The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-08-24 00:00:00

Iflistellantrats nttiligerme,

_
HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

SITA ESPEAIIE IN S EASON.— "0, my sweet
Beef," says Prince Harry to Falstaff, "I must still be
good angel to thee !" Had Henry IV. been composed
in these fine times for butchers, Shakqoare would
have written the above passage with a difference. It
would have been, " 0, my dear Beef !" of course.
P”nrh.

N EPISODE OF EASTERN LIFE.—The Lr rittzt
Tiousof the 12th inst. says: -

A mclancho y episode of harem life terminated last night
In the death of a beautiful Circassian sieve, with Innis:toms
of Poisoniog. She had been purchased some time ago for the
sum of T 700/ by a wealthy Mussulman of high rank, a
MAU wall advanced in who has one legal wife and a
number of concubines, hut no children. She became the
favourite of her master, who was much distressed some days
ago at her falling seriously ill, her malady being characterised
by thorough prostration of the system, fie had her
removed to the house of one of his dependents near
his yell on the Bosphorous, giving instructions that
medical aid should be procured and no pains or ex-
pens., spared to restore the safferer to health. The way
Len which the person to whom tlie precious charge was in-
trusted fulfilled these instruction's was to send for a medical
man and drive a bargaio with him at the rate of 2u piastres
a visit, medicines to be blended. It is stated, and is very
probably true, that the practitioner did not pay a second
visit. A wise woman" Was then called in and wrote some
talismanic words on • satrap of paper. The patient was
visited daily by a number of her fellow slaves from the
h..retn, who displayed much compassion for her arid a re-
spect Indicative of the high place she occupied In their
master's affections. For six days she neither ate nor drank
anything, and she remained in a comatose state, apparently
paralyzed, until last night, when she expired - the victim,
probably, of jealousy or of some harem intrigue."
„

RACING INTELLIGENCE.—" Not Square the
circle ?" exclaimed my Lord Tom Noddy, after lunch
at GOWIWOIIIi, "Why, a ring's a circle, isn't it ? Well,
then, take the betting-ring, and I'll bet ten to two that
anyone can ' square ' it."—Punch.
REALITIES OF IRISH LIFE. -- Mr. William
Steuart Trench, whose death was recorded last week,
born November 16, 1808, at Belle-grove, near Porta,
lington, Queen's County, Ireland, was educated at the
College, Armagh, and took his degree at Trinity Col-
lege, Dublin. He was appointed to the agency of Mr.
Shirley's extensive estates in the county Monaghan in
April, 1843, but resigned the office in April, 1845. In
December, 1849, he was appointed agent over the estates
of the Marquis of Lansdowne, in the county of Kerry.
In March, 1851, he was appointed agent over the
Marquis of Bath's estates in the county of Monsghan,
and in 1856 agent over Lord Digby's estates in King's
County, the head supervision of which three latter
estates he held up to the date of his decease. In 1841
he obtained the gold medal of the Royal Agricultural
Society of Ireland for 'the best report on the largest
quantity of land reclaimed in Ireland." This report
is published in Transactions of the Society. In 180
Mr. Trench published his work Realities of Irish Life.
This work passed through five editions in one year ,•
7,000 copies being sold. In 1871 he published the novel
Irene. His arduous and useful life came to a close in
his 63rd year. . .

,
STABLE TALK AND TABLE TALK.—A certain
species of after.dinner conversation is commonly des-
cribed as 'talking horse." It might generally,
perhaps, better be called talking Donkey.—Punch.
_ _

_
DR. LIVINGSTONE AS A MASTICR.—The follow
log tribute is paid by Mr. Stanley to Dr. Livingstone's
character as a chief among his African attendants :
" I have been frequently ashamed of my impatience
while listening to his mild rebuke to a dishonest or
lazy servant; whereas, had the servant been one of
mine his dishonesty or laziness had surely been visited
with prompt punishment. I have often heard our ser-
vants discuss our respective merits. 'Your master,'
say my servants to those of Livingstone, 'is a good
man—a very good man ; he does not beat you for he
has a kind heart; but ours—oh! he is sharp—hot as
fire—mkali sana, kana mote.' From being hated and
thwarted in every possible way by the Arabs and half -
castes upon first arrival at Ujiji, through his uniform
kindness and mild pleasant temper he has now won all
hearts. I perceived that universal respect was paid to
Lim by aIL"

GOOD OCT OF E VIL. —ln consequence of the
high price of agricultural labour in the south of Eng-
land, farmers, it is expected, will lay out more of their
land in grass, the number of cattle will increase, and
meat will be cheaper. Thus the rise of agricultural
wages will benefit the country generally, for surplus
agricultural labourers can he drafted into other em-
ployments, and grain importations can be increased to
any amount A desideratum by natural laws will
thus be enforced on the farmers of increasing the home
meat supply.
BOTTLE AND BLUE.—The Teetotallers hav-
ing in a measure succeeded in their attack on the
vested interests of the Publicans, the Vegetarians will
soon perhaps threaten those of the Butchers, which
may, for the sake of elegance and distinction, be de-
nominated the Blue Vested Interests. —Punch.
CATHEDRAL FOR EDIT( BURGH.— Si X sets of
designs for the new Scottish Episcopal Cathedral have
been exhibited in the suite of rooms belonging to
the Royal Scottish Academy Edinburgh. The designs
are by three Scotch and three English architects
respectively. The Scotch architects are Messrs.
Peddie and C. Kinnear, Mr. Lessels, and Mr.
Ross, Inverness, the architect of the Cathedral
of Moray and Boss, recently erected in that town.
The English architects are Sit 4.4llhert Scott, Mr.
Street, and Mr. Burgess. The late Miss Mary
Walker, Edinburgh, left upwards of a quarter of
a million of money for the purpose of building the
cathedral and endowing a chapter. It is proposed to
expend a stun of at least £05,000 on the erection of
the cathedral. The trustees under the will are nine in
Dumber, of whom six happen (chiefly by virtue of
office) to be Presbyterians, and three are Churchmen.

SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN'S MALLET.—Sormy
doubt is entertained as to whether the mallet which
was used by her Royal Highness the Princess Mary on
Wednesday in laying the foundation-stone of the
Kingston :htirch Schools, was used by Sir Christopher
Wren, as alleged, in laying the foundation-atone ot St.
Paul's Cathedral (remarks the Times). The mallet
itaelf bears the following inscription on &silver plate:—
By order of the M. W. the Grand Master his Royal High-
nesa the Duke of Sussex, (to., die, and W. Alask,r of the
Lodge of Antiquity. and with the concurrence of the brethren
of the Lodge, this plate has been engraved and affixed to this
mallet, A L. 5691, A.D. 1827, to commemorate that this being
the same mallet with which His Majesty Bing Mark* 11
levelled the foundation-stone of St. Paull Cathedral, 5677,
A D. 1673, was presented to the Old Lodge of St. Paul's' now
the Lodge of Antiquity, acting by immemorial oonstitution,
by Brother Sir Christopher Wren, R.W. 0. GM,, Worshipful
Master of this lodge, and architect of that CathemaL" -
It is not disputed that this is the identical mallet
used on the occasion of laying the foundation-stone of
St. Paul's, nor is it denied that it wag etiequently in
the possession of Sir Christopher Wren. The only
question is whether the mallet was used by the architect
himself, as stated by Dean /Allman in his Annals at
Si. Paul's or whether the stone waa laid or " levelled "
by Charles IL, as alleged by the Lodge of Antiquity
In the above-quoted inacrion.

A Tura Foa • Ttraz.--The other day, whilst
• celebrated GOMIS
_pianist was playing one of Vsnl-
berg's brilliant fautashri musict Greetkck,
one of • little group of listeners onto de the door was
a itinerant street musdoian. The shower of
melody within seems to have been to ranch for the
wanderer out in the rain, who went in, and standing
motionless till the pianist ceased, said—" You're a
splendid player, sir. I never heard such music. I hope
yoa do not think me bold. All I oan give you is a
Urns for a tune." And taking a broken concertina
from under her arm, he played a simpleiScotch melody,
made his exit, and was next seen plying his weary occu-
pation at the corner of the street. Some one ought to
base caught the youngster: there is more in him than
in a Miil/1.41 of regular plodders on the gamut road.

THIERS AND LivorosToNE.—Under this head
the Lanett writes :

" 'Whom the gods love die young' receives so confirmation
from the two men who are probably most admired, lever-
eared, or talked of at present. Thiers and Livingstone, the
one beyond the other a little short of the terms of year'
allowed to man by the Psalmist are striking examples of
what we have more than on oe maintained—the I ire-prolongi ig
power of keen mental occupation and snecemfull enterprise.
The witty and accomplished author of the Secret of Long
Lift Nom moat chance for longevity in the ' Stilbleben • of
the country, with its gentle Horatian enjoyments morel and
intellectual. We doubt this view. hermits are not long.
lived, and if country gentlemen survive the threescore years
and ten, it Is by a mode of life precisely the reverse of the
lounging dilettante Town-life stimulates the brain and
nervous system—the reservoir of vitality—far more than
rural, ant, seen in the much rarer occurrence of idiocy or
Imbecility in the gamin, of the bury street than in the child
of the torpid village. And as with the child, so with the
man. Providence Rents wisely to have ordained that life
should be prolonged in proposition to the value of its
possessor as • man and a citizen."
•

A STORY OF THE BALLOT. Sit' Stafford
Northcote told a story of the ballot when at Powder.
ham recently, which has been touched up and re-
produced as follows :—.A. ckndidate in his canvass was
told that a particular publican was for the ballot. It
was no use his going there. He went, and the follow-
ing conversation ensued :—" Are you a supporter of the
ballot?" "No," said the candidate. "Then," replied
the publican, "I will vote for you." The candioate
expressed his surprise, as be heard he was in favour of
the ballot. "So I was," replied the voter, "but I'll
tell you what happened the other day. There was a
club election and out of 20 members of the committee
15 promised to vote for me. • When the ballot took
place only seven did so. I did not so much mind that,
but the thing was that the whole 15 came to me one
by one and said, 'lt was a great pity that you were
not elected ; I voted for you.'"
LORD SHREWSBURY AND THE I'EMPLA.RB. —A
great demonstration of the Independent Order of
Rechabites and Good Templars has taken place at
Alton Towers' under the presidency of the Earl of
Shrewsbury. There were about ten thousand persons
present dressed in their regalia. Special trains were
run from Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Bradford,
Sheffield, Nottingham, Birmingham, Wolverhampton,
Derby, Huddersheld, and the lines running through
Staffordshire. The trains were so crowded that
three or four thousand people were unable to pro-
ceed. The Earl of Shrewsbury addressed several
thousands in the quadrangle of Alton Towers, '
giving the visitors a thrice-repeated welcome, because
England had made up its mind not to be intemperate,
and it had been impressed upon the Legislature that
intomperauce would no longer be the disgrace of Great
Britain. He exhorted the audience to petition, stating
that the Legislature could only by this means have
driven into their heads what the people required. The
meeting was subsequently addressed by Joshua Pal-
lard, High Chief Templar of the Rechabites, and by
Joseph MalMs, Grand Worthy Chief Templar, who
subsequently were presented with silver trowels, and
each planted a commemorative oak.
THE QUEEN'S RECEPTION IN EDINBURGH.—
The Lord Provost of Edinburgh has received the fol-
lowing letter from Viscount Halifax, Minister in at-
tendance on her Majesty :
" Balmoral Castle, August 17, 1871.—Dear Lord Provost,—
it is not the practice, unless when the Queen has visited any
city or town in a public manner, to address any official com-
munication to the chief megiatrate or authority of the place.
lam commanded, however, by her Majesty to convey to you,
In a less formal manner, the expression of her Majesty's
gratification at the manner in which she was received by the
people of Edinburgh in whatever part of the city ter Ma-
jesty appeared. Her Majesty has felt this the mole because,
as her Majesty's visit was so strictly private, it was so evi.
dently the expression of their natural feeling and of loyalty.
tier Majesty was also very much pleased with the strikine
effect produced by lighting up the park and the old chapel.
—Believe sic, my dear Lerd Provost, yours very faithfully
(Signed), LALLFAX."
JUVENILE WINDOW GARDSNERS.—A veryinte-
resting experiment has been successfully made at Man
chester in inducing ctildren of the poorer classes to
undertake window gardening. The Garcienrr's Chronicle
states that when the Royal Horticultural Society held
its provincial meeting at Manchester, there was a con-
gress, at which, among other papers, one on Cottage
Window Gardening was read. Among the listeners
was one driven to take shelter from the rain, a worthy

citizen of Manchester, whose attention was at once
arrested by the paper, Being a Sunday school teacher
be asked himself whether Sunday school children, many
of whom, living in a back crowaed street, never saw
plants or flowers, might not be induced to take up
window gardening, if the means for doing so were rut
within their reach. After overodffing immense diffi-
culties the gentleman succeeded in bringing about an
exhibition, illustrative of what might be done in the
way of window gardening by children.

THE CARE OF CHARLES FIELD. The Secre-
tary of State for the Home Department having, upon
the recommendation of the Judge before whom the
prisoner was tried, directed that an inquiry should be
made by Dr. Orange Superintendent of Broadmoor
Criminal Lunatic Asylum, and Dr. WEwen, the
medical officer c,f Chester Castle, as to the state of
mind of Charles Field, and having received from them
a report to the effect that the pi isoner was at the
time he destroyed his wife a person of unsound mind,
and still continues so, has recemmended that the capital
sentence should not be inflicted in this casei and
instructions have been issued to the atchorities of
Chester Castle accordity,ly.

" EXTREMIC SELFDIFINESS London, OD
Monday evening, a large meeting under the auspices of
the council of the Anti. Meat League was held on
Clerkenwell-green. Mr. Chaddock, the secretary, being
called to preside having stated the cause, object, and
intentions of the League, amidst great enthusiasm
proposed the following resolution, which was carried
unanimously :

'That in the opinion of this meeting the main causes of
the present high prices of meat are—l st, the extreme selfish-
ness if the graziers and capitalists with the restrhtions and
(to a large extent) unnecessary regulations affecting the im-
portation of foreign cattle; grid, the enormous consumption
among the people in execss of the supply, and the want of
sufficient protection to the farmer for his investments in the
land required to increase the agricultural productions of the
country, and of such legislation sew iuld secure the proper
cultivation of the wage lauds of the United Kingdom.
That we declare to our fellow workmen of this metropolis
that we will use all lawful means in our power, by public
demonstrations, to obtain the object we have commenced—
viz., to get meat at reasonable prices.