The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-10-17 00:00:00

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THZ FORTUNATE TRUMPZTER.—Prince Hassan
a Egypt has just done an act of generosity. He
provoa the other day (we learn from a correspondent)
a friend in need se, an unfortunate trumpeter in a lancer
regiment of the Guards. The trumpeter in question
was, k appears, with his regiment at the late man-
wuv4, where he had the misfortune to lose his
trumpet, or rather to have it stolen, for he had
hung it cos a tree. Our authority goes on:—' The poor
fellow would'certainly have had to pay for a new one
out of his own pocket, and have bees punished with
arrest into the bargain, if the l'rince had not taken
pity on him. His Highness was invited to a dinner
one day, and the band of the regiment to which the
trumpeter belonged played some airs during the repast.
I The I'rince, who is a lieutenant in the let 'Dragoon
Regiment of the Guards, enjoyed the music very
much, and desired the bandmaster to play some of
his favourite tunes. In expressing his thanks to the
latter afterwards, he learned the story of the stolen
trumpet. He immediately gave orders for the trum-
peter to repair to his dwelling the next morning, and
then presented him an ample sum of money to purchase
anew instrument—which, by-the-bye, is by no means
cheap.' Well done, your Highness !—Pictorial World.
PRIMITIVE VENTILATION.—The extreme cold
of the winter if Iceland reduces the system of domestic
ventilation in that country to very primitive principles.
A late traveller there was so choked one night by the
close atmosphere of the air-tight little chamber in
which he slept with all the male members of the family,
as to be compelled to awake his host; who sprang out
of bed at the call, pulled a cork from a knot-hole in
the wall for a moment; an I then, hastily replacing
the cork with a shiver, returned to his slumbers.

•
EMIGRATION OF AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS
TO CANADA.-Mr. Henry Taylor, secretary to the
National Agricultural Labourers Union, who went
out to Canada in August for the purpose of reporting
officially as to the suitableness of the country for
agricultural labourers, writes home that the climate is
extremely severe, and long winters make it imperative
on the lighters of land to do quickly what they have to
do. If Canada requires labourers, and labourers
require Canada, he thinks that they ought not to meet
until the means of transit are superior to present
arrangements. He says the emigrants are well re
ceived, but reserves his opinion of the country for the
present.

SERRANO'S PEN.—To the missal of Lady Jane
Grey, the "George" of Charles 1., the cane of
Humboldt, the snuff-box of Frederick the Great,
another, though as yet a modern relic, may be added.
Continental papers have announced, with evident
relish, that Marshal Serrano was so impressed at
being called upon to sign the credentials of his ambas-
sadors to the foreign Powers that he had a pen-holder
specially made for the occasion. It was composed of
lapis lazuli, and enriched by several precious stones.
Notwithstanding so much luxury, Spanish finances
are at a low ebb. Doubtless, therefore, the fetish
might be bought. What an opportunity for some en-
prising collector.—Pictorial World.
• •

SHOCKING GUNPOWDER ACCIDENT.—A shock-
ing accident, which is expected to haves fatal termina-
tion, took place at Jannoek Brow, near Weatleigh, on
Saturday morning. A lad aged 14 years, named Green
left Warrington in company with two other boys
about his age, in charge of a donkey cart laden with
rubbing stones, and on his arrival at Westleigh he
clandestinely tilled his pocket with blasting powder.
Upon leaving the stone-yard he purchased a box of
lucifer matches, and he and his companions then went
to Jannock Brow. A quantity of powder was spread
upon the ground, and Green struck a match to ignite
it. Whilst he was in a stooping position the blaze
also set fire to the powder in his trousers pocket. He
was instantly enveloped in flames, and his piteous
cries brought to his aid two men named Charnock and
Rigby, who immediately stripped him of his burning
clothes. The lad, who was shockingly charred about
the body and limbs, was removed to the Leigh Work-
house, where he lies in a precarious condition.
WOLVES IN FRANCE. The Paris corre-
spondent of the Pall Mall Gazette writes :

"Although we are a long way iron' winter, the wolves
have already made their appearance. In the Charente a
little girl was engaged in picking up chestnuts when she was
attacked by one of these animals. which flew at her throat
and killed her before a man called Texier, who was about
300 yards off, could come to her assistance. When Texier
arrived, the wolf left Marie Favraud and dashed at him ; he
was unarmed, bit he managed to give the Infuriated beast a
violent kick and to seize it by the throat. Wolf and man
rolled to earth together, but the man was on top, and he
held the animal firmly pinned, though the wolf had got
hold of his arm. The struggle lasted for twenty minutes,
when a man called Fontroubade came to the rescue, am!
with Toner at last succeeded in kicking and beating their
antagonist to death. Tesler received no fewer than twenty-
two severe wounds in this combat, and Fontroubade had
one of his lingers lacerated."

"NOT JUST Now."—Eliza Godfrey, formerly
living near Leavenworth, Kansas, is among the
curiosities of womankind (remarks a Baltimore cor-
respondent). She is an interesting and not unattrac-
tive damsel of sweet sixteen; and when one night she
was missing her father set out on a search for her
which ranged over six hundred miles of mountain and
prairie. The worst of it was that she had eloped with
her lover—one, as the sequel proved, unfortunate Mr.
Bailey. For when her father overtook her the course
of true love had not by any means run smooth. She
had travelled over two hundred mites in a lumber-
waggon, over rough roads, and either her affection for
the man of her choice had been shaken out of her, or
she was of a most uncertain disposition. No minister
was obtainable, and when the judge arrived to marry
them this is how it all ended—a nice little romance
spoiled by the cantankerousness of one woman. Judge
Norton was sent for, and came upon the scene. The
party assembled, while the eager crowd tilled the door-
way and windows to witness what next would transpire.
Spoke the father: "Judge, this is my daughter. I
wish to give my consent to her marriage to this man."
Then said the Judge: "Mr. Bailey, do you wish to
marry this woman ?" "I do," said Bailey. "And
you, young woman, would you have this man for your
husband ?" said the Judge. The young lady looked up
and replied: "Well, Judge, I guess not just now."—
Pictorial World.
HAD ENOUGH OF IT !—A curious tale of a
pious Brahmin is told by the &maker Bahadoor
One day a Brahmin accidentally touched none unclean
object with his little finger. The Brahmin thought
that now his little finger having become unclean any
substance which it would touch would be also rendered
unclean, and thus make him an unclean man. Seeing
no other way to get out of the scrape, he resolved to
get the offending member amputated. Forthwith he
went to the carpenter's and explained to him that un-
less the finger was cut off he (the Brahmin) was unable
to take food. The carpenter tried to dissuade the
devotee, and urged that an application of a little
cowdung and some drops of water from the sacred
river Gunga would make the finger once more
holy, but the Brahmin persisted. lie said that the
finger was of no use to him any longer' and that
he would not rest until it was severed. As a final
resource the carpenter resolved to play his awkward
customer a trick. He told the Brahmin to put his
finger on an anvil, and to look to the sky while the
wound was inflicted- The Brahmin did so. The
carpenter tuok up a hatchet, and gave the finger a
smart blow with the back of it. This elicited a cry of
pain from the patient, who at once put his finger into
his manila to allay the agony. The carpenter laughing,
explained to the Brahmin that the blow had missed
and the little finger was still entire; and, worst of all,
that the Brahmin had defiled himself by putting the
finger into his mouth. The obliging operator, more-
over. offered to perform the operation once more, but
the Brahmin had had enough pain for the nonce, and
declined with thanks.