The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-15 00:00:00

" DOCTOR HARK AND HIS LITTLE MEN."

A gentleman, calling himself Dr. Mark, who at present
has some sort of an exhibition or concert of little boys at
the Concert hall, appeared yesterday at the Police court,
attended by twenty five lads of from six to ten years of age,
to charge two siokly-looking boys, named Lawton,
brothers, aged respectively six and eight years, for having
absconded from him, contrary to their indentures. Mr.
Block appeared for the poor little fellows, whose hells
scarcely reached the bar; thry were brought up on a
warrant by detective officer Povq from Butelem, in
Staffordshire, where their parents keep a temperance
hotel, and the father is also a master shoemaker,
The hearing of the case occupied a good deal of the
public time, that certainly might be spent to more ad-
vantage. The short history of the case is this. The
learned doctor opened the case with a speech of great
eloquence, in which he showed the vast benefits he had
conferred on the public bs taking little boys and teaching
them singing and music, and going from town to town
giving concerts. His mode is to take boys as appren•
tires for three years, the parents finding them in musical
instruments and some clothes, he in return teaching them
music and singing, and exhibiting them at concerts
all over the country as pro ligies of genius. The
boys in question were boand to him some time
last year, and the father was to give the "Doctor" £l5 in
lieu of musical instruments; one instalment of £5 was paid,
but it was alleged when the " Doctor" required the next, that
the mother of the children came to Liverpool, and
"abstracted" them, on the allegation that they were badly
treated, and kept dirty; had contracted skin diseases, &c.
In order to repel this statement, the Doctor produced witnesses
to show that all his "little men" were well treated ; had
four meals a day—roast beet and mutton re
treated to a bath every Saturday, and had clean linen once
a week, that only tour of them slept in one bed, and that
the skin disease (which he could not help) was the result
of the indulgence of sea bathing. After a great deal of
discussion, Mr. Mansfield suggested that the case should be
settled out of court, which Dr. Mark at once consented to,
and the parties left for that purpose. All the other " little
men" of the doctor looked fat, fair, pleasant, and well clad.

The St. James s Theatre is announced for preremptory,
sale by auction by Mr. Robins, on Tuesday next, the 21st
inst.

Among the passengers by the Kangaroo, steamer, from
New York, was Mr. Roberts, an American tragedian,
who visits England for the first time.
Lieut. Perry, of Windsor court-martial celebrity, has
adopted the stage as a profession, having recently
appeared at Melbourne in London Assurance.
It is rumoured that Prince Danielo, the ruler of Monte-
negro, will, on being secured a proper pension, abdicate
in favour of his nephew, a youth of 17, son of the Vice-
President Mirka.
The French Government has just issued a series of
regulations for the theatres of Paris, which enter into such
minute details (observes the Literary Gazette), as to be very
curious in English eyes.
According to accounts from Constantinople, .of the 6th,
the first experiment in European colonization had just
been made. A party of 130 Poles had embarked for the
purpose of settling on the domains of Reschid Pacha. in
Thessaly.
'On one of the last days or this month, a concert will be
given at Exeter Hall, with the co-operation of some of the
best English and foreign artistes, for the benefit of the
daughters of Mr. Leffler, who are left, by their father's
decease, in great need of aid.
Mdlle. Piecolomiul arrived in London on Thursday,
The rehearsals at her Majesty's Theatre of the ballet La
Esmeralda, which is announced, together with the Favorita,
for Thursday, as well as for the opening on Tee,eiay, are
actively progressing, the principal dansense, Pocchini.
having been for some time in London to prepare for her
debut.
VISCOUNTESS PALMERSTON. —V se netess Pilrnerston has
been somewhat indisposed lately. It was from this cause
the premier hurried away from Tiverton to Torq lay, in
order to give her ladyship a day or two at the seaside,
where the viscount and viscountess would have remained
longer, had not the state of the Queen demanded the pre-
sence of the vicclunt in town.
M. Emile de Girardin has constructed a commodious
theatre in his dining room. The stage is raised some feet
from the ground, with regular foot lights and certain.
There is space for a hundred arm chairs for the ladies,
with sufficient accommodation for the unfair portion of the
spectators. The first piece is to be an operetta composed
by M Wekerlin, Le Mariage en Poste. Some of the charm-
ing pieces of the late Mame. de Girardin are, it is stated
to be performed on these amateur boards.
THE MARQUIS OF DALHOUSIE.—Some time back we gave
our readers reason to hope that the Marquis of Dalhousie,
through improved health, might yet be restored to the
service of his country ; it is, therefore, with great regret
we assert that these hopes are doubtful of realisation. It
is true that his native air, combined with the ablest
medical advice, caused his lordship to rally wonderfully,
and every one of his intimate friends bad confident hopes
of a perfect recovery ; but we fear that the noble marquis's
constitution hs.s been too much shaken and undermined for
the improvement to be permanent. The rally which took
place soon after his lordship's return, and which was a
subject of so much congratulation, has been followed by
a relapse, and there now seems little doubt the country
has lost all chance of again having the benefit of the ser-
vices of one of the ablest of her public servants.--Court
Journal,