The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-07-11 00:00:00

THE LOCK-OUT OF FARM LABOURERS.

HOW TO SEE THE COMET.

Mu 11. T. Gale writes to us (The Tintee), 'utter date.
Monday, July 6 :
" At eleven o'clock Sunday night I had the pleasure
of seeing the comet for the first time. I WAS in the
Regent's-park-road, and WAS looking at the northern
skv, when I perceived an elongated luminous form.
Tlinaking, perhaps it was only a distortion of a star,
caused by a smear on my spectacle glasses, I
rubbed them, but still the elontatim remained.
On reaching home I directed a telescope to it, and
course SAW at once it WAS a comet with a well-
defined nucleus and a moderate amount of taiL The
telescope was not an astronmnical one, just powerful
enough to show Jupiter's moans. The following
appeared to be the position of the comet : -A line
drawn through the highest two of the four large stars
in the body of the Great Rear if produced in an :
easterly direction would pass through the comet near
the nucleus, or taking the Pole Star AS the apex of an
isosceles triangle, and the highest of the " winters "
as one end of the base, the comet would be nearly the
other end of the base. A perpendicular from the Pole '
Star to the horizon would fall to the east of the comet.
The apparent length of the tail was about equal to the
distance between the two" pointers," its direction was
nearly perpendicular to the horizon. I noticed that a .
small fixed star could be distinctly seen shining through
the tail."

MR CLUFF'S BEQUEST OF £3,500 TO
THE MASONIC SCHOOLS.
The following are the terms of this bequest, which I
the Masonic Schools have not yet determined on
accepting, as it may bring them within the control of
the Charity Conimimioners. The testator, n hose will
was proved on t le 18th of June, was a silk manufae-
turnr, of 24, Spital-square, Shoreditch and Waltham-
stow. "I bequeath to the trustees of the Freemason's
Charity Boys' School the sum of 4:3,500 Metropolitan I
Board of Works Three and a Half per Cent. Consoli-
dated Stock, and I desire that every year out of !
the dividends and income thereof the sum of
£lOO may be awarded, subject to the conditions
hereinafter mentioned, to the boy who shall be
adjudged the most deserving boy in the schools, as
a reward for good conduct and proficiency in his
studies, but to be payable only if and when such boy I
shall attain the age of 25 years. I desire that such
gift shall be called 'William ('luff's Gift,' and that I
every boy gaining it may have a certificate on parch-
ment given to him stating the fact. From and after
the award being made in favt ur of any boy 1 request
and empower the last-mentioned trustees from time to
time to retain the £lOO so awarded and invest the same,
, and pay the dividends from time to time to arise from
such investment to or for the benefit of such boy until
he shall attain the age of 25 years or die under that
age, and upon his attaining the age of 25 years to pay
the sail sum of kW() to him, together with all accu-
mulations (if any) of interest thereon ; but if he shall
die under that age then to al ply the said sum of ElOO and
all accumulations of interest if any) for the general
purposesand benefit of the said schools in such manneras
the trustees shall think tit. I desire that the balance
of the dvidends and income of the said sum of £3,500
Metropolitan Board of Works Three and-a-Half per
Cent. Consolidated Stock, after deducting the said
yearly sum of £lOO, he applied to the benefit of p sir
Freemasons, at the discretion of the said last-men-
tioned trustees. No boy shall be entitled to have the
said gift awarded to him more than once." The be-
quest to the girls' school is, mutatis noulandis, the
same, except that that the gift is to be made payable
to the girls at 21 years of age, to be for their sole and
separate use, and free from the control and engage-
ments of their husbands. Both bequests are duty free.