The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-12-16 00:00:00

Nisttliantous gnitlligente,
NONE, FOREIGN, AND COLCNIAL

SHOt KING DEATH OF A DRUNKARD. —An in.
eetigation took place at Exeter on Ildonglay, relative
to the death of Jane IdNite, 41 years old, who was
very respectably conxtected. She went home drank,
has mg a bottle of gin under her arm. In the count of
next day her child was heard crying, and on the neigh
bones going in they found the woman sitting in the
bed half-dressed, her own clothing; and belelotbes flames, and the room full of smoke. She WAB Flaked to
come out of bed, hut she was so drunk that she refused
to do gto, ami even denied that she was y fire. She
was then taken out, when it was found that she wen
bully burnt, an,' some gin remained in the bottle,
which was found by her side. It is supposed that the
child played with matches and accidentally g-et the bed.
clothes on fire. The unfortunate woman died ,gn sun.
(lay, and the jury returned a verdict of " Accidental
Death."
WHAT NEXT ?—A New York writer comments thus :—" A neat little Tinsel& leather-covered betting
book has become a nemisity to our enterprising society
girls. Three-storied bonnets covered with feather,, flowers, laces, and ribbons, are to be worn. They are
called Victonas. The rainhow-celoured stockings are
to be Keen on the symmetrical legs of every gpeFll.
aatCNin'ereltysTrieengt garments are so eitirelynclrer:d'istn-71; embroiderey an to al.most conceal the material."
A PAINFUL STORY. —A painful incident has
just occurred at 'wigs, Ilelgnun, where a number of
the children of the town attend a day school at a con-
vent. A little girl, about seven years old, proved re-
fractory at her task, and was kept back, when the
other children went home at mid-day, to learn her
lesson properly. She was shut in a Mail room, where a fire was burning in the grate, and no further noti, e was taken until her parents, eurprised at her no.
appearance, went to fetch her. 'V:* door was then
opened, when the unfortunate child was dis,xwered
burnt to a cinder. The convent authorities gave the
parents £lOO as compensation.
• ^

_
A DIPLOMATIC ILLNENs.—Dismarck wished to
avoid taking part in the discussions in the Reichstag
on the bill to punish the ecclesiastics who had made
an abuse of their preaching in the pulpit. lie desired
to leave the weight of the debate to M. de Lutz, the
author of the measure. Thence his indivposition,
which is quite diplomatic. lie is said to have icimed
to bin toftllcal man, who wished to see him,"No I
am too ill to receive you."
CARATS AND CARBON.—Among the diamonds
lately found in the South African diggings, there is
said to have been one of as many as 154 carati.
Orthography apart, this statement harmonises with
the supposition that the Diamond is of vegetable origin,
—Punch.

THE JEWS AND THE THRONE.--n TinhB of
Monday remarks
_

"it may occasion some surprise that the Jewish Synagogue
should have been allowed to anticipate the national Church
In uttering special prayers for the Prince of Wales's rkrovery.*
A correspondent points out that the circiumitance is
not without a precedent. When, towar& the cloxe of
1788, George 111. was seized with the illness which
gave rise to the famous contest between Mr. Pitt and
Mr. Fox, his restoration to health, according to a letter
quoted in the Duke of Buckingham's Court and Catduct,
was prayed for in the Dissenters' meeting houses, and
the Jews' synagogues, before the Privy Council had
decided nix,on the form of prayer that was to be offered
up for him in the churches and chapels of the establish.
ment.

----
JOLLY.—The Cape of Good Hope has had its
share of Episcopal triaLi and troubles. We hope they
are ended, and that more cheerful times are in store
for the Colony—now that " Dean Merriman has been
elected Bishop of Grahamstown." ~Peorh.
RETURNED, WITH THANKS !—The following
comes from Eastbourne :—Some months ago a second-
hand "banjo "was exposed for sale at a tradesman's
door in this town. Sundry inquiries were made as to
its price, but no purchase was effected, and suddenly
the banjo was discovered to have ab,onded. Last
week the tradesman was agreeably surprised to receive
per rail a box (not carriage paid, though) containing
the missing banjo, and the post brought the following
characteristic letter from the "borrower" :-
-- - -

New Cut London. Dear Our,—l am taking The liburty no
riting to You to tel you ml av sent you the gitar as I borrrd
from your chop in easbun wen I was done ther as i mess to
be onest for the thy corain i was ard up wen i tuk it and my
mate didiaet giv me my chare so i left em ant hop you think
am onest cos i sent It link and i ant dun mitt wi it shic
II it it is a good nun an i tots fenny as i took it and i not pit
no money to pa can-ego so I carnt and I hops as you send
the wod case bdt sail Cost me a shillin and I hops as I or bin
onest as you wud Ben me a shilling if 2 plow i am very ard
hop hand you must rids it I piked it In paper an i dont think
salt ul be broke and i knit you amid send um a shills if vein
tend plese send it to the post once in Chandy :it. new cut
London an i can cal fur it an pine send the wod case back I
ant hyrt the gitar as it as ben in porn nerly at the time and
II nevr do it agiu I menu to be °nest in the time to cum—l
remane Vowrs truly, adn. wich I hop youl col me wen you
rite."

A/POTHER CHARACTER.—Tho profession of
the Law, the public Press, the art and mystery
Stenography, must all have derived material advan-
tages from the Tichborne trial; but about the twenty-
amth of this month, it will not be surprising if another
National Institution shows itself as much or more in-
debted to this celebrated canoe. Chequered as the
scenes of his past career have been, the Claimant must
be prepared to -find himself in new ones in the Christ-
flows

NOVEL VENTILATION.—A Washington de-
spatch states that among recent improvements at the
Capitol are some changes in the ventilation of the
Senate Chamber suggested by the experiences of last
session. A year ago an entirely new system of venti-
lating this chamber was put in operation, which was
devised by Mr. H. F. liayden, the engineer of the
Senate wing. This system was entirely rnechanicaL
It was found to succeed so well that a committee of
the House, upon investigation' recommended the ado. )
tion of the same system for the Representatives' Hall,
and the machinery has been put in this mummer. But in
addition to this Mr. Hayden has invented a new form of
register to diffuse the heated air thrown into the chamber
in such &manner as to prevent currents of air. It has just
been thorougly tested with delicate anemometers, and
it is believed that the entire body of air in the hall can
be renewed every five or six minutes without percep-
tible currents. This register is also arranged for
summer use, so that by the turning of a brass cap in
each, which can be arranged by each Senator to suit
himself, a current of cool air can be directed moles
the desks and into the faces of their occupants. This
will relieve the senators in the heated season of muck
of the unpleasantness heretofore experienced. In fact,
the Senate Chamber, from being tery meanly venti-
lated, promises to become one of the most perfectly
ventilated halls in the world.

-
ONCE MoRE.—" The River Plate Pressure
Meat-preserving Company "is advertised. The Plate
is not unknown to persons who are, unhappily, of a
jesting turn, and as a source of jocular allusions, may
be thought to be exhausted; but we will venture to
defy public opinion by Raying that the more pressure
there Is of meat on the plate, the better for the " Plate
Pressure Meat-preserving Company."—Puseh.
THE WAR ON POLVOAME.—A New York eor.
respondent writes, under date Nov. 29 :
Upon the charge against Brigham Young, William Hickman,
Mr. Meacham,. Simon Dutton, D. Grant, Porter Rock-
well, and W 'anon Kiuii,aii, for the murder of Buck, at
Warm Spring in 1857, the Court Is now engaged in hearing
the motion of Mr Hempstead to mash the indictment on
the following grounds That the Grand jury im-
properly designated the offence as murder in the first degree.
Second. That there is no proper description of the de-
fendants. Third. That there in no certainty in the allows-
Mon of the date of the offence. Fourth. That the deceased
Is not alleged to have been alive at the time of the alleged
murder. Fifth. That there is no allegation that the
defendants gonspireil together, or that they were present
aiding and abetting, or were accessories before the fact of
the killing of Buck ; Sixth. The insufficient description of
the mean. by which the killing was effected. Seventh.
That the names of the witnesses are not endorsed upon the
udietment as required by statute.

- -
A Com rAmaotr.—Two of the French papers
—the Tempe and the Conslifution—call the attention
of their readers to the manner in which liberty is en.
derstood by the authorities in this country, as illus-
trated by the case of Sir Charles Dilke. "England,'
says the Tempe, "is the only country in Europe u here
the Government is so firmly established, and where the
respect of the citizens for liberty has become so
habitual, that speakers may, without disturbing any-
body and without being themselves disturbed, go from
town to town, and publicly carry on a campaign
against the Government of the country." It adds that
it at some public meeting Sir Charles Mike be pro-
claimed President of the English Republic, it will he
under the eyes and under the pmtection of the police.
The Constitution after writing in almost similar terms
respecting the liberty which public speakers enjoy in
England, complains that in Prance 'under the Re-
public in the year 1571" whoever dares to avow
Republican convictions at once becomes a suspected
person.

PUNISHING (?) • HrtiBAND. —The Jabbaflow
Chroniele relates a sad occurrence which recently took
place at a station in thxt neighbourhood. A married
man was imprudent enough a few days ago to get in-
toxicated, whereupon his wife expelled him from Iter
house, and placed a sentry on guard with instmctiong
not to allow the husband to enter the premises. After
a couple of nights of loneliness, the wife relents:d awl
desired her spouse to return ; but "our latest informa-
tion," says the Jathatpur Chrsnic/4 "ig that he de-
clined to comply with the request, aml hasimmg been
taken compawoon on by a kind she-Christian intends
to divorce himself from number one."

POSTMEN'S CHRISTMAS-BOXES. Among the
Items of " seasonable " intelligenoe is the issue, by the
l'estmaster.General, of an order on the subject of
Chnstmawboxee (remarks the &nice Onzttte).
But we consider this order to be defective. It should
either have been not issued at all or its provisions
should have been more stringent and decisive. The
postmen, it is announced, are not allowed to ask for
Chnstmas-boxes. But we are not told whether they
are permitted to receive them. There is another cons
smeration which is suggested to us by this order, and
that is the practical riao;piition of these gratuities
as a source of income to the postman. It has
been held that the " Cluistmwols " affords com-
pensation for the meagre rate of the postman's
pay; but if this source of income is to be denied
Idol we shall be curious to know whether he Li
to receive anything in the shape of an equivalent.
We do not hesitate to express our preference for a
liberal rate of remuneration over the alternative of
louse-to-house solicitation. The money comes out of
the public in either awe, and it would certainly be des
nimble to have the arrangement carried out according
to a properly-defined nil.% The postmen are notoriously
underpaid and over-worked, and no possible objection
could be raised to their having suitable remuneration
for their labours. But it is unfair to deprive them of
their Christmas privilege without giving then' legiti-
mate and equitable compensation. We cannot say,
however, that we dislike the indication which has been
given of Mr. filonsell's determination not to allow
his subordinates the privilege of equality with the
lamp-lighter, the turncock, and the dustman.. The
Postmaster-General must acknowledge their claims to
something better, and by the exercise of judicious
generosity place the postmen in their m"r r"
t.
which will attended with great public brut t.

___Ak