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diff --git a/old/65985-0.txt b/old/65985-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 555a553..0000000 --- a/old/65985-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2169 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, -Science, and Art, Fifth Series, No. 31, Vol. I, August 2, 1884, by Various - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, - Fifth Series, No. 31, Vol. I, August 2, 1884 - -Author: Various - -Release Date: August 3, 2021 [eBook #65985] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Susan Skinner, Eric Hutton and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The Internet - Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL OF POPULAR -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART, FIFTH SERIES, NO. 31, VOL. I, AUGUST 2, -1884 *** - - - - -[Illustration: - -CHAMBERS’S JOURNAL - -OF - -POPULAR - -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART - -Fifth Series - -ESTABLISHED BY WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS, 1832 - -CONDUCTED BY R. CHAMBERS (SECUNDUS) - -NO. 31.—VOL. I. SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 1884. PRICE 1½_d._] - - - - -BIRD MIGRATION. - - -The migration of birds is a subject that has excited the attention of -naturalists of all nations from very early times, and many theories -have been advanced to account for the mysterious periodical movements -that take place among the feathered tribes, although it can hardly be -said there is one which fully explains these movements. Some writers -affirm that they are entirely due to temperature; others, that they are -caused by a want of food; while others, again, assert that they are -traceable, within certain limits, to a hereditary impulse which guides -birds in following lines of flight over seas where at one time all was -land. - -There can be no doubt that originally, birds, like other animals, were -actuated to a great extent in their periodical shiftings by the main -considerations of food and temperature. As familiar examples of this, -we have only to remember that species which are reared within the -Arctic Circle are compelled to quit their birthplaces as soon as the -brief summer is past—their haunts becoming wrapped in snow, and their -feeding-grounds converted into a dreary expanse of ice; while in our -own country, every one knows that swallows and other soft-billed birds -are obliged to leave us at the close of autumn, and repair to climes -where there is not only greater warmth but abundance of insect life, on -which their subsistence depends. - -Another theory, however, may be adverted to, as showing the phenomena -in a more suggestive and poetical light—namely, that put forward -by the aged Swedish poet Runeberg, who believes that birds, in -undertaking their vast and toilsome journeys, are solely influenced -by their longing for light. When the days become shorter in the -north, birds make up their minds to go southwards; but as soon as -the long northern days of summer set in, ‘with all their luminous -and long-drawn hours,’ the winged hosts return to their old haunts. -There is evidently something in this theory, because, in the case of -the insectivorous birds, there is little diminution of food in their -southern hunting-grounds to compel them to seek a change; and even with -regard to marine birds, it seems quite possible that fishes and other -migratory creatures in the sea on which they prey are influenced to a -great extent by some such impulse as this theory indicates. The longing -after light, moreover, is well exemplified in imprisoned plants, which, -though firmly rooted in the ground, instinctively strain towards the -light, and spread upwards in search of an outlet from the surrounding -darkness. The Swedish poet, therefore, may, after all, be nearer the -truth than some naturalists are willing to allow. - -But whatever may be the true theory, it is certain that at the -close of each summer, whether it be within the Arctic Circle or in -the temperate region of Britain, where observations are now being -made, vast flights of birds are seen passing southwards, and again -in early spring proceeding northwards, with unvarying regularity; -and it has consequently become a matter of considerable interest to -ornithologists, as well as to naturalists at large, to record such -observations as may help to throw light upon the question as to what -species share in the general migration and how their movements appear -to be influenced. - -In _Chambers’s Journal_ for December 1876, a suggestion was made that -the light-keepers of our lighthouses might be enlisted in the cause -of science by making notes of their observations concerning birds -and other animals, as by that means new facts would certainly be -added to our stores of knowledge; and Messrs J. A. Harvie Brown and -John Cordeaux—two well-known ornithologists—subsequently undertook -of their own accord the circulation of carefully prepared schedules -among the keepers of lighthouses and lightships situated on the -English and Scottish coasts, with a view to investigate the migratory -movements of birds. The results, which were both interesting and -valuable, were published in the _Zoologist_ for 1880, but were -immediately thereafter reprinted in a convenient form for reference. -Subsequently, it was found that the scheme was somewhat beyond the -limits of private enterprise, and application for aid was therefore -made to the British Association at its meeting at Swansea, in the -autumn of the same year. This led to the appointment of a Committee -of Naturalists, whose Report, issued in 1881 (London: Sonnenschein -and Allen), was so encouraging, that when the Association again met -at York, a larger Committee was appointed, and a wider interest given -to the investigations by their extension to the coasts of Ireland. -A subsequent Report on the migration of birds, containing a mass of -interesting information on the points referred to, has recently been -issued as the work of this Committee; and judging from its contents, it -may reasonably be expected that the results of such investigations will -become more and more important as the work proceeds. - -From the returns given by the light-keepers, it would appear that -birds, prior to crossing the ocean, follow closely the coast-line in -their journeyings, and that during the two periods named, a continuous -stream passes to and from their summer quarters, broken, it may be, -by a sudden change of wind or other vicissitude of weather, and thus -causing ‘throbs’ or ‘rushes,’ as they have been termed, but steady as a -rule—the hereditary impulse being too powerful to admit of anything but -a temporary deviation or delay on these great highways of migration. - -It seems strange that while such movements are taking place, persons -resident but a few miles inland may be unaware of the winged multitudes -that in this way pass within a short distance of their homes. Yet a -great deal of information may be gathered by close observers who are -willing to visit the seacoast at daybreak about the time the birds -are on the move. The present writer well remembers seeing large -flights of birds of different species arriving in early spring on -the shores of East Lothian for a succession of years. Among these, -the swallows were conspicuous even at some distance out at sea, the -main body passing northwards in undeviating flight, while numerous -detachments left it and came landwards, to people the haunts in the -country which they had occupied the previous year. The same was -observed in the case of wheatears, redstarts, and golden-crested -wrens—the last-named being particularly interesting from their tiny -size. Occasionally goldcrests would come in great numbers, and -immediately on alighting, would flutter in the morning sunlight among -the rocks and walls near high-water mark in search of insect prey, -paying no heed to the presence of any one watching their motions. -Again, in the autumn months, buzzards, owls, and woodcock would arrive -simultaneously, and pitch upon the rocks at low water, as if glad to -touch the nearest land; and even wood-pigeons (supposed by the country -folks to come from Norway), which delight only in dense woods and -fertile fields, and which suddenly appear in vast numbers in severe -British winters, settled in crowds upon the stony beach without any -preliminary survey of the ground. Observations like these can be made -on almost any part of the east of Scotland, and it is gratifying to -find them verified in a remarkable degree by the returns from the -light-keepers, which not only show the closeness with which birds -follow the coast-line, but also indicate the points of land from which -they speed seawards in their adventurous flight. Thus, it is found -that arrivals and departures take place at Spurn Point and on the -coast of Forfarshire—the inference being, if the theory of a former -land-communication be true, that an ancient coast-line must have -extended east or north-eastward probably from Holderness to Southern -Scandinavia and the mouth of the Baltic. There is also reason to -believe that similar points of arrival and departure exist in the -north-east of Aberdeenshire, judging from the occurrence of so many -rare birds, whose presence there at the migration season can hardly -otherwise be accounted for. - -Among other interesting facts brought to light by the present series -of investigations we find that, with very rare exceptions, young birds -of the year migrate some weeks _in advance_ of the parent birds, and -that the appearance on our coasts in autumn of many species, such as -the wheatear, fieldfare, redwing, hooded crow, goldcrest, and woodcock, -may almost be predicted to a day. The punctuality, indeed, with which -certain birds return to us in the fall of the year is remarkable—one -species regularly taking precedence of another according to the time -required for their self-dependence. Shore-birds apparently reach this -stage earlier than land-birds, as it has been observed that the young -of the knot, gray plover, godwit, and sanderling—birds which nest in -very high latitudes, and are the last of the migrants to leave in -spring—are amongst the first to come to our shores. - -The most interesting of all the stations from which returns have been -sent is the small rocky island of Heligoland, situated in the North -Sea, about forty miles from the mouth of the Elbe. Here the tired -wing of many a feathered wanderer finds a resting-place. Lying almost -directly in the line of migration, the island has been periodically -visited by birds in incredible numbers, many of them belonging to -species of extraordinary interest. Attracted by the lighthouse, which -occupies the highest point of the island, and throws out on dark nights -a blaze of light ‘like a star of supreme brightness,’ many thousands -of birds of all kinds pitch upon its treeless surface, where they have -scarcely any shelter from the weather, and where they become at once a -prey to the wants of the islanders, who capture them in vast numbers, -and use them as food. Mr Cordeaux, in an interesting communication to -the _Ibis_ for 1875, states, that on the evening of the 6th of November -1868, three thousand four hundred larks were captured on the lantern of -the lighthouse before half-past nine o’clock; and on the same evening, -subsequent to that hour, eleven thousand six hundred others were -taken—making a total of fifteen thousand. For this holocaust of these -charming songsters, no words of deprecation are strong enough, though -their capture was probably regarded as a lawful addition to the larder -of the captors, and probably such visitations had been so regarded -ever since the lighthouse had begun to lure the poor creatures to an -untimely fate! In this way also, no doubt, many a feathered rarity was -consumed. - -Fortunately for science, however, this little island has numbered -amongst its resident population an observer of rare intelligence, Mr -H. Gätke, whose leisure hours have been employed for nearly thirty -years in registering the occurrence of the birds which have either -made the rock a temporary resting-place or been seen crossing it in -their migratory flight. Mr Gätke first visited Heligoland as an artist; -but having secured an official appointment there, he afterwards made -the island his permanent home. During the interval, he has collected -and preserved with his own hands upwards of four hundred species—a -collection containing examples of the avi-fauna of the four quarters -of the globe. Strange as it may appear, birds have touched here whose -proper homes are wide as the poles asunder—birds from the burning -plains of India and the arctic lands of desolation. The Far West, too, -has contributed its land and water birds; and from the barren steppes -of Siberia, tiny warblers have joined the moving throng. As instances -of the abundance of what are called ‘British birds,’ mention may be -made of flights of buzzards numbering thousands which passed over the -island on September 22, 1881; while flocks of equal numbers rested -on the cliffs, and a ‘great flight’ of hooded crows, which crossed -in the same direction. As for the starling—a bird which has become -extraordinarily plentiful in this country during the last thirty -years—it is referred to as making its appearance in a ‘great rush,’ -which no doubt accounts for a flock, recorded some time afterwards -as coming from the east, by a light-keeper on the English coast, -‘estimated to contain a million starlings, making a noise like thunder, -darkening the air.’ All these birds were doubtless of Scandinavian -origin, and had in the case of each species travelled in a compact body -along the coast-line until they reached North Germany, where they had -to some extent become broken up, many of the birds being induced to -alter their flight westwards in the direction of the British coasts. -As a natural consequence, the earliest observers of their arrival in -this country would be the light-keepers at Spurn Head on the Yorkshire -coast; and the records from this station show that the buzzards and -hooded crows at least, reached us from Heligoland in somewhat less than -twenty-four hours. - -Another important post of observation is the lighthouse on the Isle -of May, in the Firth of Forth,[1] from which one of the reporters -has obtained records of species of more than ordinary interest, -the intelligent keeper there having sent him no fewer than seven -closely filled schedules, principally referring to autumn migrations. -Seventy-five species have already been identified from this station; -but in addition to these, numerous entries refer to ‘small birds’ of -various descriptions, regarding which and other accidental visitors, -more will be known as the investigations proceed, arrangements having -been made for the preservation and transmission to the mainland of -all the species that occur at the station. The occurrence of the -blue-throated warbler here—a very rare bird in Britain—suggests the -possibility of other interesting forms being sent from this locality. - -In summarising the material received, the compilers of the Report -confess that the migrations of seagulls are most erratic and difficult -to tabulate. In certain years, however, these are unquestionably -regulated by the movements of the fish upon which they feed. The late -Professor MacGillivray has recorded that, in the winter of 1837, a -flock of seagulls computed to contain not short of a million birds -made its appearance in the Firth of Forth; and it must be within the -recollection of at least one of the reporters that in 1872-3 similar -if not even greater numbers visited the firth, the most common species -being the kittiwake and lesser black-backed gull. In this memorable -invasion, unusual numbers of glaucous and Iceland gulls made their -appearance, birds of such note among ornithologists as to be marked -objects when they do occur; and the entire assemblage was suggestive -of a migration controlled by the movements of fishes—the waters of -the firth being at that time swarming with sprats. The ‘catches’ of -the local fishermen were so heavy as to necessitate their sale at a -trifling sum per cartload to the neighbouring farmers, for the purpose -of manuring their fields. - -There is not much, we apprehend, to be gathered from the appearance of -skuas, petrels, long-tailed or ice ducks (_Harelda glacialis_), and -other species whose haunts are exclusively marine, as their occurrence -inshore signifies in nearly all cases continued rough weather at some -distance from land. There are no seafaring creatures, indeed, that -delight more in storms than ice-ducks and petrels; for them, the huge -green waves or churned masses of foam have no terrors; they are for the -time being at home amid the wildest waters—the petrels on the one hand -flitting silently over the turbulent billows, rising as they advance, -and falling in their wake with contemptuous ease; the ducks, on the -other hand, careering aloft during a sudden blast, and sounding their -bagpipe-like notes, as if deriding the war of elements. Very different -is the experience of the tender songsters that traverse the dreary -waste of waters; sorely tried in their powers of flight, they are not -unfrequently caught by adverse gales and driven hundreds of miles out -of their course, to be finally swallowed by the pitiless waves. - -In connection with this subject, and as bearing upon the question of -former land-communications, reference may be made to an extremely -interesting paper on the Migration and Habits of the Norwegian Lemming, -read before the Linnæan Society of London by Mr W. D. Crotch in 1876. -In this communication, Mr Crotch shows that the lemming, which is -a small rat-like animal, occurring in abundance in many parts of -Norway, assembles periodically, although at irregular intervals, -in incredible numbers, and travels westwards until the seacoast is -reached; after which, on the first calm day, the vast multitude -plunges into the Atlantic Ocean, ‘and perishes, with its front still -pointing westwards.’ Such a voluntary destruction in the case of a -single species is perhaps nowhere else to be found in the history -of migratory animals, and it seems difficult to understand how the -annihilation of so many migratory hordes through a ‘suicidal routine’ -should not ultimately lead to their extinction. Mr Crotch tells us -that no survivor returns to the mountains; indeed, so formidable is the -migration and its effects upon the poor fugitives, that we are told by -Mr Collett—a Norwegian naturalist—of a ship sailing for fifteen hours -through ‘a swarm of lemmings which extended as far over the Trondhjems -fiord as the eye could reach.’ - -Mr Crotch rightly, we think, concludes that land existed in the North -Atlantic Ocean at no very remote date, and that when dry land connected -Norway with Greenland, the lemmings ‘acquired the habit of migrating -westwards for the same reasons which govern more familiar migrations.’ -The inherited tendencies, therefore, of this little creature are -opposed to the so-called instinct which impels quadrupeds as well as -birds to change their quarters in quest of food and warmth, unless -we conclude, with Mr Crotch, that in the case of the lemming, such -instinct has persistently failed in its only rational purpose. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] See article ‘The Isle of May and its Birds,’ in _Chambers’s -Journal_ for September 22, 1883. - - - - -BY MEAD AND STREAM. - -BY CHARLES GIBBON. - - -CHAPTER XL.—MADGE’S MISSION. - -The glow of happiness on Madge’s face seemed to brighten even the -gloomy atmosphere outside. She had done something for Philip—something -that would not only give him pleasure in the highest degree, but which -he would regard as an important practical service. For she had no doubt -that she would be able to convince Mr Beecham of the groundlessness of -all his charges against Mr Hadleigh. Then the two men would meet; they -would shake hands; all the errors and suspicions which had separated -them would be cleared up, forgiven, and soon forgotten in the amity -which would follow. How glad Philip would be. She was impatient to -complete her good work. - -Miss Hadleigh entered the room hurriedly. - -‘Goodness gracious, dear, what charm have you used with papa that you -have kept him so long with you? I never knew him stay so long with -anybody before.’ - -‘The only charm used was that the subjects we had to talk about were of -great interest to us both,’ Madge answered, smiling. - -‘Oh, how nice.—They concerned Philip? What does he say?’ - -‘That we are not to pay attention to the rumours until we have definite -information from Philip himself.’ - -‘Was that all?’ Miss Hadleigh was disappointed, and her expression of -curiosity indicated that she was quite sure it was not all. - -‘No,’ said Madge softly, wishful that her answer might have been more -satisfactory to Miss Hadleigh. - -The latter did not endeavour to conceal her surprise; but she did -successfully conceal her feeling of pique that Madge should have been -taken into the confidence of her father about matters of grave moment: -she was sure they were so, for she had passed him on his way to the -library. _She_ had never been so honoured. - -‘I suppose I must not ask you what the other subjects were, dear?’ she -said, with one of her most gracious smiles. She meant: ‘You certainly -_ought_ to tell _me_.’ - -Madge was spared the necessity of making a reply; for Mr Hadleigh, -instead of sending the promised packet, had brought it himself. When -he appeared, his daughter was silent. That was generally the case; but -on the present occasion the silence had an additional significance. -She was struck by a peculiar change in his expression, his walk, and -manner. As she afterwards told her betrothed, it quite took her breath -away to see him coming into the room looking as mild as if there had -never been a frown on his face. The dreamy, seeking look had vanished -from his eyes, which were now fixed steadily on Madge. - -‘I have brought you the memorandum, Miss Heathcote, and you are free to -make what use of it you may think best.’ - -‘I hope to make good use of it,’ was her answer as she received a long -blue envelope which was carefully sealed. - -‘Of course you understand that you are at liberty to open this -yourself, or in the presence of others whom you think the contents may -affect.’ - -‘I shall first find one or two of the other letters,’ said Madge, after -a moment’s reflection, ‘and then I shall place them with this packet, -sealed as it is, in the hands of the gentleman it most concerns.’ - -‘I am satisfied. What I am most anxious about is that you yourself -should be convinced. Do not forget that.’ - -‘I am already convinced.’ No one could doubt it who saw the bright -confidence in her eyes. - -‘That is all I desire; but of course it will be a pleasure to me if you -succeed in convincing others. I have told them to have the carriage -ready, as I thought you might be in a hurry to get home.’ - -‘Indeed I am; and thank you.’ - -Amazement as much as courtesy kept Miss Hadleigh mute until the -leave-taking compelled her to utter the usual formalities. Mr Hadleigh -saw Madge to the carriage, and there was a note of tenderness in his -‘Good-bye’—as if he were a father seeing his daughter start on a long -journey from which she might never return. - -What was the mysterious influence the girl exercised over this man? -Under it he had been always different from what he appeared to be at -other times; and under it he had consented to do that to which no one -else, except Philip, had ever dreamt he could be persuaded. - -‘I shall be glad when they are married,’ he repeated to himself as, -when the carriage had disappeared, he walked slowly back to the library. - -Aunt Hessy was somewhat startled when she saw the Ringsford carriage -and Madge come out of it alone. - -‘Is anything wrong at the Manor?’ she asked; but before she had -finished the question she was reassured by the face of her niece. - -‘No, aunt; but Mr Hadleigh thought I should have the carriage, as I was -in a hurry. I have had a long talk with him. He has made me very happy, -and has given me the power to make others happy.’ - -They were in the parlour now, and Aunt Hessy smiled at the excitement -of the usually calm Madge. - -‘Is it extra blankets and coals for the poor folk, or a Christmas feast -for the children?’ - -‘No, no, aunt: it is something of very great importance to Philip and -to me. Philip’s uncle has all these years believed that it was Mr -Hadleigh who spread the false report about him; and that is why he will -not agree to have anything to say to him. Now, Philip has set his heart -upon making them friends, and I can do it!’ - -There was a brightness in the girl’s voice and manner which Aunt Hessy -was glad to see after those days of pained thoughtful looks. - -‘How are you to do that, child?’ - -‘By showing Philip’s uncle who the real traitor was. His name was -Richard Towers, and Mr Hadleigh says you knew him.’ - -‘Richard Towers,’ echoed the dame gravely, and looking back to the -troubled time calmly enough now. ‘We did know him, and we did not like -him. He was one of the worst lads about the place, although come of -decent people. He borrowed money from my father, and thought he could -pay it back by wedding his daughter. He would not take “no” for an -answer for a long time. But at last he came to see that there was no -chance for him, and he spoke vile words. I do believe he was the kind -of man that would take pleasure in such evil work.’ - -‘He did do it. I have the proof.’ - -‘The wonder is we never thought of it before,’ continued the dame -thoughtfully; ‘but he has been gone away this many a year and is dead -now. He went to California, and was shot in some drunken quarrel. -Neighbour Hopkin’s lad, who was out there too, says he was lynched for -robbing a comrade and trying to murder him. But these are not pleasant -things to talk about. God forgive the poor man all his sins; although, -if what thou ’rt saying be true, he brought sorrow enough to our door.’ - -That was the worst word the good woman had for the man. Then Madge, -without betraying the confidence of Beecham, gave her a brief outline -of her conversation with Mr Hadleigh. Aunt Hessy naturally concluded -that it was Philip who had suggested that she should speak to his -father, and asked no questions. With her mind full of wonder at the -way in which the wicked are found out sooner or later, she went to the -dairy whilst Madge wrote a hasty note to Mr Beecham. She asked simply -what was the earliest hour at which she could see him. - -She gave the note to young Jerry Mogridge with strict injunctions that -he was to bring back an answer, no matter how long he might have to -wait. Jerry promised faithful obedience, and privately hoped that he -might have to wait a long time, for the taproom at the _King’s Head_ -was a pleasant place in which to spend a few hours. - -Then Madge went to the garret, which had been a storehouse of wonders -to her in childhood, for there the lumber of several generations -was stowed. It was a large place, occupying nearly the whole length -and breadth of the house, with a small window at each end, and one -skylight. She knew exactly where to find the oaken box she wanted, for -she herself had pushed it away under the sloping roof near one of the -windows. It was not a large box, and she had no difficulty in dragging -it forward, so that she had the full benefit of the light. She had the -key ready; but as it had not been used for years, she found it was -not easy to get it to act. At length she succeeded, and raising the -lid, disclosed a mass of old letters neatly tied in bundles, and old -account-books ranged in order beside them. - -The letters were not only neatly tied but duly docketed, so that, as -Madge rapidly took out bundle after bundle, she had only to lift the -tops to see from whom they had come and when. The light was failing -her fast, and Aunt Hessy would on no account permit a lighted lamp -or candle to be brought into the garret. She strained her eyes, and -endeavoured to quicken her search. At length she found two letters, -both dated in the same year—the year of her mother’s marriage—and -bearing the name Richard Towers. With a breath of satisfaction she drew -them out from the bundle. What their contents might be did not matter: -all she wanted was to secure fair specimens of the man’s handwriting. - -After relocking the box and thrusting it back into its place, she -descended to the oak parlour. The lamp was on the table, and she lit it -at once. Her first impulse was to open those letters and read them. But -that would be to no purpose, as it was not in her power to compare the -writing with the memorandum in the blue envelope she had received from -Mr Hadleigh. Of course she was at perfect liberty to open that too, -and it was natural that she should feel an inclination to do so. This -feeling, however, was brief. She had decided to deliver the undoubted -letters of Richard Towers and the packet with its seals unbroken. -So she secured them all in one cover, which she addressed to Austin -Shield. It was not to pass from her own hand except into that of the -person for whom it was intended. - -She had not recovered from the sense of hurry in which she had been -acting, when young Jerry returned, and after fumbling in his pockets, -produced a note. - -‘You saw Mr Beecham, then?’ she said gladly. - -‘Didn’t see him at all, missy; and I thought maybe as I’d better bring -that back.’ The note he gave her was her own. - -‘But I told you to wait.’ - -‘Weren’t no sort ov use, missy. Gentleman’s gone away bag and baggage; -and they say at the _King’s Head_ he ain’t a-coming back no more.’ - -‘Did he leave no address?’ - -‘No what, missy?’ - -‘The name of any place where letters could be sent to him.’ - -‘O yes. I saw father: he drove him to the station, and the gentleman’s -gone to London.’ - -This was all the information young Jerry had been able to obtain, and -he regarded it as quite satisfactory. To Madge, it was disappointing; -but only in so far that it delayed the completion of her mission for -a few days. It was certainly strange that Mr Beecham should take his -departure so suddenly without leaving any message for her; but she had -no doubt that the post would bring her one. - -So, now, she settled herself down to wait for Philip, and to make him -glad when he came, with her news that his father had given his consent -to the reconciliation. - -But Philip did not visit Willowmere that night. - - - - -ANCIENT ROCK-HEWN EDICTS. - - -Having had the good fortune, some years ago, to find myself in the -grand old Indian land, in company of friends so exceptional as still to -take keen interest in all matters relating to native customs and Indian -antiquities, I hailed with delight their proposal that we should devote -some weeks to leisurely wandering among the chief points of interest -along the line of railway, and thus with ease and comfort see more of -the country than many old Indians have explored in their long years -of exile. One of the chief cities where we made a prolonged halt was -Allahabad—that is, ‘the City of God’—now the point of junction for the -railway from Bombay and from Calcutta, but dear to the natives of India -as the meeting-place of the sacred rivers the Jumna and the Ganges, -and consequently a very favourite place of pilgrimage, where countless -multitudes annually assemble from every part of Hindustan. - -Immediately above the junction of the sacred rivers stands the old -fort of Allahabad, a grand mass of red sandstone, built by the great -Emperor Akbar. It now contains a very large English armoury—great guns -and little guns, and cannon and mortars, and all manner of weapons. -Here it was that the English found refuge during the Mutiny; and our -friends showed us the balcony, over-hanging the river, to which they -thankfully hauled up any morsels of food or firewood brought to them by -the faithful old servants, whom, however, they had been compelled to -dismiss, with the rest of the native attendants, from within the walls -of the fort. The mutiny in this city was very quickly crushed by the -timely arrival of General Neill with his ‘Madras Lambs;’ not, however, -till after one awful night, when, the doors of the jails having been -broken open, three thousand miscreants were turned loose to lend their -aid in burning and plundering the city. Upwards of fifty Europeans were -massacred that night, including eight young cadets who had only just -arrived from home. In the centre of the fort stands a very remarkable -monolith, surmounted by a lion. It bears an inscription in the ancient -Pali character, and is known as the Lat or Stone of Asoka, a mighty -emperor who lived about 250 B.C., and who, having embraced the tenets -of Buddha, inscribed his decrees on sundry great pillars which he -erected in divers cities. One of these is at the Buddhist caves of -Karli, and is called the Lion-pillar. It is a sixteen-sided monolith, -surmounted by four lions. Another exists at Delhi, in the ruined fort -of Togluck, though it is called after Feroze, a very modern emperor, -whereas Asoka was, as we have seen, a mighty prince of pre-Christian -ages. His pillars are sometimes surmounted by lions, sometimes by human -figures, overshadowed by the seven-headed cobra, or some other emblem -of power, such as the mystic umbrella—symbolical of Buddha—of which -sufficient trace remains to be recognised, though time and weather have -in the course of two thousand long years worn away the distinct form. -Very similar pillars are at the present day erected in Nepaul, whereon -are placed statues of kings, sometimes shaded by an umbrella made of -metal—and in one instance, by the serpent hood. - -From the reign of Asoka, the stone architecture of India dates its -origin. He is said to have left eighty-four thousand buildings of -various sorts, as the marks of his footprints on Time’s sands. To him -is attributed the great tope at Sanchi, that mighty relic-shrine, whose -huge stone portals are to this day a marvel of mythological sculpture, -the details of which have now been made so familiar to us all by -casts, photographs, and description (see Fergusson’s _Tree and Serpent -Worship_, and also the great plaster casts at the South Kensington -Museum)—sculptures representing the primeval worship of sacred serpents -and holy trees, and displaying wheels, umbrellas, and other symbols -more particularly suggestive of the new faith—that of Buddha—which -Asoka established as the religion of the state. This mighty despot -having determined that the new maxims which had become binding on his -own conscience should henceforth be law to his subjects, proceeded -to inscribe them on stone in every corner of his dominions, that the -wayfarer might read them for himself. - -Thus it is that, besides finding his edicts engraven on his buildings -and pillars, they are also found inscribed—as on imperishable -tablets—on great rocks scattered over the country from Orissa to -Peshawur. One of these huge boulders, twenty feet in height and -twenty-three in circumference, lies in the lonely jungle in the -district of Kathiawad in Western India. Here the emperor states, that -being convinced of the iniquity of slaying living creatures, he will -henceforth desist from the pleasures of the chase. Henceforth, no -animal must be put to death either for meat or sacrifice; and this -law, which the emperor appoints for himself, is to apply to all his -subjects, who are in future to feed only on vegetables. His protection -of the brute creation applies, not only to their lives; medical care is -to be provided for all living creatures, man and beast, throughout the -whole empire, as far south as Ceylon. Wells were to be dug, and trees -planted, that men and beasts might have shade and drink. The emperor -forbids all convivial meetings, as displeasing to the gods or injurious -to the reveller. He declares that he will himself set the example of -abstaining from all save religious festivals. On this huge ‘Junagadh -Rock,’ as it is called, allusion is also made to four contemporary -Greek kings. The date thus obtained is proved to be about 250 B.C., -which just corresponds with that of Asoka himself. - -The edicts go into various other matters. They inculcate the practice -of a moral law of exceeding purity; they enjoin universal charity; -and bid all men strive to propagate the true creed. To this end, -special missionaries were to be sent forth to the uttermost parts of -the earth, to preach to rich and poor, learned and ignorant, that -they might bring those ‘which were bound in the fetters of sin to -a righteousness passing knowledge.’ Nevertheless, a liberal margin -was to be allowed for diversity of opinion, and nothing savouring -of religious persecution was to be tolerated. At the same time, the -domestic life of the people was subject to the strictest censorship, -overseers being appointed to report on every act in the life of every -subject. These domestic inspectors attracted the particular attention -of the Greeks who visited India in the train of Alexander the Great, -who first turned the attention of Europeans to the then unknown -Indian land, and pursued his career of conquest as far as the banks -of the Sutlej, making himself master of the Punjab, and establishing -Greek colonies at various places. These Greeks described the domestic -monitors as ‘Episcopi,’ and asserted that their duty was to report, -either to the king or the magistrates, everything that happened in -town and country—an office which they seem to have filled wisely and -with discretion. We may here observe that there must be some confusion -in this chronicle of ancient days, inasmuch as Alexander the Great is -stated to have died at Babylon in the year 323 B.C., a hundred years -before the date usually assigned to the death of Asoka. - -But Asoka’s pillar has been to us as a talisman, transporting us -backward for twenty centuries, to those remote days, which we now hear -of as a dream of the past, when Buddhism first arose, and, like a -mighty wave, for a while overspread the whole land. Hinduism is now, -however, the chief religion of this north-west province. - -The pillar is not the sole representative of diversity of creed -that exists within the huge Mohammedan fort, a fort now held by -Christians, who have fitted up one of Akbar’s buildings as a military -chapel, where, we believe, service is held daily. Half-way between -this Christian church and the Buddhist pillar there still exists -a Hindu temple of exceeding sanctity, though how the Mohammedans -came to tolerate its existence within their fort is a marvel quite -beyond comprehension. It is a foul temple of darkness, extending far -underground, and roofed with low arches. We descended by a flight of -dark dirty steps, dimly revealed by a couple of tallow candles; and we -followed the old soldier who acted as our guide, and who led us along -dark passages, and did the honours of various disgusting idols, stuck -in niches, some as large as life, others quite small, but all alike -hideous, and all adorned with flowers, and wet with the libations of -holy Ganges water, poured upon them by the faithful. The flowers are -the invariable large African marigold and China roses. - -Each image is generally smeared with scarlet paint, to symbolise -the atonement of blood that should be offered daily, but which most -of the worshippers are too poor to afford. This substitute for the -sacrifice of blood is common all over India, where a daub of red paint -administered to the village god is at all times an acceptable act of -atonement. These village gods, however, are generally placed beneath -some fine old tree, with the blue sky overhead; but this disgusting -temple was one which you could not enter without a shuddering -impression of earthly and sensual demon-worship. - -Here we were also shown a budding tree, supposed to be of extraordinary -antiquity; a fiction by no means shaken, though the Brahmins frequently -substitute a new tree. So holy is this temple, that when, at one -time, all natives were excluded from the fort, one rich Hindu pilgrim -arrived, and offered twenty thousand rupees for permission to worship -here. The commandant, however, had no authority to admit any one, so -was compelled to refuse his prayer, in spite of so tempting a bait. It -was with a feeling of thankful relief that we emerged from that noxious -and oppressive darkness into the balmy air and blessed sunlight. - -We spent some pleasant hours in one of the balconies overhanging the -river, while in the cool room within, fair women with musical voices -accompanied themselves on the piano, in Akbar’s old quarters; and so we -idled away the heat of the day till the red sun sank into the water, -behind the great dark railway bridge, a bridge which the Brahmins -declared the gods would never tolerate on so sacred a river as the -Jumna, but which nevertheless spans the stream in perfect security. -It was a vast undertaking, as, owing to the great extent of country -subject to inundation during the rains, it was necessary to construct a -bridge well-nigh two miles in length. The Indian railway has certainly -necessitated an amazing amount of work, on a scale so vast as to test -engineering skill to the uttermost, and in no respect more strikingly -than in the construction of these monster bridges, one of which, across -the Soane, is about a mile and a quarter in length, while that on -the Sutlej, between Jellunder and Loodiana, is about two and a half -miles. On the sandbanks just below the fort, huge mud-turtles lay -basking, and the gentlemen amused themselves by taking long shots at -them from the balconies, whereupon the creatures rose and waddled into -the water with a sudden flop. These sandbanks are favourite haunts of -crocodiles—_muggers_, as they are called—which, however, declined to -show on this occasion. - -Perhaps the pleasantest of our afternoons at Allahabad was one spent -in watching the evolutions of the native cavalry, Probyn’s Horse, a -beautiful regiment, whose graceful dress, and still more graceful -riding, were always attractive. On this occasion they were playing -the game of Naza Bazi, or the Game of the Spear, when, riding past -us singly at full gallop, they with their long spear split a wooden -tent-peg driven hard into the ground. Then they picked a series of -rings off different poles; afterwards, with unerring sword, cleaving -a succession of oranges, stuck on posts, as though they were foemen’s -skulls. Next followed some very pretty tilting with spear against -sword. We had only one fault to find—their strokes were so unerring -that they never allowed us the excitement of a doubt! Altogether, it -was the prettiest riding imaginable, and a beautiful game, though the -practice of suddenly pulling up short, when at full speed, on reaching -the last peg, thereby showing off splendid horsemanship, must often -injure the good steed. As we watched this beautiful sport, we all -agreed in wishing we could see it introduced into England. That wish -has since then been fulfilled, and I learn with pleasure that many of -our own cavalry have attained such perfection in this game of skill as -to be no whit behind the most accomplished of Indian horsemen. - - - - -A RUN FOR LIFE. - - -A prisoner had escaped from Dartmoor Prison. During a dense fog, which -had suddenly enveloped a working convict-gang, one of them—a man -notorious for being perhaps the most desperate character amongst the -many desperate ones there—had contrived to escape, and, for the present -at all events, had eluded capture. - -It was not a particularly pleasant piece of news for us to hear, -considering that we had, attracted by a very tempting advertisement, -taken a small house for the summer months not very far distant from the -famous prison itself. We were tired of seaside places; it seemed as if -we should enjoy a change from our every-day life in London more, if we -were in some quiet secluded spot, far from uncompromising landladies, -crowds of over-dressed people, and bands of music. Every day we -scanned the papers, with a view to discovering something to suit us; -and our patience was at last rewarded by coming across the following -advertisement, to which I promptly replied: ‘To be let for the summer -months, a charming Cottage, beautifully situated on the borders of -Dartmoor, containing ample accommodation for a small family, with every -convenience; a good garden and tennis-lawn; also the use of a pony and -trap, if required; and some choice poultry. Terms, to a careful tenant, -most moderate. Apply to A. B., Post-office, &c.’ - -The answer to my inquiries arrived in due time; and everything seemed -so thoroughly satisfactory, that I induced my husband to settle upon -taking the place for three months, without a personal inspection of it -previously. The terms were two pounds ten shillings a week, and that -was to include the use of the pony-trap, the poultry, and several other -advantages not set forth in the advertisement. The only drawback—rather -a serious one—was that Mr Challacombe, to whom the place belonged, had -informed me that it was about three miles from a station. However, with -the pony-trap always at hand, even that did not seem an insuperable -objection. He expatiated upon the beauty of the scenery; the perfect -air from the heather-clad moors; and lastly, requested an early -decision from us, as several other applicants for the Cottage were -already in the field. - -To be brief, we agreed to take it; and on a scorching day in July, our -party—consisting of two maid-servants, my husband, and myself, and -our only olive branch, a most precious little maiden of three years -old—started from Paddington Station _en route_ for Exeter, where we -were to branch off for our final destination, Morleigh Cottage. The -pony-trap was to meet us; and Mr Challacombe had promised that we -should find everything as comfortable as he could possibly arrange; and -as sundry hampers had preceded us, I had no fears as to settling down -cosily as soon as we should arrive. - -The journey to Exeter by an express train was by no means tedious; we -rather enjoyed it. As our branch train slowly steamed into the wayside -station, we seemed to be the only passengers who wished to alight; and -presently we found ourselves, with the exception of a solitary porter, -the sole occupants of the platform. At one end of it lay a goodly pile -of our luggage, which the said porter had in a very leisurely manner -extracted from the van. - -The pony-trap was to meet us; and as Mr Challacombe had assured us it -would not only hold four grown-up people and a child, but a fair amount -of _impedimenta_, we were under no anxiety as to how we were to reach -Morleigh Cottage. - -‘Is there anything here for us?’ my husband inquired of the porter. - -‘No, sir; not that I knows of.’ - -‘From Morleigh Cottage?’ Jack explained. - -‘No, sir,’ he repeated. ‘But chance it may come yet.’ - -‘Chance, indeed,’ I echoed in a low tone. ‘It will be too disgraceful, -Jack, if Mr Challacombe has forgotten to desire the carriage to be -sent.’ - -We both proceeded to the other side of the station, and gazed through -the fast-falling twilight up a narrow road, down which the porter -informed us the pony-trap was sure to come, if it was coming at -all—which did not seem probable, after a dreary half-hour’s hopeless -waiting for it. - -In the meanwhile, we beguiled the time by asking the porter some -leading questions with regard to the surroundings, &c., of Morleigh -Cottage; all of which he answered with a broad grin on his sunburnt, -healthy face. - -‘How far is the Cottage from here?’ Jack inquired. - -‘Better than six miles.’ - -‘Six miles!’ I exclaimed!—‘O Jack, Mr Challacombe said it was about -three.’ - -‘It’s a good step more than that,’ observed the porter, with a decided -nod of his head. - -‘It is a very pretty place?’ I said interrogatively. - -‘It isn’t bad, for them as likes it,’ was the guarded and somewhat -depressing response. - -I felt my spirits sink to zero. I had persuaded Jack to take it; he had -suggested that we should go to see it first; but the advertisement had -been so tempting, and the idea of the other longing applicants had made -me so keen to secure it, that I felt whatever it was like, I must make -the best of it, and contrive that Jack at least should not repent of -having been beguiled by me into, as he expressed it, taking ‘a pig in a -poke.’ - -‘The pony-carriage is sure to come,’ I said in a confident way, once -more straining my eyes up the deserted road. As I uttered the word -‘pony-carriage,’ I detected a distinct grin for the second time on the -man’s face, which was presently fully accounted for by the appearance -of our equipage coming jolting down the deeply rutted road. Imagine a -tax-cart of the shabbiest, dirtiest description, with bare boards for -seats, and the bottom strewn with straw; the pony, an aged specimen, -shambling along, with a harness in which coarse pieces of rope -predominated. It was a pony-_trap_, with a vengeance. - -I could almost have cried when it drew up, and I saw Jack’s critical -eye running over all its shortcomings. And it was all my fault. - -It was too late to recede from our bargain now; all that we could do -was to bundle into the horrible machine, and endure as we best could -an hour’s martyrdom driving to Morleigh Cottage. - -Our groom was a civil boy of about fifteen, clad in ordinary -working-clothes. He managed to sit on the shaft or somewhere, and to -drive us back, as Jack of course had no idea of the direction; and, -judging from the solitariness of the scene, we should not have been -wise to depend upon chance passers-by to direct us. - -Arrived at last, we found the Cottage was just two shades better -than the trap. It was a tiny abode, as desolately situated as it was -possible to conceive; the only redeeming point about it being that it -was clean. - -The next morning, which happened to be a very wet misty one, we -surveyed our garden and domain generally. The tennis-lawn was spacious -enough, and the garden, to do Mr Challacombe justice, was well stocked; -but the place itself was like the city of the dead—so silent, so quiet, -so lonely. - -But as the weather improved, we got out most of the day, which rendered -us very independent of the small low-roofed rooms. Jack and I took long -walks, and occasionally we utilised the pony-trap, taking with us our -little Rose and her nurse. - -We began to think soon of asking some of our relations to visit us; -and the first to whom I sent an invitation was an elderly cousin, who -resided in London, and who was in rather delicate health. I candidly -explained the out-of-the-way nature of the place we were in, but -descanted upon the great pleasure it would be to have her, and my -entire conviction that the air would do her an immense amount of good. -She came; and it was very fortunate for me that she did so, as about -three days after, a telegram had reached us requesting my husband -to lose no time in returning to town, in consequence of one of his -partners being taken ill. It was raining when he left us; and I watched -the wretched shandrydan disappear down the road with feelings I could -scarcely repress—a sense of foreboding evil seemed to oppress me. I -tried in vain to shake it off, but only partly succeeded in doing so. -Cousin Susan endeavoured to console me by reminding me constantly that -Jack had promised to return in a day or two. - -Jack had just been gone for one week, when Rose’s nurse, a pleasant -girl of about twenty, came to my room and informed me of the occurrence -I have already alluded to—‘A prisoner had escaped.’ - -Nothing could have frightened me more, and I was afraid it might alarm -Cousin Susan, so I charged Margaret on no account to let it reach her -ears. Very likely, even now the man was captured; it was rare, indeed, -that a convict ever escaped; but I had heard stories of their eluding -capture, until, driven by sheer starvation, they often surrendered -themselves to any stray passer-by, to whom the reward might or might -not be of some consequence. - -That very morning, we had arranged to drive to rather a distant spot to -get some ferns. I would fain have deferred the expedition; but Cousin -Susan was already preparing for it, so I could only have postponed -it by giving my reasons; and the chance of encountering the convict -seemed too small to risk terrifying her by telling her of it at all. - -It was a lovely morning when we started, and Cousin Susan became quite -enthusiastic over the ‘frowning tors and wind-swept moors.’ - -‘Don’t you admire them, Helen?’ she said. - -‘They are very grand,’ I admitted. - -‘Oh, so lovely, so wild!’ said Susan. - -I was glad she liked them. - -The ferns were to be found in a sort of ravine, which was reached -by a narrow lane; on one side was almost a precipice, overhanging -a streamlet, now nearly dry, but one which the winter rains soon -transformed into a torrent; on the other side was a wood, composed -principally of stunted oak-trees, with hardly any foliage, and -singularly small; but all around the trees was a thick sort of -underwood. - -We had left Tom the stable-boy with the trap by the roadside, and I -had privately resolved not to let my cousin penetrate farther into the -ravine than I could help; but she was so charmed with its wealth of -rare ferns, that she skipped from one point to another with an amount -of dexterity and nimbleness I had never before given her credit for. - -‘I do think we might collect quite a hamperful, Helen!’ she said, -kneeling down as she spoke to dig up a root most energetically. - -‘We had better come another day, then,’ I responded. ‘I don’t want -to be late of getting back, so, if you don’t mind just taking a few -specimens—when Jack is with us, we can come again.’ - -‘Now or never!’ gaily rejoined my cousin, little imagining how soon her -own words were to be applicable to ourselves. She pounced joyfully upon -her ferns, and had collected quite a small heap, when I suggested that -we had better tell Tom to tie the pony to a gate, and come up to carry -them down for her. - -‘O no!’ said Cousin Susan. ‘I will carry them myself. Do help me here -just a minute, Helen.’ - -By this time we were some distance up the ravine; the walk was narrow -and winding; we had gone farther than even I had intended. I bent -down to give her the assistance she wanted in raising up some lovely -lichen from the trunk of a dead tree. As I did so, my eyes wandered -some distance from where we were standing towards a fallen tree. I -fancied—perhaps it was only fancy—I knew I was in a very nervous state, -and apt to imagine, but I fancied I saw a movement just beyond the -tree—it was within twenty paces of us. I felt my face grow icy cold; -my veins seemed chilling; for a moment I feared I was going to faint. -Death must be something like what I felt on that sunny day in August -when I stood in the Devonshire ravine with my unconscious cousin. I -looked again. There it was more distinctly visible than ever—a line -of drab-coloured clothing, and presently a side-view of the most -villainous-looking countenance it was ever my fortune to behold. If I -could, without alarming her, get my cousin to retrace her steps about -ten yards, we should have turned a corner, and then I could tell her -enough to hurry her onwards. I knew she was nervous—more so, perhaps, -than myself; but I knew we were in imminent peril while in such -close proximity to this desperate and, from his very escape, doubly -desperate man. - -‘Susan,’ I said—my voice seemed so hard and dry and strange!—‘you have -passed all the best ferns here.’ - -‘O no; I haven’t,’ said Susan joyously, approaching two steps nearer -the crouching convict. - -‘Am I to throw these away?’ I continued, holding out one of her best -specimens, and, as carelessly and indifferently as I could, moving one, -two, three steps nearer the corner. - -‘No; of course not,’ she exclaimed, hurrying towards me now. ‘Why, -Helen, what are you thinking of?’ - -I moved a few more steps on; and in a few more, Susan and I would both -be out of sight of that fallen tree. - -‘There is a much better one here,’ I said, keeping my face well -averted, for I felt if she looked at me she would see its ashy paleness. - -‘Where?’ she asked. ‘Wait a minute, and I’ll come for it.’ To my -horror, she retraced her steps towards her heap of ferns, and carefully -counted them, whilst I waited in a state of terror words cannot -describe. But she came at last, and I tottered with her round the -fateful corner. - -‘Don’t be frightened,’ I said; ‘but come quickly; ask no questions. Do -as I tell you, Susan.’ - -She paused, affrighted. ‘Good gracious, Helen, have you seen a wild -beast?’ - -‘Worse,’ I murmured. ‘Do not run, but lose no time.’ - -I ventured to glance behind. Nothing was visible; but every moment was -precious; we must reach the pony-trap and Tom. Once all together, the -convict would surely not venture to attack us, and I knew that being -on the high-road, alone would in itself insure our safety. But we had -not reached it yet; a long rough narrow path had to be traversed. If -the man suspected we had seen him, nothing would be easier than for him -to overtake us and make short work of us. I thought of Jack, of Rose, -of my happy life. Everything seemed to float through my mind as I half -led, half dragged Susan after me. We had gone perhaps a shade more -than half-way, when I once more turned round, in the distance, on the -path over which we had just passed. To my unutterable consternation, I -beheld the convict hurrying towards us. - -‘Run, Susan!’ I panted—‘run for your life!’ - -Another twist in the road hid us momentarily from his sight; but I knew -he was after us, running now as fast as, or perhaps a good deal faster -than we were, though we were now both of us flying along at a pace -which only the peril we were in could have enabled us to sustain. - -‘For your life!’ I repeated. ‘Run, Susan!’ - -I held her hand. Narrow as was the path, we managed to struggle onwards -together and to keep ahead of our pursuer. Mercifully, we had had a -good start; and it had only been on second thoughts, some minutes after -we had disappeared, that the man had elected to follow us. I felt if -I once let Susan’s hand go, she would be lost. Ever and anon, she -stumbled; once she nearly fell; but she recovered herself well, and -though panting terribly, showed no signs of succumbing. - -But he was overtaking us; I heard him coming faster and faster, nearer -and nearer. I heard him breathing behind us, and I felt another instant -and he must be upon us. - -‘Help!’ I shrieked. - -‘Help!’ echoed poor exhausted Susan, in a still shriller treble. - -I heard an oath, awful in its profanity, hurled at us; but the steps -seemed to pause. - -‘Help! help!’ I shrieked again. - -We plunged forwards. I heard as in the distance the sound of horses’ -feet galloping towards us. Another moment and we were on the high-road; -Susan speechless, her dress half torn off her with our terrible race, -her hat gone, and otherwise in a dishevelled condition; I feeling faint -and sick—but safe—thank God! both of us quite safe—with not only Tom, -seated in the shandrydan, staring in mute amazement at us, but with -three stalwart mounted warders, who were even then in quest of the -convict. - -They captured him an hour afterwards, after a terrific struggle, which -was made all the more terrible from the fact of his having possessed -himself of a knife, with which he attempted to stab the warders. - -Jack came back the next day; and as his partner’s illness had assumed -rather a serious aspect, he told me he must give up Morleigh Cottage, -and we could finish our holiday at Eastbourne or some place nearer -town. ‘I never could leave you here again, my darling,’ he said; -‘after such an escape, I can’t risk another.’ So we all, Cousin Susan -included, returned to our cosy house in Seymour Street, and afterwards -proceeded to the seaside, where in due time Susan and I both fully -recovered from the shock we had received in that Devonshire ravine. - - - - -FAMILIAR SKETCHES OF ENGLISH LAW. - - -III. MASTER AND SERVANT. - -The relation of master and servant depends entirely upon a contract -of hiring and service. If the contract is not to be fully performed -within the period of one year, it is void if not in writing; and this -necessity for a written contract is not confined to cases where the -service is intended to be for more than one year. If a servant be -hired on Monday for the term of one year, to commence on the following -Saturday, the contract ought to be in writing, as a verbal contract -would be void on the ground indicated above—namely, that it was not -intended to be fully performed within one year from the date on which -it was entered into. If, however, the service was to commence on the -Monday on which the verbal contract of hiring was entered into, no such -objection would arise. - -Assuming that a valid contract is entered into, there are still some -peculiarities attached to certain kinds of service, which do not affect -others. Thus, in England, both domestic servants and agricultural -labourers are usually engaged for a year; but the former class may put -an end to the engagement at any time by giving one month’s notice; -while the latter are irrevocably bound for the entire year, unless the -hiring be determined by mutual consent. This difference is founded -upon universal custom, which has the force of law. Probably the custom -had its origin in early ages, and was founded upon considerations of -convenience. The work of an agricultural labourer is distributed very -unequally over the year, being much more heavy at some seasons than at -others; and therefore it is reasonable that a man who receives wages by -the year should not be allowed to take his money for the light season, -and leave his situation when the work is heavier. Domestic servants, -on the other hand, have their work more evenly distributed over the -entire year, although they also have sometimes to do more work than at -other times, but not to the same extent as agricultural labourers; and -being brought into more immediate contact with their master’s family -(especially the mistress), it might in many cases be very unpleasant -to be obliged to carry into full effect the hiring for a whole year. -Hence, either master or mistress on the one hand, or domestic servant -on the other, may at any time give ‘a month’s warning,’ and so dissolve -the engagement. In Scotland, domestic servants are generally hired -for a month or for ‘the term,’ which is half a year, but agricultural -labourers for a year, as in England. - -The more highly paid class of servants, such as managers, cashiers, -clerks above the grade of copyists, &c., are generally engaged for an -indefinite term, subject to three months’ notice. Such an engagement -as this, although it may possibly continue for several years, need not -be in writing, because it may be dissolved within the year; and it is -only when a contract which is entire and indivisible cannot be fully -performed within that time, that writing is necessary. It is, however, -desirable that the terms of the engagement should be in writing, -for the sake of certainty and in order to avoid misunderstanding. -Copying-clerks, journeymen, and persons occupying positions of a -similar kind, are usually subject to one month’s notice. In all -cases, the obligation as to notice is reciprocal, and equally binding -on both parties, mutuality being essential to the agreement. There -is, however, one distinction which has a substantial reason for its -existence: a master may pay his clerk or manager three months’ salary, -or his journeyman or copying-clerk one month’s salary, and dismiss him -immediately; but the servant must give the proper notice, and cannot -throw up his engagement by sacrificing salary in lieu of notice. -The reason for this is obvious: if a clerk gets his salary without -working for it, instead of working out his notice, he is not in any -way injured, but may be benefited by the prompt dismissal; for he may -obtain an engagement elsewhere before the time when the notice would -have expired. But it would be difficult to estimate the loss which -might be sustained by a master in consequence of the sudden withdrawal -of a confidential clerk or manager. For any breach of contract an -action of damages will lie at the instance of either party, and the -measure of damages will be the probable loss to the servant before he -can find a new situation, or to the master before he can find a new -servant. - -Whenever a person is hired without any stipulation as to notice, -the engagement will be subject to any custom which may exist in the -particular trade or business for which he was engaged. In some -branches of business, commercial travellers claim to be engaged -absolutely by the year, and this custom has been proved and allowed in -court; a traveller obtaining a verdict for the balance of his year’s -salary, when he had been dismissed in the middle of the year. Ordinary -labourers, engaged by the week, are only entitled to one week’s notice; -but miners are by custom required to give, and are entitled to receive, -fourteen days’ notice. - -Gross misconduct on the part of the servant is in all cases a -sufficient reason for dismissal without notice; and generally, if the -misconduct be sufficient to justify this extreme course, the wages -actually earned by the offender are forfeited, and he or she cannot -recover the same by legal proceedings. A manager who imparts his -master’s secrets to a rival in business; a cashier who cannot account -for the cash intrusted to his care; a journeyman who recklessly -destroys any of his master’s goods—may all be summarily dismissed. So -also may any kind of servant who persistently disobeys his master’s -orders, or frequently absents himself without leave. A female domestic -servant who without reasonable cause stays out all night, or who is -known to be guilty of immorality, is within the same category. It is -scarcely necessary to add that any dishonest act by a servant, such -as misappropriating his or her master’s money or goods, ought to be -followed on detection by immediate dismissal, even though it may not be -thought necessary or desirable to prosecute the servant. - -In the absence of any special agreement on the subject, a servant -cannot be compelled to make good the loss occasioned by accidental -breakages; and any deduction from the salary or wages earned in respect -of such breakages would be illegal, unless the master were to establish -a claim for reparation in respect of fault or gross negligence; just as -in the case of a lawyer or a doctor who has bungled the duty intrusted -to him through want of skill or due care. - -The death of the master terminates the contract. In England, the -servant may be paid wages up to the time of his master’s death, if -the executors do not retain his services, which would amount to a new -hiring so far as relates to notice; but in Scotland he is entitled to -be paid wages and board-wages up to the end of his engagement, unless -a new situation should in the meantime be procured for him either by -himself or the executors. He is at anyrate entitled to be kept free -from loss, because he was ready to fulfil his part of the contract. - -On the bankruptcy of the master, each clerk or servant, labourer or -workman—if the assets be sufficient—is entitled to be paid in full -the salary or wages due to him in respect of services rendered to the -bankrupt during four months before the date of the receiving order, -if the amount do not exceed fifty pounds, before any dividend is paid -to ordinary creditors. For any excess, the servant must rank against -his master’s estate as an ordinary creditor, with whom he will rank -for dividend thereon. This right of priority is, however, subject to -the right of the landlord to distrain for the rent due, not exceeding -a twelvemonth, and is shared with the collectors of rates and taxes -within certain specified limits. If the net amount of assets in hand, -after paying expenses, should be insufficient to cover the preferential -payments, the money must be divided among the parties entitled, by way -of preferential dividend. In Scotland, the farm-servant’s claim for -wages is preferable to the landlord’s claim for rent. - -A master is liable for any damage done to the property of strangers -by his servant in the course of his ordinary employment, but not -otherwise. For example: a groom who is sent out by his master with a -horse and carriage, and drives so negligently as to injure another -person’s horse or carriage, renders his master liable to an action for -damages. An engine-driver who disregards a danger-signal, and causes a -collision, involves the Railway Company in a liability for reparation -to every passenger who may be injured. But a master is not liable if -the servant act beyond the scope of his employment; if, for example, -the groom were accidentally to wound a passer-by with the gamekeeper’s -gun, or even if the gamekeeper himself were voluntarily to wound a -poacher, unless it were proved that he was actually ordered by his -master to do it. - -Before January 1, 1881, a master was not liable to an action for -damages in respect of any injury sustained by any person employed by -him through the negligence of a fellow-servant; though he might be held -responsible if the accident which caused the injury were caused by his -own negligence. But the law has been altered, and a workman is now -entitled to compensation for accidental injury sustained by reason of -the negligence of any foreman or superintendent in the service of his -employer; or of any person whose orders the workman was bound to obey; -or by reason of anything done in compliance with the rules or bylaws -of the employer, or in obedience to particular instructions given by -any person duly authorised for that purpose: or in the case of railway -servants, by reason of the negligence of any signalman, pointsman, -engine-driver, &c. But the right to compensation is not to arise in -case the workman knew of the negligence which caused the injury, and -failed to give notice to the employer or some person superior to -himself in the service of the employer; nor if the rules or bylaws -from the observance of which the accident arose had been approved by -the proper department of the government; neither would a workman who -by his own negligence had contributed to the accident be entitled to -compensation: the common-law rule as to contributory negligence being -applicable. In case of any accident which is within the provisions of -the Act, notice of the injury must be given to the employer within six -weeks, and any action must be commenced within six months after the -occurrence of the accident; or in case of death, proceedings must be -taken within twelve months from the date of death. The compensation -must not exceed in amount three years’ earnings; and the action must -in England be brought in the County Court; in Scotland in the Sheriff -Court; and in Ireland in the Civil Bill Court; the proceedings in -each case being removable into a superior court at the instance of -either party. The benefits of the Act do not extend to domestic or -menial servants, but are available for railway servants, labourers -agricultural and general, journeymen, artificers, handicraftsmen, and -persons otherwise engaged in manual labour. - -In case of the illness of a servant—unless such illness be caused by -his or her own misconduct—the master cannot legally refuse to pay the -wages which may accrue during the time of such illness; but the service -may be terminated by notice in the usual way; the principle being that -no man can be held accountable for what is beyond his own control. The -servant being willing to do his duty, but rendered unable to do so by -circumstances beyond his own control, he must not be punished for such -inability by being deprived of his wages. A master is only liable to -pay his servant’s medical attendant when the master has employed him, -but not when the doctor is employed by the servant himself. - -A master may bring an action against a stranger for any injury done to -his servant, whereby he (the master) suffers loss or inconvenience, or -for enticing his servant away, and inducing him to neglect or refuse to -fulfil his engagement. - -When a servant applies to any person for a new engagement, it is usual -for him to refer to his previous master for a character, as it would -be objectionable for a stranger to be employed without some means -of knowing whether he was competent and respectable. In answering -inquiries as to character and ability, it is necessary to be very -careful to say neither more nor less than the exact truth. If an -undeserved bad character be given, the servant may recover damages, -on establishing malice and want of probable cause, in an action for -libel or slander, according to the mode in which the character was -given, in writing or verbally. On the other hand, suppression of -unfavourable facts may have still more serious consequences. If a -servant be known to be dishonest, and his master ventures to recommend -him as trustworthy, he will render himself liable to make good any loss -occasioned by subsequent acts of dishonesty which may be committed by -the servant in his new situation, and which without such recommendation -could not have been committed. When nothing favourable can be said, the -safest way is to decline to answer any inquiries on the subject. But -it would be unfair to adopt this course without adequate cause, for -such refusal would inevitably be construed as equivalent to giving the -servant a bad character, and would frequently prove an obstacle to his -obtaining another situation. - - - - -HEROINES. - - -Most of us have heard of a certain thoughtful little girl who took Time -by the forelock, and decided that if women must have some profession -to turn to, she would be a Professional Beauty. There are thousands -of girls, older and wiser, who yearn to be heroines, and have quite -as vague notions about it. There are countless women, with characters -still fresh and plastic, who find existence but a dull level. Life -is a narrow lane to them. They would like mountaineering. They want -adventure. They sigh to be heroines. - -What are heroines, after all? Let us look for the reality, and not for -a dream, or we shall go mountaineering, and be lost among shadows -when the darkness of age begins to fall. In the real life we are all -living, how does one get to be a heroine? Are there any, and where are -they? Who shall tell us? Can the novelists? For the most part, no. The -ordinary sort of fiction is full of ambitious flecks and flaws; how -can it know and describe the most delicate and intricate, the most -minutely beautiful of human characters? There is a novel in which the -hero exclaims pathetically that he was ‘a Pariah’ until he married. -Could the inventor of the Pariah invent anything but a heroine to match -him? The fiction that excels in the highest qualities falls short here. -The best describer of life, even if his conception of this character -be perfectly just, must be content with merely hinting it, for his -space has limits. Instead of describing in half a page the colour of -eyes, hair, and dress, and afterwards ten adventures and two dozen -conversations, he could hardly be expected to write for one character -a whole shelf of detailed volumes, and to gather his notes with the -minuteness of a census-taker. - -Let us look elsewhere. Several women have passed the old turnstile to -public life, and got in somehow on men’s tickets. Their insignificant -sisters peep over the wall, and observe that men who outside -were the soul of chivalry, begin to elbow the ladies within, and -ungallantly assert in self-defence that the ladies have elbows too. -The insignificant sisters will not enter; but if they tried to reason -about it, they would be ‘stumped out’ in a moment by the others on the -platforms inside. ‘When I hear a woman use intellectual arguments, I -am dismayed,’ says a wise thinker from beyond the Atlantic; and the -insignificant crowd aforesaid and the majority of the world agree with -him in this; and those outside the wall find out all at once that a -woman’s unreasoning nature is no insignificant charm. ‘Her best reason, -as it is the world’s best, is the inspiration of a pure and believing -heart. She is happiest when she devotes herself, obedient to her -patient and unselfish nature, to some loved being or high cause; and -glory itself, says Madame de Staël, would be for her only a splendid -mourning-suit for happiness denied.’ - -Shall we turn from the platforms, and look to intellectual culture? We -see at the outset that it cannot be necessary to heroism; for all human -nature’s highest prizes are open to all, and great intellectual culture -belongs to the few. Besides, there can be such a thing as learning too -much, and knowing nothing worth knowing. In America, where life is -lived double-quick, and where every product from a continent downwards -is of the largest size, there are crops of overtaught girlhood ripe -already for our inspection. Women of the middle classes there can -discuss the nebular hypothesis or the binomial theory, as ours talk -of lacework and the baby. Mr Hudson, in his recent _Scamper through -America_, declares that to converse in the railway cars with ladies -returning from Conventions and Conferences was a genuine pleasure, an -intellectual treat. But he adds, that though one could revere them, -almost worship them, to love them was out of the question. ‘Practical -passionless creatures, they seemed to constitute a third sex. Where -were the girls? We never saw them. We did meet with young ladies of -twelve and thirteen, with jewel-laden fingers, and with vocabularies of -ponderous dictionary words; but, like their mothers and elder sisters, -they were such superior beings, that one longed for a lassie that was -not so very clever—one who had something yet unlearned that she could -ask a fellow to tell her about.’ - -We have failed in the novels, on the platforms, and at the learned -Conferences. Shall we carry our search to the haunts of human suffering -next? There are hundreds of women, banded together or working singly, -to whom every form of sorrow and helplessness is an attraction. They -do not deal in dry statistical philanthropy, but in loving compassion. -They are not ‘women with a mission,’ because the woman with a mission -flaunts it before the world, and gets more or less in everybody’s way; -but these desire to remain unknown, never counting the debt humanity -owes to them. The wounded soldier on the battlefield knows them well -enough; and the criminal in prison; and the sick, the poor, the aged, -the young children. Sacrificing a whole life to the common good, -they are heroines; it is beyond doubt. But not the heroines we seek, -whose sphere is to be something more homely, easy, and attainable for -all. However, these women, whose lives are compassion, have given -a light upon the track. It dawns upon us, that in womanly heroism, -self-sacrifice is the essence, and hiddenness marks it genuine. - -Far different is the typical woman with a mission, whose type, -dashed off with a few strokes by the pen of Dickens, flits across -our memory from _Bleak House_, and provokes a sigh and a smile. -Again, Mrs Jellyby, with her dress laced anyhow like the lattice -of a summer-house, is writing in a room full of disorder, with her -philanthropic eye fixed upon the savages of Borrioboola, South Africa, -while her own little boy is outside, kicking and howling, with his head -stuck between the area railings. Again, Mr Jellyby employs his evenings -in leaning his head feebly against the wall; and when poor Caddy is -married, we hear him giving her all he has to give—the beseeching -advice: ‘My dear, never have a mission!’ - -Even Mrs Jellyby may help us in our search, by sending us flying in the -opposite direction. We have had light on our path—hiddenness is the -seal, and unselfishness is the essence, and we are searching for the -heroines of home. Their distinction does not depend, as in fiction, -upon adventures, lovers, or beauty. If it did, they could be heroines -only till the end of youth and volume three; but in the real world they -shall be heroines not only till the time of gray hairs and careworn -brow, but for ever and a day. - -There is nothing in creation more beautiful than a true heroine, and -nothing so hard to find. Not that they are scarce. They crowd the world -as daisies dot the summer fields. But they are hidden, and hidden -precisely where a thing wanted is most unlikely to be found—too close -to us, just straight before our eyes. Not in the world of romance, -or in the crush of public life, or in the clear cold air of science; -but in the narrow lane where we started, in the monotonous routine of -common daily life, that seems to be hedged in from all interest—there -are the heroines to be found. Their heroism is made up of trivial -details, the shabby atoms of uneventful life. If it be objected that -the heroic means something greatly above the ordinary level, we would -answer, that their whole life is above the level; that the essence of -heroism—sacrifice—has become to them an unconsciously acting second -nature, and that all that is life-long is surely great. But sometimes -trivial incidents can become in themselves heroic. Whoever heard in a -novel of heroism with a crushed thumb? All the finest things are true. -It is told of the late Viscountess Beaconsfield, that on the night of -an important speech by her husband, then Mr Disraeli, when they were -seated in the carriage together to drive to the House of Commons, the -servant closing the door, crushed her thumb. She uttered no cry, left -the bruise untouched, and acted and spoke as if she was at ease. Hours -after, when she descended from the Ladies’ Gallery, he discovered the -agony she had been enduring, in order not to spoil his speech; and in -after-years, when the Viscountess was dead, he still told the touching -little story in her praise. - -But to return to our heroines of commonplace life. Their greatness -does not even need striking incidents. Their worth makes precious -those trivial atoms of which life is composed, and what began as an -unpretending patchwork, ends as a complete and precious picture, like -the splendid mosaics of Venice or Rome. This is why one might defy the -first of novelists to describe the loveliness of such a life; its daily -parts are positively too small to pick up. - -For each one of us there is some face enshrined in memory, whose -influence is lofty as an inspiration, whose power is a living power, -whose love has been stronger than death, and will light an upward path -for us even to life’s end. Why is all this but because she whom we -loved was a heroine? And what were her characteristics? One answer will -serve for all—Tenderness, gentleness, self-forgetfulness, suffering. -The last characteristic may not be universal, like the rest. But the -highest love can only exist where suffering has touched the object -loved. It is one of the compensations for the manifold sorrow of this -world of ours. The fire of trial seems to light up every beauty and -attraction. The life that not only loved much but suffered much has a -royal right of influence as long as memory lasts—an influence which -cannot belong to any life which suffering has not crowned. - -Now we have sketched our heroine, easily recognisable, but herself -never dreaming or caring to think that she is one, or her glory would -be frail as a bubble. The poorest woman knitting on her cottage -threshold can have this glory for her own; for there is no true-hearted -woman, rich or poor, who cannot walk her simple life lovingly enough -to leave enshrined for others, as a living influence, such a memory as -we have described. And what sceptre has so sweet a power as that—an -immortal influence through the hearts we have loved most? Compared with -this, what is fame but an echo, and what is the heroism of romance but -an unreal shadow! - - - - -ARMY SCHOOLS. - - -The valuable advantages these institutions offer to soldiers and their -children will, we trust, be evident from the perusal of the following -short account of their organisation. With regard to children, these -schools will soon have little to do; for the new system of short -service promises to do away almost entirely with the married soldier. -A soldier is not allowed to marry till he has served seven years, -subject to certain qualifications of good conduct; but as the great -majority of men are passed into the Reserve before they reach that -length of service, the proportion of married soldiers is very small, -and rapidly becoming more and more reduced in number. It is rather with -the men themselves, therefore, that the military schoolmaster and his -assistants have now principally to deal. - -Every regiment or depôt has its school. The schoolmasters are trained -at Chelsea; and though non-combatants, they are subject to the usual -army regulations. They now rank as warrant-officers, and, on the -whole, are an able and estimable body of men. Occasionally, educated -and promising young soldiers are selected from the ranks and sent to -the training college to qualify as schoolmasters. Their number is, -however, very limited; the great majority of the schoolmasters enter -the army through the college, joining it as civilians; consequently, a -schoolmaster cannot be reduced to the ranks. If he misconduct himself -seriously, he is liable to be tried by court-martial and dismissed. -Such cases are very rare. The army schoolmaster retires with a -pension on attaining twenty-one years’ service, though, under certain -conditions, it is possible for him to prolong his engagement. If of -more than ordinary ability, he is often promoted to the higher rank and -more important position of Sub-inspector of Army Schools. - -Assistants are allowed in these schools according to the numbers in -attendance at them. There is usually one school-assistant to about -every twenty men or children attending. In depôts, where the soldiers -are mostly recruits, the attendance is often very large, with a -correspondingly increased number of assistants. The latter are picked -out from among the better-educated men in a regiment; they receive -extra pay, and are exempt from the ordinary drill and duty of the rank -and file, giving their time and attention to the working of the school -and the details connected with it. Many well-educated men, who are not -otherwise well suited for non-commissioned officers, are employed in -this way in imparting instruction to their more illiterate comrades. - -Every recruit on joining a depôt has to attend school until he -satisfies an examiner—sub-inspector—of his familiarity with certain -elementary subjects. Examinations for this purpose are held at -intervals. There are four classes of certificates granted to candidates -on passing the necessary examinations. Supposing a man to be competent -to pass the fourth or lowest standard, he becomes exempt from further -school attendance. But if ambitious of being made a non-commissioned -officer, or of securing one of the other good berths, of which there -are many open to intelligent men, it is advisable for him to hold on -till he gains a higher certificate. For example, to be promoted to the -rank of corporal, the aspirant must be in possession of a third-class -certificate; to attain to a sergeant’s position, he must have one of -the second class. Thus, a considerable proportion of the men in a -regiment are kept under instruction; and as soon as one batch has been -passed out of the school, other candidates appear. A few unfortunates, -entirely destitute of education when they enlist, are often long in -obtaining the desired certificates. After a year or two’s attendance, -they are probably dismissed from school as ‘useless.’ Such hopeless -ignoramuses—happily not so numerous now as formerly—are a bugbear to -the school staff: they soon cease to make any attempt to learn, and -are simply in the way of the more intelligent or persevering men. Of -course, to such, the school-work is a species of punishment. But let us -glance at the quantity and quality of the learning implied in obtaining -the certificates. - -To satisfy the examiner, the entirely uncultured youth has in the -first place to set himself resolutely to learn to read. Then he must -be able to write to the extent of transcribing a few lines from a -book. With the mysteries of the four elementary rules of arithmetic he -must display a tolerably intimate acquaintance. To men who can already -read and write, the latter does not prove an insuperable obstacle. -Having furnished a moderately good ‘paper’ on these not very exacting -subjects, he in a few days receives his fourth-class certificate, -and leaves the school in triumph. But if he aspires to a third-class -certificate, a man of this kind has yet much to do. As a matter of -fact, very few attempt more from mere love of self-improvement; an eye -to advancement in the ranks acts as the stimulus to further study. -Writing fairly well to dictation is a part of this next higher step, -and often proves a serious difficulty. Arithmetic will include the -compound rules and reduction; and on a man passing this standard, a -third-class certificate is granted. The possession of this qualifies -the holder for the rank of corporal. But to the corporal, further -promotion is necessary. No corporal would go to so much trouble, -besides having to perform the ordinary duty attached to his rank in -regimental affairs, except as a step towards the coveted chevrons of -the sergeant. To attain sergeant’s rank may be taken as the aim and -ambition of all corporals; and the latter are the men who, as we have -seen, try to get the third-class certificates. But a sergeant must, by -the regulations, have a second-class certificate. To the comparatively -untutored corporal, this object entails his continued use of the -school, and an increased demand of the schoolmaster’s instruction. In -short, to a man whose education has been more or less neglected in -early youth, this second-class test is a pretty stiff one; it requires -a considerable amount of application for a time before he can present -himself for examination with a reasonable chance of passing. He -must be able to write fluently and correctly a moderately difficult -passage to dictation; and take down military orders with due care to -arrangement and spelling. A long list of terms connected with military -matters—such as ‘commissariat,’ ‘aide-de-camp,’ ‘manœuvre’—has to be -written and spelt correctly. The arithmetical part of the examination -consists of the ordinary rules as far as and including decimals. -Besides, he must be able to work out a debt and credit account, a -military savings-bank account, and a mess account. Withal, he must read -with fluency, and write a good legible hand. Such is the necessary -scholastic attainment of the modern sergeant. The ordeal would probably -have terrified his predecessors of a quarter of a century ago. - -There remains still the certificate of the First class. This is -obtained by a comparatively small number of men. It enters into -details which would be, to many, insurmountable difficulties; and as -the possession of it is not compulsory for any non-commissioned rank, -it is not much sought after. A few of the originally better-educated -men do, however, go in for it. As a passport to the higher grades of -clerkships, or even to eventual commissions, it is desirable. The -examination includes an extra subject, such as a language, or geometry; -the whole of arithmetic; and a searching test as to spelling and -composition. - -The reader will see that, from the above description, the second-class -certificate is the important one to possess. Men having got it, are -available for all the higher kinds of non-commissioned officers, as -colour-sergeants, sergeant-majors, &c. The work of preparing men for -this is perhaps a very important part of the business of the school, -and is generally undertaken mainly by the schoolmaster himself. - -In an army school the men are divided into classes according to their -several abilities or stages of advancement. A special class is usually -composed of men preparing themselves for the next examination for -sergeants; another lot looking forward to being made corporals are -engaged in the necessary work for third-class certificates. Then there -are still more elementary classes for men trying to get themselves -exempted from school attendance by passing the fourth class; and -lastly, are the complete ‘ignoramuses’ who are labouring at the -alphabet or assiduously making pot-hooks. The duration of the daily -attendance is from an hour to an hour and a half; but other duties -frequently break in upon this, and men are not able to be present every -successive day. As attendance is compulsory, the men are paraded and -marched to school as for any other duty; but the room is open in the -evening for those anxious to push on with their work—the latter being, -so to speak, volunteers, and nearly all non-commissioned officers. -From this it will be seen that men really desirous of picking up a -serviceable education have ample opportunity of doing so, especially -when we consider the large share of spare time which the soldier has in -ordinary circumstances on his hands. - -All the schools are furnished with maps, books, and everything -essential for carrying on their work. Where there are children, they -are supplied with these requisites. Children, however, from being at -one time the more important, have now become a secondary element in -army schools. The present writer was connected with a school having an -average attendance of two hundred men, but no children. This was in -a depôt, and the men were almost without exception recruits. A small -number of children in barracks were sent out to the Board School, -leaving the school staff to devote its whole attention to the adults. -At one time several regiments would have been required to furnish such -a numerously attended school as the above, when recruits came in at the -rate of perhaps about twenty annually. But short service has filled -regiments up with recruits, or at least with very young soldiers, -which, together with other circumstances, has given more ample -employment to the schoolmaster. If we compare the number of recruits -who join a regiment with that of the certificates of education granted -in the same corps, we speedily find that the school department has not -been asleep; and especially is this the case when we consider what is -the educational standard of most men who enlist. We hear a good deal -from time to time concerning the superior class of men that now seek to -enter the army; but, practically, from an educational point of view, -recruits are not so very different from what we have seen for many -years past. It will yet be long before the army schools are abolished. - -Among some statistics, we lately noticed some figures relating to -the standard of education of soldiers. In this statement, a large -percentage—fifty-seven per cent. of the whole rank and file—was set -down as of ‘superior education.’ This probably referred to the men in -possession of the two highest kinds of certificates, as holders of the -third class could hardly be included under such a heading. The reader -may perhaps be inclined to smile at the use of such a high-sounding -term; though that such a large proportion of the ranks are educated -even to this degree appears on the whole to be very creditable indeed. -It certainly offers a marked contrast to the state of affairs at no -very remote period. - - - - -LIGHTING COLLIERIES BY ELECTRICITY. - - -This interesting and important experiment has just been tried with -great success at the Park Pit Ocean Collieries, South Wales. The -arrangement consists of a number of Swan incandescent lamps distributed -throughout the workings, both under and above ground, in the workshops -and engine-houses. The bottom of the mine is thus admirably lighted, -and the whole of the workings as far as the main engine roads. The -power is supplied by a six horse-power Marshall engine, fitted with -Hartnell’s patent automatic expansion gear, driving a Crompton-Bürgin -self-regulating dynamo. - -We believe we are correct in stating that this is the first attempt -to illuminate the whole of the interior of a colliery pit, and its -workings and offices, by this useful medium; and it is impossible -to over-estimate the value of an incandescent light, and yet one of -extraordinary brilliancy, in such a place as a coal-mine, subject -to the escape of gases which are liable at any moment, on coming in -contact with an unprotected flame, to occasion an explosion involving -terrible and deplorable consequences. Now, this is one source of -danger which the use of this system of lighting prevents; and if this -is found to succeed, it is to be hoped that it may be adopted in all -underground works, where the advantage of a brilliant light to work -by is recognised; a marvellous contrast to the safe but gloomy and -light-obstructing ‘Davy.’ There can really be no reason why this plan -should not be universally applied to mines, unless the objection may be -on the score of expense, for when once the necessary driving-machinery -is built, the rest is simple enough, and the advantages almost untold. - - - - -A LAST ‘GOOD-NIGHT.’ - - - Love, I see thee lowly kneeling, - Claspèd hands and drooping head, - While the moonbeams pale are stealing - Sadly round my dying bed. - Dearest, hush thy bitter weeping; - Lay thy tearful cheek to mine, - While the stars, their death-watch keeping, - Softly through the lattice shine. - Through the trees, low winds are sighing, - And my hand, so worn and white, - On thy clustering hair is lying. - Love, my only love, good-night! - - Ah! I hear thy broken sobbing. - Faint and low, thy voice hath grown; - And I feel thy fond heart throbbing, - Oh, how wildly, ’gainst mine own! - Dear, my spirit still delaying, - Loves to hover near thee now, - Like the moonbeams fondly straying - O’er thy pallid cheek and brow. - Yes, my soul, to share thy sorrow, - Pauses in its heavenward flight, - And will comfort thee to-morrow. - Love, my dearest love, good-night! - - Now, for one sweet moment only, - Fold me closely to thy breast. - When thy life seems dark and lonely, - Oh, remember I am blest! - Though thy voice with grief be broken, - Smile once more, and call me fair. - Darling, as my last love-token, - Take this little lock of hair. - Feeling these, thy last caresses, - Tears must dim my failing sight. - Kiss once more my wandering tresses, - Then a long, a last good-night! - - Shades of death are round me closing; - Tears and shadows hide thy face; - Still I fear not, thus reposing, - In thy faithful, fond embrace. - Though thou lingerest broken-hearted, - All thy thoughts to me shall soar; - We shall seem but to be parted; - I’ll be near thee evermore. - Brightly on my soul’s awaking, - See, yon gleam of heavenly light! - Now, behold the morn is breaking. - Love, my faithful love, good-night! - - FANNY FORRESTER. - - * * * * * - -Printed and Published by W. & R. 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