The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-05-24 00:00:00

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

PRECAUTION.--Mamma (anxiously) My dear boy,
what have you being doing to yourself ?—what is the
matter with your head ?—Master Jack, Oh, there's
nothing much the matter. I had a pain in the left
temple this morning, so I tiel it up in case it should
spread.—Judy.

VITALITY IN A RABBIT.—A. friend of mine possesses
a favourite rabbit, whose soubriquet Is Tommy. One
day recently, not finding it respond to his call as usual,
he made a diligent search for it, but without success,
This he continued to do for six days. At the expira-
tion of that time, whilst the workmen were engaged in
building up the chimnf y of the copper, which had been
pulled down, under the impression that the animal wa,s
lodged there, " bunny " fell from the chimney into the
fireplace, alive, but very emaciated, having been there
for six dais without food.—G. B. —[The rabbit was
probably frightened, and prob Ably took refuge in the
first hole he saw. When he had crept in, he found he
could not turn to get back. Many instances have
occurred of dogs getting fixed in drains in this way.]—
Land and Water.

THE PRINCE AND THE BOOTMARER.—WO find in a
German paper (Ha) a the Globe) the following lietitiou,
which has been addressed by a bootmaker of Potsdam
to Prince Battenberg, the newly•elected Sovereign of
Bulgaria:—" Illustrious Prince,—l once had the
signal honour of making for your Highness with my
own hands (on the occasion of the races of Hoppel-
garton) a pair of top-boots. You deigned on that
occasion to prenounce the following memorable words,
which have become the motto of my family—' They
fit me to a T.' Since then I have not had the happi-
ness of working for your Mbjesty, but the echo of
your august words give me the courage to beg the
Prince of Bulgaria, Alexander 1., to award to use the
honour of being the bootmaker to his Court.—
(Signed) L. M., Artist in Coverings for the Feet."
The paper in queation was unable before going to prose
to' give the answer to this appeal.
"A FELLOW-FEELING ! "—Farmer Giles. "Well,
Squire, I've done my best with the farm, but I can't
pay my way any longer " Squire. "In that case,
Mr. Giles, no more can II So the sooner we lay our
heads together—! "—Punch.

k uStatinga
s
addresse
REDUCTION OF RENT3.—The East Anglian Dqily
a
Times sady a t
letter at
eLr otrod
t the next rent audit n une. He states
hi iteemn :richt reyo of
in nki eSiuwffi
rli a h
their rent a i
that he intends making a reduction of
June
per cent, in
that this is not on account of low prices, but of
un.
favourable seasons, as he feels no doubt that a farmer
of real energy and skill with sufficient capital can con-
tend succea,fully with the existing prices, low as they
are, and, as he fears, likely to be,
AN UNSUSPECTED PERIL —A gentleman who had
spent some days in the regions of the coal-oil wells in
Pennsylvania, says that in his opinion the Govern-
ment ougta to interfere at once, and put a step to
further pumping and boring for oil. He is quite
certain the oil is being drawn through these weals from
the bearings of the earth's axis, and that the earth
will cease to turn when the lubrication ceases !—Echo.
NICOTINE POISONINO.—A rather unusual case of
nicotine poisoning ()conned a day or two singe in a Parisian suburb (says the Evening Standard). The
vietim, a man in the prime of life had been cleaning
his pipe with a clasp knife, with 'this he accidentally
cut one of his fingers subsequently, but as the wound
was of a trival nature he paid no need to it. Five or
six hours later, however, the out finger grew painful
and became much swollen ; the inflammation rapidly
spread to the arm and shoulder, the patient suffering
such intense pain that he was obliged to betake him-
self to his bed, Medical assistance was called
in, and ordinary remedies applied ineffec.
tually. The sick man, questioned as to the
manner in which he had cut himself, explained
the use to which the pocket-knife had been ap•
plied, adding that he had omitted to wipe it after
cleaning his pipe. The apparent mystery which sur-
rounded the case was thus cleared up, and as the
patient's state had be(oe alarming, he was con.
veyed to the hospital, Upon his a,:paieeldn the doctors
attached to the institution declared that in the imme-
diate amputation of the arm lay the only hope of
saving the patient's life, The poisoned member was
therefore amputated; but in spite of the promptitude
with which the opera ion was performed, the man lies
in so precarious a condition that the chances of his re-
covery are said to be slight.

EMIGRATION FRO3I FRANCE. —A return has been
publis'aed by tan French Minister of the Interior
showing the number of emigrants from France during
the years 1875, 1876, and 1877, from which it appears
that the number of French subjects leaving their
country to settle abroad is falling off year by
year. The total number of registered emigrants
in 1877 was only 3,666, as campared with 2,867 in
1876, 4,464 in 1875, 7,000 in 1874, 7,500 in 1873,
and 9,500 in 1872. These figures show that the
French nation still retains its characteristic, in a pre-
eminent degree, of being "stay at home." When
taken in conjunction with the census returns, which
show the natural increase of the population to be very
small, small, or almost even stationary, they give little
prospect of any change in this national disinclination
to leave labelle France,
REGISTERING TRE WIND.— An tpparatas of simple
character for rbcol ding eontinuouety the direction of
the wind is now in use at the Observatory at Lyons.
It was constructed by M. Rediet. A weathercock of
suitable form is supported by a sort uf tripod 0
grooved wheels running upon a circular rail ot steel
(the wheels having individually a horizontal axis, but
collectively, a vertical). From the weatheroock passes
down a vertical rod to connexion with a cylinder_
(placed with axis vertical), which is supported btflow
by a steel pivot resting on a plate of aKatv, and is
guided at the upper part by lnlizontal Triltieys. Taus
each movement of the weathercock la transmitted to •
the cylitider. The latter ound round it a sheet
haq
oi paper, graduated •vertiriy
"7-
and horizontally (the
vertical divisions rePriisenting the hours, the horizon-
tal the direction, and a pencil applied to the paper
is moved in 'rertical direction by clockwork. It will
thus b, seen that the tracing obtained on the paper
indicates the successive positions taken by the weather-
cock, and, accordingly, the direction of the wind for
any given time.
HARES IN IRELAND.-Mr. R, Power's Hares 1111
provides for the protection of hares during the breed-
ing season. It imposes a penalty on persons convicted
of killing, wounding, or attempting to kill or wound
or take any hare or leveret, or of using a gun, net,
snare, or dog for this purpose, or of having in his pas-
session any hare or leveret recently killed, wounded,
or taken between the 20th of April and the 12th off
August in any year, The penalty is fixed 'at a stun
not exceeding £1 in respect of each hare. Provision is
made for the Lord. Lieutenant varying the time of this
prohibition in any county on the application of the,
justices.

A WARM WELCOME TO Ma.—Keeping up fires
till June—Punch.
AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.—The following
are the average prices of British corn for the week end-
ing May 17, as received from the inspectors and
officers of Excise :—Wheat, 40s. Bd.; barley, 300. id.;
oats, 210. 11d, per imperial qr. Corresponding week
last year :—Wheat, 520, Id.; barley, 395. 5d.; oats,
265. 3d.

" HEY 9"-Up Woodward-avenue resides one of those
men who, even if he understands perfectly well an in-
quiry addressed to him, invariably replies, " Hey ?"
and the inquiry must be submitted again (says a
Detroit paper). The world has tens of thousands of
those " heys ?" but until the other day this Detroiter
was the worst of all. Along came a stranger the other
evening, who might and might not have known of this
man's eccentricity. Entering the store he remarked
—"I want four pounds of sugar." " Hey?" replied
the other. "I said I wanted a sausage stuffer‘" con-
tinued the man. " What—hey ? " "I asked if you
had pickles in vinegar," coolly remarked the stranger.
"Hey ?" "I want— a—gallon —of turpentine,"
slowly replied the stranger. "Bless your soul! but
don't keep it ! " suddenly exclaimed the citizen. "I
didn't suppose you did."—" Hey ? ''—" I said I'd take
some liver pills in plum of it." No doubt the dealer
had heard every single word of the entire conversation,
and he didn't like it very well either, but habit pre-
vailed, and again he called out "Hey "—" Calico I
calico ! " shfuted the stranger; I've asked you a
dozen times over if you had any good eight-cent
calico !"—" No, sir—no, sir—no, sir ! '1 was the indig-
nant answer.--" Hey?" called the stranger, his hand
to his ear. The citizen looked around for the four.
gound weight, but when he found it there was nothing
to throw at.

DISEASES OF POTATOES.—The Gardener's Chronitge
remarks thAt " Potatoes seem doomed to many
dise‘a.ses, One form of disease has just been forwarded
which is quite new within our limited experience.
The leaves are strangely curled up, as if infested with
numerous aphides, though there is not a trace of
insect visible; they are full of holes, and are beset on
the under side with dark blotches projecting beyond
the surface,.calling to mind the wartlike excrescences
which are so common on vine leaves. On examination
under the microscope, the tissues are found to be
strangely swollen, and so disjointed from each other
that the smallest pressure sets the greater part of
them free. There is no trace of fungi, and the only
conclusion that we can arrive at is that it is essentially
a can of hypertrophy closely resembling that of the
vine, except that the cells are ultimately discoloured.
At first the walls of the cells become dingy, and then
the protoplasra is collected into a thick dark mass.
We have no information as to the treatment which
may possibly have induced such a condition, If the
whole crop is similarly affected the produce must bet
greatly diminished. A partial attack, like that of the
vine, may not be seriously injurious." '

A FAMOUS DOG.—Once there was a man in Minne-
sota who had a dog. He bragged of that dog; he did.
There was no beast of the field, or of the forest either,
who could hold up against him. And bears I oh he
was great on bears That was his particular game.
He was a terror to bears, that must be admitted. He
was rather sorry for it, too ; he was afraid that-terror
was making bears rather too scarce in that region. One
day he met a neighbour. The neighbour said, "That
Is a great dog of yourn," "He Just is," replied the
owner. " Hev you perceived him lately ?" " I "saw
him about half an hour ago," answered the neighbour.
"He was haviu' a great time with a bear." "You
het ?" cried the owner; "and which beat?" " Well
marry one of them was beat, but the dog was beatinl
the hear." "Of oourse ; but why didn't you help
him ? "Came they were going too fast. It wasn't a
fight; it was a race, and your dog was ever so far
ahead. He was PIA gettin' into town when I set
him,"

BEARDS —The Paris correspondent of The Times
says :—" The soldiers of the Territorial Ateey, or
Second Reserve, are henceforth to be allow, A to wear
beards when called out for duty. The Alsenir Militaire
demands a similar concession to the Reeer vista, or First
Reserve, which would save about 701,Offfif. a year, and
it also urges that in the active Army I fficers should do
as they please, while privates should be subject to their
captains permission in the matter. Despite the
regulation of 1833, the troops in Algeria do not shave,
and the Arenir thinks it ridiculoue that what is
allowed there should be disallowed at Nice. These
petty vexations, it says, are more injurious than con.
ducive to the maintenance of discipline.fi
NORDENSIcsIOLD'S EXPEDITION. Nature says :
" Letters from Nordenskjo d have been received by
the Governor-General of Siberia. They confirm the
news already brought to Europe. The Vega steam-
ship has been blocked by ice in a harbour named
Kamen, at a short distance from Behring Straits, on
the east coast of Siberia. This station is easily reached
by whalers every year. No doubt the escape of the
ex.ilorer and his companions will take place without
difficulty as soon as the -ice breaks up, probably in a
few weeks. The news has been brought by native
mes3engers, and everything was going on well on
board the Vega.

OVERCOMING AN OBJECTION l-It is said that rents
continue to rise in Yana, and that proprietors are
becoming day by day more absurd in the restrictions
they put on their tenants (says the Court Journal).
Some will not allow a dog to be kept; others will not
permit any pet whatever ; and some even will not
allow children to be in the house. A clever individual
has just managed, however, to overcome this last
objection. He had seen an apartment he liked, and,
well knowing that the proprietor objected to children,
he said nothing of the existence of his only child, a boy
of two years of age, but simply had the lease made out
in hi infant's name. When he came with his family
to take possession, at the eight of the baby the pro-
prietor flew into a rage and objected most strongly.
"Pardon me," replied the astute aiplomatieit, "but it
is my child and not myself who has hired the apart-
ment. You have made no objection to his asking his
parents to stay with him' so hare we are 1" The pro-
prietor had to grin and bear it, for he had no legal
ground of complaint.

ALL FOR LOVE !—Two oddities died recently (says
a Quebec paper). One was a man who went to bed
forty years ago owing t') a disappointment in love,
and did not leave it until he was carried to his grave.
The other resolutely refused to speak to any mortal
soul for even a longer period, invariably expressing
his opinion and wishes by means of writing on a slate
or tablet that he kei,it conveniently near. Both, it is
said, owed their idiosyncrasies to bad treatment by
the female sex, and both led peaceful if uneventful
livem after their adoption of these peculiar means of
revenge.
THE HEAVIEST HOLIDAY TASK.—To get through a
wet Bank Holiday.--Punch,
LORD TOLLEMAOHE AND HIS TENANTS. Lord
Tollemache haa executed an agreement with his Peck.
forton (Cheshire) tenantry, whereby he agrees to give
them on expiration of their occupancy liberal compen-
sation for all unexhausted manures and improvements
effected on the estate, subject to his lordship's approval
during the time such improvements were executed.
His lordship has added a lease note agreeing to allow
his tenants to remain in undisturbed possession of a
farm for 21 years. His lordship's intention ia to induce
his tenants to farm up to their utmost capacity, and
tenants, on the other hand, are deeply grateful to his
lordship for this mark of consideration in the present
crisis.

A SAVAGE GAME (that wants limiting).—Zoo•Loo
—Punch.

A 13Ltiz CAMELLIA.—A new flower, or anew variety
of an old one, creates as much interest and excitement
in the floricultural world as the discovery of a new
bird, beast, or fish among the lovers of natural history.
Floriculturists are not by any• means the least
enthusiastic of hobbyists, and their endeavours to
di, cover and even " invent " new flowers are most
energetic. Among the desiderata which they long
hoped and tried to realise are a blue rose and a
yellow rose—that is a real yellow perpetual—a blue
dahlia, and a blue camellia, Hitherto the first •
three have been denied to them, and except in the case
of a yellow rose, realisation can hardly be said to have
been approximated, though, by the way, a little blue
has been got into the dahlia ; but at last more success
has attended the attempts of introducing the desired
aolour into the camellia. Some blooms of a marked
blue tint have recently been submitted to floricultural
authorities, who at first were inclined to think that the
colour was due to some bruises on the petals;
but the inspection of a young uninjured bud, in
which the blue was deepest, negatived this notion.
Another suggestion to the effect that iron in the
soil might have produced the colour, as in the ease of
the hydrangea, was also disproved by the fact that
2carlet and blue flowers occurred on the same stalk.
The camellias in question were English flowers, but
some blooms recently brought to this country by a
distinguished American nurseryman show a similar
colour, and therefore we may conclude that a blue
camellia is a fait accompli, It is not improbable that -we are still in the infancy of chemistry as applied to
rproductions of new variety of flowers.—Evening
ndcvN,