The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-04-18 00:00:00

Miscellaneous .11-telligenct.

ROME FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

crops

A DEFINITION FOR IR HENRY THOMPSON.
Cremation :"A consume-ation devoutly to he wished."
—Punch.

....
AN 'UNUSUAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—A block
took place on Tuesday on the North British Railway
at Cleeny Station, Fifeshire, under remarkable cir-
cumstances. Several men were trucking cattle, when
one of the animals got on the down line just as an
empty train of waggons came along. The bullock kept
on running in front of the engine for a time, and then
wheeling round sprang among the empty waggons and
became entangled amid the wheels. A number of the
waggons left the rails, and several trains were detained
some hours at the spot, both lines being blocked. The
animal was, of course, killed.
. . .

A TEMPTING INDUCEMENT. —Cheerful Agent
for Life Assurance Company: "The advantage of our
Company is, that you do not forfeit your policy either
by being hanged or by committing suicide! Pray take
a prospectus .—Punch.
BETALLITION OF NATURE.—Mrs. H. B. Stowe
has an orange orchard in Florida of which she is very
proud, but unfortunately the majority of the oranges
on her trees have turned black. She claims that she
has discovered the cause, it being a lack of sufficient
lime in the soil; but old Floridians with Southern pro-
clivities who have known the grove for years say there
were no black oranges there previous to her purchase
of the place, and claim that Providence has rewarded
her love for the black by endowing her oranges with
the favourite colour. They are certainly very much
off colour, and although that does not detract from
the flavour of them, yet it detracts very much from
their market value. Mr. Reed's fruit in an adjoining
orchard, not 20 feet from hers, are all of beautiful
orange colour —American Paper.
DISPENSATORIAL PARADOX '.—The other day
Pharmaceutical Chemist and Druggist told his assistant
that he could dispense with his services. Since then
he has dispensed without them !—Jude.
THE BANKRUPTCY ACT.—On Saturday a Par-
liamentary paper was printed containing the general
report of the Controller in Bankruptcy for the year
ended the 31st of December last. The results were
similar to the preceding year. The number of estates
increases, the increase being, as in former years, in the
number of liquidations by arrangement and of com-
positions on debtors' petitions. Last year there were
915 bankruptcies, 4,151 liquidations by arrangement,
and 2,422 compositions, making 7,489 cases, with liabili-
ties to £39,184,812. In the last four years there were
25,606 cases in bankruptcy and liquidations, with lia-
bilities to £65,087,518. It appears that dividends were
paid in 612 of the cases closed. In 347, chiefly very
small estates, the whole assets were absorbed by costs,
and in 150 no assets were realized. The result of ad-
ministration under liquidatione by arrangement cannot
be stated, no returns bring required of the trustees.
Last year the total compositions were in number 2,422.

THE CREMATION PROPAGANDA. —A GOTHISH
correspondent writes :—The cause of cremation is
making further program. The furnace intended for the
experimental burning of the dead now in building in
Dresden is to be completed in a few weeks. Mean-
while a cremation society has formed at Vienna under
the appropriate title of The Urn," and has obtained
the Government's consent for instituting similar experi-
menta. The furnace to be built in Vienna will be after

the design of Profeesor Reclaim, of Leipzig. "The
" has a goodly roll of members to show already,
and every day is said to witness additions. In Zurich
Swiss papers affirm cremation is more spoken of and
excites greater attention and zeal than even the Ire-
posed revision of the Federal Constitution, on which a
vote is about to be taken ehortiv.

INGLORIOUS EASE —A Senator, belated re-

cently in his travels, stopped at • substiintial and com-
fortable farmhouse, and was entertained and hospitably
invited to make himself comfortable for the night.
He observed in the morning the comfort and substan-
..

tial thrift and prosperity-of everything around, and
'could not but congratulate his host on his lot. His
fields were well fenced, his barns were filled, and his
crops most promising. Besides, too, the farmer had
an industrious and amiable wife and several bright and
healthy children. "A farmer's life," remarked the
guest "is certainly the happiest of all human lofe,
I and must say, my friend, that you are as happily
fixed as any farmer I ever knew:" Wall,' is
marked his host, "that's your notion, but 'tain't mine.
. . ..

intend to sell 'out and 'Lye next week." " Whither

are you going j" inquired the inquisitive Yankee.
"Down Into Texas ! "What, into that wild and
• •

disturbed country, menaced by the whole Mexiean
army and by roving bands of Comauches, and maraud.
lug Greasers; leave this peaceful and happy home for
such a savage country, where you would have to sleep
every night on your arms, and carry your rifle strapped
across your shoulder while ploughing in the field?"
"Vase, sir-ree." wee the eager reply, 'who would
give a cuss to live in a country where lae couldn't fight
for his liberty."—New Orlezna Picayune.

- - -
DISCIPLINE IN TLIE MILITLL—A parliamen-
tary paper has been issued showing the alterations
comprised in the Mutiny Bill, 1874. The principal
alteration is that the Act will apply to all persons re-
ceiving pay as members of the permanent staff of any
militia regiment, and to all persons being enrolled
in the militia who are attached for purposes of instruc-
tion, or otherwise, to a regiment or body of troops of
the regular forces, and to all militia recruits during
the period of their recruit training, when the militia
battalions to which they belong are not for the time
being out fortraining and exercise. And all such persons
shall, during such periods, and in respect of offences
committed during such periods, be deemed to be part
of the regular forces for the purposes of this Act in re-
spect of billeting, discipline, trial, and punishment.
QUESTION FOR NAVAL EXAMMATIONS.—Q :
Can you give any other name furs Stip's Cut-water?
—A: Yes. A Sea-saw. —Punh.
A FRENCH TRAGEDY.—A tragical affair is re-
ported by the Courrier de Artutun., to hart, taken
place at the village of Ginestas, in the department of
the Aude. A lucifer-match dealer named lirai& went
to the house of his son-in-law, &papier, keeper of a
cafe, and, on the latter opening the door, discharged
a pistol at him, lodging a bullet in his breast. The
wounded man had strength to reach the first floor,
where his daughter and a woman opened the window
and called for assistance, and were also tired on by
Bernd, but received no injury. The murderer resisted
the attempts made by some neighbours to arrest him,
threatening them also; but when he saw the gems-
damn coming to him, he put the firearm to his mouth
and blew out his own brains. The other man is lying
in a critical state. The crime is believed to have
originated in an ill-feeling caused by disputes relative
to money matters.

GLOV'ER A-ND GLOVER. —There are two Glovers

of ;711-011 Posterity will read the names in biogra-
phical dictionaries. Both of them bear a relation to
Leonidas. The first, Glover, the Poet, celebrated the
valour of that hero. The second, Captain Glover, of
Ashantee renown, emulated it. Happily, however,
there is this difference between Captain Glover and
Leonidas, that, whereas the latter fell at Thermopylm,
the former lives to receive the thanks of Parliament,
and to dine with the Lord Mayor.—Punch.

--
THE REV. MR. BEECHER ON DeNaNa.---The
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher makes this reply, in the
Christian Union, to a query as to whether it is wicked
to dance:—" It is wicked when it is wicked, and not
wicked when it is not wicked. In itself it has im
more moral character than walking, wrestling, or row-
ing. Bad company, untimely hours, evil dances, may
make the exercise evil; good company, wl,,lesoms
hours, and home influences, may make it a very great
benefit."

-------
A CANNIBAL KING. I Was intensely interested
in gazing at the strange weird-looking sovereign, of
whom it was commonly reported that his daily food
was human flesh. With arms and legs, neck and
breast, all bedizened with copper rings, chains, and
other strange devices, and witli a great copper crescent
at the top of his head, the potentate gleamed with a
shimmer that was to our ideas unworthy of royalty,
but savoured far too much of the magazines of civic
opulence, reminding one almost unavoidable of a well-
kept kitchen.—Dr. Schweinfurth.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE GENEVA AWARD. —The
question how the Geneva sward of £35,500,000 now in
the Treasury is to be distributed has been under con-
sideration by the judiciary committee of the United
States House of Representatives. Eleven members
constitute this committee, and eight were present at
the meeting, and voted upon various propositions which
' indicate the feeling of the committee as to the detail
of the distribution of the award, although giving very
littlz indication of the ultimate shape the subject
will take. The vote was 7to 1 that the award ought
to be distributed, and not held by the Government ;
Ito 3 that the underwriters ought to participate ; and
7 to 1 that the list of claimants recognised by the
Geneva Tribunal should be taken as a basis of settle-
ment. The committee divided equally-4 to 4—upon
the question whether the claims shoula be adjudicated
by a special commission or by the United States Courts.
and this will be referred to the House to settle. The
Washington advisers indicate, however, that the coin
mittee will be in deliberation for several weeks yet, so
that the session will be well advanced before the mea-
sure is brought into the House.
THE BRUNSWICK LEGACY.—By aclrices from
. . . . _ _

Geneva we (Globe) learn that the v;lidity of the late
Duke Charles's bequest to that city has been settled in
its favour after several months of negotiation between
the Commissioners deputed on behalf of the MULIiCi:
pality and the official representatives of the reigning
Duke, the heir-at-law of the deceased. The city,
having obtained by firm resistance to all threats of legal
action a final acknowledgment in writing of the good-
ness of its general claims to the property, has agreed
to surrender, as heirlooms of the house of Brunswick,
the famous onyx Mantua vase and the Mary Stuart
sapphire ring. 'These were officially handed over •
few days since to I)r. Riegel, deputed by the Duke to
receive them as his personal agent at Geneva. At the
same time the German Consul, Herr Brodhaag, signed
on behalf of his Highness a convention, in which he
withdrew his supposed claims to the rest of the personal
property of his deceased brother, estimated as likelyto
realize about £650.000.
THE REVERSE OF THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL.—
A School in which very few Members of Society are
brought up—a Charity School.—Punch.
AN AUSTRALIAN MILLIONAIRE.—The will of
the late William John Turner Clarke has been proved
in the Supreme Court at Melbourne. The amount of
the Victorian property was sworn at .C 1,510,000. The
bulk of the Victorian property is left to Mr. William
J. Clarke, the South Australian and New Zealand
properties to Mr. Joseph Clarke, and the Tasmanian
property to Mr. Thomas Clarke. The late Mr.
Clarke's properties are of the aggregate value of about
three and a half millions sterling.
A Goon GROUND.—Mr. Gladstone, who is
working away at his Homer, gives as his reason,
" Better rule Homer than Home-Ruler."—Punch.
ROSES ALL the YEAR ROUND.—The Garden
says —"It: is comparatively easy to adorn each month
of the year with some form of floral beauty, and in
this way to girdle the sermon round with flowers enough
and to spare. Still, roses all the year round continue
the exception rather than the rule. Only in gardens
here and there is this feat of cultural skill attempted,
and in comparatively few is it actually accomplished.
Many succeed in making rosee almost as common, and
even more lovely, by contrast at least, in March
than they are in June. But there is a dreary
blank from November to February in most gardens,
hardly lighted up by one solitary rosebud; and how
few can say, even in the highest ranks, "My room
has not been roseless for a dozen or more years."
Is it possible to have an unbroken succession of
roses? No doubt it is; for what one has done others
may accomplish. But what of the expense and appli-
ances, number and character 9f houses, plants, &c.,
needed? Nothing to be alarmed at. Of course space,
plants, and certain conveniences are requisite ; and, if
one could command a rosary under glass, properly
warmed, the supply of roses all the year round would
would be made early. But, without that, and with a
moderate supply of, say 50, or 100, or 200 plants in
pots, the year may be wreathed round with roses For
the purpose of an uninterrupted supply no varieties
are so useful as tea roses; and a few of the superior
varieties of noisettes on a back wall of a greenhouse.
conservatory. elites corridor, or case. are invaluable fee
nceluArig one flcwers when they are most wanted.'
THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION.—On Monday a
large and influential deputation of ladies waited upon
the magistrates of Dundee to urge the necessity of a
reduction in the number of publichuuses in the burgh.
The ladies numbered between 50 and 50, and most of
them were married, being the wives of clergymen,
merchants, and leading citizens generally. They sub-
mitted a petition, signed by 8,403 women of all grades.
The magistrates were requested not to grant any new
licences, to withdraw those the holders of which had
been convicted, to grant no transfer, and to permit no
plurality of certificates in the name of one person.
Your members of the deputation, Mre. Inglis, Mrs.
IParker, Mrs. Steel, and Miss Smith, addressing the
magistrates, pointed to the misery the liquor traffic
involved. They hoped the revenue of the country
would not be regarded in any action that might be
taken, and suggested that it would be better to give
publicans pensions rather than allow them to continue
their nefarious trade. The magistrates promised to
give the statement their best attention.
WHAT LITERARY LADIES OUGHT TO WEAL—
Book Muslim—Punch.
' STORY OF A RARE.— The Reviie de rawest
states that a gentleman of Saujon, having sent a haze
to a friend during the closed season, gut into the fol-
lowing difficulties :—The hamper was labelled" Fruit,"
and the railway company took proceedings against hula
I for false description. Whereupon a second action was
commenced against him by the octroi for not having
• made the usual declaration. A note warn attached to
I the hare addressed to its deetinee, on which account
• the post office entered an action against the Bender.
• Finally the public prosecutor took proceedings sgainst
• him for sending game during the prohibited period. A
compromise was effected with the octroi and the post
• office, but the other proceedings were carried on to the
; bitter end. The remit was a fine of 50 franca and the
conlieetion of the cause of the dispute far the Yana%
of the hoeuitsl at Poitiers.