The Express.
London, England, 1853-06-30 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER.

Emma Smith, a WoasanOlThe town, was charged with
being drunk and disorderly, and a respectable looking
young man, whose name it is not necessary to introduce,
with rescuing her from the custody of the police.
The investigation of this charge soon passed into en in-
quiry respecting them anner in which Robert Stevens, 46 B,
discharged the duty of • policemen. The nature of this
person's conduct will be seen from the statement of the

magistrate.
Mr. Arnold said that it WAS quite clear that the state-
ment of the constable was utterly false. One might easily
imagine that a constable might in a crowd make a mistake,
and take one man instead of anf,•ther; bit; in this case the
constable had molt positively sworn that be had seen the
male defendant repeatedly with the woman during the
night, which had been most satisfaeorily dithied. He (the
worthy :magistrate) believed the constable to have been
guilty of a most deliberate and intentional falsehood, and
as he could not rely upon a word be had uttered, dis-
charged both the delendants. He directed the inspector on
duty to report the constable in the proper quarter, and add
his opinion that he was not fit to remain another hour in
the service.

The neat charge was one of felony against a low violent
prostitute, and, in the courso of the inquiry, it transpired
that the woman, who was in close conversation with the
same constable (Stevens), left Dim, and picked a man's
pocket of a florin immediately afterwards, and upon the
constable, who was near at hand, being called, he refused 'o
take the charge. The prosecutor, however, followed the
woman till he met another policeman.

Mr. Arnold told the prosecutor he might take a summons
if he pleased against Stevens for neglect of duty.
The prosecutor declined, as he was going into a situation,
and might not be able to attend.
Mr. Arnold also celled the attention of the inspector to
the constable's misconduct in this case.

TRAPPISTS AT HOMR.—I had heard that the great
majority of the Trappists bore on their countenance the
mark of stupidity ; that there were not more than three or
four of the number who could be taken to be clever men.
But here I must think that outside show had been misin-
terpreted. The monks have the air of men possessed with
a fixed idea. But a fixed idea .is no proof of stupidity.
Some of the important events in the world's history have
been brought about by men with fixed ideas ; although not,
it must be owned, by ideas fixed unchangeably within the
four walls of a monastery. The demeanour of the
Trappists is that of persons who wish to avoid
all communication ; that is their rule, their in-
sanity. The silent members never look you in the face.
They rather turn their head aside. They treat any intrud-
ing visitor just as if he did not exist. While I was in the
dormitory a young monk chanced to pass through it. His
face and gait could not have been more impassive had the
apartment been perfectly empty. In the court two monks
were sawing a tree. The lower one had his back turned
towards me; but the top-sawyer—a fine strong man, who
stood full erect before my view—regarded me no more
than a withered leaf which the wind might drift beneath
his feet in the deepest glade of • lonely forest. Another,
measuring a piece of timber, was equally absorbed in has,
ewn proper business. The same also in the blacksmith's
shop. The monk there (who was aided by a boy
from the village), continued his work with exactly
the same air as if no stranger had ente-ed the door,
Coldness and abstraction, assumed in obedience to a sup-
posed duty, have been mistaken for weakness of intellect.
Upon occasion, this cutting mode of behaviour is pushed to
an incredible extreme. A monk now living on the Moat des
Cats was once working in a wood close by ; his father had
watched far him, and came to the spot to look once mere upon
the son who was lost to his affections. But his salutation
was left unnoticed. The monk, gazing upon empty air,
continued his occupation, and remained obstinately uncon-
scious of the presence of his parent. After another vain
attempt, the father gave it up and departed, weeping bit-
terly. The father is now dead. But if, as is possible,
the son had been driven to take the vows is consequence
of any harsh over-exertion of paternal authority, how fevers
must have been the final punishment !—Dickens's " House-
( hold Words."

Two SAILORS AT THE DIGGINGS.—At Liardet'a
Beach, the two sailors, having leaned to build in wood,
built up a large shed, called a store, for the storage of pas-
sengers' holes, cases, and bales, who were going to the
diggings. In the town a shilling a week wee charged for
each bale and package. The sailors ;at once under-
sold the town, and chalked up " Ninepence a week!"
Moreover, as they caught the passengers directly on land-
ing, and in the full excitement of " being off to the gold-
fields," they soon had abundance of customers. They took
payment for a month in advance—to save trouble, or
change of mind. They took no responsibility; they
demanded cash for six weeks in advance where
the boxes were very large, and apparently of no great
value in contents. They did not guarantee against
robbers, fire, water, or other casualty which might
damage, destroy, or lose property ; and they stipulated
as labour was so scarce (being at times impossible to obtain)
that passengers wanting their luggage out of the store,
should "get it out themselves." The passenger., in full
drive of imagination, agreed to anything—they little fore-
saw what work the last stipulation might involve, as the
chests, packages, and bales were all to be packed up solid,
one on the top of the other. Our two sailors have only
started their store a week, and they are one-third full. This
shed, when as full as it will hold—i. c. packed up solid—at
the rate of ninepence a week each box, bale, &c., will pro-
duce them an income of une hundred and twelve pounds a
week—more, if there are a preponderance of small pack-
ages. Our sailors are, therefore, about to build another
store. They have discovered that there are ratiouarneana
of making money in Australia, with much less labour,
greater profit, and with far more certainty than digging.—
Dickens's Houseliold Words."

SINGULAR ACCIDENT AT SOUTHAMPTON. -

Hengler's equestrian circus troupe are at Southampton,
performing under a canyon tent, the middle part of which
tapers up to a considerable height. On Monday night last,
as a large audience had been collected, and the perfor-
mances were about to commence, the whole of that part of
the tent which was spread over the circus fell in, owing
to a rope breaking, and the audience were nearly smothered.
The performance was, of course, postponed, and there was
a great disturbance on account of the audience demanding
the return of their money, instead of which they could only
get tickets to admit them to a subsequent exhibition.
When the tent fell it, of course, fell on the gu lights, and
it was fortunate that the canvu was wet, for if it had takes
Ere, some serious disaster might have occurred;