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AS GOOD AS GOLD. I. CHAPTER XXXI.-(ConUnu6d.) HdntfbArd was more affected by this than he cared to let them perceive, and be turned aside to the window again. A general murmur of agreement fol- lowed the CtommUsioner's words ; and the meeting dispersed. When they were gone Hencliard regarded the watch they had returned to him. '"Tia- n't mine hy rights." he said to himself. "Why the devil didn't they take it » â€"I don't wMit wliflt don't tielong to me." Moved hy a recaVlection, he took the watch to the maker's just opposite, •old it there and then for what the tradesman offered, and went with the proceeds to one among the smaller of his creditors, a cottager of Dummer- ford. in straitened vircumstaQoes, to whom he handed the money. When everything was ticketed that Benchard had owned, and the auction nverc in* progress, there was quite a sympathetic reaction in the town, which till then for some time past had done nothing t>ut condeimn him. Now that Hencbard's whole career was pictured distinctly to his 'neighbors, and they could see how admirably be had used bis one talent of energy to create a pos- ition of affluence out of atwolutely no- thingâ€"which was really all be could show when he came to the town as a journeyman haytrussor, with his wim- ble and knife in his basketâ€" they won- dered, and regretted his fail. Try lis she might, Elizabeth could never meet with him. She believed in bun stUi, though nobody else did ; and she wanted to foe allowed to forgive him for bis roughness to her, and to help him In bis trouble. 6be wrote to him; he did not reply. She then went to bis bouseâ€" the great house she had lived in so happily for a timeâ€" with its front of dun brick, vcrti- fied here and there, and its heavy sash- Iwrsâ€" but Henchard waa to be found there no more. The ex-Mayor had left the home of his prosperity, and gone into Jopp's cottage by tb« Priory Mill â€"the sad purlieu to which he bad wan- dered on the night of his discovery that she was not bis daughter. Tbitber she went. Klizalietb thought it odd that be had fixed on this sg>ot to retire to. but as- sumed that necessity liad no choice. Trees which seeuned old enough to have been planted by the friars still stood around, and the back hatch of the ori- ginal mill yet formed a cascade which bad raised its terrific roar for cen- turies. The cottage it.se.lf was built of old stones from the long-dismantled Priory, scraps of tracery, moulded win- dow-jam<)e. and arcb-lal>eU, Ijeing mix- ed in with the rubble of the walls. i In this cottage he occupied a couple of rooms. Joi)p, whom Hencliard had \ employed, abused, cajoled, and dismiss- j ed by turns, b<*lng the liouseholder. Hut I even here her stepfather could not be ' seen. I "Not by his daughter t" pleaded Kliza- i betb. I "fly nolx)dyâ€" at present: that's his order." she was informed. i Afterwards she was passinv by the ' corn-stores and tiay-lnrns which had been the headquarters of his busin- < ess. She knew that he ruled there no' longer; but it was with amazement l that she regarded the familiar pate- I way. A amear of decisive lead-colored galnt had lieen laid on to obliterate , [«tichard's name, thnuKb its letters dimly loomed through like ships in a i fog. Over these in fresh white, i spread the name of Farfrae. | Aliol 'Whittle, was edi^in^ his skele- i ton in at the wicket, and she said, "Mr. ' Farfrae is ma.stcr here ?" I "Yaas, Miss Henchet," be said, "Mr.] Farfrae have bought the concern and I all of we work-folk with it; and 'tis l>etU'r for us than 'twasâ€" (hough I , shouldn't sav that to you as a rtaugh- ! ter-law. we work harder, but we bain't made afeard now. It wag fear i madi> my few poor hairs so thin. No bustiiifr out. no flamming of doors, no fueddlmg with yer eternal soul and all that ; and thoufrh 'tis a shilling a we<(k I less, I'm the richer man ; tor what's all the world if yer mind is always in , s ^larry. Mi.ss Henchet »" | The intelligenne was in a general sen«> true ; and Hencbard's store, which i had remained in a paralysed condition . during the fcethlement of hl.i bank- ruptcy, were stirred into activlly again , when the new tenant had pnsHe.ssion. Thenceforward the full sacks, looped with the shining chain, went scurrying i up and down under the cathead, hairy anus were thrust out from the differ- ent â-  doorways, and the grain was haul- ' ed in ; trusses of hay were tossed anew in and out of the harns, and the wipi- blos creaked ; while the scales and steel- yards Imgan to lie busy where guess- work bad formerly l)eon the rule. CIIAPTBR XXXII. Two bridges stood near the lower part of Casterbririge town. The first, of weather-stained iirirk, was inunediately at the end of High Street, ^vhere a diverging branch of that thoroughfare ran round to the low- , lyin^ Ikitnnierford lanes; no that the I prerinots of 'the bridge formed the- â- nerging point of respectability and in- I digenoe. The second bridge, (if stone, was farther out on tlui highwayâ€" In i fact, fairly in I lie mendo-va, though still within the town Imiuularv. j For to this pair of Irldges gravitated all the failures of the town ; those who had fal.I'vl in business in love, in so- briety, in crinw. Why the unhappy hsrealHjut usually chose the bridges for theJr meditations in preference to a railing, a gate, or a stile, was not â- o dear. { There was a marked difference of '• quality between the personnf^es who naunted the near bridge of brick, and | tho iiersonages who haunted the far oae of stime. Those of lowest character preferred the former, ad joining the Coivn ; they did not mind the glare of, the publio eft. They had been of oom- ' paratively no account during their siic- ccsses ; and. though they mijght feel dis- pirited, they had no particular sense of shame in their ruin. Their hands were mostily kept in their pockets ; they, wore a leather strap round their waists; and iKjots that required a great deaL of lacing, but seemed never to get any. Instead of sighing at their adversities they spat, and instead of saying the iron had entered into their souls they said they were down on their luck. Jopp in his times of distress bad often stood here ; so had Mather Cuxvom, Christo- pher Coney, and poor Abel Whittle. The miserables who stood on the re- moter bridge were of a. politer stamp. They included ibankriipts, hypochon- driacs, persons who were what is call- ed "out of a situation," from fault or lucklessness, the inefficient of the pro- fp.ssi onal classâ€" shabby-genteel men, who did not know how to get rid of the weary tune between breakfast and din- ner, and the yet more weary time l)e- tween dinner and dark. The eves of this group were mostly directea over the parapet upon the running water be- low. A man seen there looking thus fixedly into the river was pretty sure to 1)6 one whtvn the world did not treat kindly for some reason or other. While those in straits on the townward bridge did not mind who saw them so. and kept their backs to the parapet to sur- vey the passers-by, those in straits an this never faced the road, never turned their heads at coming footsteps, but, sensitive to their condition, watched the current whenever a stranger approach- ed, as if some strange fish interested tham, though every finned thing had l)een poached out of the river years be- fore. I To this bridge came Henchard as the other unfortunates had come iHjfore him, his way thither Iteiug by the river- side path on the chilly edge of the town. Here he was standing one windy after- noon when Uuimmerfurd church clock struck five. While the gusts were bringing the notes to hi:> ears across the damp intervening flat a man passed l)ehind him, and greeted Henchard by name, Henchard turned slightly, and saw the comer was Jopp, his old fore- man, now^ employed elsewhere, to whom, though he hat,ed him. he had gone for lodgings. t)ecause Jupp was the one man in Casterbridge whose obser- vation and opinion the fallen corn-mer- chant despised to the point of indif- ference. Ueuehard returned him a scarcely perueptiiyie nod, and .lupp stopped. "He and sh<! are gone into their aevA house to-day," said Jopp. "Oh." said Henchard absently. "Which house is that ?" "Your old one." "Gone into my bouse f" And. start- ing up, Henchard added, "My bouse of all others in the to«n !" "Well, as somebody was sure to live there, and you couldn't, it can do ye no harm that he's the man." It was quite true; he felt that it was doing him no harm. Farfrae, who had already takeu the yards and stores, had acquired possession of the house for the obvious convenience of its conti- puily. And yet this act of his tak- ing up residence within those roomy chauil>ers while l.e, their former tenant, lived in a cottage, galled him indes- cri'bal>ly. Jopp continued: "And you heard ol that fellow who Ixiught all the best furniture at your .sa.e t Ho was bid- ding for no other thau Farfrae all the whilo. It has never been moved out of the house, ao he'd already got tbu lease," "My furniture too! Surely he'll buy my l>ody and soul likewise." "There's no saying he won't, if you lie willing to sell." And having plant- ed tbj-se wounds in the heart of his once imp<tri«>u.s ina.sler. Jopp went on his way ; while llciiciiard stared and stared into the racing river till the bridge seemed moving backward with him. The low land grew blacker, and the sky a deeper gray. When the land- scape looked like a picture blotted in Willi ink. another traveller approached tho great stune bridge. He was <lriv- ing a gig. bis direction l>eing also town- wards. On the round of the middle of the arch the gig sioppud. "Mr. Hen- chard f" cam« froiii it in the voice of Farfrae. Henchard turned his face. Finding that he had guessed rightly, Farfrae toid the man w lio accompanied him to drive homo • while he alighted, and went up to his former friend. "I have lieard that you think of emi- grating. Mr. Henchard" bu said. "Is It true? I have a real leason for ask- ing." flemdiard withheld his answer for several in.stant:.. and then said, "Yes; It is true. 1 am going where you were going to a fevN years ago. when I pre- veiilwl you and got you to l>ide here. 'Tis turn and turn about, isn't it f Do you mind how we stood like this on the bridge when I persuaded ye to slay? You then stood without a chattel to your name, and t was the master of the house in Corn titieet. But now 1 stand without a stick or a rag, and the mas- ter of that hous<? is you." "Yes. yes ; it i» hu. Such is the course of things." said Fartrae. "Ha. ha, true!" \;ried Henchard, throwing himself into a mood of jocu- larity. "Up and down 1 I'm used to it. Wliat's the odds after all I" "Now listen to me, if it's no taking up your lime," said Kurfrea, "just as on't go, S I listened to you. Don't go. Stay at hdime." "Hut I can do nothing else, man," sail! Henchard scornfully. "The money 1 have will just keep lx>dy and soul together for a tew weeks, and no more. I have not felt inclineil to go lack to journey-work yet â-  '-ut I can't stay do- ing nothing, and my liest chauoo is else- where," "No ; but what I propose is thisâ€" if ye will listen. Come and live in your old house. We can spare some rooms very wellâ€" I am sure my lylfe would not mind it at allâ€" until there's an oiKining for ye." Henchard started. Prol>ably the pic- ture drawn by the unsu3l>ecling lion- aid of hintseir under the same roof with LuoHlla was too striking to lie re- ceived with equanimily. "No, no," be said gruffly; "wu should quarrel." "You .should h.ao a |»art to yourself," said Farfrae; "and nobo<ly would in- terrupt you. It wiJl be healtheir thon down there by the river where you live now." Still Henchard refused. "You don't know whiit you ask," ha said. "How- ever. I can do no less than thank ye." They walked into the town together side by side, as they bad done when Hunchard persuaded the young Scotch- man to remain. "Will you come in and have some supperl" said Farfrae, when they reached the middle of the town whnre their paths diverged right and left. "No, no." "By thji by, T had nearly forgot, I boughit a good deal of your furniture." "So I have hearcL" "Well, it wna no that I wanted it so very much for myseJi; but I wish ys to pick out all that you care to have â€" such things as may be endeared to ya by associations, or particularly suited to your use. And take them to your own house^it (will not lje depriving me; we cjin do with less very well, and I will have plenty of opportunities of getting more." "Whatâ€" give it to me for nothing?" said Henchard. "But you paid the cred- itors for it." "Ah, yea; but maybe it's worth more to you thin It is to mo." Henctmrd was a little moved. "I â€" sometimes think I've wronged yel" be said, in tones which showed the dis- quietude that the night shades bid in his face. He shook Farfrae abruptly by his hand, and hastened away as if un- willing to lietray himself farther. Far- frae saw him turn through the thor- oug-hfare into Bull Slake and vanish down towards tl»e Priory Mill. Meanwhile dizaljeth-Jane, in an up- per room, no larger than the Prophet's chamlwr, and with the silk attire of her palmy days packed away in a box, was netting with great industry between the hours which she devoted to study- ing such (moks as she could get hold of. Her lodgings being nearly opposite her stepfather's former residence, now Farfrae's, she could see Donald and Lucetta apeedin^r in and out of their door with all the liounding enthusiaan of their situation. She avoided look- ing that way as much as possiblei, but it was ibardly in human nature to keep the, eyes averted when the door slam- mnd. 1 IWhilie living on thus quietly she heard the news that Henchard bad caught cold and was confined to his room â€" possibly a result of standing about the meads in damp weather. She went off to fajs house at once. This time she was determined not to be denied admittance, and made her way upfltairs. He was sitting up in lied with a great-coat round him, and at first resented her intrusion. "Go away â€" go away," be said. "I don't like to see ye! "But, fathier " "I don't like to see ye." he repeated. However, tbe ice was broken, and she remained. Bhe made the room more comfortable, gave directions to tbe peo- ple below, and by the time she went away liad reconciled her stepfather to her visiting him.. The effect, eijtber of her ministrations or of ber mere presence, was a rapid recovery. He soon was well enough to go out; and now things sieemed to wear a new color in his eye^. He no long- er thought of emigration, and thought more of Klizabeth. Tbe having nothing to do made him more dreary than any other circumstance; and one day, with better views of Farfri^e than be hail held for some lime, and a sense that honest work watt not a thing to l;e asAuim«d of, he stoically went down to Farfrae's yard and asked to be taken on a.s a journto-wan huy-trusser. Ha was engaged at once. This hiring of H-jnchard was done through a toremaii, Farfrae feeling that II was undkiairaide to come iht- sonally iii c.onlaut with the ex-corn-fac- tor more than was alwolulely necessary. Wiiilc anxious to help him be was well aware by this lime of uis uncertain temper, anil ibnughi. reserved relaliuus bcAl. For Ihe same reason, his orders to Henchard to proceed to this and that country farm trussing in the lUiual way wore uKvay.s given through a third (lerson. For a time these arrangements work- ed well, it being the custom to truss in the resijeclivu slack-yards, before bringing it away, the hay iViught at the diXfi;reut farms about tlH! ueighlwr- hood; so that llt-nchard was odea ab- sent at such places tho whole week long. WJien this was all done, and H'..'iichard had Ijecome in a niiasure broken in, he came to work daily on th«! home premises like tbe rest. And thus the once flourishing merchant and Mayor and wliut not stood us a day- laborer in the liarns and granaries he formerly bad owned. "I have worked as a journeyman be- fore now, ha 'n't 11" he would say' in hut dafiant way; "and why shouldn't; 1 do it again?" But iw looked a far different journeyniiiu from the one he had Ixien in his earlier days. 'iben he bad worn clean, suitable clothes, light and cheerful in hue; leggings yel- low as manijolds, corduroys iuimacu- hito as new flax, and a neckerohief like a flower-garden. Now he wore the remains of an old tilue cloth suit of ihis gentlemanly times, a rusty silk hat, and a once black satin stock, soiled and MhalJuy. Clad thus, ha went lo and fro, still comi>aralively an active manâ€" tor liio was uui much over fortyâ€" and saw with the other men in the yard Don- ald Farfrae going in and ouL the green door that led to tho garden, and tho big hoiue, and Lucelta. At the beginning of the winter it was rumored about Casterbridge that Mr. Farfrae, already in tlio Town Council, was to lie proposed for Mayor in a year or two, "Ye«; she was wise, she was wise in ber generalioul" said Henchard to him- self when he beard of this one day on his way to Farfraa's hay-barn. He thought it over us be wimbled bis bonds, and the pi«ce of news acted as a reviviscent breath to that old view of hisâ€" of Donald Farfraa as his tri- um{iiliant rival who rod« rough-shod over hinu "A fellow of bis age going to be Mayor, Indeedt" he murmured with a corner-drawn smile on his mouth. "But 'tis her money that floats en uinvard. Ha-ha bow cuMt odd it is I Here be I, bis former master, working for him na roan, and U^ the man standing as master, with my houae and my furni- ture and my intended wife alt his own." He acxxirdingly laiiaed into moodiness, and at every alltuion to the possilibity of Farfrae's near election to the mu- nicipal chair his former hatred of the Scotchman returned. Concurrently with I his be underwent a moral change. It resulted in his significantly saying every now and then, in tones of reck- lessness, "Only a fortnighit morel"â€" "Only a dozen daysl" and so forth, les- â- anlng his figures day by day. "Why d'ye say only a dozen days?" asked Siilumon Longways as he work- ed beside Henchard in tbe granary weighing oats. " IVcause in twelve days I shall be released from my oatlk" "What oatbl" "The oath to drink no snirituous liquid. In twelve days it will be twen- ty years since I swore it, and then I mean to enjoy myself, please God." Klizabeth)-Jane sat at her window one Sunday, and while there she heard in the street l>eIow a conversation which introduced Henchard's name. .She was wondering what was the matter, when a third person who was passing by ask- ed the question in ber mind. "Michael Henchard have busted out drinking after taking nothing for twen- ty years." Klizabe'bbrJane jiuufied up, put on her things, and went out. (To be continued.) CLOSE CALL FOR JACK TAR. jHiit ait Ihe Shark Wa» Abaal to ttrab Him a SwoMOili Oct the Mhark. "Speaking of wonderful adventures," said the retired sea Captain," I doubt if anything ever was more wonderful than tbe oue I'm going to teJi you. It happened a good many years ago, but that doesn't alter its excellence nor in- terfere with its truth. I was first mate on tbe I>uively Lou of Bangor, and we had been on our way to South Ameri- ca for about four weeks. The wind bad left tbe ship during the last day of this period, and we were dipping our peak to a lolling swell that seemed to come from nowhere and return to tho same place without making a ripple on the blue surface of tbe ocean. The sails were all set and their shadows fell clear upon the glassy surface, but where the sun fell tbe water was as clear as crystal. We were well with- in tbe tropics then, and several big sharks had lieen seen playing about tbe vessel. Suddenly there came a splash and the cook ran to where I was stand- ing on the poop deck, crying that one of the sailors had tumbled overboard. The Lou had no way, and I laughed at tbe idea of him drowning, telling tbe cook to thro)kv hum a rope, walking to the rail as I did so. Tbe sailor was swimming aliout the quarter enjoying his bath when I suddenly saw an om- inous black fin make its appearance a hundred yards or so from the ship. I yelled for the rope, and as I yelled I saw the fin move toward the sailor. cutting the water like a knife. I knew that unless tbe man was taken out quickly be would be devoured, and rushed to tbe cabin grating to get a line. Sidzing a piece of rope I hast- ened to the rail just in time lo see tbe form of an immense shark turn on its side to seize the sailor. As he did so there was an instant's glimpse of a long brown body, and then the water was slashed into a s'>a of yeasty foam, the shark seemingl) l>eing in trouble. I threw the line, and in a moment the sailor was alioaid. s>'ared out of his wits, but safe and .sound; The threshing in the water still continuing, we proceeded to investigate, and directly we were able to si^e that the shark had lieen pinned by a large swordfish. tbe sword running through the jaws of the shark in such a manner as to prevent the fish from opening them. Whether tho shark's antagonist had deliiierately at- t.u-ked the shark we know not. but its timely and unexpected appearance saved the sailor's life l>eyond a doubt, as an- other instant would have sent the teeth of the shark into the bo<ly of the man. We managed to release the sword from the shark and killed tbe latter, letting the other go free. It was a narrow squeak. I tell you." AN EXPLOSIVE BEAN. II HanU With a Loutl Ueport Whra It Tourhr4 Water. A very curious fruit has recently been discovered growing wild in Batavia and a sample has lieen sent to a French proft«sor of botany at Paris to whom we are indebted for a description. It is entirely devoid of flavor, and is hardly likely ever to find a welcome at the dining table. It appears to lie a species of lie.'xn, resembling a cigar both in form and color, though only about an inch in Iraigth. But it has a pe<!uliar cbaracteristio which renders it a very unique and in- teretiting object, and this is the exceed- ingly energetic manner in which it scatters its 8e«'d. If one of those little fruits lie thrown into a liasin of water it will rest quietly on the surface for from two to five miinuUv<. then it will explode with vio- lence, hurling most of its contents into the air with a noise and splash for all the world like a small torpedo. 11 is hardly lUMiessary lo say that this phenomenon is mused by the pressure theelawtio substance of its interior over- coming the resistance of its hard out- er shell. The fruit usuallv splits open lengthwise. If plucked before maturity and allowed to ripen in a wtirm spot, it opens gradually from apex to base, making as it were a pair of diverging boras starting from the same point. If it be left to ripen on the plant.sinoe the process is quicker and the internal moisture greater, the opening is sud- den and accompanied with a slight noise, though this is much less than that which takiw place when it has been placed in water. . In this case the dry but porous tissue of the surface of the fruit quickly ab- sorbs the liquid, especially at tbe grooves caused by the Junction of tbe two valves or outer shells of the fruit. The internal tissue tieing very elastic exerts upon the latter a tension which soon results in the violent bursting al- read^r described. This curious property of explosion is given tbe little plant for the dissem- ination of its seeds, which otherwise would stand a poor chance of propagat- ing its species. LATEST IN JELE&RAPHY MESSAGES MAY NOW BE TRANS- HlfTED WITHOUT WIRES. Marvellou InventleH b; a ¥•â- â- ( ItallM* -BrIiUh Pout oniee OBclaU Kxpcrl- mrntluK With the Apparatosâ€" «irea« t'slwe to MhlpplBg. An invention which promises to be of tbe greatest practical value in ttM world of telegraphy has received ita first public announcement at tbe handa of Mr. W. H. Preece, tbe telegrapbia expert of tbe London pau office. Dur- ing the course of a lecture on "Tel»- graphy Without Wires," recently de- livered in London, Mr. Preece intro- duced to tbe audience a young Italiaa a Mr. Marconi, who, he said, bad re- cently come to him with a system ot telegraphy without wires "which de- pended not on eleotro-magnetto but oa electro-static effects, that is to aay, on electric waves of a much higher rate of vibration, not less than 250,000,000 a second ; that ia, Hertzian waves." These vlbratioos were projected through space in straight lines and. like light, were capable of refleotiool and refraction, and, indeed, they ex- hibited all tbe phenomena which chac- aoterized light. Telegraphing without wires was, ot course no new idea. Mr. Preece stated that in 1884 operators in the telephone exchange, London, were able fronn sounds beard to read messages ttuft were in transit from LONDON TO BRADFOaO by the telegraph wires. The post oU fice wires were underground and thtt telephone wires above ground, and careful experiment showed tboA thia fact accounted for the telegraphic mes- sages to Bradford being read by ttaa telephone company. In 1893 telegrams were transmitted a distance of three miles across tbe Bristol Channel by in- duction, and during a break -in the cable connecting the Island of Mull with the mainland communication waa esablisbed by means of parallel wires as follows: On the mainland an insu- lated wire was laid along the ground. earthed in a running stream at ona end, the other end being in tbe sea. Skirting the coast of tho island was an overhead wire suited to the purpose. In tihe course of four days one hun- dred and fifty-six messages were dis- patched. Tbe invention of young Marconi solv- ed the problem on entirely differeoils principlers. Tbe post office officials had used it succe.sstully on the roof of the general post office, and tben mode a successful test on Salisbury Plain at a distance of three-quarters of a mile. The great difference between the Mar- coni and inductive methods of wire- less telegraphy was that the former did away enti'^ly with the wires ati each end. Vibrations were set up by one apparatus and received by th« other. The apparatus shown at the leotura consisted of TWO PLAIN BOXES which were placed at opposite ends ot the ball. The current was set in mo- tion in one box, and immediately a bell was rung in tbe other. Mr. Preeca said lihat tbe British post office au- thorities has decided lo spare no ex- pense In experimenting with the ap- paratus and one of the first triaus would be from Peoarth to on Island in tbe Kngiisb Channel. If the experiments were successful, it would be of inestimable value (to shipping, for it would provide another easy way of communicating with light- ships and lighthouses. To take an in- stance : Since last year they had bad a cable with tbe Fastnet Light (the first light seen by Atlantic voyagers^, but in tbe early part of this year it broke down, and they had never been able yet to land on the rock in order to repair it. Hut there was a possi- bility beyond this of enabling ships aa they came near dangerous rocks and shallows to receive an intimation of the fact by means of these eleotrio waves. Neither day nor night made any difference, fog or rain or snow would not interfere with them, and it tbe invention was what he believed it to be, our mariners would have been given a new .sense and a new friend which would make navigation infinite- ly easier and safer than it now was. QUE.RR DANESH LAW4 In Denmark it ia the law that all drunken iiersons shall lie taken to their homes in carriages at the expense of the publican who sold them the last glass. BENEFITS OF VACCINATION. AdvaaUce* (ilalmed Fer It bj the Reyal t'omiulwlaa. An Kngiisb royal commisaion, detail- ed to report as lo the effect of vao- cination in reducing tbe prevalence ot and mortality from smallpox, has con- cluded : (1) That it diminishes the lia- bility to bs attacked by the disease; (2) that it modifies the character of the disease, and renders it (a) less fatal, and (b) of a milder or less severe type; (3) that the protection it affords against attacks of the disease is greatest dur- ing the years immediately succeeding the operation ot vaccination. It is impossible to fix with precision the length of this period of highest pro- tection, but nine or ten years may be taken as a general average. After this period the protective efficacy of the vaccination rapidly dlminishiea, though it probably never altogether ceases. Re- vaccination restores the protection, whicJi in due lapae of time again dimin- ishes; so that it is well to have the 01^ eralion repeated, say every ten year& The beneficial effects of vaccination lire thu most marked in cases where it has been most thorouigh. Where the vac- cine matter is inserted in three or four places It is more effectual than when introduced into one or two places only; and if the vac<'.inat.ion marks are of an am^i of halt a square inch 'they indicate a lietter state of protection than if their area be less. t:'<l>)i')As*iA-.^ivi^»b>r4i''