The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-08-03 00:00:00

[From Punch.]
A CURIOUS CORRESPONDENCE.

(Non official.)
MT DEAR LORD B-D, Tuesday.
I am delighted to sec that you have received the
reward you so richly deserve. But there is still a
George to let.—Yours sincerely, S---2.

MY DEAR S--Y,
- %he d thanks

Wednesdal_.
•atulationB. yes

A thou-and thanks for your congr.
I think perhaps that I hqve earned it at last. You
may remember that I refused it a little while ago. I
Lad scarcely 'loth ed th t there was still one vacant.
As you say there is, of course there must be.—Yours
sincerely, B—D.
MY DEAR LORD B-- D. Thursday.
I am surprised that the vacant Garter has not
been given to the other person who has BO richly earned
it. —Yours faithfully. S--v.
MY DEAR LORD S--v. Friday.
Another person has earned the vacant Garter?
You surely do not mean -Lord Derby? I admit he has
certain claims upon his party, but yet—.
Yours, faithfully, B—D.

MY LORD, Saturd,ap.
IDO not mean Lord DERBY. I mean myself. If
you have got a Garter for the Congress, / ought to
have one. Please see to this at once, or I too can take
the Public into confidence--verbum eat
Yours, &C., S-y.
Saturday Afternoon.

DEAR S.

CAPITAL I was only joking. lam going down
to Windsor on Monday. You shall have the Garter
at once. It was through a mista,,e that you did not
receive yours when I got rides. The announcement
will appear in to-morrow's Times. Till then, believe
me, Yours affectionately, B-D.

CHOOSING HUSBANDS-AN EXTRA-
ORDINARY SCENE.

According to a letter from Alexandria in the Allge-
meine Zeitung, a Turkish slave ship was captured the
other day by an English vessel, and the slaves it con-
tained, consisting of seventy women and ten men
were liberated. The men volunteered into the Egs p-
Can Army, but it was more difficult to dispose of the
women, as they have no notion of liberty, and if left
to themselves would probably have been drafted
without making any resistance into some Mussul-
man's harem. 'Under the treaty concluded between the
English Government and the Khedive the importation
and exportation of slaves is forbidden; but the de-
tention and sale of slaves in the country is permitted
for about six years longer in Egypt, and eleven years
in the Soudan. Several officers accordingly came to
the pasha of the district, with offers to buy some of
the female slaves, but the pasha declared he would
not part with them unless they got married.. He then
announced that any soldier or civilian wishing to
marry one of the slavts would have to pay six
thalers for her dowry, but that the women would be
allowed to choose their husbands from among those
who should present themselves for the purpose. A
great number of men, chiefly soldiers, assembled on the
day appointed for the selection. The women were so shy
that they " huddled together like a flock of sheep,"
and oould not be induced to move. At last one of
them, taking courage, advanced slowly to a black Egy-
tian sergeant, who was anything but young or hand-
some, and put her hand on his shoulder as a sign that
he was the man she wished to marry. Her example was
instantly followed by the other women, who rushed for-
ward to choose their husbands as if they feared to be
too late. It was now the men's turn to say whether
they accepted the selection. All were satisfied but
rive, and evc.n the five women who were consequently
obliged to choose again were ultimataly provided with
husbands.

The latest accounts from the strike districts in
France state that the workmen at Denain have again
entered the pits, and an excellent feeling prevails at nearly
every pint of the northern district, where the strike may be
considered to be virtually at end. At St. Chatnond the men
at the silk manufactories have returned to their work, but
In the dyeing establishments the strike continues.

The plasterers in Bristol have struck for higher
wages. Several months ago they demanded a rise of a half-
penny as, hour. Some empioyerd conceded the advance, but
must of the masters refused to give it.

On Tuesday morning a Midland express train from
London to Liverpool. Manchester, aid Leeds, was found to
he on fire, when running at a high rate ef speed, between
Bedford snd Leicester, and the train being crowded the pas-
sengers were In a state of great alarm. A van, which was
filled with furniture and luggage, had caught fire and was
burning fiercely, the velocity of the train fanning the flames.
The guard applied the vacuum brake and the train was
brought to a standstill at labworth. The van was then
shunted on to a slaw, Irheu the the practically bUrnt itsett
out. ro an WIN illlbr4,