The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-02-18 00:00:00

Itliscellancous fltelligente,

ROME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

SAGE.—Mrs. Partington hopes (with Her
Mpjerty) that all will go well in Spain, but dot s not
see a good omen in the placing King Asmodens on the
throne.—Punch.

DEATH FROM STARVATION.—On Monday, at
Kidderminster, &horrible occurrence took place. Ann
Davis and her husband have been loeging at the house
of a Mrs. Pearsall. The husband is a labourer, and
left home at the latter end of last week, leaving his
wife, it appears, who WAS ill, without the necesbities
of life. The neighbours knew she was ill, and one of
them on Sunday sent her some dinner, but. whether it
ever reached her or not is unknown. On Monday
moral)); Pearsall went to work, leaving Davis at
home and about a quarter-past nine some aef the
neighbours thought they heard a groaning as of some
p.rson in agony. They listened, and at length came
to the conclusion that it came from the deceased's
room. To effect an entrance was the work of a
minute only, and on reaching her room they SOW a
sight which appalled the hardiest of them. Davis
lay on a filthy bed covered with a bit of common
sacking; her bones seemed to protrude through her
skin- -in fact she was mere skin and bones; she Was
covered with dirt and vermio, and was evidently
dying of starvation. A neighbour, at once ran to the
policesstation, and thence for the relieving officer And
a police-constable hurried up to the house, svininon-
jog the parish doctor on his way. Although only a
few minutes int,rvened, neither the doctor nor the
relieving officer could be of any use, as she WAI too
far gone, and died shortly after twelve o'clock of
starvation. The event has caused a painful feeling,
such an occurrence as a person being starved to death
in that town being unheard of before.
LOAD REDESDALE BITTEN BY A DOG.—The
o.r.rfrd Ticnco says :

" We are glad to be in a position to announce, from in-
quiries made at Batsford-honee this (Monday afternoon,
that Lord Itedesdale is decidedly better to-day, and steadily
improving under the care of Mr. Symonds, of this city, hts
lordship's regular adviser, who has been unremitting in h
attention, and has slept nightly at Batsfordihuuse since the
unfortunate occurrence. At the first thera was some
anxiety as to the result of the ekock to the system pro-
duced by the accident, but now that has passed away,
and it is expected the noble lord will be so far recovered
Icy the end of next week as to be sole to resume ids
Parliaruentary duties. The various exaggerated rumours
in the vicinity of Batsford-park, and this neighbourhood,
as to the dog suffering from rabies, and the reports in some
of our contemporaries concerning the unfortunate accident
and consequent illness of his lordship, are very incorrect.
Ills lordship is not suffering from gout in the head, as Anted
by some of the local papers, nor are the friends of the noble
lord in the least apprehensive A an attack of hydrophobia,
as the public, who have mandated them with lett.es con-
taining cures and preventive remedies against hydrophobia,
would teem to imagine Tue envie facts of the case are
shortly these :—On the Drith nit, as his lordship was passing
near the homestead of his farm bailiff, a bitch that had pups
suddenly attacked his lordship, and bit him severely in the
leg. Shortly afterwards his lordship became prostrated from
the shock to the system, and his medical adviser (Mr
Symonds was sent for, and has been In constant attendance
ever since. The dog was shut immediately alter the occur-
ranee, although it was well known she could not be suffering
from rabies."

fills TS ADJUT Pmoohnscuous CHARITY—The
following notice has been issued in London by the S.
George's, Hanover.square, and Weetzunster Com-
mittee for Organizing Charitable Relief and Reines!.
ing Meudicity
The committee earnestly hope that the parishioners will
assist them by refusing to administer any charity without
inept ry into the case of the person demanding it, ludic
er,ndnate relief lodng one of the main stimulant. to paperistu
and vagrancy The committee will make the neceaary
Inquiry free of expense, even if you have not subscribed to th,
society. the committee ask for your co-operation in the
follow big manner—i. Abstain entirely from giving rloney
to beggars in the streets, or to peraors begging nue., r the
pretence of selling small articles. 2. Should you fe.-1 dis-
posed to place reliance upon the statement, of inend:oants
who refuse the society's tickets, ask for their seines and
addresses. If such names and addresses be sent to either of
these offices a report upon the case will be sent to you.
Tickets can be obtained at the offices gratis 3 Should any
person apply for relief at your houses, either by letter or
otherwise, please to send such letter, or the necessary in-
formation, to either of these offices. Ths case will be in-
vestigated and a report sent for your Information." The
object of th7society is not to check benevolence, but to
assist the public In directing it into channels where good
Instead of evil may result.

To ENGLISH Srowrestax !—As the shooting
season in England has just concluded, sportsmen out
of work may be interested in the opportune
report of Mr. Mackenzie, Joint Secretary to
the or rnment of Bengal, upon the destruc ion
of noxious beasts in India. A good shot might
ca'culate upon covering his expenses for ammu-
nition out of the rewards for killing man-eating
tigers or mad elephants; but the present tariff for
snakes—two annals each—is insufficient to render that
branch of sport worth pursuing. In Behar a really
important work might be done. The wolves there are
so ferocious that marksmen are selected from the police
to hunt them down, and the task of extirpation is
greatly impeded by the superstition of the people, who
believe that ill.luck rests on a village where • wolf is
killed. The sportsmen who succeeded in destro)ing
the wolves and the popular prejudice at the same
time would deserve well of his country.

'
LORD Sr. LEONARDB.—In spite of the repeated
false rumours of the death of Lord St. Leonardo which
have been spread from time to time, his lordship com-
pleted his 90th year on Sunday list, having been born
in the parish of St. James, Piccadilly, on the 12th of
February, 1781. Lord St. Leonard's has been the
" Father " of the Rouse of Peers ever since the death
of Lord Onslow in October last; and it is probable, as
he was called to the Bar some 64 years ago, that he is
also the' Father" of the legal profession. Be this,
however, as it may, he still enjoys the use of all his
faculties, and it is said that he continues to read, mark,
and digest regularly the reports of all the important
cases which uome before the Law Courts, and to anno-
tate them wfth marginal remarks of his own, his hand.
writing being as firm and regular as ever.

A "LIQUID MEASURE.'—The new Lioensing
Bill.—Punch.
FALSE WEIGHTS AND ADULTERATIONS. -- In
the House of Commons, on Monday night, in reply to
Lord E. Cecil, Mr. Bruce said a bill was in /prepare-
*lon with rekard to the use of false weights sun
measures, which the President of the Board of Trade
authorised him to say he hoped he would be able to
introduce in the course of the session. He intended
to introduce a stringent clause into the licensing Bill,
which be hoped would be effective as regards the
adulteration of drinks. But with regard to the adul-
teration of food and drugs, he did not think he could
introduce a bill that session.

MILTON AND HUI TUTOIL—Mr. David Laing,
of Edinburgh, has just issued an interesting little
memoir of Stilton's tutor, from ten to fifteen years of
sge—Dr. Thomas Young, the celebrated Puritan
divine, vicar of Btowmarket, Suffolk, a Ficotchman by
birth. Mr. Lung's volume, " Biographical Notices,"
contains • lithograph of Milton's mulberry tree, and
the old vicarage_, where he was often • visitor, with a
portrait of Dr. Young, facsimiles of his writing, and
the title•page of his "Dies Dominica ;" also a full list
of the tracts connected with 'the Smectymnus contro.
versy.

DEATH OF A REMARKABLE MAL-AugUtuE
Applegath died M Dartford on Friday, aged Si. Ile
was the inventer of the ooropositiotobad, and Joule
few months afterwards of the oomposition-roller, and
then, later, of the steam-printing press. For his
iartotioa baok-aotee that mad out be gond he

re..erveu mom the bank authorities £18,000)so
invented a machine for printing six colours at Race,
The patent for the steam-press was in the joint
names of Cowper and Applegath. The establishment
for the experiments in the bank-note wee at Croydon.
In London he was engaged in the printing.otfica by CloweP. He then printed all the Tract Society publi-
, cations. The first book print.d by steam wall
" Waterton'e Wondercap." After leaving London he
went to Crayford, and tic, re establimed great silk And
print works. Al ter that he went to Dartford, where
he also eetabliehed works.
ST. VALENTINE.—AII sorts of stories ale Crarenti
about St. Valentine, whose festival is kept on the 14th
of this month, as the Poet-office authorities know to
their cost. 'l'he following account of his saintsbip is
abridged from Alban Butler's Line the Sqinte,
vol. ii.
•• St. Valentine, Martyr, was • holy priest of Rome, *Lc,
with St. Marius and hie family, assisted the martyrs 10th
persecution under Claudius It. He was apprehended mil
sent by the Emperor to the Prefect of Rome, who, on finding
all his promises let &anal to make him renounce his faith,
commanded him to be beaten with club, and afterwards to
he beheaded. This mite.cu was executed on the 14th of
February, about the tear A 1i.:7). Pope Julius 'staid to hare
bu Eli to his ruend.ry, near Pont. Ilole, cho rot =Lich for • long
time gave its name to the g= to now called Poets del Yopolo, but
which formerly was known as Porte S Valentini, and In
Ciaibh:lll times*. the Porta Planainia. The greater part of
his relics are now In a church not far from the gate. The
name of Valentine la celebrated as that of an illustrious
Martyr In the Sacramentary of it. Ciregory, the Roma
Mime of Thomaelus, in the calendar of Pronto, and in
other martdrologies of this day. To abolish the 'lewd,
heathenish, and superstitious' custom of boys drawing the
names of girl, In honour of their goddess Februta Juno OD
I the 15th of this month, several rcaleua pastors substituted
, the names of this and other saints in billet• even on this
I day." Hence, probably, arose the connexion of Ct. Valentine
Iwith the Postrodice authorities by • gradual proem whisk
It Is not difficult to understand.

WOMAN'B REVEVIOK !—American wouitn con-
tinue to take the law into their own bands against men
whom they judge to be guilty of offence against them.
Tne New York Times roticce the course adopted re.
cently by a lady of Wayland, &entail County, in that
State:—

" Fee'leg herself aggrieved by certain remarks of one Mr.
Lewis, a merchont of the place, she took the simple priest'.
then of ill ooting Win dead when, the other morning, be
visited her house on bakes'. Having eased her Conscience
by the pe•f 'Tontine of thin duty, she next proceeded to the
house of her brother, and requested him to step outside,
as she wished a private interview. 1 his he declined to
do, but invited her into the house, and led the way
Into a bedroom. Following him as he entered, she puke
pistol to his Lead and fired. From the effects of ah
wound he too, has since died. F hiding her character not
yet .polles., this worthy woman then determined to offer up
• third victim on the altar of Insulted reputation. She
directed her kind attention and her unerring atm towards
her nephew to an adjoining room. This time, however,
fortune failed her, and before she could fire she was seized,
her weapon taken from her, and haulr placed to custody,
with her fair lain. not yet thoroughly vindicated. Whin
asked why shelled committed this double murder she le meld
to have replied rather hiconsequentlally, and with a serous
oblivion of the laws at God and grammar, 'that she would
learn Mr. Lewis not to be the cause olin rutieh talks, then
had been about her.' Whether her lesson will have the effeeS
of diminishing the talk about her we so not know There
can be at least no doubt that poor Lewis tan been effectually
taught to hold his tongue for evermore.'

AN UNbC.SPECTED Y.—Milloll Mist
have been conscious of a clispoait ion in him& if to yield
to the plea&ur s of the table; otherwise h, would not
(rio in L'AlV;reo) have desired a preventive " against
eating career"—Puntli.

ALL Ties DIFFERLYICE.—A coloured man, to
whom meat was a rare blessing, one day found in his
trap a plump rabbit. lie took him out alive, held him
under his arm, patted him, and began to speculate on
his qualities. " Oh, how berry fat lie fatted I ever
did see! Let us see how me cook him. Me roost
him. No; he be no berry fat, be lose all de grease,
Me fry him! Ah, he be very fat, he fry hisself
Golly, how fat he be Den me stew him." The
thought of the savoury stew made the nigger forget
himself, and in spreading out the fea,t to his imagina.
ties, his arm relaxed, when of( Lipped the rabbit, and
squatting at a goodly distance, eyed his last owner
with great composure. The negro knew there was an
end of the matter, so, summoning all his philosophy,
he thus addressed the rabbit:—" You long-eared,
white•wl.;skered, rei•eyed rat, you not so berry fat
after all !"

THE WAD INDEXIIrTY.—With regard to the
ten milliards alleged to be demanded by Count Bias
marck as an indemnity for the losses suffered by the
Germans in consequence of the war, we find the follows
ing curious calculation in a Belgian paper :
" inn milliards In if. pieces sould weigh 50,000,000 kilo-
grammes. To transport them all at once by rail wonld
require a train of 10,000 weggons, assuming es ch waggon to
be capable of carrying ice.) kilogrammes. If you were to
mato a girdle out of toe teu milliards In if. pieces In such •
manner that each c In should touch Its heighb inr, it would
go one and three-quarter times around the earth. In If.
pieces such a girdle would go tune tiMes around the earth, it
the ten milliards in Of pieces were heaped up on each other
In • column, they would reach the height of 0,400 kilometres
or Logo leagues ,3,250 Eng. miles; Supposing this column of
coins to have its base at Paris and to tall in the direction of
i Berlin, the part of the column which would strike the latter
city Would be hardly one-fifth of the entire length from the
base f thecolumn. If a ready cashier, who can on an average
e the
cTritti44ootoo the leinacm"tiltrr. II Ihsofiraidwreherdw°Dereet‘;'oatteeguldn titc't
age of tnirty an 1 to be engaged at It eight hours a day and
300 day. In the year, he would be 13,Oyears old before he bad
completed the task. Ile would then assuredly be convinced
of the truth of the proverb, 'Money does not bring bap.
LAW ITS REAEON AND LIFE.—(From the
"Editor's Drawer," in Harper's Monthly Megazinc.)--
' Possibly some of our brethren of the bench or bar may
see in the following a new application of a legal prin.
ciple. A great judicial authority has said that "the
reason of the law is the life of the law." Such being
the undoubted fact, the Benoist reason given in the
subjoined decision makes the law of the case very
lively Indeed: iNe'rst long since a man named Allen was
employed, in the State of Nevada, in the management
of a packstrain of mules belonging to a woman named
Mrs. Blake. He sold the mules, got the cash, and
made good time to San Francisco. 'fbe lady followed,
and, after some delay and difficulty, found him. Be
then offered t refund the money on condition tbat eta
would. marry him. Mrs. 8., of course, rejected the
proposition, and caused Allen to be arrested for ems
bezzlement. He was indicted. On the trial the
aesistant-dietrict-attorney made his opening to the
jury, brie fly setting forth the above facie. The judge,
however, stated that the facts charged, if proven,
would not constitute a crime under the statute, inas-
much as there was no secrecy in Allen's act, and be
was willing to surrender the money on certain con-
ditions ! He thereupon ordered the prisoner to be
discharged.
Slit WATKIN AND THE COUNT BIEEIARCE.—
The Lircrpool Mercury says:—" It is a fact not
generally known that S.r Watkin married the sisters(
the Countess I3iimarck. We (Wrexham Guardian)are
in a position to elate that the Count Bismarck who
married Lady Wynn's sister is not Count Bismarck nf
Plllasitl, but a gentleman who resides entirely it
England, and very frequently visits Wynnetay.. The
confusion arises no doubt through the similarity of
names, and is decidedly incorrect."