The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-01-18 00:00:00

Here lies A. 8.,
Who at the age of eighteen
Earned £7O a-year.

A recently erected tombstone in one of the Parisian
cemeteries hears a more truthful than complimentary
epitaph. It runs thus :

Ilere Ilea A. B. C.,
Who died on October 27th, 1867,
To the great delight of hie widow.

- .
A VISIT OF CHARITY.—The Empress Eugenie,
whose charity and kindliness of heart is so well.
known, lase given another proof of it in her recent
visit to the Versailles Hospital. She arrived, ineog.,
quite unexpectedly, with one lady companion. The
doctors had just been their rounds, and as it was clean-
ing day at the hospital, thorough sweeping and washing
were going on; the beds were being made, and
the linen changed. The Superieure made some
hesitation in ehowing the two ladies the wards at tomb
a moment, but the Empress insisted upon seeing them,
because she had heard the children's rooms did not
afford sufficient accommodation, and she wished to
judge for herself. So, the Superieure, who had already
guessed who the lady was, led the way to where the
poor children were,. some sleeping, some playing, some
crying: - Tlisanguat-visitor put all sorts of questione
to the Sisters of Charity, and interested herself in the
miseries of these poor little things in a most kind and
motherly way. The Empress then visited the other
wards, and talked With many of thesufferers. Indeed,
her visit has left there most delightful and lasting
remembrances..

ENGLISII PICKPOCKETS IN PARIS.—The detec-
tive police of Paris have lately succeeded in taking into
custody a band of English pickpockets, men and
women, who had arrived in Paris for the fetes Con-
nected with the new year. Notice had, however, been
sent from England to Paris, and several were arrested
while pursuing their operations among the persons
collected round the shop windows of two of the prin-
cipal confectioners. When taken to the Prefecture of
Police several portemonnaies, all of French make, were
found upon them, containing more than 40001 r. in gold,
and other property. As usual, these pickpockets
denied any knowledge of each other, but all declared
that they had arrived In Paris that same morning.
Oilers were afterwards arrested, and the whole gang
have been sent for triaL

DISCOVERY OF A SMUGGLER'S CAVE. —A
correspondent of the Dublin Express, writing from
Lisname, says :

A pier has just been finished on the shore below Kilkeel,
where a small river empties itself into the sea The men
employed in removing the shingle to enlarge the accommo-
dation came on an old cave roofed awl full of tobacco. Some
forty or fifty rolls were perfectly IMAMS. It must have been
upwards of twenty years buried, and, strange to say, it is
at the spot where the fishing boats are drawn up. Nobody
seems to know anything respecting it.

A S ROCK. —Walking one day along the streets
of Auckland (says a writer in Blarkieuars Magazine)
we observed before us a tall graceful-looking female
figure, the fold' of whose black silk dress were duly
distended; a crape shawl and stylish hat making up a
perfectly unexceptional toilette. Involuntarily our
pace quickened, and we began to speculate upon the
beauty of the countenance which another step or two
would doubtless disclose to our glance. Suddenly a
shop-window attracted the fair one's attention ; she
stopped and turned—oh, horror upon horrors ! what
• sight met our ow- A dusky face, very masculine
features, tattoed lips. with a short black pipe in the
mouth—in short, a Maori belle! Years have elapsed
since then, but the shock our feelings then experienced
has not yet been forgotten.

A NEW CUNPOWDER.—The Paris Pres.se pub-
lishes the following curious piece of intelligence :
, The Minister of War has been for some time past in com-
munication with M. i4enultse, formerly a captain in the
Prussian artillery, and the inventor of a new gunpowder
Which he terms "white powder" The object of these corn
munications is to secure for France the secret of manu-
facturing the preparation, In which neither saltpetre,
Charcoal, nor sulphur is lined, these 'wing the ingredients of
the gunpowder now employed. The white penning is
superior to the ordinary Sind, especially for rifled arms, as
It leaves no deposit in the barrel, and its projectile force is
greater.

STATISTICS OF THE INDEPENDENTS.—It spears
from the new volume of the "Congregational Year
Book," a compendium of information relating to the
Independents, and a statistical record of their prress,
just pui+lished, that there are 1,989 Independent
churches in England, and 2.217 in the empire. It. sides
1.613 preaching stations. El churches in England are
without pastors, and 417 ministers are withnnt congre-
gations, but this nuniber includes the aged and din-
ad. The Peators' B.s/tiring Fund, to facilitate the
retirement of ministers from their work whcn
pacitated for efficiest service, amounte to /160,000., Mid ,
I,

steps are being taken to raise it to nOO,OOlll. Eighty-
six ministers have received annuities from the fund
aince its institution in 18150.

THE FATE OF DR. LIVINOSTOSIL—Dr. Living-
ptone's fate was the subject of a s iortiliscussion at the
meting of the Royal Geographical Society in London,
on Monday evening, Sir Roderick Murchison, the pie-
select, in the chair. Refore the commencement of the
regular business, Sir Roderick read a letter be had re-
ceived from Dr. Kirke, dated the 9th f October,
from Zanzibar, in which he mentioned that farther
rtunours had been received of the presence (4 a white
man in the centre id Africa, who, there was good
re IVOR to believe, was Dr. Livinizstone. It was stated
that he had sent letters by a trader wholad not pet
arrived at Zauxibar, and Dr. Kirke expressed the hope
that when he next wrote his letter would be accom-
panied by letters from Dr. Livingstone. lie also
stated that Mousse and the Johanna men had applied
to he paid their wag., which had been witheld until
it wee ascertained whether their reports of the murder
of Dr. Liviugst one were unfounded. Sir Roderick
said that Dr. Kirk had previously been sceptical as to
the existence of Dr. Livingstone, and it was gratifying
to find that he now entertained hopes that he might
be alive. Mr. Crawfurd mede some remarks vindi-
cating Moussa, " the Johanna man." and throwing
doubt on the correctness of the rumours of Dr. Living-
stmie's safety, though he admitted the evidence iii ita
favour had become stronger. .

JUVENILE INTELLIGENCE.—AII Association haa
been formed by a number of small boys, home for the
holidays, for the purpose of obtaining parliamentary
reform. In accordance with their enlarged views on
that subject, it is their determined intention, b. compel
gingerbread-bakers to concede Reform in parliament.
Punch.

COURT-MARTIAL ON A SEAMAN.-T-A court-
martial has been held on board the Mersey, Admiral
Buckle' flag-ship, to try a seaman, named John
Danlevie, belonging to the Royal George, the flag-ship
at Kingstown, on the charge of having disobeyed
orders by taking part in the Dublin procession on the
Bth December last. The evidence for the prosecution
showed that, on the 7th December, orders were pro-
mulgated on board the Royal Georpe that none of the
men on leave the next day were to go to Dublin, and
that order was to stand good all the time the processions
lasted. The prisoner, being on shore on leave, went to
Dublin notwithstanding the order, and walked in the
procession with the members of his trade. On his
return he confessed the disobedience to the master-at-
arms on board ship, and said he was sorry for it.
Evidence of his having been in the procession, inde-
pendent of his own confession, was given. 'I he pri-
boner, in his defence, denied that he was aware of the
prohibition, expressed regret for having taken part in
the procession, and said he did not mean by joining
the demonstration to express sympathy for Fenianism.
He examined a seaman named Young, who stated that
he also was unaware of the prohibition. The prisoner
was found guilty, ordered to be disrated, and
sentenced to 42 days' imprisonment and hard labour.