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the keynote to Mr. Halcombe's plot. The idea is rather a pretty one for the imagination to toy with in a gentle, tentative kind of way, but dealt with too literally it becomes absurd.
Mr. Halcombe says that we who are now living out a transitory term of existence in this genera-cidedly amusing. Wilfred Bertram is a young tion may, unknowingly, meet our friends and sprig of the aristocracy who has imbibed notions foes again in the days of long futurity;" but of altruism and tries to put them into practice, in his tale he is not content to let former which results in various absurd positions. In- acquaintances meet unknowingly; they simply cidentally we have a caricature of a Radical take up matters again in the nineteenth century society journalist who, unlike Bertram, does where they left them in the third. Liello not try to translate his principles into practice. Maximus and Lucina Tullus were a Roman The titles of the other two tales are youth and maiden who loved and married. Lemon Tree and Toxin." They were Christians and their marriage was celebrated in secret, and a very unchristian kind of prayer used on the 'occasion is quoted. As the ceremony concludes they are surprised and arrested. Liello is given to the wild beasts and Lucina commits suicide. In the
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HONGKONG CRICKET CLUB.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING,
A
The annual general meeting in connection with the longkong Cricket Club was held in the Pavilion on Thursday afternoon to receive the re port and elect office-bearers for the ensuing year. Mr. A. G. Wise (president) occupied the chair, and he was supported by Dr. Lowson (hon. secretary), Messrs. A. Donald (hon. treasurer), Hon. T. Sercombe Smith, G. D. Campbell, and P. A. Cox (committee).
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
(September 9, 1898.. after writing it or she would have made various chair legs, etc. Racquet playing members would alterations to give it an air of greater verisimi-assist the club if when they noticed anything litude.
like this they would report to the com- "An Altruist." is the title of another of the mittee. With regard to the number of tales, which is of the humorous type and de-matches played, there had been some criticism in the papers on the subject. It was complained that considering the number of menibers the matches played were very few. That was so, be admitted, but in his opinion the fault rather lay with the playing members. No one there, apart from the secretary and the man who got up the matches, could conceivo the trouble there was to got together a team. He had got to go round and round and round and spond a great deal of time and yet many a match fell through. He did not want to disclaim any blame on the part of the committee, but he did say that it was the playing members who were responsible. There had been a great decadence of cricket during the last year or two, but be hoped there would be a revival. It was further compl ined that they did not give the No. 2 eleven ongh opportunities for playing. He believed there were 24 matches in which lists of men who wanted to play were put up in that room aud in the ball, and he was certain that the secretary or the man who was getting up the match would be most happy to make use of the services of any second team man who would insert his name in the list. Then there was a suggestion about getting the second team to go down to Happy Valley, This was an excellent suggestion if it could he carried out, but if they could not get two elevens to play on that ground he was perfectly certain they could not get two. more elevens to go and play in the Happy Valley, (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen had a great many different avocations and amusements, and he could not help thinking that the multipli- cation of amusements had rather interfered with cricket. (Hear, hear.) But still that was for them to consider. It depended upon them. Where there was a will there was a way. If they would come down to the ground chop, chop they would be able to have three-quarters of the day on the ground. The mail closed at eleren, and they might get down by half-past. He did not think there was any good in having matches from Saturday to Monday. If the members would get down at half-past eleven the committee would do their best to give them
nineteenth century these two beings, bearing different names and moving in different spheres, meet again. They recognise each other almost immediately, find they have been dreaming of each other, have even called each other by the names they bore in their former existence, and Lucina, now Althea, has gone so far as to paint a portrait of her lover from memory. Unfortunately, however, Althea was married before they met, and to Liello's half brother, a gentleman who played the part of a villain in the third century portion of the plot and is intended to hear the same character in the nineteenth, though towards his wife he appears to behave fairly well. Be- tween the half brothers there is jealousy and i will, and the elder, the husband of Althea, has the younger shipped off under conditions that seem to render his return impossible! Thereupon Althea steals her hus- band's yacht, taking also a considerable sum of money, and goes after the vessel containing her lovet We must not disclose the development of the plot further, but in taking leave of Mr. Halcombe's book would venture to suggest that the loves of real life furnish ample material for romance, without trying to piece together those of widely separated centuries.
The Silver Christ. By OUIDA. Loudon T.
Fisher Unwin. 1898.
THE RIPORT AND ACCOUNTS,
"1
The report and accounts were submitted. The report said :- The ace unts which are attached show a balance of $3.873.32 to the credit of the club on the 13th August, 189s The list of members, together wich the averages for the season, is annexed. Lieut. G. D. Cañip bell. II.K.R., heads the batting average with 41.9. whilst Rev. G. Vallings in taking wickets at 152 ruus ench heads the bowling average Eight scores of over 10 were made, riz:-Lient, G. D. Campbell, 10 not out. 132; not out: Capt. Dyson, 109, T. N. Howard, 102 not out: Capt. Laughorne, 121; Dr. J. A Low son. 163; M. D. Wood, 102 not out and 170. The racquet courts have been in full swing during the year. Both courts, as well as the ervants quarters attached, are in decent repair. They have very nearly paid their own expenses, The iuritations sent last year to Shanghai and the Straits Settlements were accepted, and it will be noted that $1.87814 were expended in entertaining our posts. The club played 12 matches of which wer and 2 lost. The pavilion is in fairly good repair and the ground, notwithstanding the severe strain put upon it last winter, is in satis factory condition. The committee regret, as probably will the members, the resignation of their popular and successful secretary, Mr. E. A. Ram. His retirement was made the occasion of a suitable presentation. There are 3.6 members and 164 naval subscribers; The scene of " The Silver Christ is also in addition, there were 79 absent members, laid in Italy and among the poor. A young During the Year 64 new members were man falls under the spell of a beautiful but elected and 101 uaval subscribers. The Lawn- unfeeling girl, who persuades him to rifle lis tannis Championship Cup was won by Lt. mother's grave in order to recover certain HS. Moberley; the " A Class Handicap by articles of witchcraft that he had buried with her. Lt. H. S. Mberley; the "B" Class Single Arrived at the remote country graveyard at the Handicap by P. J. Wodehouse: the Profes- dead of night he had to climb a high and difsional Pairs by Lients. Moberley and Camp. ficult wall, but "he kicked off his boots, set his toenails in the first crevice in the brick surface, and began to mount with his hands and feet with prehensile agility." Then having found his mother's grave this extraordinary young man dug and dug until "under the rays of the moon the desecrated ground lay, all broken up and heaped and tossed together, as though an earth.
THIS is a collection of fire short tales, of which the one that gives its title to the book is by no means the best. "Le Sere," the second is excellent. It is the tale of a woman's unselfish devotion to a man, and her noble self-sacrifice for his preservation. The scene is laid in Italy, and the descriptions of the life of the poor are almost revolting in the picture of misery, sordiduess, and callous ness they present.
quake had riven the soil." But he could not find the coffin, which is perhaps hardly singular. for instead of digging downwards, as any one else might have been expected to do, he went on digging a long trench, not knowing he was doing so, until finally he came under the wall of the graveyard, where he uncarthed a silver image of the Child Christ. With his he got out of the treach. "The sweet sharp smell of the wet blowing grasses was in his nostrils, and the damp clinging sods were about his feet, dragging at the soles of his boots that was all. Seeing that he had left his boots outside we fail to see how the sods could have dragged at them in the way described. Then again, the image is said to have been as large as a child of one year old, and of solid silver, aud yet it seems to have been carried about as easily as if it had been a little netsuki. Ouida, wo know, does not stick at trifles, but we should think she can hardly have read over “The Silver Christ"'
bell: Double Hudicap by Captains Langhorns and Simonds; the Veterans' Cup (presented by A. H. Skelton by T. Sercombe Smith. The Championship Cup for racquets was won by Capt. Simouds. R.A., who defeated Lt. M. Jellicoe in the final. The thanks of the club are due to Admiral Sir Alex nder Buller. K. C. B., Capt. Login, and the officers of the Flagship,
for their kindness in allowing their band to play during the scason; as also to Capt, Chichester and officers of H.MS. Immortalite and to the officers commanding and to the officers of the West Yorkshire Regiment, the King's Own Regiment, and Hongkong Regi.
meut.'
The PRESIDENT. on rising to propose the adoption of the report and accounts, said there were one or two remarks he would like to make on the wording of the report. With regard to the reference to the racquet courts, when that was penned the committee were under the impression that it was quite correct, but after it had been written information came to the committee that there were some small defects. Two members of the committee were kind enough to go down and inspect. The result of their inspection was the discovery of done small defects which would take about $100 to set right. These included broken
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very Saturday. There was one more point. There was an item of $1,800' in the accounts for expenses of cricket festival. They would remember that they had a meeting at which the wish was expressed that they should behave in no niggardly fashion with their friends and guests. He had been through the accounts, and he could assure them that the item was not a large oue. In any case they had the very handsom· balance of over $3,000. There was also an item," Peusion to old man, $73." He believed the old man was dead now. With regard to the team, they had arranged for a team to go to Shanghai on or about the 20th of this mouth. In view of that, though the ground according to the rules should not be opened until October, the committee pro- posed to put up two nets so that the men who were going to Shanghai could practice. He was sorry to hear that some of the members were raising au objection to this, saying that the privilege shoud be granted to every one, but at present if they opened the ground all round they would absolutely rain it. adoption of the report, and the motion was
Mr. V. A. CÆSAR HAWKINS seconded the
carried.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Hon. T. SERCOMBE SMITH proposed the re- election of Mr. A. G. Wise as president. (Hear hear
Mr J. W. JONES seconded and the motion was carried unanimously.
On the motion of the PRESIDENT, seconded by CAPTAIN DAVIES, Dr. Lowson was elected hon secretary with Mr. P. A. Cox as his assistant On the motion of the PRESIDENT, seconded by Mr. A. CHAPMAN, Mr. A. Donald was re- elected bon. treasurer.
Messrs. A. Anderson, T. Sercombe Smith, J. M. Atkinson, &. D. Campbell, and E. A. Ram were elected on the Committee. THE NAVAL SUBSCRIBERS AND THE HOURS OF PLAY.
Dr. Lowson said there was a point he wished to direct attention to and upon which he wished
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