The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-03-12 00:00:00

Rlistellancous )ntclligente,

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

Taz JURY SYSTEM IN IRELAND—Lord Chief
JusticeWhittable, in opening the Fermanagh Anises on
Monday, made some reference to the jury 53 stem. He
remarked upon the state of the country, and referrad
to the difficulty of getting juries to agree in certain
cases. How he asked) could these failuna of justice
be avoided? Many people say that unanimity ousrht
not to be required from a jury, hot that a majority
should serve the same purpos-. "T myself," said his
lordship, "do not wish to change front the old panel
system under which our forefathers lived and worked,
and which has been handed down to us. I have been
informed that certain persons have applied to be upon
the jury paneL In all my life I never heard of that
being done before. I have frequently heard applica-
tions to be put off the panel, and I have had to fine
gentlemen in Dublin for refusing to act, but I never
received such an offer. I have since learned from an
officer in the south of Ireland that such applications
have been made there also." His lordship went on to
show how the jury system was worked, and expressed
a wish that in criminal cases a superior jury should be
called—as good a jury as is usually to be obtained in
civil cases.

A SCENR IN CONORFSS.—A good deal of ex-
citement seems to have been created in Washington on
February 21 by the sudden rising of General Logan in
the House of Representatives to move a resolution for
the expulsion of one of its members. The Military
Committee of the House has for some time been en.
gaged in investigating a charge brought forward against
certain members of the late and present Congress of
having sold cadetships in the Naval and Military
Academies. Among those incriminated was Mr.
Whittemore, member for the First South Carolina
District, a New Englander, who served during
the war as chaplain in one of the Massachusetts I
regiments, awl after its close settled in South Caro-
lina, whence he has been sent up as a representa-
tive to the last as well as to the present Congress
by a large negro vote, lie was, however, but one
of twelve accused, and so little was any action
expected to le taken in his case until the whole
investigation had been concluded, that Whittemore
himself was in his place on the 21st, when General
Logan, as chairman of the committee, rose to
move that the clerk should react its report. It
recommended Mr. Whittemore's expulsion, and when
it was conelodad, the evidence on which it Was
founded was next read, and after that Whittemore's
defence. Nothing could be more clearly proved
than his guilt, The whole proceeding occupied an
hour, and meantime the culprit sat in a conspicuous
position in the centre aisle, near enough to bear the
whispered comments from the gallery, which had
rapidly become crowded, until there was no longer
1 standing room. When the reading of these docu-
, inmate was ended, General Logan rose once more,
and said that, if the gentleman incriminated had no
further defence to offer, he would move the previous
question—that is, his expulsion. Upon this, Judge
Poland, of Vermmit, suggested deliberation and delay,
and his suggestion was supported by Mr. Coleman, of
Indiana; but General Logan insisting, General Banks,
who is regarded as an authority upon precedents, said
that the action was out of the usual practice and un-
becoming. Still General Logan would not yield, and
it was only when General Butler declared against him,
and urged that it was improper to call upon Mr.
Whittemore to speak without preparation, that be
agreed to postpone the matter for two days, when
the accused was ordered to appear at the bar of the
House.
THE WORST OF mien WRONOS.—lreland has
never thoroughly enjoyed the advantages of Magna
Charta. Even now trial by jury exists but partially in
the Hibernian part of the United Kingdom. The
trial, in cases of landlord-shooting, wherein the culprit
generally gets acquitted, is almost always a trial by
perjury.—Pund.

- - -
PUNISHING IMMORALITY. —lt is fortunate for
naughty Britishete that they do not live in Hungary.
In that happy country, or at least in the rural parts of
it, Lord Penzance would be entirely superfluous. A
wild kind of justice prevails there with a vengeance.
The Feather Lloyd narrates how a young couple came
and settled in the midst of an innocent Hungarian
village, who were strongly suspected to have omitted
the ceremony of marriage. The authorities warned
them of the consequences, but it was the old story.
"Amor non talia curat." At last the council of the
commune, (answering much to the intelligent local
boards who will have to decide on the necessity of our
compulsory education, remarks the Globe), scandalised
at the proceeding, met together, and promulgated an
edict :

"That since the two accused, to the displeasure of the
whole commune, have led an immoral life so long, and
refused to allow themselves to be united by the Church,
giving thereby a sad example to the youth of the corn.
munity, and this though they have received the injunctions
of those in authority to desist from their evil courses, we do
hereby resolve that these two immoral persons shall he
severely punished—the man to receive in a public place
twelve strokes of a cane ; the woman, who belongs to another
commune, to receive sir blows from a switch, and be con-
ducted over the boundary of the commune. This we decree
in accordance with ancient rule."

A MARl,lttous ALnum.—A Roman paper pub-
RAlen an account, supplied by the Bishop of Verona,
of the presentation to the Pope of a superb album,
with offerings amounting to a little more than 6,000 t.,
from the ladies of that and other North Italian
dioceses. nose fair devotees were represented by.
noble lady at the audience, and the album is described
as marvellous—bound in velvet and silver, adorned
with an exquisite miniature of the Good Shepherd,
and containing, in ,me pa;,,e, the Papal tiara and keys,
designed with gold 20. franc pieces; tnother page with
some decorative designs, formed of Italian centesimi,
to signify the poverty of many among those concurring.
His Holiness received this with his usual gracionaness,
and ordered that the album should be plac,:cl in the
Roman Exhibition now open.

Istrnovt MENT ON Full BELOW.—Among "Fashions
for March," in the course of a "detailed description of
a number of dresses suitable for Variol.l3 occasions," Le
Folla specifies:
"A costume of black poult de sole, with a crossway
flounce, headed by threo rows of velvet."

Flounces, many of them, have for a long time been
used to sweep crossings, not however designedly, per-
haps. But now we pee that some milliner has devised
a regular crossway flounce, headed, apparently with a
special view to the purpose it is intended to serve, wita
three rows of velvet. Reason and economy, however,
suggest that, instead of being headed by three rows of
velvet, this flounce should be tailed with one row of
broom.—Punch.

A LUCKY RECOVERY !—A relieving-officer at
Halifax last week left on a seat in a room of the rail-
way station the sum of £l3O in £5 notes, and for some
(lapin° trace of the money was discovered. On Thurs-
day, however, a distressed-looking man offered a note
in payment for a coat at a clothier's shop in Rochdale,
and paid another note at a second shop, where he had
bought a pair of trousers. The owner of the second
shop went to his brother clothier for change, and sus-
picion was thus excited that the notes were dishonestly
come by. The man Joseph Keogh was taken into Cll.
tntly, and subsequently admitted that he " found " the
£l3O at Halifax. He showed the officer where be had
concealed the remainder, and nearly the whole sum was
thus recovered. Keogh was removed to Halifax,
where he was examined before the magistrates, by
whom, after a suitable reprimand, he was discharged.
- -

MASSACRE OF INDIANS.—The details of an
attack made by Colonel Baker' an American officer, on
the Indian village of Piegans, Montana. were reported
at Washington, on February 22. The despatch stated
that of 173 persons killed, only fifteen were what might
be called lighting men, that is, men between the ages
of twelve and thirty-seven years. The remainder were
over forty. There were ninety women killed, and fifty
children under twelve years of age. The whole village
had been suffering for over two months past from
snuall.pox, some half-dozen dying daily.

Smau.rox IN Pakfi.—Much alarm has been
created in Paris during the last few weeks by a sudden
outbreak of sinallix, which has been fatal in many
cages, ninety deaths bring recorded last week from
that cause. Re-vaccination bas been recommended,
and is being very exteuaively adopted, the officials em-
ployed in the various llovernment departments being
treated en masse at their respective offices. At the
Mint a medical man attended and tranaferred the
vaccine lymph obtained from a young heifer to the
arms of nearly all the etnplopl At the Hotel de
Ville on Saturday 263 persons empl•iyed there were
re-vaccinated. The general public are treated at the
Mairta, where doctors attend daily for that purpose,
and throngs of public await their turn to undergo the
preventive operation.

THE LAM OF PAWSBROKING.—Last week a
conference was held in London, between several
members of Parliament and pawnbrokers representing
London and the country. Among the members pre-
sent were Viscount Sandon, Sir Thomas Barley, Mr.
Hugh Birley, Mr. Jacob Bright, Mr. Charley, Mr.
Bowring, Mr. Dalrymple, Mr. Morley, and Mr.
Locke. The pawnbrokers have prepared a bill to
amend the law relating to their business. The bwri-
ness is principally reulated by an Act passed in IWO.
ft is proposed to repeal parts of that Act, to introduce
a new schedule of profits, and to empower pawnbrokers
to exceed the profits named in the schedule by splcial
contract. It is further proposed to legalise forfeiture
in six months instead of a year. Having ascertained
that the Home Secretary will not oppose the second
reading of the Bill if it be referred to a Select Com-
mittee, the trade desire to get some members of the
House of Commons to introduce it; but the members
present at the conference were not disposed to do so,
because it is pr ~posed to increaee the rates of interest,
although, on the other baud, it is said unlicensed
trading will be restricted. Several members, however.
went with the pawnbrokers to the Home-office and
saw Mr. lingessen, who intimated that the govern-
ment would not oppoee if the pawnbrokers petitioned
the Hemel to refer the Bill to a Select Committee. In
default of members adopting the Bill it is probable the
pawnbrokers will take the course suggested.
-

A TIPPERARY WOMAN !—The Cork Herald re-
lates the followiug incident of the Tipperary election:-
-
"

One powerful Amaxn confronted a clergyman at the
railway station late in the evening after the cicction, ard
opened upon him a torrent of abuse absolutely I.mwildering.
Getting excited over her eloquence, she raised her clenched
flst above his head, but, remembering herself, paused before
striking. As it is not honour in a Tipperary woman to
lower her hand once It is raised to strike, she looked around
for some one to relieve her of her embarrassment. A country
lout stood gaping beside her, and upon his lug she brought
down her flat with a force that drove the man spinning a
yard eft. then turning to the priest she cried, " Take that,"
feeling her honour quite satisfied at having beaten his
reverence by deputy.

- -
A SINGULAR TAMA ! Masks are an important
article of trade in Paris. The homes which are en-
gaged in this industry are generally respectable and
tong-established houses, who make their money out
of folly in the soberest way. Paris .produces masks,
but the foreigner buys them. South America, New
Orleans, New York, and especially Buenos Ayres
and Brazil, are atoong the principal customers—the
carnival being observed there with great enthnti
Parisian makers also receive t.rders from America
for na.eks representing the types of the human race
—,Pgrorp, Jean, Englishmen, Germans, ate. These
' ••• and doltht..

less represent the alliance of all nations in free.
masonry. Italy makes her own masks. Russia orders
but few, as it pays but little attention to the car-
nival; but Protestant England requires a great many
masks for the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot.
NVhat with one festival and what with slower, this
trade is never quite at a standstill. Tle workmen
engaged in it are paid from If. to 6f. a day; the
women from 21. to 31. The commonest mask, worth
one son, passes through the hands of eight work-
people.
ONE FOR MONTPENSIER !—At the Carnival in
Madrid, one of the prominent figures in a mounted
procession was a king, appropriately arrayed in crown,
robes, and ermine. His appearance was the signal
for shouts and hisses and derisive cheers. The names
of all the candidates who have been proposed for the
Spanish crown were called out as the maskuer passed
through the dense throng, that of Montpei3sier receiving
the addition of "Cain the Second," " Chiapini,"
"King Orange"— the latter title being conferred in
consequence of his thrifty practice of selling the oranges
grown on his estates In Andalusia. Oranges were
thrown at him, which he pocketed in good part.
I3ItirRiIIONIAL Citations !—From the Manchester
Era terr:—

A lady by birth (middle age) wishes to correspond, with
a view to matrimony, with • widower having a young
family—Address," dm.

"A'respectable'man (3, with good Income and prospects,
n business in a country town, wants a suitable wife: age not
miler twenty-five, or over thirty; a brunette preferred ;
money no object —Address," Aic.
"Bachelor, forty, respectable, good appearance, In bust
nem, with realised property £3,000 to cows, would marry
a lady amiable, agreeable, and domesticated, thirty to thirty-
five. Some means desirable, not Indispensable. Strictest
confidence observed."—Address, Ac.
A TIGER BAGGED BY THE DEUCE OF EINN-
IMEGIL—A correspondent informs the Pioneer that
the Duke of E..inburgh met with but very indifferent
sport at Ulwur and Bhurtpore. Only one tiger was
bagged. He was lying on a steep hill-side inaccessible
to elephants. A line of guns was formed nearly along
the crest. The duke in taking up his positicn saw the
tiger some distance below him, fired and wounded him
badly. A rattling fire then commenced along the line
which drove the tiger down to the foot of the hill. He
was deemed too far gone to be able to do much mis-
chief. The whole party accordingly gave chase, the
duke and some guns on one side, and Sir Neville
Chamberlain with some others on the opposite.
On seeing tire tiger a second time the duke fired a
second shot, but this actually seemed to give new life
to the animal, who, on a second shot twins fired by
Sir Neville Chamberlain, charged fiercely up the hill
and at the general, clearly intending mischief. At this
critical moment Sir Neville's second barrel missed fire,
and the general had to exemplify the trivh of the
maxim, that discretion is the better part of valour, by
running for his life. Fortunately, the tiger was dread-
fully knocked about, and the ground was dead against
him, and at the critical moment when not many yards
separated the old Punjabee from the enemy, a Dum-
ber of dogs that had been let loose turned the enraged
animal. After this effort the tiger was exhausted and
could not charge again. The dogs then worried him,
though he occasionally struck one down with his paw.

GRACEFUL ORATORY !—There was quite a display
of eloquence and literature in the American House of
Representatives on the occasion of thanking Rhode
Island for the statue of General Greene. The follow-
ing quotations were all made by a single gentleman,
without the least aasistance from his fellow-members :--

" homeward plods his weary way,"
'flow sleep the brave who sink to rest
By all their country's wishes blest."

"Dust to dust, and ashes to ashes."
But one original burst of eloquence was worth all these
classic couplets and time-honoured extracts. It was
made by the gentleman who said, "The locality of his
(Gen. G.'s) burying-place may be unknown, but me-
thinks that in some lovely, quiet spot, by the bank of
a rippling rivulet, where the wild flowers of the South
exhale their sweetest perfume, and shaded by some
tall and graceful elm-trees, he (Gee. G.) sleeps; and
the merry little warblers of nature (i.e., the birds) perch
themselves upon the boughs of the shade, and mourn-
fully chirrup his dirge, or anon breaking forth into
full-throated melody, richer than cathedral ever dis-
pensed, swell the chorus of his (Gen. G.'s) praises, and
fill the air with the music of his renown." It is well
that General Greene should "sleep," and even snore
rather than be alive to listen to the House Represents':
tives when it waxes rhetorical. A "mournfully
merry " net they are to be sure !
CAI,7OFIT BY A PETTICOAT ! Another famous
brigand, Pasquale Torreggiani, of Trapani, in Sicily,
after having net the laws at defiance for seven years,
has at last paid the penalty of his misdeeds. His end
may serve to illustrate the moral presented in the
popular song of "Good Saint Antony." After many
a hairbreadth escape by flood and field poor Pasquale
fell a victim to the master-passion and was igno-
m;uiously caught by the strings of a woollen petticoat,
worn by an easy Trapanese nymph with whom the
dashiag bandit condescended now and then to while
away a leisure hour. Surprised in one of these un-
guarded moments by a party of carabiniers, Torreggiani
made a stout resistance, killed the first man that
vehtured to lay hands upon him, and was after-
wards shot down by the rest.
WE MAY TAKE A HINT FROM TEEM !—The
adherents to the old belief as to the civilising influence
of British intercourse have recently received several
severe shocks. Not only does it appear upon trust-
worthy authority that the "semi-barbarous," as we
are told to call them, people of Japan have for many
hundred years been in the enjoyment of a complete
system of primary education, by means of which every
magber of the population is instructed; but even in
wls;73, barbarous Chinese Tartary, we learn from Mr.
Shaw's paper, read lost week at the Royal Geo-
graphical Society, that every street in the numerous
cities with whi.th the country is dotted contains its
primary school, where rows of turbaned boys may be
seen daily at their first lessons in reading and writing.
- -

MOTTO FOR " P00r..."—" Your money and
your life."—Punth.
_

MALT AND BNER.—The quantity of malt con-
sumed in the year 1857 was, in England and IVales
42,150,000 bushels ; in Scotland, 2,360,000 buihels,
and in Ireland, 2,370,000 bushels, making a total of
46,880,000 bushels. This does not include the
1,000,000 bushels in the beer exported, according to
evidence before the Malt Tax Committee of the House
of Commons. The average quantity of beer produced
from a bushel of malt is estimated as 18 gallons.
Thus, the total consumption of beer in the United
Kingdom in 1867, amounted to 843,840,000 gallons.
The average selling price is taken at one shilling per
gallon, making the total sum paid for beer in 1867, no
less than £42,192,000. The malt tax amounted to
£6,300,000, and licenses on brewers, malt•ters, and beer.
sellers, to £750,000 more, making a total taxation of
£.7,050,000 on beer. Out of £42.192,000 paid by the
consumers for their beer, £7,050,000, or as nearly as
porisible one-sixth finds its way into the national trea-
sury.—Clianiber of Agriculture Journal.

A SILLY litmx.—We (Tinu4 are requested
to contradict the announcement of the marriage of the
Rev. C. T. Proctor, Vicar of Richmond, which ap-
peared in our impression of Tuesday. Mr. Proctor
and ourselves have been, it appears, the objects of a
billy hoax.
FATAL AFFRAY BETWEV:N B,YB.—An inquest
has been held at the St. George's Hospital in London,
on the body of a boy named James Rogers, aged nine
years. It appeared from the evidence that the mother
of the deceased on the Bth of February sent her son
out for some c.ike. On returning from the errand lie
knocked at the door of a neighbour named Herbert,
and then ran away. A boy, aged fourteen, named
James Ilerbert, saw the deceased knock at his mother's
door, and ran after him, lie overtook the deceased
just as he got to his own door, and either knocked or
pushed him down. Deceased fell on the stone step of
his door with his leg under him, and was so much
injured that he had to be taken to the hospital, where
he was found to be suffering from acute inflammation of
the large bone of the leg. He, however, got worse
day by day, but his parents would not allow amputa-
tion, which was the only chance of saving his life, and
the boy died on the sth instant. The jury returned a
verdict that the deceased died from blood poisoning
caused by irjury to the leg through the result of the
accident, and the coroner called the boy before him,
and told him he had had a narrow escape from being
committed for trial for manslaughter. He advised him
to be cautious in future how he treated boys younger
than himself.

CARNIVAL IN THIC AZORREL—A serious riot oc-
curred in the town of Ponta Delgada, St. Michael's,
the principal island in the Azores, on the evening of
Sunday, the 13th of February, occasioned by the up-
roarious conduct of some British sailors, on leave
ashore, whose anger was excited by the practical
joking of the natives. It seems that one of tbe chief
amusements of the Carnival consists in throwing
water out ,f the windows upon the passers-by. The
sailors resented the drenching they received, and at-
tacked several houses, bursting open the doors and
assaulting the inmates. A mob collected, armed with
sticks, and an affray arose, in which several persons
were injured more or less severely, and which was
eventually stopped by the police, aided by the mili-
tary. Stringent instructions have lwen issued by the
British Consulate to the masters of merchant ships not
to permit their men to go on shore for the future.

UNIBIARABLZ CONDUCT !—ln the zoological eol-
lection at the Lawrence Memorial Garden, Lahore,
some time ago, the largeet of four bean in a pit sud-
denly fell upon the smallest, a half-grown animal,
whom after a short struggle it diaabled, and then pro-
ceeded to tear its unfortunate victim's intestines nut,
licking up the blood and devouring all it could pull
away. The native keepers were unable to do anything
in the way of rescue or separation, hat the officer in
charge of the memorial came down directly he wan in-
formed of the event, and di4peneed summary justice
on the large bear by shooting bun.

THE TIPPERATJAN IDEA.-Divil a hit o' the
British Monarchy we'll be, me bhoys. We'l .be au
Irish Anarchy !—Punch.
_ _

MR. BRIO.IIT'S- happy retoit of M 7
Bright's has been going the rounds. Some little too,
ago the President of the Board of Trade was dining
with a well-known citizen of Cottonopolis, and the
conversation turned on the subject of the growth and
development of America. "I should like," said the
host, who is an enthusiastic admirer of the Great Re-
public, to come back fifty years alter my death to
see what a fine country America had &come." "I
believe yen would be glad of any excuse to come back,"
said Mr. Bright, with a grim allusion In the tone of his
voice to the quarters from which his friend would be
likely to emerge.
Tint FRENCH EDUCATION BILL.—The bill on
primary education in France, introdnced by M. Jules
Simon and supported by the extreme Left is very brief
and simple indeed.
. . -

Art. L Piimary instruction In every communal school
shall be gratuitous —Art. 2. Every fAthor or guaretan whose
children, boys or girls, Letween the aces of Ito and thirteen,
neither follow the caurse of histrucdon at the commUnal
nor at come free school, shall he obliged to furnish to the
municipal council In the January of each 'ear, the proof that
his children are educated at In,ina

TUE "GUNPOWDER BOOMERANO."—A new pro-
j.ctile has been tried at Fortress Monroe, which the
inventor, a citizen of lowa, is anxious to get adopted
by the Ordnance Department. The shot is conical,
with a rifled bore inside. An 8-inch shot, with the
inner 141,- unload..l, eivhs about 2'011.. A sbot ~f

powder, a
the projectile is
dthieespl:inw,hl
which
itesbaedl,lA igyerheas Lan ,ffirotmetedroafnd 8 inche
12Alb shot, and a brass plug, in two pieces, which tits
into the muzzle. Thus charged,
tired from an ordinary rifled cannon. The theory is
that after the projectile has almost spent itself, a time
fuse will explode the charge of powder inside, and the
12A1b. shot will be discharged as if from a canon, the
entire range thus accomplished being from eight to ten
miles. At first the experiments were not successful,
the plug and ball coming out before the projectile had
travelled a mile. Afterwards the plug was screwed
in, thus keeping the ball in poaition until the fuse
burnt down to the powder. The latt.x experiments
were said to have been successful, but the Ordnance
officers having charge of them have not yet made any
report. The newspapers are generally facetious over
the new projectile. One suggests that the prisciple, if
carried out, will make us invincible in a foreign war—
with China. for instance—as the gunners at Fortress
Munroe will only have to get the true range to batter
down the walls of Pekin. The New York Herald des-
cribim the projectile as a "gunpowder boomerang,'.
and hopes the "first shot may always be so coutrived
141 not to turn any somersaults, and so send the second
shot the wrong way."
SUICIDE THROUGH DMINCI • SOVERETOW.-011
Saturday an inquest was held at the Islington Work-
house, London, on the body of Sarah halt, aged fifty.
seven, who destroyed herself in the Regent's Canal.
Deceased had for some time been in a low and
melancholy condition owing to illness. On Wednesday
week she gave an omnibus conductor a sovereign in
mistake for a shilling, and this seemed to prey upon
her mind. Eluding the vigilance of her landlady, she
threw herself into the canal by the City Irks, and
died shortly after she was got out. Verdict—Suicide
while of Unsound Mind.

THE ALTERNATIVE IN IRELAND.—What must
Government do if foresworn jurymen refuse to convict
asawaius Suspend the Habeas Corpus, to be sure, as
they cannot suspend the Corpus. —Peach.
IRISFI AGILIOULTIMIL STATISTIC:N.—A return Of
the total number of agricultural holdings in Ireland
supplies the following statistics :—Tenancy at will,
520,9:19; lease for 21 years, or any less term, 25,406 ;
lease for term exceeding 21 years, and not exceeding 31
years, 22,217; lease for term exceeding 31 years, and
not excceding 60 years, 4,312; lease for term exceeding
60 years, and not exceeding 99 years, 5,497 ; lease for
term exceeding 99 years, 3,903; lease for lives, 28,339;
lease for lives or years alternately, 30,880; lease for
liVre renewable for ever, 4,540; perpetuity, 10,298;
total of the preceeding classes, 4161,931; holdings in
occupation of proprietors in fee, 20,217; grand total,
682,237. The replies of the poor-law inspectors in
Ireland to the ciroffalar of the Chief Secretary SA to the
existing relations ;between landlord and tenant have
been nutted. They deal in a general manner with what
is the practice AS to making improvement, on farms,
such SA building and repairing i 4 farm-houses and
offices, drainage, reclamicion of land, fencing, planting,
&c.

WHAT NEXT !—An American inventor has
secured patents of a new invention, by which cotton,
meats, oils, minerals, and merchandise generally can
be sent at great distances across the country in • few
hours. The invention consists of a pneumatic tube,
through which hollow balls, made to hold the various
goods, can be rolled at an t xci edinely rapid rate. A
company haa been formed in New York to construct a
line, and develop the new method of goods transporta-
tion on an adequate scale.

Tun LAST -STAKE.—A aingular event has juat
occurred at Keethen, in the Principality of Anhalt. A
middle-aged man entered the gaming rooms and sat
down to play. After a time be gained 1,000 ducats.
The croupier passed the money over to him and asked
him if he wished to continue, but, as no answer was re-
turned, one of the assistants touched him on the
shoulder. The individual ',till remained immovable,
for it turned out that—he was dead ! The man in
charge of the table then raked up the gold, saying that
it belonged to the hank, as no engagement could be
entered into with a corpse. The heirs of the deceased
are not convinced of the soundness of this reasoning,
and they have commenced an action for the recovery
of the sum.

AUSTRALIAN SNAKE STORY. —About a week
since (says the Gympie Times) Dr. Byrne saw a carpet
snake, about sevea feet in length, in his surgery, and
endeavoured to kill it; but the reptile was in an
awkward place, and got off with a whole skin. An or-
dinary steel trap was baited with a piece of meat and
set in the place. On going afterwards to see the result,
he witnessed a very curious sight—the snake had
crawled up to the bait, and had found a mouse stand-
ing upon the meat, the weight of the little thing not
being enough to set off the trap. The temptation of a
live mouse was irresistible to the snake, which immedi-
ately darted upon its prey; but the force of the blow
not only killed poor little mousey, but sprung the trap,
the teeth of which shut upon the head of the reptile
and killed it. The fact that the make's head was
caught near the eyes shows that it bartstruck the mouse
with lightning rapidity, and had actually nearly drawn
back before the trap hail shut. Dr. Byrne showed it
to several persons, and then had it photographed.
TILE Maur Tax—The Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, on Tuesday, received a deputation from the
Central Chamber of Agriculture on the subject of the
malt tax. In his reply tithe statement made by several
of the members of the deputation I.f the grievances of
agriculturalists in consequence of the tax, Mr. Lowe
admitted that it was impossible t i raise seven millions
sterling per annum from one article without serious
inconvenience. He expressed himself, moreover, very
anxious that agriculturalists should not think their
grievances were overlooked by the Government. The
entire removal of the tax was out of the question,
because it would effect fifteen millions of the revenue,
but he should be happy to be able to reduce it or to
alter the incidence of the tax so as to lessen the incon-
venience caused by it.
MADAME ALBON MhMEN TOES.—The follow-
ing is related of Madame Alboni by the Musical
World : -

" As a pretty general rule It may be asserted that tho
walls In the drawing-rooms, or salons, of celebrated artists
are adorned with wreaths, medalltons, and other tokens of
triumphs achieved. hut nothing of the kind is visible In
Madame Albonl's drawing-room. One thing, however, rather
astonishes the visitor, and that is a collection, under a glass
shade, of tufts, such as are used to ornament the shakos
worn by French soldiers. These tufts are arranged In the
form of a bouquet, and the following story is connected with
them :—On one occasion that Madame Alboni sang at the
theatre is Metz, she raised the audience to a more than or-
dinary degree of enthusiasm. The stage was inundated with
bouquets, wreaths, and—shako tufts. '1 he last were flung by
the fair artist's martial admirers, who had not flowers or
wreaths, any more than money for the purchase thereof,
but who, for all that, were quite as ecstatic as the civilian
spectators. kladame Albont had all the tufts carefully col-
lected, and they were the only tokens she carried away with
her of her triumph at Mets."

AT 7'3o.—What terrific sensation will the
theatres next bring out? One of them now announces
Twenty mtnutes with a Tiger! This beats the Bull-
fig h ta —Pu nch.

WILL OF A MILLIONAIRIL—The will of the late
Mr. Thomas Fielden, of Fielden Brothers, cotton
spinners, manufacturers, kc.. Todmorden, vas proved
at Manchester on the 17th ult. The personalty was
sworn under £1,300.000. The three nephews—Mr.
Samuel Fieldeu, of Vale House, Mr. Joshua Fielden,
of Stan.tield Hall, and Mr. John Fielden, of
Dobroyd Castle, Todmorden—are joint executors,
and share among them the bulk of this property, after
payment of tbe interest of £30,000 yearly tothe widow.
To Mrs. Fielden is also left the house and estats
Crumpsall, near Manchester, as a raifidence during
her life, after which it becomes the property of Mr.
Joshua Fields-n. The estates at Middleton and
Overton, near Lancaster, are bequeathed to Mr.
John Fielden.

TEE Gise-FmEtle PARADISE.—Berners Street.
—Punch.

WOUNDED VANITY !—TIIO Globe is responsible
for the following :

Two youitg Protestant ladies from the North of England
lately presented themselves In an afternoon at the door of a
cdebrated ritualistic church in the east of London, and ex-
pressed a desire to make their confessions to the incumbent,
tie, poor man, had been hard at work all the morning, and
being too exhausted to receive the outpourings of the har-
dened conscience, of the penitents, petit word to say to. This
message so wounded the vanity of the young votaries that,
without further consideration, they drove straight to a
Roman Catholic Chapel, were they felt sure that they would
receive that attention which had i wen so painfully wanting in
the priest of their own communion. And they were quite
right The Roman Catholic priest received them courteously,
listened to them patiently, and, after a lengthened audience,
appointed a future day for a further conference. On the day
named a well-known dignitary of the Romish Church met
them, and brought forward such convincing arguments to
prove the truth of the doctrines of his faith, that the young
ladles became Rnlll/111 Catholics; their Protestant religious
books were exchanged for rosaries, and they were publicly
received. We wonder bow many el the converts to Roman
Catholicism are of similar calibre with these two latest
proselytes?

EXP.LIMENTAL SURGERY !--The O,SMOS gives
an account of certain experiments made by two
French doctors on the bead of the parricide Belliere
who was recently executed at Beauvais. The head
was Landed over to the medical men within five
minutes of the execution. The expression of the face
was one of stupor, not of pain. There was no evidence,
we are told, that either the jaw or the tongue had
made the least movement after the knife had fallen.
One of the experimentalists began by shouting in the
ear the name of the condemned, but no contraction of
the muscles of the face was apparent ; a similar result
attended the placinc of a sponge dipped in ammonia
under the none. The bead even submitted to the
cauterization of an e e without blinking. F,lectricity
by means of Legtadre's pile was then applied, and ts
variety of tricks performtd, apparently not quite to
the Doctor's satisfaction, for they do not seem to hay.,
discovered what they half expected—that the brain
retained its consciousness. In conclusion, we are told

it is proposed on the occasion of the next 'execution to
inject fresh blood into the veins of the guillotined
inane head, and to discover, if possible, whether the
phenoniena noticed by Dr. Brown Sequard in the case
of a dog who had been subjected to the process, and
thereupon gave signs of voluntary movement can be
',produced.
LOOK OUT !—English Girls are not thought to
show the white feather when on horseback, yeeyou
may pre it any day in Rotten Itow.— Punch.

FEMALE BA:SI/MIS --lheemapcipation oiWOillEn
in the United States has lid to • result within the last
few weeks which even Mr. Mill does not seem to have
anticipated. We are informed that a female banking.
house has been opened at New York, and that upon
its first day of business upwards of 4,000 persona called
at the offices. The ladi, a are said to have shown per-
fect self•possession, anti to have handled both coin and
paper with a readiness indicative of long familiarity
with their value. They themselves assert that in three
months' time they will do the largest business as
bankers and brokers in New York, and it is reason-
able to suppose that they will attract to their counters
a considerable body of the koriessc dor& of the city.
Whether them strong-ir inded females possess originality
and scope of mind suffidient to initiate or carry out
large monetary transactions, and whether their nerve
is strong enough for playing out the game of specula-
tion in critical times and in the face of a threatening
panic, are questions yet to he answered. Certain it is
that if we are to have scare of female Rotlvichilds, and
married women are to make instead of to spend money,
we can no lager deny them independent rights of pro.
perty, or regard the matrimonial tie se other than a
i•ert”cr.hip