The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-06-19 00:00:00

Notes anb Vints.

That queer little terrace in West Parade, named ia the
Inner circle iif its inhabitants " Upper 'llamado," has not
—since the thee when the Royal Adelaide was let, and
George Neale Wee brought there dying of spiriteilrinking,
—lsien the wene of such Inebneholy ao it was last week,
when there were brought home opposite to it, the bodies
of Mr. and Miss Gafford, drowned through the breakiug
down of Widcombe Bridge. But the present mourning
Is for an event perhaps more shocking te the West of
England than even the wreck id the Royal Adelaide, for
here were 200 or :100 peroms affected. The poor boy who
drank himself to death with the overproof spirit on Chesil
Beach, had four companions who fell victims to the cold
and the firewater; but their residences were widely
scattered, while here were two poor Wilidayheepers from
one honor, who had not themselves been guilty of any
" contributory negligence," but who died, probably almost
to one anther's arms, from a cause over which they had
• controL The young woman had for some, time
expected the pleasure of attending the Bath awl Went of
Reel mil Show, and the father, himself also a Good
Templar, was able, and glad, though in humble circum-
stances, to give and share the holiday joy, when suddenly
! all is clouded, the mother at haute learns that she is a
I widow; she misses also her beautiful daughter, and her
I worst fears ;re, after • sickening suspense, confirmed by
finding amongst the description of the dead unknown,
that of a fair golden-haired girl. Such sudden blows
upon those who seem leant able to bear, giro us all to feel
the truth f the obi, old tale, no seldom taken to heart, of
the absolute powerlessnesii with which we are under'
mined when we reckon on enjoying, oven on securing,
life.

The funeral of the liarfords gave olcasion also for the
manifestation of much kindly sympathy, both individual
and collective. The neighbours who pressed their kindly
offices on Mrs. linefeed and the children, probably did the
most effective things to 'waist her in her stilfering ; but
it was tit and proper that Mr. If. &tweeds, Ml'., with his
ready tact and fulliheartedneas, should be early with his
d letter of condolence. Mr. Ewards again truly repre-
muted the best part of the town, and his letter he will
doubtless allow hie constituency to share in, for he Is
always glad to be our mouthpiece. The beautiful
garlands sent by Miss Pigou were probably representative
of the sympathy of her esteemed relatives: and the
crowning fitness wax attained in the large gatherings
ehowing the collective good feeling of the flood Templars
and Foresters, who by mustering at the funeral,
manifested their belief that brotherly and sisterly love
extends to the graveseide itself. The Foresters will also
give the concrete help of LII to the poor widow, and
probably their letter of condolence may lie bucked by
further donation,. A public subscription has been headed
fly generous men, and certain we are that if compensation
Ii not obtained from the wierce which many persons
confidently name, the widows cumin will not 1.0 allowed
to go without all. thotigh nothicg can ever make up for
the terrible loss.

One hae hardly heart to proceed with "notes" on other
sublects after the sad one with which I have deal; Yet
the remembrance that even the playing of the Town Band
last week was stopped by the influences of the Bath
disaster, tallith& toe that " Notes and Hints" will be one.
sided and partial if they only deal with the sad part of
our Weyiuouth lives. After tie funeral was over, and the
Fore,ters had di.pereivi, after the Good Templars had had
their service for the dead, and retired, we return to our
usual doings. The Weyniouthian band again asserted
themselves, by playing in St. Maryatreet, and a capital
selection they hail, and very well they performed, from
the newest recruit to that venerable drummer, Mr. tar-
cumin', the real "old inhabitant" whose sons are my own
conteinponiries, and who yet heat, the resounding skin
with a vigour and skill that speak well for the mans mane
in torpors erne, which be enjoys after two or three genera-
tions of residence in this healthy town. Mr. Ler...nibs
even surpasses the little drummer of the Yeomanry band,
whose well known face we have recognised so many years
on the entry of the Q.O.Y.C.
--
Mention of the Yeomanry leads me to the dangerous
ground of the officers' dr)Purwr. . Captain Foster's state-
ment that an invitation was actually sent to Colonel
Steward and the officers of the Dorset Rifle Volunteer;
doe not seem to settle the matter, for, as the Colonel was
on the Continent, the sending of the letter scarcely
ensured that it actually went to the persons most entitled
to it, namely, the officers of the Weymouth company, who
helped to form a guard of weloome to the Cavalry on their
entry into the town. The matter is the more__ peculiar,
because the Artillery volunteer officers, Major Eliot
among them, got their invitation in good time. Lieut.
Commandant (Jason may he willing to psis the affair over
In silence ; but, 'pun honour, it would be graceful if a little
special consideration were given to the Weymouth men.
That Weymouth in geting more and more the
acknowledged capital of the county, for moat purpo.ai
except its Quarter Sessions and Anise business, is shown
by the espected removal of the School of Art from Held-
port, and the establishment of a branch here. It was
fairly constituted on Saturday in its future home, the
Auction Mart, Market-street Mr. Alderman Howard is
a well-known connoisseur and virtuoso, for his collection
of beautiful things is very remarkable, and in the
speciality of statuettes perhaps surpasses that of Dr.
Drew, whole specially great in pictures and porcelain. So
It was fitting that Mr. Howard should find a home for the
Salon!, at all events for the present time.
How nearly those vaticinations have been fulfilled
which foreshadowed 10 or 12 years as the longest term
before the Pilepier would give us trouble by requiring ex-
tensive repair 1 There is some rumour that the Masan.
Eliota' consolidation scheme Ins been met With such
general opposition that it is likely it may be abandoned

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