The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-11-29 00:00:00

TERNS FOR BORROWING MONEY.

Mr. Scott said a question had been raised as to
the rate per cent, at which they could borrow
money; whether at 3i or 41 percent. It was very
important that they should know this. He, there-
fore moved that the Clerk be instructed to ask the
Education Board as to the precise rate at which
that Board could borrow money, and, if possible,
to obtain an answer by the next meeting.
Mr. Billingham amended this, and it was
carried. -

It was decided to hold the next meeting on the
29th December, at seven o'clock in the evening.
There was no other business.

ENTERTAINMENT--Tho well-known humorist,
Mr. G. Grossmith, together with his son, Mr. G.
Grossmith, junior, gave an entertainment in the
Corn Exchange, on Wednesday evening last.
There was a fair attendance. The first portion of
the entertainment consisted of an amusing sketch
given by Mr. Grossmith, senior, descriptive of the ,
different kind of bores to be met with in railway
travelling. It is almost superfluous to say that
his delineation of the various characters was an
exceedingly graphic one, Mr. Grossmith's extra-
ordinary powers of mimicry being brought into
full play. The various characters were hit off to
I a nicety; and the ludicrous idiosyncracies of the
old gentleman who wished to prosecute the railway
I servant for trying to prevent him from entering
a railway carriage when in motion, and of the ner-
vous old lady who was in constant terror lest she
should pass her station, were brought out in bold
relief. In fact, the whole of the sketch was re-
markable for its fidelity to nature, and afforded
great amusement to those present. Mr. Gross-
mith, junior, then gave a very diverting enter-
tainment described as the "Buncombe Penny
Readings." This young gentleman, besides being
an excellent pianiste, possesses mimetic powers
second only to those of his father, some of his
"character painting" being remarkable for its
realistic accuracy and grotesqueness. His father
Ithen gave an exceedingly clever imitative sketch
of the American humorist, Mark Twain's lecture
on the Sandwich Islanders; and we should say
that, ia ita way, nothing short of hearing the great

author of the " Jumping Frog," in propria persona,
could excel it. The peculiar nasal twang and the
stolid imperturbable manner in which he made
the most absurd and ludicrous statements aroused
the risible faculties of his audience to the highest
pitch. Roars of laughter greeted his naive state-
ment that the mountains of that country were so
high and so cold on the top that a man could not
speak the truth; "he knew, for he had been there
himself," Forming; an amusing to sequel this was
his laughable description of the meanness of the
employers of labour amongst the Sandwich
Islanders, one of whom deducted a quarter of an
hour's pay out of a man's wages for the time he
had lost whilst ascending to and descending from
the clouds, whither he had been blown by an ex-
, plosion of the gunpowder which lie was engaged
in pounding. -A
highly-coloured farcical descrip-
tion of sonic amateur theatricals, by Mr. Gross-
with, junior, brought an excellent evening's en-
tertainment to a close.
ENTERTAINMENT AT ANBLECOTE SCHOOLS.—On
Thursday evening, November 20th, Mr. Frangois
du Flue, the great amateur prestidigitateur and
necromancer, gave his celebrated performance en-
titled, "Amateur Magic," at the National School
Room, Amblecote, to a very fashionable and select
audience, in aid of the funds of the schools. He
appeared in full costume as "Hassan Ben Abou,"
the African Magician, and commenced his perfor-
mance with a very pleasing address, in which he
showed very plainly that magic was originally an
Eastern art, and therefore he was to be excused if
he wore an Eastern dress, and performed under an
Eastern name. His programme consisted of 25
excellent tricks, which he went through with great
ease and skill, and concluded his performance by
sawing off a gentleman's head, carrying it round
*e room, and afterwards placing it on the table
in a dish to speak to the audience. On Friday,
the 21st, the performance was repeated for the
amusement of the school children 'ho were ad-
mitted at ld. each. The room wIlVs nearly full,
the reserved seats being well filled. The applause
was freqnently so deafening that Hassan Ben
Abets was often obliged to wait for it to subside.
Even as an amateur Hassan Ben Abou is quite
eqnal to a professional, and it is impossible to
speak too highly of him.
IlsoLair STOCK SALE.—At this sale on Monday
last, there was rather a larger supply of stock than
usual, and the attendance was unusually
Competition was very brisk, and there was a
marked improvement in the price of every class
of stock. 350 sheep and 90 head of cattle, besides
pigs wore disposed of. Good wether mutton real-
ised fully 101 per lb.; beef, 941 per lb.; choice
qualities making even a little more money.
THEATRICAL LICENSE—At the Public Office,
yesterday, before Major Fletcher, Messrs. J. Coch-
rane, R. L. Freer, and H. 0. Firuistone, Mr. Wall
applied on behalf of Messrs. Bennett and Patch,
for a six month's license. The license was granted
for three months, on condition that the applicants
agreed to increase the size of the doorway, so that
lin case of accident or fire the public could more
readily gain egress from the theatre. John Ed-
wards and G. North were the bondsmen in £25
each.
APPLICATION FOR AN EJECTMENT. Thomas
Jones applied for an order to eject Thomas Henley
from a cottage at Colley Gate. Complainant said
that defendant had been in tire habit of paying ,
his rent weekly. He gave him notice on the 17th
October, which expired on the 10th November-
Defendant had not left. Mr. Perrens, who ape_
peared for the defendant, said that his client wa,
willing to leave. but required a month's notice
and that since the expiration of that notice the
defendant had received rent and given a receipt
for it, which put an end to the case; and the
Bench dismissed the summons.
CAUTION TO BOPS. Thomas Wires, Charles
Higgs, Aaron Leedam, William Forrest, Charles
Forrest, John Wooldridge, Frederick Stafford,
Joseph Hipkiss, and Mayfield Hipkiss were
charged with stealing, on the 23rd Mat, a quantity
of swede turnips, the property of Henry Wright,
of Wassail Grove, Prosecutor said he did not
wish to press the case, but had them summoned
so as to put a stop to being robbed in the way he
had. Be had lost tons af swedes. Police-sergeant
Rea aroved the case, and said that he, with other
officers, caught defendants in the field, with the
swedes in their possession. Defendants were
severely reprimanded, and discharged upon pay-
ment of costs-4s 81 each.

_
STEALING A WOOLLEN SHIRT, - Herbert
- - - •

triTge (13), was charged with sealing a woollen
shirt, on the 22nd instant, the property of George
Klosz, draper. Hannah Chance, clothier, proved
that the prisoner brought the shirt to her for sale.
She sent for the police. Prosecutor proved that
the shirt was his property, and that the prisoner
had been in his employ, but was a very untruthful
boy. Police-constable Bladon proved apprehend-
ing the prisoner, who pleaded guilty, and was
ordered to receive nine strokes of a birch rod.