The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-06-25 00:00:00

THE RELATIONS BETWEEN FRANCE

AND ITALY.

The Times, (in a leader) although it deplores as much
as ever the manner in which France has advanced in
this Tunisian affair, would deeply regret to see the
adventure result in a rupture, or even in a serious
coolness, between France and Italy. "After all,
those two nations have far more points in common than
they have points of difference. They are the two
chiefs of the Latin race. They represent at the
present moment the same cause —the cluse of
liberal progress against reaction. Republican France
and united Italy are, if the word mean anything,
natural allies. All Englishmen are anxious that
peace and good relations should continue to exist
between France and Italy, as between France and
ourselves. This country has no intention of taking
any direct action with regard to Tunis; our interests
do not require it. The duty of our Government is to
safeguard our real interests in the Mediterranean,
especially in Egypt. So long as these are not
threatened—and there is Po reason to consider them
likely to be threatened—we may look on the French
proceeding in Tunis with regret, indeed, but without
anxiety on our own account."

CUTTINGS FROM AMERICAN PAPERS.

An Arkansas editor replies to a correspondent :
B.S.—We really think that you had better not visit us in
order to receive an explanation of the reason why we have
rejected your manuscript. Our staircase, we beg to inform
you, has twenty-four steps, and we do not keep a bolster at
the bottom."

A Schenectady editor, describing the effects of a
squall upon a canal boat, says :—" When the gale was at its
highest, the unfortunate craft heeled to larboard, and the
captain and another cask of whisky rolled overboard."

An old lady in a town of Pennsylvania lately refused
the gift of a load of wood from a tree struck by lightning,
through fear that some of the "fluid" might remain in the
wood, and cause disaster to her kitchen stove.
Young America has Leen always notel for its in-
quiring mind. One of the many budding Presidents now resi-
dent in Chicago was told the other day by his "school
mann' the story of William Tell's famous shooting feat.
The only comment the boy made upon the story of the
patriotic parent was, " Who ate the apple afterwards?"

The time will soon come, says a veteran Yankee
observer, when a town will be of small account unless it
can have an earthquake, a ghost, an old woman one hundred
years of age, or a terrific conflagration.
On one of the gentlemen in Congress saying, "We
must return to the food of our ancestors," somebody asked,
"What food does he mean?"—" Thistles, I suppose," was
the reply.
A countrywoman stopped some ten minutes in front
of a store in an American village to gaze at a patent fly-trap
in operation which was perfectly well filled. After studying
the placard, "two dollars," intently, she moved on, after
piping out, to the great amusement of the bystanders,
" Tew dollars ! Tew dollars! Snakes alive, I would'ut give
tew cents for all the flies in the village !"
A Boston young lady of culchar, who is much
annoyed by the staring of rude young men in the horsecars,
and who is, moreover, beyond her years, a shrewd judge of
human nature, has discovered a simple remedy against the
discomfort. She reports that by gazing at the shoes of such
silent admirers with a look composed of equal parts of
amusement and deprecation, the most annoying bore is
reduced to a contemplation of the same articles, and in
wondering what is the matter with them is kept diligently
employed for an indefinite period.

Weddings in the far West often give rise to serious
squabbles respecting the officiating minister's fees, so a
peaceably-minded parson has published a carefully-gra-
duated scale of his charges to avoid mistakes. Thus " One
marriage plain, Bs. ; ditto, kissing the bride, 12s. ; ditto,
trimmed with one groomsman and one bridesmaid, )6s. ; 2s.
extra for each additional groomsman or bridesmaid.
Bachelors past 40 charged extra, maidens of age 10 per
cent. off. Mileage will be charged in long distance matches;
liberal reductions to clubs ; payment in cash; no money re-
funded for poor goods. Come early and come often."

On Wednesday morning, at ten minutes to nine, the
Queen, accompanied by Princess Beatrice and Princess
Victoria and Elizabeth of Hesse, arrived at Windsor from
Scotland. They immediately drove to Windsor Castle. A
large number of people were at the station to witness Her
Majesty's arrival.
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