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. you imagine I fear getting _ _ , _ ___.___A- ,â€"._â€"._._.._. . .. I S]? KING TEE GUNS. "" The regiment will be annihilated,” ob- served the adjutant, coolly. And then in the same immovable tones, he asked some one to pass him a biscuit. “ Do you think I don’t know that '3 Do _ killed to-mcr- row? Do you suppose I want to live on after what has happened? It’s the eternal disgrace of the thing that’s cutting me,” shouted the Colonel. “ Once comfortably shot,” remarked the denier major in easy philosophy, “ it doesn’t hith matter to me personally where, or for why, I go down. Not a soul will be left behind to care." This last remark added tinder to the blaze. The major was the peasant’s son who had hacked and thrust his way from the ranks by sheer and hard fighting. His com- manding officer was a noble of the old re- gime. He had hoped and reasonably ex- pected, that the previous day’s engagement would give him a brigade; and so the fiasco had fallen all the more bitterly. It seemed as though the very stars in their courses had been battling against us. Everything had gone wrong. The blame was not ours; but this in an army where ’waiit of luck was the greatest crime, told 'and die on the morrowâ€"aiid he must ' activity to-day. for the condign punishment. nothing in our favor. Many men had fallen, and panic had seized the heels of the rest. \Vhich of us initiated the run cannot be said, but in the rush of some all had been carried along, few (except, per- haps, one or two of the older officers) re- sisting very strenuously. The colonel, burning with shame, had gone in to report. What precisely had been said to him we did not know; but we guessed with some accuracy, althouin he did not repeat the detail. The gist of his interview was that the regiment was to attack again on the morrcw; and, if unsuccessful then, once more on the day after; and so on till the bridge was taken. Yesterday the thing had been barely possible. - Yet to-day it was far different. During the night the defenses had been more than trebled. The Austrians swarmed. Enough artillery was mounted there now to have demolished an entire army corps advancing against it from the open. The deduction was clear. The bravest men will turn tail sometimes; and in our army, which was the bravest in the world, there had, during the latter part of the campaign, been more than one case of wavering. An example accordingly was to be made. Our corps had been singled out \Ve were doomed to march on the marrow to our an- nihilation. Of course, the matter had not been put so at headquarters. There the words ran : “ Most important strategic point. Must be taken at whatever cost. Your regiment will again have the honor, Colonel,” and so on. But, summed up bluntly, it was neither more nor less than I have said. \Ve all understood the order of the letter, and there was not a man in the regiment who would hesitate a moment in carrying out his share. Each private soldier, each oili- cer would march with firm determination to march then his last. That gives the case in a nut-shell. But- the secure knowledge that there would be no skulkers along this road to ex- ecution did not pacify the colonel. I: any- thing, it increased his bitterness. It would make his ungrateful memory last the longer. He sat at the table end of that inn room where he had messed, with folded arms and nervous fingers kneading at his muscles. By a-singular irony we were lodged in comfort thereâ€"we, who had got to go out needs taunt us with it, as though it were shame for such as we to live so tolerable a billet. . Myself, I was stretched out on a sofa away by the far wall and lay there mutely, having but little taste for the wordy sav- ageries which were being so l ~eely dealt about. And the night grew older without my being disturbed. But the angry man at the end of the table singled me out at last, perhaps because my outward calm and listlessness jarred upon him. “ Tired Eugene '2” he asked. “ A little, sir.” “Ah, I can understand it. I noted your You have mistaken your vocation, mon cher. You should not have come into the army. You should have been a. professioral runner.” An answer burned on my tongue. But I kept it there, gave a shrug and said noth- mg. But the silence was an ill move. lt only angered him further, and he threw at me an insult which was more than human man could endure. “ Do you think you will again feel inclin- ed to use those powers of yours to-morrow, Eugene? Or had I better have you hand- cuffed to some steady old soldier ‘2” A dozen of the other officers sprang to their feet at this ghastly taunt, for when sucha thing as this was said to one of their number it touched all. The old major was their spokesman; “ Colonel, we make all allowances. but you are going too far with the young- ster.” The colonel scowled round tight-lipped for aminutc, and then he said : “ 1 am quite capable of commanding this regiment of lost sheep, without unasked- for advice from subordinates, major. Lieut. Ramard, you heard my question, I presume? Please have the civility to an- swer,” During the minute’s respite I had been thinking and actingâ€"that is, writing. I got up and handed the colonel a slip of paper. On it were the words: “ I acknowledge that l, E. Ramard, lieu- tenant of the twenty-second ~â€", am a coward. Evouxn RAMARD. He read it. “There, sir," I said, “kindly add the date, as I have forgotten what it is, and please leave that behind with the baggage when we march to-morrow. If I do not do setter work for France than any man in the regiment, it is my wish that this paper he published.” The colonel nodded grimly, and then frowned. “Have I your permission now, sir, to withdraw from the room ‘2” A refusal was framing itselfâ€"I could see it ; but the lowering faces around made him curl) his passion, and he nodded again, but reluctantly. . In the dark, wet air outside, and not be- fore, did I realize fully what I had done. The screed on the slip of paper had been the spasm of the instant. It seemed to me now the outcome of a moment’s insanity. I had had no plan, no trace of scheme in my head whilst I was scribbling. The words and hail from his month, What use could further wrangling be. . the pledge were an empty boast, made in the wild hope that I could hold them good. But how could such a fling be done? The most furious, desperate courage, by itself, would avail nothing. There would be a thousand men around, each to the full as brave as lâ€"for no one can march farther than death-and to do “better work for in the wet, gray dawn. Both flanking bat- France ” than any of them ! Ali, no, the teries, fully manned, had opened upon thing was impossible. W’ith them Ishould ' them ; but of the guns which had direct fall, and among all of them I alone would l command of the bridge, only one spoke. v be branded infamous! The paper would bel Into the roar of artillery, the Wind brought to light ; the cart, bald confession lbronght yells, and oaths and bubbling would be read, with no explanation of how ‘ shrieks. And then the eagles came through or why it was written ; and men would form - the smoke. There was no stopping that their own opinionsâ€"all hostile, all against rush. me. Somehow I found myself among com- To leave behind nothing but the name of lrades, fighting with a claw-backed farricr’s a self-avowed coward l Oh, agony ! bitter |hammer knowing nothing of order or rea- agony ! son, or how these things came to pass ; but I wandered wherever my blind feet led [heated only by an insane desire to kill, and me, wrenched by torments that God alone ‘l kill, and kill! And then I grappled with knew the strength of, and from which there v a man who was struggling off with a flag, seemed no human means of escape. The and wrestled with him in a crimson slough, heavy rain-squalls moaned down the village v and choked him down into it, whilst heav- streets. The place, with its armed tenan- ily shod feet trampled madly on both of us. try, slepthnly the dripping sentries were I And afterward there was more shouting open-eyed. These, taking me for an officer I and cheering, and mighty hand clasps be- on ordinary rounds, saluted With silent re- ttiveen my shoulder blades, and the old spoct, No soul interfered with me. Not major, who gave me cognac out of a silver even a dog barked. flaskâ€"cognac which seemed to have been The thought came : You die only to gain sadly overwatercd. a wreath of craven plumes. Why not pass And that is all I remembered till I woke away from hereâ€"escapeâ€"desertâ€"vanishâ€" up in the afternoon from the sofa in that be known no moreâ€"and yet live ? NO one village in. Reveille had sounded. We withholds from you new life and new coun- mustered under arms, and the roll was try. France alone, of all the world, is called. Many did not answer. utterly hopeless for you. And then: “Standout, Lieut. Ramard l” The thought gained. I say it freely HOW. said the colonel. for the dead, dull blackness of my prospect“: I advanced and saluted. then Showed n0 Spot Of relief. In my Walk- “You will consider yoursclf under arrest, ings to and fro I gradually vergcd nearer sir, for desertion before the enemy. Pres- and nearer to the outer cordon. As an oi‘fi- ' eutly, you‘ will surrender your sword, and 081‘ I knew the words 501‘ the night. sign report yourself at headquarters. The colo- and countersign both. I could pass the nel turned and exchanged some words with a pickets. . little, pale man near him, who sat awk- Farther and farther toward the Scattered wardly on a white stallion. He resumed: outskirts of the hamlet did my doubting i “The emperor has considered your case,sir, feet lead me. In one more patrol up and -confirms the arrest, and orders you to be down I think my mind would be made up. reduced to the ranks.” The colonel paused and after that, whatever deluge. the Fates and continued ; desired. But a sound fell on my cars, faint “But as a, reward for your} gauantry, and not unmusical. I was dully conscious your commission of captain will be made of some new scheme beginning to frame ib- out With promotion to the first vacant ma- self. I changed my path and Walked fusli- jority, and you will also receive a decora- er tion.” And then I was ordered to advance Three 1 spiked, and the night began to gray. Three more, and men were stirring. I got reckless and sprang openly at another The air was filled with shouts, and stink~ ing powder smoke, and crashes and the red flash of csnnon. The French were advancing to the storm Presently the cause of the sound disclosed itself. Afield force, an anvil, and couple of grimy farriers, and a half-a-dozen troop- ers with horses. The cavalrymen were rest- ing on the ground, watering bridle in hand, awaiting their turns. The smiths were slaving, sweating, swearing, doing the work of thrice their number. It was a queer enough group, and I gazed at it for many minutes, still unable to frame the gauzy idea that had reanimated me. Then one ofthe farriers who had been fitting a hissing shoe on to a. bind hoof, chilled the hot iron in a rain puddle, and humped up “Captain of th: twenty second,” he said, “thou art my brother.” I never asked for the colonel’s apology. BRU TAL PARENTS. The Plic‘lnns Make Their Children‘s Lives n Round of Misery. A London special says :â€"â€"The case of Mrs. Montague, sister-in-law of Lord Mandeville, who was sent to gaol for cruel- the horse’s fetlock on to his apron again. ty to her children, is well remembered in I started. - Canada. This was recalled by a brief state- The fellow picked up a, hammer, took a ‘ merit in the London papers a few days ago and drove the nail of the arrest on the same charge of a rich first gently, and then smartly home. lcouple residing at Sunnyside, Chester. The “ There vicious one,” swore he. “ I put ' examining trial was held at Chester on that spike through the vent in a matter of Saturday, and a correspondent went down seconds, but with these four others beside to report it. The developments were much it, thou’lt not rid thyself of it in as many I more shocking even than those in the Mon- wceks.” tague case. The defendants are wealthy I strode forward. » residents of Chester, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel “ Five louis for that hammer and a score Phelan. The wife is of French descent. of nails !” They have two boys, aged three years and The military smith dropped the hoof twenty months respectively, Three months from his lap, came to attention, and saluted. ago they were But he looked at me ,queerly, and answer- TRIED son. CRUELTY, ed llotl'illlg- I coum see he thought me but the prosecution failed through lack of mad- very likely €XCitement had made me evidence. They were again arrested this 100k 50- _ , week. Phelan is a stout, gray-haired man “ Ten 1°“i'5- There 13 the “lowly: “1 of fifty With a military heard. The wife is gom-n stout and handsome. Both were elegantly “ My officer, the things are yours.” Steel spikes, brittle rods that would snap off short, would have been better. But time was growing narrow, and I must take what offered. These soft bent nails would sei ve my purpose. And now for the river. The current was swift, and I could not swim a stroke. I must go up-stream, and trust to find some tree trunk or wooden balk that would aid my in floating down. Of the matters that happened after this I cannot speak with any minutencsst To think back at, the whole igme seems like 9. often beats the Younger child with a be” blurred dream, broken by snatches of dead having a heavy buckle; that, the mother i A witness testified that I sleep. I know Igained my point on the ‘ broke a Wire hairbrush over its head by cuffed and dressed in court. both children were kicked, beaten perpetually ; that the younger was given a dose of castor oil every day and the elder was dosed every other day ; that the younger was strapped to a. chair and placed in the lawn in the broiling sun eight hours at a time, then taken into the house and kept strapped to a chair till bedtime, then laid in bed, with its feet tied, flat. on its back and a. night-gown pinned over it to the bedclothes on either sides ; that the father river bank’ some miles above “I? villagl” repeated thumps ; that she washed both and entered ,t’he Water the”, finding” Chm children by placing them in a bathtub and as we'. I flunk “3 “T‘s a‘ 5mm fence ga‘te drenching them with buckets of water ; that aided my clicking passage. I can only flmbshe Once picked up the younger by an rec°llect.dea‘rly that the flung I dung . to arm and leg and threw it ten feet out of the was terribly unsmble’ and that. on being bedroom, the child landing on the bridge landed on "‘ Chance eddy on a’ “up of Shoffl’ of its nose, cutting it deeply ;that the child I lay there for fully half an hour, listening once mu to its mother and touched her to 9‘ sen“ y treading Pa“ and past through dress, whereupon she seized it by the ear th mud ten yards away, ““a'ble “0 m°ve 3' (1 ti eiv 't the len th of the room tearin limb. Then I gathered strength and crawl- 211:6 “I: 1 g , g ing, not only from caution, but through sheer helplessness, made my stealthy way still further along the shore. Four batteries commanded the approach- THE MYSTERY _ of the case is increased by the fact that the woman gave birth to a fine baby on Sep- es (:3 the bridge, Two were on either tember 4; that when the mid-wife left on flank, to deliver a converging fire; two, one September 18 the baby was in fine health, above the other, were in a direct line with I but Its death was announced on September it, so that the causeway could be swept‘25- The autopsy shows that death from end to end. was due to inflammation of the lungs. The It was in the lower of these last that I Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to found myselfâ€"by what; route come I cannot; Children desired to .prosecute the parents say. Only then my senses seemed to re. for murder, believmg that death was turn to me. I was lying in an elnbrasul'e, caused by WilfuIIexposure, but had no ev1- Overhead was the round black chase ol 8. deuce. The seeiety’s agent declares that sixty-pounder. I crawled farther and look. the death of both of the remaining children ed down the line. Six more guns loomed is certain unless means are found to take through the night, making seven in all. them from their parents. The case was The rain was coming down in torrents, adjourned for a month. sending up spurts of mud. There were men â€"~-â€"-â€"_Wm-â€"â€"-â€"- within a dozen yards, wakeful men, and u Bobby" and the Nurse_ t d tbf-,d'd'tflsl hen, an no 8 me 1 1 a 1 Upon me Mr..James Payne relates the following that my farricr’s hammer was a useless!, , I . weapon F001 that I was to bring in ‘mcident to the credit of the London police, Idiot I must have been to forget that Whose general SagECltY: he thinks: is Wider- the first click would awaken the redoubt. “ted- The Otherfla‘y 3' ff‘1013d 0f_ 1115 was My life? No, pali ! I didn’t count that. called up by 9' P°hcemml rmgmg hls from" But it would mean only one gun spiked do“ bellM_2,f~l-m- ",DO You km“? Where I drew hack into your nurse is? was his unexpected inquiry. “ She is, I suppose, in the nursery.” “ No, she is not ; she went to a dancing room in King Street (close by) at 12 o’clock, and has not yet come back.” “ But that is impossible,” said the householder, “because she has the baby in charge.” “She has taken the baby With her.” Mr. Payne’s friend was incredulous, but on going to the nursery found it empty. Then he went to the dancing room and was admitted by a caution ; crawling like a cat, crouching in dreadful-looking old bag, with his baby in dee est shadows sto in makin detours l‘er MIX“;- It had been given: it appeared» notpfor more life’Is sage, glie it understood, l mm this lady,“ Charge While the nurse was but because life was wanted for work yet l (19111011193. Till? Story malbe Psed 9‘9 3'“ OE' undone, ‘ set the next time “ Bobby” is accused of The seven guns were out of action, and ' making “ cupboard 10%" b0 the 0001‘- still the night was dark and the Austrians o’“ were ignorant behind the curtain of rain. * * ’ And then on to the upper battery. * * * Two, four, eight guns ! effectually, if so much. the embrasure and knitted my forehead afresh. ~ The right thought was tardy, but it came. I drew off my boot. It was new and it was heavyâ€"badlnage had been poured out by my comrades over its heaviness. The strong sewn 11ch would drive like a calker’s mallet. ThenIgot to work. The guns were loaded and primed. The locks were cover- ed with leather aprons. I used infinite The least movement is of importance to all nature. The entire ocean is affected by a pebble. ' again and the emperor transferred 9. Cross ,Premier of Cape Colony, secured the con. of the Legion from his own breast to mine. . cession from Lobenguela of a considerable ThciBritlsh Illin Coimnlssioncr Fears it despatches I. . ‘.~v SIGHTS IN THE BANK OF ENGLAND. llnrvelonsly Delicate Instruments for “’eighlng Coinâ€"Printing craliurrcu 01'. One of the first objects of interest upon entering the Bank of England building is the bullion office, where all the gold and silver that enters or leaves the bank passes through to be checked. On the riglitis the gold ; on the left the silver. The promi- nent feature of the room is the “ grand balance,” or scales, constructed by the Messrs. Napier. This marvelous 'instru- ment is aponderous and peculiary built weighing machine, standing nearly seven feet high and weighing about two tons. The whole is under a huge glass case, ac- cess being gained thereto by a sliding panel The scale is worked by hydraulic power, and is the most sensitive weighing machine in existence. On each side the scales are fitted with weights amounting to 400 ounces. The gold is made up in 400 ounce bars, and the difference of one-thousandth part of an ounce can be detected. By a manipulation of the machine, so tiny a thing as a postage stamp can be weighed, for on the same being placed upon the scale the index will jump a distance of no less than six inches. It is the only balance of its kind in the' world, and. cost about $10,000. ' The silver scale is not so finely balanced, and the two are respectively christened “ The Lord Chief Justice” and the “ Lord High Chancellor.” In another room are several ZULU WAR AGAIN- wlll be a Bloody one. A cable letter says: This morning's from Sir Henry Loch, the British High Commissioner for South Af- rica, are unanimouslyaccepted by the Englsh press as presaging another war with the Zulus, and the fear is freely expressed that it may be as bloody and as costly as that other war in which .the French Prince Im- perial was one of the victims. Lobengu- cla, the king of the Matabele Zulus, how- ever, is not believed to be anything like such a war chief as old Cetewayo, while the Zulus of the Zambesi country are neiti .i so powerful in physique nor indomitable in courage as their fellow-tribesmen along the coast. - Nevertheless, this is all conjecture, for there has never been a serious encounter between Lobsnguela and the ’whites. Lobenguela has an army of from 25,000 to 30,000 men. The utmost armed white force that now could be arrayed against him would probably not muster over 2,560, these troops are well armed, excellent shots and well mounted. On the other hand, Lobeuguela certainly has 1,000 Martini rifles because that amount of arms was furnished him by Mr. Cecil Rhodes as part out of the purchase price of the Chartered Company’s present possessions. The situation is peculiar, and in view of the bloody result a brief statement cover- ing it will be of interest to American read- ers. ' MACHINES FOR \VEIGIIING sovereigns and half sovereigns. Each ma- chine consists of a. complicated system of counter weights, and it is not unlike a sew- ing machine as to its lower half, the whole being completely enclosed in glass. A long feeder, like a tube out in half down its length, and made of brass, is set at an angle of forty-five degrees, and is filled with a long roll of sovereigns. These turn as they slip down on the circular movable plate, slightly larger than a soverign. If the coin. isvof the right weight it slips down a metal tube into a till below. Should, however, it prove to be lighter than the standard the delicate machine turns to the left and con- demns it to the guillotine. These machines weigh coins at the rate of twenty-six per minute, and a day’s weighing at the bank amounts to about $500,000. Another inter- esting feature is to be found in the vaults containing the defunct paper circulation of-the bank. Some idea can be gained of the quantity when we say that they are over 77,000,000 in number and that they fill 1400 boxes, which if placedside by side would reach two and a half miles. If the notes were placed in a pile they would reach a height of five and a half miles; or if joined end to end, would form‘ aribbon 12,455 miles long. Their superficial extent is little less than Hyde Park, their original PARTITION 01’ AFRICA. When the arbitrary and wholesale par- tition of Africa. was agreed upon between Germany, England, Portugal, Belgium and France, the great tract ruled over by Lobeuguela was assigned to England. His capital, Buluwayo, is 1,200 or more miles north of Cape 'Iown. Matabeleland is about as large as Ger- many and contains a. population of some 200,000. Between it and Cape Colony is Bechuanaland, which is under the protec- tion of the British Government and is gar- risoned by some 800 mounted police, paid by the Imperial Government. Some years ago, Mr. Cecil Rhodes, the part of his territory and got charters from the Imperial Government. There are believed to be valuable gold mines in this territory, and the Company has sold a considerable part of its shares in the Eng- lish market. Probably there are 8,000 shareholders in the British dominions alone, and among these are some of the most influential capitalists in London. The Chartered Company has also a mounted police force, paid by itself, and it guarantees to protect its possessions from invasion or internal disturbances without recourse to the Imperial Government. Under its charter it has the right to resist aggression, but may not itself take aggres- weight exceeds ninety and a half tons. Amongst them is a note for £1,000,000, also the' first bank note ever issued (one for £500), and another for £25010ft at"‘tl_ie bank sive steps without the consent of the Colon. for: 111. years, Whose accumulated Tiler?“ ial Office through its high Commissioner. raised Its value to £69,000 rhe Prmmng Lobenguela has so far quite rigidly 0f respected plille property and other rights of the white residents, but he claims abs lute jurisdiction and power over the Masht cos, a mild-mannered tribe of negroes, who seem to be indigenous natives of the Char- tered Company’s lands. He has made fre- quent incursions into its possessions, killing without mercy these natives and carrying away their women and cattle. This the Chartered Company has resisted, and there has been one slight afl‘ray in which the Matabelese were driven off with the loss of some thirty warriors. ' TREAD 0N BRITAIN’S Tons. ~ Had the Matabelese contented them- selves with attacking the Chartered Com- pany alone its police technically would have been left to themselves to fight it out with the Matabele chief. But fortunately for the Chartered Company the Matabclesc have now attacked the police of Bechuanaâ€" land and therefore the Imperial Govern- ment’s English troops may, and probably will, be called in to support the Bechuana- land police. In that event Great Britain, and not the Chartered Company, will have to foot the bill. There is only a small garrison force of British soldiers in Cape . Colony, and unless the Bechnanaland and Yflngemems “‘9 $0 complete that commum‘ the Chartered Company’s police together Cation With an Parts ,Of “19 building can be can whip Lobenguela there must be a draft “fleCtEd at 3' moment 3 “once. from the home army. ' W A LOPTY SUGAR TREE. A ‘Wonderful Species of Palm That Gives Sweet ban. THE EXISTING PAPER. CURRENCY is an interesting process. The notes are struck off two at a time on hand-made pa.- per,which,upon being cut,gives three rough edges and one smooth edge to each piece of paperâ€"a distinguished feature of a. bank of England note. The paper is manufactured at the bank’s own mill, and the production of it is entrusted entirely to the members of one family. The ink used in printing the notes is made from the charred stem of the Rhenish vine, which is believed to produce the richest black of any ink in the world. Each strip of paper has to be strictly ac- counted for, the whole process being under effective supervision. The bank can boast of possessing the wealthiest room in the world, in the shape of a kind of vault sur- rounded from floor to ceiling by iron safes containing rows upon rows of gold coin in bags of $10,000 each and pile upon pile of bank notes. The amount of specie contain- ed is not less than £80,003,000 sterling. Not the least intercsfing feature in connec- tion with the bank is the fact that the whole system from beginning to end is under constant police espionage, in addition to military protection, and the electric ar- WAR WITH THE MAT ABBLE. The Brltlsh llastcning Preparations to Take the Field Against Lo Bciigula. A despatcli from London says :â€"-The Marquis of Ripcn, Secretary of State for the Colonies, consulted several South Afric‘ an experts yesterday in relation to the Matabelc troubles. The celebrated Col. Carrington of Carrington’s Horse, who has held many commands in South Africa since 1877, has offered to take cammand of the Mashcna expedition. The Marquis of Ripon has sentatelegram to Sir Henry Loch, the Governor and Commander-in- The sugar maple of Canada has a rival. It grows in the Andes of Chili at a height of from 3,000 to 4,500 feet above the sea. It is a curious variety of that most useful, wonderful tree, the palm, whose varieties also give us dates and cocoa, and cocoanuts and fans. This palm is not slim and graceful like most kinds we see in tropical pictures. It is about 50 feet tall, with a very thick trunk, enlarging in diameter from the ground up to about half its height, and then tapering again to the top, where its long leaves spread out. These sugar palms produce great quan ti- ties of sweet sap, which, when bailed down, makes both molasses and sugar of a peculiar, but delicious flavor. On one estate the trees grow in such numbers that once it was determined to count them. After counting several hun- dred thousand, more than half remained uncounted, so the task was gigen up. What “ larks ” it must be for the children when “ snapping time ” and “ sugaring off” come round 1 But the Chilians do not col- lect the sap in the way the Canadian farm- ers collect sap from the .maple tree. No ; instead of boring small holes in the trunk, the palm is cut down and beheaded of its crown of beautiful leaves, and then the sap begins to flow from the upper end and keeps on flowing for months. Every morning a thin slice is cut off to prevent the wood from hardening and forming a crust through which the sap could not flow. A good tree will yield nearly a hundred gallons of sap. A queer thing is the fact that the sap will not run if the tree lies er for South Africa, giving him discretion- ary power in the matter. Col. Carrington’s offer will probably be accepted. The War Office is preparing to send a regiment to Cape Colony to replace the regiment sent up into the country. Theadore Bent, in an interview yesterday expressed the opinion that he Bengula would be defeated. “But,” he added, “the Government must act with energy. If the Matabele are not subdued before the rainy season the British will have to face a harassing guerilla warfare and will have to take the field again in the spring. Thillki mg for His Master- An old gentleman who was very absent- minded, often had toring forhisservant and say : “ Thomas I am looking for something, and now I can’t remember what it is.” And then Thomas would suggest, “Your purse, sir? or spectacles ‘i‘ or cheque-book?” and so on, until the old gentleman would say at last : “ Of course, that’s it. Thank you, Thomas.” One night the old gentleman had gone to his room and all were in bed when Thomas was startled by hearing his master’s bed- with its head downward. It will only run mom be“. Upward‘ He rushed upstairs and threw open the '"‘ " ' ‘ ""'""' door. “ Thomas,” said the old gentleman, “ I came up here for something and now I can’t remember what it was.” “ Wasn’t it to go to bed, sir '2" “ Of course,” said the old gentleman; “so Knew From Experience- VVife: “ 0h George, the water pipe is leaking, and the water is spoiling the car- pet. Go and get a plumber, quick.” Husband: “ That’s all right, my dear, ‘ , let it go; it's cheaper to get a new carpet.” it Wfls- Thank you, Thoma-5o" value was over £1,750,000,000 and their, Chief of Cape Colony and High Commission-