The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-26 00:00:00

SCENE IN A THEATRE.

The Birminghanz Gazette of yesterday has an
account of an extraordinary scene which was wit-
nessed at the Adelphi Theatre in that town on
Saturday night. It seems that, during the panto-
mime, the " supernumeraries" struck work, and the
clown explained to the audience that none of them
had been paid their wages. At last it came to a
scene in which the clown has to jump from a spring.
ing board through a trap-door. The clown went
to the side wings, and appealing to some one there,
with outstretched hands, said, " I cannot break my
❑eck. There's no one on the other side." As may
be supposed, the hisses, groans, whistling, and
noises that ensued were almost deafening. After a
time, Mr. Grattan, the manager, came forward i❑
front of the footlights, and entered into a statement
to the effect that the great expenses of the panto-
mime did not allow him to ply all his debts. The
clown denied many of Mr. Grattan's statements, and
made various charges against that gentleman. At
last the performance went on, the clown, pantaloon,
and sprites doing their tricks as far as possible
without the aid of supernumeraries. The only per-
sons belonging to that fraternity who appeared on
the stage was a solitary man dressed up as police-
man, and one young girl, and they, iu the orthodox
style, were beaten and kissed by the clown. Still
the greatest confusion and noise reigned amongst
the " gods," and the respectable people in the stalls
and pit had nearly all left the house. Sundry fights
took place in the gallery, and pieces of the seats
were thrown into the stalls. The columbine, clown,
pantaloon, and sprites still appeared on the stage,
and the band played music, not a note of which
could be heard. The fights were ultimately quelled
by the two policemen stationed in the gallery, and
the "gods" having tired themselves a little order
was restored. Oae of the sprites then came for-
ward, and saying, " This is for the rest of the com-
pany," went through a clever gymnastic perfor-
mance, which called forth hearty applause. Some
one then shouted from the gallery to the sprites,
" Got any money, Fred ?"'
Sprite— No.
A Voice—Got any money, clown ?
Clown—No.
Pantaloon—l have 10s., that's all.
The sprite then held oat a shilling, saying, "That's

a 11."

One of the gentlemen, who had remained in the
stalls, then threw a shilling upon the stage, which
the sprite picked up. The shilling was followed by
several others and by a shower of coppers, amongst
which were sundry farthings from the "gods," some
of which fell upon the stage, others in the orchestra,
striking the musicians, who had remained at their
posts during the whole disturbance. Several of the
supernumeraries then rushed on the stage, and a
regular scramble, to the great delight of the "gods,"
took place for the money. However the " gods" in-
sisted upon its being handed over to the sprite, who,
amidst overwhelming applause, bowed his acknow-
ledgments. The curtail then rose upon "The Fairy
Realms." Such a scene—a piece of scenery in one
place, another in another, and a regular mass of
confusion. A few "fairies" stood in the background ;
some were in their places, others stood laughing.
Frameworks of iron where fairies should have stood
were empty, and amidst a flickering ray or two of
blue and red coloured fire the curtain fell upon a
scene of confusion such as we have never before wit-
nessed upon a stage. The lights were then lowered
and the noises and groans in the gallery amongst the
" gods " were greater than ever. The writer was
glad to beat a hasty retreat, and to find himself safe
in the street, where there was a crowd of persons—
men, women, and boys—surrounding the entrance
to the stage-door, some of them swearing that they
would not go until they had got their money. Their
language was loud as to what they would do if they
did not have their money. The " performance', was
not concluded until a little before Sunday morning,
and when the writer left the spot the noisy "amuse-
ment " seemed to be at its height.

• A Saxon leaden coffin has been found at Bishop-
stoke, Hants. It contained the skeleton of a young
woman. A glass bottle and two drinking cups were found

in the coffin.

THREE HUNDRED ATLANTIC VOYAGES.—aapt

Edward G. Lott, of the steamer Persia, of the
Cunard line, was honoured with a complimentary enter-
tainment on Monday evening at Delmonico's Fifth Avenue-
louse, previous to his commencing his 300th passage
across the ocean. A brilliant party was present,
many of whom were prominent citizens who had crossed the
ocean in company with Captain Lott. Mr. Henry A.
Smythe presided over the festivities. Eloquent speeches
were made after the removal of the cloth. Captain Lott

responded happily to the first toast, " The Guest of the
Evening." Samuel D. Babcock replied to " Union, in which
there is peace and prosperity." The Rev. Dr. Primo and
A. A. Low respunded to " Religion and Commerce; may
they travel hand in hand throughout the world." Ex-Go-
vernor Gardner, of Massachusetts, responded in gallant and
delicate terms to " The Ladies," and Mr. H, A. Smythe
made some eloquent and finished remarks for " Absent
Friends," A beautiful silver testimonial was presented to
Captain Lott, the chairman making the presentation speech
in very felicitous speech.—New York World, January 13.

DOMESTIC TRAGEDY IN CUMBERLAND.—On Fri-
day last an inquest was held by Mr. Carrick, coronet
for the eastern division of the county of Cumberland, on the
body of a young farmer named William Brown, who had
shot himself dead on the preceding day. Deceased lived at

the village of Oughterby, seven or eight miles west of Car
lisle. Some months ago he married a Miss Hodgson, daugh
ter of a neighbouring farmer. They appear to have lived
in great happiness, and to have been a very loving couple.
About three weeks ago the young wifo was confined of a
boy, which circumstance was destined to be the end of a
happy married life. The mother died on Wednesday last,
and the bereavement seems to have made her widowed
partner frantic with grief. On Thursday he went to his
mother's house and got a gun. Northing more was seen
of him till five o'clock, when a neighbour found hisldead
body on the road. It was lying face uppermost, and the
clothes covering the chest were on fire. A gun was rest-
ing on his body, the muzzle pointing towards his face. One
end of a string was tied to the trigger. and at the other was
a loop a few inches in length, by means of which he had
discharged the gun with his foot. In his pocket were
found a powder-flask and shot, together with a copy-book,
containing the following pathetic lines, written in a trem-
bling hand :—" I hope the Lord will forgive me. Without
my Maggie I cannot be. You need (not) mourn me, be-
cause I must go. You will all look after our darling boy.
The little sum that would fall to my darling wife and me
will make him comfortable some time after. My wish is
that we may be laid in one grave. This is the end of eight
or nine years' courtship I Now the shot must pierce my
heart. Oh, happy shall we be I" On another leaf were
the words—" The old dog Wattie met (me) at the Croftfoot,
Kirkhampton. Put me with mylove Maggie on Saturday!"
The jury returned a verdict of temporary insanity. The
body was buried on Saturday, along with that of his wife,
Leeds Mercury,
A WILFUL WOMAN .—A determined attempt to
commit suicide by starvation has just been made at
Gainsborough, by a young woman of 22, named Mary Beech
living as domestic servant with the toll-collector at the
bridge which crosses the Trent, and connects Lincolnshire
with Nottinghamshire. There is a covered passage on each
side of the tollgate, with a door opening to the bridge and
another to the street, through which foot-passengers have
to pass. One of these passages is not used for traffic, and
in it the girl voluntarily shut herself up. She lay down
upon the cold flags, and for five days and four nightsre-
sisted in refusing food. At length the police and thelieving officer for the district were called in. They found
her very weak, so that it was apparent she would die if
prompt measures were not speedily adopted to make her
take food. The relieving officer, however, could only
offer the woman an order for the workhouse, which she
refused to avail herself of, and the police avowed them-
selves unable to interfere unless she were turned into the
street by her master—a proceeding the toll-collector did
not feel justified in adopting. The medical officer of the
district was next applied to with the view of ascertaining
the state of mind of the girl, for in the event of her being
pronounced deranged, the relieving officer would have the
power to remove her by force, but, on an examination
taking place, no evidence of insanity could be detected.
Persuasion, expostulation, and threats were all tried to in-
duce her to take some support, or to allow herself to be
taken to the workhouse, but to no purpose. At length
she was told that unless she consented to one of the two
courses pointed out she would bo turned into the street and
conveyed to the police-station. This threat seemed to have
some weight wife her, for she ul tireately said "they might do
as they liked with her." Without giving her time to change
her mind a fly was obtained, and she wits conveyed to the
union. She was so mush exhausted, although naturally
strong, that she had to be lifted in and out of the vehicle.
On getting her to the workhouse she was put into a warm
bath, and was ordered by the medical officer to have no-
thing stronger than gruel given her. It is said that she
has a most ungovernable temper and a remarkably obstinate
disposition. On a previous occasion, in one of her fits of
anger, she tried to strangle herself, and she has more than
once been in prison for wilful damage,

SECOND EDITR )N.

SUN OFFICE, HALF-PAST 4 o'CL ocK.

SLESWIG-H OLSTEIN.

--,~- --

FRANKFORT, Jan. 25.-- -The Sleswig-Trolsteirt
deputation leaves for Munich today, to thank the
King of Bavaria for the support he has given to
the cause of the Duchies, land to request him to
continue it for the future. A popular meeting has
also taken place in favour of Holstein. A procla-
mation to the German people was drawn up and
voted, protesting against the attitude of PruEsis,
and Austria, and making an appe.2/ to the secondary
and petty States of the Confederation.

THIRD EDITION

SUN OFFICE, SEVEN O'CLO(3I.

HOLSTEIN.

LRELJTER'S TELEGRAM.]
KIEL, San. 26.—1 t is asserted on good authority
that the Federal Commissioners are about to coal
yoke the Estates of Holstein.