The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-01-31 00:00:00

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STRANGE PROCEEDINGS OF A SON-IN-LAW.

An inquest was held on Thursday afternoon at the
Acorn Inn, Evershot, before H. Lock, Esq., deputy•
coroner, and a respectable jury, the chairman
of whom was C. H. Baskett, Esq.' solicitor, on the
body of John Christopher. a pig dealer, of that place,
who met with his death under very mysterious
circumstances on Tuesday night. The jury having
viewed the body, the first witness called was
.Esau Knell, who stated that in consequence of „
information he received on Tuesday evening, about
half-past eleven o'clock he and Mr. Fountain left
Everahot to go to Rock's-lane in search of deceased.
When they got to the top they found deceased's cart
turned upside down. Witness said, 'the first „
thing we must do is to turn the cart over, and see I
what is under it." Mr. Chubb, who also ac-
companied them, said, " I do not think that is any
good, for I have nutsay band under, and there is no '
one there." They turned up the cart, and there
found deceased. Witness took hold of his right
hand, and said, "Oh, Mr. Chubb, he is dead." He
was completely under the cart ; there was no part of
it on him. He was lying on his face, and his legs
were drawn up a little. -Witness left immediately,
and went after Mr. Clapcott, surgeon, and deceased
was not moved until he came. Deceased's horse ,
was attached to the cart by the reins, but had got :
free from the harness, which was broken to pieces,
and one of the shafts broken off. Witness assisted
in bringing him to his (witness's) house, where he
now was. The last time he saw the deceased alive
was between eight and nine o'clock in the morning,
when he asked him for a pinch of snuff.
Henry Christopher said he lived at Broadmayne,
and was a pig dealer. On Tuesday morning he left
Evershot to go to Heamitage with deceased, who
was his father-in-law. They left at nine o'clock in
the morning, and left Hermitage to return to
Evershot about a quarter to four. They were in a
spring cart, which belonged to deceased. When
they started witness was driving, and continued
doing so untd they reached Leigh, where they went
into NIL Jeffrey's house, but in consequence of some
unpleasantness which took place between deceased and
Mr. Jeffrey's housekeeper, they did not have any-
thing to drink. Witness then drove on to Chetnole,
when they went into Mr. Bete's public house, and
had two glasses of brandy and water each. His
father-in-law, however, drank one, but only sipped
the other. This was about five o'clock. They then
got into the cart again, and witness drove until they
came to a turning in the road. He said, "Which
way are we to ger' Deceased said, "Let I have
the reins, I know khe way." Witness gave them
to him, and they turned scorner, anddrobe to Mrs.
Vice's. He asked witness to go in and ask for the
key to go through Twinnels, and told him to say
it was for John Christopher, or else she would
not let him go through the gate. He did so, and
Mrs. Vine gave him the key. He unlocked the
gate and locked it again. He said, "All right,"
and the cart moved on before he could get in it.
Before he had a good holdfaat on the cart his foot
slipped and he fell, one of the wheels giving him a
terrible blow in his head, which stunned him.
Whether the wheel went over him he could not say.
He did not are deceased afterwards. Witness must
have remained stunned is the road 10 minutes or a
quarter of an hour, after which he crawled on his
hands and knees to a bank. He afterwards walked
across a field, not krawing wl ere he was going to,
until he came to a plantation which he went
through, and then got over a large iron gate.
He afterwards got into a road and came to Evershot,
but he did not know 6 who that place until he was
told. He went Lip the house of a young man
named Dubben, and said, "Is this Chetnole He
said, "No." Witness offered him 2s. to walk to I
Maiden Newton with him, which he did; they after-
wards went to Samuel Chubb's, his brother-in-law's
house. As his face was bloody, Chubb asked him to
come in and wash it, but he did not. He thought
Chubb said, "Where is the old boy?" He replied,
"I cannot find him; lam afraid it isabad job, I
' cannot find him anywhere." He believed he said
something about this to the young man who went
with him to Maiden Newton. He did not go to his
father-in-law's house. He did not say to any one, "I
could not help it, he struck me first." When they
started from Mr. Bere'e house at Chetoole they
were not sober. In answer to questions from jurors,
Christopher said they had three quarts of cider and
gin at Mr. Seymour's, at Hermitage, two glasses of
brandy and water each before dinner, three glasses
afterwards and a wine glass fell of neat brandy before
they started for Evershot. He had never had ten
angry words with deceased in his life. He gave the
key of the gate to the man who accompanied him to
Maiden Newton. He did not know how deceased
got through the upper gate. (A juror remarked
that it was not locked.) He bad no reason for not
going to Christopher's house; he went next door,
Wit at that time he had no idea that anything had
occurred. He did not know whether be called out
to deceased when he (witness) was on the ground.
He had been told deceased and the cart were found
about half a mile from where he fell. The only
reason why he did not go up Twinnels in search of
his father-in-law was because he was too giddy to
know what he was about.

Elizabeth Vine said she and her husband lived at
the keeper's lodge. On Tuesday evening Henry
Christopher came there and asked her to let John
Christopher have the key to go through Twinnels.
They did not allow any one to go through, but as
deceased was a neighbour, and the weather
was very bad, she let Christopher have the key.
When her husband came horns he was rather angry
because the key was not brought back. He went
out with a lanthorn, and found the tracks of the
horse and cart in the snow, and came back remark-
ing, "It is all right they are gone on." He did not
observe anything particular with regard to the tracks.
When Christopher came in after the key he spoke
very plain, and she did not think he seemed in-
toxicated. She could not say how far her husband
traced the tracks. . .

-
Samuel Chubb, draper and grocer, brother-in-law
to Henry Christopher, said on Tuesday evening,
about eight o'clock, he was in his shop when he
heard some one say to Christopher, "What is the
matter with your facer He said, "I fear it is a bad
job." He was asked, "what was a bad job ?" He
said "I do not know." Witness then went and
implored him to say where he had left Mr.
Christopher, or whether there had been any
accident. Me again said, "I do not know."
He said, "How long ago is it when you left him ?"
when he replied, "I do not know; I have been
rambling about somewhere, but where I cannot tell."
Witness begged of him to tell him if there had been
an accident, because if so he would go in search of
Christopher. He said, "I do not know. I must
go home directly." He tried to persuade him not
to do this, but it was useless. Witness did not ask
him to go in search of deceased. He said he did
not know how he came with the wound in his head.
He then went to Maiden Newton with Dabben.
He had been drinking, but he was quite capable of
driving a horse, or transacting any business. About
a quarter of an hour afterwards witness, with a man
named Jessop, and some one else, went in search of
deceased. They went as far as Chetnole, and traced
tracks to where they found the cart. On account
of the information which Dubben gave them
when he returned from Maiden Newton, they
started again and went to Twinnets, where
they traced marks in the snow. The tracks
diverged very much from the centre of the
road, in fact the cart did not appear to have
been driven at all, and witness expected to have
found the cart and horse in a chalk pit, as the
tracks were close to it. They went a little farther
on, and then found the cart upset on a bank. In
answer to questions from the jury, witness said he
could not say whether Christopher's manner was
such that he could not or would not tell what had
taken place. He seemed sensible on some points,
whilst on others he was quite bewildered. This
must have been caused by the blow on his bead, and
drink • his strange manner could not have been
caused by drink alone. He desired Dubben to go
with Christopher to Maiden Newton, because he
thought he might learn something from him on the

way.
Christopher was recalled, and said the horse was
blind in the left eye.
John Dubben said on Tuesday evening, about
eight o'dock, Christopher knocked at the door of
his house. Witness answered it, when he took hold
of him by the collaroied asked, "ii this Chetnole ?"
Witness said, "no ; it is Evershot." Christopher
would not believe it at first. He then said, "what
trains stop at Holy well r Witham said, "there
are none; but one stops at Maiden Newton at
half-past nine." Christopher then offered him 2s. to
go to Maiden Newton with him. They then went
to Mr. Chubb's house. Witness at first objected to
go, but Mr. Chubb wished him to, as he wanted to
know anything Christopher might say on the road
When between Swanhill and Cattistock he said,
" It is a bad job ; the cart is upset, and I am afraid
Mr. Christopher is dead." Witness did not ask hiin
about the aooident when he said this; but he after-
wards asked him where it took place, when he said,
"I do not know, as I lost my way. When witness I
returned to E;ershot he now Mr. Knell, Mr.

'AR
Fountain,
for 4'

Y a

and Mr. Chnbb, and they went to look
Jr the cart, and found Mr. Christopher under it.
Christopher gave witness the key of the gate at
Twinnels at Maiden Newton. He did not say that
the cart wheel ran over him, but that he fell down
and cut his eye.
Christopher said the words he made use of to Lot
witness were, "I am afraid it is a bad job, for if my
father-in-law Is upset he will be killed."
re.called, stated that when Dubben re-
, ...eciar Asidwe New ten he saierthat Christopher
said to him, "The cart is upset, and I am afraid
Mr. Christopher is killed." Witnesa's wife heard
Mr. Henry Christopher say, "I do not care a --
if he did knock me out of the cart." She asked him
whether they had quarrelled, when he replied "no."
Witness asked him what he meant then by using
those words, when he said, "I do not know."
Samuel Chubb re-called, said the next morning he
went to the place where the accident occurred, and
observed tracks on the bank, and two or three yards
from that the cart was upset.
Louisa, wife of Esau Knell, said that about a
quarter to eight on Tuesday evening Christopher
came to her house. His face was covered with
blood, and she thought some accident had occurred.
She said, "what is the matter ?" He replied, "not
much." She said, " there is some accident; now do
tell me the truth." He said, "I am afraid it is a
bad job." She said, "did you leave Hermitage to-
gether?" He said, "yea." She said, "have you
been fighting, or have one of you struck the otherr
He replied "no. Lam afraid it is • bad job; the
cart is upset." She asked where, but he would
not tell her. He repeated over and over again
that he was afraid it was a bad job ; that he bad
been rambling about, but could not tell where. He
put his hand to his head, and said, "I am bad here."
She wished him to stay at Evershot, but he said, "I
cannot; I must go home." On being closely pressed
by the coroner as to whether this was all the conver-
sation that took place between them, she said that
she forgot to mention that he said, "I do not care a
—if he did knock me out of the cart." This was
not in answer to any question. He seemed very
much agitated, and she was afraid something bad
had occurred by his excited manner. Hia clothes
were dirty, and there was some anew on his left
shoulder aa if he had laid in some. She thought a
great deal of his agitation arose from the effects of
drink. He did not give reasonable answers to
questions; he did not seem inclined to answer. At
one moment he answered a question, and the next
contradicted it.

John Here, a publican, said the two Mr.
Christophers were in his house, at CheSnole,
about half-pest Bye on Tuesday evening. They
had two glasses of brandy-and-water each, but
deceased only drank one, and a very small portion of
the other. They appeared to be quite sober, and
got into the cart with ease. They seemed to be very
good friends whilst they were there.
P.C. Hare said on Wednesday morning, about one
o'clock, he saw deceased carried to Esau Knell's
house on a gate. He went there, and searched
deceased's clothes, when he found £7B Os. Id., a
knife, a memorandum hook, and several bills upon
him, which had been in witness's possession ever
since.

John Clapcott, Esq., surgeon, said he was -
called to see deceased at about 12 o'clock on Tuesday
night. The body was then on the ground
where it had been found. It was cold and stiff, and
deceased must have been dead three or font hours.
Be got the previous witnesses to unhang a gate, and
assisted in carrying him to Knell's house. He
had thatafternoon made an examination of the body,
externally, but no marks of violence were found.
He examined the head externally, and just over the
left eyebrow was a blow which had penetrated through
the akin, and slightly grazed the skulL No other
mark was discovered externally. He afterwards
removed the skull cap, and examined the brain.
It was perfectly healthy, and presented no appear-
ance of injury whatever. He examined the chest
and abdomen, which were perfectly healthy, as
were also the heart and langs. The heart was full
of coagulated blood. He believed the blow which
deceased received over the eyebrow caused ooncus-
lion of the brain, and stunned hiss, and from the
exposure to the weather reaction never took place,
and caused his death. The blow had nothing to do
with the cause of death. If any one bad been by
deceased with brandy and restoratives he would
have recovered. His neck was not broken.
This concluded the evidence, and the Coroner,
addressing Christopher, said you have heard this
evidence, would you like to make any addition to
your's ?
Christopher: No.
The Coroner, in summing up, said it did seem
extraordinary that Christopher- should not have inti-
mated at Evershot what had taken place ; but it was
no wonder that if he had drank what he bad stated
that he was in a very confused state. He thought
uncles the circumstances the jury could only return a
verdict of accidental death.

Mr. Baskett said there were two courses open for
them ; they might either return a verdict of found
dead, or accidental death.
After some consultation the jury returned a
verdict of " Found Dead," and
. . .

The Coroner, addressing Christopher, said the
jury do not feel at all satisfied with the manner in
which you have conduoted yourself, because your
evidenoe differs now from what you have said before,
and they have therefore returned an open verdict.
I hope this melancholy affair will be a caution to
you for the future, and that you will take care not
to indulge in your drinking habits so much.
The proceedings lasted four hours and a half.

SHAFTESBURI. COUNTY CoURT, Monday,
January 13.—Before E. Everett, Esq., judge. The
business at this Couit was but light, most of the oases
being withdrawn. Those of public interest were the
following :
Lanpard v. Welsh.—Claim Ell.—Plaintiff said that
the defendant had sent him a letter, stating that as he
refused to take El of the debt when he offered it to him,
he should make an assignment for the benefit of his
creditors.—llia Honor having inquired as to how the
debt was contracted, made an order for payment forth-
with.

Lemont,. Watts.—Claim 108. 9d, balance of account.
—Mr. Chitty appeared for the defendant. —This was an
adjourned case.—lt appeared from the evidence that the
wife of the plaintiff, who is a photographic artist,
residing at Stalbridge, supplied the defendant
with certain geode, and the question in dispute
was as to whether a part of the goods,
namely, three felt hats, had been returned, the
plaintiff and his wife alleging that they were not
returned, and the defendant and his witnesata stating
that they were. —One of the defendant's witnesses,
named Richard Cooke,stated that on the club day a boy
in the dvfendant's employ named Line rode with him
to Stalbridge,and that he carried a certain bandbox into
Lemon's shop, but he could not speak as to the colour
of it—he thought it was a dark brown. He also stated
that he spoke to Lemon at the time, close to his shop
door. In cross-examination the defendant stated that
the day he sent the hats back be was very busy prepar-
ing for a olub.—His Bonor,in summing up,said that the
wane probandi in the case lay with the chfendant, who
was required to show clear proof that the hate were
returned as he alleged. The credibility of one of
the plaintiff's witnesses—named Chant—a respectable
girl, had been called in question, and it was only right
to state that there wea not the slightest foundation for
the aspersions which had been sought to be cast upon her
—it was entirely a mistake. The three witnesses for the
plaintiff positively stated that they did not receive the
hats back, and he considered the defendant had failed
to prove that they were so delivered. One chief reason
why he gave judgment for the plaintiff was this, that
the defendant admitted that on the day he said he
sent the hats back be was very busy, and that he had
the parties by whom he sent the hats to help him. It
was, therefore, he considered very unlikely the defen-
dent would select that time to send them back.—
Verdict for plaintiff.
Robert Moore,. John Bastable.—Claim £6 64.—Mr.
Chitty appeared for the defendant. —Plaintiff stated
that he exchanged two pigs and • pony for • horse,
which the defendant warranted sound and quiet in
harness. The value of the pigs and pony was
mentioned, and he agreed to give El to boot. Defendant
had the pigs and pony, and he had the horse, which,
however, he did not use till four days after, when he
found it was lame and broken-winded. He sent to
defendant by his servant Hatchard, to tell him that
the horse was not sound, and received in reply a note
stating that defendant would bring another. He did
so on the following Saturday, but brought • smaller
one, which plaintiff would not have. The third tame
he came he brought one which he said he believed
would snit him. IThaishorse he kept, but the next day
wishing to go three or four miles he tried it, and found
it was wind-broken also. (Laughter.) He then sent
word to the defendant by his own son, that the last
horse was worse than the first, and that he must take
it back, and did so the following day. Defendant sent
word by his son that if he (plaintiff) had £5O to spare in
law, so had he. He believed that defendant took the
horse back.—The son of plaintiff was then examined,
and stated that when be saw the defendant he told him
he had a proposition to make, namely, for him to pay
for the pigs and pony in a month's time, to which he
replied as plaintiff stated. Two letters were put in as
evidence for the plaintiff, but as the parties who
received them from the defendant were not in Court,
and as the man who was sent back with the horse was
also absent, his Honor ordered an adjournment of the
'case, allowing the particulars to be amended.
George Woolpey V. John Light.—Claim £3 Ifts., of
which £3 ss. had been paid into Court.—Mr. Chitty
appeared for the defendant.—The question in dispute
was as to whether a certain quantity of cider was to be
' made at 2e. or 3a. per hogshead. After • patient hear-
ing of the case, his Honor gave a verdict for the
defendant.
William Miall v. Azariah Napton.—Claim 145.,
Wanee of wages for labour.—The plaintiff in this case
was a lad who had been engaged by the defendant to
work at plough and other farming work—He gave
him at the rate of 7d. per day, but instead of paying
him weekly, generally paid him fortnightly, end on
one occasion not for several weeks.—His Honor, after
examining plaintiff's books, said that every item was
entered, and that the boy must have received the
money without paying it over to his mother. At the
same time he remarked that agricultural labourers
ought not to be kept out of their weekly wages for so
long a time as three or four weeks.—Verdict for
defendant,

BLANDFORD.—The Rev. B. Gray delivered his
concluding sermon of the new year series, on Sunday
evening, the 22naLinet., at the Independent Chapel,
which was well filled. The teat was taken from St.
John, iv., 28, 29. The change in the woman
of Samaria's conduct was first pointed out. It
was not from indifference that she left ger waterpots,
but from an earnest desire that others should know of
Christ. Her heart was so full that she could not stay
when the interruption caused by the disciples return
ileok place. The effect of Christ's teaching had been

WIMM•

such that she was gradually led to consider whether He
was the Mesaiah. We could almost see the workings eg her mind. This man has told me of my past life of sin
When Christ cometh He will teach us all things. Shs;
al peered to be searching after the higl eat truth • and though she did not say thou art the Messiah, it was' relit
she had said if the Messiah was here, could He have
told me more than this man bath of my own
state? for though our Lord does not appear to have
said very much to her, there was that in ilia tone and
kook whtpla brought home the truth to her heart. With
what joy she would hear Him say, "I that speak to
thee am fle." The stifle God requires that those who
worship Him should do so in spirit and in truth alto
gives the grace to ask for that spirit. God as a 'spirit
would never be satisfied with the mere attitude of devo-
tion or bodily worship ; hat it was one thing to know
that God must be no worshipped, and another to give
such warship ; and there was .in the words of the
Samaritan woman a desire to be taught bow to worship
God. The interruption caused by the arrival of the
disciples (whose looks no doubt expressed their wonder
that lie talked to a Samaritan woman) canard h rto think
of others. The probable effect which the news she
communicated to her countrymen was then dwelt on,
and the rev. gentleman then div;ded his subject into - three divirions, Ist, The tidings; 2nd, Tee bearer.
and 3rd, Her !omens. lst—lt did not appear that
Christ told her very mach. He made it plain to her
that He knew she had been and still was living in sin,
yet she told her countrymen that He told her all things
that she had done. This was the great truth which the
Bible brought before man. All lives were either
godly or godless lives. Christ chewed tide woman her
sin, lie made it plain to her conscience ; and in like
manner God's Book did for awakened sinners
individually what Christ's words did for the woman.
Though it did not come with the inscription of our own
names upon it, or particular passages undiscovered, to
shew us that we have sinned,and what our sin had been,
yet of ten,after many years spent in sin In the world,a man
is aroused by the spirit of Clod applying some particular
passage to his mind, and then like the Samaritan womaa
the whole course of his life is laid bare before him.
The Word of God tells us what we ought to be, and
conscience tells us we are not such. 't he Word of
God teems as it were to grapple with the conscience,
and nay—" Thou art the man." This power of God's
Word earns home individually to each, as though
there were no others who had thus sinned ; and
he considered that it was through this power of God's
Word which casuaad all tha attacks that han Laen made
against It so signally to fail. A man wrought upon by
God's Word could say to the cavilers— " I am not
scholar enough to answer your objections, but I feel
that in my heart which proves to me that God's Worn
is true ;" and though amen, if he be wise, seal seareb
out and ground himself lathe truth, so as to be able to
answer as to the hope that is in him, ye: whilst so
searching, his true happiness would consist in a firm
dependence on the truth of God's Word. The next
point to consider was—the bearer of these tidings.
Does it not seem wonderful that Christ should employ
this sinful woman of a despised race to be one of the
first to convey the message of salvation. Does it not
show you who have felt the power of God's Word in
the heart that He will accept even your service in behalf
of others, for it appears plain that Christ did not
slay the woman. He let her go forth to tell her
countrymen. The third point was her suooess. The
announcement of her message would probably at first be
looked upon as an idle tale of a poor weak-minded
woman ; but when those she addressed observed her
earnestness they were constrained to believe that what
she said was true. So that a person who has oely just
began to learn as it might be called the A B C of
Christianity, should endeavour to get his companion to
study God's Word for himself. The great evil was that
who
tteo
dwa many spoke
leadingspk
moree otpfrla ttthlty.hyeyiinstructedu wereg
ht ut abeicrqinuaet
benefit
tet tohdi
othersnly i
pt
of
God. Those who were only partially instructed could
say to their companions, " I have found in God's
Word what I never knew before ;" whilst it was the
duty of those who believed in Christ, and were grounded
in the truth, to teach the learners in the Church of
Christ. The rev. gentleman concluded with a most
earnest admonition to all to follow the example not
only of the woman of Samaria, but of her countrymen,
and by s3lemnly pressing home the truths he had
brought before them on the three previous Sabbath
evenings.

ART UNION OF GMAT BRITAIN.—In the late
drawmg for prices of this Union three fell to the lot of
holders of,. tickets in this town, Mr. W. Porter of
Luton, taking a 35 guinea prize, "The Market Cart;"
t'ie others were minor prizes, and were taken by L.
Stark and Mr. J. Lewis.

oatguthe Corn
ClPubit.tra.NemeßEADoff I::Bl4..—.Adany:tthheer 023 f trdheseindm.o.
t eaesfil
entertainments in connection with the Working Man's
Exchange, which was filled to overflowing. The chair
was taken by Mitchell Henry, Esq.' of Down House,
whose entrance with the readers (T. H. Bastant.Esq.,
and Mr. Brosoombe) was the signal for loud choenng.—
The Chairman in opening the proceedings, said that he
believed he should best discharge the duties which
devolved upon him by confining himself to as few
remark's as possible. The large number of faces he saw
before him, and the mucous which had attended the
former readings, were a sufficient proof that in
Blandford the benefit, to be derived from
readings, and from instruction conveyed by suck
meetings, were appreciated. Reading was one of the
best gifts which had been given to man. Books were
his best friends—always faithful. The reading of the
works of men who had passed away was not only*
source of great enjoyment, but was the means whereby
we received those lessons which enabled us to shun the
evil and choose the good. Whilat by works of modern
authors we were enabled to select as our friends and
Curripealivue Ole moue loarned awl hest men of the age.
(Cheers.) Be therefore considered that the inhabitants
of Blandford did well in assembling together on such an
occasion, and for himself, he could not but feel that it
was a great honour to be associated with his friend, Mr.
Bastard, who had done so much towards the education
, of the people, and with him to look forward to the day
when it could be truly said that there was not a man or
woman in England unable to read or write. In addition
to the readings they were to be favoured with songs
and glees, and he had now the pleasure of calling upon
the friends present to commence with Webbe's glee
"Glorious Apollo."—This was given with good effect
by Messrs. Skivington, Lance, Furmage, Lance, jun.
and Smith, Mrs. 'wards presiding at the pianioete,
—The Chairman then introduced Mr. Bastard, who
said that on that occasion he proposed to read some
passages from Smile's Self-help, a work pretty well
known, but not so well known as it ought to be. The
object of the author was to show what bad been dime
by perseverance, self-reliance, and a fixed determination
to succeed. Mr. Bastard then read a part of the
author's introduction followed by a short biography of
Samuel Drew, son of a hard-working labourer Ii 00n1.
wall. At the age of eight years be west out to work
at ltd. per day, was afterwards bound apprentice
to a shoemaker, and was subjected to suoh hardshil •
that he ran away from his apprenticeship. He then
took to emnggling and nearly lost his life, which so
influenced his mind that he became a changed character,
s minister of the Gospel, and a friend of Dr. Adam
Clarke. He then commenced a coarse of reading, and
started on his own account with 14a, and with a
determination to owe no man anything. After his
marriage he became a politician, and contracted this
habit of discussing politics by day and working at his
trade by night, but was signally reproved by a boy who
eeeing a light in his house at 12 o'clock at night, cried
through the key-hole of the door, "Shoemaker I shoe-
maker I run about by day, and work at night!" He
afterwards became a poet, and writer for the Wesleyan
magazines, and in addition to his celebrated
work on the "Immateriality and Immartality of
the Soul," by which his name is associated with
some of the most celebrated authors, 11180 wrote an ex.
cellent history of his native country. The next selectior,
giving an outline of the life and character of Granville
Sharp, Mr. Bastard remarked what energy and the force
of purpose could accomplish. A man's character was
best seen in small matters, and it was in a great
measure by the energy of individuals that England bad
attained the high position she now occupied. Granville
Sharp, by his energy and singleness of purpese con-
tributed as much, if not more, to the suppression of the
slave trade as Clarkson, Wilberforce, and others. The
narrative described the way in which the sufferings of
the slaves were first brought under the notice of
Grenville Sharp ; his exertions for the liberation of one
their number, Jonathan Strong; the adverse decision of
the judges to his claim that no one could be claimed as
a slave in England; his perseverance in searching legal
papers; and his final triumph in inducing the indgee to
reverse their decision.—At the rxmclusion tl-e chairman
said that he was sure the people of Blandford were
under deep obligations to Mr. Bastard, not only for his
kindness in reading on that occasion, but for the interest
he took in the welfare of the working man's club and
the cause of education generally. (Applause.)—Mr.
Ftirmage then sang, in capital 'style, ''Simon the
Oellarer," and was loudly encored. This was followed
by the chairmen reading the fleet Act of "Hamlet,!'
before commencing which he remarked that of
all Shakepeare'e plays that of Hamlet was, perhaps,
obesnet
thkinoogwnwhiaend n
notice, and which he believed a reader of Shekspeare
hemc*thtougahptpreeiesptediahy Thweorerthywof
as
could not fail to remark, and that was the recurrenos
of those words and phrases which have since, been
incorporated into the English language, and now formed
s part of it; and thus, to ties a Shakspearian
term, had become as "familiar in their mouths as
hoivehold words." Mr. Henry then proceeded with his
reading, or, as we may justly say, his acting, for except
by first-class professionals we believe never was the
spirit of Shakepeare's Hamlet better entered
into. At the close enthusiastic and long-continued
cheers testified how highly his audience were gratified.
"Winter's warm fireside" wag then sung by Mr. Lance,
and an encore demanded, but in consequence of • severs
sold that gentleman was forced to decline. Mr. Bros-
oombe then read, "The nomination of • Parliamentry
Representative," from "Handy Andy," parte of which
I ~,,,,, very amu.ing. Stevenson's glee, "See our Oars,"
followed, and was deservedly cheered. The Rev.
J. Penny then proposed a vote of thank', to Mr"
Henry for his kindness, in not only taking the
chair, but for his reading. He (Mr. Penny) was
one thing which he could not but consider was required
arinktedenesatodtte.ntTiot,en of e
was
ansuredienfeemmthathtethsetyillwneeress adneedpl7
to make
ndEnt
rod
down
widish separated oleos from class ; and as he believed the
meeting together of rich and poor on such occasion
the present for the purpose of receiving instruction
s
,a
ghlaetnd was even
the
me obrreepekroeinpge and
those hap pbye
barriers
n
a
now,
amusement, would conduce to that end, he thought
that their best thanks ware due to Mr. Henry, the
I'M
present occupier of the Down House, for identifying
himself with the movement, and giving his support to
the Working Men's Club. (Applause.)—T. F. Johns,
Eaq., briefly seconded the vote of thanks, and the
Chairman in acknowledging the same, said that he
should be most happy at any time to whit, should his
services be required and acceptable. (Cheers.) The
National Anthem was then sung, and the meeting
separated.

Three Roman urns bare just been dug up at New-
port, in the We of Wight. They are each about a foot
and • half in height and one foot in breadth. Their
position, as they were found, formed • triangle, and the
material of which they are composed is • black come
ware.
CrEcutoornro POST 071105 MONIT o=llllll.—Posi
Oilloe money orders in Belgium are now made payable
to bearer, and circulate throughout the kingdom like
bank-notee.

e 777
1885.

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inern•gm.......momem