The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-04-25 00:00:00

THE ROYAL_ MIX.

Mr. Disraeli -daciin-eTtn.7l;ighi in the Howie, to give
Mr. Fawcett a day for the discussion of the motion
respecting the Royal Titles Bill; Quiche ground that
the question is already decided.
SHOCKING EXPLOSION IN A TUNNEL
A frightful accident occurred on Saturday in a
railway tunnel which is in course of construction at
Cymmer, near Neath, Glamorganshire, for the purpose
of connecting Maesteg Railway with the Glyncorowg
Line. A number of men were employed in forcing a
heading, when the blasting powder exploded, bring.
tog down the roof and framework and burying the
unfortunate labourers in the crash. Assistance was
promptly rendered. and a few of the entombed men
were got out alive ; but thirteen were dead and several
of those dug out alive were so terribly injured as to
leave slight hopes of recovery. Sixty yards of the
tunneling were completely wrecked, and massive pieces
of timber used to prop up the centre were blown clean
out of the workings. It is not known how much of
the explosive material was fired, but o‘er bewt, of gun-
cotton, it is said escaped ignition. The cause of the
diameter is not yet known. The report ,d the
explosion is said to have been heard twenty miles off.
The scene at the mouth of the tunnel, after the friends
of the deceased had ooUected. and when the disfigured
corpses werefht out, was very distressing. In
many Chia recognition was almost impossible.

OUR MAID'S-OP'-ALL-WORS.
My last one ham joined the Good Templar', and the
result is that of a night she is rarely at home, and that
when she puts in an appearance it is at an unreason.
able hour. In our parish the Good Templar' flourish,
and the consequence is that in every respectable family
there is a shudder at the very mention of their name.
Naturally one sympathimes with the aim of the Good
Templar@ ; but practically, I find good Templarism to
consist mainly in getting together a lot of young
people, who have duties to their employers which they
fall to discharge, and who amuse themselves by
recitations and in other ways long after the hour at
which, at any rate in the country, servant girls are
expected to retire to rest. My maid-of-all-works—l
beg her pardon, she is known in the select circles in
which she moves as Miss Blank—has naturally some
talent for recitation, and in in great request. It is
expected by the Good Tempters that she is to be
meant at all their meetings, and to he ready at their
beck and call, no matter how inconvenient that may
be ea regards my domestic arvangements, or those of
my better half. Of course, if the gifted young party
In question were in the pay of the Good Templar',
this would be but right and proper; but as I have to
find the wages, and.. I have to keep the young lady,
I think the Good Templar' should remember that
servants have duties to discharge, and that it is better
they should be helped to discharge them, than that
they should be trained to spend their evenings in a
kind of teetotal music-halL No one advocates servants
righta more than I do, as much am posdble we should
make the life of one cheerful ; but it is quite another
thing to let her be alwayo gadding about and to be
told, as I am when I come home tired and hungry,
and want my supper, "Oh you can't have it. So-and-
so has gone to the Good Templars' meeting."
But it is not only the Good Tempters of whom I
complain. Once upon a time, from the very widest
corners of Snifolk, 'I dragged up a " primitive " speci-
men In the shape cf a Methodist For a while she did
very well, though rather expensive in the article of
crockery ; but she was always at hand, and kept good
hours. Unfortunately, though there were few
Methodists in that quarter, and an abundance of
churches and chapels, it seemed good to the Wesleyan
anthorlties to make a beginning, and accordingly a
little iron chapel was erected. My handmaid—as,
indeed, I was glad to see her do—at once joined the
Methediets. I don't complain that they managed to
get out of her half her wages—you must make sand.
Roes for any infant cause, and my domestic was
Installed at once 3,0 a Miss, and, of course, was
expected to behave a. such -but what I did complain
of was that in this little chapel, night after night,
meetings were held, presided over by a youthful green-
grove., and attended by scone clown servant-girl.- the
biggest gossips in the parish—which were professedly
of • religious character, but which I fear degenerated
Into something else. At any rate, in the end they
became such a nuisance that I and Mary Anne—for
that wan her Christian name—had to part
I hay.% suffered, in common with my neighbours,
from the various religious meetings which, of late, it
has been the fashion to get up in all parts of the
country, mostly held at a late hour. There was a
time when Christianity meant living a Christian life,
and doing one's duty. We have clanged all that.
Now we have Moody and Sankey'e hymns instead to
sing. I am almost sick of them. As to
'Holding the Fort,' I have given that up long ago;
and my heart aches to see people "Waving the
Banner " when they might to be cleaning up the
kitohen, or mending their children's socks. Olt for
another Binney. to preach down this hot-house-
religion —of crowded meetings and late hours; to recall
men and women to manly piety and the faithful
performances of humble duty, however unpleasant; to
teach us all the selfishness and danger of mere feeling
where God and truth and humanity are concerned.
Managers of such meetings have much to aaswer for
They never seem to think that master, and mistresses
have any rights whatever If they get up the meeting
you must fiend the servants, however giddy and unfit
they may be, to attend such plums, or to be out late
et night Prrita PLAUI SPERM-1a the Christian
World.

IDENZALY AND HIS CREW.
Osi Monday the annual demonstration of members of
the various nMlxene Release and Magna Charter As-
sociations of the mistropolis and district. was Midi=
Park. The number in the procession was coast
assailer Mau last year, end those who formed it were ray
breguler sad stragglias. it was composed of men and
women most of whose ware bias end wte favours, some
of which hors the WM. " which the beaten stated
stood for fools and fanatica—adopling the terms in which
the Orton teritstors were referred to In a memorable
etteranou The majority of the banners had served on
eintilar occasions before, bet a few were raw. Their
mottoes included sentimental and moral UMW" mid
emu of them were forced applications of sage",
The customary redactions upon the ded.sttoa d
twee, and laudation of Dr. Limeao abetodel. One Us
Ina 'prated atsinst the dearth tide el Imprthi."
''Pulluire United celled upon &Inman dirk tasy to
smith in ea 14 those howling hounds and tav
I.illackasem in St Three copies of rhi
cescied thepeaded from a black gibbet.
we=strathrbenthi. The member for Fitoke-upon-
Treat rode ea thee broeuthem, end was cheered by the
crowds that Lath the reale ell the way. Arrived at Hyde
Perk. Dr. Lee* aditherred the cow& He or,. only
beard by these elite Nor him. sad at the sad of his
kid salmi he left the path; The
..M.h:r of
Asowestraters was nadir two the
=trof spectators who Ws, the
ees possibly tern tines se may.

WINO

It le said the health of Velma's' Baker, late Coked Is
lir Ana, le so muck impaired by his bnysiseenbsut.
Awe greselems for Me U. or. eatermmed by bi.
The polling Is North Norfolk resulted in the return
.41( the Conserradre candidate, Colonel Duff, who
seamed 2,302 rotes *Oast 2,192.P011•1 by the Liberia
outdid/to, Sir Theatre Fweell Boston, &hag the
tomer a major* dile.