The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-03-20 00:00:00

Itittropoht,in 6ossip.
BY OVA OWN CO,NINPUNDE \ 7

--
(The remarks under this bead are to be regarded as the ex-
Frisian of independent t,pinion, ;him the pen of a gentlrman
whom we have the greatest confidence. but for which we
nevertheless do Out hold ourselves responsible.]

While people are still talking and writing, as before,
about the necessity of education, the Aliddle-Class
Schools Coeporation is practically solving the pr.iblem
of middle-class education in London. The schools
which the liberality of the merchants of London has
called into being are doing well; the scholars are re-
ceiving a good education ; and the coat of this instnic.
ion 13 more than covered by the payments of the
pupils. It is s pity, therefore, that this system is not
developed. We have need of several more middle-
class schools, which, if conducted on as sound and sen-
sible principles as those already established, would be
a great boon to the community, and would go far to
lessen the present evils of the "stuck-up" boarding
school system. I believe we shall ere long see another
of these middle-class schools established. Every little
helps, and bow much need there is of snore educational
machinery, as will as of some means of compelling
parents to educate their children, may be seen, for
example, by the statements that Mr. Melly and Mr.
Dixon made in the Coninions the other evening, from
which it appears that more than half the children in
our large cities an growing up without even the rudi-
ments of education.
• •

There used to be a vulgar street saying—an inquiry
whether your maternal parent bad disposed of her
Baker's patent—and as street boys vary their oollo-
((Manama with the aspect of the times, it would not be
surprising if the familiar question were popped,
whether we had bought a velocipede. The velocipede
in making its way, and it is now not a very uncommon
eight to see a hi-cycle, which is the classic name for a
two-wheel velocipede, in London streets. The uhf,
suisabruiv, unwieldy velocipedes, we they were ab-
surdly called, are now more in vogue than ever, but
they are still confine el to a class of men who, not to
put too fine a point upon it, have nut the entr4e to
her Majesty's Court; but the sharp, clever-going,
light, rapid two.wheelers are now gradually coming into
use, though merely as an amusement.
Parliament has been very fairly at work ever since
the Session commenced, and is still sedulously devoting
itself to legislative business, even the House of Lords,
who reasonably grumbled at having too little to do,
having found something for their otherwise idle hours.
As far as the Session has gone I do not think either
Government or the public has much reason to com-
plain. The former most feel itself strong, and the
latter must be convinced that Parliament is on the
whole working well for the public good. The Irish
Church Bill is again the most prominent topic of the
day, but I shall not enter on this well-worn subject.
Among more popular topics are the University boat-
race and the Easter Monday Volunteer Review. The
arrangements for the latter appear to be progressing
satisfactorily, and it does not appear that the refusal
of the Government to increase the capitation fee of
our citizen soldiers has had a very depressing effect.
But, the weather? Ah, yes, the weather. No wonder
that this should be the opening of nearly every con-
versation, for how much our pleasures or discomforts
depend upon it. If it is a hue day, why then, &c. ;
but if it is a hailing, raining, snowing, blowing day,
why then, &c.
If the report before me be correct, a man who,
though not altogether "to fame unknown," has not
achieved a hundredth part of the fame of Blondin, has
nevertheless performed a trick as daring and as fool-
hardy as any that the famous rope-dancer ever per-
formed. Mr. Goodchild, alias Steeple Jack, it seems
got on to a tower, 100 feet high, at Cried, and from
thence to the top of a flagstaff, 40 feet high. "At this
height (140 feet) Jack thought proper to balance him-
self with one foot resting on the top of the flagstaff.
Here he stood till his photograph was taken, and
thereafter waved his cap while the flagstaff was swing-
ing in the breeze." Some of these windy days perhaps
Steeple Jack will be dashed to pieces. Quite as clever
a thing, it is said, was done in the reign of Charles the
Second. A man stood on his head on the steeple of St.
Martin's church, in London. He afterwards applied
to the merry monarch fora reward, and the king "who
never soil a foolish thing, and never did a wise one"
was graciously pleased to offer the Steeple Jack "of
the period" a patent—that nobody sdould do it but
himself Now I think this was doing a wins thing,
and Steeple Jack of our day might take the roya
" reward" DA a 11.1,1811 a a caution.

- - -
THE DRINK AGAIN! 1

There seems to be a homicidal mania prevailing
among a certain portion of the Irish population in the
county of Durham. A very brutal murder, the fifth
that has been committed by Irishmen in the towns in
this county within a very few months, occurred at
South Shields at midnight on Saturday. An Irish
labourer, named Tracey, living with his wife in a
miserable cellar, came home about 9 o'clock at night,
drunk, and lay down before the fire, where be fell
asleep. Between 10 and 11 o'clock the same night he
was amused by some companions, and they eubbed
together and sent off Tracey's wife for half a gallon of
beer, but she did not return until midnight, when she
appeared to have also become a little the worse for
liquor. As soon as she got into the backyard Tracey
met her anti attacked her. He knocked her down, and
it would appear had then dragged her down a 110 it of
steps, when he again abused her, and kicked her
frightfully in the abdomen with heavy clogs which he
had on his feet. Some neighbours and an Irishman
ran in upon him and pulled him off the woman, who
was then unconscious. He ill-used the Irishman who
attempted to protect the wretched woman, who was
then lying in a pool of blood, and blackened one of his
eyes. Ile was, however, ultimately induced to pinto an
inner room and let his wife alone, and the English resi-
dents in the neighbourhood having brought the police
he was taken into custody. The woman was at that
time evidently dying. Dr. Frain and his assistant
were brought, but when they reached the house she was
pnlseless, and she died at half past 1 o'clock on
Sunday morning.
'When the prisoner was charged with the murder of
his wife he fell on the flour of the police.station, and
shouted for the Virgins and all the saints to protect
bitn, and for a couple of hours after he was locked in a
e.ll his yells of terror could be heard a long distance
off.