Walsall Observer from Walsall, West Midlands, England • 2

Under False Colours BY RALPH RODD. Author of The Searchlight," Whispering Tongues," A Step in the Dark," A Marriage by Capture," At Bay," etc. Paradise would gain additional beauty if Anne of the Dimples strolled among the bowers that never die. Peter Tead closed the door and went back to his job- That was the order of Peter Tead's life; a moment's pause, a fleeting dream of something beyond his reach, and to work. Plasters and pills, teething infants and querulous old folk: he took them all as they came and never thought of grumbling.

walked fast. But for the fear of Peter Tead's watchful eye she would have run. She had one all-consuming desiro, it was to reach the cottage where the second of Colonel Keepers lived. Anne knew the cottage, of course. )t stood in the loneliest position in the park, close to the best pheasant coverts.

She had been there lots of times, for the last occupant had married one of the maids from the rectory. She was getting nearer now. In the distance she could see the coverts that looked almost black in the early morning light. The.little stone-built if not especially convenient just round the corner of the covert. It seemed strange to think of Captain Falshawe living there.

He must have been there quite a little time before he and sho had met. She had never thought of asking anything about the new keeper, her interest in that department of the establishment had for the time being ceased when Thompson and his wife had got their coveted head-keeper job somewhere in the South. There was a dog dogs, they lifted up their voices in mournful unison. Anne hesitated. What was she going to say when she and Quinton Falshawe were once more face to face? What could she say Up to that moment her one idea had been to reach him quickly, now came the paralysing wonder sho paused.

She was perfectly certain that Falshawe and no other had taken the from the bureau. Why had ho done His own words answered her If 1 had money. But I should want such a Sucli a lot! Not for himsell, of course, but for the friend for whom ho was ready to sacrifice everything. When Anne remembered bow great the sacrifice had been already she was ashamed to judge so superb an altruist. Yet theft was theft- The money he had taken belonged to a dying man.

It had been in her charge. How could he have taken it? She would not judge him. She would ILHen to his excuses. But all the same she would ask him to give the money back, and he would not could not refuse. She could see the cottage now, and the sight of it struck au odd sense of desolation because it was just as picturesque as ever.

There was a patch of bright autumn flowers where Martha had planted them immediately in front of the sitting-room window. Nothing to call a garden, just a narrow strip of soil with wire netting round it to keep out the rabbits. The bright patch shone bravely against its background of grey stone wall, but there were none of the signs of life Anne had been used to in day. The green painted door was shut, there was not a window open, no trace of smoke from either of the two squat little chimney pots, and all the time, save lor brief intervals, the dogs howled. Anne shook herself.

She knew that she had been dawdling in order to postpone a moment she dreaded. She dare delay no longer. There was no knowing at what moment tho stranger at The Blossoms might regain consciousness, he did he would ask for his money. She hoped before then to have it ready for him, or, better still, to have returned it to the portmanteau. The girl walked quickly down the slope, and a group of feeding pheasants hurried back into the covert at her approach.

They made a race of it with the rabbits. She knocked at the cottage door. The mournful howling of the dogs changed to angry barking, that was the only answer. Again she knocked this time. The sound vibrated through the silent cottage.

The barking became more furious. If Quinton Falshawe slept after his work he slept sound. The girl went round to the back of the dwelling. On former occasions it had reminded her of the clearing of a backwoodsman. A little square of soft, moss-grown earth and then the Between them and the cottage there was a pile of firewood, a shed, and a couple of dog kennels.

Across trees was a plank of wood to which had been nailed the poor little bodies of sundry miscreants outlawed by man, the sportloving. There were weasels and stoats, magpies and sparrow- hawks. Anne hated gamekeeper's larders. The dogs had ceased barking, they were whining and tugging at their chains. The spaniel was a very old friend.

Anne knocked at the back door as she dime at the front, but with tho same result. Therf she opened it. vou she called. She dare not use name. Are you there? Again the silence replied.

OBSEKYEE AND SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE CHRONICLE. SATURDAY, APRIL 2L 1914- FASHION AND THINGS FEMININE. By IDA MELLER. AN EASILY-MADE PINAFORE DRESS. While the tailor-made engrosses a considerable amount of attention, the housedress is also very interesting, a charming feature of home fasbipus being the pinafore dress, which is now allied, of course, to full skirts.

The new pinafore dress is cut very low in the neck, and the 4rmholes are so large in many of the designs that a complete underblouse is necessary as an accompaniment. One of the most practical features of a pinafore frock is that it adapts itself to occasions ul a varied nature, £nr the blouse to which it is allied can be of a flimsy character, with low neck and half-sleeves, or fairly substantial, closing high to tho throat. The pinaforo dress illustrated, which can be worn with a change of blouse, is a very simple and serviceable design, and may be recommended for development in cashmere, mercerised poplin, fine serge, or taffetas. The quantity of 54-inch material required is five yards, or six yards of 42-in stuff. Price of paper pattern CJd.

HOW TO CROCHET A SCARF SHAWL. in spring and summer, as in winter, it is desirable to have at hand a light, woolly wrap to throw over the shoulders on chilly evenings to prevent cold-catching, and to make tne scarf of white floss and two ounces of wool, of the usual thickness used for shawls, and a celluloid crochet hook, No. 4, are required. With the floss, make a loose chain CO inches long. Turn.

First row In 3rd chain from hook, make a shell of 3 double crochet, skip 1 chain, 1 single crochet in next stitch, skip 1 chain, 3 double crochet in next stitch. Repeat fro to end of row, ending with 1 single crochet. Break yarn. Secoud row Fasten yarn in loop formed by 3 ch. at beginning of previous row, I s.c.

in same place. make a d.c. by putting yarn over hook, insert hook under centre stitch of shell in previous row, draw up ij loop, work off, more d.c. in the same fdace, 1 s.c. in top of next s.c., taking both oops at top of stitch Repeat from end of row.

Break yarn. Third row; Same as second row. Fourth row Fasten wool in first sc. of previous row, chain 3, 1 s.c, in same place, taking both loops at top ot stitch, make 1 s.c. in centre d.c.

of shell, ch. 3. 1 s.c. in same place, 1 s.c. in next s.c.

Repeat from to end of row, ch. 3, turn. Fifth row 1 s.c. in centre ch, stitch between 2 s.c. in previous row, ch.

3, 1 s.c. in same place. Repeat from to end ot row. Break yarn. Sixth row: Join floss where wool ended make 3 dc- in loop formed by ch.

3 ol prcTious row, 1 s.c. in next loop of ch. 3 Repeat from to end of row, ending with I s.c. Break yarn. Repeat from second row until you have wool stripes and 7 floss stripes.

Then fasten the wool at beginning of last floss stripe, work across as in fourth row, then work across narrow edge of scarf by making 1 s.c., ch. 3, 1 s.c. in the end stitch of each floss row, and in the loop of ch. 3 at the beginning of the second wool row, in working across other long edge of scarf made, 1 s.c., ch. 3.

1 s.c. in the ch. stitch each side of the shell, work across the other short edge. Break yarn. (It would he well to put an extra group in each corner).

Now, in loop of ch. 3 at the beginning of first short edge, fasten floss, ch. 4, made 2 d.c. in same place, drawing the stitches about an inch long. in loop of next ch.

3. Repeat from across both short edges and one long edge. Break yarn. Next, fasten wool in loop of ch. 3 at beginning of precious rhw, ch.

3 in s.c. in same place, taking both loops, make 1 s.c., ch. 3, 1 s.c. in the top of every stitch in previous row. Break yam.

Fasten floss in first loop of ch. 4 in previous row, ch. 3, 2 d.c. in same place, 1 d.c. in next loop of ch.

3, d.c. in next loop. Repeat from to end of row. Break yarn. Now, with wool.

another row exactly like the last wool row. This finishes the acarf. Putting ruffle all around it, as illustrated, makes the scarf very attractive. TO OBTAIN PATTERNS. Patterns of all the designs appearing in this column week by week can be obtained by sending postal order, value for each pattern required (coat, skirt, blouse, onepiece gown, to Miss Ida Meller, the Editor, Tht Walsall Observer, The Bridge, Walsall.

The envelope should be marked Patterns. CHAPTER XIV To recover tbe money. That was Anne's one thought. No timidity or nalaraJ shrinking must be allowed to stop her. She glanced round the kitchen.

It was more than that, it was tbe main room of the cottage, occupying two-thirds of it at least, and at one side was the steep little staircase leading to a couple of bedrooms above. Tbe place was empty, and it was very tidy for a man's room, save for the fact that tho supper tilings were still on the table. A used plate or two, knife and fork, cup and teapot It was the teapot that attracted Anne's attention; it seemed so odd lor a man to make himself tea for supper. Besides, Captain Falshawe must have got home very late. Almost unconsciously the girl touched the teapot- It was of coarse earthenware, and it struck her even then as unsuited for the man who bad used it.

The teapot was still warm. Anne frowned. The one she sought must have had a very early breakfast. She glanced at tbo fireplace. When first she had come in she had believed that the fire was out, but now that she examined it more dearly she saw that a few cinders still smouldered.

But only a few, for the fire had been deliberately raked out. In a short time both the grate and tho teapot on the table would he cold. Then they would cease to hear witness to recent use. turned away from the hearth. She was trying to suppress a suuggcstion which had crept into lier mind.

After all what was there in the least sinister in a man raking out his fire. As for a recent meal, if the make-believe had been on duty all night what more natural than he should have something to cat all it a belated supper or an early breakfast upon his return. Annp looked in the second room. Martha Tllompsou had been so proud of it, but it was quite bare cow. A tiny place, one side taken up by the window and the front door at which Anno had knocked so fruitlessly upon her ar-ival at the 1 1 mo was proisi exi'xoncies of the nt to admit of delay, 'o i.i be in hands and mom-'nt were toe Am look lier elirabod stair.

She meant to do so u.ily ra the hoi)o 01 tlie sleeper, hut she crept softly she felt that all the trorld was ILstcnins. It was she uws doing. Are you she called once more. Are you But only the silence answered her. It told her what her eyes assured her of next moment.

There were two doors at the top of the stairs and both were open. room was empty save for a large tin bath and a row of coarse towels on a string stretched from wall to wall. There was also a small, cheap looking-glass. Captain Falshawe had clearly been very thorough in his methods. Every article he used was of the commonest description, and it seemed to Anne that the big bath and the pails of cold, clear water proclaimed his secret.

The second room was bare as bedroom could be, the very trunk, in which, presumably, the new keeper had brought his belongings, was an old tin one, much battered. The bed had not been slept in. Anne went downstairs. To search the premises for what she had come there for, even if she could have brought herself to do so, seemed too futile. It was wildly improbable that any man would leave such wealth in a lonely cottage with the back door unfastened.

Then where were the notes, and where was Quinton Falshawe? Had he taken his booty to hide it in a place of safety? What was he doing with it? Wherever was it was not in his vocation as Colonel gamekeeper that took him abroad, since a man on night duty is allowed to rest till noou at all events. Sho was desperately frightened, frightened as she had never been in all her life before. Sbe had a dreadful feeling that she and Quinton Falshawe had combined to rob a dying man. The shame of it! The magnitude of the amount added to the terror of the position. If it had been a small sum, small in reality though big to her, she would have realised all she had in the world to pay it back.

As it was she knew that every penny sho possessed would not pay back a tithe. Either she must find Quinton Falshawo and persuade him to give up the money or else sho must tell the man who lay at the Blossoms that the girl who had befriended him, and who was supposed to have played the part of the Good Samaritan, liad robbed him She had never doubted that it was Cap- tain Falshawe who bad taken the money, and the more she thought about the matter the clearer it became. From behind the curtain he had watched her put the money iu the secret drawer, if he had not been watching why had he not spoken when first she returned to the room It had been he who had blown out the instead of hurrying her from the room, had he not gone first? It had all seemed natural enough at the time She had left him aloue without any misgiving, even now she found it difficult to blame herself for having done so. Quinton Falshawe was a soldier and a gentleman, how could she have dreamed that any combination of circumstances would have led him to lay so much as a finger on what was not his. Anne started to her feet.

The dogs were barking again wildly. If anyone should find her there! They were barking furiously, there was no mistaking the meaning of the sound; someone was coming to the cottagethe new they would find her at seven o'clock in the morning seated by the breakfast table. What should she say One possible construction which might be put upon the situation never even occurred to Anne; her thoughts ran on other lines. She could not pretend that she was there by accident. If Peter Tead heard of it, for instance, he would know that she must have gone straight there.

Yet, if she confessed that Colonel keeper was an old friend of hers that would at once excite comment. She would be asked awkward questions had she met him? When, and so on? her answers would lead to something which would amount to the breaking of her promise. Whatever happened she must not do that. Falshawe had made ber realise how depended on her silence. It was not jusfo Ids sake that her lips were sealed, but for that of so many others.

And. then there was Lady Frances Varrow to be thought of. It might be possible to hoodwink the dear Curmudgeon if the worst came to the she had only to beg him for her safety: DO questions. Lady Frances was a woman and would be more difficult to deal with. Lady Frances was a vindictive woman and therefore to be dreaded.

Anne slipped into tbe empty room. Sbe knew that the front door of the cottage was locked, hot she trusted to the key being, there, and she meant to turn it and slip out while whoever was approaching made their way round to the back. She did not mind being seen outside the cottage, it was ibo suggestions of intimacy with the man who passed os James Prilt which her presence inside gave that she shrank from. To the girl's dismay the key was not in the lock; she must either turn back and be discovered in the kitchen, or else remain a prisoner. It added to her embarrassment to find that the ill-Btting door between the two rooms would not remain closed.

Anno put her foot against it to keep it from swinging open, and she never realised that all her fears were entirely the result of her knowledge of the identity of the Colonel's second keeper. If he had really been what he professed to be Anno would not have minded being found there at all A voice chid the dogs with what seemed to the breathless listener unnecessary fierceness. The barking ceased. There seemed to be some difficulty about opening I the door. Someone tried the latch once or twice with fumbling fingers.

We'd best put him down," Ajme heard a man sav Nav, I can 1 came another voice. The latch rattled again, then the door was kicked open. He's a tidy Av, he is have to be Hoor We'll never get him oop stairs, they're ower steep. be t' best, and we'll lap him up with a blanket. be one on his Anne's breath was coming in little gasps.

She wondered they did not hear her. The speakers were within her range of vision now. Hammond, the beadkeeper first, and a farm labourer with him. Between them they were carrying an inert form. Behind them came the keeper lad with two guns his father's and another a bad Hammond was saying, as he straightened himself after they had deposited their burden on tho Hour.

is that, and we've not 'ad no poachers on colonel's land for many a year. Not what vou might call right poachers. You'd not call it knocking an owd are ever, Mister The headkeeper took no notice of the question. He was a verv handy chap, he said. A bit stand-offish, but well up to his work, was, and as pretty a shot as you might see between August and January.

be another keeper now, ye do his gun, broke in a vounger voice. Then, Cover his face up, father. It makes me fair sick. no call to the disciplinarian returned reprovingly. But afterwards he added, It was as well it was us as found him It have been a nasty jar for Mavo if come across him.

He so far from The Blossoms neither. Anne was clenching her hands as she told herself again and again that she must not lint No. must not faint, whatever happened, for if she did they would bear her fall (To he Continued.) CHAPTER XIIL When Peter Tead came to see his patient in the early morning, he was surprised as a doctor and shocked as a lover to notice how greatly the events of the previous nxgnt had told on the mistress of The Blossoms. Of course, it was a very trying for her to have a total stranger throw on her hands, yet surely it was impossible, seeing that the sick man was a stranger, for her to feel hu illness very deeply, while Anno was much' too young to mind having her little cottage upset, as an older woman might have done. Yet there was something niore the matter with her than last something which made the man vaguely uneasy managed he said, with more enthusiasm than the occasion warranted.

Now, not going to have you worked to death for anyone. I was newer so worried all my life as I was having to leave you alono last night, but that jiver. telephoned for a nurse, she should bo by eight clock, and lao brought ray old housekeeper to take charge until sho comes. You must go to bed. Anne scarcely seemed to hear him.

about the she asked. They were speaking in the passage. Hetty svas in the sickroom making up the fire. Peter Tead parsed his lips got a chance. Ive asked Colefax to come over, as well to have another He added, withenu moaning to be unkind, Looks a respectable old fellow, and Colefax will only charge a Anne clasped her hands.

She had sunerea i iriddcn little stab of conscience. Peter Tead was speaking of the stranger as though the latter were but a little removed from pauper. She knew that Peter Tead, personally, wonld dp all in his power tor his patient, however remote his chance of payment; but might, all the same, hesitate to obtain the highest opinion under the present circumstances. It is inevitable that wealth should count even in the struggle between life and death- she jfiid quickly, you let any question of money stop you obtaining all the assistance you require, would you? Do you know I rather fancy that your patient is a rmh man Peter Tead smiled. A millionaire in disguise No, I say that.

But weU anyway, in my house, and I feel responsible. Dr. Tead, I'm sure the all right. The doctor nodded. you worry about that, he said.

matter in a case of this sort whether got the Bank of England in his pocket or not. Money can't do everything, you know, when said and done. gprl drew a short breath mean so He's an old man and he's had a bad seizure. He may pull through this time, but the next will finish him, and in any case precious little the faculty can do. We learned the cure for old age Anno looked away.

She did not want to meet her eyes just then, because he the knowledge made her there was not the consternation in her own that he might expect to see. (she was ashamed of that swift sense of relief his words had caused her. And yet it was impossible to overlook tIM fact that if the man in the dining-room ihonhl die without ever regaining consciousness, then be would never be able to ask her the questions sho lo much dreaded. It was the sense of. responsibility that shd found so difficult to hear.

The loss of the monev in any caaeHrai bad enough. Anne and her father had always been so poor that the verv sight of such wealth had dazzled her. It had not tired her with covetousness, it had almost frightened her. If ouly she had left the money alone, if only she had unshed it back into tbo shabby bag bbo actually blame herself tor what she had done, her motives had been so absolutely beyond reproach. verv kind of you, she said, 1 mean, to tre ond take everything oil my hands.

If really not needed I would like to be free for an should think you would, and for a lot longer than returned heartily, you just leave everything to us; try to keep the house quiet while you have some Sleep while her brain was awbiri with questions I Sleep betore she had recovered that money which was to belong to the dying daughter 1 She must get the notes back. Whatever happened she must get them back. To recover them and replace them in the portmanteau betore their loss became known was to Anne at moment the supreme thing in the world ever so good of you, but I couldu fc sleep, vou know. not a hit tired. Only what Ido want is air.

1 think perhaps 1 kept tbo room too warm last night, she went on hurriedly, almost reading the oh juction ou her lips, nothing us soothing as fresh air, is there. Why, barely he espostulufed. 1 know. 1 love the early morning. going across the park us fast as ever 1 can and back again.

Hetty will get you all you want. 1 bo long, and then IT be ready to show you what a good nurse I Peier Tead took hold ol the girl arm, and for once was able to keep the lover in the background because the instincts ot the were so much to the fore. Why, he said Tins business has upset you more than 1 thought. Miss Mayo, the poor nothing to you. Us one thing to he sympathetic, another to let vourself get upset like this.

you shall have your walk, 1 daresay it will do you more good than anything. But r.s euro as my Peter Tead you don leave this house until had an egg beaten up in a glass of milk, so the sooner you show mo where both are kept the better The little man glowt-cl with satisfaction. It was not often Anne proved so amenable. She led him to the pantrv, then she left him to his own devices while she went to £et her hat and coat on, and when she came downstairs and found him waiting with the decoction of which he was so proud, she drank it without a murmur. was the doctor who opened the door of The Blossoms to let its mistress out, and ho stood there for moment and sniffed the fragrant autumn air with a degree of satisfaction he had not experienced half an hour earlier on his wav to the cottage.

But then that had been before Anno had said that she loved the early hours of the morning. She was cut in the fragrance now and In. heart was with her. Ho was sure that Elliotts Food i-'ozc iNT'Jvwa's. EASILY DIGESTEDNOUHISHIHG IS THE BEST.

i GEORGE ELLIOTT SON, pharmaceutical Chcmijic, Cfrcs.ir Silv.ij I WALSALL. THE WALSALL GARDENING NOTES. By E. Dallman Page, F.R.H.S. THE KITCHEN CARDEN.

People who arc not gardeners unfortunately there a great many of them excuse themselves for not grow- ing their own vegetables, fruit, and flowers by saying that it does not pay. Needless to remark, this is a very shallow excuse. the people who advance it were really honest, they would say that it is too much trouble, or that they do not for gardening. Either of these excuses would bo comprehensible, and they should arouse a feeling of pity for those who make them in tho breast of the man or woman who has discovered what an inexhaustible charm. and how much happiness and health a garden will provide.

Above all men, the gardener is happy and contented. He never has nothing to do. Even the smallest town garden will gratefully receive all the work that is expended upon it, and it will repay its owner in kind for all his labour by yielding abundance of the choicest produco. It is sincerely to be hoped that the boom in gardening this year will have the effect of making a great many people, who at present regard their littlo garden as a nuisance, realise what a paradise it may becoma CARROTS. Thlif root crop can now bo sown for early pulling, but so early a sowing ought to be made into light soil and in a sunshiny spot.

It is not a bad idea to mix the seed into plenty of sand, and spread both seed and sand along the drills. This procedure serves two seed sticks together, and separates itself when tossed about in the sand, whilst the gritty material will help germination by keeping the seeds from overmuch water. The thinnings of the present sowing might be drawn as young carrots, and the remainder of tho crop will have fully developed by the early autumn. For winter use, though, do not sow until a month hence, dig during October, and store in sand in a room in the home. Tho preparation of the sites is the same as for similar tap-rooting crops.

To be sure of clean roots is, the contrary of forked root-stems a patch that has not been at all recently manured, and which is not particularly rich. The rows might bo a foot apart, and the seedlings left at four inches for a start; presently draw up the alternate plantlets, and allow tho rest to grow to their full size at eight-inch intervals. Most varieties are good, the question of which section is the more suitable to tho method of digging being the more The turnipshaped and stump-rooted varieties will bo a success with simple digging, but deeper cultivation is necessary to have straight root-stems of the long varieties. THE FLOWER CARDEN. PRUNING THE ROSES.

The time for pruning a rose must depend upon climate, that is, the exposure of the garden and the temperature of the district. For instance, suppose the front aspect is fully open to the north-east winds, and the back faces south-west, commence pruning tho trees in the back garden, and leave the front awhile. Again, some neighbourhoods are cold and bleak, others are temperate, and, naturally, the milder the climate the sooner can cutting be completed. The trouble resulting from premature pruning ls that the flowering shoots are too forward. Usually, the shoots which are to bloom this summer are at present in the shape of a dormant bud.

Directly the tops are removed these buds start into growth. Matters most be arranged that the flower buds shall not form until the risk of a cold snap is parsed. The sole disadvahtago of late pruning is that the first crop of roses might be correspondingly behindhand. Choosing between a choice of evils, one had better late than over-forward. Little time is lost through waiting a few days with bushes and standards, and with climbing trees not protected by a wall or closed fence.

A standard, in passing, is but a bush head budden upon a much longer brier, and those with sizable heads ore pruned as a bush. Treat the weaklings and newly-planted ones more lightly, though, since a fair number of shoots, and those to be of fair length, are advised to keep growth active. A leafy head draws up the sap from the root. With a feeble head, it may even be advisable to let some of the laterals remain unpruned. In the order of hardiness, tho hybrid perpetuals rank first, next come tho hybrid are crosses between a hybrid perpetual and a true tea, and then the tea and noisette groups.

China I (monthly) roses, moss roses, and the polyan- thas, ramblers and Wichurianas, are as hardy as tho hybrid pcrpetuals. Obvioosly, the hardier sections would bo pruned first. Leave a week between doing the first and second divisions, and perhaps longer botween tho second and third- Rases against walls and closed fences could have been partly or holly pruned last autumn. Some rusarians believe in cutting out the exhausted lengthy stems then, and pruning the laterals now. Where the stems that are to bear the flowers are sheltered by a wall or draught-proof fence, trost and keen winds need not be a source of anxiety.

However, if you have not pruned your wall trees, do so as about to be described. The finest blooms will be upon the stems started last spring, grown during the summer, and ripened in autumn. This is, in garden I technique, one-year-old wood. Still, seldom is it possible to dispense with every older stem, as they must be nicely furnished with shoots to look well. The first pruning task is to remove most of the old wood.

To put the case more clearly, cut clean to the origin, or to where a lengthy year-old stem is, branches that have borne a full crop of bloom. Secondly, reduce the laterals (side shouts) to the second or third bud (eye, joint, or leaf). Thirdly, shorten the main stems by a few inches to induce the lower flower buds to plump up. Always prune to an outside bud. Shoots pointing outwards display their blooms to greater advantage and obtain more sun and air.

With bushes and standards, this suggestion is more pertinent, for it leads to open centres, and thus all shoots have plenty of fresh air and light. For the purpose of pruning we recommend grouping the bush trees under three heads, and the headings are self-explanatory weak growers, medium growers, and strong growers. Details common to all are to dispense with dead and unhealthy looking wood, weakly sprays, in-growing shoots, and branches that have flowered themselves out which are several years of ege. By the way. a branch of a bush or standard lasts much longer in condition than a long, climbing stem, for the simple reason that the branch of the climber carries ever so much more blossom in a season.

Naturally it wears out sooner. Prune the remaining branches of the weak growers to the third or fourth bud from the ground. Threequarters of the length of the main shoots made last season might be taken off the moderate doers. The leading stems of the vigorous varieties can be shortened by one half. Indeed, if it wore not that they would need supporting, such rapid and strong growing kinds as the famous de the Gruss rn and William Allen Richardso might only be like the climbers.

The stems of standards could be trained over an umbrella-shaped arrangement of wire or cane, whilst those of bushes are often pegged into the ground. A use for rose prunings is to stake pea seedings. A number of the prunings will have rooted by the autumn, should they have been put is inches into the soiL These will make i good bushes. Gardeners call them ownroot trees. STUDENTS OF MUSIC.

Presentation of Trinity College Prizes and Certificates. THE ART WHICH OPEMB THE WORLD OF THE INVISIBLE. I The half-yearly concert and prize distribution in connection with tho Walsall Centro of the Trinity College of Music were held at the old School Board Offices in Bradford Street on Saturday afternoon. The Rev. J.

H. Robison presided, and the awards were distributed by Mrs Robison. Report and List of Awards. Tho Local Secretary (Mr. H.

W. presented his report, which stated that the usual examinations were held at the centre in November and December, the tact that the number of candidates was less than usual probably being due to the war. There was only one failure in the practical division, while there was absentee, through illness, in the theoretical examination, all tho other candidates in the various divisions being successful. Thanks were accorded to the donors of priaes, among whom were the Mayor and Miss Mary Thorpe, and it was stated that the unbounded generosity of so many friends to the fund greatly encouraged the young students. Thanks were also tendered to the local committee for help in connection with the examinations and at other times.

TLe winners of prizes and certificates were as follow Theory of Music Examination: Intermediate honours, Alice C. Rowe (Foot Oaks); pass, Bernard Birch, Practical examination Higher local honours, piano playing, Alice C. Rowe (bronzo medal); intermediate honours, violin playing, Edith Cbendlo (special pnzo given by Mr. F. J- Voung).

Piano Playing Pfizer Christine Cooper, Frank H- Howell, Charles E. Kidson. Preparatory honours: Prize, Lena passes, Lilian M. Andrews, John G. Craddock, and Muriel South worth.

First steps: Hilda Ball (prize), Winifred A. Mason. Mr. Charles E. Stephens was the visiting examiner.

The Soul of Music. The Rev J. H. Robison, in the course of an address, said that those who had beard the concert that afternoon would be able to appreciate to some extent the work which was being done by Mr. Rogers and other teachers of music in the town and district.

Those doing work silently among the young, training them tor the coming generation, and for tho realities of life that lay ahead, were not much talked of in the world, but they should remember that many of the most powerful forces were those which worked silently; and thougn the names A those teachers were not blazed abroad, they were doing real work for the good of the community. Life, alter all, was not what we could earn or do, nor how we adorn our persons with hue raiment; but lay in the development ot those innate faculties which the Almighty had placed within us. Everyone had a gift of some sort, and when they had found out what that gift was it was thesir duty to develop and make the best use of it. By doing that they would make the world brighter and better for their presence Mr. Robison went on to speak of music as an art which opened to its devotees the world of the invisible world which could not bo discerned by the eye of the body, but which was realised by the eye ot the soul.

There were depths within us which seemed to bring out. Creation was very different from analysis as tar as process and method were concerned. Did they suppose that the Creator stood before a lot of elements and, with recipe book in his hand, mixed them all up together, in the manner of the analyst. That was what the scientist did, but far otherwise was the way in which the Creator shot forth worlds into space. Creation was very different from analysis so far as process and method were concerned.

Creation and criticism, too. were two different things- The great musician or dramatist did not compose his works by rule of thumb, or the laws ot analysis, but alter a divine order. That was what they were to reach in music, which carried them to the very heart ol creation. They must go beyond the practical part of the mere technique, and get to the soul of He had heard people play perfectly to time or pitch, but there were some who. also seemed to have the passion in their iinger-ends, and the soul ot music came out of them, it had been said that art most be pursued for its own sake, not for tbf' money which could be got out of it.

But in another respect they must go even beyond tbat, and make music a meffns of benefiting their own souls. He hoped that those who had rendered their parts so ell that afternoon would be something more than clew, and that they would grow up to be good people with larger soul, doing good unto all who came within the circle of their influence. Applause.) On the proposition of Mr. Rogers, seconded by Mr. T.

J. Young (chairman of the local committee), a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the nev. and Mrs. Robison, the rev. gentleman briefly responding.

The Programme. Tho musical programme was greatly enjoyed, the work of all the young artistes reflecting great credit upon themselves and their teachers. The songs of Miss Doris Ibbs, who has a nice soprano voice, were especially appreciated, while the violin solos of Miss Cheadle, and the pianoforte solo of Master B. Birch were also features of the programme, which was as follows: Piano duet, The Fairy Misses Cooper and Pinson; piano solo, Miss H. Ball; song, Tho Miss Doris Ibbs; violin solo (a) (b) Miss E.

Cheadle; piano solo, Premier Miss A. C. Rowe; song, Miss TVinnie Mason piano solo, Merry Master J. Craddock; violin solo, Fantasia on Scotch Miss E. Cheadle: piano solo, Master B.

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