The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-07-18 00:00:00

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HOME FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

IN AN ICE CHEST. Of all places in the world
to select as a retreat from the scorching heat of a June
day (says the St. Louie &publican), an ice chest is
perhaps the last, and yet George Stranbel did it.
George had formerly been bar-keeuer at the Apollo
Theatre, bnt on Monday was living at No. 615, South
Fourthoitreet. He had been suffering to some slight
extent from colic, and was also perspiring profusely.
Do what he would he could not get cool. The wore he
tried to keep cool the more he perspired, and at last
the brilliant idea struck him that a brief retirement in
the ice-chest, would set him all right. It did the lager
rssl, and why shmbln't it do ixeorge Stranbel good,
too. So he got into the ice-chest, and very soon felt
cool enough, The perspiration was checked, and when
Straubel got out of the ice-chest the perspiration didn't
return. On the contrary, he couldn't get warm, and
he continued to get colder and colder, until in a very
short time George Strout's,' was not only as cold as
death, but he was dead. Ile had cooled himself with
a vengeance, poor fellow, and all fir want of knowing
that the human system is not a water melon or a keg
of lager. A coroner's inquest was held oq the body
yesterday, and a verdict rendered in accordance with
the facts above detailed, anti George Stranbel, efter
being cooled off right in an ice cotta in the coroner's
stable, was buried yesterday by the county undertaker.
GENERAL GOOD FAITH.—SO, it is the opinion
of a moralist no less pure and a statesman no less dis-
tinguished than Mr. Gladstone, that "all that should
be asked with respect to the observance tlthe Rubrics
is that a general obedience should be pakl to them. '
What does he mean by "a general obedience r An
obedience in most particulars with SOMe optional ex-
ceptions? How convenient it would be to allow a
general obedience to the laws in general to suffice—for
' every roue in England ! Let hint reflect that the
Public NN orship Bill is called for in order to enforce a
general obedience to the Rubrics, to which disobedient*
ham become general.— Punch.

EDITORS AND POETS.- -All editors know the
insinuating ways of poets. There is the pretty young
lady who encloses her photograph with her nice little
lines, fondly fancying that all that pictured grace will
speak movingly to the editorial judgment. There is the
hangikty gentleman who sends his MS. with the proud
assurance "It will make its mark " as it does lithe
waste-basket. Then there is the gushing matron who
sends a long poem, poor but pious, and with it a con-
fidential essay upon her own life and manners and
things in generaL Energetic and charming as are these
endeavours to get into print, they are surpained by the
graceful and gracious method of a Tennessee poet. She
sends her kind papa into the newspaper office with •
neat and handsome shot-gun on his arm, and when be
tenderly observes to the editor, "My darter has writ
some poetry which I want you to publish," that editor
immediately yearns for that poetry, and it is printed
promptly—Fete York Tribune.
A Yourro Ilszto.—The most interesting inci-
dent at the presentation of prizes the other day by Mr.
Ward Bunt to the naval cadets on board the Worcester
training ship off Greenhithe was the hononr done to a
Scotch lad, George Campbell Gordon. This boy not
only took the first prize for general good conduct and
honourable mention for his mastery of signals, but was
awarded the Worcester medal for saving life, and a
handsome gold watch by the masters and cadets of the
Worcester for having, on the 13th May last, most
courageously jumped overboard at Greenhithe pier and
saved the life of a schoolfellow, Frederick 'Napier,
thereby risking his own. For this act the brave lad
has had awarded to him the bronze medal of the Royal
Humane Society.
DEAF To THE LAST !—A female, who had a
large collecting-book, went into the office of Messrs.
Jones Brothers, when Jones was alone, the other day.
The lady began to my that she was collecting for the
Ladies' Emancipation and Precipitation of Female
Rights Society. Jones said, "What did you say?
we re deaf." She started again in a loud voice, and
repeated her rigmarole. When she had finished, Jones
went and got a roll of paper, made it into a speaking
trumpet, placed one end to his ear, and told her to
proceed. She nearly broke a blood vessel in her effort
to make herself heard. She commenced—" Lain alone
in the world ---" "It doesn't make the slightest differ-
ence to us. We are a husband and a father. Bigamy
is not allowed in this country. We are nit eligible to
proposals." "Oh, what a fool the loan Are said
in a lima tone. Then, at the top of her voice,
"I don't want to marry you. I want you to subscribe
to," &c. This last sentence was howled. "I don't
want a cook," Jones remarked, blandly ; "our wife
does the cooking, and she wouldn't allow 83 good-
looking a woman as you to stay in the house five
minutes." She looked at Jones in I eimair. Gathering
her robes about her, giving Jones a r inner of contempt,
she exclaimed—'' I do believe that if a great cannon
were let off alongside of that deaf fool's head, he'd
think somebody was knocking at the door." She
went out, and banged the door like that cannon.

ECONOMY AND CO-OTERATION. Brigham
Young has lately been making a tour of his Mormon
diocese, preaching the gospel of economy and co-
operation. To the saints at Kananah he thus held
forth : --We want to organise the people into co-
operations to raise grain, cotton, cattle, and every-
thing that is necesary for our sustenance. We want
to manufacture every article that is needed for our
own use. We do not want this people to import any
more goods from the States, but we widh to manufac-
ture everything at home that is needed. The day will
soon come that we will manufacture every arth le that
we need. At present we are Is hanl the world in a
knowledge of financial matters, but we must learn to
make ourselves self-sustaining. We will have the best
of schools, where all the sciences will be taught.

PROFITS OF AMERICAN AUTHoRS.---The profits
of American authors form the subject of an interest-
ing article in the Cincinnati Gazette. Washington
Irving was the best paid TraLsathuitie litNrateur, he
having realised £12,217 from England slone, while the
"Life of Columbus" brought him ilh,(100, the largest
sum paid for any one book to any American except
Mrs .Beecher Stowe, who cleared £B,ooo by "Uncle
Tom's Cabin." Indeed, Mrs. Stowe is amongst the
most successful of her compatriots, having during her
career gained £20,000 by her writings. Bayard Taylor
has made his fortune, and Mark Twain, though he has
only been at work seven years, has earned enough to
live on his income, while Josh Billings has found
literature almost as lucrative. Longfellow's success
needs no remark, but we may mention that Hawthorne,
perhaps one of the greatest of the American novelists,
was but poorly paid for his productions.—Graphic.

- - -
PRIVATE DRINKING.—The Report of the Jus-
tices of the city of Manchester at the conclusion of the
general annual licensing ineeting lact year is among
the papers recently laid before Parliament. In this
report the magistrates say : -

censequence of the great increase taking place in the
so-called grocers licenses, and which tends to the increase of
private drinking, it is impos-Ible to Judge how far the
drunken cases bl ought before the justices are the result of
public or private drinking, and as the system extends, the
difficulty will be increased_ It appears from the Chief Con-
stable's retin n that out of 7,618 persons apprehended and
taken before the magistrates and charged with drunkenness
In the ten months ended the 31st of July, 1873, no less than
1,679 were persons apprehended between twelve o'clock at
night and six o'clock in the morning and the inference is
that most of these cases were caused by private drinking, as
all houses for the sale of intoxicating iiquora to be consumed
on the premises were closed at eleven o'clock at night."

FINANCIAL FACTS.— Mr. W. H. Smith has
laid before the House of Commons a short return,
entitled " Sinking Fund, Sic," containing some figures
which it is often convenient t ) have at hand. There
is stated, Year by year, for every year since 1830, the
date of the Budget; the estimated income and ex-
penditure, and what proved to be the actual income
and expenditure ; the balance in the Exchequer at the
commencement and the close of the ear;y and the
creation of Debt or reducton of Debt in the year.
The lowest actual expenditure was in the financial
year 1833.34, when it was below 45 millions. Particulars
are given of the redemption of each description of stock
in each year, but the tota amount of the National
Debt in each year is not stated.

THE POTATO.—It is now many years.since
pamphlet was published by Mr. Smee attributing the
potato disease to the action of an aphis. This wan a
good deal laughed at at the time, but it merely shared
the obloq ly which was vented against everyone who
attributed the formidable malady to any intelligible
cause. This was especially the case in France, and
even Dr. Mentagne, who went so far in the in vestisa-
Con of the parasite, which is now admitted by all really
scientific observers to be the true cause, however it
may be favoured by peculiar couditiohs of the atmo-
sphere. quailed for a time under the prevailihg ridicule,
tho4h he returned after all to his first opinion. It is
merely necessary to east a glance at various varieties of
potato in my garden to see that, thongh Mr. Smee's
explanation was not correct, it was quite as good as
multitudes whiffi were put forth, and, indeed, was far
in advance of them, as the dead condition of the plants
was sufficient, under the existent state of the question,
in great measure to justify him in assigning the aphis
as the cause, especially as there was at the time the
greatest disinclination to admit the possibility of fungi
attacking living organisms, the prejudice running in
favour of the notion that they were the consequence
and not the causes of disease. My potatoes are at this
time in quite 101 bad a condition as those attacked later
in the year by the Peronospora, and I am afraid the
effect on the produce, as regards quantity, though pos-
sibly not on quality, may be very serious, if the ex-
penence of others is like my own.—" M. F. B ," in the
Gardeners' Chronicle.

EDITORIAL ABDICATION.—The editor pro tem.
of the Yreka Union in the last iatue resigns the tripod
in the following terms :—With this issue of the Union
we resign the positic n we have so ably filled during the
last four months—that of chief to the edit ,1 ial crrps of
the Union. We are aware that this will be deeply
regretted by the numberless readers of this paper in all
parts of the world ; but deeply as we deplore the pain
it will cause, we cannot avoid it. The ruthless hand
of time rolls on; kingdoms and empires are built np
and overthrown • monarchs are made and unmade, and
the California liegislature has been adjourned by con-
stituti inal limitation—consequently "we have got to
slide." We hare received reliable information that the
propietor (and the editor when he is at home) of this
paper, will return to Yreka by Monday's stage. In
order to avoid the demonstrations of excessive joy be
is likely to make on again meeting with no, ore have
placed a ladder at the back window of the office, by
which we will go out as he comes in the front door.
It may be insinuated that we have taken these pre-
cautions purely out of selfish catsiderations for ourself.
but such is not the case; it is entirely for the benefit of
" that other fellow." Any person who may have been
displeased or who considers himself insulted by any
article that has appeared in this paper during the past
four months, ran demand satisfaction of the editor any
time after next Monday evening. Any blends con-
templating presenting the editor with any little tokens
their appreciation need not wait till then, but can
do so immediately.

EARTHQUAKE IN UT —The Solt Like fierald
says that about midnight of tne 18th of June that city
ana vicinity reoeiveci a staking up, an earthuuake
being the cause. Dishes on the shelves were rattled,
lamps were shaken about, and chairs and bedsteads
Were made to dazes, and movable thing generally were
shoved around. People had a big scare, but no use,
so faras heard from, was injured, nor m AA any damage
done to property. There were severs' vibrations, the
sho continuing for about ten seconds. The earth-
quake VISA the moat severe known in the valley since
its settlement.
REMARKABLE SKILL.—FiII Whaley recently
died in the Fayette County (Pa) Poorhouse, and he
formerly drove a stage-coach between Uniontown and
Morgantown, in that gate. He wouldn't own a horse
that had more than enough skin to cover his bones
sknd through which the moral law could not be read.
His animals were queer geometrical puzzles—combi-
nations of angles, nght, obtuse, and acute. One day
he came driving into Uniontown at full speed. and
just as he (Irew up in front of the hotel one of his
boNes dropped dead. 'That was a very sudden
death," remarked a bystander. "Smblen,' repbed
Captain Bill, 'that horse died in Smitidand, nine
mike from here, but I never let him drop until I got
him in town."--New York. World.

SNAKES AND FROGS. —An extraordinary quan-
tity of common snakes is reported from the Ardenues
this season, their multiplicity being due to the mild-
ness of last winter. The reptiles 'make sad havoc
amongst the birds of the woods, invading their nests
and devouring the young ones. They frighten away
the strawberry gatherers. They are consumed in the
locality under the euphemionni title of "wood eels.'
From this delicacy to frogs it 0/ a Tian pas. Millions
of the batrachisns are now exported from Belgium into.
France, especially for Paris consumption, from the
producing centres Vance, Fourches, Arlon, Flouffalize,
&c. The wholesale price is 13f. (10s. 104.) per thou-
sand; the qaarteron, or quarter-hundred of " braces"
of skinned legs being sold in the markets at an average
of 60 centimes (6,1.)

WATERPROOF PAPER.—Common paper, by
very simple process, may be converted into a substance
as strong as parchment, by means of sulphuric acid.
The paper is simply dipped in the acid ; but the acid
must be of an exactly determined strength, and mixed
with half its bulk of water. A sheet of paper (lipped
in thin liquid is almost instantaneously changed in
character. It becomes tough, hard, and fibrous, but
its weight is not increased, and it is far better for
writing purposes than animal parchment. It can be
rubbed better than paper, and almost as well M sheep-
skin • and it serves for vellum in bookbinding, and
for all legal purposes, as well as animal parchment,
for strong binding, and as a substitute for 'bladders to
cover pickle an jam jars; and any paper that has
even been printed on may be converted, by means of
sulphuric acid, into vegetable parchment. Paper can
be made waterproof without giving it the character of
parchment by dissolving 24 on. of alum and 4 on. of
white soap in 2 lbs. of water ; also 2 on. of gum arabic
and 6 oz. of glue in 2 lbs. of water; the two solutions
are to be mixed, and the sheets of paper dipped into
the mixture while warm. They are then to be hung
up to dry, and pressed. This paper in very useful for
packages exposed to the damp, or for any purpose
connected with the preservation of articles from
moisture—From Cassell' a "Household Guide" for July.

DIFFUSION OF LITERARY TASTES. "how is
this, Chawles ? I gave you Eight Volumes to Change,
and you've only pronglit Fire!"—" Please, Wm, we
haven't quite Finished the First Set down-stairs !"
Punch.

AN EXECUTION IN THE HOUSE. —An execu-
tion having been issued in the case of a furniture
dealez against the District of Columbia, a bailiff pro-
eeded to the House of Delegates on June 25 and
made the levy, taking posesaion of the furniture and
effects of the House, which waro appraised at over
1,000 dole.

--
A SNAKE STORY.—The following description
of a strange and deadly reptile found in Sussex County,
Del., is given by the Seaford Citizen: --
A curious and dangerous snake, the only one of the kind
that has ever been found In this part of the country, was
killed by some worlmien On the ferns of Francis Insley, near
Wetipouin, Sussex County. ft measured twenty-eight inches
in length and two inches in circumference Its colour is
black, striped with white, which, when exposed to the rays
of the sun, shine with the brilliancy of polished silver. It
was provident with two rows of teeth, twenty-six on each side,
very sharp, yet are different from those of the snake common
to lids country. About live inches from its tail are two
thick, grisly protuberances, about one inch in length, one on
each side of the body Each protuberance contains eighteen
horns, about one-eighth of an inch in length. They are
hollow, and the poison Is luppliod to them by small ducts
connecting wAlt a thin, trandparent bag stout one inch below
the protuberances. We are toll that soma years ago • snake,
supposed to be a horned snake, attacked anion in this same
vicinity, Mid its order to escape he jumped behind a large
tee, and the snake striking with such force buried its born
into the trunk about one-eighth of an inch. In thirty
minutes thereafter a dullness in the leaves w:18 perceptible,
and strange to say in another hour *bey comment,' falling
off, and to-day it is nothing but a withered, naked trunk."

NEW PARLIAMENTARY VOTERS—An Act of
Parliament has just been passed (37 and 38 Vic.,
cap. 22) by which a number of Government officers
will be enabled to appear on the forthcoming Register
of Voters. The statute is to relieve Rerenue officers
from all remaining electoral disabilities, and repeals
the enactments in 12 and 13 Vic., 9 Anne, 10 Anne,
and 2 and 3 Vic., cap. 71, as also in the 2nd or the
Queen, cap. 73.
A REMARKABLE SUICIDE !—An individual
lately committed suicide in a Parisian hotel. His
headless body was found in his room, together with
a letter which ran :—'' I was bored and I hire killed
myself. Let no one be accused of my death. Do
not look for my head; I have hidden it myself, in
order not to lie recognised."

Goon NEws FOR TOCRISTS.—Captain Saxby
the well-known weather prophet, writen

°The full holiday season is commenced ; half thepopulation
will soon be rusticating. A great aun mut of the pleasure con-
sists of antieipationi ; may I give mime value aud consistency
to 111C111 by stating my humble convictions that, with the ex-
ception of pc, lisps a day or two about the 31st ugust, I
know of 114 probable serious atmospheric disturbances(beyond
those arising from merely local causes) as about to oceur
until what may happen on 261 h September next. So far as
human foresight can go we are likely to have a pleatant
autumn ; may we all enjoy it."

THE "CODE OF HONOUR IN PitusslA.—lt is
stated that regulations have just been issued for the
formation of councils of honour among Prussian
officers. No duel can come off without its approval,
and the president is to be present to see it is properly
conducted. The Emperor is reported to have said, " I
will no more tolerate in the army an officer who
wantonly attacks the honour of a comrade than an
officer who does not know how to guard his own."

HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF. What Old
struggle is now renewed in Paris between MacMahon
and the Assembly ? --The Seven Years War.—Punch.
ATTEMPTED MURDER OF A LAWYER IN COURT.
—A most extraordinary scene took place at the
Manor Hall, a Court of Justice, at Yonkers, West-
chester County, U.S., on the 30th ult. The court had
been occupied with the trial of an action brought by
Pierre Milliot, a Frenchman, against his father-in-law,
August Lachaume, for the purpose of setting aside a
conveyance of property, and the case had been ad-
journed for a fortiaight. Just as the Court was about
to rise Lachaume (the defendant), suddenly sprang
behind Mr. James P. Saunders, the counsel for
and with a six-barrelled revolver shot him in the back
of the neck. Mr. Saunders, on receiving the shot,
leaped upon the bench and took shelter behind the
judge's desk, but Lachaume followed him and shot
him again in the left side. Lachaurnne made no
attempt to escape, but gave up the revolver and sur-
rendered himself to the police, remarking that Saunders
had been trying to ruin him for the last fifteen years.
The wounded man was severely injured, but his
medical attendants entertained some hims that he
hatl nnt haan atrnnle in a vital part

POLITICAL ASTROLOGY. —The Comet appears
to have betokened Mr. Gladstone's reappearance in
the House of Commons, and to forebode hot debates
on the Public Worship BilL —Punch.
_

A FRENCH " FACT " ABOUT HYDE PARK.—
The Vie Parisienne says :

" On Hyde l'ark-terrsee is to be seen a house surmounted
by a large glen ease. The history of that case Is curious
enough, and shows how the English strictly observe the law.
An Englishman having married a widow with several chil-
dren, declared that the latter C ouhl have a right to remain
there so long as he himself was on the spot. The English-
man died. and the children forthwith bad him embalined
and placed in the glass case in question. The family lif the
deceased hinnttght al action for ejectment against the children
of the widow he married, but fulled, owing to the fact that
the Englishman had nt stipulated anything about his liody
being dead or alive, and as it still remains on the spot the
children are the rightful possessors of the house.-

NEw COIN—In the year 1873 there were
coined at the Mint 2,382,832 sovereigns and 2,003,464
half-sovereigns, 5,965,740 florins, 6,496,480 shillings,
4,395,600 sixpences, 4,158 fourpences, 4,059,528 three-
pences, 4,752 twopences, 7,920 silver pence; and of
brouze, 8,494,090 pence, 3,584,000 halfpence, and
3,225,600 farthings. The pieces of money opined,
therefore, exceeded 40,000,000 in number, and would
pass for RUMS ninOnntinn to £4,500,000 sterling. The
demand upon the Mint for gold coin, which had been
excessive in the two previous Fears, WU SUlii(dently
supplied and ceased in 1873. Ihe demand for silver
continued unabated, and the demand for bronze coin
continued to he excesAve. In the course of the 3,ear
the Mint received from the Bank of England light
gold amounting to 2950,075 for re coinage, and a large
amount of worn silver coin was withdrawn from circu-
lation. The Sydney branch of the mint coined and
issued 1,478,000 sovereigns in 1873, and the Melbourne
branch 752,000 sovereigns and 165,000 half-sovereigns.
AN EVIDENCE OF GOOD-WILL !—An old
character among the Scotch country parishioners at
Arbirlot died as he had lived, a curious mixture of
benevolen,e and folly. The lawyer who drew his will,
after writing down several legacies of five hundred
pounds to one person, a thousand to another, and 60
on, at last said, "But, Mr. T don't believe you
have all that money to leave." "Oh," was the ref As',
"I ken that as well as you, but I just want to slio-sv
he m my good will.
SAD DEATH OF A MILITARY .OFFICER.—In
London, on Monday, Dr. Lsnkester held an inquest
At the Hall, Marylehone, on the body of Major Villere
Le Merchant Butler, of the filth Regiment, aged 36
years, who was found dead in his bedroom, No. 56,
Beaumont-street, Regent's Park, on Saturday morn-
ing. The deceased, while engaged in the war in New
Zealand, received a bullet-wound in theabdomen. On
Tuesday in last week he arrived in London from Jersey,
and took up his quarters at the above address, where
he had resided On and off for twelve mm ths. On
Friday evening he arrived home at half-past nine, and
retired to rest about eleven. The following morning
his landlady knocked twice at his bedroom door, but
receiving no answer went in and was shocked to fiud
him lying in his nightdress on the floor in a pool of
blood. Dr. Stewart, of Weymouth-street, was called
in, and by the coroner's order opened the body, and
found that the cause of death was a rupture of one of
the blood vessels of the heart. Several of the brother
officers of the deceased were present at the inquiry,
and stated that he +mold be buried with every tnark of
respect that his brilliant services and kindly bearing to
all with whom he came in contact deserved. A ver-
dict of "Death from Natural Clauses" was retunied,
and an expression of sympathy with the friends at the
irreparable loss they and the country had sustained,
terminated the proceedings.