The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-12-04 00:00:00

GALE'S WALK AT LILLIE BRIDGE,

During the early morning of Monday Gale's
attendants had some difficulty in keeping him going
steadily, he appearing drowsy throughout the dark-
ness. His people were, however, most assiduous in
their attentions, and he appeared punctually to the
signal which summoned him on the track every half-
hour. At 7.51 a.m. the conclusion of the half-
past seven turn, 500 miles were recorded in his
favour. In the forenoon the weather was fine,
though somewhat dull, but after twelve o'clock it(
brightened up, and a splendid autilimn afternoon
followed, though somewhat of the coldest. Gale con-
tinued to appear sharp to tinig, but walked round in a
half-unconscious manner. At four o'clock 520 miles
were registered, his time then being, for the half-
hour's walk, 20 'lain. 15 sec., which was some few
seconds faster than his average time during the day.
Towards dusk he, as usual, became slower again,
averaging about 21?,- min. for the distance. At ten
o'clock, after the half-past nine turn, he had com-
pleted 535 miles.

In the early morning of Tuesday, at Lillie Bridge grounds,
a heavy mist prevailed, rendering pedestrian exercise most
uncomfortable. Gale, however, awakened punctually, and
every half-hour performed his allotted task, Commencing
within a few seconds of the second bell going. His 550 miles
were registered at 3.45 a.m., his time for the distance that
turn, as well as the following, being very slow, vu., over 23
min. Afterwards his attendants took him along at a much
faster rate, and his average for the rest of the morning was
about 21 minutes. The fog cleared off about nine o'clock,
and a bright though cold autumn day followed. Gale then
seemed better in health than hitherto, though ha still com-
plained of his feet, which remained very tender. His
attendant carefully bathed them with bay salt, apparently
to his relief. About half-past five, Mr. Gant, F.R.C.S., who
had previously been sent for arrived and carefully examined
him. The doctor pronounced his condition highly satis-
factory, Ms pulse beating regularly 72. At a few minutes to
ten o'clock on Tuesday night Gale had completed 595 miles,
having just finished the half-past nine turn.

A SOILIMET WORTHY.—A marble bust, bearing the
following inscription on the pedestal, has just been
placed in the vestibule of the Shire-hall at Tannton :
Charles Summers, Sculptor, born at Charlton,
Somerset, 1827, died in Paris in the year 1878. En-
dowed with rare genius and unfailing industry, he
gained the medal of the Royal Academy of London,
raised himself to the first rank among artists, and left
many immortal works in England, Australia, and
Rome. His career was marked by disinterested de-
votion to art and ufiremitting endeavours to realize
the highest ideal. The purity and simplicity so con-
spicuous in the productions of this gifted sculptor
were displayed as clearly in his early life. His friends
and admirers have raised this memorial, the graceful
work of a lady's hand, in honour of one of Somerset's
distinguished worthies. His ashes rest in Rome."
ALL SWELL THAT ENDS SWELL—The only thing to
which a "swell "is of any use is an organ.—Fun.

CASES OP LONGEVITY.—The Obituary of The Times
of Friday 26th, recorded the deaths of nine nonagen-
arians and octogenarians—five ladies and four genie-
men—whose united ages amounted to 770 years,
giving an average of 85 years and six months to each.
The same Obituary recorded the deathsQf 14 septua,gen-
arians, averaging 73 years and ten months. On adding
the ages of these two dozen persons together they give
an average of exa,ctly. 7•D years and three months and
14 days to each person—rather a remarkable result of
one day's obituary.
AN INVENTION FOR LAZY ANGLERS.—At the Berlin
Fishery Exhibition was shown a curious instrument
whereby rod and line fishing could be carried on while
the angler was engaged otherwise than in watching
the line and holding the rod. The slightest bite of a
fish is sufficient to affect the fixings of the machine in
which the rod is set, whereupon, by electricity' the
line, hook and fish are jerked up, and a small bell
warns the angler that the fish is caught.
HANDSOME DONATION. Through Mr. Edward
Whitley, M.P., the executors of the late Mr. Roger
Lyon Jones have given a further sum of £lO,OOO, in
addition to £5,000 before given from the same source,
to the institution founded in Liverpool, under the will
of the late Miss Wright, in aid of decayed gentle-
women. Mr. Jones's name is to be associated with
the title of the institution.
WORK FQR THE "GREAT EASTERN."—The Great
Eastern steamship has been definitely .thartered- for
ten years to carry dead meat to the United Kingdom
from the American seaboard or the River Plate. It is
calculated that from Texas or the Argentine Provinces
beef of prime quality can be laid down in England at
3d. per lb. The promoters of this bold scheme intend
to slaughter the cattle on board the great ship as
received from day to day, and for this purpose they
have secured the services of trained butchers from the
slaughterhouses of Chicago. The dressed meat will
be stored in refrigerators, and it is estimated that
10,000 to 15,000 carcases of beef, all hung—equal to
3,000 or 4,000 tons of meat—will be shipped each
voyage. The result of this enterprise, if successful,
will have a far wider bearing than appears at first
sight. It will be watched with much interest by the
public, no doubt, for notwithstanding the large im-
ports of fresh meat we are receiving, retail prices still
rule very high. But it will also break( down that
"ring," which, while reaping immense profits, keeps
almost at famine prices one of the first food requisites
of the people.—lron.
MARRIAGE IN ALBANlA.—Albanian marriage ar-
rangements are very peculiar. When a damsel
arrives-at marriageable age, her parents publish the
fact among her friends and acquaintances. Should
no suitor come forward, it rests with her brothers to
find one. A brother thus circumstanced will some-
times come up to a male friend in the street and make
the complimentary proposal then and there. "You
are the very man I wanted to see "—thus goes the
abrupt formula on these occasions—" my sister is four-
teen years old ; you must marry her.' As etiquette
forbids a plump refusal, the gentleman thus honoured
gives a sort of half-acquiescence, and hurries off to in-
struet some old lady to act a 4 go-between. Should he
be satisfied with the report made, after due inquiry,
by this adviser, the wedding is arranged; but not until
the very last moment is the expectant bride-groom
allowed to see his future spouse, and then it would be
contrary to the prescriptions of society for him to
draw back, however unprepossessinz she might prove
to be.
BENDYMION.—John Bull.—Why, Ben! Got to the
books again? Ben.—Yes I couldn't be idle; and
when host my situation, I thought I'd go back to my
old trade. I've something here quite in my best
style, and I hope you'll give me a good big order.—
Funny Folks.
SPARKLING WITH BRIGHT SENTENCES.—The young
Endymion sparkles with bright sentences, as a few taken
out at random will show (says the Court Journal) : - -
"To listen among her many talents was perhaps
her rarest." "It was a Court of pleasure, if you like,
but of pleasnre that animated and refined and put the
people in good humour, which after all is good govern-
ment." "The unfortunate are always egostical."
"Those who have known real grief seldom seem sad."
Desperation is sometimes as powerful an inspirer as
genius." "Everybody is hated by somebody."
"Were I an heiress I should have a little objection to
be married for my forturre as my face. Husbands, as
I have heard, do not care for the latter too long."
"Life is a very curious thing. One can't ask one per-
son even to meet another in one's own home without
going through a sum of moral arithmetic." "The
only use of opposition is that we may enjoy our-
selves." " ' Sensible men are all of the same religion !'
And what is that? Sensible men never tell ! "
"Great men • should think of opportunity and not of
time. Time is the excuse of feeble and puzzled
spirits." "She had the art of being intimate without
being familiar."