The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-03-30 00:00:00

Visaltantous (ntel4cnct,

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

INTERESTING PARTICULARS !—A Paris paper
has announced the death of Lord Lonsdale, "the in-
ventor of poetage stamps." It adds the following par-
ticulars :
"Ills lordship was the Wiwr of several quarters of
London, and his fortune amounted to 7,000 000 f. a year. Ile
had a peculiar liking for dogs. In ins magnificent palace of
Richmond, where he received the greatest people in Englund,
the politicians of all Europe, and the actresses in vogue, he
generally arrived preceded by a large number of dogs and
armed with a bag filled with bones, which he would ties to
his canine friends. The sight of these animals fighting for
the bones, reckless of sumptuous furniture, much amused
Ids lordship. No enterprise was over started tooting the
honour of England to which the earl tlid not subscribe a
A LITTLE MISTAKE !—A good story is told of
TaMe, the author of the charming and entertain-
ing Notcs on England. Max Muller, it is said, went
to the dining-room of an hotel in dxford, and there
now Taine sitting with a dish of roast beef and vast
quantities elf buttered toast. The learned German
was surprised at the combination and at the large
quantities of the toast. "is that a French dish ?" he
asked. "No," mid TaMe, "but they keep on bring-
ing it to me in spite uf all I can say to the contrary."
"What did you ask for?" observed his friend. "Why,"
replied Twine, "I keep telling them to bring potlertos,
and each time they bring me a fresh dish of toast."
Mr. Taine's pronunciation of " potatoes " was as much
like.," buttered toast" that the astonished waiter --
_

couid

not be blamed.
IT WAS "ORIGINAL !"—Tho Yankee Blade
tells the following anecdote of a college chum :—H—,
a member of one of the classes. was distinguished not
less for dry wit and ely waggery than for his address
in evading the writing of themes, and in palming off
the brain-coined currency of others as his legitimate
"tender." One Monday morning he read a theme of
unusual merit; but Professor A— "smelt a rat,"
and as H— finished and sat down in the pride of
conscious innocence, askeil—" Is that original, H—?"
"Yet', sir." "Are you sure of it?" queried the pro-
fessor, doubtingly. " Why, yes, Mr." replied H—,
with the imperturbable gravity and that paste-board
countenance he always wore, "it had original over it
in the paper I took it from !"
AMERICAN BLARE EY.—ln Dr. De Vere's
English of the New World a noble spedmen is given of
highfaluting (the word iseelf is of uncertain origin),
attributed to the great Daniel Webster :—" Men of
Rochester, I am glad to see you, and I am glad to see
your city. Gentlemen, I saw your faille, which I am
told, are a hundred and fifty feet high. Gentlemen,
Rome had her Ctesar, her Scipio, her Bnstus ; hut
Rome, in her proudest day had never a waterfall a
hundred and fifty feet high ! Gentlemen, Greece had
her Demosthenes, her 'Pericles, her Socrates, but
Greece in her palmiest days had never a waterfall a
hundred and fifty feet high ! Men of Rochester, go on!
Ni people ever lost their liberties who had a waterfall
a hundred and fifty feet high."
PREACHING " PENDEN Lie LITE."—The case of
"The Queens. Edmund Edmonds," b asbeen before Mr.
Justice Willer, at Chambers, on an application by Mr.
Edmonds, solicitor, of Newent, Glocester, charged
both with the murder and manslaughter of his wife
some years ago, to remove the indictment or indict-
meets from the Glocester Assizes, shortly to be held,
to the Central Criminal Court, on the ground that
from the prejudice created he could not have a fair
trial. Among the reasons urged was a sermon by the
vicar of Newent, as also comments in the local news-
papers. Mr. Justice Willes said he had been struck by
the sermon of tile vicar, and looked for some explana-
tion. His. Lordship read souse portions from a printed
copy. and expressed a hope that the Bishop of Gloceiter
ant Bristol in his next Charge would warn his clergy
from preaching on a pending trial. His Lordship cc-
marked that if row:papers were presented from com-
menting on existing eases he thought that clergymen
should adopt a similar course. The SUYULOOIIs was ad-
journed to Thursday for affidavits in answer to the
applieation.
FATAL GUN ACCIDENT—On Saturday even-
ing a melancholy accident occurred in Glasgow, by
which a young man named Brown was instantaneously
deprived of life. The deceased, who was the son of a
butcher, carrying on business in Duke-street, was re
turning from tea to his father's shop, and on his way
went into a spirit-shop. He was there joined by two
Volunteers, who were in their way frem rifle practice.
One of them woo a youth mimed MKinnon. brown
an I 111.'Kiunon knew each other intimately, and the
latter began to show his fiiend how the breechloader
whirl, he carried was used. He had sums fire Or seven
rounds of ball cartridge in his possession, one of which
he put into the rifle. He believed that the gun was
only half-cock, and that the snap cap was or: by which
the piece is prevented from going off. The rifle, how-
ever, must have been at full cock and without the snap
cap, and the trigger having been pulled the gun went
off. Brown, who was standing near, being shot in the
head; death was instantaneous. M'Kiruion, who was
greatly shocked at the result of his imprudence, ran
tor a doctor, whose services were of no avail. The de-
ceased was about 20 years of age, and litl'Kinuon does
I not appear to be much older.