The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-07-12 00:00:00

Tin STOLTRI3RIDGE OBSERVgit

" in stay of 'execution," the prisoner pleaded preg-
nancy.
A jury of matrons from the body of the court was
at once empanelled to inquire into the truth of the
allegation made by the prisoner.
The matron of the prison gave evidence that the
allegation was untrue. _ _ _ _ .

Dir. Bond, surgeon, who had given evidence in the
case, was called upon by the Court to examine the pri-
soner, and did so in the jury-room. He also gave
evidence that the prisoner was not "quick with
child," and the jury of matrons returned a verdict ac-
cordingly.
The prisoner during these latter proceedings, which
necessarily occupied some time, was in a semi-conscious
state and was constantly supplied with restoratives.
It was half-past seven o'clock when the Court rose,
the scene from the delivery of the verdict till the ter-
mination of the proceedings having been one of painful
and extraordinary interest. There was a large crowd
waiting in the street outside the court during the
afternoon for the result of tee trial, and the precincts
of the court showed how deep and widespread was the
interest felt.

M. Febvre assisted his colleagues, Mdlle, Martino%
Lady Howe, Lady Clarendon, Mrs. Borthwiek, Lady
Howard de Walden, Lady Wilton, and Madame
Bourdanchon should also be mentioned among the
most successful of the dames vendeutres. All the Diplo-
matic Body were there. Noticeable among them
sailed along in full orange robes the Chinese Am-
bassador.
The band of the Garde R6publicaine began with
"God save the Queen." The new =melte indisnne
by M. Sellenick, dedicated to his Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales, was a great success. The Prince of
Wales's March by M. Febvre, of the Comidie
Francaise, was also played.
Incidentally we have given some of the amounts
of the first day. Mdlle. Bernhardt took £256, Madame
Favart £230 (including the sale for £3O of Bastien-
Lepage's portrait of Jeanne Samary), the Comtesse de
Montebello took £2OO, Mdlle. Croizette, £2OO, the Mar-
quise de Ferronays £l4O, the Comtesse de Florian £lOO,
Madame de Bylandt 2140, Mrs. Ronalds over £lOO, Mrs.
Adair £9l, Countess Steenbock £122. It may perhaps
be seamed from these figures that the average of
the 20 stalls was £l5O, which would give a total of
£3,000. To this is to be added £l,OOO for money at
the doors, and an unknown amount (which may:,
perhaps, be £2,000) for tickets. A gain of £6,000 is
thus not unlikely, and this without any stupendous
calamity to repair such as powerfully affected the
minds of those who contributed to the great collection
in the Paris Opera-house for the sufferers of Szegedin.

On the second day of the French Jae (Tuesday) the
Albert Hall was even more crowded than on the first
day. All the most famous of the dames vendeuses were
present again, but many of them in costumes as differ-
ent as possible from those they had worn before (re-
marks The Times). In spite of the demands made by
the rehearsals of the new piece for the 12th, most of
the members of the Comedies Franoise were present,
in addition to the English ladies who are their
colleagues in this work of charity. The counters were
replenished with fresh goods, and Mdlle. Bernhard's
portraits, sold by herself, ruled at a guinea. Her
returns for the day amounted to £lBO. At the stalls
£1,500 was taken. The entrance money was taken
with both hands all day at all available entrances.
The fair lasted much later than six o'clock, the time
fixed for closing. At the end the band of the Garde
Rdpublicaine played the Marseillaise and were com-
pelled to repeat it.

The Daily Telegraph, in their account of the fete,
says :
"Bat the ladies who were so active with their rose baskets,
cigar cases, tombolas, and wheels of fortune did not mono-
polise the fun of the fair. The afternoon was inordinately
hot, even to the verge of suffocation; and more than one
lady fainted when buffeted about in the centre whirlpool
of fashion. Once down in the cramped arena, move-
ment with courtesy was a matter of considerable difficulty,
and accordingly it occurred to the ingenious minds of
the Hon. Oliver Montagu, Lord Charles Beresford, and
several of their gallant companions, to dispense to the
crowded assemblage 000 l and refreshing drinks, ices,
American cocktails, cups, champagne, and even the hot but
comforting tea. Suiting the action to the word, they assumed
with alacrity the waiters washing-up aprons, and handed
about creature comforts, to the delight and the refreshment
of the bye-standers. They were not single-banded, for
while the gentlemen did the rough work of diving into
ice-pails and lifting silver cauldrons of tea and coffee,
they were assisted by several ladies who covered their
faultless costumes with muslin aprons and took the money
with an alacrity that was beyond all praise. A fire-screen is
no doubt a very pretty ornament in its way, a rosebud sets
off a frock coat, and the doctrine of chance is a distracting
amusement, but we doubt whether on such a day the
practical relief of this tea and champagne counter was not
appreciated as much as anything in the fair."