The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-01-11 00:00:00

To_ her Most Gracious 'Majesty the Queen.

..- •
May it please your Majesty—We, the undersigned Irish
subjects of your Majesty residing in London and its vicinity,
desire respectfully to convey to your Majesty the expression
of our indignation and sorrow at the recent outrage at
Clerkenwell, perpetrated by certain evil.disposed and mis-
guided persons; and we beg at the same time to assure your
Majesty of our unaltered devotion to your person and
throne, and our determination to support your Majesty's
Government against all treasonable attempts to disturb the
pcaoe of the realm.

SALMON SPEARERS.—As winter comes on, the
"Rebecca" marauders are again at their pranks,
(writes a correspondent of a contemporary). A few
nights ago, between twelve and one, the attention of
the watertailiffs at Rhayader (the place so noted for
these gangs of fish poachers) was called to flickering
lights on the Wye. Superintendent Owens, and
Marston, a bailiff, went towards the lights and saw a
gang of upwards of twenty men; they were all disguised
in a variety of ways, and were destroying the salmon at
Rydgwater Ford, and close to the town. The two
men knew that their lives would not he safe in the
hands of such a gang, and concealed themselves in
some brambles. After a time they separated, and
as Marston was walking along the road to Rhayader
he met three men one carrying a spear; they instantly
net upon him, and he was stabbed in the thigh with
a spear; he got away from them, but they again
caught him, and assaulted and kicked him in a brutal
saanner.

THE TALKER'S OPPORTUNITT.—IL will have
been observed by most persons who are in the habit of
dining gregariously, that there is always a certain
dish handed round of which no one can be induced to
partake (says the Cornhil 1 Maaazine for January). It
is ordinarily the third entn`e, and very oftec c,•mists
of stewed pigeons. Whatever it consists of, however,
its fate is always the same. It is refused by the
honourable lady on the right of the host, and then
everybody says, No, thank you," or shakes his head
as the unappreciated dainty is offered to each. It is
a very curious phenomenon in connection with dinner
parties this rejection, by common consent on the part
of guests, of some one particular dish—cnrious in
many ways, and in none more than in its being done

in the midst of a profound silence. The circulation
of the stewed pigeons, or whatever else it may be, is
invariably the si,,mal for a pause : and it is of that
pause that the discreet talker will take advantage, as
giving him a fine opportunity for -the launching of his
' conversational bark. There is no time like it.
EIGHTEEN MEN BURIED ALlVE—Eighteen
men engaged in cutting wood in the forest of lbdhwald,
in Austria, had collected to breakfast in a hut, when
suddenly they were overhelmed by an avalanche of
snow and were swept away, hut and all. Three days
elapsed before they were missed, and when search was
made for them eleven were extricated from the snow,
sm. en of whom were dead and the other four so ex-
hausted by cold and hunger that they are not expected
to live. The other seven have net yet been found.

DANCING FOR TUE MARTYRS.—The following
advertisement appears in a New York paper of the
21st nlt.:

The first annual ball of the O'Donovan Roses Circle F. B,
will be held at the Shakespeare hotel, corner of William
and New Chamber streets, on Thursday evening, Dec. 20, the
proceeds to he for the purpose of equipping the military
portion of the Circle. Those who wish for a speedy release
of our Brothers who are now suffering in British dungeons,
awl the regeneration of Old Ireland, are invited to attend.
Tickets, one dollar. Denim O'Dmmvan, Centre. Wm. Egan,
Secretary pro tem.

AN ADVENTUROUS CAREER.—A correspondent
of the Iriehnuin in Paris gives some particulars of the
life of "Colonel' Richard Burke, for whose release
the Clerkenwell crime was committed. He was called
commonly among his associates "Ready Rick Burke,"
and has pretensions to literary culture. He has a
temperament for wild adventure, and has seen
"desperate service on land and sea from Canada to
the Gulf of Mexico." "He waved his sword in many
a fierce charge of ('hilian cavalry long before the
American civil war was heard of." It was he who
"took plans of the fortifications of Richmond, dis-
guised as a wandering stationer, by cutting out the
lines, angles, and bearings of the works on the ordinary
note paper he was selling, with a common scissors."—
The same writer says that Casey, a brother to the com-
panion in imprisonment of Burke, has just passed
through Paris with recruits for the Papal army, in
which, however, there is to be no distinct Irish corps.
The Irish recruits are to wear the grey uniform of the
Franco-Belgian Zouaves.
MR. DICKENS' READINGS IN NEW YORK.—
The New York Tribune of the 21st ultimo says:—

With the morning reading to be given this day, Mr.
Dickens takes leave of New Ywk for the present, to return,
we hope, before long and renew the triumph of the last, two
weeks. The completeness of that triumph is not to be ques-
tioned, and it has been gained by the pure force of genius,
without resort to artifice or clap-trap. Mr. Dickenr came
among us quietly and unostentatiously ; he has kept
himself since his arrival in a marked seclusion and has
applied himself to his business of reading with as
much devotion as if he were just starting out in life,
with his own fortune and that of a large funnily of orphan.
brothers and sisters dependent on his exertions. We
think that in all this Mr. Dickens has showed good taste
and tact, and be has succeeded in concentrating public
attention upon his reading rather than upon himself, which
is, no douht, exactly what he wished to do. As for what we
cannot help thinking the youthful indiscretion of his Ame-
rican Notes," we dare say he has been himself a little sur-
prised to find how entirely it is forgotten and forgiven, and
how unchanged is our old admiration for the genius and
humanity displayed on every page of his writings. We trust
that his visit may prove profitable and pleasant to the end,
and that no engagement at home nmy seem so pressing as to
prevent his remaining with us till every one of our large
cities arid towns has had the opportunity of listening to his
readings.

SUICIDE TFIROUGH Love !—Mr. James Chaitie,
a respectable gentleman, 23 years of age, committed
suicide in Dalkey on Saturday evening, at the resi-
dence of Surgeon Lyons, of whose relative, a Miss
Norris, he was a disappointed suitor. He walked
into the room where the young lady and her mother
were sitting, and in a few minutes was seen to apply
a phial to his lips and mutter something about an
easy death. Mrs. Norris dashed the phial from his
hands, but he had drained its contents before she could
prevent him. He died shortly afterwards. A second
phial was found in his pocket, together with a pocket-
book, on a leaf of which the following was written :
Mother, I go to-night. I hope you will conform with the
wishes which I have laid down in my letter. Do not think I
am mad. I am broken-hearted. Mrs. Lawlor (with whom
the deceased lodged in Dublin) will, I suppose, when she
hears of my death, send you my letter, and, ass dying re
quest, I hope you will do as I ask you.
DECLINING TO BE SPECIAL CONSTABLES.—A
few days ago the working men in the employment of
Messrs. Holland and Son, builders, of the Ranelagh
Works, Pimlico, London, were invited to enrol them-
selves as special constables. They are some hundreds
strong, and would have been a formidable addition to
the body. They held a meeting at the Works, at
which the proposition was fully discussed, and, after
mature deliberation, they passed a resolution which
set forth in effect that, while they yielded to no one in
their loyalty to the throne' their love of the laws and
Constitution, and their hatred of the outrage in
Clerkenwell, they yet believed that the extent of the
Fenian conspiracy VIM exaggerated, and they declined
to be sworn in as special constables un4er the present
Government, lest they should be called upon to sup-
press perfectly loyal public meetings. After passing
this resolution they determined to form a guard over
the property of the firm employing them, and they
have since kept daily and nightly watch.

[Messrs Holland and Sons write to explain the real facts
of the alleged refusal of their workmen to be sworn as special
constables, about which there seems to be so much mis-
apprehension. It seems that the refusal was made only by
the men employed at Gillingham-street, who at a shop
meeting passed the following resolution :—" Resolved,—
That we, the employes of Messrs. Holland and Sons, while
regretting and emphatically condemning the atrocious out.
rages that have been committed by the so-called Fealties, do
not perceive the necessity of adding to the alarms of timid
persons, and at the same time giving dignity to the so-called
Fenian conspiracy, by enrolling ourselves as special con-
stables, unless it be for the special purpose of protecting our
employers property. Al the same time we desire to express
our sincere loyalty and devotion to the Queen and Constitu.
lion of the country" Messrs. Holland say they have reason
to believe that the men who agreed to this resolution will
reconsider the matter, end eventually consent to be sworn. J

A Rico PAUPEII.—A woman named Mary
Hunt, living in the parish of Brislington, Keynsham,
has for nearly thirty years been in receipt of relief
from the guardians of the Keynsbam Union. On
Friday last circumstances led to the discovery of the
fact that the old lady, who is ninety-four years of age,
was possessed of three very heavy pickle jars, which
she carefully kept under her bed. These jars on ex-
amination were found to be full of silver coin to the
amount of upwards of £lOO. Female wearing apparel of
all descriptions, some good and some new, forty pairs
of stockings, several feather beds, eleven blankets, and
a quantity of new flannel. were also found in the
cottage. The old woman declared that all the valuables
were the property of her niece, who lives in BristoL

DR. LIVINGSTONE.—The Bombay Gazette of
December 14, says:—

"Hopeful new; has reached us regarding the fate of
Dr. Livingstone. A letter from Zanzibar, dated the let of
October, says that an Arab ivory trader spoke of having seen
the great explorer, attended by thirteen followers, to the
west of Labs Tanjamgika. On being shown an album of
photographs, he painted out that of Dr. Livingstone, saying,
That is the man ."

This story about Dr. Livingstone, transmitted from
Trieste, appears to have been another instance of the
telegraphing as "new intelligence" some weeks old.
The telegram contained substantially the same state-
ments respecting Dr. Livingstone which were made
public in this country towards the end of last
November.
SHOCKING ACCIDENT.—A melancholy accident
occurred at the Nuneaton Station of the Trent Valley
Railway, on Saturday evening, under the following

An elderly man named James Lord, proceeding on a visit
to his son-in-law, took a ticket for Leiceater. Ile had with
him his grandchild, a little girl three years of age. Being
rather behind time he attempted, with the child in his arms,
to cross the line at an exceedingly dangerous point, but no
sooner had he got upon the metals than both he and the
little girl were struck violently by the buffer of an engine
Which was coming up at the time, and which in the hurry of
the moment he had failed to observe approaching. The
child was literally cut to pieces ; and the poor fellow, Lord,
falling underneath the engine, had his right foot cut off at
the ankle-joint almoat instantaneously. Ile was at once
picked imp and conveyed to his home, where he was promptly
attended by a surgeon, and there are hopes of his recovery.
'the body of the child was frightfully mutilated. She was
the daughter of Mr. Merry, of Leicester, and only a few
days previously she was brought by her parents to spend the
Christmas holidays with her grandfather.

AN UNENVIABLE POSITION !—A curious case
has just been decided in Paris. Madame Cr4mieux
(the daughter-imlaw of M. Criimieux, a barrister),
having been legally separated from her husband, and
finding herself in a comparatively inferior position of
fortune, wished, by means of her talents, to gain for
herself an honourable livelihood. She, therefore,
entered into negotiations with the manager of the
Opera Comique, under the name of Madame Monbelli ;
but it appeared that her husband's assent was necessary
before an engagement could be signed. M. Cr6mieux
refused his consent, so his wife went to law, and the
Tribunal of the Seine, considering that she was without
personal fortune, and that her husband allowed her
nothing, authorised her to accept the engagement.
However, M. Cremieux brought the case before the
" Cour d'Appel," which, at last, decided in his favour.
The Court declared that the husband had the right to
oppose his wife's appearing on the stage, as she was
receiving a pension from her father, and as her talent
as a singer could otherwise easily procure her the
means of living in a quiet, retired manner, compatible
with her critical position.

A GRAND SIGHT !—Galignani, describing the
night fete at the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, says :

The whole beauty and fashion of Paris met at this curious
entertainment. Upwards of 2,000 carriages were drawn up
on the borders of the lake, and at least 4.000 persons had
been conveyed in them. An orchestra, placed in the island,
played during the fete. The ladies who skated had lanterns
suspended to their waists, and the gentlemen bore lights on
their hats. Nothing could be more curious than the con-
tinued movement and crossings of so many variegated lights.
Nothing was wanting to this tete, not even a lady iu a mask,
and whoever she was, she distinguished herself by the skill
and dexterity of her skating Count de Saint Priest, who
organised the fête, deserves lost credit for the excellence of
the arrangements. Towards midnight a display of fireworks
closed the entertainment, the fairy-like illuminations were
extinguished, and the fashionable crowd withdrew, not
without regret.

LORD CLARENDON ON TIIE PROSPECTS OF WAR.
—We find the following in a Paris letter :--Accord-
ing to the Florence correspondent of one of the Paris
newspapers, who is ordinarily well informed, the fol-
lowing was the language employed by Lord Claren-
don in his recent interviews in that city with Italian