The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-03-16 00:00:00

SATURDAY, WiRCH 16, 1878.

NOTHING LIKE LEATHER,—The Director-General
Clothing, it is stated, has given particular attention
to the item of boots for the army, and there are at
present at Pimlico more than sufficient for 200,0
men. This, if nothing else, shows that the army is to
be placed on a war footing.—Funny Folks.
BURIED ALIVE.—An inquest has been held at Odi-
ham, (11ante), on the bodies of Thomas and Jarnee
Waite, who met with their deaths in a very shockin4
anner. 'rhe deceased were both working in a grave
pit, when a mass of gravel weighing about 60 to
toppled over from the mouth and sides of the
pit. cora-
pletely enclosing it. The son was buried beneath the -
ponderous mass, hut the father was so wedged in as
to leave his head exposed. Assistance was soon At
hand, and a large number of men set to work to extri-
cate the unfortunate men. Although every effort was
used it was three hours before the father was rescued.
He was then alive, but the injuries he had sustained
were so great that he died within au hour. It was four
leans before the lifeless body of the son was dug out in
a dreadfully mutilated condition. The jury returned -
a verdict of Accidental Death, and expressed the "
opinion that in all cases of gravel digging beyond au
ordinary depth the operations should be directed bYO'
competent surveyor.
Too BAD.—A correspondent. who ought to knour
better, writes to ask whether, when Cowper wrote OA
lines—
" The tear which is wiped with address
May be followed perchance by a smile," -
—the poet was alluding to a silk dress? Because, Sall
the correspondent, he hx found a present of that kill
dry up his wife's tears quicker than anything else he
knows of. This person deaerves to be handed over W
the tender mercies of the 'Woman's Eights .As9oui3"
tien.—Judy.
The
ALLEGED ORIGIN OF THE LETPER STAMP. -
origin of the stamp had a tinge of romance in it. "
was thirty-seven years ago that Rowland. Hill, while
crossing a district in the-north of England, arrived es
the door of an inn where a postman had stopped 'sc'
deliver a letter. A young girl came out to reeeive
she turned it over and over in her hand and asked the
price of postage. This was a large sum, and evitisntlY
the girl was poor, for the postman demanded
shilling. She sighed sadly, and said the letter voul
from her brother, but that she had no money and 02
she returned the letter to the postman. Touched seitu.
pity, Mr. Hill paid the postage and gave the letter to
the girl, who seemed very much embarrassed. ScarcelY
had the postman turned his back when the luting
innkeeper's daughter confessed that it was a trick be'
tween her and her brother. some signs on the enYe,
lope told her all she wanted to know, but the lettet.
contained no writing. "We are both poor," slll.
added, "so we invented this mode of correspondenc°
without paying for our letters." The traveller,
COU
tinning his road, asked himself if a system en
place to such frauds was not a vicious one. ne-tt"
sunset Rowland Hill had planned to organise t'te
postal service on a new basis—with what succese
known to the world.
HARD ON HIM.—A man went home one nightrecentlYo
—or, to be exact, he was supported by a friend as
his front door—at any rate he reached honae—iu
condition which he himself described as being "in hot
cups." "Well," said his good lady, "if you rue s,
hic-cups, I agree with you." He went to bell withlll'
boots on, without saying another word."—Judy.
ssm tido
COURT MOURNING FOR THE LATE
FRANCIS JOSEPH.— A Supplement to the
Gazette, published on Saturday, contains the folloY4""
notice :
Lord Chamberlain's Office' March 9.—" Orders for
Court's going into Mourning on Monday, the 11th inst.. firc
his late Imperial Highness the Archduke Francis
Joseph, father of his Majesty the Emperor of Austria—Wt.'
the ladies to wear black dresses, white gloves, black or Tor,
shoes, feathers and fans, pearls, diamonds, or plain gal
silver ornaments. The gentlemen to wear black,
dress, with black swords and buckles. The Court to
the mourning on Monday, the 18th lust.—viz. the
la
wear black dresses, with coloured rib'ands, f10n141.,
feathers, and ornaments, or gray or white dresses, wst,",.
black ribands, flowers, feathers, and ornameots.,44%
gentlemen to continue the same mourning. And on
day, the 21st inst., the Court to go out of mourning. net
THE REQUIREMENTS OF SERVANTS.—A ladY
of mine, last week, received, in answer to an advertles„
meat for a housemaid, two applications. Both IIPPrs,
cants were well recommended by their previous Fts
tresses. Almost the first question put by one of' tiled;
was, "I suppose, mum, you keeps a footma iee
n?as
being answered in the affirmative, the condescendsr
candidate proceeded, "There's one thing, mum, I'lll
tickler about; I must have full Catholic privilege,,,.
"What on earth do you mean ?" inquired the laousst
"Why, mum," responded the applicant, ".1
attend early celebration one morning Ind oe
week ; I reckon on having SuittlaYe, at for
Friday or Saturday morning, as is most convenien.est
you, mum, I goes to confession." "I am afraid r-
would scarcely suit me," said the lady; and the int.cie
view terminated. When the second applicant 11121'00
her appearance, any friend opened the conversnic
with the question, "Do you require full Cet,u;
privileges?" " I want Church privileges, rua
answered the applicant. On inquiry, the two exy,
sions amounted to about the same thing. The la d 0
still without a housemaid, and is wondering w'Aeeasst
she will not, in a short time have to include th
of maintaining a resident chaplain, for the benefit
--
her servants, amongst her housekeeping exPeuse
Truth. e,ives°
AN INDIAN DEVOTEE.—The Indian Mirror b.- hot
long acconnt of the life and sayings of Rasa ICristb
a famous devotee of Duckinsen, a few miles nuroie
Calcutta. Born and bred a Hindoo, he has ra d
his life-long effort to attain God, and to that°
el reat
"tried the various modes prescribed by the
religions of the world," and became suecessiveyol
disciple of the Hindu deities, of Mehemet, Chritsted
Rama. As a devotee of this last, he actually irt" ode
the ways of Hanuman and remained prostrate nor
the picture of Rama. For many long years he_ss
filmed his experiments, till at last he bectutoe
zealous Shivaite. For seven years his said te.aro jog
remained irnmeised in deep contemplation.
e",„Pips!
that period he did not take any food higne ta
beloved disciple raised it to his mouth and he to
While sitting before Kali, however, he hegTi the,
identify himself with that goddess, and ate uP 3000
edibles that were placed before the altar. Wurneess to
gold are, lie considers, the two great hindranc-oteee
spiritual progress, and his "hand actuallY be e of°
paralysed on touching" the latter. His saYiege
iil
said to be a treasure of pithy quaintness. 011001
suffice as a sample :—" Knowledge is ulascsscesl
Faith feminine ; Knowledge, then, can onlY goe°
to the outer courts of God's House, while Fat'
freely into the Zenana."
s t
FEMALE BEAUTY. —An American paper sa- vt
two nations agree exaetly with each other
constitutes female beauty. The Moore er,
women by their weight, as we do beef eatt'oeuittel
purchase them at so much a hundred. The an"
of the Chinese have deformed feet, black tee'o 00%
long nail. A girl painted sky-blue, with Tog!
through her nose, is the acme of loveliness to a hair*
islander. The Venetians almost worshiP rf
and so national tastes vary. hit 3
(v/11°..+18
WE SHOULD THINK So._Youno. donee
been giving his father's new brougham horse "eke
exercise before the day's work.) She don't 1401 Y
bad saddle horse, Steward, but she's got a ce...411'
habit of lighting on her knees after every fel'
stead of her feet.—Judy. ce°
inuiell of
THE NAVAL DLBATES.—TIic Times thug louse
a leader on the Naval debates in the
st *
Comriecns sisting.
In a well-known sketch, a country farmer os-dierd°saer
rent dinner remarks, in depreciation of his lam, it n'the
mirable claret, that it may be very good, Wild °cot
gets " forrarder. ' Just the same may be 03i the Yoe
annual discussion that precedes the statement 0 to. rty:
Lord of the Admiralty upon the Navy Estinn! ot
speeches that are delivered may be of the lirsokloetiewe
no one can impeach the ability and special 10 000 0
the speakers; but somehow or other the 11 pe
is always forced upon our minds that we .:%,0 Oa feel
the end of the debate in just the same Pcs;ild its to 01
occupied when it began. .No one has comPelie true 11 ut
that he, and he alone, has found the clue to tile to eac'iso
policy. of the future. Many speak, and we listen, s cer
turn, and as each sits down we are conscious.,:ild 0,00
disappointment, though it is naturally dirninisredsollete
pertence teaches us to expect it. This has hapPeuobly ,
that it is now not difficult to construct atO . 0
worthy sketch of a naval debate before it has hegwe
bl
A STORM FORECAST.—The following ee f the we
has been received at the London office edepre°,,ive
York Herald, from New York :—" A larige,ill oboe
with rains and strong north-west win° i;efore dle
over the British and French coasts on or deeideoe
12th; the temperature will probably rise ss.
over Central Europa and the British Islo Oce
disturbance may prove serious in the Gernia
iOIY
and Western Baltic." iing3t 00
HIGH-HEEL Boors. The absurd stunibe fee tte
practice of mounting the hinder part ot d beerocb
stilts while the toes press the ground uu of
weight, as in the use of high heels, is one a‘gee devieecoir
it is not easy to write with temper. 111 te pow
strangling the waist with tightly laced coroeh sse of
temptible for its ignorance; that to wbsiese JAW'
allude is outrageous in its defiance of
gravity. It does not need a knowledge ut agx s‘i.sed
convince the shallowest thinkers of theo. fo
worship the idol of Fashion, that the fo 10,3,1)9011
into a wholly unnatural position, and dist°troo tbeteet
heel being raised and the body made to re's ,olefe hole
of the toes! It should be unnecessary to elite i'f.eho•
this disturbance of the foundation • throwoTery toa`a to
superstructure out of gear, and deraneesa!mtlcl
nical function. A moment's reflection 0"" taao'looo
the instant abandonment of a practice 75°_,. foot
_„besi
irrational and ridiculous; but, forsooth, the slcie "ocl
somewhat smaller as seen from the front or —0,0?.. tte
placed obliquely; so, regardless of conaw°'`aoch 1'
common prudence, the practice prevails... The
fully and wantonness of vanity
DEATH OF THE ARCHDUKE FRANCIS Cli,he Pito tb°
Archduke Weisz Karl, the father of ifp eo
of Austria, died on Friday in laet weelr'wes u
Oa
previous night, although some alaarn aari,u7,
il
immediate danger was apprehended, u
b.
lloreestidoe.
night the patient grew worse, and next;,joae tb°
danger was so imminent that the Crown c;equest bat
was telegraphed for, and, at his P.
7tetered
patient had the last Sacrament ad°rain to tb..
!—Lancet
005.,,per0t
At 11 a.m., when their Majesties eertl'aosl ofile
bed, the last agony had already set I'.?..!‘bered, 'ow
after it was all over. As may be remelf the lor
ceased Archduke, born in 1802, we% aed„
brother of the late Emperor Ferdivabt or '
abdioation of the latter renounced th._
_lT.sa.or.
sion in favour of his son, the present p-t
THE PROFITS OF CROSSING
SWiarPEstablisDillubti
of the gentleman who kept is large
his earnings from a crossing he swelil.otegs fregiueol
apocryahal but, all the same, the e.50.,..t be ire. aI to
branch of industry are larger than asateribie,o
A boy who sweeps a crossing „:".'s juicro er
to 1""..1
fr ,
Sunday morning, and though g eiceive 0.014,De
tell what were the amounts he, r his brutbet tweo
various individuals who easse%ferred,
stew o'lo
track, it may reasonably be
did no be the b ce,
of hoc
majority of those who gave - nee c
•essa aso saes
than one penny. Here is one 1, „oSe. by
Profits. Some hundreds of peolue ,asserse.
and many gave. But among
very large ladies' school of We _ t;otit ollted
St
11 Voi",11
attend chui ch to the number of 0-__e here
..iipelltee
and thirty. Of these, saactlY °nen A 141,e101000
c,ainted as giving a coin to the sweet
Doubtful. A penny? Far naorel".;e lostrroet
the boy received eight shillings 5,1T,,q
di
than fiv,e minutes, ad the roams"
aweepfng at all.—Truth.

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