The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-12-04 00:00:00

Our fnban aorrespodent.

(We deem it right to state that we do not at all times
Identify ourselves with our Correspondent's opinions.]

Signs of the approach of Christmas are
multiplying around us, fancy shops are filled with
tokens of the season, and although it is too early
for the provision merchants to follow suit, pre-
parations for the manufacture of Christmas
puddings are proceeding in many a home, simul-
taneously with the purchase of Christmas cards,
and the materials for Christmas decorations.
Those who prophesied that the revived rage for
"keeping Christmas," for which Dickens was
largely responsible, would prove that a passing
fashion have been shown to be mistaken; and
there seems no likelihood of the good old custom
being allowed to die once more into desuetude.
Any institution which adds to human happiness
in a pure form deserves encouragement, and
viewed from the social aspect alone, this can cer-
tainly be said of Christmas. It is a twenty times
told story how much enjoyment is given by the
homely and hospitable observance of that which,
above all others, has been well called "the festive
season ; " but to the young it is a story which is
ever full of pleasant significance. It is not the
feasting, as the cynic would suggest, which ac-
counts for the popularity of Christmas; it is the
spirit of good-fellowship which reigns at such a
time. And though this spirit may sometimes be
overdone, occasionally may be tinged with mere
conventionality, the faults are small compared
with the real enjoyment which accompanies

them. _ _
"Dirt is matter in the wrong place" once
observed Lord Palmerston, and anyone who has
occasion to move much through the streets of
London during the winter must wish that a right
place could be found for it. It may be only the
fancy of the ever-grumbling Londoner, but it
certainly seems to him that metropolitan mud is
a more painful variety of the species than any to
be met elsewhere. It is certainly in no sense of
the phrase "clean dirt," as some housewives
express it; and it has peculiarly clinging pro-
perties which justify the detestation in which it
is held. The greasiness, which is one of its
marked characteristics, is not imaginary, but is
the direct result of the same cause which makes
London fogs so singularly horrible—the presence
in the atmosphere of the vast quantity of smoke
poured forth from the tens of thousands of chim-
neys within the metropolitan area. But amid all
the grumbling this much has to be conceded—
that with regard to the larger portion of
London, at least, the arrangements for clearing
the dirt away are very good. Folks complain
that, after a sudden and heavy downfall of snow,
the streets are not fairly passable for many
hours; but they can scarcely have considered
the magnitude of the task thrown upon the sani-
tary authorities. Things might be better than
they are, to be sure; but that could be said of
every earthly institution; and those who speak
despitefully of London and talk as if dirt were
its especial prerogative, are recommended to pay
a visit to certain continental capitals and then
compare notes. If they did, it would not be
London which would suffer by the comparison.
To one detail, however, the sanitary authori-
ties, not only in London but in many of our pro-
vincial towns, do not appear to pay as great
attention as lovers of animals could wish. No
more painful sight can be witnessed than, when
the metropolitan thoroughfares are slippery with
fog and frost, to witness horses falling in all
directions. This could largely be prevented by
the scattering of sand or gravel, especially where
there is anything like a gradient; and the point
should be emphasised to all who bear authority.
If a correct estimate could be made of the loss
incurred every winter by the neglect of this pre-
caution—loss not only of property but sometimes
of life—it would rouse popular opinion on the
subject, and might secure it being promptly and
permanently attended to. On the ground of
humanity alone, however, something should be
done, not fitfully, but as a regular duty. Many
a kind-hearted person dreads riding in a vehicle
through the London streets because of the
suffering animals to be seen on every hand. The
state of terror to which some of these are reduced
by the frequency of their slips and the difficulty
of recovering themselves is most painful to wit-
ness ; and any precautions which can fairly be
taken are to be commended by the humane.
The "Jubilee Year' will be ushered in with a
new series of postage stamps, and these, as is
understood, will bear a portrait of the Queen
which shall be more in the nature of a likeness

than any that has pppeared on our stamps for
forty years. This fact in itself will cause the
issue to be welcomed by the English public, but
there is another and a very strong reason why
it will be certain of a warm reception. The com-
plaints against the present issue is that in colour
and general appearance the various stamps are so
much alike that mistakes are often made con-
cerning them. Postal officials state that they
sometimes suffer serious loss because of giving

• out stamps of wrong value in an uncertain
light: and they will not be among the least
joyful at the impending change. We are pro-
' mised an alteration also in the Royal effigy on
our coins; but in this case, although all will be
glad to see a real instead of an ideal likeness
of the Queen, the change will be wsthetic rather
than useful, for there is not the danger of making
mistakes in regard to the coins as there is in
regard to the stamps. A person must be defi-
cient indeed in his sense of touch if he can mis-
take a shilling for a sovereign on the darkest
night: and with respect to the other coins
there is just as little danger of error. But this
is a practical age, and if only as memento of the
Jubilee Year the new coinage will be welcome.
Some discussion has recently been aroused in
a London newspaper as to the income to be
derived from crossing-sweeping as an occupation;
and, trivial as to some the subject may seem, it
is one of very great importance to thousands of
poor persons in the metropolis. A " good cross-
mg" is a valuable property to be held by one
individual against all interruption, and the
"good will" of which is only to be disposed of at
an appreciable monetary consideration. Many
men have held the same crossing for a number
of years, and they do not depend upon the
casual pennies of the chance passers-by, but have
certain gular customers who gwe them
something weekly. Where the crossing is kept
clean, one does not begrudge a copper to
the sweeper, always provided that he is
civil; for it is a far from pleasant
method of earning a livelihood, and the sweeper
is most useful in states of weather when
every other civilised being is making a point of
hurrying indoors. There are tales of almost
fabulous wealth having been amassed by some of
the more patient and sober toilers with the
broom; but they are tales which have to be
taken with many a grain of salt. It is not easy
to see where the wealth could come from, for
even many of those who are able to walk over a
comparatively clean crossing on a muddy day
give nothing to the sweeper because it is too
much trouble in the wind and the rain to find
their pocket, and what ought to be the net
revenue is diminished accordingly.
A. F. R.