The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-08-29 00:00:00

Miscellaneous fltelligenet.

HOME- FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL

DREADFUL DOUBLE MURDER IN RUSSIA.—
The Vote of St. Petersburg gives an account of a
terrible double murder committed in St. Petersburg by
a sergent de title named Philip Astakhov. The victims
were Dr. Froet, a practitioner well known and much
respected, and his cook, with whom Astakhov was in
love, and it seems became jealous of the doctor, who
was a widower, of forty-eight years of age. After
..4aving committed the double crime, Astakhov re-
mained in the doctor's room, where he kept his knife
pointed at his own breast, and threatened to kill him-
self if an attempt were made by the police to capture
him. They tried to drench him with water, and to
throw snuff into his eyes, but he held his position for
five hours. At length he capitulated to General
Trepoy in person, and was with some difficulty dis-
armed and lodged in prison.

HERRING FISHING.-With tha object of aiding
he inquiries which for the past two years have been
instituted by the Meteorological Society of Scotland
regarding the natural history of the herring, the
President of the Society, the Marquis of Tweeddale,
has ',resented twenty sea thermometers to the Society,
and these are being distributed among the fishermen
along the coast, to enable them to record, in books
provided by the Society, the temperature of the
water where the nets are set in the evening, and again
when hauled in the morning; also the places where
the observations are taken. By this means it is hoped
that some light will be thrown upon the history of the
herring, and the best modes of catching them. One of
the thermometers is stationed at Berwick, another at
North Sunderland, another at Eyemouth, and another
at Dunbar, and they are being nightly used by
fishermen.

A St'SPICIOUS OLD GRANNY.-` My dear
Child, this Telegram is sot from George! I've known
George's Handwriting ever since he was a Boy, and
this is quite different !"—Punch.
THE MURDERING LIANA.—The fig springs up
close to the tree on which it intends to fix itself, and
the wood of ite stem grows by spreading itself like a
plastic mould over the stem of its supporter. It then
puts forth, from each side, an arm-like branch, which
grows rapidly, and looks as though a stream of sap
were flowing and hardening as it went. This adheres
closely ti the trunk of its victim, and the two arms
meet on the opposite side and blend together. These
arms are put forth at somewhat regular intervals in
mounting upwards, and the victim, when its strangler
is full grown, becomes tightly clapsed by a number of
inflexible rings. These rings gradually grow larger as
the murderer flourishes, rearing its crown of foliage to
the sky, mingling with that of its neighbour, and in
course of time they kill it by stopping its flow of sap.
The strange spectacle then remains of the selfish para-
site clasping in its arms the lifeless and decaying body
of its victim, which had been the helpof its own growth.
Its ends have been served, and it has flowered and
fruited, reproduced and deciminated its kind.

EMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES—The
Philadelphia Ledger states that" in the first six months
of last year the total number of arrivals of immigrants
at New York was 148,482 ; but this year for the first
six months the number of arrivals has declined to 78,323.
This decrease is so marked that it leads to the expres-
sion of a belief in New York that, while heretofore the
annual number of arriving immigrants at that port has
reached 210,000, this year it will not greatly exceed
100,000. The chief falling off is said to be in the num-
ber of German arrivals, a fact which is to some extent
accounted for by the circumstance that the German
steamers did not this year reduce their steerage passage
fares, as the English vessels did. The great decline in
this lucrative trade will sufficiently explain the extreme
rivalry of the English lines in cutting down steerage
faro to the low rates that have prevailed from British
ports this spring and summer. Although the number of
the arriving immigrants have this year so greatly de-
creased, yet as a class those who have come are said to
be composed of much better material than usuaL They
are healthier, snore robust, and bring with them a
greater proportion of valuable property. The most of
them are evidently of the industrious and thrifty class
who seek homes in the New World from deliberate
choice, and who will make useful and respectable chi-
' acne."

INEVITABLE OBSERVATION.—It call hardly
have escaped facetious remark that Iceland proved it-
self of another name when it gave the King of
Denmark a reception as warm as a gush of its own
Geysers—Punch.

A SEVERELY-WOUNDED GENERAL !—An amus-
ing anecdote is told of a well-known French general,
who played a conspicuous part in a cavalry charge.
This gallant warrior had been severely wounded on
that occasion, having received a sabre-cut on the head
and a bullet in his left thigh. Such an allowance might
have satisfied a man of quiet tastes, but was far from
sufficient for the fire-eating general. In relating the
charge, which he did at every dinner party, he was in
the habit of throwing in half-a-dozen bayonet thrusts,
and a couple of stray splinters from a shell, and be in-
variably appealed for corroboration of his narrative to
an aide-de-camp who had ridden by his side. On one oc-
casion, having imbibed more than his usual allowance
of '47 Chateau Yquem, he drew a more than usually
startling picture of his riddled and perforated condi-
tion. A cannon-ball had killed his horse, a dozen
sabres had descended at once on his head, a couple of
lances had passed through each of his arms, and all the
bullets and bayonets of Germany seemed to have given
each other a rendevous in his body ! "You remember
it well, don't you ?" he added, turning to his aide-de-
camp. The well-trained subaltern had suffered long
in silence. The bayonets, bullets, lances, itc., he had
got used to by long practice, but the cannon ball was
the last straw that broke the camel's back. " No,
general, I don't remember it; how could you except
me to? You know as -well as I do. that the very
cannon-ball that killed your horse struck the breast-
plate of a cuirassier behind us, and then bounded back
and took my head off !"
THE DOG-HEADED MONKEY.—A full-grown
specimen of the dog-headed monkey from Abyssinia
has been presented to the Museum of the University
of Geneva (says the Continental Herald). The follow-
ing description is from the pen of one of the Acade-
micians :—This Abyssinian monkey is characterised by
the long hair upon its cheeks and the greater parts of
its body. It was held in veneration by the ancient
Egyptians, and enjoyed a certain celebrity from the
rank that it occupied in their cosmogony. Its figure
is engraved upon the monuments of ancient Egypt.
, and there have been found mummies of the ani-
mal well preserved. According to Ehrenberg, this
monkey served as the emblem for the god Thoth,
the Egyptian Hermes, or Mercury, the mythical
inventor of the arts and sciences, music and as-
tronomy, and especially of speech and hieroglyphs, or
letters, over which he was supposed to preside. It is
for this that the Abyssimans now call it Tots.
Horapollon reports that this monkey was consulted in
the temples; a tablet, reed, and ink, presented by a
priest, were used as tests to ascertain if the particular
animal belonged to the race that knew how to write.
This representative of Troth also symbolized the
judgment of souls; and upon one of the temples of
Philie there is one represented with a balance in hand
weighing the actions of men. In other places it is
represented writing with a reed. Ehrenberg also sup-
poses that it is the locks of this monkey that have
served BA the model for the perruques figured upon
the heads of different divinities In the Egyptian
mythology.
A TRUSTY KEEPER. The Court arc/Liar
relates the following English sportsman engaged
a strong, powerful, red-headed Highlander to act as
gamekeeper on his English estate. The Highlander
having been a considerable time at his post before
there was any prosecution of poachers, his waster
began to suspect that, after all, the North-country-
man was not such a good hand at catching poachers as
he had been led to believe. Determined to find out
whether he was vigilant or not, the gentleman one
dark night disguised himself, took a fowling-piece,
and went out to poach on his own ground. He had
not fired above a shot or two when he was suddenly
pounced upon from behind, the gun wrenched from
his hand, his precious person subjected to a perfect
hurricane of kicks and cuffs, hard blows, and harder
Gaelic epithets, whereby he nom knocked down and
rendered half insensible. Chi being able to explain who
he was, the gamekeeper evinced great sorrow, asked a
thousand pardons, and explained to his honour—" Ye
see I likes aye to send them hame wi' a sakefu' o' Bair
banes, an' then they dinna come pack in a hurry,
because ye see they canna, for some o' them, yer honour
are maistly ready for to coffin be the time they
get harne an' vile they dinna gie U 9 onie mair bather
ava." The English sportsman went home, took to his
bed, hovered between life and death for a fortnight. re-
covered at last, and raised his gamekeeper's wages fifty
per mt.

THE TOAST OF THE THYME.—" The Moor the REMEDIES FOR STINGS.—AMOng the various
merrier '"—Peach. cures recommended for bee stings are liquid potills
olive oil vitriol, laudanum vinegar, honey, salas
A RAI:E Bwou.—The glyoxrhioa Glalva, or
liquorice plant, which was never known to Horan in
Scotland until about ten years ago, when it I loomed aonnilion,wate:
tobaccor, salt
juice,
awiale,rte, sooff taaseyapor and
fls,a
thelt, raz
same tune in the Botanie-Gardeno. Edinb has for
in the garden belonging to Dr. Paterson, and at the
doe the blood, their antidotes will be anything that
a second timejowered in both these ens. The Pfremedthe eij,r'ail.eHoitulaneyysugckrelee." Ist' a(wninoifalthple,irsirs bedeorrixyea-
'-iisieein much c n. The poisen of la bee being acid,
flows is of a lift coil* somew hat retie g a !Meet- (anacali must employed tp nentaffise it. If, there
peal.' 4' fore we were ecting for, trial any of the abovo
JUVENILE CONJURING AND ITS .ILESULTS.— calla,' remedies, we should choose either soft soap or
:An javestigation was held at the London Hospital, on ammonia. But if the individual stung is not very
Satiitday, toggling the death of John' Pophm, aged nervous, cola water applied to the wound willbe quite
six years. It apnea, ed that for some titne pasta bat'- sufficient, and it should nit be rffiffied. One great
ttice bas estevailed amongst children in Bethnal essential isl if heated, to get cooled as soon as possible, !
.of obtaining glass beads and placing them in their ears, and to avoid becoming heated again for at least two
' the Object being to so manipulate the bead that it days. Nothing is so apt to make the poison active as
shall appear to pass into the mouth. The roma of heat, and nothing favours its activity lees than csOd-
thia nosteur conjuring Ins benwthe treatise* are-the Let the NOV he *cog cool fool at rest, and the activity
.al.vajoiskital of make than ita glees in whit:hen of the Nihon be rodukaed to a minimum. An?,
ear w* injured, andthecleatli-of tho unfortunate active exertion, whereby the circulation i, quickened
ject mtie inquiry. The decomed, attempted the,.
will increase b
trick 'described, when the bead becan.e so fixed in the' EMPTY Bans.—Right Honourable D. "Bad
left Car that he was unable to extract it. On the oth pain and swelling.—The Garden.
lowing day he was removed to the hospital, where
efforts to remove the bead ultimately proved success- " „
Tort. , indeed!" —(ARudighe.; TlALnoousrat basle
bP.d. Lcheberiefte.
ful, but death ensued on Wednesuay last. A poet- the Twelfth !
rnortem examination was made, and the cause of death AUTUMN SOWN WINTER GREENS. Usually
found to be inflammation of the brain. The jury, in winter greens are sown in spring, and usually the
returning a verdict of "Accidental death," expressed system answers. But it is far better to sow in auttunn.
a hope that the facts-of the case might go forth to the Now is the best time to now Brussels sprouts, Scotch
public, for the purpose of parents being made aware and cottager's kale, sprouting broccoli, and several
of a practice attended with as much danger. hinds of cabbage that will be required in the autumn
Kunt's COLLEGE.—The Governors of King's andwitntaer id next year. They
thin as
be sowli iii rows
at least
College, in London, are now engaged in enlarging the d yard
in thesonible in the
earliest grow-
accommodation of the present building. A new wing "a, a"
that P r the
one story high, in a similar style of architecture with tag weather neon. s.on turn of the year. A.
comparatively poor soil is best for the seed rows, and
Somerset-house, and fronting the Thames Embafikment,
'a
is being rapidly pushed forward. This is built of Port-
ttor the seed is not nec ery to di
bed. Thiegis a dee;v'leryy the ground intended
simple business, and
land stone, and lighted by seven noble windows, sur- remarkably well, Yet very few practise it, for
mounted in the centre by a carved stone escutcheon,
hays
somehow or other the sowing seeds seems a tiresome
bearing the arms of the College and the motto " &mete
et Samenter." In the rear the diasecting room and
lemforthetas(.le'mthe autumn, whereas in the spring one's fingers
tingle r ;ardetter Maga:inc.
laboratory are being considerably enlarged, and new
consulting rooms and oflices erected. The students' DEATH OF MR. SIDNEY DOBELL.—The decease
rooms are undergoing material alteration and improve- is announced of Mr. Sydney Dobell, the author of
silent, and a new and commodious drawing school is in " Balder " and other poems, most of which were pub.
course of construction. It is expected that the whole liehed under the pseudonym of "Sydney Yendys. '
will be completed in time for the winter session. He came of a Sussex family, but was born near Lon-
"POPULOUS PLACES. "—Ant-hills—Punch, don early in the year 1824. In early life he was a
clerk in the office of his father, a wine merchant at
THE DANES.— Very little is known by En-
C the following
glislnnen of life in Denmark' but it is a life quite yehearl teanhdraln az
a,
tieid published
poem,
ntitled
worth understanding (remarks the Court Joanna). attracted considerable notice by its own merits and by
There is no nation in the world where culture goes for its earnest sympathy with the struggles of Italian
1850
rhe e
Roman,"
so much. The different grades in society are marked patriots. In 1854 he gave to the world "Balder," and
not by the amount of wealth, but by the different de- In the following year joined with his friend, the late
gree of refinement and education. A family who eat Alexander Smith of Edinburgh, in the production of
their meals from silver plates, and are served by men "Sonnets on the War." These he followed up by a
in livery to the rarest viands, will be on the most inti- collection of Lyrics, entitled "England in Time of
mate terms with the family of a poor tradesman who War," and a few other less well-known publications.
has no carpets on his floor, and only scant meals on Mr. S. Dobell's early death at the age of 50 will be
his table. But both families will alike be interested in [ much regretted by a large circle of friends.
the great march of civilization—they will know what is I
passing in different lands, be aware of the new din-
coveries in science, the fresh triumphs of literature.
A Danish girl has other interests than flirtation, other
[ ambitions than fashion. The life there is quiet, peace
ful, and intelligent; and the people are self-respecting
and courteous.
INCOME Tax.—lt appears from a Parliamen-
tary return just issued of the gross amount annually
paid on each of the schedules A, B, C, D, and E of
the property and income tax from 1869 to 1873 in-
clusive, and the gross annual value of property and
profits assessed to income tax in the year ending the
sth of April, 1873, was as follows :—Schedule A,
£155,549,074; schedule 13, £59,240,199 ; schedule C,
£40,530,102 ; schedule D, £288,851,766 (including
£45,247,345' paid on quarries, mines, railways, &c.,
transferred from schedule A, per Act 29 Vic. cap. 36);
anti schedule E, £29,537,129 ; total, £513,715,318. The
amount on which duty was paid under schedule D in
1872 was 002,905,367 ; in 1871, £189,024,547; and in
1870, £178,378,696.
A SCHOOL-BOARD PERPLEXITY. Active
Member (to Mother of numerous " Irregulars" and
" Absentees"). "Joseph is just turned Thirteen, and
therefore clear ; ' Simon, you tell us, is sickening for
the Measles, and Mary is gone into the Country to
Nurse her Aunt's Baby. What have you to say re-
specting Peter and James ?"—Mother of" Irregulars"
and "Absentees"). "Please, Sir, they be Twins.
Can't you allow 'em as One, and let 'em do half a Day
each ?"—Artire Member is puzzled. Orders Mother to
stand aside, and requests Clerk to refer to Mr. P.)rskr's
Act " for law bearing on point."—Punch.
OUTBREAK OF PLAGUE IN E GYPT.— The
Western Morning News correspondent at Alexandria,
writing on the 15th of August says :—Great consterna-
thm has arisen throughout Egypt within the last few
days in consequence of plague having broken out at
Led and other places near Jeddah, brought on, it is
said, by water used for domestic purposes being
allowed to filter through an till burial-pound.
Quarantine of twenty-one days has been imposed at
Suez upon all vessels touching at any of the Arabian
ports, including Aden and also El-Wedgi, where
vessels are being sent instead of being allowed to re-
main out their time at Suez, and whither a consider-
able quarantine force is being despatched. Orders
have been issued forbidding any ships belonging to the
Egyptian Government to call at Jeddah or any of the
neighbouring ports, and trade between them and ports
on the Egyptian side is temporarily suspended. It is
supposed that the number of pilgrims this year will in
consequence be greatly diminished, and that the
Sultan's late Grand Vizier, who has just been ap-
ppinted Governor of Mecca, will immediately resign
s appointment.

t.--In ki