The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-11-07 00:00:00

Miscellaneous lintelligenct,
ROME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

A NEGRO J.P. ON POLITICAL AFFAIRS.—A
negro, named Bryan, has been making a speech on
political affairs at Lake Joseph, in Louisiana. This
negro is a magistrate, and cannot well complain of
being neglected by the Radical party. His language
was homely, but he appears to have understood per-
fectly well what he meant to say, and to have enter-
tained opinions which no one could call irrational.
He said: "The Government is tored to pieces. I
often heard a poor man say, ten years ago, he had
money—had a hundred dollars. Never heard anybody
say so now. I believes more in our old masters at last.
As for calling us neeroes we is negroes." After refer-
ring to the war, which prospered nobody, this negr
magistrate went on to say that. all the money of the
poor now went out in taxes. " no statesman," he
added drily, "neither is Grant."
GREAT COST OF PAUPER CHILDREN—The cost
of maintlining and educating pauper children at dis-
trict schools is remarkable, exceeding as it does at
least in one instance, the charge made at many board-
ing schools for the children of other classes. A com-
mittee of the Guardians of the City of London Union
has for several months been engaged in inquiring into
certain matters connected with Central London Dis-
trict Schools at Hanwell, and has at length made a
repot, in which it is stated that for the nine years
ending Michaelmas, 1807, the average contribution for
each child belonging to the Union was -1:20 13s. 10d.
per annum. For the year ended Michaelmas last the
amount of contribution of the Union to the schools was
£11,469, and the average number of children 283, the
average contribution for each child being thus £4O
10s. 741. per annum. The contribution for the current
half-year ending Christmas next is £7,400. the average
number of children belonging to
the Union being
under 300, making the cost of each child nearly £5O
SARUM.

MISS ROULTON'S CHIGNON !—A curious charge
was preferred at the Lambeth police-court, on Friday,
against Louisa Ronlton, an inmate of Lambeth Work-
house. The young woman was charged with behaving
in a 'refractory and disorderly manner," but literally
the "head and front of her offending," wa.s that "she
woabi have a chignon, and wear her hair frizzed, if she
liked." Now the law in Lambeth Workhouse is that
such pomps and vanities as chignons and frizzed hair
shall be suppressed -effectually so, too, beneath close-
fitting caps—but when Miss Roulton defiantly pro-
claimed that she would have a chignon and the rest of
it, her evil example was followed by about forty
women, all of whom incontinently threw away the
detested cap, and went in for the prevailing fashion in
hair. This was "the refractory and disorderly" con-
duct charged against the prisoner, aggravated. however,
by the circumstance that she confirmed her declaration
on the cap question by an unnecessary profosion of
oaths. The magistrate could not see the matter at all
in the light in which it was viewed by the "task-
master," who prosecuted, and Louisa was liberated on
her own bail until Thursday, when the knotty question
as to the right of female paupers to wear chignons will
be satisfactorily solved.
AMERICANISING OUR LANGUAGE.—If our fore-
fathers get the papers in the Elysian Fields, they
must be greatly puzzled by some of the expressions
the writers now use. For example, when they read of
"the bad effects I.f the stump upon our most eminent
men," the meaning they are likely to extract from
such a passage is, that our most eminent men are beside
themselves with toothache, a painful impression which
they probably exchange from the very bewildering
notion that this Stump is some new musical instru-
ment, with which our leading statesmen amuse them-
selves in their leisure hours, and perhaps delight their
Constituents, when they read farther on of "Mr.
Gladstone's and of Mr. Bright's performances on the
strimp."—Punrh.
A FAIR DIVISION !—ln the early display of
Garrick's powers at Drury Lane, a tragedy was
brought forward, in which he sustained the principal
character of an aged king. Though there was nothing
remarkably brilliant in the iday, it proceeded without
opposition till the fifth act, when time dying monarch
bequeaths his kingdom to his two sons in this line:
"And now, between you, I bequeath my crown." A
wit in the pit exclaimed, "Ye gods, he has given them
half-a-crown apiece !" The house was immediately
thrown into such a comic convulsion that not another
word of the piece could be heard.

KIDNAPPING CHILDREN. —AD extraordinary
case of kidnapping children came before Mr. Amheton
Cross, deputy chairman of the Kirkdale sessions (near
Liverpool), on Tuesday. A woman named Ann
Knowles was charged with having kidnapped a little
girl between four and five years of age, in IDerby-road,
Bootle. The child's mother had gone into a provision
shop, and had left her little girl standing outside.
When she came out if the shop the child was missing,
and nothing was heard of her for several clays, when
she was discovered in a den of infamy kept 17 the
prisoner in Liverpool. It appeared that the prisoner
had been making a practice of kidnapping female
children for immoral purposes, and that she had pre-
viously twice undergone unpri,oninent for the same
crime. Mr. Cross, in passing sentence, strongly de-
nounced the prisoner's conduct, and said that he would
take care that, for acme years at least, it would be out
of her power so to outrage society again. The
prisoner was then sentenced to seven years' penal
servitude.

THE LAND OF FORTUNE-V. LLlNO.—There are
at this moment no less than 1,01 0 ladies in St. Peters-
burg engaged in the highly remunerative art of
fortune-telling. The highest circles of society furnish
the votaries to these priestemes, who, it must be ob-
served, also deal in Asiatic perfumes and allow gentle-
men to stroll from the idlest of curiosities into their
little temples. Taking the whole number of inhabitants
into account, which would allow one prophetess to
every 500 people, St. Petereiburgh cannot complain of
being kept in the dark about corning events.

„
A PRED'CTION.—About the twenty-fifth of
this month (June) there will be great anxiety in the
minds of tenants. Landlords will go through much
tribulation, and will watch the moon attentively to
see if she passes through the crisis unscathed. These
disturbances, however, will base no political significa-
tion. England will be threatened with a grievous
calamity, in the form of an earthquake, which will
destroy the credit of the Bank of England and shake
the Established Church to its foundation. England is
of course constantly threatened with this but it may
be only the earthquake's fun, so we need not alarm
ourselves. Nevertheless, we should recommend our
readers either to learn to swim or to buy a cork
jacket, especially if they go to the sea-side. Those,
however, who do not consider themselves born to be
drowned may dispense with these precantions.—Fen
Al manack.

GENERAL PRIM AND THE REFORM LEAGUE.—
The secretary of the Holborn branch of the Reform
League has received a letter from General Prim,
dated the 29th of October, 1868, of which the following
is a translation :

Sir,—l have received the resolutions which you communi-
cated, and which the Holborn branch of the Reform League
were good enough to pass on the subject of the revolution
which has changed the destinies of Spain, and which will, at
length, regenerate her. lam very sensible of all the maths
of ay cpathy which the Holborn branch of the Reform League
have been good enough to tender to me personally; and,
with them, I have confidence that my country is about to
enter upon a new era of prosperity and liberty. Receive,
Sir—and will you transmit to all the members of the branch
—the assurance of my distinguished sentiments.—J. PRIM.

AN UNFORTUNATE PREDICAMENT !—The Great
Weatern Company is at this moment in the enviable
position of having more money than it knows what to
do with (remarks the Doily New.'). The time was, and
that not many months ago, when it was impossible for
them to obtain a renewal of their debentures, and the
concern was on the verge of bankruptcy. By the
financial arrangements, however, which they have
recently made, they now find themselves in a position
to lay o‘f all the debentures as they fall due • but suck
is the perversity of capitalists that they decline to be

"-Paid off, and ask to have the bonds renewed at a
reduced rate of interest. Meanwhile the surplus which
remains in the hands of th.: company is placed at loan
witn the bankers, at something like 2 per cent., to be
available in case of necessity.
SQUARISH THE CIRCLE.—At last week's sitting
of the French Academy of Sciences the perpetual secre-
tary announced that a newspaper had recently revived
an old story to the effect that the Academy was in
po,session of a considerable sum bequeathed to it as a
reward for any person who might discover the quadra-
ture of the circle. He, therefore, suggested the pro-
priety of again publishing the decision the Academy
came to in 1775, of never more devoting the slightest
attention to the solutions that might be sent in of the
following problems : the duplication of the cube; the
trisection otf the angle perpetual >notion by means of a
machine ; and the guadrature of the circle. It justified
this course as regards the latter, by remarking that
many weak-minded persons, utterly ignorant of mathe-
matics, and labouring under the impression that large
slims were ready to be handed over to them in case
they succeeded in solving that problem, devoted
their time to it, utterly neglecting their regular busi-
Hess and the interest of their families, and even occa-
sionally losing their reason by following such a vain
pursuit
HUNTING A CLERGYMAN.—The Rev. Mr. Par-
chaB was mobbed and chased at Brighton on Sunday.
The "Own Correspondent" of the Beard relates the
scene without a word of reprehension of conduct so un-
Eng ish :
After waiting some time for the principal object of their
wrath, the cry was raised, " Mr. Purchas is coming !" On
perceiving him or sonic one whom they mistook for that
gentleman the crowd hustled and pursued him, till finally
it became quite a race, for the rev. gentleman was like the
frightened hare, compelled to run for his life, some hundreds
of persons being at his heels. He finally gained the shelter
of a cab which the crowd endeavoured to overturn; failing
in this, they pursued across the S'.eirre, and up the Marine
Parade, the unfortunate object of their wrath. We trust he
wai able eventually to elude pursuit. We returned home
weary arid ashamed of the day's occupation for truly the
Sabbath has been ruispent, as not one feeling of reverence
could be experienced in such a Babel of noise and pompous
display of theatrical chicanery
I NST RUMEN TA L MWM IN CHURCHES. The
truism that history repeats itself receives another
illustration in the fact that church orchestras are
sja'ken of as likely to be revived amongst us. The
village musicians, who accompanied the parish choir on
Sundays in days gone by, have been laughed at times
out of number, and we had thought that the stately
organ had quite superseded them in all but perhaps a
few benighted localities where the inhabitants, from
squire and parson downwards make it a rule to be
half-a-century or so behind tlieir contemporaries. But
it is said that things are taking a turn, and that
church bands may ere long he heard a little nearer
home. The Bishop of London is reported to have
expressed his satisfaction at the performance of one of
these bands, and the matter having been "nientioned
in the highest quarters," "an august personage" is
expected to patronise the revival.

DEATH FROM HYDROPHOBIA. 011 Sunday 8
labouier, named Higgins, of Halifax, died of
hydrophobia from the bite of a dog. This is the
second death from the bite of the same mad dog.
About the 20th of August the dog was observed to be
rabid. The owner ordered the dog to be destroyed,
giving it to Elkanah Turner for that purpose. Instead
of destroying it, Turner took the dog to Halifax,
where he sold it for 2s. lid, On the way to Halifax
the dog bit him in the hand, and he died from hydro-
phobia of a most virulent description, a month ago
last Friday. The day following its removal to
Halifax, on the 22nd August, the animal made its
escape from the keeping of a dog dealer in Halifax, and
in less than an hour it was met with at Copley, a vil-
lage three miles from Halifax, where it met Higgins,
who was working there, two children, and a shoe-
maker, who, however, dispatched it by cutting its
throat. Higgins was at work a week ago near Wake-
field, when he felt symptoms of canine madness come
over him. He commenced barking like a dog, and
said to a comrade that he was "a dead man any
minute." The same day he returned home by train,
and has since been under the medical care of Dr.
Wightman and Mr. McWilliam, but the symptoms
have been very marked. He frequently barked like a
dog, and snapped at anything placed before him. He
was quite conscious, stated how he had been bitten, and
instructed the family never to approach him except
from behind. He died on Sunday morning.,

ANOTHER ATLANTIC CABLE.—We 'New York
Times) are informed that negotiations are being carried
on with the American Atlantic Cable Telegraph Com-
pany, of this city (who have by act of Congress the en.
elusive right of landing a caide on the coat of the
United States, except the coast of Florida), and wane
foreign capitalists, to join them in laying a cable direct
to Belgium--arrangements having been perfected for
securing a most liberal concession from the Govern-
ment of that country. It is said that responsible parties
have signified their readiness to enter into a contract to
put down a cable for £500.000.
TIIE SCHOOLMASTER (WANTED) ABROAD.—The
great want in Spain is education for the masses. They
have got their Prim ; but they still stand in grievous
need of their pruner—Punch.

A MORMON CONFERENCE.—At Birmingham,
last Sunday, the Latter Day Saints held their annual
i Conference n the Odd Fellows' Hall. There was a
fair attendance of saints and strangers. Elder
R. E. Egan, President of the Birmingham Conference,
was in the chair, and read the report for the six
months ending June last. The total number of
members, including officers, was 894; 8 had died, 24
been removed, 9 had been received, 83 emigrated, 00
cut off, 84 baptized. There were 39 deacons, 22
teachers, 43 priests, 97 elders, 3 seventies, and 11
branches. The income was 1:602 4s. 80., the greater
part of which had been remitted to Liverpool, after
incidental expenses had been paid. No Mance was
left in hand. The meeting was addressed by the
chairman, Elder Chas. Napper, President of the
Hockley Branch, and other elders from Manchester
and Warwick, who gave accounts of the flourishing
state of the branches over which they presided, and
spoke in glowing terms of the life which was led in
" Zion " at the Salt Lake. In the evening Elder
Carrington preached to a large audience.
COMING DOWN To THEIR LEVEL !—The follow
ing anecdote is told of Lord Brougham. While plead-
ing one day before the Court of Queen's Bench, the
judges appeared but ill pleased at the arguments
brought forward. At lunch time Lord B. left the
court for a few moments, and remarked to a friend
that he had just swallowed two pints of porter.
"Porter,' remarked the other, "my dear Brougham,
that will make you stupid." Stupid," replied. his
lordship, on seeing the judges return to their seats,
"well, so much the better, for now I can argue with
those gentlemen."

As EXTRAORDINARY SUBSIDENCE OF WATER.
—The Cronstadt journals mention an extraordinary
subsidence of the winers of the Baltic in that locality.
It began in the evening, the wind being S.W. and
rather fresh. At ten at night the level of the sea was
a foot lower than ordinary, and continued still to sink.
The following morning at six it was two feet below its
normal point, the wind having veered round to the
N.E. ; and at two in the afternoon the greatest de-
preasitm was arrived at, namely, three feet two inches.
The water then began to mount rapidly, and during
the night exceeded its ordinary level by a foot.
Nearly all the steamers plying between Cronstadt and
St. Petersburg were aground, a circumstance almost
unprecedented. As to the cause of this phenomenon
nothing is known; but the supposition is that a strong
N.E. wind drove the wat..rs towards the Swedish,
Danish, and Prumian coasts.
A LUCKY PICTURE BUYER.—A few months ago,
at the sale .4 the effects of the late Rev. Mr. Benson,
a canon of Worcester Cathedral, a large picture,
called in the catalogues "Christ bearing the Cross,"
was sold to a broker for the modest sum of £3 or £4.
Not knowing its value, the broker resold the picture,
which was very dirty, to a working painter named
Albert, an illiterate person, but yet possessed of some
art-knowledge. Mr. Albert, who had given £6 for his
bargain, carefully cleaned the picture. He was
offered first £2O, then £5O, then £lOO for his prize;
but was deaf to all bidders until a Worcester trades-
man offered 700 guineas for the picture. Albert closed
with this big offer, and his joy at his good fortune is
now only equalled by an insurmountable anxiety to
visit London, go to the National Gallery, and have
a general glance at the picture shops.
FROM THE Polusity.—When does a Hen like
bees? When she has a little brood.—Punch.

How TO MAKE MONEY !—The way in which
some people manage to make money out of the United
States Government is shown by a recent disclosure in re-
ference to what is known as the Overland Mail
Service. Bids were some time ago solicited for carry-
ing the mail between the ends of the Pacific Railway;
that is, over the country where the road is not yet
constructed. Two were offered, one of 350,000 dots,,
which was accepted, and the other of 1,055,000 dole.
The accepted bidder, evidently in colitis' .n with the
other, failed to perform his ciatract, and the larger
bidder was quietly accepted. The country, supposing
it is paying but 350,000 clubs, for this service, is in
reality paying more than a million, and the disclosures
just made may force the department to annul the con-
tract altogether.
NOT SEEING IT IN TIIE SAME LIGHT !—The
Vienna Pecan relates a natural history anecdote,
which, perhaps, belongs to the literature of prodigious
gooseberries and white blackbirds. A Vienna lady, it
appears, took her child, aged seven weeks, to the doctors
at flebra's Klinik, and, bathed in tears, showed them
the left arm of the little one covered with dense,
brilliant black hair, like fur. What she considered a
blemish the doctors explained to her to be a 7-cry floe
ease indeed, one that was very interesting, as she ought
to perceive. They further declared themselves as
unable to remove the hair as to produce its like ; so
that the poor lady had to take back her otherwise
good-looking young daughter as she brought her.
TAXATION POETRY !—ln one of the suburban
parishes of London, a short time since, an assessed tax-
paper was returned to the assessor filled up in the fol-
lowing manner:—

Not any servants do I keep,
No dogs to guard me while I sleep;
No carriage or arm.wal bearing,
ibt anyone hair, powder wearing
No home for which to purchase hay,
Therefore no duty dot pay.
A SACRED PAIR OF BELLOWS !--The Tao malign
Times records the following incident in the Prince's
visit as follows
It will be recollected that his Royal Highness proceeded
to Launceston on the 17th of January in a drag and four
horses, and that Tasmania was visited with unprecedented
wet and odd weather at the time. On the Prince arriving
at Melton Mowbray it was bitter cold and raining, and his
Royal Highness proceeded to the drawing room prepared for
him. The fire was not burning very kindly, and he rang the
bell and called for a pair of bellows—an article of domestic
furniture but little used in Tasmania. A common pair of
bellows. hut nearly new, were brought to his Royal Highness.
who, taking them out of the waiter's hand. seated himself
before the fire, and commenced to puff away. Mr Blackwell
has determined evermore to hold the bellows sacred, and on
Saturday last brought them to town, and has directed Mr.
Gaylor to have the woodwork handsomely polished. and to
place a silver plate on the top side with the following
Inscription :—" t7..ed by hie Royal E ighnesa the Dore of
Edinburgh, at karkwell's Hold, afetton Motebray, Tasmania,
1715 January, ISSIS."
"Tug ALT OF SETTLEXENT."—Having Pin.
money. —Punch.

A TAKING ADDRESS.—Mr. Vincent Scully, one
of the candidates for Cashel, has issued a new edition
of him addrean, beautifully printed, and enwreathed by
a border of shamrocks of the Emerald isle. At the
head are the favourite emblems of a certain party of
Irishmen, the harp and sunburst. The right-hand
corner is occupied by a Celtic cross, and the left by a
north-east view of the famous Rock of Cashel, having
at its base the tomb of Denis Scully, Esq., the author
of a pamphlet on the penal laws. We are glad to
perceive Mi. Scully has a taste for the typographical
art.

A CLAIM ON THE EMPEROR !—The Emperor '
Napoleon received a few days ago an Arab chief,
whose name is too long to transcribe—it is as lengthy
as that of the Queen of Spain's son, who can boast of all
the saints in the calendar. Some years ago three
thousand French soldiers found themselves in the
Sahara desert, subjected to a dropping fire from the
Arab insurgents, with cholera .lecimating the ranks,
and thirst affecting all. General Dames commanded
the brigade, and the chief in question the goutas that
conducted it out of its difficult:es. Danmas sent for
the chief, and, as he spoke Arab perfectly, said, " Ben
Yhia, now is the moment to be a man.'" I know it,''
answered the chief. "then," continued the General,
"I am informed by the doctors that, without water, we
most all p wish." The chief drew from his belt a
watch, saying, " is now six o'clock in the afternoon;
and by my head to-morrow we shaU have our thirst
assuaged before the sun sets." He galloped off to his
camp of goutoirra and addressed them thus :—" My
children, we are men ; let one hail of you go to the
mountains to cut down trees, and the other to the
springs to till the empty goat-skins." The enemy was
everywhere ;the spring twenty-four miles distant, the
water was found, the French soldiers saved. This is the
claim Ben Yhia had on the Emperor, who received
him with an earnest politeness and asked him what he
wished for. "Only," replied the chief, "to see the
Prince Imperial." The Emperor sent for the Prince;
the latter quickly came, and the Arab ki-sed his hand,
I adding, "I have lost in the past a leg to serve you;
for the future I will give my heart." The Prince
thanked hint, and decorated him with the Legion d'
Honnear.

WHERE WILL IT ESE. I—While some people in
America are agitating for the extention of suffrage to
women and others for its extension to the negroes,
and while, on the other hand, a good many prudent
and wise Americans believe that too many irre-
sponsible people have the right to vote at present, a
new agitation has sprung up in New York. A lecturer
there is urging that minors shall have the right to vote
when they reach the age of 18, instead of waiting until
they are 21. This new plan of the extension of the
suffrage will have many advocates.

DIETARY OF SKAMEN.-- The sanitary condition
and hygienic requirements of sailors have during the
past two years received much public attention, and i
is probable that many obvious and glaring ilsficiencies
in the administration of the mercantile marine have in
this interval become gener illy kn..wil for the first time.
The members of the Board of Trade have set themselves
to discover a proper diet for sailors at sea, due regard
b. ing had to economy as well as ifficiency, and the
medical advisers of the Board have been directed to
draw up such a system of rations as would in their
opinion be all-sufficient for the preservation of health
during a long voyage. This scale has been submitted
to all the Local 'Marine Boards of the United King-
dorn, and, adds the Medical Times and Gazette, it is
curious to see how varied are the verdicts of the local
powers. Some deprecate further interference, others
advise that the sanitary results of the Duke of Rich-
mond's Act should be fairly tested, and wane cavil at
the scale on the score of cost. But water and alcohol
are the points as to which nearly all the Boards take
exception. The urgent necessity for some provisions
such as those so ably indicated by Dr. Domett-Stone
in The Times is shown by the arrival of three scurvy-
laden ships in the port of London during the past week.
No less than eleven patients from these vessels are now
in the briadnauaht, and a visit to the wards if that
hospital at the present time would prove that good
cause exists for the•stringent enforcement of the above
Act.

AN IMPERIAL BUILDING SOCIETY. The
Courrier de Bayonne, speaking of the buildings for
workmen which the Emperor has decided on having
erected in that town, says
It is on the same ground on which three specimen-houses
have already been erected that the new constructions are to
be built. They will be smaller than the preceding, and are
intended for only one family. The Emperor, in order to
carry out has philanthropic projects, is said to design pur-
chasing all the lots composing the block on which the first
three habitations have been constructed, and to pay the
price which would serve as the estimate for putting it up to
auction. Each Iwelling is expected to cost &Weir ; the
tenant is to pay 30ofr a year, out of which noel ieefl.. will
be set aside as a sinking-fund for the capital employed.
His Majesty will dye the property, it is said, to the society
of the Prince impetial, which will select the occupants and
collect the rents. At the end of fifteen years the inhabitant
will become the owner. If by any unforeseen event he
cannot pay the stipulated annual sum which may be ac-
quitted by nionthly instalments ' he will be reimbursed the
100 fr. a year be has accumulated towards the redemption of
his house, with the addition of Spot cent. interest.
LOCAL TA XATION.—Thii Times calls attention
once again t the inequality of our local taxation.
There is a want of uniformity even in two parishes of
the same borough. The total amount of local taxation
is little less than a third of the revenue of the United
Kingdom raised in the name of the crown. And this
large sum is raised here on one principle, there on
another; here in one proportion, there in another ; in
one case the amount is large, in another small. In
Bedminster. for instance, the rateable value of land
without buildings is found by deducting from the gross
estimate a proportion of 10 pit cent ; at Ledbury
;Hereford) the deduction varies from 1 to 2,1( per cent,
while at Bishop Stortford (Herts) a different plan is
adopted altogether, and a rebatement of 64. per acre is
made. A parliamentary committee in 18.67 recom-
mended very strenuously that some measure should be
passed for creating a common basis; nothing, however,
has as yet been done. Surely the question should be
considered in the coming session.

A MILITARY SCANDAL IN PooNA.—A general
court-martial was recently held at Camp Poona for
the trial of Lieutenant R. D. Lowe, of the 48th
Madras Infantry, on the following charges :—First, in
having, at the regimental mess, made use of the
following provoking and grossly insulting language to
Lieutenant Charlss Wooly Blenkin, of the 12th Regi-
ment of Madras Native Infantry :—"You are nothing
more or less than a spy, to find out what I sill, and go
and report it, sneaking spy," or words to the like effect,
secondly, in having said to Lieutenant Blenkin in a
mot king and sneering tone, "What were you afraid of
last night, eh ? Why did you stop at the door ?" or
words to the like effect ; and thiroly, in having at the
same time and place said—" My ears burn to throw
this at somebody's head," at the same time looking at
and leaning across the table towards Lieutenant
Charles Wooly Blenkin, thereby indicating that he
was the person to whom this insulting and provoking
language was addressed. The court found all the
charges proved, and sontenced the prisoner to be
cashiered—a sentence which has been approved by the
commander-in-chief, Sir W. Mansfield.
IIuRRIBLE DISCuVERY.-A discovery of the
most horrible nature was made at Puggist*On, a few
tidies from Montrose, last week. It appears that a
quantity of street manure in waggons from Glasgow,
consigned to Mr. Kennedy Erskine, of Dun, had been
put in the 'Min.: at the tile-work. One of the men
happened to be near the waggon, and seeing something
protruding from the heap, gave it a turn over, when a
terrible sight presented itself. It was seen to be a
portion of some homan body; and on a closer inspect-
tion, it was found to be the half of a woman's head.
The head was very cleanly divided down the centre,
leaving a hollow where the brains had been; and the
tongue was left entire. A portion of the shoulder had
also been left. '1 he flesh appeared to be newly cut—
the blood being dill fresh upon it ; and presented the
appearance of having been in the hands of some one
skilled in the use of the dissecting knife.

UROENT PRIVATE AFFAIRS-At a Far-Western
court the case of Smith r. Jones was called up. "Who's
for the plaintiff?' inquired the judge impatiently.
"May it please the court," said arising member of the
legal fraternity, "Pilkins is for the plaintiff, but I left
him just now over in the tavern playing a game of
poker. He's got a sucker there, and he is sure to skin
him, right smart, if he has only time. He's got every-
thing all set to ring a 'cold duck,' in which case he'll
deal for himself four aces and his opponent four queens,
no that your honour will perceive that he must 'rake
the persimmons.' " "Dear me !" said the judge, with
a sigh, "that's too bad ! It happens at a very unfor-
tunate time ! I am very anxious to get on with this
case." A brown study followed, and at length a happy
idea struck the judge: "Bill,' said he, addressing the
friend of the absent Pilkins who had just spoken,
"you understand poker about as well as Pilkins. Sup-
pose you go over and play his band?" And Bill did
it.—Dickeros's "Ad the Year Roun,l."

When are Parsons bound in honour not to
abn,e Theatres ?—When they take Orders.—Punrh.

A N IRISH GHOST - A respectable farmer,
named Gear, residing at Ballymacmoirough, about a
mile and a half from Kanturk, was returning from
Mallow, on Thursday night in last week, accompanied
by his servant man, each in charge of a horse and cart.
l'he servant was in advance, and both had proceeded
as far as Gurteenbaha, when the foremost horse
stopped suddenly, pricked up his ears, and convulsed
violently. The -driver plied his whip and tried to
urge him on, but he ti rew himself wildly into the air,
aod the next moment fell heavily upon the road. The
man jumped out and looked round, but could see no-
thing, and was in the act of relieving his horse when
he received a desperate blow on the back of his head,
which threw him into the ditch. Gear's horse was
knocked down in a similar manner, and himself struck
on the back and thrown from his horse. Gear says he
saw the tall black figure of a man standing on the
ditch over him; I.e stooped for a stone, and when he
raised his head the mysterious apparition had vanished.
Both men are at pre-ent very ill, and Gear's back is
quite black and charred. Gurteenbaha is remarkable
for occurrences of a similar nature. About five years
ago a respectable though unfortunate farmer was dis-
covered on a winter's morning almost dead on the pre-
cise spot where the last incident occurred, and he died
positively declaring that he had been beaten by a
ghost. —Cork Herald.

FRUIT TREES IN HEDUEROWS.—A writer in
Macmillan's Magazine says :--It has been suggested
that all available walls should be utilised for the pro-
duction of fruit; but why should not fruit trees be
grown everywhere, in hedgerows, in fields, by the
road-side? It will be answered that the fruit would
be stolen; and this is true, if a single tree were planted
in an unguarded place. But in those districts where it
is customary, as in Worcestershire and Herefordshire,
to expose great quantities of fruit, and in France,
Italy, Germany, and other foreign countries, there are
no complaints of theft. Near Malvein, apples and
pears grow in profusion in places open to all the world;
not only in the orchards and fields, but in the hedge-
rows which bound turnpike roads, and on the strips of
waste which border them. "Is the fruit never stolen ?"
was a question put to a native of the place. "Oh, no
sir," he answered, "it is very plentifuL" Make it
"plentiful," accustom the people to see it exposed,
encourage them to expose their own fruit in a :.inular
way, give them,—that is, give to individuals of them,
—if necessary, a charge over a certain quantity of
trees, and a share in the profits which accrue from
them, or some of them, and you need have no fear that

your fruit will be plundetiir On the contrary, you
will foster habits of honesty in your neighbours, you
will strengthen their respect forproperty, and accustom
them to resist temptation.
CH RISTIA N TOLERATION —"An! American in
Dresden" makes known some singular facts in a letter
to The I lines. The American colony in that city
formed the majority of the congiegation at the English
church, and contributed largely to its funds, so that
the church came to he called "the English and
American Church." Under these circumstances the
clergyman thought it but proper to introduce a prayer
for the President of the United States) after that for
the Queen of England and for the king of Saxony.
The first time this was done, a gentleman interrupted
the service with the exclamation, "I thought this
was an English church!" On the other dap persons
left the building when the new prayer was read. The
cler_fyinan adhered to his practice, and condderahle
animosity was roused against him. At length a por-
tion of the congregation seceded, and contrived to
obtain authority from the Bishop of London for
kidding a new church to be strictly "English," and,
so it seems, high church. Soon, however, the
Americans found their way into the new congregation,
and the same story was enacted, although with a
different conclusion. The prayer for the President WM
introduced, some of the English objected, and the
clergymen gave way. The Times is confident that if the
Bishop of London had known the circumstances, in-
stead of authorising a new church, he would have ad-
ministered a severe rebuke to such unchristian and almost
uncivilised jealously.

A TUNNEL UNDER THE MEiIBEY.—At a meeting
of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, a letter was
read from Messrs. Hall, Stone, and Fletcher, solicitor.,
of Liverpool, informing the board that they had been
empowered to draw up a bill for presentation in the
next session of Parliament, to empower a company now
in course of formation, to construct a tunnel from the
western end of the Birkenhead docks to the north end
of Liverpool, and converging with the line of railway
at that point.
To Bv. LEFT ALONE IN ITS GLORY !—There is
a movement on foot in Prussia to restore Heidelberg
Castle, which, it seems, has suffered greviously
through railway excavations; of all things unexpected
by its builders. But there is a strong party in Heidel-
berg itself opposed to the restoration. Besides pointing
out the enormous expense it would entail, an expense
which we do not suppose it is intended the small town
would have to bear by itself, the lovers of the pic-
turesque urge that the magnificent view lit present
enjoyed by the visitor from the weather-beaten
crags and within the dilapidated courtyard would be
loot by the restoration. Those who are accessible to
reasons of a different sort are reminded how, when the
last Palatine Elector, Carl Theodore, had already com-
menced the rebuilding of the ruins in 1764, lightning,
such as had not been witnessed before, came and de-
stroyed his new handiwork. Whereupon he piously
relinquished his plan, saying, "Never again shall any
courtly noise interrupt this sacred solitude."

DIVONCE APPEALS —An act of Parliament,
passed in the late session, will pr ,ctically come into
force during the present sittings of the court. The
object of the act is to prevent unnecessary delay in the
final determination of suits for dissolution r nullity ot
marriage. Liberty is now given, where there is no
right to appeal, to the parties to marry agaiu at any
time after the pronouncing of the decree absolute.
Appeals to the House of Lords are to be within ote
month. No appeal is to be allowed in undefended
suits for dissolution of marriage, unless by leave of tip
court. It is enacted that "this act shall extend to all
suits pending at the time when the same shall come
into operation, notwithstanding that a decree may
have been pronounced therein, provided, nevertheless,
that this act shall not affect any pending appeal, nor
shall the same prejudice any sub,..isting right of appeal
against a decree already pronounced, provided such
appeal he lodged within one calendar month after this
act shall come into operation." The act was passed on
the 31st July.

PERSONATING A VOTER.—At Leeds, a paiuter
named ikhn Ward, of Manningham, Bradford, was
charged before the magistrates with having tendered
himself to vote for the conservative candidate at the
municipal election on the previous day, in the name
of Henry Haywood. He was detected because Hay-
WOOII had voted not long before, and the presiding
alderman gave hio into custody because there had
been previously several attempts Id the same bind.
The town clerk, who prosecuted, did not press for the
full punishment, which is three mouths' imprisonment,
The defendant said he happened to be travelling in the
neighbourhood, and while in a public-house some one
whom he did not know said to him, " You are a
stranger here, I think." He replied that he was,
and then that person said, "I want somebody to take I
this paper to the poling booth, as the person who
should go is ill." VI, aril then said, "is there anything
wrong?" and the reply he got was, "Oh no, you've
nothing to fear." He took a glass of whisky, and then
carried the paper to the polling both. He declared
that he had no interest in the election, but the magis-
trate said the offence was a very serious one, and Coln-
mitted him to gaol for seven days.
VIRGINIBCS GARCONIBUSQUE."—Mind what
you say bet re parlour-maids and waiters.—Punch.
LARGE DECREASE IN EMIGRATION.—On Mon.
day the usual monthly return of the emigration from
Liverpool was completed by the government emigra-
tion officials at that port. It appears that during the
month of October there sailed 25 ships under the act,
with 9,289 passengers, of whom 3,649 were English,
298 Scotch, 1,985 Irish, and 3,353 foreigners. Of the
25 ships, 19 sailed to the 'United States, with 7,433
passengers, of whom, 2,792 were English, 265 Scotch,
1,742 Irish, and 2,634 foreigners. To Canada there
wi re 5 ships, with 1,459 passengers, of whoa' 682 were
English, 58 Irish, and 719 foreigners. T. Victoria
there was one ship, with 397 passengers, of whom 175
were English, 33 Scotch, and 189 Irish. The number
of ships sailing not under the act was 21; of which 7
left for the United States with 732 potsengers ; 2 to
Victoria, with 118 passengers; 1 to Canada, with 38
passengers; 6 to South America, with 95 passengers;
2 to the West Indies, with 6 passengeis ; and 3to
Africa, with 84 passengers, inakisg a grand total of 46
ships and 10,362 passengers; which when compared
with the corresponding month of last year shows a
falling off of 838. The emigration from the Mersey
for the month of September laid was 12,720.

A LUCKY ('our—The ,'iporting Gazette relates
the following:—

An old member of Doodles, who died not long since, left
legacies of £lOO each to Alr. George Fitzroy and Captain
11. B. Powell, both of whom are well known in racing circles.
The latter, who had always a hankering after See-saw as a
2-yr-old, at which age he backed the horse for the Derby,
invested Ids "century," as well as an additional "pony," on
See-Saw for the Cambridgeshire, mostly at lOU to I at the
.„ . .

"1145," immediately the weights came out ; but after the
horse incurred his Sib. penalty for winning the October
Handicap, his opinion of his " pet's" chance was so no far
lessened that he requested his commissioner in Donlon to
hedge his stake. This was easier said than done, however,
and the result was, Captain F' well was obliged to " stand
the lot," and had the satisfaction of wiimiug £10,250 by
See-saw's victory!

MRS. YELVERTON MAIN—The public Were
mistaken if they thought they had heard the last of
the Longworth-Yelverton caee. The lady who is
Miss Longworth in England and Scotland, and Mrs.
Yelverton in Ireland, seeks to have the judgments of
the Court of Session at Edinburgh, and 01 the House
of Lords, "reduced,' or annulled, on the ground that
the Scotch Courts had not jurisdiction to entertain
actions in which neither ,d the parties were domiciled
in Scotland. The case was before the Scotch Court
last week, but the judges seemed to think that as the
lady, in the present action of reduction, appealed to
the same Court whose jurisdiction to decide the former
case she was denying, her case amounted to a con-
tention that it had not jurisdiction to decide wrong,
but that it had jurisdiction to decide rightly, and re-
pair that wrong. They therefore dismissed the action.
DP STRUCTION OF GROUSE. According to a
statement in the London s,otsnum, the Highland
shepherds are so indignant at tne dog-tax that some
time ago they entered into a compact to destroy all
game eggs, and to teach their dogs to do likewise. The
writer describes a scene he witnessed when out shoot-
ing. The shepherd, after smashing sonic game eggs,
exclaimed, "Our Scottish gentry in your Parliament
ought to have stood to us, and kept us out of this
damnable tax, because we can't do without our dogs.
lam a poor man. I have a wife and nine children,
and my wages are only 1:25 a-year. Last winter we
lost our little boy We lost him, and we are £2
in debt to this day for the doctor, and the funeral ex.
penses. Now, Mr. - Pit leave it to yourself.
Where am I to get the money to pay this tax for my
four dogs? Those men who make such laws in Lon-
don ought to exempt us, or the landowners should
agree to pay it for us. If not," he said, stretching out
his arms, "while there is life in these limbs, I swear,
as the other shepherds have done, when your Same-
baths some down again, that their sport will be like
my wife's gown and my children's meal—not so plenti-
ful as it usel to be."
_

GuuD NLWS FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA.— For long
years South Australia has coveted a native Bendigo
the shape of a gold region, but hitherto with more
disappointment than success (says a South Australian
paper). She has made many discoveries, from Cape
Jervir to Echunga, and from the Barrier Ranges to the
Brsmer. She has " rushed " embryo diggings, and
promoted gold companies, but without ever realising
large nuggets or good dividends. Still she has refused
to lose faith in her auriferious destiny, and at length
her patience has been rewarded. Jupitor Creek is a
bona tide gold-field, and there is plenty of it, if the
precious metal should only happen to be equally dif-
fused. So far appearances are very much in its favour,
and its prospects have been brightening from the first
week of its history. There haa been nothing as yet
that may be called a rush in the Victorian sense ; but a
gold-field which can attract a population of about a
thousand within a month is at least a useful addition
to our native industries. The discovery could not
-have come more opportunely than it did—in the middle
of a dull season as has ever been experienced, and on
the eve of a hard winter, which otherwise might have
been aggravated by scarcity of labour and general dis-
tress.

A CALIFORNIAN IVMM:sin:l.—The Californian
Alta says :
Maguire's Opera House in Its palmiest days never contained
a greater throng than on last evening. Madame Cuppy
Invited an audience to remain and witness a mars...sae
ceremony, which would be performed by herself, she being,
as teacher in a religious organisation, clothed legally and
legitimately with the right to carry out the rite. A young
couple advanced from behsnd the scenes, and at this novel
hymeneal altar they were united by a female. The ceremony
was brief but impressive. "You do solemnly sweat,
Abigail, in the presence," Ate., to ft take," etc. ; our readers
know the formula better than we a bachelor can give It.
At the conclusion the parties retired beyond the scenes, the
groom not forgetting to drop a liberal amount of coin in the
purse of the fair functionary who had made himself and his
so happy._

1 liE FOLL/E9 OF FEMALE FA.HIONS.—A con-
ference of Gemian ladies has been'held at Stuttgart,
at which a motion was agreed to declaring the nece-sity
of modifying women's t. ilettes, with a view to check
the extravagance, the bad taste, and inc. giant changes
of their vestments. The conference then directed the
Association for the Education and Amelioration of the
Condition of Women to organise a COMDASnioII com-
posed of painters, doctoi s, tailors, and nnsiistes, for the
purpose of suggesting new toilettes. The Gazette des
Fontnea will publish the recommendations of the
commission