The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-09-11 00:00:00

As the unfortunate man insirtxd ripen hems iii irred
to tide dr. am of his earlier and happier days the bent
w,e kid ; but the justice said that he couidn't in 0 0-
science take the fee for doing it; and Si' the pour ietim
was led away rejoicing.
AN AtseiDirs et, PatelogYT GRANT. —At
Nashem, the other day, just an the train was starting
off, President Grant noticed a little girl vainly cud**,
vouring to get to the car. that she might shake hands
with him. The chill in her disappointment burst ioto
tears, and the President, pointing to her, asked pone
, eine to bring her to him. Two men seised her, and
, holding her above their heads, rushed with her to the
c .r, and the General had just time t, embrace her with
loth hands, when the train bore him rapidly away.
Many of the crowd saw the act, am! their petting
cheers broke forth anew.
Loos: Men.—ln Paris, recentry a lady fell in
love with her cook, and the passion deranged her miud.
She presented herself Rome eta) a hack at the office of
M. 130rillon, ceinunissary of police of the l'alaisele.
L, Justice, and inquired what formalities were mcerossry
'in order to get married. The officod tett her that she
mnat apply at the marie of her arrondissement. On
this the queriat became isuch'enly excited, and ds Oared
with an extreme volubility that she wanted to marry
the world in general; that she had been pasieried. had
died, and remained six weeks on the flagstones of the
Morgue, watchir g, without the power to move, all
the 0 mimes placed by her side, and hearing the on-
versation of the visitors ; and that she Feel been
rained up from that incomplete state of does 'lotion by
the grace of Steps were taken to have hoz
placed in a lunatic anyhow.
New GAMING Ace.—An Act was passed at the
close of the late Session to provide for the prevention
of gaoling in public places in Scotlend. It. Is emoted
that all chain-droppera, thiniblere, loaded•dice players,
cercheharpere, awl other persons of similar deiscription,
who shall be found in any public place. or in any
grounds open to the public, or in any public comer.
auce, in poweweion of implements or articles for the
practice of chaiindropning, thimbling,
playing, card aharping, or other unlawful gait intr, or
who shall in any such places exhibit such Mildewo as
to inducts or entice any person to engage in such came,
may be convicted before a magistrate and be sentenced
to imprisonuient with or without hard lahour for 60
dare and be ordered to restore money or other pro-
perty obtained, and in default he conimitted or itesalosal
for a further term not exceeding 60 days, with or with-
out hard labour.
DARING AND NOVEL RAILWAY R iI3I3HRT.—A
correspondent of a London paper writes: -
Leaving the quiet and lovely little village of Panghourne
by the 9(0 train for London last evening ~unday%, the train
being full, I and a lady friend were put into a carries' with
the guard, second claw, a lady, the only oectipant of this
carriage, tieing seated on the opposite corner of the entrto Ice.
We had well moved with some pace toaaroa Readlog, alma
Oils lady took out her purse, and was in the act of taking her
Octet therefrom when a man seised her hand throtbh the
open window, and by force tore the purse from her. liming
'row the steps of the carriage crossing the line towards the
Paughonene Station and being out of our snot, was, as •
.natter of course, ail the work .4 a moment, leaving us with
the guard, who witnessed it, almost dumbfounded with sur-
prise at the audacity and 11,1141118,11 of such an act, to say
nothing of the danger to the thief. I bane eo doubt •he ivy
Albert chain, with spade vines, seal, and locket, s',"ftt
m. by eseeeont boy.
ithholsofpeplootowhoooon
rottre
I,p.lattiltiosmaioaty,aandput;l :iali
value to about £4O would have well answered Ma purpose,
much to my discometure.
ILLSOIBLZ SIONaTUREB.—What a silly pedantry
that is that induces some little people to sign thew
names so that no one can decipher thein. If anything
that a mall puts upon paper ought to bold arid timid*.
takable, it is hie signature. The habit of signing with
a hieroglyph rpm* up with people in high places—no
credit to them—aud those in lower places contracted it,
aping their betters as usual, and thereby honouring the
character inherited from their Darwinian progeuitore.
Scores of letters from conspicuous noluallea coma
under my eye, wound up with conglomerations of
dashes and flourishes, that eueposiug them to be ex.
curable as the signs-manual if bishops and first.lorile, are
airmni as the subecrii lions of Littleworth, oleik In an
assurance office, or Fribble, a small pari-li curete.
The culminating point of inconoistency i reached
when the name is written so vilely that the writer ha'
Di enclose his card to tell you what it really is.
Often the body of a letter thus signed is legible
enough, showing that the correspondent lies learned to
write properly, and that his scrawly signature is a mere
affectation. It may be said that the hieroglyph I ce-
vents forgery; but this is a had argument, for Dieuiore
complicated a writing the easier C3ll it he imitated.
Far mere difficult is it to counterfeit a simple hand
which hearth AA all eimple hands dii bear, a character
peculiar to him who wrote it. The habit is nulte un-
pardonable ; and the man who puts a puzzie in the
mon important part of his epistle might never to be
disappointed if he gets no answer ; fir the time that
could be given to a reply may be completely used up
in disentangling the web that ehroudis the name.—
Gentleman's Magazine.
lsPi NITUAL DARKNESS. A newly appointed
zealous pleat in Ireland, who had succeeded to one
who did n. t trouble the poor of his flock with visita-
tions, began, new-broom-like, to make a raid among
them. Entering a mud cabin, with a fide in the roof
for a chimney, he found a calf and two pigs, acme
children, and their mother, a stout Irish womas who
was baking cakes. Re sat himself dowu on the not of
SO old tree, wilioh did duty for a seat, and the women,
who had not seen a pi ieet for years, and halfauspeeted
that he was a proce,enserver, as a i.erace-offernig Asked
if he would taste the newly-made breSil. He declined,
with a gloomy murmuring about the bread that
perisheth." "Faik• and that's what it juat does when
*he boy, get the run of it and me back's turned."
After sitting a little in silence—" Mistrews" said the
priest, "what would sou think of my putting up ape.
Wien?" "Never," cried the woman, in alarm; '' never
again ; for the last paitinn Barney sent up, his honour,
the landlord, sent word if we did the like again turn
..ut we roust." "What darkness! said the priest,
with his eyes to the ceiling. "Troth and ye know
little about it ; for, till Berney knocked hex turfs out
of the roof, coin couldn't ere to turn yourself round
about without falling over the pie!"
A SLIGHT MISTAKE !—The India papers state
that a rumour is widely spread that a blunder of great
magnitude has been discoveted in the loot lian
Budget, and that it is this that has stimulated the
zeal .1 the Government of India is, behalf of economy
to So extraordinary a pitch. "We do not know,4
says the Madras Times, "chat amount of truth may
be in the report, hut certain it is that the vigorous, we
might it!most say desperate, use the Supreme Govern-
ie making of the pruning knife ae.cords well
th with the statement that that Govenonent
itaelf poorer by two millions than it suppoesd
itself to be when the Budget was unfolded."
How Ti' CoOK A MAN.—Hail one if us looks
fcrward to being eaten ny cannibals, hen ay wish h. be
informed how he is likely to be cooked (•ays the Icily
News). It is a cemfort to know that the ravacs ohs
may devour him are by no means devoid of retteeteent
in their culinary dieposition. Some French 'edifiers
were lately taken prisoners bw the Canake, and one of
them wasitillen and eaten. Bin comrades describe the
process. The Canal., first decapitate their victim, •
matter of notarial' difficulty considering the bliadmes
of their hatchets. Ten to fifteen blows are necrtsory.
The body Is then hung up to a tree by the feet, and
the blood allowed to run out for an hour. Meanwhile
a hole a yard and • half deep and a yard wide is dug
in the ground. The hole is lined with stones. and ti en
in the midst of them a great fire in lit. When the
wood is burnt down a little and glow, with heat, it is
covered over with mere stones. The man is then
cleaned out and divided into pieces shout a foot lig,
the hands and feet being thrown away as worthleta
The pieses of the man are placed on the leaves of a
large roee tree peculiar to the tropics. The no at is
surrounded with cocoa-mute, barmier% and some other
plant, noted for their delicate flavour. The whole is
then tied together firmly, the fire is removed from the
pie the neat in placed in among the hot stones, and
thus, carefully covered, ie left to cook for an 1.0. W.
Women do not partake of this warriors' feast Mn
alone are permitted to enjoy so great an honour and
so rare a delicacy.

ment

eu..uo
6.d.

A MUNIFICENT GIFT.—The young Duke of
Norfolk has Piet given £l,OOO to the funds of the
infirmary at Sheffield. Hie Grace has very txteneive
pmeessione in that town and neighborhood, sod hie
ancestors for 70 or 80 yeare pant have held the iittice of
President of the Infirmary. A few days ago it seas
resolved that a deputation should wait upon him die
the purpose of asking hie acceptance of the office. Tne
deputation were introduced to hiin on Friday, when
his Grace consented to undertake the office, and in the
kindest manner requested them to put his name down
for a donation of £l.OOO.
A BOY OF SIXTY-THREE !—AlTbdeaeOrt Deni•
, son who wen present at the East Brent harvest home
one day last week, during the day delivered several
characteristic speeches. Replying to the toss, of his
health, the Venerable Archdeacon said : He found the
air of the place, as well as the kindlineee of the piece,
produce almost a gersind youth, and he had a little
story which he would tell, that might betoken a lit Is
vanity, but which would be followed by a sequel iihow-
ieg how people could be taken down. Friends livid
they wanted a photograph taken of him, and as his
stock was nearly exhsu-teil, he had his likenees taken,
and it mac taken twice. In one of the photographs lie
appeared like a man of 63 rare, am he was, and in
the other as if he was about 35, and both were taken
in the esme hour. Ha family—who were veraciiiiie
people—said of the second, " How did you sutf, such
a face as this to come out? it makes in look like •
KT." lie sent &little Fir), the daughter of Mr. Fowler,
whom they recollected as his citrate, one of the ihte
yeasts, and ate said. tflesr mamma, how pretty he is!.
(Roars of lighter.) He told that to a lady, aid she,
with that kindly sarcarni which the vex knew vo mcii
how to employ, and for which they could not be called
to ecc•mit, maid, "I suppose it was a very long USIA
sine she raw yon." (Much laughter.)
GraBUMPrioN OF SPIRITS—In the first half of
the year 18,9 10,060.736 gallons of hoes male
psid duty fir consumption at beverage in the Uoited
Kingoom—a larger quantity by 488.894 gallong that iii
the fleet half of le6B, but a rather smaller quantity
than in the first half of 1867. In England tile quen•
tity in the first half of the ureeent year was 5418,851
gallons, bring 101,277 gallons more than in the o.rre-
ppdnding period of 1868; in Scotland 2.301 030 gallops,
an increalie of 212,390 gallore ; in Ireland 234 ,8.15
gallon', an increase of 135 227 trallone, In tile ease
period, the first half of 1868, 1,854.328 proof gallons of
foreign or colonial rum AR. mitered for consumption
' in the United Kunz& m 1.490074 proof gallons of hr-
. lo,rvfl brandy, and 55}(:253 pro ..f gallons of I miter sorts
oi orted spirits (except Geneva, not sweetened or
• of

cia NCII IN SrAl N.—The journals of Bar-
celona relate an extraordinary tragedy In the ellvirore
that city. A thief a few days back attempted to
steal a watch from a gentleman at the station f Gra•
millers, but Mla detected by the latter, who arreeterl
him. A third person came forward, and cm dello; In-
formed of the inidoent drew out a poignard, and. .rah.
bing the culprit in the breast, killed him on the not.
Thln harberous act excited the greatent indignatter,
and the polo.) had great cdfficulty in protecting the
murderer from the crowd and lodging him in pitmen.
, l'he mob, however, broke into the gaol, and ohtairing
ponneasion of the individual, killed him in the street.
He is said to belong to a highly reepeative family of