The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-07-12 00:00:00

A REMINISCENCE OF PRESIDENT
LINCOLN.

The story of the late President Lincoln's duel has
been recalled by the murder lately committed in New
York by Frank Walsworth, the parricide, which has
attracted so much attention. Walworth's mother, it
seems, is the daughter of Colonel Hardin, who on the
occasion of a meeting between Mr„ Liacolu and
General Shields, by his interference at the lost
moineut, prevented the serious results which would
otherwise have ensued. Mr. Liecolu end General
Shields were intimate friends, and their quarrel orese
from the following circumstances (says the Pall Mall
Gazette) :
A young lady sent a contribution to one of the
Sprintield newspapers which, iu General Ssield's
cq.inion, contained passagen p-rsonally offensive to him-
self. He therefore called upon the editor to give up
the Dame of his correspondeut, or take the choice of
being horgewhipped in three days. The editor, un-
willing to break faith with the young lady, consulted
Mr. Liucoln an to the course lie should adopt. Mr.
Lincoln could think of hut one plan to save the editor.
" When Shields comes round with his club," he said,
" tell him that Abe Lincoln wrote that letter." The
suggestion was acted on, and the indignant general was
reqeesteri to call on Mr. Lincoln f eatisfoction. This
altered the view of the case entirely. General Shields
lemw it was usele,s to come fooling about Lincoln with
• cane. The late President Win in those days a great
longearmed muscular fellow, goo I natured but resolute,
anti could deal such blows with his lists as to make his
anlag mists think that rail splitting was his pastime,
It WAN too late, however, for Shields to draw back
rafter all his bluster, and ho then efoie sent a challenge
to Mr. Lincoln, which WAS &Co peed, and, to the die.
may of the challenger, "leg swords " were selected
by that gentleman as the weapons. Mr. Lincoln had
no skill with the sword, but hie tremendous length of
arm and muscular power would have enabled him to
chop off General Shields' head before the latter
could get himself into position for • scientific
thrust. When the fatal morning arrived Mr.
Lincoln, with his second, was the first on the
ground, and on the 161111/161 of the others was dis-
covered clearing away with a hatchet the bushes that
would have interfered with the fight, This incident
provoked a smile, and Colonel Hardin, who then ap-
peared on the field, took advantage of the momentary
mirth to appeal to both parties not to make fools of
themselves. This appeal wag fortunately successful,
and Mr. Lincoln often said afterwards that he looked
upon his own participation in the affair as the meanest
act of his life. Col .nel El srdin was subsequently
killed at the battle of Buena Vista.

Vox POPULI. "I don't pretend," said
Smellfungus, "to be destitute of the love of pride. ;
on the cintrary, believe myself much more largely
endowed with it than most other people are; but mine
is a love of praise which valui s the approbstiou of •
very limited number; and is gra, Med by ;he ridicule
and Gemara of all the rest of manklnd."—Punek

AUSTRALIA Alip THE INTERNA-
TIONAL "EXHIBITION.

Visitors to the International Exhibition will this
week find an important and highly interesting addition
to it in the shape of the Australian annexe. Last
winter the Victorian Exhibition was held, under a
, Royal Commiseion, at Melbourne, and from that col
leati,in specimens illustrative of the arts, industry, and
' physical features of the colonies have been gathered
together and brought to South Kensington, under the
intelligent direction of Mr. Levey. the Secretary
to the Royal Commissions for Victoria. The annexe
is of goodly proportions, forming an exhibition of
Itself. The walle are enriched with choice photographs,
bringing to our very doors all the famous towns and
scenery of the antipodes, thus enabling us the more
readily to comprehend the include el and natural
advantages they enjoy. The three colonies have each
an apartment of its own where the rich products of the
earth are plentifully displayed, not omitting the curious
looking quartz and models of great historic nuzgets.
Here we have unmistakable evidence that Australia can
supply us with other products quite as maid as wool
or gold. Wine and fruit she, perhaps, prefers to keep for
home consumption, but she recently sent over some rich
cargoes of wheat, and it is said Northamptonshire indus-
tries are beginning to discover there is nothing like Ans.
tralian leather. In pickles and preserves she may some
day compete in the English markets, while the United
States must look to it or Australia may be upon their
heels in the matter of cheese and bacon. These will,
doubtless, be some of the redactions following a visit
to the annexe. Many will already have become familiar
with the eight, if not the taste, of Australian meat,
and they will be glad to learn when at the Exhibition
that Mr. James Harrison, an enterprising Australian
g ntleman, is now on his way to thin country
to arrange for the transport to our shores of the
veritable australian joint, without being first boiled
up and compressed into tin cans. At the Victorian
Exhibition he exhibited " fresh meat frozen and packed
as if for a voyage, so that the refrigerating process
may be continued for any required period f' and the
catalogue adds, " by this process the hold of a ship can
be filled with the carcases of sheep and cattle, which
are frozen in the act of being stowed. The expense of
freezing 500 toes before starting will be £lOO : and of
keeping the cargo in a freezing state during a voyage
of three months £75, or 7s. per ton in all.