The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-09-07 00:00:00

A LIGHT BUSINESS. —The gas company's.—Fun.

THRIFT IN IRELAND.—" Dr. Hancock's report and
statistics of savings in Ireland shows a falling off of
£1,000,000 in deposits and cash balanced in joint-stock
banks as compared with the amount at midsummer
last year, when the total was £32,746,000, and which
amount was £69,000 less than in the preceding year.
Until then there had been a steady increase since
1863, when the total was £12,967,000. The Trustee
Savings Bank show a decrease in deposits of £17,000,
or somewhat less than 1 per cent., while the Post-
office Savings Banks show an increase of £48,000, or
upwards of 4 per cent. This increase, however, is
much below those of the two preceding years. There
is a decrease of £804,000 in the £32,000,000 odd of in-
vested India and Government stocks on which divi-
dends are payable at the Bank of Ireland. At mid-
summer this year the numbers in receipt of workhouse
relief were 3,991 more than at midsummer last year,
with a concurrent increase of 8,175 in the number re-
ceiving outdoor relief at the end of July this year.
However, this increase of pauperismhad been lessened
to 5,017 instead of 7,166."

LARGE IMPORTATION OF FOOD.—One Of the largest
cargoes of food that have yet arrived in this country
from America reached Liverpool in the American Line
steamer City of Bristol, from Philadelphia. She had
on board 320 head of fine live cattle, and 1,188 live
sheep, as well as 58,000 bushels of grain, in addition
to other quantities of provisions.

CES ENFANS TERRIBLES.—Partner (during interval
of quadrille) : "I hope we shall hear you sing tonight,
Miss Warbles." —Miss W.: "I fear I cannot, because
my tiresome young brother has left my music at home
and brought nothing but music-hall ditties instead."
—Fun,

POOR MASTER !—Melbourne is unhappy about the
supply of female servants, they are very short (in
number). A lady in one of its suburbs advertising
was answered by a young and pretty maid with un-
exceptional pleasing manner, and a willing
glad enough to get her.
d ispositi o
nreferences,
The
lad y
was
"But I have always had a whole day's leave every
fortnight," the young girl remarked, "and an evening
a week besides." You shall not be deprived of
them," was the reply. "And this is a very lonely
place ma'am," the girl rejoined, "and I could not
come, home by myself : would the master mind coming
for me ? " There was a struggle in the lady's mind,
but a good servant is not to be picked up every day,
and she consented. And now that wretched master
has to refuse all invitations for two nights in one week,
and one Oght in the other,
.that he muy faithfully
fulfil the duties which the hetd of his hhttseliblci has
thrust upon him,

MANUFACTURE OF ARKS IN PRITIMIA.--,The 0010 C
Gazette says that one of the most flourishing branc
of industry in Prussia is at present the fabrication of
arms. The great manufactories are busy, especially
with Russian orders, which are very numerous, for
mitrailleuses of a new kind, after a Swedish model,
which is said to surpass all that has been known till
now as to quickness and the mass of the balls fired at
the same time. These mitrailleuses, which carry very
far, arc said to be destined to make torpedo boats
innocuous.

GOLD or VicToßi.k.•--The Melbourne Argus reports
a " rush " for gold near Berlin in the Duuolly district.
A Chinaman, working at a place in that district called
Jericho, found, on the 23rd of June, a nugget weigh-
ing 4000 z., and the unearthing of such a magnificent
lump of gold drew many miners to the ground. But
the reports of the Government Mining Surveyors and
Registrars of the colony for the quarter ending the 31st
of March show a continued decline in the quantity of
kold raised. The quarter's yield is computed at
161,4280 z., or nearly 14,0000 z. below the corresponding
quarter of last year. The gold exported from Victoria
in the first half of the year 1878 is stated at 160,1430 z.,
or 74,9700 z. less than in the first half of last year.
How TO PROCURE AN ECLIPSE OF THE SON.—Cut
him off with a Shilling.—Punch.
A NEW MINERAL.—Just before leaving Europe to,
attempt the North-East Passage, Professor Norden-
skjOld sent to the Paris Academy of Sciences an
account of a new mineral recently found in Sweden,
and which he has named Thaumasite (" the wonder-
ful.") Professor Nordenskjold's paper was read at
last week's meeting of the Paris Academy, and he
states that the mineral has been carefully studied by
his assistant, M. G. LindstrOm. Thaumasite has been
met with in (1) specimens brought by Professor
Nordenskjold from the Gustav and Carlsberg mines,
or the Bjelke mine at Areskustan, in 1859; (2)
specimens of an old Swedish collection from the same
mines 100 years ago, by M. Polheimer, mining en-
gineer; (3) other specimens brought from the same
mines this year, at Professor Nordenskjold's request,
after the analysis of Nos. 1 and 2 had shown the
strange composition of the substance, which contains
at once silicic acid, carbonic acid, and sulphuric acid.
The microscopical analysis shows that the mineral is a
genuine new species, and not a mixture. It appears to
Professor Nordenskjold that the curious composition
of the mineral is very important for a knowledge of
the transformation which the materials of rocks
undergo, and he is convinced that thaumasite will
be found in other mines when once the attention
of mineralogists has been drawn to this interesting
substance.

OLD WEATHERAVISDOM.—The leech, kept in A
commcn eight-ounce phial, three-fourths filled with
watm (changed once a week in summer, and twice in
winter), and covered with a bit of linen rag, is a sure
prognosticator of the alterations in the weather. The
following are its indications : —ln serene weather it
lies rolled up at the bottom in a spiral form. When
it is about to rain in the forenoon, it creeps to the top,
and remains there till the weather is settled. Previous
to wind, it keeps in rapid motion, mid seldom rests
till it begins to blow hard. If a remarkable storm of
thunder and rain is to succeed, it lodges some days
before continually out of the water, and is very un-
easy and convulsed. In frost as well as in clear weather
it lies at the bottom; and in snow or rain it keeps at
the mouth of the phial.
A PHILOSOPHICAL EXCIIRSIONIST.—EIderIy Gentle-
man (politely to middle-aged spinster opposite, evi-
dently one of Cook's tourists) : "And where, may I
ask, are you going next ?—Middle aged Spinster;
Oh! let me see !—l'm going to Geneva !—Elderly
Gentleman: Going to Geneva! Why, you are in
Geneva !—Middle-aged Spinster: Am I really? Oh,
then I'm going to Milan.—Punch.
ANOTHER AMERICAN " CRACK " MARKSMAN.
Another " crack " shot has been found in the United
States, and, according to the American journals, he
has accomplished an unparalleled shooting feat. The
marksman is Professor Charles E. Dwight, of Wheel-
ing, who, when shooting at a target at a distance of
eight hundred yards, on the 14th ult., made thirty-
nine consecutive bull's-eyes, This feat places him at
the head of long-range shots, and entitles him to a
position in the representative team of the United
States.

WHAT IS REALLY WANTED.—A Saxon chymist has
recently obtained a patent for a curious invention,
namely, for the decomposition of atmospheric air.
What air is to be decomposed for nobody exactly
knows, but if the patentee can apply his process to
some of the great cities, where the air wants decom-
posing very badly, and eliminate the objectionable
elements before he puts it together again, it would
not be such a bad idea.—Judy.
A SIMPLE REMEDY FOR PAlN.—Persons who with-
out knowing that they are applying nature's remedy,
have drawn in their breath hard when they had a cut
finger or barked a shin on .a
coal scuttle, will be pleased
to learn that they have employed respiratory analgesia
in its simplest form. If any man will draw breath
deeply and quickly for the space of three minutes or
less he will thereby lose acute sensibility to pain, so
that he can endure a minor surgical operation without
inconvenience, and can greatly lessen the pain of neu-
ralgia or toothache. Chewing rapidly is said to be ho
effectual remedy for nose-bleeding.

JURY LISTS.—On Sunday (Bth) the lists of persons
liable to serve as jurymen for the year 1879 will be
placed on church doors, and continue for some days.
I'ersons who are 60 years of age can claim exemption
by giving notice to the parochial officers and attending
a petty session to make their claim both as to official
position and as to age. Unless the names are removed
from the lists the parties will be liable to serve.

FIRES IN A LGERIA.—Some formidable fires have
broken out at Djedbdad, at a point between Valee and
the Saf-Saf, at Medjadjdas, and at a place between the
Saf-Saf and Saint Charles, in Algeria. At the latter
place the flames threatened the destruction of farms
and villages, but a detachment of troops from Phillip-
peville succeeded in mastering the flames. The latest
report of the conflagration at Medjadjdas represents it
as a terrible disaster, some thousands of hectares being
on fire; the village of Bordj Docsmencs at Estaya has
been completely destroyed, the inhabitants having
barely had time to escape. Much damage has been
done in the forests of cork trees on the right bankof
the Saf•Saf.

SAD ACCIDENT AT A MARRIAGE —A fearful accident
has plunged two highly respectable families at Fonten-Royans, in France, into grief. After a marriage
festival, the bridegroom was conducting his bride and
the members of his family to his house, at St. Nazaire-
en-Royans, when the carriage, at a certain point of
the road, near Auberives (notwithstanding the coach-
lamps being lit), got into violent collision with the
long ends of some fir trees, laden on a cart, which un-
happily obstructed a part of the road. The shock was
fearful. One of the tree-ends, after penetrating the
body of the driver, also went through that of NT-
Poudret, the father of the bride. The piece of wood
had to be sawn in two in order to be extricated from
the body of the 'victim, who died shortly after the
operation, under excruciating pains.
CAUTION TO MOTHERS.—Do not let your boys go
birds'-nesting. If they capture the sparrow, they ma),
also catch the thrush.—Fun.

COURT MOURNING.—The following is printed in a
supplement to the London Gazette :—" Lord Chamber-
lain's Office, August 30, 1878. Orders for the Court's
going into mourning on Sunday next, the Ist of Sep-
tember, for her late Majesty the Queen Dowager
Christina of Spain, grandmother of the reigning king,
viz. :—The ladies to wear black dresses, white gloves,
black or white shoes, feathers, and fans, pearls,
diamonds, or plain gold or silver ornaments. The
gentlemen to wear black Court dress, with black
swords and buckles. The Court to change the mourn-
' ing on Sunday, the 15th of September next, viz. :—Tbe
ladies to wear black dresses, with coloured ribands,
flowers, feathers, and ornaments, or grey or white
dresses, with black ribands, flowers, feathers, and orna-
ments. The gentlemen to continue the same mourn-
ing. And on Sunday, the 22nd of September next,
the Court to go out of mourning."

HASTY GENERALISATION.—Mamma: " We 'd bettei
go in, darling! It threatens to rain."—Harry "Oh!
then it won't 1" Mamma: " Why ? "—Harry: '6 Papa
always threatens to vip me! but he never does
Punch.
FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Sunday evening Mr. Mete
thew Gould, master of a steam launch belonging to
Mr. Cavendish Bentinck. M. 1?., of Branksea Island.
Poole, expired after much suffering, through an acci-
dent which befel him on the previous Thursday night.
He arrived at Poole with the launch and landed some
gentlemen, and when about to return to the island be
found that the steam power at his command was in:
sufficient to contend with the very strong wind and
tide that prevailed. The vessel quickly drifted upon
one of the piles of the bridge crossing the harbour St
its narrowest point, and Gould, in trying to lessen the
force of the collision, was dreadfully crushed againet
the woodwork. He was extricated as quickly as pos•
Bible and conveyed home. At Mr. Bentinck's request.
three or four medical men attended him, but from the
first the case was hopeless. The launch sank, but hiv9
since been got up and placed under repairs
TAME POULTRY.—There is one point in ponitrY
management to which we wish to call especial atoll'
tion, as but few persons who rear poultry for profit ever
attach much importance, notwithstanding it has a
great influence upon the profits. It is to keep your
birds tame, whether they are kept up in suitable en-
closure during the entire year, or permitted to have
unlimited range, for it pays to do so in many waYe•
If you keep your birds tame, so they will come to V°
quickly at the call and eat out of your hand without
any sign of fear or distrust; they will always be quiet
and content, and will fatten and thrive much better.
This matter is well understood by breeders of the
larger kinds of stock, such as cattle, horses, sheep, end
swine, while there are a sensible few who apply the
same principle with poultry. Many a fine nest of egg°
has been destroyed by a wild and frightened hen, a
hen which had early learned to fear her master or
owner. If uniform kindness and gentleness had beell
resorted to, the hen would suffer herself to be handle°
while on the neat, and never once think of leavieg
it in such a hurry as to endanger the eggs. If the
poultry on the farm is kept tame, it is not a ver/d
difficult matter to catch one or more when wante
for table or other uses.- —American Poultry Journal.
AFRICAN TRAVELS.—A successful experiment he
lately been tried in the equatorial provinces of EgYr"
which may not improbably ere long revolutionise .
the mode of transit in Eastern Africa and solve
a problem which has hitherto puzzled traveller!:
About a year ago, at Colonel Gordon's request, a fe
trained elephants were sent to Khartum, where they
arrived in due course, having marched along the hew"'
of the Nile. A report has been received in Cairo front
Colonel Gordon stating that he had despatched theo3'
by way of Fachoda and Bohr, to the military
of Lardo, about 11. deg. south of Khartum, and I"
miles north of Gondokoro, and that they had aecoin:
plished this distance in 84 days. A not uniniporten:
advantage to be derived from the employment
elephants in this manner was demonstrated by til
fact that the negroee along the line of march tve7,9
frightened by them, and made no attempt to attar
the party. The elephants have gradually learned tleli
live on leaves and grass, as the wild elephants do, all,.
keep in first-rate condition without the different kin"'
of food to which they had previously been *or°.
toined. Col mel Gordon consequently advisee trs-
vellere going ..nto the interior of Africa from LinzlbBe
to use elephants, and thus avoid the necessity f.0L,,11
hoot of porters, who 4e, a Urretettnding @curve of ae'
ain4 AgaTo2o,l""afOtitnl/1

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