The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-04-03 00:00:00

THE AUTHOR OF THE 'LAST LEAF."

The genial "Autocrat of the Breakfast Table " has
just given his American publisher an account of the
origin of the most charming and pathetic of his
shorter poems. Everyone whose eyes have glistened
over the "Last Leaf," will be glad to learn who was
the original of a picture which evidently was drawn
from real life. Dr. Holmes states that be wrote
the famous little poem about the year 1831, when
he we twenty-two. It was suggested by the
sight of a figure well known to Bostonians of that
period Major Thomas Melville the "last of
the Cocked Hats," as he was sometimes called.
The major was a man of fourscore years when the
young poet's attention was drawn to him; and he was
a survivor of the old Revolutionary struggle which
resulted in American Independence. His aspect
among the crowds of a later generation reminded me,"
adds Dr. Holmes, "of a withered leaf which has held
to its stem through the storms of autumn and winter,
and finds itself still clinging to its bough while the
new growths of spring are bursting their buds and
spreading their foliage all around it." Oliver Wen-
dell Holmes "hopes to be forgiven" for the modest
mention of the three tributes of praise which the
"Last Leaf" has won. President Lincoln greatly ad-
mired the poem, and used to repeat it to his friends.
A second tribute, which has greatly cheered the
humane heart of the poet-physician, is that his
verses have given pleasure to the blind of America
—having been printed in raised letters for their use.
And last, but not least, Edgar Allan Poe—whose
genius Dr. Holmes admires' and whose judgment he
respects—wrote a high eulogium upon the "Last
Leaf" 50 years ago. Poe's generous praise has only
just been published, and Dr. Holmes (who is now in
his 77th year) intimates, with a touch of deep
pathos, that the announcement comes rather too late,
since the "morning dew means little to the withered
leaf."

LIVE STOCK IN THE UNITED
STATES.
The Live Stock Journal says:—ln the report of the
Statistician to the Department of Agriculture of the
United States, which Ilas just been received, par-
ticulars are given of the numbers and value of farm
animals and as to the state of the live stock interest
generally. There has been an increase in horse
breeding, which is attributed to the steady demand
for serviceable animals for draught purposes and for
the farm and road. A gradual improvement is noted
by the introduction of famous breeds of European
draught horses, especially the Norman and
Percheron, and to a considerable extent the Eng-
lish Shire horse and the Clydesdale. The re-
port states that it is evident that the everyday
working horse of America is to be a heavier and Some days ago it was announced that there was a
strong probability that the Queen would pay a visit
stronger animal than has been seen heretofore, and
that the exportation of horses may in future conduce
to Liverpool in the course of the spring at the invita-
to the stability of prices and the profit of breeding. tion of the Mayor, Mr. David Radcliffe, who is also
Already, it is said, there is a small export trade. President of the Council of the International Exhibi-
ion, to be held in Liverpool this year. When the
in'
t
horses. Mr. Dodge observes that the movement in.ay
be slow for some time, and, like that of most Pro- airnouncement was made her Majesty had graciously
ducts of agriculture, should only be depended on as promised to take the Mayor's invitation into favour-
an outlet for a small surplus—a regulator, hut never able consideration and to see whether it would be
n
a controller, of values. The total increase of horses convenient to visit Liverpool. The Queen has ow
in the United States is estimated at 513,085. announced her decision, and has intimated that she
Of r.ws the increase has been most marked in the . will pay a visit to Liverpool on Tuesday, the 11th of
' .
dairy ,ates of the West. The total increase under May, remaining in that city until the afternoon of
this heading is 330,666. The greatest increase
her
following day. So far as is at present known
m
er Majesty will travel from London or Windsor
u
other cattle has been in the distant Western States
and in the Rocky Mountain region. "Though prices by train, reaching Liverpool in the early part
have been lower, in sympathy with the general depres- of the 11th, and will drive through some
sion in values, there is an abiding faith in the future portions of the town the same afternoon. On the
forenoon of the 12th a further tour of the city and
of stock-breeding." The narrowing of the margin of
profit in meat-making in recent years is teaching a the dock estate will be arranged as the health of her
necessary and valuable lesson—that waste must be Majesty will allow, and late in the afternoon she will
avoided, animals kept constantly growing, and ,meat return to Windsor Castle. During the visit the
produced in shorter time. The sheep husbandry' is in Queen will use Newsham-house as a residence. It is
a period of deeper depression than any other animal a spacious old mansion located in Newsbam Park,
industry of the country, the figures showing a loss and is the property of the Liverpool Corporation.
of about two millions. Values of wool and mutton It has been used on several occasions by the Duke of
have been low, and flocks have been slaughtered in : Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family,
the farm States, or sent West to cheaper pasturage. , and is the official residence of the Judges of Assize
There is a small increase in the number of swine, when on circuit. It is not expected that her Majesty
which, however, is said to be due rather to better , will perform the ceremony of opening the Interns-
enumeration than to actual advance. 1 tional Exhibition, as the fatigue of such a function
We are interested in observing that an attempt has would be more than she could bear; but as Newsham-
house is at a convenient distance from the Exhibi-
been made to ascertain the number of the various
pure breeds of cattle by consultation with the Herd. tion, and the structure will have been completed by
book Societies. No returns were received from the the time, it is hoped that her Majesty will be able to
Shorthorn Society and Jersey Society, but the others make some inspection of the Exhibition, which in
gave returns which show the number of animals point of magnitude exceeds any that have been held
living to be as follows: Hereford, 14,000; Aberdeen. in this country since that of 1862. It is 35 years
Angus, 3500; Ayrshire, 6433; Devon, 8000; Guern. since the Queen last visited Liverpool.
say, 31,000; Holstein Friesian, 2Q081; making a, I
total of 55,114.

. AN ANTI-TREATING BILL,
An Anti-Treating Bill has passed one branch of the
Washington Territory Legislature. It prohibits any
person from treating or entertaining gratuitously
any other person or persons to or with spirituous or
ml i• liquors, wine or cider, or any other beverage
whatever, in any public bar-room, saloon, beer-hall,
or grocery in this Territory, or in any other puhlie
place of report or amusement." The penalty is a fine
of not less than 2 dole. nor more than 23 dols, or
imprisonment not less than five nor more than 20
days. or both.

. -
The French-ambassador paid a neat compliment, a
little while back, to a Washington lady who had been
talking to him for an hour. The lady said: "You
must think I am very fond of the sound of stny own
voice." The Frenchman replied "I knew ybu liked
music."

Mis, Popular (to Prof. Pfeffer, who is showing her
the paper he is to read before the Scientific Club) :
"And you have to read these long, Img papers,• and
before an, audience? How I pity you!" Prof.
Pfeffer: "Oh, zat is ao zo much ze pity as to haf to
lieten ze ozzers."

EXTRAORDINARY ATTACK ON A
DIAMOND MERCHANT.

Last week Dorato Toussaint, a Frenchman, aged
53, who gave no address, and who described himself
as of no occupation, was charged at Bow-street
Police-court, London, before Sir James Ingham, with
being concerned, with another man not in cu.tody,
with attempting to murder Jules Tabak by striking
him on the head with a life preserver. Re was
further charged witn stealing a quantity of diamonds,
value £2OOO. Mrs. Tabak, of 5, Belgrave-street,
Euston-road, said: I am the wife of Mr. Tabak, a
diamond merchant. This morning, at half-past nine,
I was downstairs in the dining-room. The prisoner
and another man called on Wednesday to look at
some diamonds. They returned at eleven, when Mr
Tabak was out. They made an appointment to call
again, and came this morning, at half-past nine. They
went upstairs with my husband. Shortly afterwards
I heard screaming for help. I rushed up. As I did
so the two men rushed out into the street, and I called
out "Murder!" and " Thieves ! " My servant
followed. One man ran one way and the other one
in the opposite direction. My servant followed the
prisoner, and a constable stopped him. I found my
husband lying on the floor, bleeding from wounds on
the back of the head and temple, He had other
injuries. A life preserver was found on the
table. After the prisoner was taken into custody he
was placed in front of Mr. Tabak, who accused him
of stealing £2OOO worth of diamonds. The other
man escaped. Inspector Kelly asked for a remand,
and the prisoner was removed.

Th recovery of a portion, if not all, of the
diamonds stolen from Mr. Tabak has been effected
a most extraordinary manner. The prisoner, a
Frenchman, after being remanded by Sir James
Ingham at Bow-street Police-court, was removed in
the ordinary prison van to the House of Detention,
Clerkenwell. He had to pass along a passage to the
cell allotted to him. A pail of water was standing in
the corridor, and shortly after the prisoner's arrival
at the House of Detention the diamonds were found
at tho bottom of the pail, concealed in a glove.
belonging, it is alleged, to the prisoner. It is
suppesed that he secreted the brilliants in the fingers
of the glove, and so eluded the search made when he
was taken into custody, and that he dropped the
glove in the pail as described.
The residence of Mr. Tabak is a very modest and
unimposing one. It is situate in agenteel neighbour-
hood just off Euston Station, and in proximity to
Argyle-square. Unless, therefore, any one was aware
of the business carried on there the character
of it would not be imagined by the uninitiated. The
inference, consequently, is that the perpetrators
of the robbery were experienced and expert
hands. The two men alleged to have been engaged
in it were each about the same age, well dressed,
and plausible in manners. One was a Frenchman,
the other an Englishman. One day last week the
men saw Tabak. The Frenchman represented that
he had been recommended by a Paris firm, that be
wanted diamonds for a tiara and necklet, that be
would select them at once, and would call next day
and pay for them. The appointment for next morn-
ing was half-past nine, and an interliew resulted.
Parcels of brilliants of the respective value of .EBOO
and £l3OO were produced, and while Mr. Tabak's
face was for a niomeit turned the Englishman gave
Lim a savage blow on the back of the neck with what
subsequently transpired to be a life-preserver, and
then, on the unfortunate man turning round, gave
him a second heavy blow over the temple. Meanwhile
the jewels were taken. The cries for help brought up
Mrs. Tabak and the servant, but the men ran away,
each in a different direction. The Frenchman ran
into the arms of Police-constable Ohapman, attached
to the Hunter-street Polioe-station, but the other fel-
low, who was evidently better acquainted with
London, slipped down one of the bye-streets, and
eluded apprehension.