearly half-palt-tix when he quitted the Crown Inn on his starting for home. Many persons had heard the old Man call his foreman hard names—ungrateful time- HOUSEHOLD, The Common Path. Whether we toil 'neath the mountain pine. Where the rocks are barren and steep ; Or delve in the damp and darksome mine, Where the shadows of midnight sleep; Whether we stand in the harvest field., 'Mid the wheat -field's garnered gold; Or -strive for the treasures ocean yields To the hands that are brave and bold;- Whether we stray over frozen wilds, Or toil on a burning plain ; Or whether fair fortune frowns or smiles On the work of the hand or brain ; Whether if rough or if smooth the road. Or the hours be sad or gay, _ We must hear our share of the common load, We must walk in the common way. But the common way to the heart uncowed, Blooms out into beauty true; And a song can shatter the deepest cloud, And the sunshine shall shimmer through, Less -grows the weight of the common load, If the courage be high and bright ; And less the shadows across the road, If the eyes are fixed on the light. Mental vs. Physical Beauty. Another advocate of feminine beauty who believes that woman's first duty is to make herself attractive has risen up and pronounc- ed against too much study for our girls. server, and such-like—and had seen Atm- He is Sir James Crichton Browne, and he strong leave the mill in anger. Other wit- has talked upon this subject before the Med- i nesses from Boston deposed that he possess- ical Society of London. He described a ed pistols and a fowling -piece, which be group of girls that he once saw on a plat - had been cleaning and using recently. form of a railway station. They were en Some had met him at ten o'clock on the route from college to their homes. They night of the murder, looking wet and fagged. were not fair to look upon, itT seems, and Mr. Twyford's housekeeper stated that in had, the lover of beauty declared --from the afternoon of that day Armstrong had which which we infer that he studied them attentively—"stooping gait, withered ale, pearance, Shrunk shanks and spectacles on nose." And did their books do all this for them we might ask ? Our Crichton would probably reply _that their devotion to -books prevented their running free in the meadows and lanes, acquiring ease of movement in rollicking play and the gayety and color ' of the butterfly. We do not quite agree with our Crichton be- cause we- have seen country girls with plenty of air and exercise looking pale, angular and meagre in figure. Then, too, they lacked the expression of intelligence and mental alertness which transformed ' often an otherwise plain girl into one of in- terest, if not attractiveness. We think our Crichton simply misreads, by reason of his predominant love of physical beauty, the average school girl's thin and ungrateeful figure. She is simply unde- veloped in body as in mind. While she is growing tall she does not fill out, and matur- ity of physique does not come to all alike. Our Crichton says he would rather English - girls remained ignorant of logarithms than that they lost a jot of their beauty. Well, fortunately, girls will still go on deciding for themselves, and we think it the wiser way, since there is a beauty of mind and spirit as well as of externals, and it shines through the latter, and is clearly perceptible to the appreciative. Mere beauty needs no appeal; it makes its own. But there is nothing, after all, so vulgar and wearisome as physical charm without adequate harm- ony of mind and heart. We should prefer that all our proclamations should be for the development of feminine harmony rather than the conservation of bodily beauty. come ever from Boston saying he particu- pleasant baritone voice,- and sang ballads nicely—he retired to re t about eleven o'clock, in a happy enough state of mind, such as peoplefeel whohave done their hest quiruis as to the time of his return, also and been appreciated. He went to sleep at •saying he had half a mind to go and meet once; and slept for two hours, when he him ; whether he did so or not she could awoke with a. start: some one was speaktee not say. — Soon after he left, it began_ to to him. Raising himself upon his elbow, he rain. gazed round the room, dimly visible by aAnother witness was the carrier, who met tiny night -light. There was no one there, him,' and exchanged a few words on the and nothing disturbed. Yet a voice had Merstoke road ; it was then raining fast. said distinctly: "Go to Lincoln." The prisoner had pleaded not guilty. Hail he dreamt it? If so, _why dream of What the witnesses had stated was correct. Lincoitt,'-where he knew no one ? Compos- Upon hearing that the miller had ridden ing himself to sleep again for another two over to Merstoke, he started to meet him ; hours, once more he Ives suddenly awaken- but the rain fell so fast, he turned back. ed with a greater shock, for again the voice- Unfortunately, he missed the train, and indness. He appeared disappointed when she told him that Mr. Twyford had gone to Merstoke for the day making many in- repsated closer to him and most impressive- ly " Go to Lincorn." This time the Major got up and thoroughly searched the room. He had locked the door, so no one 'could enter that way. The hoose was hushed in profound repose, not a sound, save the dull ticking of a clock at the end of the corridor. Major Randall was extremely discompos- ed. He was not a superstitious man by any means ; but there was a tone in that voice that penetrated to his very soul with a thrill through his system such as he had never be- fore experienced. " Dreams are strange things," he said to himself ; " why should I dream Of Lincoln, where I have not been half a dozen times in my life, and that twenty years ago ?" Again he got into bed, but not to sleep, for his nerves were ten much excited. He tried to lose himself in vain; his mind was so- thoroughly awake and clear, that—as he afterwards declared --he could have writ- ten any letters or deepatches as well as ever he did in his life. He lay thee, colts still, on his back, with svideupan eyes, when he was electrified by the same voice saying close to his ear : " Go to Lincoln—at once " I will," answered the Major aloud ; and springing up, he lighted the tapers on the toilet table and. began to dress. Consulting his watch, he foinid it was four o'clock in the morning; and looking from the window . the witness -box. He now saw why he had which gave a view over the park, he saw a been sent to Lincoln. clear starlit sky and a white frost on the Thus, at the eleventh hour, William Arm - grass. Writing a short note of explanation et) his brother -in -haw, Sir Philip, be placed strong's character was vindicated to the world, his statement fully corroborated by it on the outside handle of his door, in order a witness of irreproachable integrity. Clear - that it might be seen by the servants at an ly and circumstantially the Major related early h.oute how he was walking from the small station "He will think lam cracked; I hope I to Creasing Hall, and had been overtaken am net, forereally I ani going to Lincoln by a fellow -pedestrian, seeking shelter with withoualthoming, why," he soliloquised as him for a short time in the old church porch e he noiselessly descended the broad staircase. —the clock striking seven while there ; also The --Hall door was so barricaded by its the conversation they had held together in manifold fastenings of bars, bolts, and the dark—of how the prisoner's grandfather chains, that he could not undo them with- had during a flood rowed in a boat to make out alarming the household ; he therefore his purchases at the village shop, and shot • entered a donserVatory opening from the wildeducks in the fields of Bertoft—fac',e drawing""; and unlocking a glade door which a stranger could not possibly have let himself out into the parketravegaing it knn. without encountetinga keeper, but disturb=' William Armstrong was discharged, and ing the deer clustered-- together under the a reward -of a hundred pounds at once of - J bare branches of the fine elms and beeches,- fered for the 'apprehension of the actual wile started up from their lair, gazing at murderer. hfm in wonder. Sir, Philip and Lady Hartbury were quite Major Randall rather_ enjoyed his tramp prepared to quiz their brother unmercifully to,Wercester in the bracing air of a fine- on his wildgoose chase, when he returned ; frosty -morning. He reached the station in but when they heard its result, speedily time to take a cup of cofleeand a sandwich changed their intention, listening almost in before starting by the six o'clock train. awe to his recital. Being an experienced traveller, he arranged Major Randall never heard the voice his long journey so well, that, changing et one junotion in order to catch the express again, and declares, in spite of the general at another, he was enabled to reach Lincoln opinion to the contrary, that it was not a dream. by two o'clock. After enjoying a luncheon, To do Mrs. Drew justice, she was he strolled through the hilly street of that greatly 'shocked at her uncle's tragic e interesting old city. "Why am I here, I weeder ?" he kept re- death and poor Elizabeth's sudden de- "Why to himself. "Shall / have further cease, but triumphed in the expectation e orders e of inheriting the miller's property, its s amount proving greater than expected. She n c But, though ho listened attentively, 310 _contemplated removing to a country house, voice - 'eke again. , He sureeyed the exterior I keeping a t pony phaeton and giving garden- _ of the • • ecathedral, and looked in theshop parties, to let the county families see she ° windowg wandering without any definite could hold up her head as high as any of m object.. The town was unusually full of them. But behold ! when the time came vie, who seemed in a state of excite- for legal settlement, no certificate of her a W Pe nient: The winter assizes were on., Not. Q knowing how to occupy his timer -he stepped parents' marriage could be found —no entry e_ intatheceurthieuse, where a -trial was tale. iinmaretge.isters. Ake ! Mrs. Drew was illegit- lic; ing:Plade. ' Theentrance was blocked with "Pride must have a fall," exclaimed the _ t peo • le, ' _ townsfolk. th mg; eel. re -e- — , , - SC.'" ' 4i ea2e1"/122111° iliqUii.ed ("Pike' - She never spin upbraided her husband gfii "A young mar iTis dieing tried for his life, -with ha.ving f ao ambition." -deltdti atignitd - - The miller's fortune went to very dis- m et was obliged to walk the whole distance to Boston, where he arrived greatly fatigued and very wet. It was a great shock to him when he -was arrested the following day charged with the murder of his former em- ployer. It was seven o'clock when Mr. Twyford -was shot ; the woman at the roadside cot- tage stated that her timepiece struck that hour just before,she heard the report of the pistol. "1 am innocent," the prisoner said sol- emnly. " Appearances are fearfully against me; but I would never raise my hand against Mr. Twyfcrd. We were not on good terms; still, there was no malice on either side. I was not near Merstoke high -road at the time of the murder, but in a directly opposite directon, seven miles away from it, going home. There is one person, the only one in the world, who could prove it. I overtook him on the way. It was pitch dark ain ; the r came down in torrent; and we took shelter for a time m the porch of Bertoft old church, and exchanged a few words. Of course we could not see each other. That stranger could testify the fact of my presence there—though perhaps he has forgotten it." "No ; he has not," rang out Major Ran- dall's clear voice. " Re is here." In the midst of great excitement, the Major pushed his wan through the crowd to June. June by universal acclamation is month of roses, the leafy month, and in her characteristics deserves the high e giums which poets have ever lavished u her. Without the fickleness of April May or the arid heats of July and Augu she is truly the month of nature's most lav exuberance of color and fragrance. In ages since old Roman times June has be considered the most auspicious month weddings and betrothals, although h immediate predecessor, May, was consid ed the most unlucky month in all the ye in which to contract marriage. " The brid of May," says an old adage, "is the brid of death," and no reason can be assigned f this dismal idea, except that -the Roma, 2,000 years ago celebrated their festivals honor of the dead in this month, and sing larly enough our only festival in honor the dead is held in the same month. T rush of weddings that occur in the begi ning of June and the scarcity of weddin that occur in May go far to prove the pow that old superstitions still exist. the all uke pon or st, is h all en for er er- ar al al or 118 in u - of he n- gs er e- at al • y d 1 • There are many other superstitions th are recalled by the month. It used to b always considered unlucky for a brid couple on the way to church to meg t a monk a priest, a dog, cat or serpent, and thene were singled out as obnoxious on very rea sortable grotands, as all being in some wa inimical to the richest bliss of the marrie state --monks and priests not accepting it for thenieel yes, though willingly enough joining others, dogs and cats beingsymbol ical of the most unhappy union possible an the serpent having broken up the origina happy home. But to meet a wolf, a toa or a spider was an auspicious omen indeed but upon what grounds it was considered so is not so -apparent. The charivari or horning party, which is now quite common in some of our villages, specially on the occasion of an ill-assorted marriage, was a custom away back in the arly centuries, and was the subject of a synodal order from the church. The fee ow given to the minister was formerly pur- hese money for the bride given to herself o "bind the bargain," and the ring was riginally merely a part of this purchase oney. . The system of wedding presents hick has no*. No -omega formidable, prob. bly arose from the " penny weddings "of mien Bess's titne, when it was a custom r all the guests to contribute somethiag the couple at. the wedding feast. To the city reeidenteJtheaslsoeepresents e time for the annual exodus to green elds, seashore, lake and mountain, and for iis is welcome enough to make it a faVorite oath without its traditions oriel beauty. tegl aseat a :4, `.•-• a The laundry. The first June are welectm to the od laundeerweenentt No artificial blea.c — a do sechtwOrk*liedgeeen grass and son, ine; -Winter clothes are quite likely to ve acquired something of a yellow hue. ey may now be blnesched tet snowy sir Of „ege„.; pee -•a -- • e v taint relations, whowere advertised for in ele„'"'4"` , the pgpers. —''' Twyford,"neer alrRoby, A convict named Ashworth died at Port. Was Ittoty4-.09tolgibetwggkAterfifOke and land. .0» his deatlebedshe confessed.that he had shot his father -m -law on the dire s4d affair' that road home. having learned from his sti„dttf littarrifel at wife that she was forgiven and _ would, ,tenjki ilugee881011 of inherit the property. Her eudden death de-. atalhalecacePect: feated him. - Nan END.] c.i will go in, if rot-e,anO!a, said he, slfpning silver/Leif-14 band. Ilia —men and han tang eppeeranee geineollopl'aii adnaiasf�nlviIii44 hactIolot. tof**11***ny: others....,i•-'Tlikough Nome privaio",-*?'yit0-lie litieseteitpt; 'the - •- aii* imeceeded tuihnot _onlydanteadanegg - ' him %teethe body of tiii, eoui#litik:keotti, 2 - litfil*440,iiitikiftti d, ' a, t dd:e da dh'd e d ha interior , '4. ' it „.iiiii_ er444 -tot' - ...._ -__ -4' ktanifit.,,,_, .,-- „,..., 1)5.11-#. t , = - - fait.,,:a*-4,-. , .... 1P -r• . pale,-*Arclit-iii&11 - - 74€1*;. ;Vliwof.!•*04-iiitiarg -%, a lief - heardtgi‘khAmtilyderitlYt 0°P.-.4!jaii- e. , eer tee - 11. t - The. western part of .Persia is inhabited . -byta *ivies of camel whieh is the pigmy of i _ ititare.- .:trnpicai Rai -linens of thia, erea- tare araiihnoet a- p*e- white' in COlor, an are, on lecoint woreltfeheeta.taylittriedri of the natives. When , the heli"--vas.._,1 Berlin in -1 889 he- Wied-leindiedti ea Cd by --Lc' t4thoriaes, und,.--iiiNetsid 11 - kitten dieipality with a pair of- thee I ,wonders t -e-thelargetit- of e , -124 --01.*) it --- :.• , and e - rnyOaels of Persia. • e d go er sh ha Th whiteness and acquired the Ifettleraneea clover. Household linens, which no housekeeper allows to be frozen, will bleach in a few days if spread on the green grass in the bright sun and sprinkled three or four times a day. No bleaching but this is strictly sefe, tliough the market abounds with aching fluids and bleaching powders. No p en t, housekeeper uses a soap or fluid of suc erength that it eats the dirt out of the cletats without rubbing. The rubbing- _ board remainstaday_ as much of a neeessity a 8iti was the 0e-daY 'Mta"vashing machines were e eeggreat labor-saving mOhine has .beeni given to the laundry which actually does its work better than it can possibly be done by hand, and that is the wringer. -There appears so far no possible way of inventing a machine to take the place of hand -rubbing, one that will select out the spots that need rubbing and will soap and rub them espec- ially, giving the remainder of the garment merely a general washing. Itis -true that a washing machine doe e the work quite as - intelligently as the unskilled washerwoman who does her work with no regard to the neecnedssaittiinen. sof the case, but this is no recom- - mendation. ia a great deal- te- be said about soaking clothes over night. If they are merely plunged in cold water it is better- to leave them unsoaked, but if each garment is carefully looked over, the fruit and coffee stain removed with boiling water and all the other stains treated as they should be and the clothes then soaked in cold water over night, a little soap being rubbed en the wristbands and other parts of the gar- ments which are especially soiled, it will prove a success. The careful laundress puts her coarse clothes in one tub and her finercloher rs finerinaclothes.notherad she begins by washing Where the water is hard, as it is in cer- tain parts of the country where the water supply comes from mountain springs, it will be necessary to add a certain amount of ammonia or borax to soften it. Two tablespoonfuls of ammonia to a gallon of water or. a half pound of borax to five gallons 9f water is fully sufficient. This should be used in the rubbing water and again in the rinsing water. There should be an amount of melted aoap put in the boiler and this will probably soften the water sufficiently for boiling. It is a great mistake to allow clothes to boil any great length of time. As soon as they are fairly boiling they should be removed to the rin- sing water. Too much cannot be said in regard to the hecessity of thorough rinsing. elf the clothes are thoroughly rimsed they may be slightly blued and, though this is not a necessity, it gives a pearly tint when properly done which is very desirable. Some good laundresses blue their clothes every other time they are washed. This is by far the best plan as it forestalls any at- tempt of the laundress to- cover -up the stains by the use of blueing. In order to treat the different sets of clothes washed in alternate weeks let the first two weeks' washing be blued and then omit the blueing during the next two washings. With plenty of fresh air and sunshine and a little good judgment even washing day may not be al- twurayesd.so sorry a day as it is usually pie- _ a w st al d an ev w ni ed in ro an de wa ba in Ro ta po ho to firs per imp sol ski rest due the fro of s rins the dow han effec slee trea Salt Baths. At this season of the year, when children re apt to be languid with the approach- of arta weather it is an excellent time to art the habit of the daily bath, if it is not ready a part of the regular regime of the ay. With the coming of the new summer d the loveliness of the earlymorning hours, en the most indolent feels the impulse to- ard early rising, and the very best begin - ng of the day is a refreshing bath, follow - by some light food and a vigorous walk the open air. The addition of a cup of ck salt to the bath is a great advantage, d is especially soothing to the nerves of licate people who find the shock of cold ter too severe. Even indoors, such a th possesses much of the strengthening, vigorating qualities of the ocean wave. ck salt is considerably cheaper than fine ble salt, and is quite as good for this pur- se. It should be thoroughly dissolved, wever, so that not one crystal remains. hen it is put in a cold bath, it is better dissolve the salt in a little warm water t, though not enough to change the tem- ature of the bath perceptibly. It is very ortant that the salt be completely dis- ved as a single crystal may cut into the n. Where a litt'e child is feverish and less a warm salt bath will sometimes in - e sleep when everything else fails. Let temperature of such a bath be about m 85 degrees to 90 degrees. Add a cup alt to every six gallons of water. Do not e off the salt with fresh water, but dry child's skin thoroughly, and rub it n with smooth, gentle strokes of the d. All this has a wonderfully pacifying t and a fretful baby will often drop to p before you are aware of it under such tment. Some Bridges. Coallaroekdale bridge, England, is the first cast iron bridge ever built. It was con- structed in 1779. The bridge of the Holy Trinity, Florence, was built in 15419. it is 322 feet long, of white marble, and is even now reckoned as being without a rival as a specimen of the bridge art. The -covered bridge at Pavia, over the Ticino, was built as early as the fourteenth century. Although a half a thousand years old, it is in a perfect state of preservation. The roof is held in place by 1_00 gigantic granite columns. The great cantilever bridge at Niagara Falls is entirely composed of steel. It is 810 feet in length, weighs 3,000 tons and cost $900,000. The Rialto Bridge, Venice, is said to have been built from designs urnished by Michael Angelo. It is a single marble arch of 98 1.2 feet. The new bridge at Burton, over the Trent, was formerly the longest bridge in England, 1,545 feet. The new bridge over the Tay at Dundee, Scotland, is 77 feet above the water, has 85 piers, and is over two miles long. The longest bridge in America is a trestle- work over a portion of Lake Ponchartrain. It is nearly twenty-five miles long. . The largest and longest stone bridge in the world is over an arm of the China sea— five miles long, M arches. Each 70 feet high. Wonderful Books• Thirty-five or forty years ago someone issued the famous "Thumb Bible," so cell- ed because it was -seemly larger that - first joint of the thumb; noir Mr. ,Pi4vedi, of Oxford, England, 18 out with a marvel- ous little book, Which has been dubbed "The 'Finger Prayer Boole"- This tiny volume has 700 pages and isbound itt enorogio and velvet with brw clasps.It weighs less than three quarters of an ounce, is only one inch in breadth, three and (me- ta inehesin length; ands one-third of an inch in thickness. It is difficult for one to. believe that a book of 700 pages could be made thin enough to conveniently go into a a common pocket purse, but this is what Mr. Frowde has achieved in his "Fin er Prayer Book." It is a marvel in paper mak- ing, and one of which the author, the paper. -maker and lite printer are justly proud. A copy of eel in silver with gold clasps will be exlegged at the world's fair. A rich man is an honest man, no thinks to him, for he would be a double knave to cheat mankind when he had no need of it. e - Int HE MS 3 ONTARIO. Official Report of the Department Agriculture for June. THE WEATHER.—April began warm an fine, but from the second week th weather was cold and dry with severe an trying wings. The average temperatur for the month was 40.81 ° as compare with 42.970 in 1.891 and an average for te years of 40.22 °. The rainfall in this mont was 1.25 inches in 1892, 1.84 inches in 189 while tha average for ten years was 1.9 inches. May has been cold, cloudy an wet, retarding farming operations. In th west and south-west of the province the rainfall has been considerably over double the usual amount. The fignres of tempera- ture for May are 51.55°,51. 940 and 52.63, ° an d of rainfall they were 3.48 inches, 1.07inches and 2.73 inches. The following stations re- port over six inehes of rain for May Kingsvill,e 8.03 ; Ridgetown, 8.40 ; Cedar Springs (Kent), 7.73; London, 674; St. Marys, 6.13, ROOTS.—POMparatiVe little ham -been done with reots. TlieWetweather preidails hog all over the province, has delayed the seeding of roots and the planting of pota- Of toes. From the Lake Erie -counties there are many reports of the rottlag of potato d seed in the ground, and nieee scattered re e ports of like experi voirte freer, other parts ofwestern Onto- o Fautip7egetation *pears to be about a wee ackwarei. In many places te- n woods were only in earliest leaf, but the genial weather just ushered in gave promise of a more generous foliag' While in some 1 of thenorthern countries apple blossoms were only just beginning to show, the more e southern sections reported the bloom as well advanced, and with but few exceptions the accounts regarding this staple of our orchards were most favorable. It was stated, however, that notwithstanding the abundance of blossom, the heavy rains pre- vailing at the time of bloom may have wash- ed off much of the pollen, and that imper- fect fertilization may result. Pears where grown promise well. Peaches along the Lake Erie and and Lake Ontario coun- ties were more or less injured by the winter. Plums and cherries are still assailed by their enemy, the black -knot. A few localities report a pro- fusion of plum blossoms, but in some of the recognised plum sections the yield is not expected to reach that of last year. In eastern Ontario the interest in orcha.rding appears to be developing From various points come reports regarding winter injury to grapes, but in the main the remarks of correspondents are hopeful. Strawberries were hurt by frost and " heaving " on a few exposed fields, but the general condi- tion is far from unsatisfactory. Raspber- ries appear to have sustained more injury than any other fruit, The Cuthbert suffer- ed greatly in many quarters. Other small fruits came through the winter well. The fruit prospect is on the whole encourag- ing. FALL WDEAT.--ThiS crop is still in a very promising con - ition, very little has been plowed and the only unfavorable conditions are noted in connection with late -sown grain and that put in upon lowlying un- drained lands. The diverse conditions of climate of this province are shown by two reports—one stating that fall wheat was heading out, another that spring seeding had just fairly commenced. The greatest -loss appears to have fallen on the extra acreage of last fall which was hastily put in on poorly prepared land. The principal fall wheat counties report as follows: Essex and Kent, suffered from drouth and frost in April and rains in May, some plowed up, only two-thirds of an average crop promis- ed; Elgin, fair; Norfolk and Haldimand first class, especially where properly put in; Welland, fair ; Lambton affected by heavy rains, two-thirds of ahcrop ; Huron, Bruce and Grey, early sown good, late sown poor, crop late, prospects above average Simcoe, never better except on low land; Middlesex, crops affected by weather' and are backward, prospects fair for gocd crop; Oxford, Brant and Perth, prospects very good except on low lands; Wellington, Waterloo and Dufferin, prospects good, crops a little backward ; Lincoln, very fine ; Went- worth, good, except on low land, straw rank; Halton and Peel, very good; York, to Prince Edward, good. On the whole, pres- ent conditions point to a first class crop of fall wheat, warm weather, however, being very desirable and necessary, as a very rapid growth of straw has taken place and a continuance of wet weather would cause great loss from drowning -out and from lodg- ing. An extra good crop may be expected should bright warrn weather continue. PRING WHEAT,—The Lake Erie coun- ties report much damage from rain in the west, with improvement'in condition as we come east, the condition of this section at present is only fair. Lambton and Huron report a backward growth and much loss through rain; Bruce, Grey and Sirricoe on the whole give most satisfactory returns some parts being affecte-1 by too much and the growth being a little backw The prospects in the West Midland co ties are good, as also they are from Line to Prince Edward county. The eastern northern sections report spring wheat very good condition except on low la While the spring wheat can, on the wh be considered in hardly as good conditio the fall wheat, the present prospects are to the average, but the success is now de- pendent upon continued warm weather. rain ard. 13arnardo Home are being tried itt )U fl- place of men, but the moiety paid them ninn. is not included in the rates of wages here - and , with summarized: The amount paid per inmonth for the working season, of say seven ndmonths, runs from $14 to no with board, ole the average being $16.79, an increase of 28 n as cents over that of the previous year. The amount paid without board ranges from $20 up BEES and Hoere.--The reports regarding the apiary are far from encuraging. In addition to losses by starvation, chilled brood and dysentery were not uncommon. Foul brood was reported in °ally a few lo- calities, but the death of queens appear to have been more frequent than usual. The eported losses during winter and spring vary from 3 up to 75 per cent. ; the average be placed at about 25 per cent Just may AND WAGES—There is that s correspondents wrote, however, fruit lossoms were providing excellent supplies f nectar, and with more ineasonable weather bees were beginning to pick nig. s special to note in the condition of farm abor. Regarding the quality and supply f labor opinions differ. While the greater umber of those reporting consider that the ght class of hands arc available, a strong inority state that good farm laborer l art, came. This is said to be caused by the rge emigration of our farmers' sons to the nited States, Manitoba and the North. est, their places being taken by " fatm upils " and others from -the old country, me of whom are of doubtful quality so far our agriculturalmethods are concerned. some western counties boys from the BARLEY.—The acreage is still decreasing. Essex, Kent, Lambton and Middlesx appear to have suffered most from rain and frost. There is an improvement in condition along lake Erie in going east, and Bruce and Huron give better reports than the counties to the south. As to the rest of the western section the general report is that the hig lands look very promising, the low laud very poor. From Lincoln to the the east ern boundary of the province, the return are quite favorable. The inland and north ern regions report backward growth, favor able only on well drained soil. The presen condition of barley over the province is fair but backward, with the prospect of a very much decreased total yield unless the weather soon becomes and continues more favorable. OATS.—As with barley the greatest loss has cccurred in in the south-western portion of the province, many reporting at least one-third of the crop in that section de- stroyed by water. The condition improves as we go east and north east. The central, eastern and northern sections report a large acreage doing exceedingly well on high land and poorly on low land, the growth, however, being much retarded. On the whole the condition of oats is bettter than that of barley, and should the weather be favorable for the next few weeks a more than average crop may be expected. Re.—Very few report rye as being sown at all, most ot the reports indicate the piob- a.blity of a small crop. In many cases it is grown either for early feeding or for plowing under. - PEAS. —The reports as to peas are neces sarily incomplete, as, owing to the lateness of the season, sowing was still in progress in many sections. With the exception of the sonth-west the pea crop of western On- tario is one of great promise, above the average, the most encouraging reports com- ing from Grey and Simcoe. From Toronto east returns are uniformly very good, Prince Edward especially reporting a large acre- age, and fine condition. Present indications point to an extra fine pea crop over almost the entire province. CORN. —All over the province, but more particularly in the corn -growing countries of the Lake Erie group, the repeated rains of May greatly hindered corn planting. A few fields on high situations were doing nicely, hut on low and level land there was much washing out of seed and yellowing of the Young plants, and some replanting will have to be done. The rains have delayed corn planting by a week or ten days, and when correspondents sent in their reports fully half :the corn area, remained to be planted. The weather was then more promising, and therett-no reason to doubt that the usual acreage will be given to corn. Bens. --The planting of this crop as in the base of corn, has been delayed by . wet weather making it difficult to prepare the soil for the seed. Very little had yet been planted in Kent and adjacent counties. 'weltereeinost- of our beans are raised, and sortie correspondents ventured the opinion that the area grown this season would not be as large as usual. HAY AND CLOVER.—During the past few weeks the hay crop has made wonderful growth owing to the continuous rains. Sinee our last report, the prospects of the crop have- continued steadily to improve, so that now a heavy yield is assured. The appearance of timothy was. perhaps never better than at present. Although clover was badly winter killed and still looks un even and patchy, yet what survived is mak- strong-growth and looking well. to $28, the average being $24.60, or 59 cents more than in 1891. The wages per day of temporary help averages 86 cents with board and $1.15 without board, both these rates slightly exceeding their respective figures of the previous year. ODDS AND ENDS. Fifty thousand women belong to the trade unions of England. Turkish women eat rose leaves with but- ter, to secure plumpness. During the past year Chicago spent over $54,000,000 for 11,845 buildings, while New York expended over $56,000,000 for 2,827. . A society has been organized in Stockton, Cal., whose members believe in the effi- ciency of Limburger cheese as a cure for dyspepsia. An Australian correspondent writes that his country no longer offers good opp'br- tunities to the skilled artisan or the in- dustrious laborer, In about sixty years a walnut tree, grown from the seed, will attain a diameter of four feet and if properly cut and seasoned will be worth $400. An old soldier of rWichita recently re. ceived from the Government three cente Which had been due him without his know, ledge for more than thirty years. Farmers in Mexico always use oxen of one color in the morning and of another color in the afternoon. They do not know why; but they know that it must be the right thing to do, because their forefathers did it. In the Chicago cattle yards the various plants are estimated as worth $11,000,000, with 25,000employes, to whom annualwages of $20,000,000 are paid. In the fiscal year of 1890 the approximate value of the prod- ucts of all sorts utilized there was $150,- 000,000. The longest train ever hauled in the United States by a single engine has just been hauled on the Reading road. It con- tained 260 empty freight cars and was about a mile and a quarter in_ leegth. The longest trainpreviously recordedwas on the North- ern Central road, a mile and an eighth iut length, or 6,113 feet. A Small Girl Oomposes About Bvs. Boys is hawrid. That's what all the gurls sez. Thay doant think so but they sa so, soz they want git plaged. Boys like to has grids think thay ur tuf. I like tuf boys. Mi big sisstur sez tuf boys is the best. Shes had speryunce: I have never thot of gettin morried, but Iv had lots uv chances. Boys is yusful. They dim tres and steel things fur the gurl thay likes, best. Sicks diffrunt boys sez they likes me best. -Curls pretendgthay doant ear fur boys. Gurls hoo sez they doant car fur boys want gct to heven. Grids mus tell the trooth if they go to heven. After whil boys is men. When boys git to chune tewbacka thay ar men. Boys is better than men. Millions of Orgazism. In the milt of a codfish, or in water in which vegetables have been infused, the microscope discovers animalculi so minute that 100,000 of them would not exceed tn. bulk a single mustard seed. And, stregge as it may seem, each of these infinitesimal creatures are supplied with organs as COM - pieta in every detail as are these of the whale or the eephant. Ceearge rfW.Jame tone's ti borough ea —"months. his cl°oins. uth11 pofev e , mann wards fo co:unten vivacity. . CU his feth George, theiike nPersi sn of Rtissi feature of are :For th was the er ; and ever, be tremheeddt sr ishis no owdno Prince G come sti to the m brother. ness ofte younger ttah kewyfo e atsh lepl o Prince E together who Was yatch's si was swim ibreovtitrbit ne crsd the ytl a with war The bro as cadets, ulation must ente and thir Prince Ed maximum passed the p robablv ed the Bri of King's of boys an as any tea tended th brothers, ninsrouttechpliegsaterbonio studies at carry the by naval r spent on b command Fairfax at two Princ to the h-. pmbody. tilled in m cadets. On the 1 was commis Admiral) L two Princes years. voya both rated Prince's six ary, 1880. time the Ba trainingsyn niiral, the E Bitted besisi maline, the two Princes the first tim ica, the Cap Singapore was then or into the Me period of ti Egypt, the the spring of ginAnfitnegr orfeAtu autumn alon the care of hi and theHteia,.topress Lausanne fo May, 1883, midshipman commissione miral) Durra American an she joined th -i.visitirirai sides Dominion an the St. Lawr as Montreal. Governor -Ge Louise was During the cruised amon visited Dem Shortly after the senior mi was waiting t sent himself lieutenant, possible, na 3d June, 1884 in seamanship joined, as all s A aval College struction,and lent at Port. throughthe else. Every examinations, navigation'in pilotage. In achieved the ing a first clas to lieutenant's From his ear been a thoroug popular officer in the gun-roo with all the me mend. Asa keen to do all boat's crew or charge the sraa to all tat3he ainidijevu of his division. selves neat, s fil their duties to encourage- b helping hand. thoroughlywell, to do each thing have thorough that when need end thus when forth all their Alyioresne pdina ennondn. has remarked th or couldturn itt than when Prin „Vetch., • • • • a _ ett theseeened • ss sed. :