The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-08-28 00:00:00

The shooting season this year was rather later
than the almanac put it, which was fortunate for
those whose political and official engagements
kept them in town after the usual time for the
exodus to Scotland. Few, however, now remain.
The Prince of Wales, with the Princess and their
daughters, is on the Continent. His Royal
Highness will probably return to Marlborough
House for a few days at the outside in the first
week of September, and will then proceed to his
shooting-box at Abergeldie. The Prince and
Princess generally entertain a small party there,
but the style of living is of the simplest, and the
entertainments are devoid of all ceremonial.

Every few months somebody raises a protest
against the syster. of blackmail known as "tips"
which is levied right and left in London; but com-
bined movement in such a matter is impossible,
and without it the complaint has no effect. Pro-
bably the knowledge that waiters and many
other people of that class have to depend upon
these gratuities makes the Londoner tolerate a
custom which has become an abuse. But there
is no doubt that in some instances the aggregate
receipts from this source are out of all
proportion to the service rendered. A
case of this kind has just come to
light at a suburban station, where a
porter has died and left several thousands of
pounds. He could not have saved that amount
out of his wages, so that the sum represents the
careful accumulation of the presents he received.
It shoulA be explained that he was fortunate in
being placed at a station used by Royal and
distinguished personages, and more especially by
affluent City men. _ _

Competition leads to many curious develop-
ments, but of all the strange ways of getting a
living in London perhaps none is more remark-
able than that of the "Penny Poet." Most
people are acquainted with the artist of the
pavement who chalks vermilion ships on a deep
blue sea,but a peripatetic poet is a new departure.
This gentleman devotes his muse to the cricket
ground; in fact he might be described as the
Laureate of Lord's. He writes a poem on the
day's play at night, has it printed in the morn-
ing, and sells it himself in the afternoon. He
is a most accommodating author, for he has
verses on hand applicable to all manner of cricket-
ing incidents. If the renowned W. G. Grace makes
a phenomenal score, forthwith appear some
verses celebrating his greatest feats: Tylecote's
wicket-keeping, Shrewsbury's batting,Lohmann's
bowling all find in him an apnreciative bard. That
the public appreciate him, too. is shown by
the fact that whereas he used to sell three
copies of different verses for a penny, the
other day I found that he had reduced the
number to two. As a matter of fact by being
his own publisher he clears three or four pounds,
and sometimes considerably more in a single
day. At present he has the field to himseif, but
there is little doubt that when his profits become
known unappreciated poets will rush to seek
fame and fortune in a similar way. What he
does in the winter is unknown. As yet he has
not sung the praises of football; perhaps the
game does not lend itself readily to rhyme, and
he fears the British sporting public will not
take kindly to blank verse. A. F. R.