To-day's Short Story. I BUCK'S NEW CLOTHES Thirty years have passed since Buck and I pablish-ed the "Allen County Eye." Ah. those days' I smile when I think of them, and often laugh, but the smile is rather teuder and the iaugh ia emypathetic. The Eye" was a small sheet, and was printed on a press that took an impression with a lcrad slap. All the announcements that our paper nttered wera. strong, for it required but a, few flaps of our press to turn the hair-lines of light-faced type into the black swipes of boldest exclamation. Gur only expense was a little ink now and then and an occasional Quire of blank paper. We lived in the office—ooet us no rent, as it was believed to be haunted-iid took our meals wherever we happened to find them. We had been running along for several months, when one night, as Buck and I lay on the floor smoking, he turned to me and said: "I am in love." "What!" I exclaimed. "lam in love. I say. Give me a rniatoh." He re-lighted his prpe, puffed awhile, and continued:- Finest-looking woman you ever saw-Eat, weighs about twice as much as I do. but she a beautiful. Cheeks red. and eyes bright-beautifui, I tell you. Never met her until day before yesterday. Went down to the bluff after a bucket of water. She and old Hiliard s wife were sitting near the spring, eating a iunch. I asked them if they didn't want some water. Girl said she did. Handed her a gourdful; eat down beside her. 'Won't you have some lunch?' she aeked. Well, rather. I nibbled her cheese and crunched her craokere and snatched the, meat off the leg or the chicken. I came on back to the ofiiee, and all that afternon. m I waa working the press, something worried me. It seemed that I had forgotten something or had lost something, though I hardly knew how I could have lost anything. and at last I discovered that I was in love. I found out her name—Miss Crag.Heitn, at thstt. I have met her several times since then. She says that of all men she has the highest admiration for the journalist..She gave me a poem for 'The Eye.' We'll print it, thought it's tougli. 3ow don't object. We'll print her matter, now, and if we are ever married I'll choke her off. G-ot an appointment with IWT to-morrow. She lives ten miles oat in the country, but a lover can walk that distance withc. Lit any trouble." I went out into the country, and upon returning after a top of several days Buck boW me t"t be wa? engag-1. "This is nonsense. said 1- How so?" he asked in eurpriee. Why, you ha-e got, nothing to get married on." Get married on credit," said he. That s all very well, but you've got no clothes, and there's not a man in town who would credit you with a suit." Oh, the question of a suit of clothes ifl settled. The County Clerk will give ten dollars for printing the delinquent tax list, and with that amount of money I can get a finet-ciass outfit. I went down to &ee the proprietor of the woollen mill, and he told me that for five dollars he would sell me enough jeane to answer my modeet purposes. I picked out some cloth-best stuff you ever eaw, and I'll bet it will wear like calfskin. Com down with me a-nd look at it. Oh, come on: won't t-ake but a, few minutes. You are getting so that you don't take any interest whatever in life. Come ahead." I went wit-h him. The jeane was of a yellowish cast, and 'was woven in ribs that were almost a» course as a gridiron and, still worse, it waa greasy and smelt like a wet dog. flne grx?d6, said the ptroprietor, Very nne g?ode." said the proprietor, 9lap')in? the holt of stuff. The grease stewe-d out. and a. blind man would have thought that the wet dog had juat shaken himself. be printed the tax list, and Buck took the goods to the tailor. The old fellow-turned away and held his nose when it wa« unrciled. "What's the matter with you?" Buck demanded Dom't you know how to treat a customer? Why do you want to pretend that the cloth 3mells bad when it doesn't; I"n give you five dollars to make a suit of clothes out of it; if you can t do it. speak up. I'll make 'em," the tailor replied, but you mu5t have the cloth shrunk first." Shrunk," Buck shouted. Yes, shrunk." N<?-er. sir never. There's just enough in that piece to make me a suit of clothes, and I'm not going to run any risks; I am not going to tamper with a certainty. If you oan't make me a suit of clothes, just say so, and t H go somewhere else." I vrill make thenr," the tailor rejoined, but I won t answer for the consequences." What consequences?'' Witv, the shrinking." "Thars all right. Let me put them on., and then tney may shrink until they get tired. t-he work on as fast as you can, for ail exceedingly important event depends on these cioth-es. I'll be round t-o try them oa to-morrow." The okuhes were completed in time. Buck was liappy-happy in the thought that he should soon possess a. wife. itud not de- i pressed with the fact that he knew not wilt-re to take her and that he had nothing for her to eat. Karlv one cold, frat. bea-utiful morning we hired a 8hackly old back, and set out for the residence of the bride's father. A drug clerk had given us a box of cigars, and onward we went gaily smoking. I thinK that they were the worst cigars that I have ever •raioked. They burned like a piece of hickory, and when we attempted to knock off the ash, it was rare that the cig-.ir escaped being broken in two. A ray of sunshine came through a hole in the top of the: tattered oid back and fell on Buck's ahoukkrr, and a few minutes later I saw grease boiling up in the illuminated spot. Buck, yon are sure that the girl lovee you," I asked. Of course, I am. Do yon reckon she's marrying me for money?" Where are you going to take her?" "Take her to wife, of coarse." Ton are not going to compel her to sleep in the office, are yxm?" No. She ll stay with Mrs. forget the slouch's name-tintil I can sorter fix up a little." But suppoee you do not succeed in fixing up?" Well, then. she'll either have to stay with Sioooh or go back home. What the deuce is that od-c,,ur? Whew! I never smelt anything as bad. It almost takes my breath." "It a yoor clothes." I answered. He ga-re me an incfegnant look, and thus replied: Why do you persist in making furn. of my wardrobe? Why <3o you permdt yonr heart to be stuffed so full of envy? From the very first yrra have cpoken ungenerously of these garments. Yon have not only spoken ill of their apvoaranoe, but have slandered them by declaring that they smell bad. Now, I want, yon to stop. As a single, and, con- sequently, a thoughtless man, I could bear insults, "out as a married man-as a man who fee's the responsibilities of Iife-I must protest against a continuance of indignities. By George, what is it that stinks ro?" If you will permit me to express one more opinion before you become a married man," I remarked, let me say that your wedding outfit is in the last stages of decay. 1-" Just then Buck lifted the blanket with which they were covered, and a volume of smoke rolied out. We stopped the horses and jumped out of the hack. The tails ct Buck's coa.t were burned off, hawing caught from one of our hickory cigars. The greise stow,ed out, and the odonr was stifling. "Look at me," said Buck. "Look at me, I say. I'm looking at you." What ouatfit I to do-jump in the creek. or bury myself?" There wa-s in my mind a sharp fight I between th? udicrous a.nd the sympathetic, bot na?Hy pity bad? the ludicrous He down. It M unfortunate," said 1. but not fatal. It is but little further t? the house of your father-in-law Stop," he said, holding up his hands. Enough, tipeak not of wives nor father- in-laws. Get in, and we will go back to town." What! Aren't you going to marry the girl?" -*o; the Fates are against it. I will go and have the tailor change this coat into a r-tmda,bo,it. Farewell, vaan ambition," he continued, waving his hand, farewell."

!———————— I ROBEWFSOIWS I I GOLDEN SHRED I MARMALADE Flakes of the golden outer rind of the Orange- no white skin at all-in a jelly of the juice and refined sugar. Nothing else. Does your mouth L water ? h doesn't take long to clean your teeth thoroughly with CALVERTS Carbolic Tooth Powder. 0 Enough time is of coarse required for brosHing them all over, from the gums upwards and downwards, into the crevices, but the work is quickly and easily done with Calvert's CarboKc Tooth Powde* It gives such help to the cleaning, makes the tooth-brush do its work to smoothly, rapidly and Eieagantly The satisfaction you will get from its use can be judged from the. satisfaction it givex to so many regulai users all over the world. Jill Of all Chemists, in Tint, 6d.. I iRtd 116. New Glass Jar with Sprinkler Stopper I/- nett Sampie Free if you send pmny to: F. C CALVERT & Co.. ? ?D p DepO M?chewte? J I J » 1 WUhMB I M W^i 9w WT colaired h a r d oAt, It does not  ??do?e waste away. Tiur IT.

I Passing Pleasantries. I I Mrs. Screech er: All I haw to do is to Emb-g, I and baby goes right to sleep. Mrs. Knting: A very wii;e child. He: As it is to be a secret engagement I mast not give you a ring. She: Oil, but I can wear it on the wrong1 hand. Manager of Firm: Tour former employer ttolls me yott ware the quickest book-keeper in the place. I Applicant for Situation (dubiously): He doe? ? d,c y S, He says you could throw the books in the safe, lock up, wash, amd get ready to ;;V) home in just one minute and ten seconds." I THE ONE EXCEPTION. Yes," sa,id the voluble crank. I used to be as baxl as you. but I made up my mrnd to leave off smoking and drinking, and I did it." PmJeed, remarked Manley; I reoken a man who could give up smoking and drinking could give up almost anything I "Oh, yes." ExcePt talking a.bout PEER AND PRINCESS. I An fkrglidh n'jbleanan, noted alike for his wealth and for his disinoliaation to part with i. onoe attended a bazaar in Vienna, held by Dhe Princess Metternich in aid of a hospital. Wiia yo,,i bu<y this cigiarette oa?e ?" sajj t,he Princt-ss, offering a pretty article to the E.oglis'h pter. No. his lordship did not smoke. "This pfe.niioider, t.h.eu?" æ.íd the Prinoees. Xc, 00" >jirc?plrip nevor wrote. A bon- bonniere. sarely?" li-D, his lordship never ate frw-eets. A ray of amused pm-pot* lieMed up the faoe of the Prinoess. Taking ni) a. cake of soap, she said; I shall noit ack you to buy this soap, as I suppose you never wllMh." His lordship did not prolonig his visit to the fancy Wr! I ■ ■- —

— I SWANSEA MAN'S LAMENT I An inquest ?a? hc? at Swansea on Satur- day on the body of John Hoe.ken, ?f Cwm- hrwria, who wa? kill? by a journey of trains at the White Bock Works when in the act of crossing the iine to turn the points. When picked up by John Morris deceased p:tcorue!y said, Stri^pcflng I die, Jack? I have got my children!" The manager s-,id that decoaeed stepped over the chain by wtioh the trame were being drawn up the incHna. thing defi- nitely forbidden by the rules. The deceased's family would be provided for. I The jory returned a verdict of Accidental death."

DIED ON HIS WAY HOME I I At the police-court, Barry Dock, on Satur- day. Mr. David Rees held an inqmest on the body of William Wood (59), a labourer, of 24. Cross-street, Barry Dock, who died whilst on Qis way home from work on Thursday. Deoeaeed was employed at the steam &a w- mitis. and jurt before leaving work h" com- plained of pains across the chest. He pre- ceedod homewards, but before reaching the Louise he staggered and feU. and. having been carried into the house of a. neighbour, be died. Dr. W. Lloyd Edwards attributed death to heart failure, and a verdict accord- ingly was returned.

FIRE AT ROSS I I A fire occurred in a yard in Dook-etreet, Roes, in the occupation of Mr. W. Watkin. The brigade, with Captain A. Bird, were soon OlD the spot, and fbnnd a shed and a rick of hay well abJaae. With a good enipply of water the brigade were enabled to put out the fire. The whole of the contents erf the shed. including a trap and harness, were destroyed. It is not known how the fire I originated.

DIED WHILE DARNING I A grocer called at the house of James Morris, Onoas-raw, Varteg, to deliver goods. Falling to get an answer, he opened the door, aind was astonished to -and Mrs. Morris dead m a chair. The deceased had been darning stookmgB. She load them in her hand, and I was also wearing her spectacles when found. The deceased was atfxroi 9J years of 3.

"yCT MOimr rw THT PTrBSB," -11 Kha.twp«&r». nd rm ? %M% Md man, by -I MtGt.A?D S mol!? XATUM. Th? <M Uo Bmt, moat Bell- *Iwo,. MA lbwbonlmd Umsahm IIUIde. u4 you "pot tM? ta of p?Mt" « BttM? W%bW" too; Md ,?? sm" *heaM Mad* at "ZB?Md? ?tUM?" bookle. b W'*t? CteM'««, OW ■ 1 ?XZXVWW DZRAD- v- laseteetiet

I For Women Folk. HOMELY HINTS AND DAINTY DISHES Old black furniture, coal hods, chimney- pieces, Ac., which have become shabby, may be renovated by nibbing with a little cycle black. The castorc, of furniture should be kept in good condition by means of a. little machine oil. Care should, however, be taken not to igply too much, or it will mark the carpet. Egg and Bacon Pie Put. a layer of pastry in a soup plate, put in small pieces of cooked ham or ba-ocni, beat one or more eggs, season with pepper, pour over the bacon, cover with paltry, and bake. Ragout of M Litton and Eggs M?op finely any cold mu??tfm, and season with pepper and salt. Place in a dish in t? 7" oven, and gimnier half an hour. Fry as msi.nry etrg-s as requiirod, and have ready a hot witvi pieces of toast, arranged on it. Turn the meat on to the dish, and place the eggs on I-)-p, and serve. uernian Pudding Half a pound of flour, half a pound of treacle, a small pinoh of salt, half a tea- jspnxmf'Trt of bicarbnnia/te of soda, a teacup- fwl of milk. Mix the soda and ssalt well with flour, then mix treacle and milk tog-ethvwr. and gradually mix aJM together. Put in a. osnon and boil three hmirrs. This j makes a delicious and inexpensive p'adding. Beef Gravy Sauce I Put into a white enamel saucepan a thin elioe of fat bacon or ham, a medium-sized onion, and a, pound of nice juicy gravy beef (the beef to be first well beaten and or;d to render the surface more susceptible to the action of the water). Cover the sause- pan, set it on a slow fire. When the meat begins to brown, turn it about, and whea nicely brown all over pour in a pint and a half of boiling water, and set the pan on the fire again. When it boils. carefully catch the scum. and then put in a crust of bread toasted very brown, but not black, a eprig of winter savory or lemon thyme and parsley, a roll of thin cut lemon peel, a dozen berries of allspioe, and a dozen of black pepper. Cover the pan close, let it stew very gently for about two hours, then f-train it through a sieve into a basin. If you wish to make it thick, set a clean pan over the fire with about an ounoo of butter, and when it is melted dredge into it, (by degrees) as much flour as will dry it up, stirring well all the time. When thoroughly mixed, pour in a little of the gravy, stir well together, a.nd add the remainder by degrees. Set it over the fire, and let simmer for twenty minutes, when skim off the fat, and you will have a fine rich brown sauce. I

RHYMNEY BREWERY FIRE I A communication was received by Mr. W. Idoyd Marks (the surveyor to the Rhymney Urbrwi District Council) from Mr. Thomas j Edwards, the manager of the Rhymney Brewery, on Sunday morning between eight and nine, that there was a flre in the brewery. Mr. Marks immediately caused Oaptain W. H. Fisher to be called up and the fire alarm tolled, and in less tha.n fifteen minutes the council's brigade, under the ccxmsnaud of Captain Fisher, was playing oil the fire, amd in less then an hour the fire was put out, not, however, before damage was done to the building, stock, Ac., amounting to about S,200 or f300. The brigade, as well as the employes of Messrs. A Buchan and Co., deserve great credit for the smartness and discipline exhibited. Mr. Thomas Edwards, the manager, Mr. W. Lloyd Marks, Mr. J. Maddocks, Mr. D. Bevan, Mr. Edward Thomas, and others assisted There was a. plentiful supply of water, and the brigade prevented the fire extending to the wine and spirit cellars. Had it reached these cellars the whole brewery would have been burnt to the ground.

TRAGICAL FAMILY RECORD At an inquest, held cm Saturday a.t Swansea on the body of a child of four and a. half years, named Thomas I.tevrolyn Lewis, who died suddenly, the grandmother cried bitterly as she related how the motiher of deceased died of a bra.m affection not long ago, and the father succumbed soon after- wards from "a broken heart." She had looked after their children since. This little boy was takem ill very suddenly amd died. Dr. Bruca eaid he saw the child after death, and he appeared to have died from collapse following severe diarrhoea, and it was pTob- tùbly due to soto irritajit poison in the food th-e child had taken. There was no suspicion a-t'ia-clirag to the case. The Coroner said there was no evidence to ghi,w whether deceased had ea;Len any ciues- timable food. A ve-rdict of Death from natural causes" was returned.

CYFARTHFA WORKS ACCIDENT A shocking accident occurred on Sunday at the Gyfarthfa Works, Merthyr. Three men—named Morgan Williams, David Harris, and Thomas Cunningbam—were employed in dismantling the interior of one of the blast furnaces. They stood on some staging inside the iuraacf, about 60ft. or more from the level of the ground, nnd when a cloud of dust. created by knocking down some brick- work, had cleared it -was discovered that Williams, who was 35 years of age, living at 4, Old Church-street, Cefn. had disappeared. He was found lying terribly injured on tiie debris at the bottom of the furnace, having falit-n from the platform. He wae conveyed to the Merthyr General Hospital, where he died soon after admission.

PRISON PREFERRED TO A HOME. A married woman, named Mary Jane Per- rett. was brought before the county jastioee at Newport on &a.turday charged with being found drunk on the highway at Rises, on December 31, and this being her fourth appearance in twelve months she was within the purview of the Inebriates Act. Superintendent Porter, who found her help- less on the road, said her huband would have nothing to do with her, and her ohild bad been sent away for saft custody. There were, said the superintendent, many convic- tions againm her, a.nd everything possible had been done to help her to redeem herself, but in vain. On November 7 she was sent by the PveY. H. Abraham to a home at Cardiff, but she left there at Christmas on the state- ment that she was going to her eister. Defendant: Yes. I have had enough of a home. I would rather go to prison. The Bench decided to remand her for a weei,. so that the necessary steps may be taken to send her to the Inebriates Home at Brentry, near Brietol.

NEW ACT IN FORCE. A youth named Edgar Morris, aged nine- teen, who at Newport on Saturday pleaded guilty to using obscene language on the high- way at Risca on December 29, was treated under the Probation of Offenders' Act, and wns 13t off on paying £1 as costs. An-t.hc»r case also deelt with und-ert-lie new Act was tlkat of Lewi Hart, a labourer, who pleaded guilty to stealing a shilling's worth of coal on the Great Western Railway at Risca on December 12. He was discharged under the Act on paying 13s. nominal costs, bnt was fined 10s. for trespassing on the Nine- mile Pcint branch line, and exposing himself to danger at the same time.

MILITARY AND MASONIC I The funeral of Mr. Hedley Griffiths, of Pembroke, who died on Wed-nwday at the age of 30, t-ook pla-ce on Saturday, and attracted a very large concourse of people. The deceased was the head of the firm of Messrs. Griffith Bros., brewers, and was a lieutenant in the local Volunteers. He was buried with military and Masonic honours, the band of the 1st V.B. Welsh Regiment being present and detachments of the let V.B. Welsh Regiment and the Pembrokeshire Yeomanry following. The firing party—40 strong--was in charge of Lieutenant Lowless. There was also a large gat-hering of Free- masons wearing their regalia. The Rev., C arrow Bowen (chaplain) and the Rev. C. Hayward Phillips were the officiating clergy. The coffin was carried on a gun-carriage, oovered with the Union Jack, and at the close three Tolleys were fired. The inter- ment took place at St Daniel's Cemetery.

TWO IRISHMEN ARRESTED Two Irishmen, employed on the pier works, Fishguard, were arrested late on Saturday night on suspicion of having brutally attacked Mr. W. J. Vaughan, solicitor, Fish- guard, on the highway between Fishguard and Goodwick on Tuesday night last, as pre. viously reported in these columns. They will be brought up at an occasional court to-day (Monday), when a remand will probably be asked for until such time as Mr. Vaughan will be a-ble to appear against them.

Thomas Davies, a haulier, in the employ of the Western Valleys Brewery Company, wae fined 20s. at Pontypool on Saturday for cruelty to a horse by working it whilst in an unfit 6tate at Pontnewyuydd on December 21. DUTCH GaTE. sear QuMD-Aroet Station, one of QIIe quKtatait to 0. wasid. iltOM Dm with oar dwlieb- 23B, SuVAM-4kwwom Caafecttmca,

Burning Fatalities. TRAMP LOSES HIS LIFE AT BARHY Maesteg Baby Found on the Fire The charred remains of a man unknown, a tramp, aged about 25, w-ere found near the limekiln at St. Athan-road, Barry, on Satur- day morning. The deceased, who was 5ft. lOin. in height, with long, dark hair and full, dark beard, was last seen alive by Mr. Airdrie, of Fjast Abertha.w, on Friday aiternoon, when he was supplied with hot water to make some tea. The weather being bitterly cold, he had evidently gone to the limekiln for shelter and warmth overnight, and was Probably overcome by the fumes. His clothes caught fire, and he was shockingly burnt about the body, death having taken place apparently long before the remains were found. An inquest will be held. The two months oid daughter of T. Long, living in apartmenitr. at 82, Tonna-road, Caerau, Maesrteg, has been burnt to death. Long's wife died on the birth of the child. The landlady's daughter, who is subject to fits, was nursing the child before the fire, and it is believed that she had a fit and fell. The landlady was out, and on her return she found the baby on top of the fire. The two-and-a-half years old child of James Lake. a collier, living at Heol Laethog, Bryn- cethin, has been fatally burnt. The mother is said to have left it in the house for a little while with two other children, and when she returned it was shockingly burnt. SCALDED TO DEATH. I A little child, named Reginald Oriel, died at the Cardiff Infirmary as the result of scalds received at the home of its parents, 28, Shakspeaoe-sitreet, Roath, on the last day of the old year.

CARRIAGES IN COLLISION I A startling accident was reported on Satur- day. The five o'clock train from Bridgend on the previous evening had reached Blaen- garw, where it is necessary and usual to detach the engine so as to couple it on at the other end. Whilst this was being done the passengers were greatly alarmed to find the carriages suddenly commencing to run back along the gradient towards Pontycymmer. The engineless train increased its momen- tum on the bank, and then came a sensa- tional collision with a locomotive, which brought the train to a sudden stop, and threw some of the coaches oft the line. A re-assuring report comes from our Bridgend correspondent, who says he is in- formed by the railway people that part of the last coach of the passenger train due at Blaengarw at 5.25 went off the line on enter- ing the station. Owing to the accident the train was un- able to retain as usual to Bridgend. There were two people in the carriage at the time, but they do not seem to have felt any shock at all; in fact, they did not know that the carriage was off the line. Our Bridgend representative, telephoning later. says that he elicited the informa- tion that on the arrival of the 5.25 p.m. train at Blaeng-airw the passengers aligihted, and whilst the engine was detached and run along to the other end to make the return journey to Bridgend, the carriages ran back down the gradient for about 200 yards. Two wheels of the guard's van then went off the line. and the buffer was broken. I The train then came to a standstill. No one was injured.

I CARDIFF AMUSEMENTS NEW THEATRE.-The popular pantomime of Jack the Giant Killer." THEATRE ROYAL.- -Military drama, with brilliant scenic effects. THE EMPIRE.—"The Duke of Codham" and a splendid variety performance, in which Miss Mabel Lait- and Daley Cooper are l the prominent characters; Mr. Alfred Lester also provides an amusing skefoh. STOLL'S PANOPTICON.—In addition to new biosoope pictures, the Young Austra- lian Troubadours. Mr. Harry Lewis, and Mr. Bert Williams are retained. PALACE.—New pantomime. Dick Whitting- ton and His Cat." Newport THE LYCEUM.-Pantomi..iue, "Aladclin." THE EMPIRE.—Minnie Cunningham, Mun- roe s uia«s ana wmie wrnoay team ot: I vocalists and dancers, and a wonder- I ful gymnastic display.

DOWLAIS WIDOW'S DEATH I An old woman, named Elisabeth Edwa.rds, living in Cwmrhydybedd, Dowlais, died suddenly on Saturday evening. It appears tha.t the deceased called at the Swan Inn, Union-street, Dowlais, about 7.30, and, com- plainimg of feeling unwell, asked for a. glass of port wine, with which the landlady, Mrs. O'Sul'livun, proceeded to serve her. A moment later she was seized with a fit, and Police- inspector W. J. Canton, who was near the house at the time, sent for Dr. H. Lewis- Hughes, J.P., Llwyn-Wern, but ere his arrival, a few minutes afterwards, the wottan expired in a chair. She was about 70 years of age, and was predeceased some months ago by her husband, who, owing to an acci- dent, had been blind for the past 30 years. During that, long period she had laboured strenuously to support him in his affliction.

DOGS OUT AFTER HOURS. The Monmouthshire police are vigilantly enforcing the Dogs Act, under which in rural districts owners of dogs who allow their animals to be at large during the night are liable to a fine of £ 20. The necessity for the vigilance was stated by Superintendent Porter, in whose district over 2CO sheep were worried by dogs last year, out of which number over 100 were killed. Three persons in the Rogerstone district were prosecuted at Newport on Saturday under the Act, viz., a labourer named Isaac Morgan, in respect of a terrier which was out of dootrs at 7.45 p.m.; Williain John, whose black sheep dog was out at midnight; and Thomas Jones, a steelworker, who allowed his animal, which had been shut up in the house all through Boxing Da.y, to go out when he and his wife got home- Each of the defendants was fined Jos., and in the case of the sheep-dog Mr. John said he had destroyed it.

ROBBING A CHRISTMAS LARDER. WilHaanJofon Hughes, aged 22, was charged at Swansea County Petty-sessions on Satur- day with breaking into the house of George Jeremiah at Lougihor and stealing food, Ae- on Christmas Day. The defendant had, after the inmates had retired to rest, entered the house by removing a piece of perforated sine in the pantry and had taken the con- tents of the larder. He WJIS detected by Police-constable Willi a ma owing to his having left footprints behind him, and he was found in a colliery cabin with two tins in his possession, part of the stolen property. He had been previously convicted, and was now sent to prison for thiree months.

CARDIFF COMMERCIALS. The annual meeting of the Cardiff branch of the Commercial Travellers' Benefit Society was hefa in the Park Hotel on Satur- day evening, MA J. L. Daniel presiding over a large attendance. The Secretary's report showed a membership of 119. The income of the society is L12,000, while the apportion- ments sitanding to the credit of the members is £ 33,800, which sum is almost entirely advanced to the members to enable them to purchase their own. houses. The secretary (Mr. W. V. James), who has held the post for four years, resigned on account of pressure of work, and it was unanimously resolved the.t special thanks be given to him, and that appreciation of his services be placed Oï. record. Mr. B. O. Jones was elected to the vaoancy, Mr. Harry Tully was appointed chairman, Mr. G. A. Luine vice-chairman, Mr. R. H. Ellis treasurer, Dr. Howell medical examiner, and Mr. J. L. Daniel as delegate to the grand committee.