The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-03-01 00:00:00

CUTTINGS FROM AMERICAN PAPERS.

"Jury," said a Western judge, "you kin go out and
find a verdict. If you can't find one of your own, get
the one the last jury used." The jury returned with
a verdict of "Suicide in the ninth degree."
"Will you come home to dinner ?" asked a Chicago
woman of her husband as he was about starting for
business. "No, I think not," he answered, "I expect
to be very busy. Besides a new saloon is to be opened
just around the corner from my office and I will drop
in there and get a free lunch."—" Well," said his
wife, while a wave of fear swept across her face, "bo
careful not to get hurt in the rush."
A merchant traveller took his place at the table of
a Western hotel, where the landlord was the only
waiter, and after finishing a very scanty meal, he said
persuasively : "I should like some dessert." "Dessert!
Wot's that? We ain't got none." "Well, give me
some pie." " Pie 1 We ain't got no pie! Help your-
self to the mustard!"

The American Rochefoucald says, even if a boy is
always whistling "I want to be an angel," it is just as
well to keep the key of the pantry °tit of his reach.
Speaking of the sentiment—" She who rocks the
cradle rules the world," a Charlestown paper says:
"In this section she is generally a coloured girl, and
don't believe a word of it."

A young man from Auburn, N.Y., who went to the
Black Hills last spring, has telegraphed to his father,
"Patted calf for one."

A jury in North Carolina, after being charged in
the usual way by the judge, retired to their room,,
when a white juror ventured to ask a coloured asso-
ciate if he understood the charge of the judge.
" Golly !" exclaimed the astonished juror, "he don't
charge us nuffin for dat, does ho? Why, I thought we
was gwine to git pay!"
A correspondent of a Minnesota paper, writing from
Pike's Peak, says that the miners are very much dis-
couraged in that region, from being compelled to dig
through a vein of silver four feet thick before they can
get to the gold! That'll dot

TEE MONTE CARLO GAMBLING TABLES.—A petition
to the Chamber of Deputies is in circulation at Mar-
seilles in favour of the suppression of the Monte Carlo
gambling' tables. It is receiving many signatures.
Marseilles knows something of the misery caused by
Monte Carlo, owing to the facilities it has for reach-
ing the place, and many families have been ruined.
Several deputies and senators have promised to sui.
post the petition.

RE-ARRANGEMENT OF THE CIRCUITS OF THE JUDGES.
—The Lord Chancellor is at present engaged upon a
scheme whereby tho existing circuit towns are to be
re-arranged and grouped, so as to obviate the waste
of time which is now so frequently occasioned by the
judges finding no business to dispose of on their
arrival at some of the smaller assize towns. It is
stated that an Order in Council embodying these
new rules will very speedily be obtained, and that
these new arrangements will come into operation at
the Summer Assizes, which will be held in July next.
THE DUCHY OP LANCASTER.—A Parliamentaky papek
just published contains an account of the receipts and
disbursements of the Duchy of Lancaster in the year
ended December 21, 1883, and also a separate account
of the capital of the Duchy to the same date. The
receipts in the year amounted to £87,408; the
arrears on December 21, 1883, were £8655. Under
the head of disbursements are the following items:
Payments made for her Majesty's use to the keeper
of her Majesty's Privy Purse, £44,000; repairs and
improvements on the estate, £4282; superannuation
allowances and annuities, donations, and charities,
£4484. The total disbursements in the year amounted
to £87,408.
AVERAGE PRICE'S OF BRITISH CORN.—The followin7
are the average prices of British corn for last week,
as received from the inspectors and officers of Excise:
Wheat, 365. 11d.; barley, 31s. 10d. ; oats, 19s. sd.
per imperial quarter. Corresponding week last year:
Wheat, 41s. 9d.; barley, 335. 5d.; oats, 21s. 7d.

CANAL BOATS ACT (1877) AMENDMENT BILL.—The
main provisions of this bill, which is backed by mem-
bers on both sides of the House, are that the registra-
tion of canal boats shall be annual, that boats with sleep-
ing or cooking accommodation are to be deemed
dwellings, and that no child under the age of 13 who
has not passed the third education standard shall be em-
ployed in a canal boat. Other clauses provide special
means for the enforcement of these provisions.
Tun DRAMA IN AMERICA.—Never again (says the
St. Louis Spectator), will a ranting star and a lot of
sticks pass for a dramatic company. Never again
can a cheap-john American manager make our people
take John McCullough, or Booth, or Barrett, or Tom
Keene, supported by a gang of knock-kneed supers in
tin helmets, and female boarding-house keepers in ten
cent. cambrics, as a substitute for a full-grown, evenly-
balanced theatrical performance. Irving has opened
the eyes of the New World to the fact that it bad
never seen a really first-class rendering of a Shakes-
pearean play until he came. He has shown them that
proper mounting, correct costuming, fine scenery, and
all the accessories and effects of music, and light and
darkness, are full half the drama, and capable, well-
drilled support in all the parts is full three-fourths of
the other half. The strolling gangs of barn stormers
with one boss ranter as the main "attraction" must go.
INTERESTING DocumErrs.—The London correspon-
dent of the Manchester Guardian writes: In the
King's library at the British Museum are now ex-
hibited a few but highly interesting documents
acquired last year from Lord Ashburnham. These
were acquired in 1804 of Thomas Astle, keeper of the
records in the Tower, who by his will directed that
they should be offered to the Marquis of Bucking-
ham. In the event of his refusal the British Museum
would have the option of purchase. In April, 1849,
they were offered to the nation, but the negotiations
for the purchase failed, and the collection was
eventually sold to the late Earl of Ashburnham. In
1879 the present earl offered the whole of his library
to the trustees, and early in 1882, it will be remem-
bered, negotiations for the purchase of his collection
of manuscripts were reopened. The selection which
is exhibited comprises some of the most interesting
charters, volumes, and historical and literary docu-
ments and autographs. In table-case 1 is a grant
from trightred, King of Kent, to the church of
Liming, of land of four ploughs called wieghelmestun.
In screen A there are several historical letters and
scarce autographs—viz., a letter of Queen Elizabeth,
dated Greenwich, March 30, 1574, addressed to
George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, Ear Marshal, in
answer to his complaints of reports made to his dis-
credit by Corkar, his chaplain. Another letter, from
Oliver Cromwell to Richard Maijan, in reference to
the execution of deeds, dated April 28, 1649, and
another from John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough,
dated- Louvain, May 25, 1706, to George Louis,
Elector of Hanover, and many other documents.
ORGANISATION AND EQUIPMENT OF THE VOLUNTEER
FORCE.—Lieutenant-General Higginson, C. 8., com-
manding the Home District, presided the other after-
noon, at the Levee-room, Horse Guards, over ameet-
ing of commanding officers of corps in the district,
"to take into consideration the organisation, equip-
ment, and other questions in connec.tioia with the
volunteer force." General Higginson inn
a free
expression of opinion on the various points submitted
for consideration, in order that they should be
brought under the consideration of the authorities.
A long discussion ensued. With regard to arms, it
was the unanimous opinion of the meeting that the
time had now arrived when the Martini-Henry rifle
should be substituted for the Snider; and respecting
camps of instruction, the suggestion that the complete
number of men who applied should attend, and not,
as at present, a limited number, was favourably re-
ceived, as also was the proposal for an increase of
the capitation grant for camp and marching. A sug-
gestion that the camp allowance should also be
granted for corps going into forts or barracks. for
stated periods was fully discussed. The question
.of
equipment was gone into at length, and one point
particularly dwelt upon was to the effect that, at any
rate, greatcoats should be furnished from Government
stores whenever they were required. On the question
of an increase of the capitation grant, there were
various opinions, some of the commanding officers
being of opinion that payment should be made
in proportion to results attained under various de-
tailed heads, while others favoured the proposal of
an increase to cover all expenses. The dearth of
officers was also seriously discussed, and before the
meeting closed General Higginson said he would
report in detail the result of the proceedings to the
authorities, and acquaint the commanding officers at
some future period of the decision arrived at,

THE- ROYAL SCHOOL Or ART NEEDLEWORH.—A
furniture exhibition of an exceptionally interesting
character has just been opened at South Kensington;
but apart from its own special interest, which has
already been recognised, it possesses the additional
merit of calling renewed attention to the institution
in which it is held—that of the Royal School of Art
Needlework. This school was established here, under
Royal patronage, some nine years ago, with the two-
fold object of supplying suitable employment for
gentlewomen in straitened circumstances, and restor-
ing ornamental needlework to the high place it once
held among the decorative arts. It was started
without capital; but, like the majority of honest
enterprises, it has achieved such success thg.it is
now self-supporting. At the present moment over
one hundred ladies are employed in the parent school
at South Kensington, affiliated with which are
branches in Edinburgh and Glasgow; whilst agencies
have been opened throughout the provinces, Canada,
and the United States. The principle of admission
is that no worker is accepted for whom it is not
certified that she seeks work not as a pastime, but in
order to support herself in honourable independence.
The hours of attendance are from half-past nine in
the morning until five in the afternoon—a luncheon,
consisting of soup, joint, and vegetables, being pro-
vided for the lady workers at fivepence per head.
Lady patrons may well take a pleasure in visiting the
school, not only to inspect the work itself, but to
witness the rare skill with which it is manipulated.—
Evening Standard.
SEIZURE 01, AN AMERICAN SHIP BY SPAIN.—An
American ship having arrived at Gibraltar for repair,
after being damaged in the recent gale, was seized by
Spanish Revenue officers, on the assumption that she
had anchored in Spanish waters, and a heavy penalty
was imposed upon her owners on the charge of having
broken bulk. Her commander demanded British pro-
tection. He stated that the pilot chose the site of
anchorage, which was believed to be in British waters,
and that, as usual, the port dues would have been
paid within the lapse of ten days.
LIVES LOST AT Sra.—A Parliamentary paper issued
on Monday gives the number of lives lost by drown-
ing or other accident in British merchant ships
registered in the United Kingdom in the several
years from 1871 to 1882 inclusive. In the twelve
years the total loss of life was 38,722, of which
35,660 were crew and 3062 passengers. The largest
numbers were in 1873 and 1874, this being mainly
due to the great number of passengers drowned in
those years-1167 in the former, and 572 in the
latter.

DEATH AT A. "FRIENDLY LEAD."—In London on
Saturday night an unfortunate occurrence happened
at the Newington Arms, Walworth, resulting in the
death of a bricklayer's labourer, named Daniel Shea.
What is known among workmen as a "friendly load"
was being held, in order to assist in defraying the
funeral expenses of the deceased's wife, who was
buried only three weeks ago. About half-past eleven
o'clock Shea left the meeting, and apparently mistook
the door leading to the cellar for the one opening to
the outer part of the premises. He then, it is
supposed, must have overbalanced himself, and fell
down the stairs to the bottom. He was picked up
an insensible condition, and afterwards conveyed in.
a cab to his home. A doctor was called, but medical
aid was of no avail, and the poor man died shortly
after from the effects of a fractured skull.

EFFECTIVN USII OF OIL AT SEA.—The steam-whaler
Jane Mayer, which left Dundee on February 4 for
the Newfoundland seal fishery, arrived at Lerwick on
Sunday in stress of weather. On the previous Mon-
day the vessel was thrown on her beam ends in a
terrific hurricane, and would inevitably have
foundered had not the use of oil been resorted to.
Three bags filled with oakum, and saturated with oil,
were hung over her side, and in a brief space of time
the sea, which had been washing completely over,
ceased to break. The captain attributes the safety of
his ship to this device.