The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-09-08 00:00:00

eria)

some women

91.711 E STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

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yen as Ido ; and YTa are too good and brave a man
to care for tile sifililitalk about maiden modesty.
Tell me—speaiC t,o me, here. We are alone, and
there is no one 1.0 hear our secrets. You are silent
Why don't yori speak ? "
"You have I I; ild me you love me,' he said, quietly.
" Yes—yes! she exclaimed, nestling to him;
and her passion flashed from her eyes.
"My poor girl," he said, with husky voice, "1
love another, aa ; dearly as you love mei "

(To be continued.)

sand bodies of European and Chinese have already
been recovered. Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the
coact towns, seized with despair, are seeking a hurried
refuge in the interior.
Java, situated in the middle of the semi-circle of
islands between Sumatra and the tiny islets looking
north upon the Floris and Banda seas, is as beautiful,
though AS treacherous, a spot as the foot of man ever
trod. It has a delicious, and in some parts perfect,
climate, a vegetation almost extravagantly luxuriant,
and scenery that fills_ the beholder with wonder and
_ _

delight. 'Yet amid its verdant valleys and richly.
clothed mounta;n sides lurk all kinds of dangers
chief among which is this trouble of the inner fires
that in a moment may escape through the vents of
any or all of its forty•six vole- nic peaks, dealing
death and destruction around. There are low-
lying and sheltered lands, and shores bold and
precipitous, deep bays and scattered islands, and
lofty mountain tops rising to the height of ten thou-
sand feet. Between the lesser hills innumerable
rivers meander through rich fields, fertilizing every
strip of ground, which is cultivated to the water's edge.
In this deceitful spot summer reigns per petually, and
the towns and villages are hidden from the gaze of the
approaching traveller by dense screens of abundant
verdure. Sometimes the eye, wearied of the wealth
of foliage, rests on patches of sandy shore, strewn
with the broken rubbish of many a fierce irruption,
calcareous rocks, boulders of pumice, and masses of
ugly scoria. Fnr the most part, however, the island
of Java is lovely to look upon. Down in the
green valleys dwell the palms and bananas and the
poisonous Euphorbiacere, and on the lower slopes the
graceful, slender bamboo rises from a thick under-
growth of feathery ferns; while, yet higher, and still
springing from their carpet of brake spread the tall
fig trees in green majesty. Above mounts the end.
less series of plenteous vegetation until oak and laurel
nsingle with the tall, straight stems of dusky pines,
their feet buried in a sea of fungi and mountain
mosses, On the top of all nestle the violet and the
primrose, and many an English wayside flower.
Beautiful birds fly in and out among the branches, or
soar up into the blue sky. Indian magpies, fire.
back pheasants, and crested partridges abound.
Squirrels and monkeys make the woods alive with
their glancing movements, and frzno the dense forests
come the cries of wild dogs and swine. The
huge rhinoceros crashes through the woods, and tigers
and leopards crouch with cruel eyes waiting for their
prey. In the midst of all this world of danger and
delight dwell a sober and orderly people, well content
with the strong and temperate rule of their Dutch
masters. They are skilful workers in wood and iron,
ivory, gold, and fine cloths, besides being bold horse-
men and ardent bunters. Their native houses are
neatly built, their canoes handsome and swift; and,
like many more polite peoples, the Javanese are
greatly addicted to theatrical representations, music,
and games of chance. That they live in hourly peril
of being swallowed up by earthquakes does not, to all
appearance, affect their enjoyment of life, or disturb
the general serenity of their manner.

The following orders have been given by the
Admiralty with reference to the late disaster in the
Straits of Sunda :

"Her Majesty's ship Champion, from Penang, Her
Majesty's ship Magpie, from the north coast of Borneo,
and Her Majesty's ship Flying Fish, from the Cores,
to proceed to the Straits of Sunda for the purpose of
surveying and reporting the changes which have been
made, as regaid•, the navigation, by the earthquake
and tidal wave of the 29th of August."