St Hugh's College, Oxford - Club Paper, Jan 1902

fit. Augh'.

No. 8.

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Waver.

JANUARY, 1902. f. gbuggl's

grub.

Miss Moberly, President (till July, 1902).

B. Langston, Vice-President (till July, 1902). W. M. Mammatt, Vice-President (till July,1902). II. M. Hudson, Treasurer(tillJuly,t902).

A. I. Woodhouse (till July, rgo3).

C. Hedley (till July, 1903).

E. M. Olivier, Editor (till July, 1902).

L. Ash (Senior Student).

H. D. M. Stark (till July, 1903).

E. M. Spooner (till July, 1903).

B. M. Sparks, Secretary (till July, 190a).

5"14(1-44'42- '5... '

Wentbers.

Abbott, A. M. 34. *Abdy, D. C. { Universities Mission, Msalabani, Tanga, .

18, Queen's Road, Tunbridge Wells.S. Africa. f St. Hugh's Hall, Oxford.

1Charing, Kent.

Ash, L. f St. Hugh's Hall, Oxford.

Burleigh House, Croydon.

"Ashburner, C. E. High School, Lincoln.

Barter, C. D. High School, Nottingham.

Batchelor,F.M.S.f St. Hugh's Flail, Oxford.

1Letcombe Basset Vicarage, Wantage.

Bird, P. f 26, Verulam Street, Liverpool.

119, Colfe Road, Forest Hill, S.E. "Birley, M. H. f St. Augustine's School House, Kimberley, Cape [Colony.

120, St. Michael's Road, Bedford.

Bond, A. Woodborough Vicarage, Nottingham. *Blamire-Brown,f Marta Villa, Worsley Road, Southsea.

R. E.1Chalgrove Vicarage, Wallingford.

"Braine-Hartnell, Mrs., The Cotswold Sanatorium, nr. Stroud, Glos.

Ady, C.

(C. L. Barker).

Browne, M. E. 1St. Hugh's Hail, Oxford. k.4, Rosslyn Mansions, S. Hampstead, N.W. Bulkeley, M. M. The Rectory, liorpeth.

Burnett, M. E. 65, Queen's Gate, W. Buxton, W. E. !High School for Girls, Nottingham.

7, Bath Road, Bedford Park, Chiswick.

Cooper, V. /42, Portman Square, W. Markree Castle, Collooney, Ireland.

Cox, Mrs. A. 58, High Street, Watford.

(S. M. Iles).

f St. IIugh's Hall, Oxford. `Litton Cheney Vicarage, Dorset.

Cunynghame, f St. Hugh's Hall, Oxford.

G. M. E. \ Clarendon House, East Grinstead.

De Castro, I. P. M. L., 15F, Hyde Park Mansions.

Deneke, H. C. I. f St. Hugh's Hall, Oxford.

1 tor, Denmark Hill, S.E. Dening, C. L. A. f St. Hugh's Hall, Oxford.

1Manor House, Stow-on-the-Weld.

Eakin, M. L. f Church High School, Hull.

The Bridge House, Shrewsbury.

"Emmerson, J. A. f Yorkshire College, Leeds.

A 55, Court Hill Road, Lewisham, S.E. .

•• Etlinger, F. von f k.“.. ,_ , ____ Seamount, liowth,...coiviDtlilin.

Fairbanks, A. L. 11.•, ' °-. o1i.r -' e,----1.31.81.1s", Socitilet.

Fear, H. M. Spring Villa, Moat Road, E. Grinstead.

Flamsteed, J Belle Vue Seminary, Somerset East, Cape Colony.

M. M. D. 1St. George's Vicarage, Bristol.

Fowler, A. C. f The Polytechnic, Tottenham, N. 111, Alexandra Road, Finsbury Park, N. Gent, Mrs. H. C. St. Katherine's Lodge, Knowle, Bristol.

Crick, M. M.

..

(S. E Kershaw).

*Goodchild, A. C. f C.M.S. Chundicully, Jaffna, Ceylon.

1 i i 1, Eaton Terrace, S.W. Grant, M. A. f High School, Tunbridge Wells.

128, Linden Road, Bedford.

Grattan, E. H. G. f Grey Coat School, Westminster, S.W. Katharine House, Addiscombe, Croydon.

Hales, A. M.[St. Hugh's Hall, Oxford.

-127, Cambridge Road, Hove, Brighton.

f St. Hugh's Hall, Oxford.

3, Wallbutton Road, Brockley, S.E. Hamilton, R. E. f Central Foundation School, Spital Square, E.C. 13, Wallbutton Road, Brockley, S.E. Hatch, E. M. J Romagnieu, Pas le Pont, de .Beauvoisin, Isere, 1 France.

Hedley, C. f High School, Clifton.

170, Talbot Road, Southport.

Hickinbotham, C. C. E., Woodlands, Rolvenden, Kent. *Hodge, D. M. V. f Queen Anne's School, Caversham, Reading.

1229, Banbury Road, Oxford.

Horner, W. S. H. Eldersfield Vicarage, Tewkesbury, Glos.

Hudson, II. M. Elderslea, Bushey Heath.

Hunt, E. A. cfo Mrs. Hardy, Whitehall, Chigwell, Essex.

Joel, C. S. Bishop Otter College, Chichester. *Jourdain, C. E. f The Lodge, Marlborough.

163, Chesterton Road, Cambridge. *Knox, E. M. Havergal College, Toronto.

Langston, B. f Westminster City School.

165, Warwick Square, S.W. Langston, F. M. f Grey Coat School, Westminster, S. W. 165, Warwick Square, S.W. "Lee, M. L. 177, Banbury Road, Oxford.

1Leafield, Witney, Oxon.

Levett, D. M. N. The Parsonage, Brenchley, Kent.

Lidbetter, E. M. f Grammar School, Wigton.

1St. Paul's Vicarage, Southampton.

Ludwig, D. f St. Hugh's Hall, Oxford.

GreySchool, Westminster, S.W. Malone, A. 4, Brunswick Square, W.C. Mammatt, W. M. Brookside, Ilkley, Yorks.

Marriott, Mrs. J. A. R., 92, Woodstock Road, Oxford.

Hamilton, G.

(H. Robinson).

Matravers, E. C. f Eaton House, Aldeburgh, Suffolk.

119, Howard Place, Carlisle.

May, E. G. Ravens Clift, Oxford Rd. , Moseley, Birmingham.

Medill, G. I. K. 15,15-1Cansingstea—Ralace_111ansions„--W 1Rostrevor, Denmark Avenue, Wimbledon.

Mitchell, W. J. de L., The Oaks, Rondebosch, Capetown.

Moberly, C. A. E. f St. Hugh's Hall, Oxford.

1Parsonage, Sydenham, S.E. Olivier, E. M. Wilton Rectory, Salisbury.

Owen, E. A. f Diocesan Girls' School, Grahamstown, S. Africa.

Damerham Vicarage, Salisbury.

Parsons, G. I. f High School, Falmouth.

16, Hilltop Road, West End Lane, Hampstead.

Payan Dawnay, Mrs., 48, St. Mary Abbots Terrace, Kensington,W. (A. B. Townsend.)

Penny, E. M. St. Thomas' Sisterhood, Oxford.

Price, H. Claverdon Vicarage, Warwick.

Prideaux,E.M.C. f Grammar School for Girls, Bradford.

1St. Saviour's Vicarage, Redland, Bristol.

Rice, M. A. f St. Anne's, Abbots' Bromley, Rugeley.

1Kingscote House, East Grinstead. *Rickards, H. A. f Grammar School, Wigton.

1Dixton Vicarage, Monmouth. *Selby, G. M. Mill House, Eynsford, Kent.

Shuttleworth, f St. Hugh's Hall, Oxford.

M. A. k Choir School, College Green, Worcester.

Simon, Mrs. J. A., go, York Mansions, Battersea Park.

Simpson, V. A. St. Mark's Rectory, Bexhill, Sussex.

Simpson, J. f St. Bernard's, Newton Abbott, Devon. iWarleigh House, Southbourne Road, Sheffield.

Simpson, M. L. f St. Bernard's, Newton Abbott, Devon.

(Warleigh House, Southbourne Road, Sheffield, *Spackman, R. J. Tennyson Road, Harpenden, Herts.

Sparks, B. M. f Grey Coat School, Westminster, S.W. 1Carrington Vicarage, Nottingham.

Spooner, E. M. 7, Station Road, Kew Gardens, Surrey.

Stark, H. D. M. f Graham Street High School, S.W. 19, Allfarthing Lane, Wandsworth, S.W. Steer, G. E. f Godolphin High School, Salisbury. kRyhall Vicarage, Stamford.

Stoton, F. E. Willow Bank, Eynsham, Oxon.

Titley, E. M. 169, Brixton Hill, S.W. f St. Nicholas, Pierremont Avenue, Broadstairs.

Thompson, M. E. E. k Cappleside, Settle, Yorks.

Turner, J. E. f City of London School for Girls, Victoria 41Myddelton Square, E. C. [Embankment, E. C. 3, Arundel Terrace, Brighton.

Ward, F. Wardale, E. E., f 23, Woodstock Road, Oxford.

Ph.D. 12, Benet Place, Cambridge.

Warner, E. B. 'Marks Barn, Hinton St. George, Crewkerne.

101d House, Codsall, Wolverhampton.

7, Upper Cheyne Row, S. W. Watson, J.

'Watson, E. B. L. Nimrod Hall, Bath County, Virginia. *Weston, M. D. {16, litiakawa Cho, Gochome, Kojimachiku, Tokio, Japan.

16, Chalfont Road, Oxford.

White, S. A. f High School, Bishop's Auckland.

16, Prince Arthur Road, Hampstead, N.W. f St. Hugh's Hall, Oxford.

Wigg, M. E. 118, de Crespigny Park, Denmark Hiil, S.E. Wiglesworth, H. E. f St. Hugh's Hall, Oxford.

Willett, G. lThe Cedars, Chiselhurst, Kent.

Williams, A. M. f 539, Woodstock Road, Oxford.

Symonsbury, Ross Road, Wellington, Surrey. f 24, Walpole Street, Chelsea, S.W. Williams, E. 1Bede House, Stamford.

Wilson, M. A. f Fettes College, Edinburgh.

1Horbling Vicarage, Folkingham, Lincolnshire.

Wilson, H. I. left> Rev. G. Wilkinson, 51, Upper George St., 1 Bryanston Square.

Woodhouse, A. I. Shrewsbury House, Surbiton.

Woodman, H. f St. Hugh's Hall, Oxford. ,Ivy Cottage, Beeding, Sussex.

Wright, Mrs. C. P. f Chaukpazat Gold Mine, Nankan P.O. (New (A. L. Barker). 1.Valley Railway), Upper Burmah.

Wyld, F. M. f St. Hugh's Hall, Oxford.

1.Grittleton Rectory, Chippenham.

Where two addresses are given, the second is he permanent home address. The Editor hopes that Members will inform • Denotes life-membership. the Secretary of any change of address.

All Subscriptions should be paid at once to the Treasurer and not to the Secretary.

LETTERS AND NOTICES. Receipts. I90o-1901.

s. d.

7

Balance in hand Annual Subscriptions Life Subscription Donation by President

3

8

I0 0

3 3 ,."7

8

0

o

Expenses. 1900-1901.

Treasurer Secretary Club Paper, July, 1900 Feb., rgos 21

ÂŁ s. d.

3 o 5 o 2 15 0 3 8 6

Balance

6 ti 6 16 6 .

4.7 8 o

NOTICE. It is proposed to hold the next General Meeting on Saturday, April 26th, at 3 p.m., at S. Hugh's Hall.

MY DEAR OLD STUDENTS, I am afraid that I must ask leave to resign the post, little work though it entails, of collecting subscriptions for the three Societies, the accounts of which are published below. I do this chiefly because I feel that the post to be of any use at all ought to entail far more work than I have given or can give. I still think, as I did when I undertook to receive the subscriptions, that we want someone to be a link between Past and Present Students with regard to these Societies ; to get the names of members as they leave the Hall, to keep in touch year by year both with old and new ; to be continually

freshening the interest of busy people, and of those who live quite in the country, and who rarely get the stimulus we are accustothed to in our Oxford days.

I am afraid that without some such connecting link it is tempting, as years go On, to drop our connection with the Hall's subscriptions, even if we continue to belong to the Societies. I think we all like the idea of Past as well as Present Students helping to make S. Hugh's a stronc strong,body for Missionary work at as regards prayer and what home and abroad, little money we can give. So I hope that someone with more time than I have now at my disposal will take my pl4ce, be a much better Secretary, and keep us all together.

W. Mammatt has most kindly consented to collect subscriptions for me until a Secretary is elected by the Club, so will people kindly send their subscriptions to her, at S. Hugh's Hall, before March 15th, instead of to me ?

MARCIA RICE. Received, March, 5905, for S. Margaret's, from F. Stoton, D. Abdy, G. Steer, E. Williams, M. Burnett, E. Gratton, M. Langston, H. Fear, C. Barter, Mrs. Simon, E. Prideaux, L. Eakin, H. Hudson, L1 2S. 6d.

Received, March, 1901, for Settlement, from D. Abdy, C. Jourdain, E. Williams, G. Parsons, J. Emmerson, M. Matravers, H. Fear, W. Mammatt, E. Watson, A. Malone, Mrs. Simon, E. Prideaux, H. Hudson, E. M. Spooner, M. A. Rice,q. os. od.

Received, March, 19o1, for Oxford Mission to Calcutta, from F. Stoton, D. Abdy, G. Steer, E. Williams, M. Burnett, E. Grattan, M. Langston, H. Fear, C. Barter, E. Prideaux, L. Eakin, H. Hudson, D. Hodge, 45. bd.

Those members who were present at the Summer General Meeting in Kensington will remember that one of the subjects under discussion was the meeting at S. Paul's on Low Sunday. Hitherto we have only just been able to exchange a few words

with each other, and then everyone has been obliged to hurry off to catch trains or omnibuses. To meet this difficulty Miss Hedley proposed that lunch should be provided for those who cared for it, so that those members who were rarely able to come to the General Meeting might have some opportunity of seeing their friends. The Secretary was therefore empowered to make arrangements for lunch, either at the University Club or at some other suitable place.

Miss Day, of the Grey Coat Hospital, Westminster, has very kindly suggested that we should lunch at the School, which is close to the Army and Navy Stores in Victoria Street ; and for this first year she has requested me to invite any members of the Club who may be able to be present at S. Paul's on Low Sunday, to lunch afterwards at Westminster. Of course I feel very strongly that there will be great difficulty in ascertaining exact numbers, but I take this opportunity of asking those members who find that they are likely to be able to come to S.' Paul's on April 6th to be so good as to let me have a card at the Grey Coat Hospital, Westminster, before Easter.

At the same time I do not think that it will be absolutely necessary to know the exact number, so that if at the -last moment a member finds that she is able to come, I hope that she will not stay away because she has not communicated with me. At the same time I do most earnestly ask that those who can let me know early, will do so.

B. M. SPARKS, Hon. Sec. S.H.C. I feel that members will be expecting to hear more of the attempt to raise .‘too from Students towards the building fund of our new Chapel and Library which was set on foot about a year ago, It will be remembered that last May was first proposed as the time to complete the fund ; but in accordance with the wishes of several students, it was decided to to keep it open till the Autumn. Perhaps we aimed rather too high in trying to get £roo, but up to now I am rather disappointe4 with the result. So far I have paid £32 I is. into the bank ; but as several people have promised further donations to be sent in when the building is actually commenced, I am advised to keep the general fund open till then, and once more ask members of S. Hugh's Club to send me (as soon as they will) promises of help at that time.

Most members seemed to welcome most gladly the idea of S. Hugh's having worthy buildings of this sort ; and for a Hall like ours, started as it was with the idea of advancing the education of women on church lines, it seems most fitting that the students should take a particular interest in the Chapel, as the centre of our religious life as a Hall, and the Library representing its intellectual side.

I hope that even if the ,too proves hopelessly beyond our reach, we may present at least .5c) when the walls of our Chapel and Library at last begin to rise.

EDITH M. OLIVIER. The Editor has received a complaint from a member of the Club, with which she cordially agrees.

It is to the effect that there is too little news about individuals in the Club paper, and "it needs so much imagination to conjure up from an address what So-and-So must be doing." Now, the Editorial imagination is capable, from a mere perusal of the address page, of conjuring up most exciting visions of " So-and-So's " doing most exciting things, and the. Editorial pen is quite capable of writing vivid descriptions of these visions for the benefit of readers, but they might rather astonish the subjects of them.

Moreover, the law of libel looms large. Still, it is certainly true that our paper would gain enormously in interest if all members would regularly " write and give " (in the words of the above-quoted correspondent), " a little information about themselves, for the benefit of their friends who want to hear about them, and yet find life too short for writing letters."

The Editor accordingly proposes sending a reply post-card to every Past Student in England before the next number of the paper is issued, asking for a few words from each as to her doings. Doubtless, everyone will think her own affairs too uninteresting for publication, and yet it is undoubtedly the fact that we all of us made friends at S. Hugh's of whom we are in danger of losing sight altogether, through want of time for writing to all, and the Club paper ought to step into the breach here. Of course, this will be an experiment, the success or failure of which must decide its adoption or not by future Editors.

Michaelmas Term, 1901.

DEAR OLD STUDENT'S, S. Hugh's has entered upon a new period of its existence with room for twelve more students in the house opposite (No. 28), which now belongs to us. We are fortunate enough to have Miss Wardale there as Vice-Principal, and the following students are at present in residence :D. Titley, N. Dening, D. Shuttleworth, C. Hunter, J. Dawson, I. de Reyes, G. Schoenhals. The furnishing of the rooms is rather more ambitious than in the old Hall. Everyone is provided with a wardrobe, and Miss Wardale has presented padded armchairs. The carpets and screens are pretty, and everything is bright and fresh-looking. The present students are proud of their rooms, and have taken great trouble with their own decorations, so that when the " Ladies of the Council " gave an afternoon " At Home," the rooms were greatly admired. The only thing which really grieves us is the drawingroom paper, which is a dirty-mustardy-greyish yellow, with a horrible pattern. But this grievance is not likely, we hope, to be lasting and permanent.

We feel the benefit already, I think, of larger numbers in the Hall, and the various Societies have gone very well this Term, except the poor Hockey Club, which, beginning brilliantly by beating the old Students 3 —2, and Etc. II. 8-1, came down to being most ignominously beaten at the end. I hope next Term we shall have fewer bad knees and sprained muscles, etc., etc., and that we shall not only begin but end with victories.

The sad complaints of students, past and present, that S. Hugh's reputation for music was a thing of the past, are now no longer based on fact, though we have not yet risen to the glories of our predecessors.

We have had two of our Sociables this Term, in the drawing-room of the new house, and the first of these were given over entirely to music, and was, moreover, a marked success. The singers were D. Ludwig, G. Schoenhals, and A. Freeman, and we had also piano solos from Miss Mammatt and J. Dawson.

Several other freshers also play. There is a proposal that we should start a Glee Society next Term, if Miss Moberly is able to help us, and if we can manage this it will make a good deal of difference to Sociables.

Two Dancing Sociables have been held, one for the old students, and at the last Sociable of Term we had Mrs. Jarley's Waxworks, which were enjoyed by performers and audience alike.

There are eleven freshers this Term, four of whom are doing Science, making six Science people altogether ; three are reading History, one Classics, one French. G. Schoenhals and E. Krey are studying English, but will probably not stay long enough to take Schools.

L. Deneke has won the Junior English Prize, of which we are justly proud.

Sharp Practice has flourished this Term. One Saturday, when we were assembled in the Library, the President announced that Miss E. F. Jourdain, who was staying in the Hall, would talk to us instead about her School, or rather College, in Paris, and its relation to the University of Paris. This proved exceedingly interesting, and we asked many questions.

On the sudden advent of a " Coach " we adjourned to Miss Mammatt's room to hear more.

Several of us went to Cheltenham early in Term to see a Morality Play acted by the Elizabethan Stage Society. Those of us who could not spare a whole day for it were very sorry that the E.S.S. has not seen its wayto having another performance in Oxford, as they had done for the Extension Students in Vacation.

With all good wishes for the new year from the present students.

LILIAN ASH, Senior Student.

Permanent Postal Address, rs, Scarsdale Villas, Kensington, W. October zo, 190I. To the Editor of the " St. Hugh's Club Paper."

MY DEAR EDITOR, By the notice that you put in the last number of the Club Paper, which reached me as I was rusticating amid the mountains of Virginia, you have placed me in a rather difficult position. How much or how little of my travelling experiences will interest my fellow members of the S.H.C. ? And how am Ito select what to describe ? I feel tempted to give some accounts of New Orleans, with its French and Spanish associations, built beneath the level of the Mississippi, behind " levees," to keep it from destruction, and all the gaiety and picturesque folly of the Carnival that holds its sway in the town even before the Rex is escorted up the river amid the firing of rockets and continuous blowing of fog-horns, to take his seat upon the throne of his predecessors for the brief madness of a two days' reign ; of the journey south to the city of Mexico, lasting for seventy-three hours, during part of which, for some ten hours (from Torreon to Zacatecas) one passes through a desert where rain is unknown, and the dry cactus reigns amid the dusty plain (and such dust ! which permeates everything, even through double windows !), broken only by an occasional group of " adobe " cabins, or even rough huts at the wayside stations ; of the climb up the mining city of Zacatecas,where from the rear platform of the train one looked back over miles of the desert, as one zig-zagged up amid the large-flowering cactus and Spanish dagger, past mining claims and mines to the city bathed in the crimson light of the setting sun ; and of the descent to Guadalupe in the sudden dusk of the tropics, which made that city with its fine Cathedral and flat houses seem like Pompeii with some great Church built in its midst ; of the characteristic Mexican landscape, with its cactus and aloe and red pepper trees, its adobe houses, looking like brickkilns, its domed Churches and its miles of maguey plants, that wonderful " Universal Provider " of

•

Mexico, planted with irritatingly mathematical precision as far as the eye can reach. Happily for the patience of S.H.C., my six weeks in England is more than filled with preparation for my journey to India, so I must only touch on these points, and my return journey through the plains of Texas and the swamps of Louisiana, where palmettos grow in numberless thousands (uncared-for, and yet one in S. H. room would be the pride of its occupant !), across mighty rivers and through woods white with the cross-shaped flower of the dog-wood, with each petal bearing a brown stain like a nail-mark, due, they say, to the Cross having been made of the wood of this tree ; till I reached the beautiful mountain district of Virginia, where for four months I revelled in country pursuits, being eighteen miles distant from the nearest town, the road to which led though ten fords, and was impassable when the river was high, though happily our station was only seven-and-a-half miles away in another direction.

Of Mexico itself there seems so much to say that I am at a loss where to begin. The whole country is by far the most foreign foreign country I have ever been in. Even in the city itself, which is of course the most Europeanized portion, you never forget that you are in Mexico, whether the reminder comes from the sight of a fruit-seller squatted in a doorway (there seems to be no greengrocers' shops), or a tram drawn by two underfed, ovhworked mules, being nearly run down as it crosses the electric car lines, or the coachman of a private carriage, who is usually dressed in black with a soft felt hat, and somewhat resembles a Nonconformist minister ; or the horses of a " yellow " (or third-class) cab, a genus which I hope is not found in any other portion of the globe.

The English and American colonies are deserting the old quarter, where in my father's time the great gates and window shutters had to be solid, to turn the bullets of the revolutionary disturbances. Civilization in the city grovis apace, and I was staying at a house built near the lovely Passes which leads through an avenue of trees to Chapultapee, the Summer Palace of Montezuma and of Maximilian, a district where when my brother was there fourteen years ago, no one dared to walk after nightfall for fear of robbers.

But the interest of the visitor is naturally centred in the Plaza, where the Cathedral stands majestic, on the site of the old Temple, and the square is enclosed by the National Palace and the Municipal Offices erected

by Cortes, with colonnades, reminding one of the streets of Bologna. The Aztic Calendar Stone is now removed from the Cathedral to the Museum, for greater preservation ; but Hidalgo's bell still hangs above the entrance of the National Palace, to remind the people of their early heroes and martyrs in the struggle for freedom. I shall never forget how the Plaza looked on the night of the National Festival of May sth, when the buildings were all outlined in the national colours, red, white and green, and the national arms (the eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak) was over the main entrance, while the garden in the middle of the Square, and the bandstand, had quantities of little red lamps twinkling in the darkness. All round, fireworks were being set off and rockets sent up, while a dense crowd of natives admired from the shelter of the colonnades. In the roadway, indeed, it was possible to move, but here over fires they were cooking and selling food, and as the flames cast flickering lights over the Indian groups (the men wearing serapes and sombreos, the women indigo-dyed rebozos) squatted about. It was a scene worthy of the brush of a Rembrandt. Indeed, the varied picturesqueness of the natives was a constant

source of delight to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed the Festival days. On Maundy Thursday and Easter Eve the Plaza was crowded with booths, mainly for the sale of " Judas " rattles. Every Mexican child has to have a rattle for the sound of Judas bones on Easter Eve ; and large figures, like our Guy Fawkes, are sold to be blown up, while smaller ones, bearing a strong resemblance to the conventional Mephistopheles, are used for toys. It is almost incredible how many forms rattles can take, from dainty silver filagree and inlaid wood to rough carts and tin pans, probably made in Birmingham. I eagerly pursued the native products, while the Indians who had the others, looked with scorn and amusement on my purchases.

I had another experience of a Fair at the Festival of Flowers on the Vigo Canal. We drove out at seven in the morning, but were very late, for it had started with dawn ! Here the roadway by the canal was crowded with carriages and horsemen, the latter usually arrayed in the picturesque glories of silver adorned " charro " costume. The path was filled by those on foot and the vendors of all sorts of goods.

It was a point of custom to wear a chain of flowers and carry a blossom of " angel's hair" (I don't know what it really is) stuck on a stick ; accordingly we complied. The flower-decked boats rowed up and down the canal towards the floating gardens of S. Anita (which, alas ! are now somewhat ‘prosaic), or were moored by the bank while their owners sold their fragrant loads. Later in the-,day I was told that there would be too much " pulque " to make the scene pleasant or even safe, but we thoroughly enjoyed the couple of hours we mingled in the gaily-dressed crowd.

One day I visited the Guadalupe, near Mexico, which is the shrine of the Indian's patron Madonna, for here is kept the blanket on which she impressed her image and declared herself their protectress. It is the object of many a pilgrimage, which originally was finished by coming on knees from the city of Mexico, along a route marked by frequent shrines. It was my first experience of a real Mexican city, with women cooking * tortillas " in the market-places and giving you them hot to eat off the charcoal embers !

We drank at the well of water which ensures return, and really one deserves some recompense for the nauseous draught which the inhabitants take without a grimace. I was the first to try, and as I would not let the others off, the natives thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle.

I paid a hasty visit to Vera Crus to have the pleasure of seeing the wonderful scenery, as one zig-zags up a gradient of forty degrees to 8,000 feet above the sea-level. We passed first through the tropical region where the lybiscus and orchid were in bloom, and on through miles of coffee plantations, till we saw the white peak of Orizaba rising in front of us, its base concealed in a haze that made it seem mysterious and unearthly. I think it is even more beautiful than Popocatupelt, my old geographical enemy that I used to say good morning to from my window in the city. We climbed up the height at last, looking down at the town we had left an hour before, lying like some toy at our feet ; and we passed on through the great maguey district, where I tasted pu/que. One sip was enough, for, as one of my friends remarked, it was " like sour milk turned sour." We also passed the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, as I did again on my way to Peubla. Of that city with its myriad churches, of the canon through which the railway passes to Oaxaca, a town apparently utterly

free from any European influence, and of mylaughable adventures in this the first excursion I had taken utterly alone, I must not pause to speak. Suffice it to say that I refused to take advantage of the Governor of Oaxaca's invitation to travel down by his special train, and found afterwards that I had sacrificed the opportunity of a lifetime to discretion, as a peon band played in each station decorated in his honour, and three regiments were drawn up to greet him when he arrived 1 From Peubla I visited the Pyramid of Cholula, a wonderful monument of the patience of the early inhabitants. From the distance it stands sharply defined in form and crowned by a church ; but when one is on it, it is so overgrown with trees and shrubs that one can hardly believe it is an artificial mound. The place seems to be composed of churches, and the custodian of that at the top of the pyramid told me that it had been a larger city than Peubla, till a pestilence caused the inhabitants to forsake it for the latter place. Much more wonderful and interesting were the ruins of Mitla which we reached by a twenty-five mile drive in a coach and six (five mules and a pony) over bumpy country roads, inches deep in dust. I wish I could stop to describe the crowds of Indians coming from all distances to market with their heavy loads on their backs, the families seated upon the patient burro, the oxen with their heavy yokes upon their heads drawing carts with solid square wooden wheels, the hedges of organ cactus, the horses and donkeys treading out the corn, the market at a country town, the inn where we lunched, etc., etc. The hacienda where we slept had clean, bare rooms, and a corridor opening on to the patio, gay with pomegranate and other flowers, and with a well in the centre, while a number of birdcages hung in the colonnade, where after dinner native musicians played that I might be introduced to the national dances.

The palaces, temples, or whatever you please to call them at Mitla were in one respect a disappointment to me. I had heard them so frequently compared to Pompeii, that I expected something much more extensive. They were, however, most wonderful.

The hugh monolith columns and mighty lintels over the doors (on one of which the barbarians of the present day have chiselled an inscription about the President's preservation of the ruins, etc., etc.) and their massive supports, make one wonder whether our boasted advance in engineering is really so great.

But the most fascinating part is the scheme of decoration which some writers term " mosaic," as it seems to be composed of small stones, each chiselled to take its place in the pattern. I was much interested to note that the " Greek key pattern" and variants of it, were of frequent occurrence both in the "audience chambers " and underground passages. The natives, who a few years ago fled from visitors, are now becoming very sophisticated, and try to sell little images, mostly counterfeit, though of course the fragment given to me is genuine.

It is with much regret that even on paper I again bid good bye to Mexico, but fear to tax your patience further. I must, however, tell you a tale against myself which may amuse you. As I travelled back from Niagara Falls to Buffalo, an official of the Exhibition came up and asked me with much interest whether I were " part of the Eur-Ăś-Rean exhibit." I am still wondering whether I look like a "side-show."

Wishing all prosperity to the Club, though unable to attend its meetings, Sincerely yours, ELLIE B. L. WATSON.