The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-11-09 00:00:00

CUTTINGS FROM AMERICAN PAPERS.

A New York genius has invented a sheet-iron boy,
which is sustained by a life-preserver, and provided with a
pound can of nitro glycerine. This " boy " is now floating
around off the East river as a bait for sharks, and the fish
which swallows him will never smile again.
A far west paper writes, resignedly and poetically.
Fate equalizes things after all. We have escaped the yellow
fever in this locality, it is true, but, in place of Bronze John,
another troupe of minstrels are on their way hither from the
East.—
Dear genii of the calcined cork,
Knights of the musty jests,
Bring out at least one brand new joke,
Or else go to everlasting (hot) rest. _ _

Josh Billings, in his last comments on British
literature, observes that the Spectator, the Rambler, the
Lounger, the Idler, and the Tattler, are all classical works,
but there is many a man now-a-days who is all these in one,
and yet is no student at all.

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Many lessons may be learnt by "civilized "nations
frJm the savage. We speak within the bills of mortality
when we assert that pocket-picking is an offence absolutely
unknown among the Aborigines of Australia. This speaks
volumes not only for their honesty, but for their simplicity of
costume.

A Boston young man married against the wishes of
his parents, and, in telling a friend how to break the news
to them, said :—" Tell them first that I am dead, and gently
work up to the climax."

A Mississippi druggist is selling a drug to negroes
under a pledge that it will convert their wool into long
straight hair. The papers say he is doing a brisk business.
The St. Louis Spirit of the Times takes this flight :
"The circus is coming. Just for the sake of brevity they
call the show the Grand, tilittering, Athletic, Eques-Hippo-
Zoolo Coliseo-Mardi Gras Carnival Pageant, and Arenic
Combination Tournament of International Magnificences. A
dazzling three hours' dream (as it were) of Oriental gorgeous-
ness, exemplified in realistic splendour and sumptuosity."

"Editing a paper," declares s Transatlantic editor,
"is a Dice business. If we publish jokes, people say we are
rattle-headed. If we omit jokes, they say we are an old
fossil. If we publish original matter, they blame us for not
giving selections. If we publish selections, folk say we are
lazy for not writing something they have not read in some
other paper. If we give a man a complimentary notice, we
are censured for being partial. If we do not give compli-
mentary notices, folks say we are a hog. If we do not cater
for the wishes of the ladies, the paper is not fit to tie up a
parcel."

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MR. REED, M. P., ON THE :HIGHWAYS THE BISHOP OF ST. ALBANS ON THE
ACT. BURIALS QUESTION.
The Highways Act, 1877, was discussed at a meet- The Bishop of St. Albans in his charge on Satur-
ing of the Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture on Satur- day, at Bishop's Stortford, re ferred at length to the
day, Mr. R. T. Gurdon presiding.—The Chairman—
who expressed an opinion that the Act could not pos. Burials Question* id that He saat men were endeavour-
sibly be worked without the formation of highway dis- ii-
v to suggest a compromise which would satisfy all
tricts, and the appointment of the sanitary committees nrties • but such a compromise seemed to him im-
p- possible, because one party would not be satisfied
of the Boards of Guardians as highway authorities in without the concession of all they desired and that
their unions—moved the following resolutions : was what the other party oould not be induced to
I. That this Chamber most strongly protests surrender. Meanwhile the world looked on in amaze'
against the unfair proportion of highway expenditure *ment, and wondered why the one should • demand so
which is to be borne by owners and occupiers of land, persistently and the other refuse so stoutly what
and which injustice is perpetrated by this Act, seemed to them so small a thing. For the world had
2. That this Chamber regrets that county represen- not studied the history of such demands and their con-
tative boards have not yet been formed to control the cession; and it could not be doubted that very con-
management and carrying out of this and similar siderable alterations concerning the laws of burial were
meaeures,
the question
highway
cult 3 .
tlho'ac
carry
ro thisrayr dosuC,
thi
is
imhnibsfeaArv,
cobtuewrl i
oietfvhi
ot
their
uget irtt
hbeee
ntf
groermm ealtyi dni ffi this took place
of- impending, and must soon be met, and that whenever
must be dealt with how
religious scruples could be satisfied. It was that
formed at question which embarrassed the Education Act, and
once." would embarrass all legislation which might be pro-
Mr. C. S. Read, M.P. while thinking the Act an posed on the Burials Question. The best thing they
unsatisfactory one, considered that it ought to have a could do, it appeared to him, was to promote in
trial before highway boards formed. It would
every parish the formation of detached burial-grounds,
were
,
be unjust to make parishes which now had good roads with the view of closing in time all the churchyards
a very large proportion of which ought to be closed
pay towards putting bad roads in other parishes in
good repair, and as the county authority now had on sanitary grounds. The necessity became daily
power by a simple method to force parish authorities more urgent, and it was the interest of all parties, in
to do their duty farmers should wait awhile before form-
face of the increasing burden of taxation, that the
ing highway boards. The result of the debate was that change should be made gradually. Facilities should
the two first resolutions were carried,
in accordance but the third be afforded for gifts of land by proprietors for burial
was lost, an amendment being adopted
purposes, for the relief of the ratepayers, and for the
avoidance of needless asperity on the ground of ex-
,vith the views expressed by Mr. Read. pense. It rested with his reverend brethren and with
the churchwardens to use a wise forethought in the
matter. It could not have escaped their notice that it
was by single cases of unwisdom that this question had
been raised and embittered. As he had gone about
the diocese he found a very different feeling existing
between Courchmen and Nonconformists from that
which the published letters and articles in the press
would lead one to believe. In fact, the cases were
very few in which this was a burning question, and in
most cases, if left to the clergyman and his parishioners
it would settle itself. The cry which had gone forth
was a political one, and whatever people might say,
there was a better feeling abroad than people gave
them credit for, and he bad a strong impression that
time, which had healed so many wounds, would heal
this also. He thought every pariah should be obliged
to set apart a piece of unconsecrated ground, a part of
which might be set apart for any community of Chris-
tians who desired it. But when all was done, his lord-
ship said, it was a melancholy spectacle, this delimita-
tion of cemeteries and separation after death. The
words with which St. Paul rebuked the living for
their separation was twice as strong in rebuking the
divisions of the grave. But whose fault was it?
Who began the quarrelling? Their forefathers did not
disdain a common burial place, and there was still a
common right of burial there, with a holy, scriptural
comforting service, without one word needing to be
expunged save for such as die in their sins. But all
this might be remedied by consent by a congress of
Christians meeting in love, and willing to lay down
their weapons of war when such weapons could no
longer avail in death. Such a congress would end in
the shame and confusion of the real authors of the
strife, whoever they might be • for the persons most
clamorous for the alteration of law were those who
would be least satisfied with the change. He believed
that, except in a few exceptional cases, the clergy had
acted in this matter temperately and kindly.