The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-13 00:00:00

BURGLARS ROUTED BT A COCKATOO.

On the morning of Saturday last the members
of Mr. John Hamilton's family, No. 1, Rutland crescent,
near Glasgow, were alarmed at finding the first floor
parlour windows open and • ladder standing upon
the road, and right against the casement. That the
house had been burglariuusly entered was undoubted,
marks
for the floor bore of dirty footprints, and more-
over, the carpets were strewed witk lucifer matches.
Mr. Hamilton was almost afraid to begin the investigation
Into his probable 1111111, for silver plate and other
valuable articles lay within reach of the thieves, which
they might have removed with little more trouble
than that of putting forth their hands. Strange to
say, nothing was removed, if we except • bottle of
ketchup, which had likely been tdkea for brandy, and •
chins plate with confectionaries—the plate itself being
found on the grass plat before the door. For a time the
family was puzzled to account for this singular exemption,
till it was agreed on all hands that their preservation from
plunder was owing to a cockatoo which belongs to the estab-
lishment, and which has a voice of peculiar potency and
harshness in the croaking line. It is accustomed to raise its
notes whenever any unusual sound is heard during the
night; and it is accordingly presumed that had held forth
the moment the stealthy tread of the intruders fell upon its
ear. The thieves hearing sounds to wild and unnatural
must have conceived that the evil one himself was
denouncing them, and they made a rapid exit accordingly.
They went off so unceremoniously that they left a valuable
Burden's barometer suspended at the side of the very win-
dow by which they descended. Mr. Hamilton intends, we
believe, to mark his rouse of the cockatoo's services by
hanging a silver medal round its neck, an acknowledgment
guile as much to the purpose as scoris of those which figure
in the newspapers under the bead of " Supper and Pre-
, *rotation." We wonder what the stick-leg watchman has
got who figured so favourably at the late attempted rubbery
of jewellery. The ladder used at Mr. Hamilton's was stolen
from an outhouse in the neighbourhood.—Wasyuto Herald.

PATTERISM IN WALES.—The diminution of pau-
perism in Wales at the present moment is very great, there
being scarcely any able-bodied paupers in the various union
houses. This i, to be traced to the extraordinary demand
for labour at present existing all over the country arising
from the great number of public and private works now in
coitus of heing carried oat. The applications fur out-door
relief have likewise very much diminished, thus showing by
the quickest and surest of all tests that pauperism has much
decreased. At Swansea, Merthyr, &c., the expenditure has
materially decreased, and in other districts the rates have
been lowered to the extent of one quarter. In some parts
of North Wales there is a slight ince( ase in the casual ex-
penditure, which is owing to the greater number of tramps
and wandering characters, rather than to any increased
pauperism in the localised population.
18116F.WiltCRY AND 13IRMINOIIAM RAILWAY.
Traffic receipts for week ended Oct. 2, 1853, 1,0971. 4s. 6d.
Corresponding period last year, 987/. 9s. 9.1.
CALEDONIAN AND EDINDCROII AND GLASGOW
ftsiLwArA.—Traffic for the week ending Oet. 2, 1853:
Passengers, &e., 16,602/.95. old. Corresponding week bat
year, 14,58&'. Bs.4id. Miles open (Canal and Railway), 307.