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The labourelcment'. of Winnipeg is taking [reps to form a sepamte political party for Ghe purpose of running candidates of its own in the various elections. T. J. Watters, acting Commissioner of Customs, wne sentenced to one year’s im- prisonment at Ottawa. for retaining possesâ€" sion of Government money. The Royal Humane Society will present Mr. Frederick Fritz of Hamilton with an honorary testimonial for saving a drowning companion. The Grand Trunk Railway hnalost one of in most faithful servants in the person of Mr. Edward Kingstâ€"one,train despatoher of Montreal. Thomas McBride of Chabham has been found guilty of conspiracy and defrauding the Metropolitan Life Assurance Company, and Charles Davis has been art-eased on a Iimilar charge. Mr. D. B. Pratt of Hamilton has issued a writ tor $10,000 against Mr. J. A. M. Cote of St. Hyacinbhe, Que., for slander, containad in a letter sent, recently by defendants to the plaintiffs. Thirty Chinamen from New York and Boston book the Canadian Pacific transâ€" continental train at Montreal the other morning for Vancouver, where they will take the Empress of China for their native land. No less than 80 appllcationa have been recelaed by the London Free Library Board for ue position of Librarian. Two ipromiuenb citizens of Calgary, Messrs. Parslow and Dalgleiab have been arrested, charged with stealing cattle. The Manitoba Legislature on Thursday nigh: passed a motion to out; off all Gov- ernment house expenditure after this year. The water will be let out of the Cornwall Canal on March 16 to allow of a large mount of masonry being laid before the opening of navigation. A prominent shareholder of the Riche- lieu and Ontario Navigation Company states that there was no truth in the report that an English syndicate was likely to get control of the company. A school teacher named WhiLLingtlon, living with his brother near Mooeomin, attempted to out 03" his head with a car. penter's drawkmfe, but only partially severed the neck, and will probably re- cover. Sir Mackenzie Bowel] has accepted Fhe bmnquet. tendered him by the Bellevxlle Board of Trade. The Canadian Retail Furniture Associa- tion has been formed, WM) Mr. John Hoodlesa of Hamilton as President. The bye-election to fill the vacancy in Haldimand caused by the unseat‘ing of Mr. Benn will be held March 19. Fire destrnved 380,00 worth of lumber on Friday in the piling grounds of Messrs. Gilmour & Co., at Ironsides, seven miles north of Ottawa. Two hundred of the new Lee-Metford carbine; have arrived at Onawa for the urpoee of being served out. to the Mounted goiice. This weapon has been adopted by the British military authorities for the Im- perial cavalry. The London City Council have accepted the Street Railway Company’s ofier for an electric franchisefincludinq a. line to Spring- bank,with tlie exception of the clauses relating to city bridges and the working hours of employees. In the Montreal Police Court on Thursday William Kelly was charged with impersona- tion as the Civil Service examination in November last, And John Collins with hav- ing paid him twenty-five dollars for enm- mibtiug the ofl'ence. They pleaded guilty, and were fined,Kelly fifty dollarmand Col- lins Lwanty-five dollars. CANADA. Brantford will peution for a. tee postal delivery. Rev. Mr. Lam:er has been chosen as the next. pastor of Bridge street, Methodist church, Belleville. The Montreal Gazette believes that the general elections will be held after seeding time in the month of May. At a. meeting of the Ministeriul Associ- ation of Hamilton it, was stated that. Mr. John Crerar'e opinion against, the claim than Sunday cars could be stopped in Ham- ilton had been declared by Sir Oliver Mowat to be based on an incorrect interpretation of the few. The Premier of Ontario had so informed a. deputation who had waited upon him, and he had further laid them even if Mr. Crerar’a opinion were correct he would amend the law so that cars might be prevented from running on Sunday. THE WEEK’S NEWS. Influenza is spreading with great rapidity throughout England, crippling railway staffs, lessening the efficiency of banks and other business establishments, and almost, making legislation impossible. On Monday evening forty members of Parliament paired on account 01 the disease. Vice-Admiral Bullet, C. B., has been ap- pointed to the command of the China. station relieving Vice-Admiral Fremantle. Baron Aberdare, at one time Imperial Home Secretary, and later Lord President of the Council, is dead. He was seventy- nine years of age. The five hundred miners who were im- prisoned in a pit of the \Vhitwuod-Haigh- moor oolliery by a collision of the cages have been rescued. Another futile meeting was held at East Greenwich on Monday evening to protest ngaineb the continued imprisonment of Mrs. Maybrick,who is undergoing a. life sentence for poisoning her husband. Sir Hercules Robinson, Governor of the Cape of Good Hope from 1880 to 1838. has been appoxuted Governor of Cape Town nnd High Commissioner for South Africa, in succession to Sir Henry Brougham Loch, who was recently recalled. Brooklyn’s City Hall was damaged by fire on Saturday to the extent of $50,000. A despatch from Glasgow Days that the warmer weather has caused a thaw, and the Clyde is full of moving ice. Much damage has been done to shipping, and should the ice jam there would be seriOus floods. GREAT BRITAIN. UNITED STATES. Secretary Morton has issued a statement. relative to the meat, trade of the United States. He says export. American beef is making strides in England, where in is frequently sold as Scot/ch or Engllsh meat. He asserts that, the herds 0! domestic animals ofshe United States are in excellent. sanitary condition, and that has not. been a case of pleura-pneulonie in that. country during the past three years. Two felling-wall accidents occurred in New York on Friday. The rear of the old six-storey malt house, corner of 43rd street and 10th avenue, fell suddenly, carrying with and burying in its ruins over edozen workmen. Five men were killed and seven injured. A six-storey brick building in course of erection at. 158 Allen street collapsed. The wall fell inwards, burying four workmen in the ruins. The amendment to the general deficiency bill appropriating $425,000 to pay damages to the Canadian sealers under the findings of the Paris Tribunal, was at first, adopted by the U. S. House of Representatives by a vote of 91 eyes to 86 naya. 0n the eye and nay vote It was rejected, eyes 112, naye 143. The vote was mainly on party lines, the Republicans and Pupuiists opposing it, and the Democrats favoring it. The sneamer Em brought £203,000 gold consigned to August. Belmont; & 00., op account of the United States bond synch- oats. The Supreme Court of the Independent Order of Foresters of Canada. began man- damus proceedings 1n Chicago Lo compel the Illinois State Insurance Superintendent to nllow the society to do business in Illinois. At Buffalo, John A. Burch. general agent. of the Lake Shore & M. S. Road, suddenly reeled and fell dead while doing business on the market. For tw0 years, from 1855 to 1857, he was division clerk in the office of the general agent. of the Great, WesOern, in Hamilton. A new wing is to be added to theBufTAlo General Hospital, to cost $150,000, and Mrs. George B. Gates has given a donation 9f $40,000 to the fund for the new build- mg. Mrs. Coventry was burned to death at the Village of Liberty, N. Y., in a fire, which on Tuesday destroyed the home and saw-mill of E. A. Van Fredenburg, her son-in-law. By the explosion of a. cylinder charged with catholic acid gas, in bhe drug labora- tory of the Smith, Kline 8; French 00., Philadelphia, Frank Robinson, aged 21, was killed and Frank Duffy, aged 33 years, was fatally injured. There are satisfactory indicationl of slight improvement in trade generally throughout the Southern cities of the United States, but in the East there is no noticeable change except at Pittsburg, where more activity is felt in iron and steel chiefly. The only encouragement in the West is at Louisville, Chi- cago, and St. PauL 1n the North- West there is no improvement. Agri- cultural products are somewhat bet- ter. Inthe leading industries there are notsomeny people employed as was the case last week. Activity in wire, Wll‘e rods. and barbed wire continues. The market for cotton goods is rather more busy, with an improvement in some lines. There has been a more active demand for the better class of woollen goods, while the enquiry for inferior brand is dull. President Cleveland has nominated Mr. Wlllism L. Wilson, of West Virginia, to succeed Mr. Wilson 8. Bissell as Post- mastervGeneml. The Bmun Pass hill, giving free trans- portation no member: of the Legislature and State officials, has passed the New York Assembly by a large majority. George Magee, colored, met death on Friday on the scaffold in the gaol yard at; Frankfort, Ky., for the murder of Charles Thomas, a fellow-convict. GENERAL France has decided to prohibn, the im- portation of American cattle. Louise Michel, the French Anarchist. is so seriously ill that her recovery is doubt- ful. The Paris May-day Committee has decided no appeal to all Socialists to cease work on Mayâ€"day. It is repotgted in Madrid that. the disbur- bances in Cuba are of a serious nature. Li-Hung-Chang has been received three tlmea in audience by the Emperor of Chum, and the Viceroy has accepted the peace mission to J apan. Emperor “’illiam has conferred upon Emperor Francis Joseph the rank of Field Marshal General in the German army. M. de Staal, the Russian Ambassador London, has been offered the post Minister of Foreign Affairs in succession the lube M. de Giers. News of the insurrection in Cuba. has been confirmed in Madrid, and the Spanish Government has ordered the dispatch of seven battalions of troops to Havana. It is reported in St. Petersburg that Count, Tolstoi, the Russian novelist, and social reformer, is the author of the Liberal manifesto recently issued against, the Czar’a declaration that; he would uphold autocrscy as earnestly as his late father. In an accident, on the lnteroceanic Rail- way,whicb runs between Panama and Colon across the Isthmus of Panama, ten care were complex.er shattered, and sixty-five passengers were killed and terribly mutilated. Forty passengers were seriously injured, and many of them will die. Associate with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation; is is better to be alone than in bad company.â€" Washington. It in reported in Paris that; new compli- cations have entered into the quarrel be- tween Prince and Princess Colonna, which bid fair to prevent. any compromise. The architect, who was commissioned to examine the Parthenon and other ancient; buildings of Athens declares that: most of them are in a. dangerous condition owing to recent earthquake shocks. It is reported in Rome that the Pope is about to issue a condemnation of the Eug- lish Primrose Leaguefihe greatConservacive party organization, and will forbid Cathoâ€" lics belonging to it. M. Percher, one Of the editors of the Paris Journal dee Debuts. was killed on Friday morning in a. sword duel by M. Lachatelier, an oificer of marines. Improved Windlass for Dressing Beef. When cattle are killed (on the farm it. is usually a difficult matter to hoist, the carcass in order to skin and dress it; properly. Block and tackle are often not at band,and even when readily obtainable the place where the beef must he killed frequently does not. have a support; high enough or strong enough to hold the heavy animal clear of the ground. The hoismng device shown in the accompanying illustration is unexcelled for simplicity, cheapness and adaptation to farm butchering. Where other devices use complicated Windlasses or long levers for hoisting, this differs from all of them in simply using the gambrel stick for a Windlass, and the hock joints for the hearings in which it revolves. 'As the supporting ropes may be fastened to any strong, high object, the plan may be used with any gambrel stick by boring holes and inserting shortlever arms. The illus- tration shows it used With an ordinary derrick of three legs bolted together at the top. The supporting ropes are fastened to the two outer legs, thus suspending the carcass. and are wound around the gambrel stick Windlass which is made of tough Wood having two oblong, transverse mortises near the centreI through which pass two removable levers, one of which is allowed to fall back against the hind quarters of the beef to hold the Windlass from turning. The supporting ropes pass through holes,or are held on by friction hitches. By tying the ropesto the derrick when low down, and alternately hoisting with the middle legs and with the Windlass, it is possible for one man working alone to hoist and dress a carcass of beef. Rotation of Crops. Rotating the farm with different crops serVes not only to prevent loss of fertility, but also assists in killing weeds with no extra. cost than that required for cultivat- ing the crop that may be grown during the season. Corn has proved of as much value to farmers in compelling them to kill weeds as it has in pr0viding grain and fodder, and ifs form should be devoted wholly to crops that are drilled or broad- casted, and which can not be cultivatedâ€" such as wheat, rye, barley, and oatsâ€" there would arrive a time when weeds would have full possession. To prevent this condition of affairs the farms are made to grow crops that must of necessity be cultivated, and in so doing there is aseving of labor in the killing of weeds. The rotation with corn as the only cultivated crop, however, is too limited, as the land is thus made to produce grain of some kind every year, which is detrimental as de- priving it of certain plant foods, and leaving an excess, comparatively, of that ‘ which can not be utilized by grain crops. Such crops as clover or peas, when turned under, add nitrogen to the soil, while millet and Hungarian grass kill out weeds, even without cultivation._ The soil can be made very fertile by the use of arti- ficial fertilizers, if a. r0mtion of crops is follOWed,heoause the clover lessens the cost of nitrogen, but there will be a. loss of the fertilizer used unless appropriate crops are grown for converting the whole of the plant tood into something saleable, and to keep the soil “ balanced” in the nourishment to be provided to crops. Rotation and the use of green menurial crops keeps the land always in proper condition for supplying the next crop, and prevents weeds from robbing the soil, While the texture of the soil, and its capacity for absorbing and supplying moisture is also increased. The best of all crops used in rotation is clover, as it always enriches the soil and leaves the land in better condition than before, and for that reason it should never be omitted. Une cause of Weeds flourishing on some soils is that they thrive on plant foods left over by the grain crops. 5. condition which renders the soil impoverished [or other grain crops, yet very fertile for weeds, be- cause the weeds are able to get a good start, make rapid growth, secure abundant moisture below the surface, and deprive the land of that which was not utilized by the crops, the result being that the soil is still lurther impoverished. This may be prevented by growing root crops after corn, to be followed by clover or some grass crop. No two crops of the same kind should be grown on the land in succession, and a crop that is sowed or drilled should be followed by a planted crop the next year, to keep the soil clean. Wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, corn, and clover, followed by wheat again, is a rotation practiced by many progressive farmers, but turnips, carrots, beets, cabbage, millet, and peas or beans are added to Lhe list whenever it can be done with advantage. Mature Animals. In all cases, and especially when breed ing to improve, only well matured animals‘ should be selected. The use of immature stock in breeding has a. tendency to degen- erate the offspring and gradually deterior. ate their vitslity. size, growth, and devel- opment, and this holds good with the animals themselves as well as to their ofl“. spring. Up to a certain pointyoung grow. ing animals need to be devoting all of their PRACTICAL FARMING HANDY BOISTI N0 DEVICE. It is easier to tear down than to blfild up, to allow the stock to deteriorate than to improve, and there are few ways that the vitality can be injured more thoroughly than by immature breeding. No set rules can be given as to age, as some animals grow much faster and mature earlier than others even of the same breed, so that the judgment of the breeder must, in a great measure. determine when it will be best to breed; but, in all cases it Will be better to wait a little long than to breed too young. About the only general rule that can be considered applicable is to wait until the animal is reasonably well matured, and the more closely this is followed in a majority of cases the better will be the results. With all stock,in many oases, a good plan is to select out the breeding animals in good season so that their food and care during growth can be such as will secure the best developmena England [Ins Used the Gold Standard Slnce the Year 11l8. In 1866 it was enacted that all persons might bring their gold and silver to the mint, to be coined free of charge. By the mint indentures the gold guinea was coined to be of the value of 20s in silver, but no legal ratio was fixed between the coins ; the public was to receive them at such a rating as it pleased. Guineas, instead oi being current at 203, according to the mint indentures, passed current at 223. The silver coins became constantly more degrad- ed, until at last they were clipped down to half their weight. After the great recoin- age by William 111., guineas were success- fully reduced bv proclamation, and a. treas- ury warrant fixed that they should be received at the rate of 21s 6d at the Treasury. But still all the good silver coin disappeared from circulation as soon as it was issued from the mint. In its perplexity the Government referred the whole matter to Newton, who showod that the true value of the guinea was only 20s 8d, according to the market value of the metals, and that in consequence of this all the good silver was at once export- ed. He recommended that the guinea should be reduced to 218 by way of experi- ment. This was accordingly done ; but the guinea was still overrated by 4d. and the consequence was that there was no good silver in circulation during the whole century. It then became an established custom among merchants that all obligations became payable in gold only ; so, ever since 1718 England has become a gold monome- tallic country, and in public estimation the standard was changed from silver to gold, although the obsolete and eflete words of bimetallism lingered on the statute book for another hundred years. Immature breeding-has a strong tendency to break down rather than to build up. The time saved by breeding too young is more then lost by the bed effect upon the growth of the breeding animals as wellaa the adapting. In a majority of cases with young animals selected for breeding itie not best to‘pueh the growth too rapidly. Feed to maintain a steady growth from birth to maturity, and in such a way as to secure a good development of bone and muscle rather than of fat, And let them be reasonably well matured before breeding. time, strength, and food to the making of groth and of developing in every way. At the greatrecoinage of 1816. that which had become established by mercantile usage was enacted by law. Gold was adopted as the sole standard, and silver was coined only in limited amounts, and made legal tender for only 4051. Ever since then Eng- land has enjoyed the most perfect system of coinage ever devised by the ingenuity of man, and has bsen perfectly free from all coinage troubles. latest Deal of the Canadian Pacific Ball- wuy Company. A despatch from Quebec says :â€"The 0. RR. has secured the control of the Quebec laundry, which has been lately enlarged and fitted up with the most recent modern improvements. In addition to the laundry work of families in the city and that of the Chateau Frontenac, which is calculated to amount to at least fifteen thousand dozen pieces per anuum, the company proposes to have all its washing between Winnipeg and Quebec, amounting to at least twenty thousand pieces yearly, done here, and will run a special car on the night trains be- tween Montresl and Quebec to accommo- date the increased work. . This will probably entail an enlargement on a con- siderable scale of the present Quebec laundry works, and certainly result in a large accession to the number of hands now employed. There is also a movement for the leasing by the Chateau Frontenac of the St. Louis Hotel, but nothing definite can be stated concerning it. In case only part is leased to the Chateau Frontenac company, the remainder will probably be converted into-e. boarding house. Dull discontent will never leave The shadow from man’s brow ;» Nexc June you’ll wish that you could wade Through Snow as you do now. Motherâ€"J ohnny,go down to the grocer’a am} get a pqugd of_black tea._ Jonny;1 heard pa say he didn’t like black tea. . Motherâ€"It makes no difference what your father says. Johnny., This family is in mourning now. Mistress (on the second day to new cook) â€"Kabhi, just be so good as to lend me 5 marks. Cook (aside)â€"Ha, ha! that’s why she said yesterday that the cook in her house was treated as one of the family. Mrs. Mulhoolyâ€"An phwat is your daughtefigdpin" now.AMrs._ Mulcahey 2 Murs. Mulcaheyâ€"Oh, she’s takm" up the housekeepin’ fed, an is livm out at aar- vice. INTO THE LAUNDRY BUSINESS. Present; Grief and Future Bliss. THE STORY OF THE GUINEA. All the Comforts ofI-Iome. A Sensible Fad Ethuette. ‘ Once Used for Many other Purposes Than Symbols of Marriage. Rings are with us usually associated with marriage or the giving in marriage, but in the past they appear to have been used for many other purposes than as a symbol 0! marriage. Though the early Athenians were given to luxury and were used to ap- pear in public with their hair done up in a bunch and decorated with a. cigale of gold and other ornaments oi that metal,tl1ey did not wear finger rings ; yet later on Greek luxury went to its furthest lengths in this form of ornamentation. Rings found in Greek tubes are hollow and light and set with round convex pastes and were made, not for the living but the deadâ€"the econ. omio invention of ages when faith was waxing dim and when, thereforc, a cheap make-believe served the purpose of an ex- pensive reality. Many of these rings indeed, are so thin that it was necessary to fill them with mastic varnish to preserve their shape. of the Romans were used to contain poison. and Pliny relates the story that after Cresseus had stolen the gold treasure from under the stone of the Capitoline Jupiter, the custodian, to escape torture, broke the gem of his ring in his mouth and expired immediately from the efiects of the poisun secreted in it. The gems themselves were even hollow at the back in order to make the ring hold a large dose. The most re- merksble modern instance of a similar refuge from persecuting fate is that of Condorcet, who, proscribed by the Conven- tion and arrested, swallowed the dose he carried in readiness for such an emergency inclosed within his ring, and was found dead next morning in his cell. The poison was a. concentrated mixture of strsmoninm and opium, prepared by Cnbsnis, and produceddeeth by apoplexy without spasm or pain. In ancient Babylonian sud Assyrin finger rings were not used, but cylinders with a cord through them were worn on the wrist like a bracelet. The earliest rings found inEgypt of the eighteenth to the twentieth dynasty are of pure gold and have usually the name of the owner deeply sunk in hieroglyphic characters on the oblong gold bezel. end the form which they most generally took was of the nature of asignet, for when the art of writing was unknown, except to professional scribes, the signet was used to give authenticity to documents, and also to hand to representatives as a. token that power was delegated to the holder of the ring. Rings soon became symbols of power and authority. and we remember the Duke in “Twelfth Night" sent his ring by Viola to his mistress, Olivia. In more recent times we find that merchants used rings with their own private marks, equivalent to our :nodern trade-marks, to stamp documents instead of signing their names. Indeed, the signet was the form that rings took for a very long period. The Etruscens used the gold swivel ring, mounted with a scarab. a form of Signet probably introduced from Egypt. In Piny’s day it was fashion- able to wear but one ring, and that on the little finger, whereas in Horace’s time to sport three rings at once on the left hand was a. mark of the finished exquisite. As a relic of ancient usage the bride’s betrothal ring continued in Plinv’s time to be made of iron and not set with a gem. A curious form many Romans rings took was that in which a key is attached to the hoop. Pos- sibly these rings opened the lock of some leader or treasure chest. These rings are generally made of bronze. as an emblem of marriage was not an introduction of the Christian Church, as some suppose. The Egyptian gold, before the introduction of coinage, had usually circulated in the form of rings, and the Egyptian at his marriage placed one of these pieces of gold on his bride’s finger as a token of entrusting her with all his property. The early Christians, says Clement. saw no harm in following this custom, and in our marriage ceremony the man places the same plain gold ring on his bride’s finger when he says. “ with all my worldly goods I thee endow.” Jewish wedding rings of the sixteenth and seven- teenth centuries were often quite elaborate structures where the bezel has a. conven- tional representation of the ark or temple, with an inscription in Hebrew characters on either side. They were of Venetian workmanship, and could only have been worn on ceremonial occasions, as it would be too much in the way of household work. The first Duke of \Vellington. meeting Miss Dawson Damer an a. dinner, was ob- served to look intently a; a. ring worn by that. lady. After dinner he accosted her, and requested to be allowed to see it. “ Where did you get. this ring ‘2” said the Duke. “ It, belonged to the late Mrs. Fitzherbert.” "Yes." “Do you know the! trick of it? Have you opened it ?” “Opened it? 1 know of no trick,” exclaimed the lady. The Duke touched a spring and showed he- hind the ring a. liny miniature of the Regent in his heal. days. “There were two of these rings,” explained the Duke. "They were exactly alike, so my attention was drawn to yours. The fellow-ring to this didered from it in than it inclosed the like- ness of Mrs. Fitzherberb. The King gave that one to me before he died and ordered me to place it on his breast before the cotfin was closed down. 1 did so.” Binksâ€"\Vonder where I can find Winks. Jinksâ€"Let’s see. This is Thursday, and Thursday is his wife’s day for being at; home. Guess you'll find him at. the club. Mrs. De Style (after giving her order for dinner)~â€"Can you remembej all {chat} _ v New. Girlâ€"-Sure, its a French chef yez think 0i am. \Vull mum, Oi’ll just make yez an Oirish stew, an‘ thin yez can sort. the things out to suit. y’rsilvea, an’ call thim as many nose crackin’ French names as yez loike. It, is our ordinary company dinner. Sweats are expected, you know. THE ROMANCES 0F RINGS. THE EARLIEST USE OF RINGS A Wife’s “At Home." THESE HOLLOW RINGS THE USE OF THE RING. A Domestic Chef.