The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-05 00:00:00

FRANCE.

BOURSE, Nov. 4.—The Bank of France has re-
duced its rate of discount to 7 per cent., the charge
for advances on Securities still remaining as before
at 8 per cent. The market opened with firmness,
and Threes, for the Account, improved to &sf. 10e.
Sales for realisation have since caused them to re-
cede, and they are now unvaried at 64f. 9M. The
Mobilier, which had been done at 900 f., is now at
890 f. The Railway Market has been similarly
acted on; and many of the lines, which at first went
up, are now a shade lower. The market closed as
follows :

41 per Cents. 9l 95
Do. end month
3 per Cents
Do. end U month
Credit Mobilie- B9O
Do. end month BB5
Bank Shares 3:i95
Credit Fonder 1165
Roman

Italian Loan —
Do. end month 65 85
Ditto Threes ..
New Mexican 481

Russian
Austrian .. R 0 75
Spanieh Threes _
Rome Dabt
Deferrea

RA IL

Orleans : ...
Northern • • • •

rATS.

Cash. Account.
835 812 50
975 —98 J

Lyoniand Mediterranean 887 50 892 50
Southern ..... , st'o 887 50
Western
Eastern
Sardinian 330 .. 332 50
AuAtrian
Lowbard
North of Spain
Saragossa 465 465
Ditto to Barcelona

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS FOR NEXT
WEEK.-11fon1ay—Entomological, at 7. Royal Institu-
tion, at 2, general monthly meeting. Tu9sday—Anthropo-
logical, at 8, Inhabitants of Viti Islands,' Mr Pritchard;
' Astronomy of the Red Man,' Mr Bollaert. Zoological, at
9, Anthrophoid Apes,' Professor Huxley ; Balrenidte in
Museums of Holland and Belgium;' New Species of
Grampus,' Mr Flower ; Birds of Palestine,' Rev H. B,
Tristram. Syro-Egyptian, at 71, Fragments of Egyptian
Sculpture, Portico, Eath Museum,' Mr Bonomi. Ethnolo•
gical, at 8, ' Report of Proceedings at Bath ;" Rude Tribes,
S. India,' Dr Shortt ; ' Fixity of Type,' Rev F. W. Farrar.
Irednesd7y—Society:of Literature, at 41. Geological, at 8,
Fossil Corals from Jamaica,' Mr Duncan ; Correlation of
the Irish Cretaceous Beds,' Mr Sate; ' Earthquake at St
Helena, Aug. 15, 1864,' Sir C. Elliott. Friday-. Astron-
omical, at B.—Aaenceuni.

FORCED TO TH ed." ALTAR."—Oa Monday morn-
ing, a youthful couple, with attendant groomsman
and bridesmaid, set out for the register-office, at Merthyr,
to be united in the holy bond of matrimony. On the way,
however, it was deemed necessary to screw their courage to
the sticking point to brave the tryingordeal by a draught of
some stimulant. For the purpose of accomplishing this the
whole party turned into an inn, and called for the necessary
liquor. Whilst musing on the approaching end t.,f his bachelor-
hood the bridegroom suddenly got up and swore that he would
not be a fool nor a " deluded wietim" that day. The bride
demanded an explanation, and her beloved said that, after
giving the matter consideration, he had come to the conclu-
sion that the sacrifice was greater than he could bear, and
he could not, nay, would not marry her. The ladies were in
a fix, when the groomsman hit on a plan, and told the ladies
to go and walk boldly into the register office. They did so.
Having persuaded h's friend that he had got rid of them, he
got the bridegroom to walk into the street with him and
cautiously he led him towards the dreaded goal. When close
to it the faithless swain rushed into a publichouse, but wa-
promptly stopped by his beat man, who, on this occasion,
proved his better man, and seizing him with a firm grasp,
carried him across the road and thrust him into the office,
where he was confronted by his trembling spouse, and
awed into obedience by the presence of the registrar,
who speedily bound them "indissolubly firm," Some
time ago a couple went from Penrheolgerrig to be
married, but the bridegroom walked off with the money
which the bride had given him to pay the registrar, and lost
it in playing pitch and toss with his companions. The
wedding had thus to be put off till the next duy, when tLe
young woman kept a sharp look out for het lord, nor left
him till she had secured his person if not his allegisace,—
.on42‘ ross,