The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-06-29 00:00:00

Mistellantons '4irtelligente.

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

PROVERBIAL PHILOSOPHY.—One dentist can stop a
woman's tooth, but twenty can't stop her jaw.—Judy.

STRAWBERRIES IN THE CITY OF LONDON.—A cor-
respondent of the City Press has forwarded a dozen
strawberries which were grown on the roof of a ware-
house in a thoroughfare within a hundred yards of the
General Post Offiee. "The strawberries," that journal
remarks, "are certainly of rich flavour, and possess
an excellent aroma. Our correspondent thinks the
growth of the fruit in such perfection is a proof of the
comparative purity of the atmosphere; and we quite
agree with him. He adds that he has a cherry tree
on the same roof, with fruit on, which promises to
ripen. To these interesting facts, in connection with
City pomology, we may ad 4 that some fine specimens
of figs, likewise grown in the City, were sent to us
some time ago • and that another correspondent used
regularly to send us some excellent grapes, grown near
the London Institution in Finsbury Circus."
DEATH FROM SUNSTROKE.—George Minter was em-
ployed on Tuesday at Sittingbourne in unloading a
barge, when, being very much oppressed by the exces
sive heat, he imprudently removed his hat from his
head and substituted for it a thin pockethandkerchief.
During the afternoon he was observed to reel and fall,
and was picked up in an insensibe condition from sun-
stroke. He died while being removed in a horse and
cart to the Milton 'Union Workhouse.
THE EXMOUTH TRAINING SHIP. The annual in-
spection ot the training ship Exmouth was made on
Saturday by the managers. in June, 1877. there
were 424 lads under training. Since then 240 boys
have been received, two died, 67 entered the Mercan-
tile Marine. and six the Royal Navy, twelve have gone
into the army, and four have been returned to the
district schools as unfitted for a sea life, or discharged
at the request of their friends. The number now on
the ship's books is 536, leaving 64 vacancies. Ten
silver medals were presented to ten of the most meri-
torious boys, and a silver watch and chain to the most
popular boy in the ship.

MEN LIVING IN TREES.—A controversy has taken
place in America as to a race of men in the Malay
archipelago, who are said to live in trees. Professor J.
D. Dana, of Yale College, writes :—" There is no
doubt in regard to the existence of the small degraded
race in the Malay archipelago, their living in trees,
without fixed dwellings, their going naked, leading the
life of a brute, and that of the most disgusting kind."
He himself saw one of them when at Manilla in the
Wilkes Exploring Expedition. Dr. S. Wellis
Williams, who has lived for more than forty years in
Eastern Asia, says that the French found such people
in the interior ot Cambodia, a fall account of which is
given in the Revue des Deux Mondes. They lived in
trees to be out of the way of tigers and other wild
beasts.

AN AFFECTIONATE CAT ! The adoption of a rat by
a cat is reported by a corresponoent of the Turf, Field,
and Farm, writing from Connecticut. A young rat,
about two weeks old, was brought to an old cat for her
dinner, but instead of eating it she carried it off to the
nest where her kitten lodg-d, and left it there. The
rat, finding himself comf rtable, stayed with the
kitten, and the old cat nursed both the kitten and the
rat, and all lived happily together. The little rat left
the nest once a week, but returned of his own accord.
The owner had a wire cage built for the trio, which
was eonvcnient for all three, but the door was so narrow
that one day, as the cat and rat wet° trying to pass
through it at the same time, the little rat was s lueezed
to death. So the rat was thrown away, and for two
days the old cat mewed and sought about for her lost
protkge.t _ _

.
A GENEROUS OFFER.—OId Salt :—" Be you agoing
to paint that there red-topped boat yonder, Mister?"
Artist :—" Yes." 0. S. :—" Then mayhap you'll be
glad of some o' the paint we used on her last week "
Fun.

THE FREE LIBRARIES ACT.—The proposal to adopt
the Free Libraries Act in Hackney was lost on a poll
of the parish by 4.389 votes to 631. Only 25 per cent.
of the ratepayers voted at all. A large number of
compound-householders voted against it, having been
informed by their landlords that in the event of the
Act being adopted their rent would be raised 61. per
week. Hand bills stigmatizing the proposal as one
which involved a threepenny rate were distributed up
to the close of the poll. The highest rate permitted
by the Act is a rate of one penny in the pound per
year. Mr. Muudella has written a letter to say that
should he introduce a Bill to enable local authorities to
increase the rate from one penny to twopence, with
the object of enabling towns like Sheffield and Bir-
mingham to maintain their local museums, he should
exempt the metropolis from its operation as ahead)
possessing museums provided at the tuitional expense,
THE Nzw "FLASHING BEAcoN."-- At a recent
'meeting of the Royal Society Mr. N. J. Holmes
showed his new "Flashing Beacon" for buoy and
wreck illumination. It is automatic in its aotion, and
the flashing light depends on the principle that a dro?
of water is allowed to fall every 20, 40, or 60 seconds,
as wished, on to phosphmet of calcium, thereby form-
ing the gas phosphuretted hydrogen. The little store
of the gas thus formed is liberated by the opening of a
tap controlled by the clock-work machinery, and this,
cm reaching the air, bursts into flame. A flashing
light is obtained, the period of which depends on how
the clock-work is set. The " Beacon " was highly ap•
proved of by some authoritied present.
THE RETURN OF THE WINDBRER.—Scene (a Bed-
room at the Dovecote. Time : 12.30 a.m.—Mrs.
Doveturtle (between the blankets). "Want some
supper H unreasonable you are, and the servants
all in bed hours ago. There, you'd better undress and
go to sleep, and have a good breakfast in the morning ! "

DIAMOND TESTS. —From a correspondence that has
taken place in The Times it would appear that spurious
diamonds exist in large quantities. It has been sug-
gested as a test to immerse them in water, and if they
sparkle with brilliancy they are genuine, but this test
has been denied by some•dealers to be of any use,
inasmuch as some of the highest priced diamonds do
not sparkle. Mr. Streeter suggests as the best and
only true test, to pass a file over the surface, as on a
real stone it leaves no trace, while an imitation one it
destroys. Unluckily (says Land and 'Water) it is not
every one who has diamonds to experivaentalise with,
but when our aged relatives die it is as well to look
over their chattels, armed with a steel file, so as to
apportion out the stones that do not scratch to the
more remote and lees sorrowing relations.