Evening Express

I I COMPLETED STORY. I ERIAH OF CORFU, Winter evenings at the Calumet Club had 'become rather dull, after the rush and hurry of the holidays had passed, and the usual re- action which followed them had settled itself fully upon us, when there came into our midst a fellow whom we at once hoped would aid in breaking in. upon the monotony and who •would prove a veritable ray of sunshine in Sthe dungeon of our every-day life. His name was John Greenwood, and he came, I believe, from the wooded hills of Vermont State, where he left behind him a prosperous I home and a happy family circle, in order to I plunge into the whirl of urban life and glean, if he could, a fortune and a future of his own. Coming as he did, at a time when we were "thus depressed—when we had feasted upon each other's jokes and stories until nothing fcnew was left to us, and having the unqualified (endorsement of several leading clubmen, 0 which established him among us as one well Fthought of. John Greenwood made his appear- |-ance within the ranks of the Calumet Club founder decidedly favourable circumstances. Still, many did not like this fellow—or at fcfleast, they never made much of him. although M am free to confess that I tooK quite a deep interest in him and came finally to like him -well. We were clannish at the Calumet Club, '•*ind the clique which I had been identified with for years accepted Greenwood as a "hale rttellow well met"-as a a manly and honourable aspirant in the world of commerce and as a tthoroughly interesting personage. Greenwood was not the idol of that faction \4n our club which felt called upon to cut the j, proverbial "swath" with the outside world, and (whether because of a slim purse or a desire to lead a more dignified life. I know not) r-he failed to take part in their unceasing .orgiea and fell back with those of us who spent our long evenings and leisure hours at cards, in the billiard-room, or at debate in the big. cheerful library. Of a rather philosophic i turn of mind, this new member of ours proved an amusing, if not interesting, addition to our corps of studiouil bachelors, who considered with equal readiness any problem from a lesson in political economy to the climatic pe- culiarities of lower Africa. We liked to hear Greenwood explain his ideas and then reason in their support, and it may be said in this connection that many a good fellow was put up against him in debate for dear argument's sake alone! Some of hi, mountain ideas grated on us. but in the long run he was a. fairly apt and logical fellow, not incapable of a witty turn at the crucial moment, which always took well. In this circle of ours we had a. fellow named Alvin Kent among ui who was a spirited philosopher as well, and we soon saw that he and our new member were sure to lock arms in debate. It promised a pretty contest, and we eagerly matched them in some complex conversation. Kent was a bachelor whose prime in life had already been passed, and his years made him an eccentric yet most interesting elder among us. bubblng with queer notions and odd ideas. This with his cynical criticisms of the world which lay "just beyond the portals of the Calumet Club," as he put it, made of him the confirmed "crank" in our crowd, whom we delighted to worry with his own hobbies. Kent was interesting to some. funny in the eyes of others, but to Greenwood he was a serious and dangerous being, in that he reasoned, as ,Greenwood insisted, "from nowhere to no- where," and quite upset the Greenwood version of things in general with his splendid argu- ments. It was nip-and-tuck between these f two—once the cigars had been passed in the evening and the ashes had commenced to fall- and many an entertaining hour we passed, ab- gorbing the points they chanced to score in their snappy debates, and following the trend of two studied arguments, each opposed to the t provisions of the other. And all this made 'them warm friends, whose intimacy quite sur- passed the ordinary. r Club life. with its wonted round of routine ^affairs, and with that social treadmill attached to it that makes the bachelor's life an un- adorned one. had drawn me and Green together a. great deal and established between us a firm friendship. We had much in common. Our quiet games at cards or billiards, as the months polled by. together with our dinners, our drinks und our cigars, and our respective stores of in- formation had been the agencies through which we had come to pool our best interests, our confidences, our ambitions, and our fixed ideas. He was scarcely a fellow to whom -a man was instantly drawn, nor was his depth of character so unusual II that one felt awed and, therefore, at- tracted by the very mystery that might be "within him. but he was manly and always the same, and we came to like his flashes of wit, !his peculiar view3 upon some things and his ready logic. To this personality of his I at- "tribute now much of the comfort which I gleaned from club life during that year, and, too. he was of the bent which enabled him to Wlelve into the possibilities of others and drag j to light much of interest to us. Especially was this true in the case of Kent. whoee extreme peculiarities nettled Greenwood and led the latter into an endless contention that delighted us for months. Greenwood and I was sitting one night in his apartment, smok- ing and talking of passing nothings, when he suddenly pulled up closer to the fire that tramed in the open grate before us, and hand- ing me a cigar, settled himself in a great rat- tan arm-chair, stared blankly into the flames, and said: "Colvin, my boy, I am somewhat at a loss to know just what I shall have to deduct from the arguments of Kent. They bother me con- siderably. He is thoroughly fixed in a couple of ideas that I cannot root him out of, and at the same time, one of them. at least, is an utter absurdity in my eyes. He is everlastingly at it about, this disputed theory he entertains, and I don't know but what I shall have to go over to him soon, out of simple respect for his persistency." "Yes ?" "Yes. Ha rides a hobby in other words, ■which I will swear takes ou the form of a mania. -yet the man is neither a fool nor a phantom- chaser, and has a good conscience. His soul is wrapped up in it. He insists to me that one who i6 devoid of ability or talent either of a musical, literary, or artistic turn, but who s thoroughly appreciates the good work of > others, can be so impressed by the production of an-othef who is accomplished that. under stress, even after many years, he can absolutely produce that same thing, whether it be song, verse, painting or instrumental performance, exactly as well as did the artist himself." "Hypnotism?" "No. no; inspiration, he says." "Foolish." "Of course. Now, according to his theory, if you should hear the rendition of a beauti- ful piece of music by an able pianist to-night. and if. in your passion for melody, you actually revelled in that selection, and it reached your innermost soul, this 'Count Von Kent' could come along, wag his linger at you, and, presto, the work is at your fingers' ends. What do you think of that? I suppose that if I could hear Patti sing to-night and was en- chanted with th-J piece, that to-morrow I eould bow to London's most critical audience, and thrill it from one end to another with a voice that I know would sound for all the world like an auctioneer's efforts in a busy boiler factory. And still he keeps it up with me and marvels that I do not coincide. It is neither hypnotism nor mental telegraphy, he says, but simply inspiration, inspiration. You see, Kent reasons with the aid of certain moral and spiri- tual conclusions of his own that are Greek to me, and at all times untrustworthy. Then. again, Colvin, he reasons with me about this very club life that you and I are leading, and actually, he talks well here. His logic cannot be readily impeached on this score. "Impossible. Why don't he get out of it. then. He has been living it a long time now." "He declares to me that he is too old to start up in any new sphere now, but Colvin. he urges me to. and I know he dces it because of the weight this argument he sticks to has with him. For instance, he says that, coming down to it. were are actually social Anarchists here, aiding in the undoing of that one plan which, above all others, can lead to the goal we one and all seek—happiness. He talks to me of the false and cruel conditions of industrial competition, and of the morbid overgrowth of great cities, v, here human lives, crowded to the point of suffocation, have raised an enormous barrier between great masses of mankind and the home tceir natural instincts and desires seek. He maintains that the favoured classes, on the other hand, are too much alienated by their own false standards of happiness, by their mania for publicity, and by the insane rivalries of wealth, to retain for any time at all their reverence for the pure and lowly ideals of do- mestic life." "Well?" "I believe myself, Colvin, that a new aris- tccracy is formed now which lives the Bohe- mian hotel life that you and I lead, existing as it were, in gigantic tenements. It is not the nghc. thing, after all. You know, Colvin, that while public amusements may increase in sple: j (itur, private joys grow rare and difficult to us both, and even our capacity for the latter to wither, in these extremes, where the home wears a vanishing aspect. Kent declares tliat "r e: ore the fall paradise was man's home, „nd j that after the fall. home is man's paradise. In j a measure, he is right. What think you?" The clock on the low mantelpiece ticked out its weird tally of the hour. and the embers in the grate, falling to final ruin. sent up a fresh glow that gave out a soft, warm light. "Colvin, I am going to have Kent test his power of inspiring others, and you shall be there. He knows of my ambitions. He know3 of the only music that ever thrills me. He shall try it. Kent and his doctrines have a strange fascination for me anyhow. Colvin," and Green- wood settled more deeply into his rattan chair. with his chin upon his breast, and his eyes fixed Ilow-not upon the smouldering fire, but upon a small matted picture that was tucked away in a nook of his mantelpiece there—the woman he thought most of. The clock ticked on in the stillness of the great room, as if in cadence to his thought. and, after many minutes had passed. I realised that this was the hour eacred in the day to John Greenwood, and I left him. He did not call me back. He was peculiar that way. ———■—■*—

"SHE NETER TOLD HER love, but let concealment. like a worm i' the bad, feed on her damask cheek." So Shakespeare says, but there was really no need for it, the concealment we mean. A woman who really loves a man has a thousand subtle ways of tell. ing him so, without taking the bloom off her modesty. We venture to affirm she ought to have told her love. It was a good thing, and think what the dear man lost by her conceal- ment. What an awful loss the British Public would have suffered if Page Woodcock, of Lin- coln, had concealed the wonderful virtues of his celebrated Wind Pills, which, for the cure of Indigestion. Liver Complaints, Wind on the Stomach, Costiveness, Sick Headache. Nervous Debility, Palpitation of the Heart, Biliousness, &c., are unsurpassed. Mr. Grierion, Pharmaceutical Chemist. Lin- coln. says. "My sales of your Wind Pills are going up by leaps and bounds. Whereas my average sale is ten dozen per month, last month I sold Z15 dozen." Of course. People are wak- ing up at last. All sufferers from Indigestion, Liver Com- plaints, Wind on the StomStch. Costiveness, Sick Headache, Nervous Debility, Palpitation of the Heart, Biliousness, Ac., should avail themselves of this most excellent Medicine. Being purely Vegetable, TastelesB, and Mild and Tonic in their actk>n, they may be taken with perfect safety by the most delicate of either sex. Page Woodcock's Wind Pills are sold by all Medicine Vendors at is. lid. and 2s 9d.: post free for price by Page Woodcock. Lincoln.

Tha ordinary meeting of the Merthyr Urban District Council was held on Wednesday, Mr. V. A. Wills (chairman) presiding. A large num- ber of houses in various parts of Merthyr and Dowlais and one at Troedyrhiw were reported as being unfit for human habitation, and notices were ordered to be served upon the owners to put them into tenantable condition. Plans, specifications, and estimates for the restoration of the lower Nenadd Reservoir were approved, and it was decided to make applica- tion to the Local Government Board for sanc- tion to borrow £ 15,000 to defray the cost of carrying out the work.

i5us!tnrss: gbbrt55tS. Mother (to Demon of Influenza and Croup): YOTJ CANNOT HARM HER NOW!" (With apologies to Wilson Barrett.) ilORTIMER'S COUGH MIXTURE. SOLD BY GIVES A MOST AND ALL INS T A X T WONDERFUL CROUP IN CHEMISTS- RELIEF SPECIFIC CHILDREN- ———— IN FOR ———— TWO SIZES, WHOOPING COUGHS, Is. 1J<L and 2s. 9d. rirtT„(r[ ls- Hd- an<* -8- PER BOTTLE. COL GH. CQLDS, PER BOTTLE.

COMICALITIES—ORIGINAL AND OTHERWISE. The man who says he will welcome death as a release from a life made up of sorrow gene- rally sends for four doctors when he has a headache. "I'm afraid my wife's affection for me is cooling." "Why?" "When she bade me good- bye this morning she didn't say: 'Be sure to hurry home as early as possible. Young Mr. Punctuality was on a mountain top. He pulled out his watch. "Ah!" said he, "if the sun doesn't rise in just one minute and nine seconds, it will be late." "All," remarked Mr. Barnes Tormer, from the wings, as his new leading lady successfully dodged a flying egg. "that is something like. I was beginning to fear she would attract no attention." Husband: Whatl Another hundred-dollar gown? Didn't I tell you that you must keep within your allowance? Wife (triumphantly): You said unless in eass of absolute necessity! Never tell your wife that she is a charming singer unless you happen to be deaf. Reggie (who stutters): P-P-Pershaps you have not noticed it, Miss Maggie, but I 1-1-1—I—er— l-l-l- Maggie (trembling violently): 0 Reg- gie!—er—this ia so sudden, you know! Reggie: I 1-1-left my umbrella here two weeks ago, and should like to recover ii! A young doctor had among his first patients an uncommonly dirty infant brought to his office in the arms of a mother whose face showed the same abhorrence of soap. Looking down upon the child for a moment he solemnly said, "It seems to be suffering from 'hydropathic hydrophobia. "Oh. doctor, is it as bad as that?" cried the mother; "that's a big sickness for such a mite. Whatever shall I do for the child?" "Wash its face, madam," replied the doctor, the disease will go off with the dirt." "Wash its face, indeed!" exclaimed the mother, losing her temper; "what next, I'd like to know?" "Wash your own, madam- wash your own," was the rejoinder. Energy will do anything that can be done in this world, and no talents, no circumstances, no opportunities, will make a two-legged animal a man without it.—Goethe. Mamma: Freddy's teacher is so pretty! I believe half the boys in her class are deter- mined to marry her when they grow up. Papa: But, I trust she has other prospects. "Speaking of infant prodigies!" exclaimed the Chinese Empercr. "Your Majesty enjoys some distinction in that line," rejoined the faithful old courtier. "I should say so! Here am I a back-number before most men are fairly started in life!" She had received a telegram, and her face blanched and her hand trembled as she held the unopened envelope before her. Giving it to her daughter, she said, "Read it." The girl obeyed. "Papa has broken his leg, and gone to the hospital," she said. The mother's face brightened. "Thank goodness it is no worse," she said. "I feared he might be going to bring somebody home to dinner!" "I don't believe Jack spends as much money as he did before he was married." "He doesn't. His wife spends it now." Teacher: Can you tell me, Johnny, which travels faster, heat or cold? Johnny: Heat, of course. Anybody kin ketch cold! She: If you don't stop your compliments I shall have to put my hands over my ears. He (gallantly): Ah! your hands are far too small. He: I see that a late medical authority says that kissing is a cure for indigestion. She: I ate a good deal more mince pie for dinner than I should. Mamma: Oh, dear! Jimmy, I don't believe you know what it is to be good. Jimmy: Yes, I do, mamma. It's not doing what you want to do. "Did you say that gentleman made his for- tune by some important discoveries in m6dical lore?" "Yes; he discovered a new way to advertise an invaluable cure-all.

LUCKLESS! ROYALTIES. STUART'S AND BOURBONS. The sudden death of Princess Ferdinand of Bulgaria, plunges the Hapsburg and Bourbon families into the deepest mourning. The per- sistent ill-luck which ha3 clung to the Bourbon and Stuart families is brought out in a strik- ing manner by "St. Paul's" this week. The families were very closely allied—Louis XVI. and his brothers, Louis XVIII. and Charles X.. were descendants of Charles I. of England in the sixth generation. As a narrative of misfortune, the history of the family of Charles X. may be compared with that of the Stuarts. His only &on, the Due de Dz!"i, was assassinated at the Opera House in Paris in 1820. The son of the Due de Berri was the childless Comte de Chambord, with whom the male line of the Royal Bour- bons became extinct a few years back. The daughter of the Due de Berri, Princess Louise, married Charles III., who succeeded to the dukedom of Parma. on the d'3ath of Marie Louise, widow of Napoleon I. The widowed Duchesse de Berri, early in the reign of Louis Philippe, headed a rebellion in favour of her son, the Comte de Chambord. She was captured and detained in prison, where, to the surprise of most people, but not of King Louis Philippe, she gave birth to a son. She had to acknowledge a morganatic marriage, everybody laughed, and the hopes of the elder line of Bourbon were extinguished for ever. Meanwhile, her daughter, the Duchess of Parma, fotlnd that she had made a most un- happy marriage. Her husband, though a young man. was the vilest of petty despots. He squandered his resources in vicious extra- vagance. He made an English stable-boy named Ward his chief Minister. Education was sup- pressed, and discontent was put down by court-martial. His conduct towards the wive3 and daughters of his subjects was infamous. No warning could influence him. and in 1854, when he was only 31 years of age, he was stabbed to death in his own capital in broad daylight by a saddler whose daughter he had outraged. Such was the state of public opinion that the avenger escaped. His widow administered the duchy on behalf of her infant son, the present titular Duke of Parma, until the revolt of Italy against the petty States in 1859. She died in 1864. Her ion is a most estimable prince, who lives quietly in Lower Austria. It may be part of his misfortune, as a Stuart and a Bourbon, that he has had seven sons and eleven daughters. It was his eldest child who died last week. Turning next to the Stuarts, the writer says: -Voltaire once said that all kings feel a pain in the neck about, the end of January, alluding to the fact that Charles I. was beheaded on the 3Qth of that month in 1649. A few years after Voltaire's death his remark was strangely confirmed, for Louis XVI. was put to death on January 21. 1793. Mary Queen of Scots was executed on February 8, 1587. Another coincidence is that all these three sovereigns were of the luckless Stuart blood. Charles I. was tha grandson of Mary, and Louis XVI. was sixth in descent from Charles. Akin to these tragedies were the executions of Marie Antoinette, widow of Louis XVL, and of Maximilian, Emperor of Mexico. both members of the Imperial Hcuse of Austria. Both were Stuarts, though not descended from Charles I. Marie Antoinette was seventh, and Maximilian was tenth, in descent from Mary Queen of Scots. Again, the ill-fated Crown Prince Rudolph of Austria furnishes another example of coin- cidence and of ill-luck in the Stuarts. He was eleventh in descent from Mary, and he met his mysterious and violent death, ten year3 ago, on the two hundred and fortieth anni- versary of the execution of Charles I. Last of my coincidences. Prince Charles Edward, the young Pretender, the hero of 1745, died a broken down, dissipated man of 67 either on the anniversary of the execution of Charles I. or the day following, in 1788. Whatever may be said about the Stuarts— and many bitter things have been said about them—it must be admitted that they knew how to die. All who went to the scaffold pre- served a demeanour of dignity and nobleness.

OUR FREE GIFT OF BOOKS TO EVERY READER OF THE "EVENING EXPRESS." We are preseiulng gratis to every regular tender of th" 'evening Express" one of the following high-class, cloth-bound, and gold- lelte/ed standard works of English literature: — Shak«i>eare'B Comp.eM Plays and Sonnets; "Vanity Fair." by Thackeray; "The Caxtons," by Lord Lytton; Erne3t Maltravers," by Lord Lytton; "Alice, or The Mysteries." by Lord Lvtton; Ivanhce." by Sir Walter Scott; "The Scarlet Letter." by Hawthorne; "Mary Bar- ton," b7 Mrs. Gaakell; iayi of the Scottish Cavaliera." by Aytoun; Jane Eyre." by Char- lotte Bronte. The books will be given away at the rate of 24 every day until every reaqer has received one. Upon the top of the Second Page of the Evening Express" each day will be found a number, printed in vio!et ink, which number will be different m every paper that is printed. Keep this number til! the following day, and see if it is given in the list printed below. If your number is given, take it to either of our offices at Swansea, Newport. Mer- thyr, or Cardiff, and you will receive either of the above books. If you cannot conveniently call, tear off the purple number and send it to the "Evening Express" Office. Cardiff, with the "Evening Express" Office. Cardiff, with your name and address and twopence towards the coet of postage, and the book chosen by yon will be forwarded to your address. Nc person is entitled to a second book, even though he be the holder of a. selected number, until every reader has received a book. PURCHASERS of WEDNESDAY'S Evening Express" bearing the Following Numbers Printed in Violet Ink on the Top Left-hand Corner of Page 2 are Entitled to a Book:— 675759 675975 678306 678566 683764 683988 684276 694638 687277 687548 687777 637952 6883d3 692972 693254 693546 693759 693989 697171 697727 698300 698869 699278 699991

DO NOT NEGLECT! Sufferers from Gravel. Lumbago, Piien. Tains in the Back, Dropsy, Wind and ater Com- plaints, Diseases of Kidneys, Bladder, Stone, Sciatica, Rheumatism, and Gout, will find a positive Cure in Holroyd's iravel Pilis. Try a Small Box, and if not satisfied your money will be returned. Price Is. lid., of all chemigts, or sent free for 12 stamps, from Holroyd's Medical Hall, Cleckheaton. Yorks. Don't be put off. If you cannot get them, write the proprietor, and a, bcx will be sent next post. The election of the Llanboidy and Llangan United School Board will take place on Tuesday nest. Of tha nineteen candidates nominated nine withdrew by Tuesday evening. There are seven scats to be filled. AN EXCLUSIVE PRESF. XT.—A DOROTHY BOX of CHOCOLATE, marked With Nam- from U. 6d.. 21., 2s. 6d., to 5.7QM 2 I

I I OUR DAILY CARTOON. c jt I I I I CALCULATED TO FRIGHTED HIM. I

FOOTBALL PRIZE COMPETITION. I k "i ctloo FOR THE WINNER. IN THE ABSSNCE OF CORRECT SOLUTION, £10 FOR BEST COUPON. SUPPLEMENTAL PRIZES. i.—An ORIGINAL CARTOON from the "Even- ing Express," by Mr. J. M. 8TANIFORTTI. Framed and Mounted by Mr. A. FREKE. Photographer. Ac., 12, Duke-street, Cardiff. 2—Jib. Tin of ARCHER'S GOLDEN RETURNS. by the well-known firm, HENRY ARCHER and CO., 170, 172: and 174, Borough. Lon- don, S.E. 3.—TWO TICKETS for the Orchestra, Stalls or Dress Circle at the THEATRE ROYAL, Cardiff. 4.-TWO TICKETS for the Balcony at the GRArID THEATRE. Cardiff. 5) £ At the Opt in of f-te Winners:— Q THE "WESTKUN MAIL" MUSIC FOLIO O Oi' C3 bONGS, LUKT.-S, AND SACKED 10 fcOLO U Or eitber of the following well-bound, cloth- jo cov< red Stan ard \Sork*:— .3 SHAKSPt AiiE'o COMPLETE PLAYS AND ,4 SO:N' KT. 15 VANITY FAIJBby Thackeray. ia THE CAX.1'uXS, by Lord LyttonJ 17 > ERNKST MALTKAVKEcr, by Lor.d Lytton, jo ALICE, or THE MY-TEXilKB, by Lord Lrtton io IVANHOE, t>y Sir Walter Scott. 20 THE SCAKLET LKTTEif, by Hawthorne. 21 MABY HARTON, by Mrs. Gaskeli. 22 LAYS OF THE SCOTTISH C'AVALIEBS, by 03 Aytoun. 24 JANE KYRE, by Charlotte Bronte. 25 25,1 Thursday, j COUPON. Match KS Pl.ATM) j'tBHCART 18,3899. Coupon must reach this office by ene p m ta tltto oUy of play. Lirections for marking Coupea -Strike cut name of losing club and give pointi of iriaaar and loser. For a draw strike ous neither, bat give points if any S>ENi> TWOPENCE IN POSTAGE STAJCM Thursday, j COUPON. Match KS PI.ATKD 1' vane ART 18,3899. Coupon must l'eaeh this office by oae p u ta tit* «i»y »f play. Lirections for marking Coupea —Strike eut name of losing eluh and give pointi oi iriaaar and loser. For a draw strike ous neither, bat giTe points if any S>ENi> TWOPENCE IN POSTAGE STAJCM WITH EACH COUPON. „ Points bcored Point* Scored MAIOM. Winner. by Loser. "MOUNTAIN ASH V. AB EE A VON. GLOUCESTER V. CARDIFF. NE WPOBT V. LLANKLLY. "Lt, io ES r EK V. SWANSEA. Name Addsiss CONDITIONS. The prize of £100 will be given to the com- petitor who predicts the actual scores in each of the matches in the appended coupon. it no competitor succeeds in giving the actual scores, £10 will be given to the competitor whose prediction* are the nearest to the actual results, or, in the event of a. tie, the money will be divided. If any of the selected matches are postponed or abandoned the £100 prize will not be awarded, but under any cilcumstanm the £10 will be given to the best coupon. The Supplemental Prizes will be awarded in the order given abov*. Competitors may send in as many coupons as they like. but every coupon must be accom- panied by 2d. in stamps. The winners will be announced on the Tues- day of each week. Envelopes containing Coupons must be marked outside, Football Competition." No person in the employ of the Western Mail Limited is allowed to compete.

AN EXCLUSIVE PRESENT.—A DOROTHY BOX of CHOCOLATE, marked with Name. from Is. 6d.. 2s.. 2s. 6d.. to 5s. e7000—3 A Local Government Board inquiry was held at Llandrindod WelVs on Tuesday respecting an application made by the urban district council for powers to purchase the undertaking; of the local waterworks.

TEN POUNDS CASH PRIZE ,1- TO BE WON. Another Novel Competition for Readers oMhe "Evening Express." i Tne proprietors of :ha "Evening Express" will award a prize of JE10 to the reader who gives the correct forecast of the number of births which will take place in the 33 chief towns in Great Britain during the week ending SATURDAY, February 18. These thirty-three towns are t*o included in the Registrar-General's weekly returns, and are as follow: — Birkenhead Bristol Halifax London Oldham Sheffield b'r Birmingham Burnley Hnddersfleld Manchester Plymouth Sunder:and Blackburn Cardiff Hall No>.castlc-on-Tyne Portsmouth Swansea Bolton Croydon Leed3 Norwich Preston West TTau) Bradford Derby Leicester Nottingham 8alford W: Ive c h^-mpton Brighton Gateshead Liverpool The JE10 will be; awarded to the competitor whose prediction is absolutely corrto., orit, It no one suooeeds in^jving the exact figures, then we shall award a prize of £5 to the or oompetitors whose forecast is nearest the actual figures. If more than one competitor predicta the correct figures the prize will be divided. In order to arrive at the result, we shall take the Registrar-General's return3 for t, week ending Saturday. February 4. as issue.: from Somerset House, as being correct. As a. guide to our renders, wa give the number of births in the thirty-three towns in the corresponding Weeks of the past five years. Week ending Saturday, February 19th, 1894 6.351 13th. 1895 6,906 1.7th, 1896 6,393 'A' 13th, 1897 7,454 „ „ 12 th, 1398 7,036 f l; CONDITIONS. Competitors Must Oil in tbiir forecast in p'ain figures on the appended coupon, write their name and address. and send the forecast, together with AN ENTRANCE FEE OF TWO STAMPS FOR EACH COUPON, to "Births Competition." "Evening Express" omce. Cardiff, not later than by the first post on Monday. February 20. The announcement of the winner or winners will be made on the Wednesday following. Any number of coupons may be sent in the same envelope. In case of any dispute the Editor's decision will be final. Disregard of these conditions will cause the disqualification of the coupons. 'f BIRTHS COMPETITION. THE NUMBER IS Name Address —••• FEB. 18. Two stamps to be enclosed with this coupon and the envelope to be marked on the left- oorner, "Births Competition." If you cannot obtain as many coupons as you wish to send in you may wvri+. your predictions on plain paper, with your name and address, but you must send twopence with every prediction-

FOR SAILORS' FRIENDS. FOREIGN ARRIVALS AND MOVE- MENTS OF LOCAL VESSELS. Sabrina left Devonport for Barry 15th. Quickstep left Portland Roads for Cardiff 14th. Loyal Briton left Savona for Seville 14th. North Briton left Alexandria, for Seville 15th. Lady Lewis left Plymouth for Cardiff 14th. Starcross left Deal for Cardiff 14th Topase arrived West Hartlepool 12th. Volage left Port Said for Poti 12th. Pomaron arrived St. Nazaire 14th. Tredegar arrived Sables 14th.. Cardiff arrived Portland 15th. ColJinltham left Ancona for Ergasteria 13th. Wakefield coaled Dartmouth for Bremen 14th. Shiletto left Holyhead for Barry 15th. Ormesby passed Colombo for Port aid for orders 14th. Hesleden put into Portland 12th. Horden put into Portland 14th. Afonwen arrived Port Said 14th. Crosshill left Havre for Penarth loth. Charles T. Jones passed St. Catherine's for Rotterdam 14th. Gorsedd left Algiers for^Dundee 14th. Carlo arrived Algiers 15th.

When asking for Cocoa, insist on having CAD- BUKY'S—eold only in Packets and Tms-as other Cocoas are often substituted for the sake of extra profit. »W5—1

The annual meeting of the Riverside Conser- vative Association will be held to-night (Thurs- day) at the Conservative Club, Brook-street, at eight o'clock. All Conservatives resident in the ward are invited to be present.

HOW ARE THE COWS KEPT THAT FEED OUR CHILDREN?—It depends, of course, on the gcod or bad management of the dairy farm. Experts tell us that in many cases their condition is scandalous. The houses are badly drained, and some not drained at all, while the water supply is a stagnant pool. It is, there- fore, not surprising that the poor animals fall a prey to disease. Their most common com- plaint is Tuberculosis, and a cow may suffer from it for some time before its condition is recognised. The result is that our milk supply frequently contains the germs of this malady, and if you give such milk to your children you are sowing the seeds of misery and death in a soil where they are certain to flourish. The best and only safeguard is to give up cow's inilk in the nursery and substitute HORLICK'S MALTED MILK, which is sterilized and guaran- teed free from germs. Get it from your chemist. Price Is. 6d., 23. 6d„ and lis. A free sample will be sent, on application, by Horlick s and Co., 34, Farringdon-road, London, E.C. L15225 AN EXCLUSIVE PRESENT.—A DOROTHY BOX of CHOCOLATE, marked with Name, from Is. 6d., 2s.. Zs. 6d.. to aa .7000—i

THE USEFULNESS AND THE CURATIVE VIRTUES OF Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People can be proved in one day by making a few enquiries in irour own neighbourhood. There is probably no place in this countr-y which does not contain strong, healthy, active men and women who have been rescued from acute illness or chronic ill-health by Dr. Williams1 Pink Pills for Pale People. You will never hear of any good being effected by a Substitute: but the great cures known to have been effected by the genuine pills-Dr. Williams9 Pink Pills for Pale People-are the talk of nearly every town. CASES IN WALES. MEBTHYR GIRL'S SUFFERINGS, ANAEMIA AND INDIGESTION CURED. Recently a "Merthyr Express" reporter called on Miss Rces. We refer to Miss Jane Rees, the adopted daughter of Mrs. Phoebe Rees, proprietress of the Colliers' Arms Inn, Aberdare-road, Merthyr Tydfil. Miss Rees is about 22 years of age, and has been a great sufferer for a long time. She looked exceed- ingly well and healthy, but she told him how much she had suffered. "I may say," said Mrs-. Phoebe Rees, "that Miss Rees has been a great sufferer, but she is better now than I have ever known her to be; but, there, she will tell you all about her illness." "Yes," rejoined Miss Rees. "I was very sickly for many years. I took bottle after bottle of medicine, but could not get perma- nent relief. At times I suffered terribly, and Mrs. Rees will bear me out in what I say. I suffered from want of blood, there was none in my body: palpitation of the heart, great weakness, indigestion. I couldn't eat anything, the smell of food was distasteful to me; in fact, I cannot tell you the extent of my pains and suffering. When I went upstairs I had to sit down on the top stair and wait for my breath to return before I could go on into the bed- room, and I bpgan to be frightened. Medicine seemed no good to me. I even hated the sight of food. My legs would swell and causo I me a great deal of pain. But I fe'sl all right now; I don't fael the same girl. I can eat anything now, and any amount. I could not bear the smell or look of any food, meat Included, but now I enjoy my meals thoroughly. Everyone is surprised to the change in me, and all my friends congratulate me," "But how were you cured?" asked the reporter, who readily admitted that this was a. marvellous cure. "Of course! I omittod to say," replied Miss Rees. "I am entirely cured, thanks to Dr. Williams's Pink Pills for Pale People. How did I come to know about them? Well, I will tell you with pleasure, because I owe every- thing to Dr. Williams's Pink Pills. Some time ago a friend of mine came down from Scot- land, and told me all about Dr. Williams's land, and told me all about Dr. Williams's

00000000000000000000000000000 ° 8 8 AMONG THOUSANDS, 8 8 The interesting cases here men-8 g tioned are a few among thousands g o in which the usefulness of Dr.o C) 8 Williams' Pink Pills has been madeo 8 known to the public. They are8 g famous among the highest and theg o lowest in the land for the cure ofo o Rheumatism, Sciatica, t Indiges-g g tion, Anaemia, Palpitation, andg 0 0 g General Muscular Weakness, o o They ane a splendid nerve ando 8 spinal tonic, and have cured g g many cases of Paralysis, Loco-g C) g motor Ataxy, Neuralgia, St. o o Vitus' Dance, and Nervous Heaa-o I 8 ache- Sold by all chemists, or 8 8sent post free by Dr. Williams'g 0 g Medicine Compaiiy, 46, Holborn-g 0 0 o viaduct, London, at 2s. 9d. a box,o o or six for 13s. 9d.; but are genuine g g only with /uiiname v'seven words), g fff~D¥WIL L IAMS^Wi'W If WPlLLS ,$M\ 11 IrMas mf m. jkE.opuL W o 0 g Pills sold loose or from glass jars g o cannot be Dr. Williams', and won't o o cure you; substitutes never cured o g anyone! 8 ooojooooo 0000000000000000000

The "E'ening Express" Boys and Girls Club (established March 21. 1898). is formed for the purpose of promoting principles of kindness among young peopde, and for the mutual interest and instruction of its mem- bers. Boys and Girls, wherever resident, are eligible for membership, provided their age be not less than six or more than sixteen years. The Club now numbers 3,325 members. Intending members must fill up the Coupon published every Saturday, and for- ward it to Uncle Joe, "Evening Express, Cardiff. Their names and addresses will be published, and each new Member is entitled to a beautifully-designed certificate. Onlv (Xub Members are eligible to com- pete for the Prizes given in this column. The winners must apply to Uncle Joe per- sonally or by letter. Competitors must in every case append full name, address, age, and Club number, otherwise they will be disqualified. This rule applies to all com- petitions, letters, Ac., &c. Uncle Joe. is always pleased to hear from his Club Members on any matter of interest.

UNCLE JOE'S PRIZES, Books are given weekly for the best and most interesting 'letters contributed by Nephews and Nioces on any bubject. The writers must give full name, address, age, and Club number. Children, &c, outside the Club may write, and their letters, if interesting, will be published; but they are not eligible for prizes. Uncle Joe invites essays from his members on What I think of Mr. Banter." Books will be awarded for the best efforts. All essays to be in by Monday noon, at latest.

NEW MEMBER. Dear Uncle Joe,-I want to be made a mem- ber of the Evening Express Boys' and Girls' Club. and I promise to keep the rules. I was eleven years of age on the 4th of September last. 1 remain, your affectionate Niece, EVELYN LAURETTA BEATRICE THOMAS. 14, Adare-st; eet, Bridgend, Jan. 30. Witness; James E. Thomas, 14, Adare-street, Bridgend.

Dear Uncle Joe,-I wa.s very pleased, indeed, with my book. and I must thank you very much. I have begun to read it. and so far I find it very pretty, indeed. I have nothing more to say at present, so I must close.—From your affectionate Niece, MAUD GRIFFITHS (No. 3,319, aged 13). Bridge-street, Llandaff, Feb. 2. Dear Uncle Joe.-Please excuse me for not writing to you before now. I received my cer- tificate, and I am very pleased with it. It is a. very pretty one, and is worth framing. 1 have shown it to a few of my chums, aod they have promised to be made members of our increasing family. I have no "particular news to tell you at present, and I must conclude with best love.-From your affectionate Nephew, MATHONWY WILLIAMS. 38, School-street, Elliot Town, New Tredegar, Feb. 10. Dear Uncle Joe,—I thank you very much for tha nice book you sent me last week, and I shall do my best to read it to the end. I 3.m begin- ning to like Uncle Tom's Cabin," and I have read 53 pages,of it. I do not understand some of the big words in it, but my father helps me very much. Thanks to you, my dear Uncle Joe. I am putting all my pennies now in the money-box because my father is going to take me to Cardiff to see you in the summer. I have 2R pennies ready. I should like to see you very much. I do not know very much about you. Are you tall or short? Some ooys havo told me that you a.re like Father Christmas. Have you got long, white whiskers and a bag like him I hope I will see you when I come there, because I am going to tell all about you to the boys in our school.—From your loving Nephew, D. LUTHER PHILLIPS (aged 71 No. 3,297). Gwaliu, House, Bynea, Lianelly, Feb. 9.

£ usmeste; SDtortsses i BEVAN AND COMPANY (LIMITED) ARE WALES' CHAMPION FURNISHERS CARDIFF. SWANSEA. NEWPORT AND PONTYPOOL I. >, $u0tnes0 gbbrtSSts. PHIL PHILLIPS' TOOTHACHE CURB. pHIL PHILLIPS' Is. per Bottle. PHIL PHILLIPS' JL Sold by all Chemists. PHIL PHILLIPS' -L Acts like Magic. PHIL PHILLIPS' J- For Neuralgia. PHIL PHILLIPS' And Toothache. Sole Manufacturer:- PHIL PHILLIPS' JL 24. ST. MARY-STREET, CARDIFF. PHIL PHILLIPS' RHEUMATIC APPLIANCES. PHIL PHILLIPS' Socka, 10s. 6d. per Pair. PHIL PHILLIPS' JL Belts. 10s. 6d. PHIL PHILLIPS' Wristiete, 5s. per Pair. mu mu PHIL PHILLIPS' Thousands of Testimonials. PHIL PHILLIPS' A Send for Pamphlet, free. PHIL PHILLIPS' -t- When ordering send size of boots fog Socks, for Belts size of waist, Wrirt. lets size of wrist, to PHIL PHILLIPS' J- RHEUMATIC CURE. 24. ST. MARY-STREET, CARDIFF, Cralit £ ottresu ART DECORATORS. DAVIS AND SON, W. PAINTERS, GLASS, OIL, AND PAPERHANGING MERCHANTS 11, QUEEN-STREET. DYEWOEK3, eta. IF YOU WANT YOUR CLOTHE8 NICELY CLEANED, GO TO HOBBS. DYER. 1, NELSON-TERRACE. LADIES' TAILOR. B -II Y E-O:- Be 44, LOWER CATHEDRAL-ROAD. COATS amd SKIRTS from 2i gaineaa. FURNITURE. BEVAN AND COMPANY (LIMITED), THE CARDIFF FURNISHERS," ST. MARY-STREET AND DUKE-STREET. RHEtnttA-TIC CURE. FOR FULL PARTICULARS APPLY TO PHI L PHILLIPS. p 24. ST. MARY-STREET. 1 rANUFACTURER, HORSFORTH, Ji.1 HIS OWN GOODS DIRECT from th« LOOH at MILL PRICES, via. Serges, Fancies. Cashmeres, Bieges. Meltons, Mantle Cloths. Patterns sent free on application. Save all intermediate profit. Special Lot of Dress Meltons, all shades, at per yard. Printed by the Proprietors, Western Mail Limited, and published -by them at their offices, St. Mary-street, Cardiff; at their offices. Castle Bailey-street, Swansea; at the shop of Mr. Wesley Williams, Bridgend-all in the County of Glamorgan; at the "Western Mail Office, Newport; at the shop of Mr. J. P. Caffrey. Monmouth, both in the County of Monmouth; and at the shop of Mr. Wm. Davies, Lianelly. in the County of Car. marthen. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16. 1899.

Pink Pills for Pale People; how she once suffered like myself, and how Dr. Williams's Pink Pills cured her. I there and then deter- mined to try them. I took two boxes in a fortnight, and the second box brought me grand relief. I dor't remember ever foaiug so well before. Everybody noticed the improve- ment, and I told all treinds I had to thank I Dr. Williams's Pink Pills for my restoration to health. My blood improved, my strength returned, I can go about all right, and I am thankful to say, as I have already told ycu, that I have such a good appetite that I can eat any time of the day. My breath is better than ever it was. and you can tell how we! I am when I say that yest-srday I went to the Rhondda Valley, and returned without feeling the least tired. Before I took Dr. Williams's Pink Pills I could scarcely go about, so you can quite understand how much I owe to Dr. Williams. In all I took five boxes, and the cure is complete. I consider I look better than ever I did, and I certainly feel better." "And you really believe that this wonderful return of good health is the result of taking Dr. Williams's Pink Pills for Pale People?" asked the reporter. "Yes, I am perfectly certain of it. and I make it no secret. Why, before I took Dr. Williams's Pink Pills I could not sleep for an hour together, but now I can sleep till fur- I ther orders. I — ï WELSH MINER'S LUMBAGO CURED IN CONTINUAL SUFFERING. The strike among the Welsh coal miners has recently assumed so serious a character that an incalculable amount of suffering has been borne by these workers, and the notice of the whole nation has been drawn to the conditions of the:r work. But even at the best of times miners have much to bear. As an instance, there is a young miner named James Thomas, twenty-six years of age, living at 6. Baxter-terrace, Glyncorrwg. South Wales. When questioned by a "Bridgend Chronicle" reporter, he stated: "Whilst busy at work underground, about ten years ago, I was seized with violent pains in the back, and after that was subject to terribl-a spells of pain at intervals. I was incapacitated from work for a fortnight at a time, but about eighteen months ago I became so bad that I had to give up work altogether. I consulted a doctor, and attended Cardiff Infirmary, where I was told my complaint was the collier's bane—lumbago. For many hours we have to labour cramped up, with water dripping from the roof, and at all times on damp earth. At that time I could neither sit, stand, nor lie down without suffering horrible pain, and when my mother accompanied me to the Infirmary she thought I would die in the train. One day my father came across an advertisement of Dr. Williams'3 Pink Pills for Pale People, and we then decided to try them." "With what result?" queried the pressman. "After the first box of the Pills I found some relief, which encouraged me to try a. second one, when there was a marked improve. ment; my limbs became easier, my appetite returned, and soon, after taking six or seven boxes, 1. felt healthier than I had done for many months. I foe! oonvinc-sd that if I hadn't taken Dr. Williams's Pink Pills I should never be where I am now. I am stronger and healthier than ever I was." Not only by miners, but amongst all classes, Dr. Williams's Pink Pills are praised for the way in which they have cured paralysis,, loco- motor atajcy, rheumatism, and sciatica; also all diseases arising from impoverished blood, scrofula, rickets, chronic erysipelas, consump- tion of the bowels and lungs, anaemia, pale and sallow complexion, loss of appetite, palpi- tations, pains in the back, early decay, femal" weakness, and hysteria. Genuine only with full name. Dr. Williams's Pink Pills for Pale People. and sold by chemists and by Dr. Williams's Medicine Company, 46, Holborn- viadact. London, E.C., at 2s. 9d. a box, or six ) boxes for 13s. 9d. These Pills are not purga- tive, nor can they harm the most delicate.