The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-12-25 00:00:00

Poulter eyed Ned curiously, and looked appealingly to
Minnie for an explanation. The relationship, however, was
soon explained, and Poulter, without further delay, took
his seat beside Minnie. A. rippling smile played upon his
broad jovial face •, and as soon as Mr. Roslyn, after a good
deal of delay and much excitement, had served him to a
liberal helping of roast goose, Poulter gravely drew from his
pockets a huge pistol and a bottle partly filled with whiskey.
A roar of laughter followed at Ned's expense, and Ponto's
character was vindicated.
It was a joyful meeting, too happy for many words I After
dinner Poulter told the story of his visit the previous night,
and how he had found Ned fast arleep, with Pontofor aepro-
tector. He also related how Ponto had aided him in carry-
in.' off the prizes from a supposed night watch, for Poulter
and Ned had never before met. His discovery of the
whereabouts of the Roslyns through the shipowners was
next related, and the narrative vet), speedily turned 'upon
matters more personal.
"I am now," he said to Minnie, "a rich man, and
you surely cannot refuse me on that account." Her old
objection was clearly set aside, as Poniter declared he
could well efford to marry a penniless bade. Still Minnie
looked eagerly at Ned's grave face, and prettily waited
for further arguments. "My practice has largely increased,"
Poulter added, "and a rich relative has left me a large fortune,
over which I have complete control." Still Minnie was not
convinced, though she was becoming very serious indeed.
Poulter continued—" Orvin is dead, and I have purchased
the Grange from his family, in the hope that you would "
and, with big tears in' his eyes, he looked at Minnie for
her final answer.
It soon came ;—" Will' (and she fondly took his hand),
"I cannot now leave Papa, who has been so wonderfully
restored to us, though I believe it is largely due to your
skill ;" and she wept bitterly from the violent conflict of
feelings going on in her bosom.
"I really think, Minnie, that is the very reason why I
could almost claim you by right," he said; "and I have Et
story to tell which will, most assuredly, make my plea irre-
sistible." •
"Bravo, Poulter 1" exclaimed Ned; "that is something
like taking the town by storm. But if this next argument
fails, I think you ought. in honour, to say 'Good-bye' (after
awhile, of course), and leave Minnie to bless us yet with her
sunshine."
"All right, Master Ned," Poulter went on; I think even
you will be convinced when my story is told." Mr. Poulter
then proceeded to tell how Orvin's prescriptions, owing to
his drinking habits, had become of late years more and
more absurd, and how, in Mr. Roslyn's case, Crvin's excite-
ment and nervousness were so great that his instructions,
properly carried out, must have added at once to the com-
plication incident to the disease itself, and the patient's life
inevitably placed in new peril by the very treatment which
was designed to cure him.
At this point in the narrative poor Minnie, her bosom
heaving with agitation, hurried from the room and let loose
her feelings in a flood of tears. Ned's eyes flashed angrily at
the thought of the jeopardy in which his father's life had
been placed, and an angry expression burst from him almost
unconsciously, as his hand seized mechanically the old
pistol which still lay on a small stand at his right hand.
Mr. Roslyn and Nurse remained silent and wrapped in their
own re&ctions.
"Why didn't you blow out the fellow's brains, Poulter?"
Ned yelled out, vehemently.
"The truth is," replied Poulter, "I knew that the
blunders arose from Orvin's drinking habits, and I simply
used my own judgment." Poulter then went on to describe
how an old uncle, who had never been heard of before, had
returned from India, and, with a yearning for his kith and
kin, had found his way to Ackland and made Poulter his heir.
This sudden change in his circumstances determined Poulter
to find out their whereabouts, explain the whole affair, and
claim Minnie as a right.
"Have I made out my right, Master Ned?" Poulter de-
manded emphatically.
Ned, who had been now for some time standing in
an excited manner in the middle of the room, was frantic
under the combined influences of rage and admiration.
"You are a deuced- good fellow, Poulter give me your
hand ; " and he hugged Poulter with the elegance and
earnestness of a brown bear. "I'll settle MM' now my-
self," Ned shouted, rushing out of the room and assail-
ing her bedroom door violently. She no sooner admitted him
than he clasped her in his brawny arms, and, carrying
her triumphantly downstairs, handed her to Poulter, big
tears rolling down his cheeks. Poulter took care that she
did not again escape ; but Minnie's heart was almost bursting,
and Poulter's jocose reference to the 'affection for which he
had often treated her,' brought as usual a flood of tears.
Ned, however, declared that she should not again leave the
room until Poulter had received promise of the only recom-
pense he asked. But-matters were Boon settled.
Three month e later, the bells of Bracken Dale were ringing
merrily, and Minnie was once more the happy and beloved
mistress of the "Grange at Ackland," Mr. Roslyn, Ned, and
Nurse preferring to remain in the little cottage among the
fern-clad dales, amid which new life, new peace, and new con-
tentment had found them in their poverty. Christmas Eve
and Christmas Day, however, are spent each year with Mr.
and Mrs. Peulter at the Grange, which Ponto still guards in
his old age.

THE DYNAMITE EXPLOSION AT
BREMERHAFEN.
A correspondent of the Daily News, writing from Bremen,
gives the following particulars respecting the explosion at
Bremerhafen :
On Saturday morning (the 11th), at about eleven
o'clock, the Transatlantic steamer the Mosel was lying
in the out harbour of Bremerhafen on the point of
sailing for New York. Her passengers were partly on
board and partly on shore, where a number of people
had collected to witness the departure of the vessel.
The signal for weighing anchor had already been given,
when a train laden with goods approached. The car-
riages were quickly emptied, and the packages brought
on board. When, by means of the crane, two cases
Anaa somewhat pointed barrel were being wound on
the ship, a terrible detonation and an immediately
following explosion occurred. In
.tie met moment
it was thought the boilers of the lilosel had burst,
but on the thick smGke clearing away it was
perceived the engines were not damaged. 'Phe
spectacle, however, thelanding presented was horrible.
Of the numerous throng assembled some few seconds
before, for curiosity or pleasure, or accidentally arrived
to lend a helping hand, not one was to be seen. The
crowd seemed as though blown away by a puff of
wind. The side of the Mosel, entirely shattered and
pierced with deep holes, -was covered with blood and
human limbs. Pieces of human body had been hurled
to a considerable height in the air, and cast to some
distance. In a circle of ten metres, the place of land-
ing presented the appearance of a battle-field. I will
not attempt to describe the scene in its frightful
details. Old soldiers, who had undergone the horrors
of the last wars, declared that at Glavelotte, where
the soil was deluged in blood, the eight was not so
ghastly. On that part of the quay where goods were
transported to the ship was found a hole, of seme six
or seven feet in depth, which seemed to have been
caused by a dynamite explosion. 'This supposition
turned out afterwards to be correct. The barrel brought
on board really contained dynamite, an explosive sub-
stance strictly forbidden to be received on passenger
ships. By some fatality, which proved afterwards to
be diabolical calculation, the dynamite had taken
fire. This powder, the terrible properties of which are
known, killed in one moment more than sixty persons,
wounded seventy more or less dangerously, bored
through the massive sides of the Mosel, and destroyed
the deck of the Simsan, a smaller boat towing the
steamer. No conception can be formed of the force of the
explosion. People were blown from forty to fifty feet in
the air. One poor woman standing on the quay was
seized and dashed against the engine of the Simson,
her remains being afterwards found there horribly
mutilated. All skylights on the deals of the Mosel
were shattered, In those houses siteated on the har-
bour not a pane of glass was whole, and even at
Geestemiiede, a village at some distance, the shock
was distinctly felt. The dead bodies lying around were
so disfigured that recognition was almost impossible.
Several could nowhere be found. They had probably
disappeared under the ice. Heads, from which the
eyes had left their sockets, were found two days after
the explosion floating about in the harbour. Strange to
say, that while the clothes had been literally torn from
the body, the boots were mostly untouched. Several
people not wounded, or at least only slightly so, were
almost naked except the boots. One woman, half
blidded, was deprived of half her garments so com-
pletely from head to foot, that one might fancy it was
done with a knife. The wounds incurred were mostly
very dangerous, and many sufferers, notwithstanding
the best care bestowed on them, have died since
the disaster. As the hospitals were immediately filled
temporary lazarets were erected. The devotion dis-
played in Bremen, as well as in Bremerhafen, to the
poor creatures cannot be too highly spoken of: Scarcely
two hours after the castastrophe a special train arrived
from Bremen with voluntary doctors and nurses, amply
provided with bandages and medicaments. A com-
mittee was also formed to receive gifts and subscrip-
tions. Great difficulty prevailed in recognising the
maimed corpses. The most stringent carefulness
could not alweys prevent mistakes. The damage sus-
tained by the Mosel are so great that some time will
be occupied in repairing her. The unloading of the
ship, therefore, immeciiately commenced, during which,
even in the lowest recesses, different parts of bodies
were found, either driven through the hatches or
forced in from above. Toe passengers, mostly on board,
hays suffered less than the spectators, the Crew, and
workmen standing on the drawbridge.
One family in Bremen who had accompanied their
son starting for California, to the port, have
been frightfully afflicted. Both parents of
the young man, himself, and is brother-in-
law were killed on the spot, one daughter was
obliged to have her arm amputated, while her child lost
a held. After the first excitement had subsided the
causes of the horrible affair were examined into. It
turned out as mentioned above that a case of explosive
materials had caused the catastrophe. The case had
been conveyed by a dray from the train to the vessel.
But no trace was visible of either driver or waggon. It
was believed at first the case had been forwarded
directly from a manufactory. However, it was after-
wards proved a passenger had laid claim to it. This
was an important item towards discovering the de-
linquent. Among the persons who were moving about
the ruins of the catastrophe, in the course of the after-
noon, was a first-class passenger, seemingly a for3igner,
who expressed great regret at the accident, andyalso
addressed several questions to the captain. When dur
log the evening some persons were passing through
the state room groans were heard to issue from one of
the cabins. One hurried immediately towards the
spot, and the door, closed on the inside, was forcibly
broken open. Stretched out oi the sofa was a man in
shirt alcoves breathing with difficulty, perfectly un-
conscious, and his face covered with blood. He was
the passenger observed above, identified as William H.
Thomas, of New York. The doctors signified him to
be severely wounded. in the head, and ordered him to
be
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er al ny
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tt o
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tt
iheenr
m victimser merely
superficial, owing to the darkness of the cabin, it was
naturally supposed he was also a sufferer from the
explosion, and only when the captain asserted he
had spoken to Thomas after the catastrophe, and
it was stated the cabin door had been locked
from the inside, was a more minute search made,
terminating in the discovery of is six-barrelled revolver
under the sofa, from which two shots had been
fired. The transport of Thomas, a very corpulent
man, to the infirmary was performed with great exer-
tion by six or seven sailors, who rolled the wounded
man in a blanket, carefully carried him down the
steps alongside the Mosel, and bore him in a cradle to
the place where the other sufferers were under medical
skill. By this he was restored to consciousness.
After repeated questions and urgent admonitions he
confessed to have been the owner of the fatal case.
The criminal examination,inetituted in consequence of
this declaration, brought circumstances to light from
which it was proved the explosion did not arise from
negligence, but from a plan deeply and coolly laid.
The papers found on Thomas show that he had been
living the last three weeks in Bremen, where, in
the busies, part of the town, had hired a shed for
the preparation of the explosive material. He ordered
from a cooper a stroeg barrel of fourteen cubic feet.
which he, by means of wood, divided into two partg.
In the upper compartment he laid the dynamite with