The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-10-21 00:00:00

HERMITAGE.

CHAFF/. Aggrvgaseay.—Abont three or four years
ago out-door preaching was cutimencied in the above.
named village by Mr. G. Hicks, of Charminetes, who
frequently passing through tide and the neighbouring
011eges had .sen the necessity for something of the
kind being done. In this work be was soon joined by
M. G. Eneish, of Lionegate. The Sea liollll thus bold
w•re highly succe,ful, and the people cams many
mil": and from all directions to listen to the preaching
of their two brethren. Others soon came forward t,
as at them, and, as the summer was drawing to a
close, a room w 4 offered in which to bold the services.
'lb. offer was isepeud, and the room, fittedup &sorsa-
foetahly as possible, wee crowded by attentive
listenere. Hawing so many workers, their efforts wars
not confined to Hermitage alone; but extended to the
esig'ibouriog villages of Hillfield, Batoombe, and
Lionsgate. After a that, however, and when the
novelty of ti • thing had somewhat worn off, several
ol those who had been very forward in offering their
services retired from the field, thus maldnew it
necessary to give op the work at Hillfiel I and Bat-
cniribe. N twithstanding tide the two brethren hays
kept steadily at their w and on Friday het the
third anniversary of their chapel at Hermitage wee
cel.bra•wl. The proceedings commenced with a tea,
followed by
!d
public meeting, at which addressee wars
delivered raws. Hicks. Swains, Yeatmen, and
the Its,. John DAViO. Mr. English, who presided,
thanked those who Lad in any way given their wart-
secs. The names of Mr. blieworth, together with
thole of hie two daughters, deserve epeeist mention
for the way in which they exerted themselves to sake
the meeting a success.

THI FoarHoormo Mujicipe.i. Eticricur.— The
retiring u2embera ,it the Town Council this plat WO
Niagara. S. Abbott, F. B. Smith, J. Stewart, sad K.
FLA.,. The laid named gentleman has vacated his
teat by leaving the lawn.

FORTIICOMING is announced that
marriage will ehortly take place between MIAs
Hambro, daughter of Mr. and Mn. Hambro,of
Milton Abbey, awl Captain Lived/de Okeden, 18th
Mowers, of Turnwortli•bouee, Blandford.

A Fiat was discovered here between twelve and owe
o'clock on Tumdav night, on the premiers o• Marrs.
Gravos and Son, clerni-ts, Market-place. It was first
perceived 'l, P.C. Frampton, of the Borough Police,
who quickly gave alar‘n, and almost as luickly were
the engines on the spot. The fire was at the
ginger-
beer
factory, small building, but it burnt rapidly,
and was surrounded by other stores, oontsining oil and
turps; also the stores of Mr. Wyatt, gunsmith. The
fire was got under control, but the building warn com-
pletel. gutted. and the greatest excitement prevailed.
The fire-bell was rung, and persona from all parts of
the town assembled, some of them only partly dressed.
The fire is at present suppoeed to have originated from
Lb. floe. The building a, we believe fully insured.—
A curbras coincidence is noticed—that a hare came
into the town and wee eventually caught a few days
ago in the Market-placs, not a gun-shot from where
the fire took place. Some bystanders remarked—
"We shall have a fire eosn ; look out." A year or
two ago a hare was caught on White-cliff Mill-street,
slew days afterwards the Brash School was burnt,
and it is said that in 1731, when the greater part of
the town was burnt, a hare was also caught.

THF " STRANG, APTAIR" AT ILoneirman.—The
girl giving the name of Gertrude Florence Villars, who
was found wandering at Hampstead three weeks Iry
under mysterious circumstances, still remains in the
Hampstead Workhouse, whither she was taken by
the police. The girl gives her age as thirteen, but
she seems at least three years older. Her story is
that she came to Hampstead from Blandford, in
answer to a telegram from her uncle, Mr. Charles
Howard, an architect and surveyor, which telegram
she hail destroyed, and so lost the address. Other
stories more or lam improbable have been added
occasionally; but, notwithstanding the inquiries
made by the Metropolitan Police at the instance of
the Hampstead Board of Guardians, nothing has yet
been ascertained respectiag her. She alleges that
while sitting at the Hampstead Police-motion
she raw her two cousins )sass along the street. In
consequence of the publicity given to the care,
numerous inquiries have been received from places
far and near, including Dawlish, Nottingham,
Barnsley, Bristol, Folkestone, &c.' from persons who
have missing relatives or friends, of whom photo-
grind.. have in some canes been sent, and many
persons have been to see the girl, including friends of
the missing Miss Edwards, of Liverpool. Villas, has
romantic stories to tell of how she got to London,
iinife see not to know when her birthday la, sad says
that her mother died when rhe was eight years old,
and her father soon afterwards. She professes also
to have been educated by private tuition, but her
education may safely be described an imperfect. She
does not appear at all anxious to be identified by her
friends, but, it is RAH. rather chuckles over the failure
of the efform made to briag shout this result. Ona
theory is that her friends revile somewhere in the
country, and that she has probably been in service in
or neer London. but has left her situation of her own
accord. For the kresent rhe seems likely to remain a
pensioner on the Hampstead ratepayers.