The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-01-29 00:00:00

niiscAianeous 'lll,etligtrtte.

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

"LUoTy."—About two years ago a herioc act was
performed by Captain Sharp and John M'lntosh
(ship's carpenter), of the Annabella Clark, in rescuing
the burning crew of the Melanie, a French barque,
laden with petroleum, which took fire while lying in
the river Adour, off Bayonne. The Frenchmen were
saved, but Captain Sharp and John M'lntosh were
severely burnt. The latter was carried home to
Ardrossan an invalid, and long continued unfitted to
work for his living. The circumstances connected
with this heroic ect having been related by Dr. Smiles
in his recent work entitled "Duty," Lord Brabazon
has forwarded to the author a contribution of £2O for
M'lntosh's benefit in the hope that others may be dis-
posed to follow his example.—Times.
How TO KILL TIME IN THIS WEATHER.—Go on
" sleighing " every day.—Punch.

-
_
LIFE-BOAT SERVICES.—A proof of the valuable work
performed by the life-boats around our coasts is fur-
nished by a list received from the Royal National
Life-boat Institution, showing that in the storms of
last week no less than 143 lives were saved by the gal-
lantry of the life-boat crews.
THE SUSPENSION OF Ma. BIGGAR.—The Times of
Wednesday says :—Mr. Gladstone was accidentally
absent from the House of Commons last night when
the Speaker " named " Mr. Bigaar, but the Prime
Minister soon afterwards entered the House and took
part in the division on Mr. Forster's motion that Mr.
Biggar be suspended for the remainder of the sitting.
The minority of 30 consisted exclusively of Home
Rulers. After leaving the House Mr. Biggar was ac-
commodated with a seat in the Strangers' Gallery. In
the second division, when the majority was increased
by 109 and the minority by 5, for the adjournmeat of
the debate, the minority was again composed exclu-
sively of Home Rulers. In the third division, the
majority having increased to 277 and the minority
having fallen back to 34, none but Home Rulers sup-
ported the motion to adjourn the House.
PROPOSED COPYRIGHT CONTENTION. We (Law
Times) learn that her MAjesty's Government have re-
ceived a draft of an International Copyright Conven-
tion from the Goverment of the United States. It is
not exactly a direct proposal but rather a basis for
further discussion and neg-ociation. It proposes that an
English author shall only have his book protected in
the States on condition that the American edition be
manufactured as we as published in that country,
and vice versa. This is a somewhat inconvenient con-
dition ; but we must be thankful for any sort of pro-
tection from the piracies of the enterprising American
publishers.

HIGHLANDERS AND THE CENSUS.—In connection
with the forthcoming Census, Sir Kenneth Mackenzie,
of Gairloch, has, ft is stated, represented to the Home
Secretary the strong feeling that exists among High-
landers in favour of a proposed census of the Gaelic-
speaking population. The Gaelic Society of Inverness
have also memorialised the right hon. gentleman on
the subject. Sir William Hazeourt, in reply, states
that the possibility of giving effect to the wishes of the
memorialists is under the consideration of the Govern-
ment.

AGRARIAN CRIME IN IRELAND.—Another Parlia-
mentary Raper just issued gives a conspectus of
agrarian crime in Ireland for the whole of last year.
Out of the total number of 2,593 outrages reported to
the Inspector-General of the Royal Irish Constabu-
lary, there were 2,295 cases in which offenders were
neither convicted nor made amenable; only 83 con-
victions were obtained; in 132 cases persons who were
charged were acquitted, and in 80 cases offenders were
awaiting trial on the 31st of December, 1880. The
return is made by provinces, and the numbers are
given for each particular form of agrarian crimes.
ARGENTINE PROSPERM.—Latest reports from the
River Plate speak of great prosperity throughout the
Argentine Republic—a state of things which may
eonduce to • peaceful counsels (says the Pall Mall
Gazette in its "City Notes"). The crop of wheat had
been good, and the flour-mills were all becoming busy
on orders from Brazil. The Brazilian demand is now
so important that it is expected it will interfere with
grain shipments to England, unless a rapid extension
of wheat cultivation takes place. Hitherto Brazil has
been a valuable market to New York shippers of flour,
but Buenos Ayres has a great advantage in its
proximity to the Brazilian ports. The cultivation of
flax is also making rapid progress in the Plate regions,
and great things are expected from this useful fibre.
Perhaps the best evidence of Argentine prosperity is
the rapid rise which has recently taken place in the
value of land.

THE EXTRAORDINARY TITHE.—Mr. Inderwick's Bill
provides that an additional tithe rent-charge by way
of extraordinary charge shall not be imposed on any
hop ground, orchard, fruit plantation, or market
garden that may hereafter be newly cultivated as
such. Where, however, any land ceases to be subject
to the extraordinary charge by reason of the cultiva-
tion being transferred to other land in the same parish,
the latter is to be subject to the charge—subject to the
restriction that the aggregate amount of extraordinary
charge on land in the parish is not to be thereby in-
creased. The Bill ccntains a saving clause with regard
to pending proceedings, where the application to the
Tithe Commissioners was made before the commence-
ment of the present Session.
THE SLOWEST HORSE.—The story of a man who
having hired a horse to attend a funeral and was cau-
tioned against overdriving.. said he would keep up with
the procession if he killed the horse, is retold in a dif-
ferent shape of an Illinois candidate for nomination to
office (says a Detroit paper). Wishing to reach the
convention at a distant town, he hired a horse at a
livery stable. In spite of the candidate's pounding,
the animal was so slow that the man did not get there
until after the convention had adjourned, and so he
lost his nomination. He denounced the owner for
giving him such a beast. The proprietor of the stable
on investigation, discovered that the hostler had let
Lim have one of the hearse horses. "Hearse horse!
hearse horse! " cried the baffled politician. - "'Why, if
a man should start to a funeral wall such a horse as
that he would not reach the grave till two weeks after
the resurrection."
A MISUNDERSTANDING SOMEWHERE. Elderly
Party: "Have these herrings roes? '—Fishmonger:
"Not they, mum; same price as hever at the hold
shop; two for three a'pence."—Fun.
AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.—The follow-
ing are the average prices of British corn for the
week ending Jan. 22, as received from the inspectors
and officers of Excise :—Wheat, 425. 4d. ; barley,
325. 7d.; oats, 20s. 4d. per imperial qr. Correspond-
ing week last year .—Wheat, 455. 7d. ; barley, 375. 3d. ;
oats, 20s. 10d.
DISTRESS IN LIVERPOOL.—The prolonged severe
weather is being attended with much distress among
the poor of Liverpool and the neighbourhood, the high
price of coal, consequent on the colliers' strike, aggra-
vating the sufferings of the people, some of whom have
to purchase coal by the pound weight. In Liverpool
the relief agencies are doing their utmost to mitigate
the distress, which, it is feared, will become very
widespread unless there Is an early change in the
weather.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS.—There is a workman at
Marseilles who is probably at the present moment in
a flutter of excitement and pleasurable anticipation,
if the story told by the Petit Marseiliaise is correct.
Our French contemporary says that there are treasures
to the arfiount (in jewels and coin) of 600,000 f., buried
under the floor of a cellar belonging to a house
situated in one of the old quarters of the town, to
which Pierre Arnaud, who follow% the calling of
caulker, is heir, owing to the following circum-
stances :—A will, signed by an individual named
Arnaud, who kept a baker's shop at Marseilles
during the first Empire, has just been discovered,
in which the testator states that in the cellar
of the house bearing the number eight in
Rue de l'Eveche, he hid away dghteen thousand louis,
seven thousand silver cus, and a quantity of jewels,
the whole of which he bequeaths to his eldest soa.
The latter, however, died some years ago in America;
so, supposing the treasure really exists, it belongs to
his son, the caulker in question. But there was, it
seems, some difficulty at first in obtaining the authori-
sation to commence a search in the spot indicated, the
house in which the treasure is alleged to be concealed
having been bought thirty years ago by its present
proprietor, who raised objections to the demand
made and, in fact, refused to alrow his premises to
be disturbed. An Appeal was made to the law, and
the tribunal has decided that the heir to the supposed
treasure shall be permitted to ascertain whether or
no it exists, on the stipulation that the search ended,
everything shall be restored to its former state in the
cellar at his expense, and to guarantee this being done,
that a sum of four thousand francs shall be deposited
at a banker's before operations are covnenced. This
sum has been placed at a bank, all formalities have
been gone through, and the cellar is about to be ex-
plored under the eye of the expectant heir, whose
hope will now be shortly realised or the reverse.—
Evening Standard.
WEATHER AND WELL-DOING. The frost will
" give " sooner or later. Let the Well-to-do be before-
hand with the frost, and give freely to the much-suf-
fering poor.—Punch.
A NARROW ESCAPE.—At a quarter-past nine on
Tuesday morning an express train from Bradford ran
into an overturned luggage wagon at Kirksta,ll, near
Leeds, on the Midland Railway. The speed at which
the express was going carried it almost harmless past
the obstruction. one of the passengers, who were
not numerous, were hurt, and when the train pulled
up all of them proceeded to Leeds by tramcar or
other conveyance. The wagon which obstructed the
up line had been separated from a goods train pro-
ceeding northwards by the breaking of a draw-bar
pin attached to a• coupling. The pin stuck in a
sleeper and caused the wagon to upset. A dense fog
prevailed at the time, which impeded the work of
clearing the line, but this was accomplished soon after
noon by a breakdown gang from Leeds.
FATAL EXPLOSION.—A fatal explosion occurred the
other morning at the Berehaven mines, in the South-
West of Ireland. Some men were employed in
removing copper ore, and they, with the reliefs, had
access to an iron shed near the pit's mouth, used for
affording shelter to the men and for drying their
clothes, and in this house was a boiler or stove. A
quantity of dynamite used in the mines for blasting
purposes, having become affected by the frost, was
placed in a boiler in order to dry it. The dynamite
which had been covered over with some clothes,
exploded with a great noise, blowing the roof off the
structure and causing considerable damage. There
were five men in the house, and of these two were
killed on the spot, and the other three so badly
injured that they are said to be in a precarious state.
One of the deceased left a wife and nine children.
EXCESSIVE CAB FARES.—"AtIas," in the World,
says :--‘‘ The London cabmen have had a fine harvest
this dreary weather. They charged what they liked,
and got what fares they chose. A friend of mine
paid 275. to go from a Pall-mall club to Enston-
square. Another gave a guinea to get from Charing-
cross in a four-wheeler, with luggage, to Kensington.
But the cabbies deserved something extra, for they
were very enterprising. About the best thing I saw
was the partnership established between two men.
They had one cab between them, with two horses in
the traces. Both sat on the box, and each drove his
own horse; a capital arrangement--so long as there
was no diversity of opinion between the Jehus,"

A HINT TO LETTER WRigEßs.—The Rev. E. Wal-
ford writes as follows.to Notes and Queries :—A friend
placed in my bands, the other day, a printed slip of
advice, which I think might be useful if reproduced.
It runs thus :—" If a letter consist of one page only,
read it at once, for there is probably something in it.
If of two pages it is doubtful; but—read it. If of
three pages, put in into your pocket and read it at
your leisure.. If of four pages, throw it into the fire,
for you may be sure that there is nothing in it. A
badly written letter is an act of injustice, as well as
a practical, insult upon the person to whom it is
addressed. It is mere selfishness on the part of the
writer to inflict upon his correspondent a maximum
amount of difficulty and loss of time, simply to save
himself from a minumum amount of trouble in writ-

ing clearly. A letter without a date is more than a
nuisance."

SNOB-LESSE OBLIGL—Maud (who has just handed
Vincent a pair of skates). "There, as you have no
skates, take mine! I'll borrow mamma's."—Vincent.
" But—aw—what does it mean? We are not—aw—
going skating ?"—Maud. "Of course not but what
has that to do with it? Surely you wouldn't have us
go without skates 1 Why, everybody carries skates 1"—
Funny Folks.

AMERICAN AND CANADIAN FOOD IMPORTS.—The
arrivals of live stock from the United States and
Canada last week landed at Liverpool show a large
increase on the previous week, and as regards fresh
meat there was a slight decrease, but quite up to the
average of recent weeks.—The totals were 705 cattle,
532 sheep, 7,547 quarters of beef, 1,145 carcases of
mutton, and 1,331 dead pigs.
AN INTERESTING ANNIVERSARY.—On the 28th Dec.
the University town of Cambridge in America oelebrated
the 250th anniversary of its foundatien. Cambridge was
first called Newtown' and did not receive its present
name until Harvard College was built in 1639. The
first printing-press in America, and, indeed, the only
press existing for forty years, NIC.9 S set up here in the
same year. The commemorative proceeding included an
historical address by Colonel Higginson, a speech
from Mr. Longfellow, and the recital of a poem by
Dr. 0. Wendell Holmes.

Aar FOR HER.—She: "Not married yet. Alf?"
He: " No, how could I be, when you are not? "—Fan.
"Up GUARDS, iaND AT THEM ! "—That the expres-
sion, " Up, Guards, and at them," was never used by
the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo has long been
understood; what, according to the best of his recol-
lection, the Duke actually. did say, appears in the
cecond portion of Mr. Croker's private correspondence,
given last week in Notes and Queries. A letter was
sent by Mr. Croker in March, 1852, to Mr. Greville,
asking him to inquire of the Duke himself whether
the current story wAs true, and a memorandum in
answer, in the Duke's haudwriting, appears on the
note, in which he says :—"What I must have said,
and possibly did say, was 'Stand ,up, Guards,' and
then gave the commanding officer the order to attack."
MR. MUNDELLA ON AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.—A
resolution of the York Chamber of Agriculture,
based upon a paper read by the Sheriff of York (Mr.
R. Thompson), urging the extension of education in
agricultural science, havitg been sent by the Chamber
to the Education Department through Lord Wenlock,
his Lordship received a reply from Mr. Mundella,
who writes :—" The resolution shall have my careful
attention; but I beg leave to inform your Lordship
that the 'rudiments of agriculture ' may, under
Article 19, c. I, of the code of 1880, be taught as a
class subject in schools to which grants; fall due after
September next. If the subjects be well taught the
school would receive on that account 2s. per scholar,
according to the number of children above seven
years of age in attendance. I may add that Professor
Tanner has published a very useful series of reading
books which might be used for teaching agriculture."
ACCIDENT IN A THEATRE.—During a performance
of the pantomime "Forty Thieves "on Saturday night
at the Theatre Royal, West Bromwich, a sad accident
befell two children, respectively aged ten and twelve,
who were engaged to take part in the transformation
scene. As a portion of the scene was being hoisted
from a trap, the youngest of the children' who was on
a small piece of staging, lost its balance, falling about
15ft. to the stage below. The other was so frightened
at its companion's mishap that it lost its presence of
mind and fell. Both were very badly hurt. _ _ _

THE LIFE OF A LORD CHIEF JUSTICE.—In the fol-
lowing we have a pleasant glimpse of the life of a
Lord Chief Justice in the year 1851 : —We are invited
to the Queen's fancy ball on the 13th of June, when
we are all to appear in the characters or costume of
the reign of Charles 11. lam to go as Sir Matthew
Hale, Chief Justice; and I am now much occupied in
considering my dress,3 that is to say, which robes I
should wear—scarlet, purple, or black. The only new
articles I shall have to order are my black velvet eoif,
a beard with moustaches, and a pair of shoes with red
heels and red rosettes. This slight deviation from the
politico-professional high road may cause some regret
to my grandchildren that I do not wander more into
the byways of private life. I may now mention some
of " grandpa.pa's " habits. I never rise in the morni,pg
to study, but get up to read the newspaper. By half.
past eight we have prayers, and all breakfast together.
Next I mount my horse to ride down to Westminster
through Kensington-gardens, Hyde-park, Constitu-
tion-hill, the Mall, or Birdcage-walk, my dear daughter
Mary generally accompanying me. lam the first in
the judge's robing-room. In drop my lagging puisnes,
and, after a little friendly gossip, we take our places
on the bench. Here we sit from a few minutes past
ten till about half-past four. Igo Co the House of
Lords when it sit= continuing there till between six
and seven, wheh their lordships generally adjourn. I
walk or ride home, and have a mutton chop or some
such repast ready for me, never taking above two
glasses of wine. About eight the whole family meet
at tea, a most delightful meal. I hate great.'dinners,
although lan obliged to submit to them sometimes,
both at horn; and abroad. In the evening I write
judgments or look into the Crown or Special papers
for the following day, going to bed about one.—
Life of John Lord Campbell.
How HE TREATED A HORSE.—It was necessary,
on a certain occasion in court, to compel a witness to
testify as to the way in which a Mr. Smith treated his
horse (says the Detroit Free Press). •" Well, sir,"
said the lawyer, with a sweet and winning smile—a
smile intended to drown all suspicion as to the ulterior
purpose—" how does Mr. Smith generally ride a
horse? The witness looked up innocently and re-
plied: "Generally a straddle, sir, I believe." The
lawyer asked again: "But, sir, what gait does he
ride ? " The imperturbable witness answered, "He
never rides any gate at all, but I've seen his boys ride
every gate on the farm." The lawyer saw that he was
on the track of a Tartar, and his next question was
very insinuating. ." How does Mr. Smith ride when
he is in company with others? I demand a clear
answer." "Well, sir," said -the witness. "he keeps
up with the rest, if his horse is able to, atd if not he
falls behind." The lawyer was by this time almost
beside himself, and asked : "How does he ride when
he is alone?" "I don't know," was the reply; "I
was never with him when he was alone," and there the
case dropped.
REMISSIONS OF 3ZENT.—Considerable remissions of
rent have been made during the last half-year by the
late Sir Robert Burdett and his sisters, Baroness
Burdett-Coutts' and Mrs. Trevanion, to the tenants
of the baronet's estates in Berks and 'Wilts. Sir
Robert, in consideration of the agricultural depres-
sion, a little while before his 'death, in June last,
directed an abatement of 20 per cent, from the half.
year's rents then due and about to be collected, which
was made; and at the audit on the 18th inst. the
steward, Mr. J. R. Lyon, had the pleasure of an-
nouncing that, in concession to a memorial from the
tenants, two-thirds of the remainder of the half-year's
rents were returned to them by the Baroness and Mrs.
Trevanion.
A WOLF STORY. —There comes a terrible wolf-story
from the IYeapolitan district. The inhabitant's of
Corbara, a small village iii the Appennines, had for
some time been harrassed by a huge wolf which came
down into the village, and had repeatedly attacked
people on the mountain. The daughter of the Sindaco
was attacked by it on the high road, but escaped with
some wounds; while on the same day it attacked a
boy minding sheep on the hills. The boy's father
went to the rescue, when the wolf threw him down
and wounded him severely. Then it dashed at a flock
of goats and killed some of them, and then attacked
the herd, who, having a gun. wounded the beast, and
after a severe struggle, in which he was badly bitten,
killed it. The three injured persons were taken to
the hospital at Naples. But the worst of the story is
that of those bitten one has since died of hydrophobia,
and it is said twelve persons in all are suffering from
premonitory hydrophobic symptoms. The wolf is
reported to have been of a size • and colour quite
unknown to the inhabitants of the district, where
wolves are by no means uneommon.
MISS RYE'S EMIGRATION HOME.—Miss Rye asks to
be allowed to state that she is just back from Canada,
and is prepared to receive into her Emigration Home
for Destitute Little Girls, as many waifs and strays, of
from five to twelve years of age, as the different socie-
ties for the relief of distress may care to send to her.
One of the happiest characteristics of the work which
Miss Rye superintends is that her home can be
emptied and refilled two or three times a year; and
that more than a thousand young people are comfort-
ably supporting themselves in Canada instead of being
supported by charity in England. Attention is also
drawn to the fact that in London, we have industrial
school provision for only two hundred girls as against
every thirteen hundred boys.
PECULIARITIES OF THE PRESENT YEAR.—The present
year, 1881, has two peculiarities; whether backwards
or forwards, or even upside down, it remains the same
in value, and this ciroumstance has not occukred since
1111, and will not recur till 8008. Further, this is a
year of "nines," like 1863, the first two and last two
figures each making nine, the four units added
together being 18—twice nine—the two first, as they
stand, being also 18, and the two last 81, or nine times
nine.
WHY HE NAMED HIS CHILD JUDAS.—The Ligqg
Rock calaway tells the following :—" My wife hoz
jes presented me wid de fines' boy in die country,"
said Black Bill, entering a Little Rock magistrate's
office, taking off his hat and slinging the perspiration
from his brow with is crooked forefinger. " yas,
gentlemen," he went on "de finest chile I eber seed.
An' I'se jes got a twenty dollar gold piece right heah
to gib de man what can guess what I hez named him.
Ter keep yer from spreading ober de whole uni7erse,
oh names, I'll state dat his's a Bible name."
" Abraham ? " guessed one. " No, cab." " Pawl ? "
"No, sah." " Job ?" "Guess again." " Nico-
demus ? " " Keep er coming." Abimelech ?
"Try me again." The guessing ceased after a time,
and finally Bill remarked—" I'se named that boy
Judas Iscarut." " What ! " said the magistrate ;
"Judas was a traitor." "Can't help it. Dat's de
boy's name. It has been slighted. Nobody has eber
had the immoral courage ter name a chile for dat man.
But dat ain't de main reason
nwhy I names him Judas.
ib
youin dei
nchiledesiring dat rompee.r".
I'se gotow doesde
the Bible 'stainb me
s n
Bible
u
petuate that name ? " asked the magistrate. "In
remarkin' ob Judas, it says dat it would hab bin betta
fur dat man ef he neber hadn't been borned."
"Well !" "An' considerin' how many mods is
opened at de doo' when I goes home wid a sid o' meat,
it wood hab bin betta for dat boy ob mine ef he'd
neber seen the daylight! I knows what I'se a-talking
about. I take de Scriptur from de references. In de
futur, ef I find dat de.boy hez made an improvement
on hisself, den I'll change his name to Jim.'

LAST WEEWS WRECKS.—There were 183 British
and foreign wrecks, of which 100 were British, re-
ported during the past week, making a total of 225
for the present year, or an average of 128 as compared
with the corresponding period of last year. The
approximate value of property lost was £12,000,000,
including British £9,800,000. One hundred and eight
vessels were lost of the coasts of the United King.