The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-11-13 00:00:00

niisallancous 4/ntelligente.

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

DURING A PAUSE.—Nice Little Girl: "Mamma,
dear, can anybody be asked in church ? " Mamma:
"Almost anybody; if they want to be, thtt is."
Nice Little Girl: "Don't you think Miss Elder-
berry would like to? Is it expensive ? " Mamma:
"Hush ! "—Judy.

COMBAT BETWEEN A TOURIST AND GOAT. —A
rather unusual combat between a tourist and an
enormous wild goat, which has resulted in the former
being somewhat severely injured, took place a few
days ago in the Alps, near the canton of Grisons. M.
Krebs, with his wife and daughter, were returning
from Davos, and halted at the Chalet of Schatzalp to
drink some milk. They had only quitted the chillet
a few minutes when they saw coming towards them a
goat whose enormous horns rendered it a by no means
despicable adversary. The animal at once savagely
attached M. Krebs, tossing him and throwing him
down without giving him a chance of defence. His
wife ran in search of assistance, and in due time a
shepherd arrived and drove the animal off. M. Krebs
was conveyed to the chalet and had his injuries
attended to, and a party of herdtmen set out in chase
of the goat. On seeing his pursuers approach, he
cleared at one bound a precipice, and perched himself
on an inaccessible rock and watched the proceedings
with some interest

CO-OPERATION AND THRIFT.—Mr. Hugh Mason,
M.P.' in delivering a speech on co-operation and
thrift at a soiree in connection with the Tottington
Co•operative Society stated that he looked upon the
co-operative movement as an important factor in the
solution of the great problems affecting capital and
labour. As a capitalist, he was not afraid of the
working classes updertaking the conduct and manage-
men of any kind of business, nor was he afraid of any
amount of competition whin the working classes in
their united capacity might bring to bear. He believed
that the political and moral destinies of the counti-y
were in the hands of the working classes of the future,
and that being the case it was important that they
should send men to make the laws who were men of
intelligence, probity, and honesty—men imbued with
the great principles of peace.

SOMETHING IN THAT—Smith: "Harder up than
ever, old man? So am I." Jones: "Seen Spifkins
lately?" Smith: "No ; that small sum I borrowed
of him has estranged us." Jones : " Ah, there's one
comfort, dear boy: I and U will never be separated by
an o."—Fun.
STRICTLY OBEYING ORDERS.—We have a somewhat
comical illustration of the rigid fidelity with which
the Prussian soldier is wont to carry out instructions
imparted by those in authority oyer him in an inci-
cident that took place the other evening, during a
performance of " Fidelio " at the Town Theatre of
Ma,yence (says the Daily Telegraph). Herr Mann, the
leading baritone of the company, was about, in the
character of the wibked Don Pizarro, to undergo the
penalty of his evil deeds, the stage "business " re-
quiring that he should .be led away to confinement by
two guards at a sign from the Minister of State.
The brace of "supers" told off for this duty were pri-
vate soldiers, belonging to an artillery regiment in
garrison at Mayence—two sturdy Brandenburgers,
drilled and disciplined to a nicety. As they took up the
position assigned to them on either side of the Pizarro,
previous to ma,rehing him off the stage, the chorist en-
trusted with the part of "officer commanding escort"
whispered to • them, "Remember, the man is a
State prisoner; guard him carefully." Obedient to
orders, they led Pizarro away to his dressing room,
where he rapidly exchanged his theatrical costume for
private clothes, and, opening his door, was about to go
home to supper as usual; when, to his amazement, he
found his passage barred by. a couple of crossed
halberds. Indignantly inquiring of the inflexible
supers facing Him with outstretched weapons "what
they imeant by interfering with his movements," he
recei*ed the stolid reply that " they had strict orders
to guard him closely as a State prisoner, and that he
must not attempt to leave his room." Some time
elapsed before the accidental arrival on the spot of the
stage, manager, whose authority they were induced
with difficulty to recognise, resulted in these worthy
fellows "recovering arms," and in Mr. Mann's emanci-
pation from restraint.
ONE FOR Missus.-Young Mistress. "Mary, what
do you mean by chalking the soles of my boots ?
Mary. " Well, ma'am, the fact is I have a pair of
boots exactly the same as yours, and I like mine best,
and I chalked yours so that I know the difference be-
tween yours and mine."—Judy.
CIRCUMSTANCES ALTER CASES.—"I Must tell you,"
said the skipper, as he took a fresh cigar,- " about
Stiles, a shipmate of mine on one of my early voyages.
Stiles was a simple-hearted, transparent young fellow,
and when we sailed had been payin' attention to a
young lady, whom he had reason to think did not
fully reciprocate his ardent feelings. At all events,
the parting on her side was not so affectionate aS he
could wish, and he was impressed with the belief that
she only kept him as a standby, in default of a better
offer. I don't believe,' Stiles would say, with a de-
spondent shake of his head, don't believe Ann
Jones 'll have me anyhow.' When we had been out
a few months, and had met with fair success, Stiles's
tone was modified. The burden of his monologue
changed to—' Well, I don'no but what Ann Jones 'll
have me, after all.' With a thousand barrels under
hatches, he became still more hopeful. Chance is
pretty good for Ann Jones,' he would say. Pretty I
good now.' At fifteen hundred barrels, he had as-
sumed a self-satisfied manner, and thus he solilo-
quized—' I guess there's no danger but what Ann Jones
'll have me now.' At two thousand barrels—' Ann
Jones 'll be glad enough to get me now, I know."
When we cut the last whale that was to fill the Rose,
and squared away for home, Stiles threw his hat in
the air with a yell of triumph,—' I'll be blowed if I'll
have Ann Jones, anyhow ! ' And he didn't."

THE HOBBY HORSE DACE.—The Rev. E. Walford
writes: as follows to Notes and Queries :—I read the
other day in Dugdale's "England and Wales"
vol. i. p. 7, that "the hobby-horse dance, an ancient
custom, was liept up at Abbot's Bromley, in Stafford-
shire, till the Civil War." "The horns," adds the
writer, ",still hang up in the church, but the custom
is now discontinued.' The book unfortunately has no
date, though apparently published about 1836. Dug-
dale's description of the dance is brief enough :
"Ten or twelve of the dancers carried on their
shoulders deer's heads, on which were painted the arms
of Paget, Bagot, and Welles, tp whom the chief pro-
perty of the town belonged.
AMERHUN AND CANADIAN FOOD.—The supply of
live stock and fresh meat from the United States and
Gonad& landed at Liverpool last week was considerably
above the preceding week, as was expected. The
totals were as follows: 967 cattle, 886 sheep, 5,202
quarters of beef, 675 carcases of mutton, and 130
Pigs.
THE WORSHIP OF THE DRI74.—Mr. J. F. Row-
botham, in the Contemporary _Reticle 'speaks of the
extensive prevalence at OA time of the worship of
the drum or rattle. Savage peoples have a singular
tendency to venerate whatever makes a noise. The
great seat of drum-worship was South America.
Even at the present day it to be found in full
vitality in the interior ot Brazil, but a hundied years
ago it could be said that "the drum was. the only
object of worship from the Orinoco to the La Plata."
In former times drum-worship also prevailed in Lap-
land.

THE DISPOSAL OF DECEASED PAUPERS.—Applica-
tions made by the authorities of the London Schools
of Dissection connected with the hospitals to several
of the East-end Board of Guardians for the bodies of
deceased paupers for dissecting purposes have given
rise to some animated discussion. The Shoreditch
Workhouse Visiting Committee recommended non-
compliance with the application, and Mr. Critchfield
stated the t, while the committee thoroughly recognized
the desirability.of medical students having bodies for
dissection, it was felt that numbers of aged paupers
would die very unhappy if they knew their bodies
would be cut up. Mr. Sarson argued in favour of an
arrangement by which the bodies of suicides only
might be handed to the doctors, alleging that the
medical schools must be supplied in some way ot
other, and that if some honourable arrangement were
come to it would obviate the practice that had been in
vogue of robbing the graveyards. It was then decided
to reply that the guardians were not prepared to
accede to the application, except in the case of the
bodies of unclaimed suicides. The Bethnal-green
Guardians have decided to grant the request in the
case of unclaimed pauper bodies.

BADGES OF RANK FOR THE ARMY.—The re-cent
general orders on the subject of badges of rank to be
worn by officers in the army make several important
alterations in,the badges as now worn. The general
officer's sash, instead of being worn across the breast
will be worn round the waist. The new distinguishing
badges of rank, instead of being on the collar, will be
transferred to the new shoulder-straps, which it is
ordered shall in future be worn on tunics, patrol
jackets, and great coats. The following will be the
new distinctive badges for the several ranks :—Field
marshal, cross batons; general, baton and sword, sur-
mounted by a crown and star; lieutenant-general,
baton and sword surmounted by a crown; major-
general, baton and sword with star over; colonel,
crown and two stare; lieutenant-colonel, crown and
one star; major, crown only; captain, two stars;
lieutenant, one star; second lieutenant, plain shoulder.
strap. _ _ _

CHANGES IN PRONIINCIATION.—RemarIdng upon
changes in pronunciation, a correspondent of Notes
and Queries says the English clergy are to be
acknowledged as authorities on modern pronunciation,
I should say that the word sojourner is still, as in
Milton's works, accented on the first syllable.
"Strangers and so-journ-ers " would sound strange to
English ears, although it may be the common usage
in Philadelphia. There are, I think, instances in
our poetical writers in which sojourn is accented out
the second syllable.
A REAL CASE OF CENTENARIANISM.—ConsoIs, 100.
Very Consol-ing.—Punch.
"SOME WORDS OF FAREWELL."—Mr. S. C. Hall,
so long and honourably known in connexion with
literature and journalism, has written in the Art
Journal "some words of farewell" on his retirement
from the editorship Of that paper, which he commenced
42 years ago. After giving an account of the state of
art when he began his work, of the histoz7 of the journal,
and of the success which it attained, Mr. Hall says :
" I do not think the history of literature supplies a
parallel case—that of an editor commencing a publica-
tion, continuing to edit during 42 years, and retiring
from it when it had attained vigorous age—its value
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augmented, and not deteriorated by tune.• Mr. Hall
concludes his interesting address thus I humbly,
earnestly, and gratefully thank the public by whom I
have been so long supported; the artists by so manj
of whom I have been so generously and zealously
aided; the art patrons whose collections have so con-
tinually ministered to my needs; the manufacturers
who so frequently acknowledged a debt for assistance
rendered. To all my fellow-workers for art of the
contemporary Press; to the numerous friends who
have been my constant and unfailing encouragers and
helpers; to the proprietors of the Art Journal, who
for more than thirty years have reposed in me the
confidence that has continued to the end—to each and
all I bid a respectful, an earnest, a grateful, and an
affectionate farewell."

A QUESTION OF PRECEDENCE.—When Mr. Justice
Hawkins took his seat on the bench at Cambridge
assizes on Tuesday morning the Vice-Chancellor of
the University, attended by the Esquire Bedells,
entered the court and claimed the right by ancient
custom t 9 take precedence of the high sheriff of the
county and to sit on the right of the judge. This the
High Sheriff, Captain Catling, declined, and on an
appeal to the judge, after a long and earnest consulta-
tion, Mr. Justice Hawkins informed the Vice.
Chancellor that nD such right existed. The Vice.
Chancellor then left the court.
A MUNIFICENT DONATION.—At the last meeting of
the central committee of the Royal Albert Asylum for
Idiots and Imbeciles of the Northern Counties, Lord
Winmarleigh presiding, it was announced that, feeling
the urgent necessity for a detached infirmary in con-
nection with the institution, Mr. Edward Rodgett, of
Darwen Bank, Preston, had offered to contribute the
sum of £4,000 for the erection of such a building. The
offer was accepted, and, in recognition of the con-
tribution, it was resolved to call the building "The
Rodgett Infirmary."

DEATH OF A VETERAN.—George Taylor, a Penin-
sula and Waterloo veteran, died at Birmingham on
Saturday aged 98. He belonged to the 71st High-
landers, was present at the taking of the Cape of
Good Hope in 1805, and at the capture of Buenos
Ayres by Beresford's expedition, where he was taken
prisoner. On his return to England he was sent to
the Peninsula, where he served throughout the cam-
paign, was taken prisoner at Fuentes d'Onore, and
subsequently fought at Waterloo, where he was
wounded in assisting to take a French officer pri-
soner. Deceased received his discharge from the Army
in 1824.

AMENDED LINE.—" The proper study of Manx.
kind is—eats."—Funny Folks.

ICE-MAKING ON A GRAND SCALE.—Ice-making is
done on a very grand scale in New Orleans. The first
thing one notices on entering the freezing-room of tht
factory is the intense cold, then the nail heaps of
snow lying around, and at last the shining mass of
solid ice, made up of blocks 16 feet high, 30 long, and
over a foot thick. These immense cakes are frozen on
plates of steel, which are hollow, pipes containing the
freezing agent, ammonia, running through them. The
water falls in drops from the roof, and freezes as it
falls, thus forming the immense blocks. In another
freezing-room the sight was beautiful beyond descriP-
tion, unnumbered columns of ice 60 feet high, on a
frozen floor, while from above came splashing drops of
water, falling as steadily as summer rain. These
icicles surround hollow iron columns, through which
the ammonia passes, and freezes the falling water that
ir comes from the of. The icicles in a week or two
unite, and in a ttle longer time they form a solid
block of ice 2,000 tons in weight. This is then cut by
ice ploughs and saws into blocks fit for sale.

' ONLY A MAN.—Mistress .Nelly who has spent
most of her days on a station where the patricians of
the flocks and herds are known by aristocratic names,
visited Ballarat during the Champion Sheep Show.
A friend who had not seen her for years, and who was
good-naturedly anxious to parade some of the amuse-
ments of the golden city, asked permission to send
her tickets for the concert that evening at the Aca-
demy of Music. By way of further inducement, he
said, "You will see the Duke of Manchester there."
"Oh, indeed," said she "I heard they went to the
' railway to meet him and afterwards brought him to
the cattle-yards ; but how will they get- him on the
stage? Will they rope him, or handle him, or what?"
"Rope him!" said her friend, in astonishment,
"why should a man be roped to go to a concert?"
" Man !" said the lady; "is it only a man? Faith,
they made so much talk about him, I thought he was
the prize merino !"--Australasian.
HALLOWE'EN SUPERBTITIONS.—These are as general
in France as in Scotland. Thus a child born on All
Saints' Eve is supposed to have the gift of second-
sight ; while should you wish to know whether you
will live long, you must light a huge fire and throw
into it several white stones. If these stones are con-
sumed by the next morning you will die within a
year. A more cheerful custom consists in placing
dishes on a table, one empty, one filled with plain
water, one with coloured fluid. Girls and young
men blindfolded dip their left hand at random into
one of these dishes, and should they touch the empty
vessels they will die unmarried, while the other two
dishes signify respectively a happy marriage or death
in widowhood. Italians pay more attention to All
Souls' Eve. On that night in the Abruzzi not a
spark of fire is left on the hearth—fire being the
symbol of life ; and in many places supper is spread
for the souls of the departed—a custom followed in
Russia. At Giola dei Massi, the first person enter-
ing the church at midnight is believed to gain the
privilege of releasing a soul from purgatory : while
at Perano the dead are supposed to reveal thenaselves
in a basin of water flanked by two candles, the seer
, being an old woman holding a taper, who places
her neck in the curve of a wooden pitchfork.

FIRE ON A REFORMATORY Snip.—A fire which
caused considerable alarm broke out on Tuesday night
on the Roman Catholic Reformatory ship Clarence, in
the Mersey, which ship has about 300 lacl!3" on board.
The fire originated among some coal which had just
been got on board. Two steamers went alongside,
and assistance was also Sent from a war-ship, and
after considerable exertions the fire was got under.
Preparations were made for removing the lads from
the vessel, but fortunately, owing to the promptitude
shown in dealing with the fire, this was unnecessary.

AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.—The follow-
ing are the average prices of British corn for the
week ending Nov. 6, as received from the inspectors
and officers of Excise :—Wheat, 435. 4d.; barley,
355. 2d. ; oats, 20s. 9d. per imperial qr. Correspond-
ing week last year :—Wheat, 50s. 5d.; barley,
40s. Bd.; oats, 21. 6d.
THE CARTHUSIAN MONKS.—An industry of consider-
able value and interest has just been lost to France by
the action of the authorities in expelling the religious
bodies. The manufacture of the well-known Char-
treuse liqueur, which has been for such a long time
carried on in the monastery of that name, is now to
be transferred to the town of Romont, in the canton
of Fribourg, where a considerable piece of land has
been purchaPed near the railway station.
IRELAND FOR InisH.—A plot that most of Erin's
Peasantry would gladly own to is a Plot of Land
entirely to himself. He'd have no other conspirators
engaged on such a plot as that. —Pune.
FASHIONS FOR LADIES.—Jet, pearls and beads are
more worn than ever this winter. Jetted handker-
chiefs are worn round the neck in the street instead of
black lace scarfs. The collars and cuffs of dresses are
also covered with jet or bead embroidery, according
to the colour of the dress. A black cashmere dress
with jet collar standing up round the neck, and with
sleeve cuffs to match, is considered very elegant, and
does not cost a fortune. Lies can make their own
collars and cuffs which they can affix to any dress as
required."—Lund and Water.

SIGNOR SALVIM'S AMERICAN TOUR.—The Pall Mall
Ga:ette says :—" Signor Salvini will begin his five
months American tour in Philadelphia on the 29th
inst. He 1611 travel with an American company, but
he has resolutely refund to abandon the ue of his
mother tongue. It is his intention to play only four
times a week, his lungs and voice being incapable of
bearing the strain of a performance every night. He
is said to be studYing King Lear' for production in
1881, after his return to Europe. In the States his
repertoire will consist of 'Othello' Macbeth.'
'Hamlet,' 'La Mortc Ci vile," The Gladiator,'
Ingomax,' and 'David Garrick.' He receives £lOO
per week during his American visit, with a share in
the gross receipts. To these particulars, gathered
from the communications Of Signor Salvini's manager
to interviewers at New York, may be added the state-
ment that the great tragedian has already accumulated
a fortune of £40,000, and is the owner of a Florentine
palace, with an estate on the neighbouring hills. It
is in this retreat that he has spent the summer, leading
the simple life of a farmer, studying Shakespeare in
his spare moments, and spending his afternoons, in
romping with his children."
THE PRINCE OF WALES AT CHISLEHURST. —On
Friday in last week the Prince of Wales paid a visit
tcr the Empress Eugenie at Chislehurst, and saw a
model of the memorial to the Prince Imperial which
is to be erected on Chislehurst Common. The model
which is a mere section, stands 28ft. high, and repre-
sents a cross of the Irish order, similas to that erected
by the Queen to mark the spot where the young Prince
fell in Zululand. It is, htiwever, much larger, and
will consist mainly of Aberdeen granite, rising by steps
front a bank of turf,' the memorial being 16ft, at the
base in each direction.


SLIZZGTH.for the WEAK

The ettellq.)l 4: the fe,,o4ble, and those in failing healtilo is
Partionlarly en _led to ono of the greatest disceTeries ef

modern times, known as

IG'S CHEMICAL FOOD,
On WINE OF PHOSPHATES,
A Nutritious and invigorat ng Essence, highly re
commendbd by the most eminent of the Medical Pro-
fession for the Caro of Nervous Head and Mind Com-
pth.intire,,ughs. Asthma and Incip;ent Constanap
S rvousness. Weakness, and Illhaustion, 1 im
..4,f Sliortitsss of Breath, eadache. De-
aipitation of the Heart, Drowsiness, In-
El:aging Noises in the Head and Ears.
VtaLlry, Want ofAppetite, Neuralgia, Pains
Wasting Dia•asos, Loss of Energy, Ins-
, 2.74azi...-i Na ' t:zit:on Inactivity of tke Itrain,Trembiing.
duzugs% of perception and delnsione and all
•i;tEsel of the system s indicating the presence
tease, which if not attended to in time may be-
e"mo ntirietia

Temotial from Sir CHARLES LOCOOK
- Physician to the Queen.

".; ~ve for swine years recommended LIEBEIt'S
ti-i LCAL FOOD in cases at general ill-health
.'h n:te mo3t beneficial results I flnd it to be a
I.,:paration, containing among,t other
th fr,:e and unexydized Phosphorous highly
"Ultfue,d, and when persevered with Las always
seexced to give fresh life to the lal.guid and
"cab .di•tAkl, and health, strength, aLd energy.
"By its UK* the dull, the sluggish, the lazy and
"languid arise in the morning well and refreshed,
"wittt an appetite for food, and fit for study,
"society or business.

"CHARLES LOCOCK, 11 D.

LIEBIG'S CHEMICAL FOOD

Is the trues -ren-gt7h7giver in-d-lialtla-reitoi-er,--nC:iirish-
ing both body and brain, supplying mental and
physi-al power. and nerve and gram food. It is
not at all like medicine, being entirely different to
anything ever before introduced to the public and
tasteA like ...me balmy, fragrant, an delicious
nr.ctir.

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