sterling. But their grand defeat by a I was there in 1873, but it seems like

garrison of only seven thousand British occurred September 13, 1782.

Gibraltar seems likely to soon be brought prominently before the public, inasmuch as a very influential deputation on the subject of its national importance, and the necessity of keeping pace with the times, has waited on Lord Rosebery, K.G. (this summer), and has been permitted to express its views, to which the premier promised consideration

yesterday that the black smoke curled from the funnel of the troopship, and Young ladies whose motto is, Ah, the screw lashed the water into foam que j'aime les militaires! find respon- as we went on our way. Very soon sive echoes all over Gibraltar; indeed, the windows of the houses became inthe Rock has been likened to a red ant-distinct, and the trees of the Alameda hill. Traversing the barrack-like town, blended with the Rock; but away we you meet red-coated guards and sen- went, and finally Gibraltar seemed coutries in white tunics, artillerymen in tracted into one dimension, which gradsome other uniform, squads of men ually faded from our sight. returning from rifle practice at the neutral ground, and numerous officers and Tommy Atkinses, posing as military gentlemen, taking their pleasure. No doubt, the narrow limits of the Rock are influenced by the color of the coat. The Oriental origin of the houses is self-evident. There are plenty of flat-roofed edifices, overhanging foliage, rugged white wall, and cell-like window, but there is a counterbalancing element in the shape of street names Victoria Terrace or Nelson Place, for instance. Incongruous elements abound amongst the shops, with their curious advertisements of retailing Bass's Pale Ale, ginger beer, or lemonade. Jack Tars in white, on leave from their ships, are sprinkled among the street passengers. There is a fine race-course on the isthmus, and a wonderful garrison library, with all sorts and conditions of excellent books. The peninsula of Spain, the queen of Spain's chair, and the far-distant mountains of Ronda are visible, and it is a glorious sight in fine weather to witness the setting sun sinking, as waves. it were, in the broad Atlantic, in a bath of golden dying light..

The Calpe Hunt has usually many patrons among the ladies and gentlemen of the garrison, and rides in Spain are among the attractions. An agreeable one day's excursion into Africa can often be taken, and it is pleasant to take a five or six hours' run up the Mediterranean, in the English steamer which usually leaves weekly for Malaga. There is frequent communication with Cadiz, Seville, and Grenada, at which latter place are the marvellous Alhambra buildings. But it is time to say adieu to the majestic Calpe.

E. MITCHELL, Colonel, late Royal Engineers.

From The National Review.

A RELUCTANT EVANGELIST. IN the ladies' saloon of the Amazon I first made the acquaintance of Mrs. Fairfax. The surroundings of our first meeting were hardly propitious, for we were neither of us at our best. The Amazon was still in the tropics, and, while the heat was stifling, a heavy sea was running, and above and on all sides a sullen grey sky touched a still greyer expanse of dreary, towering

The Caribbean Sea is never famed for its smoothness, and we had not even a favorable example, as some of us found to our cost. We were somewhere between Haiti and Barbadoes, and already the atmosphere of glamourthat clings around the "fairy islands of the west was passing away.

Enthusiastic tourists were fast forgetting their raptures over the mystic blues of the jagged island peaks, and their admiration of the tangles of strange trees and flowers, in their keen. desire to reach home and its comforts. once more. Already at this distance memories of the beauties they had left

were becoming overshadowed by yet made dinted marks on one's cheek if more vivid recollections of the tough one tried to rest one's head against its steaks they had vainly battled with, surface for more than a minute at a and the innumerable tins of condensed time. A couple of plates filled with milk and doubtful butter that had been the unappetizing relics of an uneaten sacrificed in the futile endeavor to allay meal stood on the fixed round table in their healthy English appetites. the corner, and the odor of stale food Their eyes and imaginations had in- added to the faint and detestable smell deed been feasted by the beauties of of weak brandy and water, with which nature, but where the West Indies are the stewardess had felt it her duty to concerned, tropical abundance comes provide us, pervaded the whole cabin. to a standstill at the kitchen door. I had not touched my share, neither Through the open window of the sa-had my companion hers, we had both loon I could hear a returning passen- been far too wretched; and so the two ger, satiated with clammy bananas, and glasses stood side by side with a wouldthe inevitable yam, declaiming to a be convivial air that only seemed to sympathetic although limited audience make them appear the more melanon the superior merits of good English choly. cream and bread and butter over all the boasted delicacies of the tropics.

As the afternoon wore on, the sea grew calmer, and passive weakness. succeeded to abject misery. I began to wish the stewardess would come, if only to take away those horrible plates, in which heaps of stodgy-looking potatoes were cooling in a pool of fat gravy beside a congealed mutton chop.

His remarks were acquiesced in from time to time by his appreciative hearers, but although sound in themselves, they struck me as rather cruel; but then I was not a fair judge, for I was ill myself, being a bad sailor. It was in consequence of the "cruel empire of the wave "that I had retired into the ladies' saloon in search of such peace and quiet as the groaning, creaking steamer could afford, content to remain a helpless and forlorn bundle of humanity on the hard and narrow cush-skylight; to wonder if I should be "all ions of that uninteresting asylum.

Speculations arose in my mind as to whether it would not be advisable to risk a downfall, and to get outside into the fresh air, in spite of the grey clouds and the fine rain that could still be seen descending through the nearest

right by the next day, and lastly to I was not, however, alone, for on take a perfunctory interest in my unthe opposite bench lay another bundle fortunate fellow-sufferer on the oppoeven more forlorn-looking than myself. site bench. I had not as yet seen her The ladies' saloon was not a pleasant face, for she was lying huddled up in a place, although, if I may believe the large knitted shawl, worn evidently handbook of the steamship company, it more for the purpose of concealing any had been "fitted up regardless of ex-deficiencies in her attire than for pense in the most costly and elegant warmth. modern style." It certainly had plenty of carved woodwork of shining yellow maple full of eyes."

66

I felt some curiosity who she could be, and then I dimly remembered a tall man with a fair little woman and two children coming on board at Jacmel.

I never admired maple wood, and I have hated it ever since, for during the There had been some surprise at many weary hours I lay there helpless, seeing European passengers from such the countless " eyes" appeared to my a port at the time. It came back to feverish brain to take shape, and to me now that some one had said the stare down on me with relentless and man was a missionary, and that he was heartless disdain. The cushions, al-sending home his wife and family for though covered with an expensive the summer, although he himself refigured rep of a violent blue, were stiffmained in Haiti.

and unyielding, and the raised pattern The woman that came on board was

sick with fever, for she had to be car-about thirty years of age, and in her ried to her cabin, and as I knew all the own style still rather pretty, although other passengers by sight, I felt this her face bore traces of illness and a must be her. bad climate.

of course I had my came scarlet with excitement, while her voice was hoarse with indignation at the idea.

sometimes. Yes.
children. That Mrs. Smith, who has
the opposite cabin to me, is looking
after the little girl now I'm far too
bad to attempt it myself-and as to
the boy
well he can shift for him-
self right enough. He has to, poor
little chap, for Mr. Fairfax- that's my
husband, you know never can spare
the time to see after him. He's got so
much to do with the prayer meetings
and studies and so on, and I'm sure
even if I were well, which I'm not, I
never could look after a big boy of his
age.

“Ah! you wonder at seeing me look so angry," she said, after a pause, and more calmly, "but I have a right to be so. Just listen, and I'll tell you the whole of my story, and then say if any woman has not a right to feel taken in. Mind, I'm not saying that Mr. Fairfax is not a good man, and clever too in his way. Some folks over in England think he's even doing a fine thing for coming out here, and call it grand, and goodness knows what "I married over young, you see,' "rubbish besides. And as a minister she went on, "far too young I think that may be all very fine, but as my sometimes, and of course I cannot husband, John Fairfax, I consider he's manage a big rough boy of ten, al-treated me shamefully been as downthough he is a fine fellow in spite of the last year in that horrid Haiti."

I am afraid she said "'orrid 'Aiti," but I will be generous, and supply all her missing aspirates.

right cruel to me and the children as though he'd beaten and starved us, and yet he's preaching forever and ever about our duties in life. I'd like to duty him, and show him what I think about it, I can tell you.

"Did you ever live in Haiti?" she | questioned eagerly. "No? Lucky "Little did I think when I married

for you you have not, for it's just the most awful God-forsaken place in the world, and such horrid black people· so rude and disobliging, with such vile tempers.

him- But there, no one knows how husbands will turn out. They're the chanciest things in life, and many the steady lad that turns out a brute, and the larky one as true as steel.

"It's most unhealthy too, leastwise "I'm a London girl, you know — at where we were, and that is why my least, I was. My father lives in Hollohusband had to send me and the chil- way, and is a watchmaker by trade. I dren home, for I was so ill I could stay suppose I'm Yorkshire now, for Mr. no longer. The doctor said it would be Fairfax comes from somewhere near sure to kill me if I stayed on another Leeds, where all his folks live. I was summer, ," she added with a singular a neat-handed girl, and quick, and I note of triumph in her voice. Her ill- was apprenticed to a milliner in Oxford health and its consequences were evi- Street. A splendid business she had, dently causes for jubilation in her mind, too, and beautiful hats and bonnets did and although, as I listened to her she make, such as it was a pleasure to words, my dreams as to her wifely handle none of those two-and-elevendevotion were rapidly melting away, I pence-three-farthings rubbish of flowcould not altogether wonder at her mental attitude. "My husband says I am to come back in six months when I am better; but I shan't get better, at least, not to be well enough to come back," she added confidently. "I know I shan't, for I'd die sooner — far, "My father was nothing in particufar sooner than go back to that horrid |lar, but my mother went to chapel, and hole." Mr. Fairfax came to help the minister at our chapel soon after I took up with the bonnets. He lodged in the house

Her eyes blazed as she spoke. The pink spots in each hollow cheek be

ers and feathers did you catch our madame using, but always the best of materials right through; and of course she asked prices to match. I did enjoy those bonnets," she added pensively, after an instant's pause.

next door to ours, and he saw me at too, for we had nice furniture and two the Bible-class and at our summer splendid clocks - —one a gilt one, like a treat; and well-I was a pretty girl. lion, in a glass case, and one in white I can say it now that my looks are marble, given him by some of the congone, for I've grown a perfect fright gregations he had preached to — and a since I left England, and he pretty real silver cream-jug that was pre80011 came to my father and asked sented by the Sabbath School in Lonleave to marry me.

"We had three children then-the two I have now and a baby girl. They "I liked him, of course, well enough, were all such fine children, and 80 but I was not so pleased as they were, healthy and rosy. Oh! it was a nice for I thought I would rather wait and time, and every one praised Mr. Fairhave some fun first before I settled fax far and near, and said what a lot of down; but still I let myself be per-good he had done already in the town. suaded into it. Poor things," she I was as happy a woman as you could added, with a genuine sigh, "we none wish to see, and a happy woman I of us guessed then what kind of man might be still but for the nonsensical Mr. Fairfax would turn out."

ideas Mr. Fairfax chose all of a sudden Ito take up, although he likes to persuade himself it was a call."