The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-04-12 00:00:00

ASIZEICAN MURDER Jolll.—Terrible jokes
have been made about mothers-in-law, but who
heard anything worse than the project of the veterinary
eurgeon to founder hie by dancing with her until she
WAB thoroughly heated., and then giving her all the Iced
lemonade she could dnrik

THZ Tex ON MAII SERVANTS.—A Corre-
spondence bay been published between Mr. Hall and
the Inland Revenue Office in Birmingham relating to
the tax on male servants. Mr. Hall claimed to be
exempt from the 'Payment of a license for male ser-
vants, excepting for cooks and head waiters. The
Chancellor of the Exchequer, at an interview on the
28th January last, said that the tax was only applic-
able to cooks and head waiters. Nevertheless the
Commisidoriers of Inland Revenue required Mr. Hall
to pay license-duty for all those servanta kept by him
who stiictly correspond to the designations of charge-
able servants, as set forth in &üb-head No. 3 of the
19th section of the Act 32 and 33 Viet., cap. 14,
whether the men be cooks, head waiters, or any other
servants comprised within thee deAgiaations. Mr.
Hall replies that he had paid the license for a cook
and head waiter.

AN IMPUESSIVE TEMPERANCE LICCTUIti.—
George Driver, who was executed on the 14th March
forth., murder of his wife, at Chicago, just before he
was turned off made a remarkab'e speech. He seized
the noose dramirically and, shaking it before the
crowd said: "Just remember that rooe if you go into
a saloon and get tight. See what that liquor will bring
you to as well as it has brought me to. Remember
that now, and look out for yourselves." New York
Tribune.

Lit•P-YE•it WOOING.—The Registrar-General
of Scotland reports that the birth-rate in Scotland in
1872 was 3 49 per cent, on the estimated population
in the middle of the year, and the death-rate 2 22 per
cent, both ratios being subd,antially the same as the
average of the preceding ten years. But the rate
of the marriages in 1872 was 075 per cent., the
average being not quite 070 per cent. The registrars
of Boner, Sutherland, and of Lanrencekirk, Kincar-
dine, suggest leap-year wooing as a cause of this cc-
suit; but the Kincardine registrar couples with it "the
high rate of wages," without which leap-year might
have lost its luck.
A New VOLCANO.—The San Diego (Cali-
fornia) Union says :—" We have received the folio.--
ing information from Moleje, a town in Lower Cali-
fornia, situated on a bay of the same name openioq
into the Gulf of California, about midway betwei I
the mouth of the Colorado River and Cape San Luca ;
the distance to Moleje from this city by the I
Spanish Mission road leading to Cape San Lucas is
at 670 miles. It appears that recently a volcano
was discovered within a distance of about 25 leagues
from the town, and between two and three leagues
from the gulf coast, and about the same distance from
the olii Spanish Mission road. On the mountain side,
within an area of about 200 yards, there are over 20
vent boles, from which smoke is emitted in jets
yard or more above the surface. Lower down the Rijn
of the mountain than these vent holes streams of
water issue forth. Tbe discovery was made by a
ample of natives while out on a prospe ting tour for
mines. The surrounding country ia ragged and barren.
Although the land is claimed and has been occupied
for years, it is utterly worthless, not even affording
pasturage for cattle. Earthquakes have been of
rather common occurrence in Idoleje for several years.
It is now believed that these earthquakes have had
their sources in the newly-discovered volcano, the
eruption of which has apparently taken place at •
comparatively recent date, for although the district
has been inhabited at least two centuries, earthquakes
have never been known to occur until the last few
years, not even by the Indians."
OVeliDoll.lo iT.—At a dinner recently given
at Delmonico'e, New York, cover, were laid for 70
guests. The dining-room was filled on each side
with banks of moss brought on purpose from the
south, in which masses of flowers of the choicest
kinds were placed, including several hundred yellow
roses which cost one dollar each. The table was
wonderfully decorated; down the centre was a tank
full of water, over which was an aviary of song-Mrda,
and in the midst two swans—real ones—swam about,
the whole hung with superb flowers, water lilies, and
ferns. The effect was magnificent. Daring the
evening four ladies fainted from the overpowering
effects of the flowers.

RIVIVAL OF ANCIENT PZEB.IOEB.—A petition
of the Countess of Loudoun was on Monday last de-
posited with the Home Secretary for presentation to
the Queen, praying that the abeyance in the baronies
of Montacute (of 1299), Monthermer Montacute (of
1357), and Montagu may be terminated in her favour.
The counteiis claims therein to be the senior co.heireas
of the families through Richard Neville, Earl of War.
wick, the famous Kingmaker, and his gnindilaughter
Margaret, Countess of Salisbury, beheaded in Henry
VIIL 's reign. The barony of Montag-a was created by
the summoning to Parliament, in her lifetime, of Henry
Pole, the eldest son of the Countess of Salisbury, the
wife of Sir Itchard Pole, K.G., her fourth and yonngeet (
eon being the celebrated Cardinal Pole. Henry Lord •
Montagu died without leaving any son. and from
Katherine, his eldest daughter, married to Francis, the
second Earl of Huntingdon, the Countess of Loudon'
claims in direct descent,

AMERICAN "SOCIETY."—When a girl "come.
out" with us, or a man begins to go out, the amine-
merit to which they are chiefly confined is dancing, and
it is the dancing together of girls and boys between the
ages of eighteen and twenty-two which really coned- ,
tars what foreigners hear of when they get their
information about "American Society" (remarks the
Galaxy.) After that they almost in all cases marry
and settle down to work; in the case of the girls who
remain unmarried retire front the field, reconcile them- •
selves to a single life, or take, in the case of a few of
the bolder ones, to some occupation. But meantime a
new generation has entered the held. New freshmen
and freshmen's sisters are waltzing together; the older
set has disappeared. There are few, a very few, of
both sexes who wearily keep it up for a few yews
longer with much tribulation and difficulty. Butthey
are few, and are beginning to have gloomy thoughts
about the vanity of earthly affairs. They, too, will
soon marry or retire. With this kaleidoscopic move-
ment going on, social existence cannot produce •
" Society."

A SPORTING ADVENTURIL—An independent
company of rangers were encamped on the Aguna
Dulve, in 1817, and were dependent upon their rifles
for subsistence, every man taking his turn at hunting.
Ths.re was one man in this company who invariably
returned empty.lianded ; and he became so notorious
for not furnishing his quota of meat, that his coin-
potions made it a standing rule to jest and jeer. After
meeting with such ill success for a long time, he wag
persuaded to adopt the Comanche deer-dress, and make
one effort more. Accordingly he donned the undressed
deerskin, the bead, horns, and skin of the legs remains
ing attached; and when he got .down on all-foure he
resembled, at a distance, • real buck. Off he storied, -
omit the shouts of his companions, for the range'
which, as noon as it was reached, afforded a thousand
opportunities to try his experiment. Selecting what
he thought the best path through the chaparral, he
was proceeding along it slowly to reach the prairie, un-
mindful of anything but the deer, when a panther,
peter ed upon a branch, and thinking it was sure
enough a buck, sprang upon him, and stuck his claws
deep into the dry ikin. The bunter rose up with a
yell; the panther bounded off with equal alarm and
surprise; and although nothing was spoken, the
apology seemed mutual.

A MINNESOTA STORM.—The Governor of
Minnesota states, in a Message to the Legislature, it
has been ascertained that 70 persons lost their lives in
the severe snowstorm on the 7th, 8 ih, and th of
January, mud that 31 other persons lost, wholly or ,
partly, their hands or feet. The casualties occurred
chiefly in newly-settled districts, without well-defined
roads, and without fences or land-marks to enable a
person lost in a snowstorm to fiud his way to shelter.
The striae- of cold was not intense, but its effect as,
aggravated by the long duration of the storm, by
hunger, stud by the great force of the wind.
CORA PEARL" AND DER TRADESMEN.
Mdlle. Cora Pearl was defendant at the Civil Court of
Paris on Friday, in a suit brought by MM. Omni sod f
Cu, manufaiitures of marble ornaments, to rec lVtlr the
amount of certain articles executed to her order.
Among the items in the account were the modelliug of
a hand in terracotta, 15f. ; execution of the same, in
white marble, 5001. ; and next, a curious ornament de-
scribed as a cup, and of which the form, of the chief
part were supplied from a model taken of the defend-
ant's bosom ; it consisted also of a hand supporting
two hemispheres in polished rose onyx, separated by a
necklace of pearls in gilt bronze, and lined with silver
gilt cups. The hand was also in bronze decorated with
• gilt bracelet and cuffs of silver Jac... The price of
this toy, with it. mounting. was 1,775 f. The court
gave judgment fur the full amount of the bill, 3,3301.,
with costs.
BRASS BANDS.- --The Saturday Review is of
opinion that," it Is becoming very difficult not to know
what course elderly gentlemen who are anxious to
have their wills disputed had better follow with regard
to organ-grinders and brass bands. A few weeks ago
half a dozen mad doctors went int 4 the witness-hoe
the Probate Court to declare that an old gentleman
who was in the habit of swearing at itinerant musicians
when they played under his window at Ramegate must
necessarily have been mad and quite incapable of
making a will. But happily the Judge did not agret
with them, and the will was upheld. This week we
have had another case in the name Court, in which a
teetator's partiality for German bands was adduced as
conclusive proof of his insanity—an argument in which
the jury appears to have fully concurred, aud to which
we may ourselves venture to add our cordial and em-
phatic assent. It is no doubt satisfactory to find that
these decisions are in accordance with the common sense
of mankind, but it is not the lees startling and un-
comfortable to observe that, whether a man curies or
encourages brass bands, professional evidence is equally
forthcoming to show that it is an infalliAe indication
of insanity., '

PARISH CORSTABLIS.—On the 25th ult. an
Act of Parlisment, passed on the 10th of August last
(35 and 36 Vick, cap. 22), came Into force, to render
uunecessary the general appointment of parish con.
stable, in consequence of the establishment of an
efficient police in the counties of England and Wales.
It provides that after the 241 h of March last no parish
constables are to be appointed unlees it is considered
necessary by the Quarter Sessions. A paid constable
may be appointed for A parish on the application of the
Vestry, and two or Inure parishes may be united for
such purpose. Any paid constable appointed for any
parish previous to the passing of the Act may continue
to hold his office. There are provisions as to fees and
allowances ti constables. General enactments in
former statutes are repealed, and we mu.ilt of the
statute of 2 William and Mary as regard. any sheriff
or constable to be aiding and assisting in any distress
for rent, or to swear any appraiser thereon, ehall be
repealed, "and no oath shall after the day aforesaid
(24 .h of March) be required from such appraiser." A
question may arise whether appraisers on condemn,
tloll of goods under distress for rent are still to be
sworn before a police-constable. The term " c Instable
is to inclule evely petty constable, headborough, bores
bolder, tithing man, or other peace officer of the like
description authorized or required to be appointed for
, any pariah at the date of the Art.