The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-05-23 00:00:00

HOW WE SAW THE PROCESSION.

Under the title id 11,ov oc saw the Procession" a cor-
respondent of the Dail, • icc gives the following interesting
sketch of what he otisei'vt the occasion of the Czar's visit
to the City
. . No one of us could tell who these officers were
as they came along, and the general ignorance seemed
to distress a few young gentlemen who were anxiously
disposed to impart all needful information to the
central occupant of our window. The big man on
horseback was unmistakably General Somebody. He
in blue and white was probably Colonel Henderson.
That carriage with the servants in red almost cer-
tainly belonged to the French Ambassador. These
and other random suggestions were addressed to a
very pale, and delicate, and beautiful American
iady, who was understood to have been recently
married, and who therefore appeared to assume that
all the world was eager to wait on her, except her
hmilimid. The general impression (thus we beguiled
the time of waiting) was against the husband. He
was an Englishman; he was twice her age; he
was stout and surly ; and he had a most covetous eye,
which continually wandered back to the table Mt which
luncheon had been already laid out. He paid no heed
at all to the distinguished persons who were being
driven along the yellow thoroughfare below. He re-
fused to go to the front of the balcony, although his
wife hail continually to turn to ask him questions,
which he never answered. We saw him stealthily
examine the label on a champagne bottle. Then he
sidled up to a waiter and said, Any plovers' eggs?'
The waiter answered in a stage whisper, ' Some in the
salad, sir.' Phen the stout gentleman shoved in two
chairs close to where the salad was placed on the ,
table ; and with less sulkiness on his face came back to
stare at the people who occupied the windows oppo-
site.
"The sunlight moved slowly along the narrow
thoroughfare; the flags flayed lazily in the wind; the
mu rmurs of the crowd be w grew greater; and now
and again a vast shower of its of paper fluttered down-
ward from a house-top like the falling of snow. The
crowd was less dense than is usual on such occasions ;
and there were consequently fewer of the roughly
humorous incidents which relieve the monotony 4
waiting. Then nobody wanted coffee. Ices were
banded out only to be handed lack; was there not
I east wind enough? A stout „ovntleman tumbled from
an empty wine-case ; but he did not hurt him-
self so that we did not wish the accident had
occurred to the husband of the American lady. It
was getting near to one o'clock. The bells of the
adjoining church had made such a hideous noise for so
long a time that some persons hoped the bellringers
would have a tit and be incapable of disturbing the
peace of the neighbourhood for six months to come.
" My dear,' said that husband, elbowing his substantial
person to the front of the balcony, ' I told you it was
perfectly absurd your insisting on our having no break-
fast. Those people are never punctual. There is
always a star or a bit of lace wanting. Don't you
remember how we had to wait at the Guildhall for
the Shah? I am going to have a glass of sherry.'
Now the pale and patient Griselda who was
resting a small gloved hand on the crimson
cloth of the balcony, took no notice of these taunts,
but was explaining to her nearest companion bow a
Royal Procession resembled Le Sphinx. And the
point of comparison was this—that in both you had
to wait through a long and dreary performance in
order to reach a brief period of excitement ; and that
that period was so very brief, so shockingly and dis-
wrpnintinOv 15-10 f. Chat ve, hagnn Si, ix.,noicn• who.
it was all over, whether it had been worth waiting

for. While you, are meditating an answer, the bells Am
ERICAN FARMING—Mr. Sullivan's BOIT
of the nearest church break out afresh. Oak Farm, in Illintds, is a tract of land abou eight
"There was a universal scramble into places; and • miles square, and consists of about 40,000 acres. The
wholesale appropriation of coigns of vantage by persons farm roads extend a distance of 84 miles. The land
—ladies, of course—who had no right to them. At the was bought about twenty years ago at about 7s. 6d.
last moment new chairs and empty wine boxes were
dragged to the windows. Everyone pressed hard on per acre, and its present value is ill per acre. The
hands at present employed are—one head bailiff,
everyone else ; until sonic of us began to wonder eight district bosses, one doctor, five book-keepers, 25
whether those who were at the front of the balcony blacksmiths and carpenters, and 200 farm-labourers;
would have their heads chopped off, to the astonish- with 500 mules and 48 horses. The labourers are
ment and discomfort of the crowd below. The husband paid 20 dollars (e 3 125.) per month. and the handl-
of the American lady came rushing up with his craftsmen 40 dollars per month, all besides board
mouth full of a ham sandwich, and inarticulately and lodging. The living is good and abundant, but no
and in vain begged to be allowed to get throuth beer or spirite are admitted on the estate. The annual
the semicircle of people to the side of his wi e.
For of course no one is going to budge now—now produce is said to be a* follows :- -00 Indian corn, 1,0,000
when the word has gone round that the Proces- bushels; wheat and oats, 60,000 bushels; hay (from
sown gram), 3,000 tons, and (from mown prairie grass)
Edon is close by, when the air is full of a dull and duo- 1,000 tons. The soil is too rich at present to require
tant sound that seems to tell of cheering, and when i manure or steam cultivation, but all the lifting, &e., is
the clatter of the hoofs of the cavalry can be heard, done by machinery. Only a few cattle are kept at
No one can speak now; but eyes are anxiously busy—
their owners wishing that there was but one brief present, the main work being the raising of cereals.
moment of interval to ask questions—as the brilliant I.le men are mostly Germans, and are doing well.
Tea and coffee are the drink]; through the country,
horsemen conic along. They are Life Guards, are beer, wines, and spirits being difficult to purchase at
they not? 'Shouldn't like to wear a cuirass in a the bars or the railway stations.
modern battle,' says one. ' Bather have a chain
shirt,' says another. 'Rather have neither,' eays a AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY.—Under this title
third, a waggish young man ; 'able to run away faster the Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operative
without.' tiome of the ladies looked fierce, and sp. ; Association has reissued, in a nest and compact form,
parently wish that idiotic young gentlemen were born ' a collection of papery on practical farming and agrieul-
without tongues. Weal chemistry, originally published for the use of its
"There is a murmur of disappointment, and even members in the journal of the association. The pre
indignation. Is it possible that they have come in mt volume comprises treatises on subjects relating
closed carriages? On such a day? Why, the Duchess to the composition, administration, a_ nd iwae Seal
Maria bravely faced the snow but a few weeks arm-- value,of various feeding stuffs employed on the farm,
e
and now? Then we perceive that the next carriage with statements of their comparative efficacy in the
coming through the Bar is open, and the winter of our rearing. (.4 stock; and also.
.several on the chemical
discontent is made glorious summer, moderated only composition and use .if artificial manures, with the
by a fear that the pace of these carriages will prevent effects produced b the on the crops aud wile to
anybody seeker anything. 'Field-Nlarehal Alpha- whirls they are applied. m Altogether there are nine
koff,' says one 4 our young men to the ladies around,
papers,
_three of. them being accompanied by large
as the first carriage comes rapidly along, 'Suppressed sheets of m loured inagrams, which are clearly designed
the last Polish insurrection." The young Ame- and well executed, and will be found of considerable
rican lady says 'Oh, indeed,' in a gentle way. nee to the farmer for ready reference, independently
'General Illetakoff-- yes, that is he in the next earwhich
of the text they illustrate.
Sage. He took Metz.' But the carriag,ea are coming OYEEBTheicEp.—( !abby (to inquiring Fare,
too rapidly, 'These are :CI I: a -ien generals,' says , whose Friend is making a call). "Oh, business is werry
the young man at random. "They are all on the staff ' bash, Sir. 'Fact is there's too many cabs a'ready ; and
of the Emperor- —the big man in the cloak, that is ! they keeps on a licensing of us as if we was so many
Gammakoff ; he was atßorodino-1066—verycelebrated 1 Gimpalaces !--Punch.
peruse—great friend of the Duke of Welling,ton.' i POPULATION OF THE UNITED li INI4DOM. —The
i Insolent young puppy,' said the American lady's hus- Registrar General estimates the population of the
band, in an undertone, looking as if he would have
United Kingdom in the middle of this year, 1874, at
liked to have strangled somebody, only that he was
32,412,010, being 600,000 more than double the point.
most insecurely perched on a writing table and some
lation enumerated at the first Census in 1801. The
distance off, population of Ireland in 1874- viz., 5,300,485—is only
"And here are the Royal carriages at last, as anyone
can tell by the cheering of the crowd, the raising of A 4,000 more than in 1801. The population of Scotland
in 1874—viz., 3,t2,916--is 212,000 more than double
hats, and the waving of some white handkerchiefs the population in 1801. The population of England
from the windows. 'Why, they are all mixed up, and W ales in 1874—viz., 23,618,600—is above rii
says the American lady, in a vexed way, because millions more than double the population in 1801.
she can't make out who it is that is sitting Iwside the
Sir —I should be much obliged to you, as you were
so good as to insert my circular to the Cheveley labour- Princess of Wales; while some one near her, looking IGNORANCE Is NOT BLISS.— OUT last Nine
at the same carriage, says, ' There goes the 11108 t Day's Wonder, the Czar, in his spare moments (if he
me, if you would find space for the enclosed portion of
a letter which I have written to a labourer's wife, as I popular wwomanin England.' Indeed, the occupants has any) will probably make noise iequiry irdo our
think it is some answer to a letter signed " A Peer, _
e of our window seem at once anxious and puzzled Institutions. What will he think of the progress and
fig The Times of to-day.- -I remain, Sir, your obedient
-they
...•ant to know who is who, but the carriages civilisation of England, when he finds that in the
ND are 'nosing so rapidly that they can but make dashes British Army there are 12,000 soldiers who can neither
servant, RUTLA'
Bute-house, Cantpden-hill. Kensington, May lb. ' here and there as they recognise a familiar face. And read nor write ! Certainly these do not compose the
here, at length is the Duehess—her comely face show- "In elligence Department" of the Army.—Puerk.
"Madam,—l have received and read your letter, which I
think, states the ease tolerably fairly. You are quite right e
ins' just a trifle of timidity and even anxiety—and I THE CREATION OF CATS.— Authorities differ as
in saying that it was in the interest of the labourer I wrote, everyhody then takes it for granted that the gentle- to the date, cause, and manner of the creation of the
but think you are somewhat mistaken in your views. It man beside her is the hero of the hour. Is it 80? For species callus. The Greek mythe.ogiete assert that
may be true that the labourers on the Cheve!ey estate bad ~f course the ladies expected that the Emperor of all Apollo having made a lion to frighten his hunting
not struck when the farmers locked out the union men ; hut the Russian would be a conspicuous figure in such a sister Liana, the latter, by way of satirising his
they had employed them through the winter, often when proceseion— that he would be in a gorgeous uniform, and monster, made a grimalkin. But the Greeks Iwing
their services were not wanted, and it was not until they
found out that the policy of the uwon was to cause the that they would at once recognise the good-looking . . nff )olicthefite and addicted to fables, I place small faith
labourers to strike in detail that they felt obliged, in self- face and handsome presence they had admired in in t eir declarations, especially on so grave a subject. I
defence, to lock out the Union men. When a man beings pictures. Now their eyes are directed to a grizzled, prefer to listen to the Arabs, who, as a sister people of
to o union he sells his freedom, and see longer a free agent : elderly gentleman wrapped up in a big cloak, and they the Jews, ought to have traditions .4 the creation which
he is obliged, whether he likes it or 1114, to do what people seen, just a little disappointed. Of course, that gentle- one can " tie to," and who, as the authors of the Thousand
living in London or Leamington desire him. The farmer in man must be the Emperor. He responds to the cheerin
no dependence, no g and One Nights, have earned a title to our confidence.
such men can have no security,
;of the crowd by a seneste short military salutes; He is The fact then appears to be that after Noah had
coned, nee. ' ribably not as brilliantly attired as his waxen image
"You say- the farmer Is acting tyrannically. I think you i ~,,. entered into the ask hie family reieexented to him
; t deny to a man the right ,aadame Tussamrs Exhibition ; but all the same he
are mistaken in this. He does iv, that the mice would devour their provisions ; where-
to belong to a Union, but he says this :—' If you do it will !is the Emperer whom we have all conic to see : and a upon the patriarch addressed a prayer on the subject
not snit icy purpose to employ you, but it will suit me better i very hearty stare is accorded him when the people have
who he is. But by o employ a man who is not under an obligation to do what made up their minds as to to th istethe full-grown to Allah, who in response caused the lion to sneeze
ta
you say enema. to .i carriages have gone by; there is a rustling of dresses ' grown cat from is nostrils
h ;
;the result being that
the mice were not only kept in order during the Deluge,
those—
,alty% di sstia,iticsendtchsei rrei
ghhetn,
;UstNeVnhlayt that we insy belong ! after that very brief period of interest and excitement •
below to the soldie b •
to a Flame hut of not allowing you, the farmer, to belong toh i shouting f orders
: there e a of rs , and but were impressed with that timidity which has niade
one, and we Insist on your continuing to employ its Union them link in holes ever since. Such is the narrative
the crowd begins to fill the central thoroughfares. We of Demirel, an Arab naturalist, who in the eighth
men whether you like it or not; I ask you to say on which
side is the tyranny. . . . 1 am eonvinced there was . turn from the glare of the outside world to the duller century of the Hegira, wrote a history fi'f animals under
nothieg in my lett r which was not meant in kindness to the 1 and yet sufficiently comfortable prospect within. One
gentleman—not waiting for his wife—has al- the title of Hasid el Haiawana. I will simply remark
labourers, and I hope that you may see that the farmers ! stout concerning Joie statement, that I have never seen it
and' lam convinced, ! ready taken his seat, and is so earnestly busy with the contradicts have their true interests at heart, ted.— The Atlantic Monthly.
would not object to raise your wages to what may be eon-
; notice
before him that he would prohably not
sidered a proper standard—Yours faithfully. L
ic
'TLAND." 1 her absence if she remained in the balcony A HINT TO ARTISTS. —Artists ought to take
1 until the Whitsuntide holidays come round." a hint from the recent sale of Landseer's sketches
(remarks the Globe). The world will md soon forget
the fabulous prices paid for thaw works. It vise
clearly proved that anything by a distinguished man,
' however slight or imperfect the achievement may be,
; will be eagerly bought by his admirers. We find the
' same teudeney in literature. The smallest scrap by
' men like Swift, Fielding, or Thackeray is included
lamong their "collected works," as if because Gil/taxes
I Troughs, Tom Janes and Vanity Fair are master-
pieces, everthing proteeding from the authors must be
' of equal merit. We share the popular appreciationof the
Igreat achievementsof Landseer. He will unquestionably
rank high among English artists of the school he repre-
sented. But it would be childish ito pretend that the
sketches sold the other dsy were allworthy of his genius.
Some of them, indeed, might have been destroyed
likely to injure rather than in-
---- eelll now under-

lvantage
,

crease his fame. Artists-, however, win n 0...
stand how to make ample provision for their families.
Hitherto they have been obliged, like other people, to
insure their lives or 'lave Money. This is no longer
necessary. All they have to do is to spend spare half-
hours in making %LT:ashes on paper si ith some—very
slight—semblance of meaning awl coherence. They
nr,V have is profound contsinpt for th.• of their
effort ; but if their names are suniciently distinguished
they may he sure that aftsr tin ir sh.sdh Ilive be a
rush on the part of the public for the eiii,. The
artistic brotherhood are not s much absorbed in lofty
f Cie telfilment of their "missi,n" as not
to take advantage of this opportunity.

100
a
The
ni lofty
..,n " at not