The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-12-19 00:00:00

Pliatillacous

HOME. FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

AN ECCENTRIC Doc.—A euriom case hasbeen
before the Glasgow Police-court. Mr. M. Dickson,
188, Dumbarton-road, was charged with having klipea
dog which annoyed the neighbours by howling and
barking at night. From the evidence it appeared that
this dog was of a most eccentric character, doing ita
howling between the hours of eleven p.m. and onea.m.
with the utmost regularity, to the intense annoyance
of the family who occupied the apartments above Mr.
Dickson's shop. The solicitor for the defence showed
that this family had a harmonium, and seemed to infer
that the music which was abstracted from that instru-
ment was calculated to set any number of dogs howl-
ing, and if that music was discontinued the dog would
be found to be a peaceable, well-conducted anipsal.
The court took a different view of the case, and ward
Mr. Dickson that he must find another dog or •ke
the consequences.
INCOME TAR.—The amount of property iind
income assessed to Income Tax continues to increase.
A return now issued shows that in the year'encling the
sth of April, 1873, the amount assessed under schedule
A, in respect of the property in land, houses, l&c.,
was £143,961,275, being £1,225,218 more than in the
preceding year. Under Schedule B, the assessrnent
m respect of the occupation of lands was on £38,126,032,
being £597,153 less than in the preceding year. The
assessment under Schedule C, in respect of annuities
or dividends out of public revenue, was on £40,530,120,
being £1,883,760 more than in the preceeding Aar.
ai, The assessment under Schedule D, in respect of
ei profits of trades, professions, &c., was on £205,719, 5,
an increase of no less than £16,414,528. The ge-
ment under Schedule E, in respect of public o ces
under the Crown, was on £25,161,523, a decreans of
£230,130. In the whole, therefore, in the financial
years 1872-73, the tax was assessed on £453,499 125
being more by £18,696,223 than the amount on wtch
the assessment was made in the preceding year. en
years previously, in the financial year 1862-63, the tax
was assessed on rather lees than £323,950,000.
INFECTION FROM DOMESTIC PETS.—Lalliinier,
in a pamphlet on the necessity of isolation in infectious
diseases, relates a singular case in which the seeds' of
contagion had been conveyed to different children by
means of a pet retriever (says the Sanitary Reeml/41).
The dog in question had been reared in a house where
scarlatina prevailed, and was subsequently given to a
friend, and shortly after one of the childien in the
dog's new home was attaoked with maglignant
scarlatina., and died. Disinfectants were used plenti-
fully, and every precaution taken to prevent a re-
currence of the malady, but in two months' time a
second child took the same disease in its worst form,
and died. As the dog had been the constant com-
panion and playfellow of these children, its woolly
coat because so charged with contagious matter as to
render it a source of disease and death.
THE GREAT TOPIC.—The Transit of VESPB
was "beautifully observed" at Indore. Astronomers
in future will place more reliance on Indoor obseriat-
tions.—Panch.

-
BISMARCK'S COAT OF MAIL.—The history of
Bismarck's coat of mail is given in an Austrian journal.
It appears that in 1866 a young Hungarian baton
visited Bismarck, and informed him that he had In-
vented a bullet proof shirt of mail. He added thatthe
wore a shirt of the kind, and requested Bismarck ,to
test it. Seeing he had not a fool before him, the
Chancellor seized his revolver and fired five shots
successively at his visitor. The latter remained on-
harmed and immovable; the bullets struck him and
fell to the ground. Afterwards he showed the "man
of iron" his invention ; it was a shirt of many folds
sewn together. The elasticity and denseness of the
stuff gave it its wonderful power of resistance. The
Hungarian nobleman advised the Chancellor to accept
of his invention, and when the latter inquired what
was to be the price of it, he said, 'Beat the Ails-
trians." "We shall do that in all cases," replied
Bismarck. Some days after this occurrence, an at-
tempt was made on Bismarck's life, five shots being
fired at him, at a distance of two or three paces only.
The newspapers stated that the Chancellor appeared
quiet, cool, and even smiled while being shot at. Not
taus of the bullets hurt him.
A FEMALE GRAVE-STONE CUTTER.
fl
Winona, Michigan, may be seen a woman, the first pf
her sex, who has by the force of circumstances ell-
braced the cheery occupation of a grave-stone cuttler
(says the Actorial World). Her name is Mrs. George
Peasly. She works in a marble shop with a number
of men, takes the stone in the rough as they do, works
as much and earns as much as they. Why does she
do it? Because when her husband died she was not
able to buy a head-stone complete, but bought a marble
slab in the rough and finished it, and it can be seen
standing at the head of his grave near the village of
Henderson, Minnesota. She then carved some wisik
and took it to a marble-worker in the city of Minn;
polls, and told him the was a widow with a fain'
of children and wanted work. The dealer examined
the work, said it was good, and that he would giie
her work on two conditi no, first, she should pro-
mise not to work for any other dealer in the city ; and
secondly, she should promissi not to open business on
her own account in the city of Minneapolis. She said
she would agree to this if he would agree to keep her
in work all the time. But this lord of creation would
agree to nothing of the kind. She went to St. Pant,
and there-got work without special agreements, and is
now in Winona.

---
ROYAL AND LOYAL STOCK.-At the great
Cattle Show the champion Short-horn Cow was the
properly of the Prince of Wales. Another feather this
in the Prince's cap I—Punch.

AN INDIAN GENTLEMAN COMMONER—The
Oxford (Pennsylvania) Press says :—" One of the
Indians who recently came to Lincoln University to
receive an education has jut left for his home in Utah
Valley. He was the nephew of a Chief and thought
he did not receive the homage which should be paid to
him, especially from Richard Komas and the other
Indians at the University. A few days before he left
he became so indignant that he dressed himself in all
his Indian toggery, put on war paint, and with knife
and revolver in his belt appeared in the presence of tha
Faculty of the University, declaring his intention of
setting off on foot for his home in the West. Tw9 of
the teachers accompanied him to Philadelphia ind
placed him aboard a train bound for Omaha, in speSial
charge of the conductor. He had been given a lew
name at the University, that of John .1. Patterson.'
He was quite an apt scholar and showed remarkable
quickness of perception, having mastered the alph*et
in a short time, and he could understand many
English words. He was always respectful to the
officers of the institution, and only got upon his dignity
because his Indian companions had imbibed too much
of Democratic notions, thereby failing to show him the
deference the kinsman of the Chief was entitled to,"

FEMALE EDLTATION IR IRELAND. —A deputa-
tion, consisting of the Archbishop of Dublin, the Pro-
vost of Trinity College, Sir A. Guinness, the
Hon. D. Plunket, M. P.. and others, waited upon the
Lord Lieutenant on Monday, and presented a memo-
rial in-favour of obtaining help from the Government
for the support of three colleges established in Dublin,
Belfast, and Cork to promote the higher education of
1 women. At the close of the interview his grace inti-
mated that he saw great difficulties in the way, but
that the subject should receive the careful consideration
of the Government. _ _

- • ------
THE MEAN TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH.—
The temperature to which rooms are allowed to fall
through a too severe economy of coals.—Puncli.
DRUNKENNESS IN LIVERPOOL. —A conference
of ministers of all denominations has been held in
Liverpool "to consider the appallin,g prevalence of
drunkenness, crime, and death" in the town. Over
a hundred ministers attended. Friday, the 30th of
April, 1875, was appointed a day of humiliation and
special prayer for the nation's deliverance from the
great curse of intemperance, and a resolution wail
passed calling upon Christians of all denominations to
join irrobtaming the following among other points
Reduced numbers of public and beerhouses ; entire
Sunday closing, and shortened boars of sale." A
memorial to the magistrates of the borough and of the
West Deiby Division of the county as adopted, re-
questing that an " adequate system be devised and
applied for securing the thorough iwe,tion of all
publichouses, with a view to the enforcement of the
laws bearing on the sale of intoxicating drinks, and
especially in all cases against those who illegally supply
drink to int.xicat, d persons; also that every avaiMb'e
opportunity be taken advantage of for diminishing
the number of publichouses in districts already con-
fessedly oversupplied ; further, that the future
issued licenses be restricted as much as shall be
found practicable • and that seven-day licences be
discouraged and discountenanced as against six-day
licenses." A memorial to the Mayor requesting him to
call a town meeting on an early day for the considera-
tion of the subject was also adopted
. .

TUE TEREBINTH TREE—The terebinth tree,
a native of Asia, grows to a great size, and attains to
an almost fabulous age. Josephus relates that he saw
a tree of this species near Hebron, which had existed
since the Creation; and the Old Testament Scriptures
often refer to this tree. Thus, Jacob buried the
idolatrous images which his family brought from
Mesopotamia under a terebinth tree; an angel ap-
peared to Gideon under a terebinth tree; it was in a
valley of terebinths that Saul encamped with all his
army; Absalom hung on a terebinth tree; anti Isaiah
threatens idolaters that they shall be as a terebinth
tree whose leaves fall off. one of these trees, under
which the prophetess 'Deborah is said to have dwelt,
was in existence in the days of St. Jerome, and was
probably then a thousand years old. And towards the
middle of the seventeenth century there stood between
Jerusalem and Bethlehem an old tree under which
tradition relates that the Virgin Mary rested as she
went to present her son in the Jewish Temple. This
tree, however, which was equally venerated by
Christians and Mus_sulmen was accidentally destroyed
by fire in 161-6, ifter having stood for nearly two
thousand years.—Atlantie Monthly.
- • -

ASTRONOMY AT Homz.—Our young friend,
Finchley Buckhurst, never for a moment thought of
going to such distant spots as Nagasaki and Kergue-
len's Land, to observe the Transit of Venus across the
Sun. He was perfectly satisfied to stay in London,
and watch the beautiful young person to whom he is
engaged cross over Half Dfoomstreet.—Punch.

How TO "Do" THE RAILWAY !---The follow-
ing amusing incident occurred on the North London
Railway. A short time since a passenger remarked
in the hearing of one of the company's servants how
easy it was to "do " the ..company, and said he had
often travelled from Broad-street to Dalston Junction
without a ticket. "Any one can do it—l did it
yesterday." When he alighted he was followed by
the official, who asked him how it was done. For a
consideration be agreed to tell him. This being given,
"Now," said the inquirer, "how did you go from
Broad-street to Balaton Junction yesterday without a
ticket?" "Oh," was the reply, "I walked."

PROPER ACCOMPANIMENTS.—A. Book about the
Table is announced. May we dare to ask whether it
has clean plates and good cuts ?—Punch.
THE LOST CAUSE.—It is said that in North-
eastern Texas the sentiment which clings fondly to the
memory of the Confederate cause is very strong.
Very many active Secessionists moved here when all
was lost, and, being of a rank superior to the local in-
habitants, gave the tone of feeling t the district. The
East Teams Ealiciot gives this description of a dress
worn by a young lady at an entertainment at
Marshall :

"The dress represented the first flag of the Confederacy.
On her arm she bore the flag adopted by the Confederate
National Congress. tin the lower skirt were the stars for the
States, with the name and seal ea.h State in the centre.
photographs of Confederate 3enerals were on the upper
skirt, together with pictures of the A labanta and Sumter ;
on her shoulders were streamers with the successful battles;
manacles and chains were on her arrns ; a coronet of the
seceded States was on her head, and rising above them was a
black veil representing the gloom thrown over them. This
was fastened with the dagger of oppression."

REVENUE AND ROPULATION.—A return has
just been published showing the revenue and popula-
tion in the years 1841, Ibsl, 1861-2, and 1871-2. The
gross revenue in Great Britain in 1841 was £46,142,899,
and the population 18,534,332, making the computed
amount in respect of each head of the population £2
9s. 9•5 d. In 1871-2 the population in Great Nitain
had increased to 26,072,281, and the gross revenue to
£57,531,683, or £2 4s. I'6d. per head. Similar returns
are given as to Ireland, and there the population had
decreased. In 1841 the gross revenue from taxation,
excluding miscellaneous receipts, Post Office, fees in
courts, &c., was £3,97,238, and the population,
8,175,124, computed at 9s. 6'7d. each head. In 1871-2
the gross revenue was £7,086,593, and the population
5,412,377, or computed at £1 6s. 2•2 d. per head.

„ .
POST.OARDS. —A desire having 1:-men expressed
for a post-card of a quality superior to those now in
use, it is intended to issue experimentally a limited
number of somewhat superior cards on the let of
February next, at a price of Bd. the dozen. There
cards may be obtained at any of the head post-offices,
and at the branch offices in London, and will be sold
at the rate of Bd. for twelve cards, or 4d. for six cards.
The new poet-cards will be designated ” stout " cards,
to distinguish them from the present " thin " cards,
and they will be subject to the same rules and condi-
tions, in regard to their transmission by post, as the
present cards. It having been found that the price at
which the present "thin" post-cards have hitherto
been sold is not remunerative, the price of these eq.&
will be raised, on and after the lit of January next,
from eirl. to 7d. a packet of twelve cards, and six
cards may be obtained for :lid. No smaller number
than six either of the "stout or the "thin" cards
will be sold.

STALL-FED, BUT NOT STALL-CLAD. Box-
Keeper (to Country Visitor, who, on removing his Over-
coat, reveals the g)oriis of his Vest): "Beg pardon, sir,
but I'm afraid your waistcoat ain't quite the thing for
the stalls."—Country Visitor (with indignant surprise):
"Not good enough for a theyater ! Pang yer im-
pudence ! Why, I had that waistcoat made o' purpose
for Cattle Show week !"—Punch„
A COSTLY HAIR.—A few days ago a young
and poorly-clad girl entered a barber's shop in Vienna
and told the proprietor that he " must buy her head"
(says the Pictorial World). The frisseur examined her
long, glossy, chestnut locks, and began to bargain. He
could give eight gulden and no more. Hair was plen-
tiful this year, the price had fallen, there was less
demand, and other phrases of the kind. The little
maiden's eyes filled with tears, and she hesitated a
moment while threading her fingers through her
chestnut locks. She finally threw herself into a chair.
' In God's name," she gasped, "lake it quickly."
The barber, satisfied with his bargain, was about to
clinch it with his stMars when a gentleman who sat
half-shaved, looking on told him to stop. "My child,"
he said, "why do you want to sell your beautiful
hali ?" "My mother has been nearly five months ill;
I can't work enough to support us; everything has
been sold or pawned, and there is not a penny in the
house" (und kein kreutzer im taus). "No, no, my
child," said the stranger; "it that's the case, I will buy
your hair, and will give you a hundred gulden for it.'
He gave the poor girl the note, the sight of which had
dried her tears, and took up the barber's shears.
Taking the locks in biz hand, he took the longest hair,
cut it off alone, and put it carefully in his pocket-
book, thus paying one hundred florins for a single hair,
He took the poor girl's address, in case be should want
to buy another at the same rate. This charitable maz
Is only designated as the chief of a great industrial en-
terprise within the city.