The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-08-23 00:00:00

MisceUanernx JnhJlicgcite.

ROME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

Two DISTINCT CLABSES.—The Aristocracy and the
'Arry-stocracy.—Puneh.

AVERAGE PRICES Or BRITISH CORN.—The following
are the average prices of British Corn for the week
ending August 16, as received from the inspectors and
officers of Excise :—Wheat, 495. sd. barley, 31s. 3i, ;
oats, 235. 6d. per imperial qr. Corresponding week last
year :—Wheat, 445. 2d. ; barley, 335. 33. ; oats, 265, Id.
FROM THE SANDS.—They had been married but a
fortnight—one happy, happy fourteen days—and were
spending the honeymoon at beauteous Shanklin. As
they sat aide by side on the soft sands, while the sun
shone gently o'er her fair head, and the wavelets
lapped musically at their feet, Angelina addressed
Edwin with a pretty pout. "Do put down that stupid
paper, and pay me just a little attention," said the
bride. "My ownest," said the bridegroom, "I'm pay-
ing you as little as I possibly can."—Judy.
AN AFFECTIONATE GANDER,—About three years ago
(says the Cumming Clarion, U.S.A.), an old gander
conceived a violent affection for an old lunatic gentle.
man, who was allowed to go about at will, not being
bad enough for an asylum. Wherever the old man
went the gander would go, walking a few yards in ad-
vance, hissing at all animals they met, as though
warning them off. When the man rested, the gander
would lie or set beside him ; and at night time so persist-
ent was it in its demand to remain near its master that
compliance with his cackle was deemed expedient.
The poor bird, however, persisted once too often, and
fell a martyr to its remarkable affection, it being killed
to put an end to its clamours.
PROVERIT.AL PHILOSOPHY.--FrOM a London Cab-
man's Point of View,—" None but the brave dispute
the fare."—Judy.
NOTHING BUT SUGAR I—An officer travelling in
company with a gallant quarter-master on the Port
Louis and Mohebourg Railway in the Mauritius, being
anxious to learn what he thought of the island as he
had been stationed there so long, put the question,
and received the following concise summing up—
" Well, sir, it's shuggar, its shuggar; here shnggar,
there shuggar; everywhere it's nothing but shuggar."

-
IRON VE
RAILS —A correspondent writes
-R-SITS STEEL
in The Times :" —A reaction has lately been going ou in
the United States in favour of iron rails, which the
iron trade of South Wales has already begun to feel in
shape of some welcome American orders. This partly
arises from the fact that, though the life of a steel
rail is longer than that of an iron one, the latter can be
converted when worn out, and thus commences a new
life. But it is doubtful, alter all, whether, assuming
each kind of rail to be of the very best, there is so much
difference in the wearing qualities. An iron rail has
been lately exhibited at the American institute of
Mining Engineers which was made in 1870 and has
since carried 67,060,000 gross tons of freight, carriages,
and engines. With all this immence strain during
nine years, the rail was only worn at the top of the
head for three-sixteenths of an inch, Perhaps, after
all, the iron age is not so near its extintion as has been
prophesied.
" GIVE " AND " TARE."—OId Salt :—" Not taking
much this season, sur ? No, stir! Nobody's giving
much this season, Bur. Gents'ands don't seem to
know their way in and out their pockets this season,
stir ! "—Fun.
TRAVELLING EXPERIENOES.—A writer in The Times,
referring to ir cidents of travelling in Germany, says "At Rorschach we met a Swiss gentleman from the
Toggenburg, who was familiar with Scott, Dickens,
and Thackeray in translations, and thoughtfully
criticized George Eliot.—At Heiden a hard-worked
Judge from Nuremberg was staying, of engaging
manners, who kindly lent us one of Freitag's admirable
aeries of historical romances—" Die Athnen."—At
Lindau we were much struck by an old man, with
a face like that of the late Sir Charles Napier,
the conqueror of Scinde. He wore a sportsman's or
forester's suit of cord, and his constant corn-
panion was a bright little boy about six years
old. They were father and son, and together, with-
out other companion or attendant, had during the last
15 months visited every part of Switzerland on foot.
They belong to a family, every male member of which
for the last 400 years, has been a soldier in the service
of the House of Brandenburg. The veteran himself
ins made the campaigns of Baden, Denmark,
KOniggratz, and France, and, though he is 69 years
old, and has lost one* on at IChniggratz and two in
France, he is ready agaai promptly to answer should
his Kaiser call. He is a colonel in the Prussian
service and received the Iron Cross from the Emperor's
hands at Mars la Tour. One does not know how
many interacting MIA there are in the world until
one travels."