The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-03-23 00:00:00

pisitlianeous

ROME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

POST-OFFICE BOYS' EIAMINATION.—(From
the Lti.ture Hour.)—The simplest scheme of examina-
tion is that fixed for the post-otlice boys, which r waists
of twenty facsimile copies of addressed envelopes, in
every variety of writing, and ten short compoand addi-
tion sums. The addresses are lithographed on a sheet
having double columns, the right-hand column being
blank: in which the boy is to insert his own interpreta-
tion of the address given. In making copies of these
postal addresses some ludicrous mistakes are committed.
Cornelius Town is made to do duty for "Camden
Town," and To S. Joe S. for "70 St. Jno. Ste." One
boy gives Mr. Chester Esq. as his most able translation
of "Manchester Sq." Some of the boys that thus
stumble and blunder in their endeavours to read mixed
handwritings, exhibit considerable sharpness in refer-
ence to arithmetic, triumphantly handing in their
paper of sums in much less than the prescribed fifteen
'minutes. Others, however, who succeed in correctl7
deciphering all the addresses, completely fail in thew
attempts as arithmeticians. A few seem to be en-
shrouded in hopeless obscurity—beginning their addi-
tion from right to left—addin, up the three columns of
pounds, shillings and pence thus ; 22 ; 11—and
occasionally declining
ining the terrible task altogether. In
such cases, the boys are required to write their re-
fusals on the margins of their papers ; the said refusals
being put, in two instances, in the following forms
ri-spectively :—" cant not dawn." " i don't No how to
doe These sunons."
MATRIMONIAL CHANCES !—(From the Man.

che;t7r-Z;miner):—
" A gentleman, age ZS, tall, and holding • good aitnati•n,
wishes to correspond with a lady with a view to matrimony.-
-

Address," &c.
"A young gentleman, of moderate means, wishes to corre-
spond with a young lady with a view to matrimony.—Ad-
dres,"
" An educated gentleman (2), respectable position, wishes
to meet with a suitable wife : end, ,se cartu—Address," &c,
"Young lady wishes to correspond with a gentleman in
good position with a vice." to matrimony ; strictest confidence,
—Address," Am.
" A young gentleman, in business, but with private means,
wishes to correspond with an amiable young lady, with
means, with a view to matrimony—Address, enclosing carte,
stating age and full partimlars," &c.
" Young holy, of prepossessing appearance, highly respect-
able, in a good position, with a little income, wishes to
meet with a partner for life ; strictly coufidentiaL —Address,"

&e.
A gentleman, 26. of very good family, and fair prospects,
will be happy to correspond with an amiable and prepossess-
ing young lady, of some private means, with a view to an
early marriage. As this is strictly bona fide, pledges of
how mrable conduct will be given and required.—Address, in
the first instance, enclosing carte," Am.
MURDER NEAR COVENTRY.—AII Old woman,
named Sarah Oldhams, aged 70, died at Foleahill, near
Coventry, on Saturday morning, from injuries received
a fortnight ago. She lived with her son, a weaver,
named David Oldhains, and apparently 30 years of age.
On the night of the 2nd inst., hearing screams proceed
from the house of the Oldharns, some neighbours ven-
tured in, and there found the old woman seated on a
chair, bleeding from wounds above and below the eye,
and the son standing in the kitchen, his hands covered
with blood. He said he had "killed his mother and
done for himself." Police-constable Knight and
Inspector Oliver were soon on the scene, and took the
man into custody. On the way to the police station
they called on Mr. Orton, surgeon, and the prisoner
asked that gentleman to go and see the deceased, and
do what be could for her. He afterwards said he had
not been drinking, and he thought he must have been
"possessed." From the medical evidence it was clear
the deceased had died from the wounds inflicted by the
prisoner, and a verdict of "Wilful murder" was given
by the jury.
The COURSE or TRUE Loy& —Elizabeth
Oliver, a poor-looking woman, has been charged at the
Worship-street police-court, in London, with having
wilfully damaged a door. The Magistrate asked com-
plainant what reason existed for this conduct? Wit-
ness replied that her son a "nice boy," who was only
nineteen years of age, had "taken up" with the de-
fendant's daughter, who was twenty-one years of age.
His father spoke to him against marrying, but was
abused. The defendant annoyed her because she net
her face against the marriage. Defendant said she did
not want the son at her house, and had begged him to
leave. The Magistrate : But you see he is paying his
addresses to your daughter. Defendant : Well, I
don't want anything to do with him if he's like his
mother. The mother, He'd be sorry to be like you.
Defendant My daughter is here. The Magistrate:
I don't think it would mend matters to call her. You
admit the damages, and must pay 4F. tirl., and 4s.
costs, with a tine of ls., or seven (lays in default. The
complainant's son here started forward, and wag under-
stood to wish to pay the money. Complainant: You
hold your tongue; you are a had boy. (He looked at
least twenty.) The defendant's daughter came for-
ward, but was stopped, as her mother was led out of
court. She then turned, joined her sweetheart, and
followed him from the court.

Tins PILLORY IN BELGIUM.—A correspondent
writes to the Pall Mall Gazette from Brussels
"A singular spectacle attracted this morning a large crowd
to the Grande Place. There were erected four posts, guarded
by gendarmes, and to each of then was fastened by the public
executioner a Judgment of the Court of Assizes concerning
criminals who had not matte their appearance before the
court. Post No. 1 was assigned to Andre Langrand. elevated
by the Pope on account of his Catholic financial schemes to
the dignity of Roman Count, and sentenced last week by the
Court of Assizes to ten years' imprisonment for fraudulent
bankruptcy. Port Nos. I anti 3 were °couple.: by the
Judgments of a railw4y cashier who had absconded with
iO,O Of. and of a bankrupt money changer. Post No. 4 told
that De Plan, in religion Brother Celsus, has been sentenced
to 15 years' imprisonment for nameless offences."
, A MURDEROUS TRlBE.—Speaking of the Afro-
dees, the tribe to which the murderer of the Viceroy
belongs, the Indian Obsoyer writes that "they are for
ever fighting, and the smallest pretext is sufficient to
justify a battle.' Our contemporary continues,
"General Sir Sydney Cotton mentions in his book on
the frontier, that he chanced to see one of their battles
in the vicinity of the Kohat riloSS. Two villages had
quarrelled about a mulberry tree. The fight, when
the general visited the spot, had continued for three
days. A great number ha I fallen, but the wrath of
the survivors had not been lessened a whit. All this
time, and within sight of the battle, the women were
pursuing their avocations in the most unconcerned
manner, carrying water as if nothing extraordinary
were happening. They were, as the general says, too
much accustomed to that sort of thing to pay any
attention to it."

THIS MAZARINE BIBLE.—With reference to
the vellum copy of the New Testament found at Lam-
beth, which was proved to be an odd volume of the
Mazarine Bible, a ' Bookseller " writes that the copy
of this Bible sold at the Duke of Sussex's sale was
bought by the late Mr. John Leslie, the bookseller,
for the late Dr. Daly, Bishop of Carlisle, for £290.
Another copy was sold by Messrs. Sotheby, after a
competition between Messrs. Trubner and Sir Thomas
Phillips, and was knocked down at over £lOO. Some
dispute arose as to the authority for the purchase, but
the book did not come up for competition again.
REACTION. That amusing fellow, Jolley
Chedwortb, like most men who have a great flew of
spirits, admits he has his "corresponding moments
of depression," especially when there are arrears of
letters to clear off. Poach.
TWIN-BROTHERS !—A brief letter from Dor-
chester, Mass., to the Boston (U.S.) Advertiser, tells
the following :—"There are in this town two twin
brothers, whose resemblance to each other is so strong
that strangers can hardly tell them apart. They keep
a grocery mad provision store,' and were one day
bringing in bags of meal from a waggon, which was out
of sight from inside the store. Nathan had his coat on,
but Eli was in his shirt-sleeves. A stranger in the
shop watched them coming in and going out one after
the other, but only one was visible at a time, and at
last he exclaimed to Eli, 'Well, you're the smartest
man I ever saw; but why do you keep putting on and
taking off your coat ? ' These brothers and several
other men were in the habit of getting up very early
and going to swim in the 'Reservoir Pond,' and once
Eli going, as was his wont, to Nathan's house to call
him by tapping on the pane, saw his own face reflected
from the glass, and taking it for his brother called out,
'Come on, they're all waiting for you.'"
" Yorns IN THE GosrEL."—The London
correspondent of the Liverpool Albion writes :—" An
eminent firm of English contractors having a very large
contract in a distant colony, advertise for workmen
skilled and unskilled. I have been favoured with the
perusal of one of the applications, which I copy ver-
batim (spelling, capitals, italics, and all), only ex-
cluding names and addresses. Here it is :
• Dear Sir,-1 have heard that a firm at are sending
men to , and I leaving a desire to go, I ask of your
son (which is a Particular friend of mine, and I believe a
thorough Partaker of Like Spiritual Things) if he knew any-
thing of this firm mentioned Above, be told me he did not,
or, at toast, would bot Give me the nessessary Information,
aohe kindly refered me to you. You will Please Excuse me
for taking this Liberty. as we are total strangers In the flesh,
but I trust not strangers te the Precious Blood which Bought
our Pardon on the Cross.
therefore if you are Acquainted with any one of this firm,
and thus lavour me by Getting my name Put down as a Can-
deflate, you would Confer Upon me a Lasting Obligation.—
Yours In the Gospel
Does not this beat 'Wanted, a light porter, who
fears the Lord, and can carry 2 cwt. !' "
FRENCH ACTION AGAINST THE INTERNATIONAL.
—The bin against the International (enacts that any
Frenchman Joining that association or any similar an-
sociation, shall be liable to imprisement for from three
months to two years, and to a fine of from 501. tol,ooof.
He will also be liable to lose his civil and family rights
for a maximun oft en and a minimum id five years. 'The
imprisonment is increased to five years, and the tine to
2,0001., for a Frenchman or foreigner who is functionary
of the International, or in any way propagates that
society's doctrines. Such persons are, moreover, liable
to remain under police supervision for a subsequent
period of from five to ten years. Abettors of members
of the International are rendered liable to from one to
six months' imprisonment, and to be fined from 501. to
500 f. The law in ordered to be promulgated throughout
the country.
"No FOLLOWERS ALLOWED."—The South Lon-
don Press says that the following story is related at
Peckham as absolutely true :
An old maiden lady recently engaged a cook on the express
understanding that no "followers " were to be allowed.
Matters went on smoothly enough until sanday evening last,
when the old lady ix question unexpectedly intruded herself
into the cook's dom sin. On entering she was greeted by the
shrill scream of a Linuaclous parrot which had been doomed
to penal servitude in the kitchen on account of the bad habit
he had of making unearthly noises. The old lady put her
lingers into her ears—and It would have been well had she
kept them there; for the moment she withdrew them, Poll
muttered, in sepulchral tones, "lie kissed cook" These
words, to the apparent discomfiture of cook, lmmediatell
attracted the attention of the old maid—such improprieth
Indeed—no wonder ! " What 1" she exclaimed, gating
eagerly upon the bird. "Under dreseer," replied Poll, in the
same ;husky voice. Notwithsteudlng cook% protestation'
that rata had been heard under said dresser, the mistress,
insisted on an investigation. There was no help for it; the
table-leaf si as raised, when, Is' the astonished mistress dis-
covered there coneenked a full blown- not a policemen, but
& guardsman booted and spurred. "My cousin, ma'am,'
said the blushing cook; but the explanation apparently
was not considered satisfactory, as the old lady Is advertising
for another cook, with this addendum —"None used apply
under forty-nee I"