ters began to improve, and the
Married Persons Amusements Act showed a more tolerant spirit towards
the elderly. But even so lately as when my mother was a child young
people were often exceedingly harsh with their parents, and she has
told me how on one occasion she locked up her mother for several hours
in the coal-cellar for playing a mouth-organ in the bathroom without
permission.

_Richard._ Pray, Mamma, did the English speak Irish then, as they do
now?

_Mrs. M_. Compulsory Irish was introduced under ALFRED as a concession
to Ireland for the services rendered by that kingdom to art and
literature and the neutrality which it observed during England's wars.
There was a certain amount of opposition, but it was soon overcome
by ALFRED'S wisely insisting on the newspapers being printed in both
languages. Since then the variations in dialect and pronunciation
which prevailed in different districts of England have largely
disappeared, and from Land's End to John o' Groat's the bilingual
system is now securely established, though my mother told me that as a
child she once met an old man in Northumberland who could only speak a
few words of Irish, and had been deprived of his vote in consequence.

_Richard_. What were the Thirty-Nine Articles? I don't think I ever
heard of them before.

_Mrs. M_. When you are of a proper age to understand them they shall
be explained to you. They contained the doctrines of the Church of
England, but were abolished by Archbishop WELLS, who substituted
seventy-eight of his own. But as Mary is looking tired I will now
conclude our conversation.

* * * * *

THE MOTH PERIL.

["Fruit growers are warned to be on their guard against
the wingless moth, for lime-washing the trees is almost
useless."--_Evening Paper_.]

If the brute ignores the notice, "Keep off the trees," order him away
in a sharp voice.

Sulphuric acid is a most deadly antidote; but only the best should be
used. If the moth be held over the bottle for ten minutes it will show
signs of collapse and offer to go quietly.

This pest abhors heat. A good plan is to heat the garden-roller in the
kitchen fire to a white heat and push it up the tree.

A gramophone in full song, is also useful. After a few minutes the
moth will come out of its dug-out with an abstracted expression on its
face, and commit suicide by jumping into the mouth of the trumpet.

* * *