The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-01-06 00:00:00

FACTS AND FANCIES.
(From Ponds.)

COION OP VANTAGE —A penny with two heads.
llissrga AND NA:N.—Scene—Fr.nt of country-house.—
Visitor (starting for the meet). "B) jove, that's a grand
. grey you have there .."—Coachman. Yes, sir. Wants a
groom to show him off properly'
BROTHERS AND SISTERS. Grown-up sister. "Oh.
Charley, if you must go away, can't you introduce me
to one of your schoolfellows, to look after me till you
come back I"—Charley. "Oh no: It wouldn't do It
would be so rough on a fellow to fag him out like
that

A Vaal' DIFYLRENT KC/Till—Southern Lord (raying
at Highland Castle). " Thank you so much. —sh—
owily enjoy your music. I think of having • piper at my
own place." Sandy the piper. "An fat kin' o' a Riper
would your lordship be needin" ?" Southern Lord. Oh,
certainly • good piper like yourself. Sandy." Sandy
(sniffing), " Och leteret !—Ye might easily fin' a lord like
your lordthip, but its nee sae owl, to fin a piper like laa
whatever !"

'AT RAY
Ringed by the wild and wolfish pack.
In dense awl denier hands—
Above him storm-clowls lowering black,
Around him snows and sands—
A moment borne by numbers back,
At bay the Lion stands !
Ills back against the rifted rock,
Not firmer rooted there
Than he against the assailant's shock,
With savage fangs set bare,
Reckless how many thousande flock
Down from their mountain-lair.
Not his nor ours to ask the why
Or wherefore of the fray,
That thus before • wolfish cry
The Lion brings to bay—
Of strength for nobler empery,
And less ignoble prey.
Enough, the Lion's of our blood,
And to the work addrott.
For which stern duty, ne'er withstood,
Bath on him laid behest,
Ridding him make his Empire good
North and south, east and west!
So while our Lion stands at bay,
Our prayers must be for hint,
That his strong arms may cleave their way,
His clear eyes wax not dim,
LODE.RII.
Till Lion-prowess shall o'erewaY
Wolf-numbers, gaunt and grim!
THE NIPUN CHARITT.—The parishioners of Loden ,
have again been presented with welcome creature
comforts duringthe late sev,-re weather, and on AN OLD NURSERY RUYME.
ll Christmas Rye between 60 and 70 families were each (Ness-sst for SAesid )
applied with sallicirnt beef, and to spare for their Waddy and Wortley were two ready men.
Christmas dinner. In addition to this the •,ed poor They talked linkVotZn: steam-engines again rain.
and the deserving g.-nerally received presents of tea With With Rungps?Blueir-anyd T Mity ran vail all iery :
fidl cry.
sugar, and coal. The inhabitants are truly grateful But the Bluee they might bounce, and the Bungs they
for the interest Lady Noma ever takes ht thegr Interests might ,
end welly'. 'The who Wieldy gm Wortley the beg

mon formed • pretty and suitable material in the
matter of church adornment this season. Now I
cannot help thinking that if thole sealone young
ladies who assisted in the beautifybag of the sacred
edifiros bad, instead of robbing the bedge.rows and
woodlands of Nature's beauties (which is very excus-
able under the circumstances). divested all the mile-
stones they passed en route of their coats of verd Int
moss, they would have saved the trouble of travelling
so far, and at the seine time confer an untold blessing
on mankind. Probably they did not observe the
milestones, as they partake of the same colour as the
hedges against which they ate placed. The mile-
stones were plac d in such a position and inscribed In
such a manner to allow those who may run to read,
but for • long, long time a pedestrian when, after
considerable research be has stumbled over one, has had
t apply his pocket-knife in order to "bring nut" the
characters ere he discovers how far be may be from
his destination.

Mr. James Mwtimer, editx of the Lmdon Figaro, Is
asking his friends and fellow-journalists to petition Mr.
Cross for his release from Holloway Jail, where he lies
inipriaoned for libel. I believe it is generally c,neded
that if the (14endant Ind emploted clever counsel, in.
stead of foolishly pleading for himself. he would have
escaped an adverse verdict; and six ...mks' imprisonment
in this weather, even as a first.clsei misdemeanant, is
surely sufficient punishment for a first offence. Llt us
hope the Home Secretary will be merciful, aud remit the
remainder of Mr. Mortimer's sentence.

OUR PROSPECTS.
The gloom continued to deep= metal the month of
September. From that time there has been a change.
Light began to gather, not in the Eut, but in the West.
Slowly but surely there has beau en upward movement
since. From the United States caws the first impulse
which has moved up prices from tbe dead utiformity to
which they bad declined. Brother Jonathan had at last
"struck oil," after his long pi riol of depression, lasting
from the panic of 187.1 through • dismal live years. Toe
Americans had been forced to economise. to live sparingly,
clothe themselves with frugal COOS, try to gather together
a few dollars in preparation f.r the yet harder times that
seemed to throaten; and in the Truces' all prices bad run
down. This process had reached its natural term, and was
beginning to show ita effects in stimulating to renewed
activity on a narrow basis, when the concurrence of cir-
cumstances appeared that has placed our cousin on the
crest of the wave. For, contemporaneously with the
failure of the European harvests, there was remarkable
abundance in the yield of the Western States' grain-crops.
Europe required, and was able to pay for, what the States
were in • position to pour forth without stint. The turn
in the economical tide, which hal before bteo reached,
was now carried to full flood. The English and Scotch
markets were lorded with American orders for Iron; and
In • brief period a violent speculative fever was developed.
New railways were planned, and oil ones sere re-con-
structed, in the United States with unexampled rapidity. '
As often happens, the expectation of better times hastened
their advent. There gradually disclosed itself to the
Yankee imagination an El D dado of boundless wealth
and resource in their new era of prosperity, Wall-street
became the Beene of II speculative mania a unexampled
fierceness, which taught our American cousins to believe
the millennium of speculation bad come. Though at •
more baiting pace, we in Eogland have fo'lowed suit.
Our trade has received substenital stimulus; our railway
traffics have largely increased ; there has been animation in
our markets such as has not ben seen in them for years;
and although the process of ncovery has been sl gradual
that discussion of reality of the revival is still found
possible, this is only emong those who are predisposed to
take gloomy views. Among lead ng City bankers and
merchants there is • steady and growing confidence that
not only have we weathered the storm, but that our
advance may, after • time, be expected to be rapid. The
occurrence of exiseptional causes, no doubt, may blight the
fair promise of the hour. Wars and foreign complication;
and the return of a cheerless summer liks the last, would
endanger the growth of our prosperity. But, if there be
no such retarding influences, w• are entitled to expect
that we have entered on • cycle of prosperity which, if
the analogy of experience may be trusted, should give us
seven or eight years of prosperous times.
It Is not to be expected that, if this balmy forecast be
realised, through an abundant harvett next year, there
will be no backward turns, no interruptioss, no slight
reactions. These are to be looked for as the natural
incidents of the early days of a time of program. Though
money is abundant awl still cheap, we must expect, is
trade extends and enterprise requires new capital, that
it will grow dearer. With that will come • time of teat-
Mg to week speculators which met' produce disaster in
some circles, The he/me:liege prosp:ct of the money
market is one of greater sea.; as, after the turn of the
year, • large mass of capital, probably not leas than twenty
' millions sterling, he let loose in the city, through pay•
mint of dividends, interest, salaries. and in other ways,
which will swell e amount available on loan. This and
much larger amounts will soon be taken up, in furtherance
of the new enterprises that will multiply as confidence
extends and credit gains fresh force. We shall commence
the new year with a smaller stock of loanable
capital than was available • yew ago bat with • demand
that has begun to grow, and that will ffo on increasing
until It has, as natural effect, the advance in the value
of money to a higher point than has been witnessed during
the past year.