The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-03-17 00:00:00

Utisttltantoits (Intriligtart.

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL

POLICIHEN ATTACKED BY MUSK RATS. —An extra-
ordinary battle occurred in Charlotte the other night
(says the Chicago Interocean) between a citizen, aided
by two policemen, and a gang of musk rats. Charlie
Fox was going to his home, and, when feeling for the
gate in the dark, he saw a number of small eyes
sparkling like diamonds; a host of hungry animals
attacked his legs. He beat a hasty retreat and hunted
for the police. The officers got a lamp and proceeded
to the scene, and when they reached the place they had
to do battle. The officers knocked right and left, ad
finally the rats, from some cause or another, ceased
fighting and scampered off, taking refuge under the
culvert. A careful search of the field tailed to show
but one dead rat, a remarkably large one, that weiehed
ten pounds. Ten or fifteen in all attacked the police.
They were exceedingly voracious in their attack on
Mr. Fox, as the torn condition of his pants about the
ankles indicated.
THE WILD DOGS 01' MEXICO.—An anecdote is re-
lated in Dr. Oswald's sketches (says the Live • tock,
Jvurnal), which illustrates the ferocity of the wild
dogs bf Mexico. A mastiff adcompanying an emigrant
train across the valley of the Rio Grande accidehtally
fell among the piratical canines of the prairies, and
was instantly torn to shreds by the pack, which at•
tacked and devoured him with all the greed of
wolves.

AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.—The follow-
ing are the average prices of British corn for last
week, as received from the Inspectors and officers of
Excise :—Wheat, 425. 61. ; barley, 33,. 7d.; oats,
295. 3d. per imperial qr. Corrresponding week last
year :—Wheat, 444.9 d. ; barley, 30s. 51. ; oats, 21e. ld.
A FALSE START.—They were going down to the
Boat-race, and suddenly it occurred to her that new
gloves were indispensable (quite right, too); so they
rushed into a shop, and the shopman said, " Wins
size does the lady take. sir? "—He (thinking of his
own). " Eight-and-a•half."—She. " Wh—a—at !"
[Unpleasantness all the rest of the day.j—Jutiy.
THE HOME FOR LOST DOGS.--At the annual general
meeting of the members and friends of the Home for
Lost and Starving Dogs which has jun been held in
the rooms of the Royal S ciety for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals in London, it was stated that the
total number of dogs received at the Home at Batter.
sea was 14,982, and of these 2,301 had been resitored
to their owners, whilst 1,996 were sent to new homes.
There had been a large decrease as compared with the
previous year in the number of dogs claimed, and the
cost of those claimed had been 2s. 2-0. per animal.
The Home had been viewed by people from all parts
of the world, who testified to the excellence of the
arrangements. All means had been adopted to pre-
vent dogs being taken from the home for experiment
or pathological purposes. The committee had decided
to receive cats as soon as sufficient money was sub-
scribed to pay for the erection of suitable accommo-
dation.

THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA.—An American
engineer, who, being engaged in the construction of a
railway in China, has had unusually favourable oppr,r-
tunities of examining the famous Great Wall, built to
obstruct the incursions of the Tartars, gives the follow.
in account of this wonderful work :—" The wall is
1,728 miles long, 18 feet wide, and 15 feet thick at the
top. The foundation throughout is of solid granite,
the remainder of compact masonry. At intervals of
between 200 and 300 yards towers rise up 25 feet to 40
feet high, and 24 feet in diameter. On the top of the
wall, and on both aides of it, are matqinry parapets, to
enable the defenders to pass unseen from one tower to
another. The wall itself is carried from point to
point in a perfectly straight line, across valleys and
plains and over hills, without the slightest regard to
the configuration of the ground, sometimes plunging
down into abysses 1,000 feet"deep. Brooks and rivers
are bridged over by the wall, while on both banks of
larger streams strong flanking towers are placed."

THE SAtE OF FLWERS IN PARIS.—It is reckoned
that the daily sale of natural flowers in Paris realizes
about 20,000 dole. The flowers most in fashion at
present are the gardenia, which sells at 5 f. each
flower; the lily of the valley, worth 10 f, the pot; the
queen rose and the purple ros9, the Spanish carnation
and the violet. Of the latter a large number come
from Nice; but they have not the perfume of those
grown around Paris. The camellia, at one time so
touch prized, is now quite out of fashion.

THE SUNDAY SOCIETY AND THE HOITSE OE LOIISS.
—Lord Duoraven has obtained Tuesday, May 8, for
the resolution of which he had given notice on behalf
of the Sunday Society. The resolution is worded as
follows :—" That seeing the success which has attended
the action of her Majesty's Government in opening on
Sundays the national museums and galleries in the
suburban districts of London and in the city of Dublin,
and whereas this House was last session informed by
her Majesty's Government that no .oppoeition to Sun-
day opening, so far as it had already gone, had come
before them, this House is of opinion that the time
has arrived for extending the policy of Sunday open-
ing to all museums and galleries supported by national
funds."
A ROYAL LOCKSMITH.—The Court Journal says :
According to the Hohenzollern family usage, Prince
L- ovoid, only Eon of Prince Frederick Charles, now
seventeen years of age, is to learn the trade of a lock-
smith. His smithy is installed in one of the rooms of
the town palace, and is a miracle of c )mpleteness.
One of his father's sevants, himself formerly a journey-
man locksmith, initiates the princely apprentice into
the mysteries of the trade, to which he takes so kindly
as to be frequently seen in his blouse, hard at work, as
late as ten pall.

FAIR-PLAY FOR THE PRINTZL—DanieI Webster
was right when he said of the Press :—" Small is the
sum required to patronise a newspaper; amply re-
wardei is its patron. I care not how humble and un-
pretending is the paper; it is next to impossible to fill
it out without putting into it something that is worth
the subscription price." Do not forget that it costs
something to puff as well as advertise. Never sponge
on a printer. It is the printer's ink that makes nine-
tenths of our fortunes; it takes money to buy ink,
type, and paper, and yet after all this, few are the
thanks the printer gets.—New York Typographic Mes-
senger.

A PIEBALD RAT.—"Naturaliat " writes to Land
and Water :—The freaks of nature are seen in many
ways startlingly attractive. I have just been shown
a rat that has ben killed on a farm-steading where no
piebald or white rat has hitherto been seen. The one
referred to is beautifully streaked down the sides with
white lines, seven in number, while along its hack to
the point of its tail and to its nose, a broad and well-
defined white line extends. It is of the ordinary size,
and has red eyes, and white feet. The specimen was,
unfortunately, too far gone in decomposition to be
preserved before I was shown it.
AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS.—TEe Magnet, in a re-
view of the British corn trade during the past week,
says :—The weather, though cold and severe, has been
favourable for agricultural work. The land has been
brought into good condition. Spring sowing has been
about completed on light soils, and the heavy lands
are being rapidly prepared. Crop prospects during
the week have unquestionably improved.

A STRANGE DOG AT CHURCH. —T. W. Webb sends
the following anecdote to Notes and Queries respecting
Irving and his dogs as having been related by Irving
himself. It is the practice of the Scottish shepherd
to bring his faithful colley with him in his attendance
on public worship. On one occasion, when Irving was
preaching in his native land, and no doubt to an over-
flowing congregation, there was a large number of shep-
herds among his hearers, whose dogs were, according to
custom, relegated to the gallery, while their masters
sat below. The dogs, it may be supposed, were all old
acquaintances, and might be expected to behave with
decorum. But, unluckily, on this occasion a stranger
was introduced; the intrusion was not only unwelcome,
but was resented in a high degree; and the disapproba•
tion and snarling became at last so intolerable that the
unfortunate new comer was fain to provide for his
safety by bolting over the front of the gallery into the
body of the church, and escaping to the outside, pur-
sued in the same precipitate manner by the whole
body of his foes.
WAT-ER NOTION !--First Aquatic One: "Well, I
believe Oxbridge will win. By- the.bye, I see it says
that No. 5 in their boat 'took the water well.' "
Temperance Party (overhearing) : "Indeed, young
man! It gladdens my heart to hear you say that. I
hope the young abstainer's example will do good
among his companions; and I trust you gentlemen
will yet wear the Blue Ribbon."—Second Aquatic
One: "Oh, yes, we shall do so—"— emperance
One (gleefully) : " Yes—yes—and when? "—Second
Aquatic One "On Boat Race Day we always do,
you know. My friend wears the 'Dark.' and I the
Light.' "—[temperance Party collapses.]—Fun.
TWEED SALMON FISHING.—In. the beginning of
last week the takes bore a very favourable comparison
with those of the same time last year. The sea-coast
fisheries not yet being all in operation, the beat
catch ts came from the middle district of tho river.
The storm caused the fishing to dwindle down, and
operations were then r,-Irly blArlz. The salmon
fdLliet. pre v ulellt iOt.:Jr. up der
waters, and the fish most affected are kelts which
have not been enabled to reach the sea; but the pro-
portion, as compared with the same period last year,
is only about one in 30. Prices rose on Saturday to—
salmon, is. 10d, ; trout, is, 7d. per pound. In the
corresponding week of last year the prices w-re—
salmon, 2. ; trout, is. Bd. per pound.

PRINTING FOR CARLYLE.—Mioe Martineau tells how
almost every other word was altered in Carlyle's
proofs. One day he went to the officer to urge on the
printer. " Why, sir," said the latter, " you are
really so very hard upon us with your corrections.
They take so much time, you see ! " Carlyle replied
that he had beeo accustomed to this sort of thing—
he had got works printed in Scotland, and—
" Yes, indeed, sir," interrupted the printer, "we are
aware of that. We have a man here from Edinburgh,
and when he took up a bit of your copy he
.dropped it
as if it had burnt his fingers, and cried out, Lord
have mercy I have you got that man to print for!
Lord knows when we shall get done—with all his
corrections.' "—The Man and His Books, by Wylie.
THE SPENDTHRIFT Cnus.—The Spendthrift Club
was so called in ridicule of the very moderate in-
dulgence of its members, whose expenses were limited
to fourpence-half penny each night, yet all of them
wealthy or well-to-do citizens, many of whom usually
met after forenoon church at the Royal Exchange for
a walk in the country—their plan being ta walk in
the direction from whence the wind blew and thus
avoid the smoke of the city. "In 1824," says Cham-
bers, "in the recollection of the senior members, some
of whom were of fifty years' standing, the house (of
meeting) was kept by the widow of a Lientenant
Hamilton of the army, who recollected having at-
tended the theatre in the Tennis Court at Holyrood
when the play was the Spani•li Friar,' and many of
the members of the Union Pat liament were present
in the house." The meetings of this club were nightly,
till reduced to four weekly. Whist was played for a
halfpenny. Supper -originally cost only twopence, and
half a bottle of strong ale, with a dram, cost twopence-
halfpenny more; a halfpenny to the servant-maid,
was a total of fivepence for a night of jollity and
good fellowship.—From " Cassell's Old and New Edin•
burgh" for March.
THE SALE Or WINE BY UNLICENSED PERSONS.—
The secretary of the Wine and Spirit Trade Associa-
tion, writes :—The committee of the Wine and Spirit
Association have deemed it desirable to obtain an
official and unequivocal declaration of the law on the
subject of unlicensed persons importing or purchasing
wines and spirits in lots for distribution at cost price
amongst their private friends, and as the practice is
frequently pressed upon the unwary public on the plea
that where no profit accrues no licence is necessary,
they desire me to suggest that much misapprehen-
sion existing on the subject might be removed if you
would have the goodness to call attention to the fol-
lowing statement which they have received from Mr.
J. Molineux, Chief Inspector of the Excise Depart-
ment, Somerset House :—" I beg to state that the
law makes no distinction between sales of win for
profit, and sales of wine from which no proit is
realised. It follows, therefore, that the disposing of
wine at cost price by an unlicensed person would be
an infringement of the law."
SAWING HARD STEEL WITH SAND.—The Scientific
American reports the success of a series of experiments
made recently by an American mechanic in sawing
hard steel. Some time ago he was desirous of cutting
very narrow slots in a bar of hammer-hardened steel.
It was desirable that the bar should not be annealed
and relialdened, because of the danger of disturbing the
relative widths of the slots. The workman tried the
ordinary saw, or thin rotary milling tool, but found it
to be impossible to keep an edge. After many in-
effective trials, he recollected having witnessed the
sawing of atone with sand urged by sheet iron blades.
He substituted a soft iron disc for his steel saw, and,
procuring some moulding sand, he had the satisfaction
of seeing progress made in the steel. By changing the
moulding sand for fine quartz sand, and using a
disc of Muntz sheathing metal, feeding the sand with
water, he performed the job in a most satisfactory
anner.

A MOUSE'S NEST MADE 011 BANE NOTES. —A
workman employed at a house building in Paris was
disagreeably surprised last week to find that a sum of
2,000 f. in bank notes he had hidden in a cellar for
safety had disappeared. The pocket-book which had
contaked the notes was there, lying open, but there
were no signs of the notes. On searching well, how.
ever, some small fragments of paper were seen lying
about, and the master-builder, whohad come forward at
ence,thought that mice might be the thieves. Following
the direction of the fragments he had the flooring taken
up of a room above used as an office, and in which a
fire had been lighted, and there near the stove was
found a mouse's nest lined with ths precious paper,
nibbled into small pieces. These were collected and
taken to the Bank of France, where the notes will be
reconstituted if possible; and if the numbers can be
ascertained, other notes will be given by the Bank in
exchange for those lacerated.
AN ILLUSTRATION OE AN OLD ADAGE.—Land and
Water, in noticing .he death of its late editor, says :
Just twenty-one years ago we first met John
Graham Chambers. He was then in training
for the University Boat Race of 1862. A mutu..l
friend, an old Etonian, was in our company, and we
were struck at the time by the school soubriquet by
which he addressed our new acquaintance, "Honest
John I" As years rolled on, and the acquaintance in-
augurated that day ripened into the friendship of a
life, we often pondered over the peculiarity of the
i.outriquet by which ha had been first greeted in our
hearing, and realised that never had we met a truer
living evidence of the adage, that the boy is father of
the man. Strictest integrity towards mankind at
iar,.;e, and staunchest lo)alty and self-sacrifice to
friends, were characteristic ot John Chambers to the
day of his Untimely death, There is a pain, which
becomes a redeeming pleasure, when the substance
has been lost to us to grasp at the shadow—when the
reality has fled to consort with memory, and to live in
the ideal past scenes once again; and with such feeling
we can trace our friend's career from the days when
we first met him, and even through earlier Eton days
as related by his own lips and by those of his con-
temporaries.