The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-01-11 00:00:00

statesmo

"War appears to me certain. Inevitable, near at hand.
We cannot be against France Everything causes us to
adopt a neutrality sympathetic to France, not to say more
You, Italy, ought to endeavour to maintain neutrality,
in resting always the friend of France. No one will demand
your co-operation. The idea of binding yourselves up with
Prussia would be insensate. Be prudent In your conduct
towards the Emperor Napoleon: for you such prudence is
everything."

PLAYING WIWI FIRE-ARMS I-011 Saturday
afternoon a youth, fourteen years of age, was seriously
injured by a shot from a gun which .was accidentally
fired by his brother. The boys are the sons of Mr.
John Hammill, of St. Helen's, who is American
consul for that town. They had been out in the after.
noon of Sunday, and on returning home went into the
kitchen, where the younger one washed his hands. As
he was so occupied, the elder boy took up a gun which
chanced to be in the kitchen, and remarked that with
it they were prepared for the Fenian'. He pointed

the gun at the younger lad, a-nd seeing that there was
no cap on, he pulled the trigger. The gun had in it
a charge of small bird allot, which exploded, and very
seriously injured the younger lad's face.
ONE OF TEIE TRICKS OF LONDON.—" C. A."
forwards to a London contemporary the following de-
tail,,,! a new method of imposition : --
Last week a man, respectably dressed, called at my house
in Belgravia Ile told the housemaid in charge that he was
a clerk from the Letter Despatch Otlice, Strand, and that the
letter he brought was most important. It was addressed to
me, and had " Despatch " written on it in red ink Ile de-
manded 61. 0,1., and gave a well-written receipt for the
money, which the servant incautiously paid. The hnportant
doucument was a black sheet of foolscap paper.

AN AUDACIOUS PLACARD.—OD StlDClay the fol-
lowing placard, showing the audacity of the Fenian,
was extensively posted in Dublin, but was immediately
removed by the police:—

To THE CITIZENS.

Whereas—lt has been the policy of England to murder
those three Irishmen in Manchester for doing the duty of
every true-hearted and true-born Irishman, namely, the
rescue of the popular leaders of the people, the brave and
patriotic Colonel Kelly and Denser, we therefore call on you
to be prepared when called (di to avenge them.

"God save Ireland."

REWARDS TO BRITISH SAILORS.—The Board of
Trade have caused to he presented the following re-
wards given by his Majesty the King f the Nether-
lands, in recognition of the services rendered and losses
sustained in connection with the rescue of the crew of
the Dutch vessel Zsaiintje Elizabeth by Captain
Hallett, master of the British ship Commodore, and
certain other persons :--To Captain Ballet, a silver
medal, a certificate of honourable mention, and a sum
of £l2; to Robert Young, El ; to Caroline Ann
Walker, late Wilson, the widow of George Wilson,
and Ann, the widow of Thomas Baxter, the sum of
£lO each. George Wilson and Thomas Baxter were
both drowned in attempting to rescue the crew of the
Zwaantje Elizabeth.
LITERARY EMPLOYMENT IN AMERICA—The
editor of Forney's Weekly Press (Philadelphia) thus
replies to a correspondent seeking literary employ-
ment :

You seem with many others to suppose that it is like going
to service, or getting a place in a manufactory, or any other
business. on the contrary, it is a precarious calling, without
rules, in which great ability is otten poorly paid, and very
slender talent quite as often entirely overpaid. There are
very few magazines in this country that pay at all, except to
a few favoured writers. Taking writing "nit through," and
considering themumber of literary aspirants, it will be found
that a journeyman stonecutter is the more profitable occupa-
tion. We do not offer you any encouragement. You hail
better try teaching, or learn to work a sewing machine.