To Our Readers

It is with real regret that I announce the withdrawal from my staff of "J. A. H.," who has been a regular contributor, from the very first number, of "Gossip About Bookmen," which has proved to be one of the most popular features of the paper. Mr. J. A. Hammerton has recently been appointed Editor of the London Magazine, and his work at Carmelite House, entailing, as it does, the

management of some new publications, leaves him no time to devote to other work. The relations between contributor and editor are not matters to be revealed to the public; but there was a personal touch about Mr. Hammerton's work which brought him into close contact with our readers, to whom I feel is due an explanation of the causes which have led to his withdrawal, as well as a personal tribute to the cordial relations which have always existed between us.--ED.

It is a great mistake to go away at Christmas time. There is the packing! And it is packing for a whole family, because everybody is at home, and everybody is extra rampant and extra useless in consequence of high spirits at the prospect of holidays, or deep dejection caused by the consumption of too many sweets. Still, to pack at home is not so bad, for it is a special privilege to be as cross and as plainspoken with one's own family as one can wish; and though the using of this domestic advantage is no actual help in emptying drawers and filling endless trunks, it is a great relief to the feelings. But to pack for a strange family and be constrained to show a quite absurd politeness and consideration, to find it necessary to argue mildly over each useless object that will it into the box, instead or authoritatively refusing to contemplate such foolishness-oh, this is labour indeed. Yet, supposing a mother of a family suddenly and inconsiderately takes a chill, and writes. to you, as her next-door neighbour and best acquaintance, to come and fill her own and her children's boxes while she spends a day in bed to fit her for the journey, appealing to your kindheartedness and common-sense and all your other sterling virtues - well, what else can your kindheartedness and natural vanity do but respond.

deafening uproar, and constant messages, suggestions, or alterations from the bedroom, conveyed through the daughter of fourteen, and then turned to the affairs of the schoolboy. His things were on the floor in a great heap, "ready" for me, he said. The kitten had got somehow into the heap, and was playing with a stamp album. I slowly sorted his belongings; the clothes contained pounds of biscuits

This was how it happened! All the boxes were in the hall I don't know why they were in the hall, but they were. Someone suggested they had been aired by the kitchen fire, and the hall was the next step. It would have been simpler had the housemaid carried them upstairs, but she didn't think so, and it is necessary to pay great regard to the thoughts of housemaids when you get them. So the children carried their things down instead. The eldest was fourteen, and had a vague reputation for wisdom and common-sense. On this account she was entrusted with her mother's blouses, which she brought negligently on one arm, in company with her paintbox and a leaky tin of turpentine, and having disposed of them at the bottom of a trunk, showed a disposition to pack boots and shoes on top of them. I rescued the blouses, packed the mother's trunk, amidst a

in crumbs which fell from them like powder, and sweets of various descriptions were sticking to all the pocket-linings. I made a fatal mistake in opening a box purporting to contain collars, for I let out a dormouse. The hunt whic ensued was extremely trying; besides, I had offended the family. As the schoolboy pointed out, I might have known people didn't prick holes in the top of a box to give fresh air to collars! The baby was most exasperating of all; she was only three, but I think she was born with ideas, and her one object in life was to uphold and defend them. She brought seven dolls-a Japanese lady, her hair decked with fans; two with inked features upon a solid rag background; one strange creature, neither animal or human, which might have interested Darwin; another had no clothing whatever but a shady hat; while the remaining one was very elaborate, except for a band of stamp-paper designed to secure two separate portions of her head, and was called Miss Wales, with a vague idea of Royalty. The baby refused to give any information about her own clothing, and I was obliged to refer to her eldest sister. Meanwhile, Miss Wales's head fell in two, and a loud roar ensued, which, however, was quickly stopped by a tactful little boy, who suffed such a huge piece of cocoa-nut ice into the baby's mouth that she was unable to make any further sound. That evening I sat wearily by the mother's bedside, and answered such questions as: "You say Frank took four pairs of stockings? Did you remember Hilda's everyday jacket, and the woolly thing baby wears under her coat, and--?" At this juncture a telegram came from their relatives asking my very trying family not to come after all, as their cousins were laid up with influenza. LADY PHYLLIS.

Bridge:

BY PROBLEMATICUS

1. Herewith three problems are set. You have to answer them. Thus, if you think the right answer to a Problem is "Spades," take half a sheet of notepaper and write “Spades.” After that, you write your reasons for the declaration.

2. Having written the answe.s to the three problems—with reasons, making six answers in all-write your name and address clearly, and, in addition, a nom de guerre under which your marks in the Eight Weeks Competition may be published.

3. Having given your solutions of the week's problems in the method set forth above, then, for a coupon, cut off the two lines at the bottom of the back cover, Printed and published by George Robert Parker, etc., etc.," and pin this token to your solutions. These solutions must reach the office not later than the first post on Wednesday next, addressed to The Bridge Editor," THE BYSTANDER, Tallis Street, E.C., and marked in the left top corner of the envelope “Competition.”

4. Winners of a weekly prize are not eligible for another weekly prize of the same valu during the Competition, though they are, of course, still eligible for the chief prize.

5. Competitors abroad, whose solutions reach us a reasonable time after the specified date, will nevertheless receive marks, and Le eligible for prizes should they win them.

Second Weekly Competition

PRIZEWINNERS AND SOLUTIONS

The 1st PRIZE, Two Guineas, has been awarded to:

Miss Vera M. Oakes, Narrabri, Bexhill-onSea.

The 2nd and 3rd PRIZES, BYSTANDER Bridge Cases, have been awarded to:

Licu. R. A. N. Smyth, R.G.A.. I, Be field Terrace, Weymouth.

W. D. Wiggins, Esq., The Infirmary, Greenwich.

EIGHT WEIKS COMPETITION The following are the marks gained by competitors for solving Problems IV., V., and VI., in our Eight Weeks' Competition:

15, Ap Twn, Captain Cuttle, Noel, Ranipet, Vera; 14, Erin, Hes, Motorette, Mugwump; 13, Cherub, Gazeka II., L. S. P., Occasional, President, Summer, Tar Wallah; 12, Auch, Chip, Cuntux, Kenneth, Malt, Moth, Peter, Solon; 11, Bee: hy, Caur, Edgbaston, Engineer II., Horatio, Isabel, Pelican, Pons, Scalpel, Sepoy, Snoodles, Sunny Jim, Stream; 10, Beetle, Belladonna, Bidean nam Bian, Bids, Boathorse, Bunch, Cardinal, David, Didums, Fen, Fluffy, Ganmain, Gollywog, Kirkland, Minatur, Quill, Temple, Watadam; 9, Addie, Aga, Bulbs, Chess, Crossjack, Dew, Dogger, Domine, Dunsmore, Ecclesiasticus, Fantôme, H. A. W., Jane Shote, Lalla, Longbridge, Loyal au Mort, Norland, Owing, P. M. S., Primrose, Ray, Stine, Travis, Trivator, Turquoise; 8, Also Kan, Arzt, Black Diamond, Darkie, Eblow, Falcon, Fuchsia, Gazeka I., Imp, James, Kirkbank, Long Compton, Luppy, Notloup, Rieton, Solver, Sunshine, Tarlet, Vengeance, Wantacas; 7, Alexander, Angus, Bat, Blue, Bunnie, Carolus, Chieftain, C. J. T., Cruida, Garrison, J. G. M., Joker, Kathleen, Kin snorth, Lollypop, Martyr, Mashie, Novice III., Ormon, Otis, Pelham, Poultry, Snider, Tansan, Tom Tit, Tylhus, Ubique, Wiimoteswick; 6, Bridget, Caermol, Dunsmark, Hockey I., Irishman, Mannamead, Needles, Novice I., Tactics, Wint blossom; 5, Agra, Albemarle, Athole, Austral, Buck Rabbit, Cardata, Crackpot, Da, Ei een, G. Lang, Hainault, Hated Rival, Kithogue, L. S. D., Maraquita, Numeral, Pernox, Funch, Rokeby, Rosina Lilly, Taffy, Trix, Waverley, Woffle; 4, Candlelight, Hockey II., John Colton, M. Green, Norlands, Smitte.

SOLUTIONS

PROBLEM IV.-No-trumps. The hand is nearly an ace above the average, and though the black suits are not protected, they are not without strength, and you have to credit your partner with an average hand. If you leave it, as you may be tempted to do, you can hardly expect a red suit call from your partner, since you have four hearts to the ace and three honou.s in diamonds; a no-trump call from him is even less likely; and the hand is too good to waste on a black call.

PROBLEM V. -Leave it. It is exceedingly improbable that you will make three by tricks in diamonds; and with your opponents sixteen up, no-trumps on such a hand is hardly excusable. Dummy may be able to give you hearts or no-trumps; if he has a bad hand, your opponents need four tricks in doubled spades to go out, and you ought to be abe to escape.

PROBLEM VI.- Hearts. You neel but the trick to go out, and unless hearts are trumps your hand is of very little value. You may le doubled, indeed, but unless you are, your opponents will find it hard, if Dummy holds even mode ate cards, to make two by tricks; if he holds an average hand you ought to make the odd trick. You must go for the rubler.

French Cleverness

Better than ever is the motor exhibition which fills the Grand Palais in Paris. The French not only know how to design and build cars, but they know how to show them. Of course, the Automobile Club Francais, who are responsible for this superb motor exhibition, start with advantages. The Society of Motor Manufacturers, who annually organise Olympia, have to put up with a building which is ugly, which lacks proper accommodation, and whose approaches are bad. On the contrary, the French Government places at the disposal of the French Club a well-proportioned, artistic building. It stands amidst charming surroundings, it is easily approached, and proper provision is made outside for visitors' cars. Then again, it starts properly, instead of coming into existence in an informal manner.

The President Opens It

But although M. Loubet thus honoured the Salon, his method of coming was distinctly disappointing. It was, so to speak, the one fly in the ointment-the President actually came in a carriage. France makes more motors than any other country-she still leads the world yet the first man in France approaches the great car carnival in a horse-drawn vehicle.

From the Gallery

Late on a Sunday afternoon, the huge building is packed full. Viewed from the gallery, the sight is uniqu; dense crowds provide a slowly moving, dark background, so dense that one sees nothing of the floor space and but little of the shining chassis that they cluster round. From out this black mass rise a multitude of pillared signs-rich in colour, of variegated form, and sparkling with electric lights. High above, through the glass roof, the last of the daylight shows blue; lines of glowing lights mark the roofgirders; here and there are brilliant star-clusters; in the centre, the light lines culminate in a big hemisphere or half-globe of electric lights.

Is it Useful as well as Ornamenta!?

As good wine needs no bush so it may be argued that good cars need no such elaborate ornamental setting. It must, however, be remembered that the industry is a comparatively new one. There are hundreds of hesitating buyers of motor-cars. Such a brilliant exhibition as the Paris Salon attracts, advertises, and helps the motor movement not a little. To sell goods you must put them in the shop window. Window dressing as an aid to business is by no means to be despised. The man who arranges his window better than his competitors, even supposing the quality of the goods is the same, does

The first French firm to successfully produce a heavy touring-car were Messrs. Panhard and Levassor. Many of the advantages of an early start are now perhaps neutralised. Others have entered the field and have caught up. Still, the practical knowledge of metals and construction obtained by many years of experience is a valuable asset. Even those who are not in love with Panhard design acknowledge the wearing qualities that these cars possess. The firm this year make five models: 15 h.-p., 18 h.-p., 24 h.-p., 35 h.-p., and 50 h.-p. They are all long enough to accommodate side-entrance bodies. The last three have ball-bearing gear-boxes, with direct drive on top speed. In France, the most serious competitor to the Panhard is that efficient car,

by anything in the Salon.

cars

The Mors

Is another firm which, from the point of view of excellent workmanship, claims attention. For 1906 they are producing a 17 h.-p., a 28 h.-p., and a 45 h.-p. Something new in clutches is now fitted by these manufacturers. In the inside of