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Soon comes release, each patient sorrow here, Soon swell the song of joy beyond the skies; From weakness, strength; from darkness, light and cheer; From dire captivity shall freedom rise. E. Conway Davies, N. Y.

THE GOLD-FIELDS OF WALES. BY J. A. FARRER, IN THE GENTLEMAN'S

MAGAZINE.

The chief gold districts of Wales hitherto known are situate in Carmarthenshire and Meirionethshire. In the former are still to be seen at Gogafau the lofty galleries which are supposed to have been cut by the Romans, and which extend to a considerable depth for some acres over the side of a hill. The rock formation is Lower Silurian, the best for gold; nor is there any reason why, with the application of improved modern machinery below the old workings, the results should not prove as highly remunerative as they have in other parts of the world.

In Merionethshire, north of Dolgelly, where the older strata are thickly penetrated with igneous rock, it was not till 1844, when Mr. A. Dean declared at the British Association that "a complete system of auriferous veins existed throughout the whole of the Snowdonian or Lower Silurian formation of North Wales," that attention began to be given to the subject. Ridicule put an end to the first Welsh gold company that was started in 1846, and another the next year failed to obtain any public support; but the fact proves nothing more than a certain irrationality on our own part, by reason of which our general readiness to invest money in gold mines is only limited by the proviso that they have the charm of distance, and are situated nowhere in the United Kingdom.

The injustice of this prejudice is well illustrated by the workings of

the Vigra Cloga gold mine by the Crown from 1860 to 1867, where the average annual return was over £2,500. The yield of the first year was only £163, but in 1862 as much as £24,000 were realised, 620 tons of vein stuff yielding 6,181oz. Since 1867 the yield seems to have dwindled to nothing, but this may have been due in part to the "clumsy machinery" said by Mr. Readwin to have been used in this mine; and the opinion seems reasonable that with the best modern machinery, and at a greater depth, much more gold remains to be found.

Some other facts from the Welsh gold district serve still further to corroborate this view, that with greater depth attained the Welsh gold mines would show better results. In the Dolfrwynog mine, where gold was first found at a depth of 20 fathoms in a search for copper, as much as 6 oz, to the ton was extracted from stuff in which not even a strong microscope could detect a trace of it. From the Cambrian gold mine Mr. Readwin extracted gold from the black ore that assayed at the rate of 300oz. to the ton; and from the Prince of Wales's mine, some of his specimens at the Exhibition of 1862 contained between 300 and 400oz, to the ton! mous St. David's lode yielded £70,000 for 12,416oz. Calvert, an experienced mining surveyor, declared that gold had been found in Wales wherever it had been sought for (of course only where it was geologically probable); and he said, "The gold ores of Wales that have come under my notice are among the richest in the world, only surpassed by a few Australian and Californian specimens."

The fa

It is well to recall these facts with a view to attain that mental golden mean which avoids being either oversanguine or over-sceptical about the prospects of gold mining in Wales.

The possibility that there is as much gold awaiting extraction in Merionethshire as there is in the Colar district of the Mysore can only be dispelled by positive rebutting experience. For the present, the data derived from the past seem distinctly to favor the possibility. At the same time, the Vigra Cloga mine indicates the wisdom of sober expectation. In the meantime, it must be hoped that the recent discoveries will lead to a thorough prospecting of the auriferous area, and that the removal by legislation of existing obstacles in old feudal Crown rights will before long give further encouragement to enterprise in this direction.

MR. MORGAN'S GOLD MINE. Mr. Pritchard Morgan was served with an injunction from the High Court of Justice on the motion of the Attorney-General, on behalf of the Woods and Forests Department, to restrain him from removing gold or silver ore from any of his mining properties in Wales. But a temporary agreement was entered into pending

a final settlement.

Mr. Morgan of the Dolgelley gold workings states that he obtained 628 ounces of gold from 334 tons of quartz, being the cleaning up of the last fortnight. This result is highly satisfactory, as it equals those of the best gold mines in the world, the average being nearly two ounces to the ton, and less than a quarter of an ounce paying the cost of production.

More than 1,000 ounces of gold have been crushed from the quartz.

At a conversazione of the Mineralogical Society Professor Virchow of Berlin stated that the mineral resources of the Principality of Wales were, in his belief, practically inexhaustible. In a recent tour he had found abundance of wealth, which lay absolutely idle. There was good reason to be

lieve that gold existed in no inconsiderable quantity in the north. At Cefn-y-bedd, around Holly Bush, the strata showed evidence of the existence of gold quartz, veins of which he had distinctly traced. It was a marvel to him that the silver sand, which existed here in such quantities, had not hitherto been untilized, as it was probably the finest in existence for glass-making. It was his opinion that a great future was before the Welsh people, whose stolidity of character he admired, but whose exclusiveness was too much, he feared, in the way of healthy enterprise.

FURTHER REPORTED GOLD DISCOVERIES.

A Chester correspondent of a Liverpool paper says:-Some specialists on behalf of Lord Newborough have discovered a splendid vein of gold on the estate. The find, which is of an exceptionally rich character, was made on Cwmbowydd Farm, in the Festiniog slate district. The ore is said to have yielded twenty ounces of pure gold to the ton of quartz. Applications have been made to Lord Newborough to grant take notes of the mine to speculators, but in every instance his lordship has positively declined. On Sir Watkin Wynn's estate, near Bala, gold has also been found in paying quantities, and here the work of extracting and crushing the ore is to be entered upon at once by gentlemen to whom leases have been granted, subject, of course, to the Crown royalty. Quite a gold fever prevails throughout the district.

Another lode of gold has been struck three miles from Dolgelley, at Caegwernog, an estate belonging to Mr. W. R. Davies, solicitor. Specimens of the ore have been sent to London, and pronounced to be exceptionally rich. The gold-bearing clay is quite close to the surface, and the lode is understood to be next in value

to the Mount Morgan Mine. The owner has already doubled the number of his workmen.

GOLD IN SOUTH WALES.

Gold has been found in some specimens of auriferous quartz from the old Roman mines at Dolaucothy, near Llanpumpsaint, about 14 miles from Llandilo, Carmarthenshire. These old workings, which seem to have been extensively dealt with by the Romans, who left behind them some of their mining and crushing appliances, are situated on the property of Sir James Hills Johns, and with a view to their development, they have been leased to Messrs. McMurdo, Bellairs and Taylor, who are largely interested in modern gold mining, and who, it is said, will at once proceed to work these mines on an extensive scale. We are informed that no less than an

ounce and a half of gold has been obtained by simply washing three or four cwt. of the broken quartz which the ancient Romans left behind them, and on the basis of this fact it is stated that the Dolaucothy gold mine will prove to be the richest in this country.

HISTORY OF DAVID, KING OF ISRAEL.

BY JOAB, CAPTAIN OF THE HOST. Writing later, Joab says: "The conflict of the rival powers began sooner than I had expected, and the first encounter was followed by a calamity which has seriously embittered my relations with Abner, and given me an admirable excuse, if at any time I find it necessary to kill him. Our armies met by the pool of Gibeon, and there Abner suggested that the supremacy should be decided by twelve companions chosen from each side. I accepted the challenge; but, feeling sure that he would choose his companions from the Benjamites, who were the heartiest supporters of the

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house of Saul, and knowing also that Abner was likely to try to gain a victory by a trick, I gave our champions a hint as to possible danger. The might thrust in an unexpected way, Benjamites are left-handed, and so and gain an advantage; and it was decided that our men should put their shields on the right arm, and thrust with the left as the Benjamites did. All were killed in the fray, but our men were so excited by Abner's trick, that their officers could not restrain them; they dashed on Abner's ranks, and routed them. Soon all were fleeing for their lives, and our pet brother Asahel, thinking to get the honors of the day, pursued Abner. his eager haste he ran right upon Abner's spear, which was suddenly thrust back as Asabel sprang upon his foe, and Asahel was killed. I would have

Alas! in

given the victory to have saved him, for he was our pride. It was hardly a fair death in open fight. Abner had given a treacherous back thrust. He ought to have yielded himself prisoner; and I cannot help feeling that, as death. Woe to Abner then, if I get the eldest brother, I must avenge his

a chance."

"My chance came quite unexpectedly. Some jealousies arose between Ishbosheth and Abner, with the result that Abner opened negotiations with David. I heard nothing of the matter for awhile, as David feared my opposition, and had sent me away with the army on a distant expedition. As soon as I returned I heard that Abner and a deputation from Israel had been at the court, had been favorably received, had been royally feasted, and had gone away evidently gratified by the reception they had met with. Can any one wonder that I was angry? Was it likely that I was going to see the position which I had labored for years to attain pluck

ed from me by a traitor to his own king, and the murderer of my own brother? At such times I don't wait for God; I act promptly and decisively. That struggle shall be ended, and that rival once more put out of the way. A polite message soon brought the old general back, and a thrust given in the dark shadow of the gate finished him. That man no longer stands in my way.

"But David was dreadfully incensed at Abner's death. I almost thought I had gone too far, and quite forfeited his confidence. I made a great deal about only fulfilling my duty as the family avenger,' but he was too angry to hear me, and too wise to accept my excuses. He knew well enough that my great idea was to get rid of a dangerous rival. What made him most angry was that the people would think Abner had been killed by secret orders from himself; and the treacherous treatment of one who had so recently been hospitably entertained would be an indelible disgrace, and would further alienate the house of Saul, and its adherents, from him. I was obliged to admit the seriousness of this consideration, so I relieved his mind by publicly taking all the responsibility of the deed upon myself, and entirely exonerating him. I made out that it was entirely and purely a family matter, the sequel of a family feud. But I did not succeed in pacifying the king; and from that time he took up a strong prejudice against me, from which I had bitterly to suffer in later years. We were too important to him, were Abishai and I, for him to break openly with us, but he did not hesitate to say hard things about us. He called us unscrupulous,' but he did not mind taking advantage of the results of what we did. "I was still anxious to secure the chief position in the combined army of Israel and Judah, but judged it

wise to keep, as much as possible, out of David's way for a time. Soon the deputation came to offer him the throne of the united kingdom; and the question of a new capital had to be considered. There really was only one city that met all the necessities of the case, and it was in the hands of the Jebusites. But it was situated just on the border-line of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah, and so seemed to belong to both; it was not, however, central enough for the kingdom as it was afterwards extended. This city, Jebus, was impregnable, according to general ideas, on every side except the north. On that side the city was built, and that was easily taken; but the Jebusites had shut themselves up in their fortress on Mount Zion, and from behind their walls laughed to scorn David's challenges. I never knew David more vexed. He saw plainly that some one would have to scale the rock-front, if an attack was successful; so he offered to make captain-general of the army any one skillful enough and daring enough to climb up and open the gates.

"Now I had my opportunity. My young life among the hills stood me in good stead now, and experience, won in many a difficulty, helped me to make wise plans. To look up the sheer face of the cliffs fronting our army, the task did seem an impossible one, but, after careful examination, I found a slit in the rocks which gave promise of foothold; and by the water that trickled down it, I judged that it acted as a sort of gutter or drain for the ground above, so that I might get into the castle under the walls, and take the garrison by surprise. David planned a diversion to take off the attention of the garrison from me; and arranged for the soldiers to rush for the gates, on the north side, as soon as I could give the sig

nal. For most of the climbing I was out of sight of the garrison, and they were stricken with panic when I suddenly burst out of the gutter. I cut down two or three men by the gate, and soon had the bolts undone, so that the soldiers forced their way in and took the place. The best day's work I have ever done; the last step in securing the great aim of my life! I am the first man in the country now, and if David thinks he has won great things by his religious waiting upon God, I think I have won great things by mastering circumstances in the energy of my own good will. True, I have had to tread on slippery places, and to do some doubtful, and some terrible, things; but anyhow, I have gained the summit of my ambition, and what can a man care more about than that? David cannot do without me, and he will find that he must do my will, whether he likes it or whether he does not."

REALITIES OF LIFE.

BY W. P. EDWARDS, N. Y. Facts or real events, to look at them from a distance of either time or place, are apt to be dwarfed into insignificance by some people, unless brought to terms by the cold, solid and convincing test of reality and personal experience. The rich man of old did not prize nor realize the value of a few drops of cold water-literally or morally-until, without his consent, he was transplanted into an atmosphere that yielded no water, or allow ed any showers of benediction to descend. Lazarus, although poor and despised in his day of pilgrimage, fared better in the hereafter, and deserved it. He required no water, neither could his cup hold any more comfort! History repeats itself in almost everything that relates to real life of prince or peasant. The roll of ages,

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and roars of revolutions, steadily verify the wise in his assertion, “There is nothing new under the sun." See the drunkard in his desperation, the thief in his coils, and the murderer on the scaffold-each one has seen before, in letters of gold in his conscience, the warning, descriptive of effects following causes, just as naturally as day follows night; still they heeded not the warning, because the consequences had not actually developed into realities and punishment.

Young man! form a moral resolution that the realities of life will not catch you napping! If you feel any abhorrence for the certain fate of the drunkard, the thief, and the murderer, avoid lazy inclinations, fantastic possibilities, illuminating harmlesses, the cup that inebriates, and scoffing companions; and pray to God to crush in the bud, evil and revengeful tendencies that may lurk in your heart, hereditary. He who prays steadily will surely win!

THE DYNAMOGRAPH. CONTRIBUTED BY E. G. ROBERTS, M. D., FAIRHAVEN, VT.

The Dynamograph is an electromechanical type-writer, which pro mises to become a formidable rival to the telephone as well as to the entire system of modern telegraphy. It is the invention of Mr. James F. McLaughlin, a young electrician of Philadelphia, who, after eight years of patient and unremitting labor, and after experiencing many disappointments and trials which fall to the lot of every inventor, has at last succeeded in perfecting his machine.

Below is a description of the Dynamograph, as given by the Philadelphia Medical Times.

"In appearance the instrument is of the ordinary mechanical typewriter form, is similarly worked