The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-27 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 27, 1863.

LAW INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER.

(Sittings in Banco before the Lord Chief J ustice and Barons

Martin, Channel], and Wilde.)
The Court was occupied the whole morning in hearing
an information on the part of the Attorney-General on the
revenue side of the court, relative to legacy duty payable by
legatees under the will of Harriet Brackenbury, deceased,
and whether the duty payable was at the rate of 3 or 6 per
cent.

COURT OF PROBATE AND DIVORCE.
(Before Sir Cresswell Cresswell.)
RIDGWAY V. ABINGDON AND OTHERS.

Dr. Spinks moved in this case, which is a suit to try the
validity of the will of Joseph Myres, Esq., deceased, late of
Hanley, Staffordshire, that the trial of the issues, which
are of a very important character, should take place before
the learned judge and a special jury in London. The suit
is one for calling in a probate granted two years ago, when
the property was sworn under £160,000. The will was dis-
puted by the plaintiff, who had at first claimed as next of
kin, but it turned out he was not one of the next of kin,
and he afterwards claimed as executor of an uncle who was
the cousin of the deceased.

Dr. Spinks asked that the matter might stand over for
three days, to know whether the plaintiff would accept the
terms proposed.

The Court directed the matter to Etand over.
CHRISTMAS AND CHRISTMAS AND WHINTATES.

This was a suit to establish certain documents in the
handwriting of Letitia Whinyates, formerly of Weston-
super-Mare and Cheltenham, deceased, as her will
and codicil. The first will had been witnessed by three
witnesses, but the deceased had after its execution mutila-
ted it by cutting off pc rtions of the bequest with her signa-
ture, leaving witnesses' names on the other side. The
Court granted probate of the residue of the will.

JIPPS V. JIPPS AND HUMS.
Dr. Spinks said he was instructed on the part of the
petitioner to ask that hls lordship would not deliver judg-
ment in this ca e heard before him last week—in fact
to postpone his judgment, as an application would be made
to him in Chambers on the subject of a letter which had
been omitted in the correspondence on the hearing.
The Judge said he did not think he should be prepared
to give judgment on Tuesday.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

THEATRE ROYAL, WESTMINSTER.

THE TRIAL OF EFFIE DEANS.

Last night Mr. Boucicauit's version of Scott's magnifi-
cent romance, " The Heart of Mid-Lothian," in this in-
stance called " Tho Trial of Effie Deans," was produced
with the greatest success. The novelty of the piece, it
must be confessed, consisted in the alterations of Mr.
Boucicault, because a previous dramatic version of the
work has long held its place amongst the stock dramas
of the metropolitan and provincial theatres. All Mr. Bouci-
cault has retained are the main incidents in the novel, and
these he has formed, into a series of exciting scenes,
that make up a drama that will for a considerable time
attract vast audiences to this theatre.

It is needless, therefore, to compare the present with the
old version, so we prefer rather giving the following brief
outline of " The Trial of Effie Deans." The curtain rises,
and the cottage of David Deans is discovered, Geordie
Robertson, who has just effected his escape from the Tol-
booth, enters closely pursued by the officers, whom he
eludes by concealing himself in an unfrequented part of the
farm. Robertson afterwards obtains an interview with
Effie, and persuades her to fly with him to France, and
thus both would escape the perils that surround them
from the disappearance of their child. This she consented
to do, and in the next scene we find Effie nearly heart-
broken at the thought of secretly leaving her father and
sister. Having obtained her parent's blessing, she is on the eve
of departure, when the officers enter and apprehend
her on a charge of concealing the birth of her child, which
in those times amounted to murder. David Deans, shocked
by the charge, curses his darling Effie, and with this ter-
minates the first act. In the next we have the first, we
presume, of the " sensation" scenes, viz., the trial of Effie.
The stage represents the interior of the High Court of
Justiciary, and the whole of the harrowing incidents of a
trial of one so young and beautiful are wrought out with
painful minuteness. There is the speech for the prosecu-
tion, the defence for the prisoner, the examination of wit-
nesses, and the verdict of the jury that consigns the Lily
of St. Leonards to death. Then follows the heroic determi-
nation of Jeanie Deans to walk to London, to beg the life
of her sister from the Queen, through the intercession of
the Duke of Argyll, and the perils she encounters on the
road from the deadly hate of Meg Nhird ochson, who
murders her own child, Madge Wildfire, by mistaking her for
Jeanie Deans. Jeanie obtains the pardon, and then we are,
in the next scene, transferred to Edinburgh, where we find
the old town all excitement consequent upon the approach-
ing execution of Effie. In the streets we have an infuri-
ated mob, led on by Geordie Robertson and Meg, bent on
rescuing Effie, when an unsuccessful encounter takes place
with the military. The concluding scene represents the
court-yard of the l'olbooth, which is being burned by the
rioters without. Suddenly the gates are blown open with
gunpowder, a conflict ensues, and, just as the military are
about to put the sentence of the law into hasty execution on
Effie, her sister enters with the pardon, and the curtain de-
scends amidst the most enthusiastic applause.
The three scenes which particularly claim attention are
the hut of Meg, in which the murder of Jeanie is planned, the
court of justice, and the attack on the Tolbooth. All of them
are exceedingly well managed, although there is no decided
novelty in either, becausa we have in the first a scene
similar to that in a drama produced by Madame Celeste
some time ago at the Lyceum, and, in the great scene, we
presume, of the drama a reproduction of the trial in " Janet
Pride." The concluding one, with the attack on the Tol-
booth, was to our thinking the most exciting and effective,
and quite sufficient of itself to secure the success of any
drama.

Of the acting of all the artistes engaged we have the gra-
tification of speaking in the highest terms of praise. Mrs.
Boucecault's Jeanie Deans was quite equal to her Eily
O'Connor for pathos and sweetness; and Miss Edith
Stuart as Effie was the perfection of trusting and forsaken
innocence. Miss Atkinon gave a very clever embodiment
of Meg Murdochson, while Miss Leclerq made as much as
possible of the part of Madge Wildfire. Mr. Ryder's David
Deans was a fine rendering of the old Scottishfather, and,Mr.
Swinburn as Geordie I obertson acted with great spirit and
effeet. The humorous part of the Laird o' Dumbdiekyes was
confided to Mr. Leeson, and into more effective hands it could
not have been placed. Mr. Boucicault only appears in one
scene, viz., the trial, and then as counsel for the defeucs,
but he made his part stand cut with the most artistic pro-
minence. Mr. Dewar deserves especial praise for his re-
presentation of Ratcliff, the gaoler, and Mr. Henry Vanden-
hoff made a very stately Duke of Argyll.
All the principal actors were called for at the termination
of :the play, and from the enthusiasm and incessant ap-
plause that was bestowed by a large and brilliant audience,
a long and successful " run" may be confidently predicted.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

TATTERSALL'S-LAST EVENING.

- - - -----
Although a large attendance was met with, the majority
appeared but little in the humour for speculation. Many
of those who had commenced books on the Chester Cup re-
frained from proceeding until the publication of the accep-
tances, which are expected to be made known this day, and
in consequence li; tle or nothing was transacted upon that
once all-e; grossing event. Stradella, who had been backed
in the city in the morning at 20 to 1, did not appear so good
a favourite here at the commencement of business, as much
as 25 to 1 being laid; but towards the close her opponents
cooled down, and she left off at her opening price. Black
Deer was supported at 25 to 1 to a small amount, and Plover
at 40 to 1; Welcome and Anfield also were inquired for,
and 50 to 1 booked about each; Caller On was backed at
1,000 to 20, and Donnybrook and Valentine at 1,000 to 16
each. The Two Thousand Guineas was scarcely touched
upon ; 100 to 30 was taken about Hospodar, and anything
over 4 to 1 would have been accepted about Saccharometer.
For the Liverpool Steeplechase a few animals were men •
tioned and backed for small amounts, as will be gathered
from our return. 20 to 1 was booked that Hospodar wins
this and Lord Clifden the Derby, and 25 to 1 about Sac-
charometer winning the Guineas and Lord Clifden the
Derby.
For the Derby, although our quotations may appear
somewhat extensive, there was really no demonstration
made; in fact, the greatest apathy marked the afternoon's
t roceedings with reference to this event. With the excep-
tion of tour animals the business done Was scarcely worthy
of recording. Lord Clifden, despite a rumour from the east
of his having receded to 8 to 1, was remarkably firm, any-
thing over his opening price, 5 to 1, being readily accepted,
and later in the day 525 to 100 was noted down to oblige a
customer. 9to 1 was offered agst Saccharometer, who ap-
peared friendless, and 100 to 8 agst Ilespodar, but who to-
wards the close recovered his position, and 12 to 1 met with
eager takers. Automaton and Tom Fool were in request,
but their highest price, 22 to 1, did not meet with a reply,
and at three points more Captain Lane's colt Blue Mantle
was supported. The others enumerate 1 in our " price
current," if we except Tambour Major, who was backed to
win some thousands at his quoted price, were occasionally
"put in" to obtain their legitimate pric • e and must be taken
as neutrals.

LIVERPOOL STEEPLECIIASR.
15 to 1 agst Baron de Meslin's Avalanche, 6 yrs, 9st
121 b (taken)
16 to 1 agst Mr. W. G. Craven's Master Bagot, aged,
9st 71b (taken)
20 to 1 agst Viscount de Cunchy's Catspaw, 6 yrs, lOst
101 b (taken)
33 to 1 agst Viscount de Namur's Moor, aged, lOst 81b
(taken)
10 to 1 agst Lamplugh's lot.

The London-Bridge and Charing-Cross
Railway.

The construction of a second metropolitan line of rail-
way—that from Charing-cross to London-bridge—is now
so far advanced as to enable the engineer to promise with
confidence that all will be ready for the opening by the
month of July. Seventeen years since the directors of the
South-Eastern Railway brought before the proprietors the
subject of a west-end extension, and pointed out the great
advantages which would result from a west-end terminus
for the continental traffic, and at that time they supported
their proposition by arguments drawn from the fact that
" Paris would shortly be brought within a day's journey of
London," and that great saving of time in traversing the
crowded streets of London would be effected by the exten-
sion of their line from London-bridge westward. At that
time they proposed to adopt the Waterloo-read as their ter-
minus, and did notventure so far as to suggest a torminal sta-.
tion at Charing-cross. Since then Paris has been brought
within 10 hours of London, the traffic of our public thorough-
fares has vastly increased, and from Waterloo-road we now
find that the line has been pushed across the river to one of
the most central and best adapted places for a railway-
station which could probably be found. From the Houses
of Parliament the distance is 1,000 yards, from the Horse
Guards 415, from Fall-mall and the Haymarket 360, from
Regent-circus, Piccadilly, 825, from Berkeley-square, 1
mile 5 yards, from Buckingham Palace, 1,665 yards, from
Oxford-street, Tottenham-court-road, 1,165 yards, from
Somerset House, 665 yards. It linear to both the opera
houses, to the theatres, and the various public offices, and
within a radius of one mile there is a population of nearly
350,000. A very large number of persons beyond this
circle will also find it much more convenient to get to
Charing-cross than to London-bridge through the City.
It will serve to convey some idea of the extent to which
the leading thoroughfares of the City will be relieved by
this line if we state that about 13,000,000 passengers pass
annually through the nest of stations at London-bridge,
and of all this immense mass a very large proportion has
to find its way west of Temple-bar. The time consumed
in making this journey may be taken, owing to the re-
peated blocks in the streets and at London-bridge, at little
less than would be required to run the whole distance to
Tunbridge or Brighton. There is thus an enormous
aggregate of annoyance and waste of time endured by
hundreds of thousands who travel, and at least as
many who remain at home, who are interested in
the speedy transaction of their daily business or official
duties. Divert this tide of traffic at Cannon-street, London-
bridge, and Charing-cross,and a great boon will be conferred
on the public. And it is by no means an unimportant part
of the arrangement that the great work will be effected
without any extra taxation from the Metropolitan Board of
Works, and that all the funds will be contributed by private
enterprise.
The heaviest portion of the work on the London-bridge
and Charing-cross line is the construction of the bridge
over the river on the site of the former suspension-bridge.
A few weeks will see this work so far completed as to ad •
mit of a locomotive passing from one side of the river to the
other. From the Surrey side to the first tower the longi-
tudinal and transverse girders are all fixed. Thence to the
second tower, which formed the centre and widest span of the
old bridge the large girders are all in their places, and for a
portion of the distance is ready for the permanent way and
rails. After passing the second tower the bridge spreads
out in a fan shape, widening till at the abutments it is 170
feet wide, or the same width as the stat on at Charing-
cross. The supports of the bridge consist of immense iron
columns filled with concrete and brickwork, which have

:heir foundations low down in the bed of the river. There

is a pair of these monster columns between the abutments
on the Surrey side of the first tower carrying the chains of
the old bridge. Between this and the next tower there are
three pairs of columns. Between the second tower and the
abutments there are two rows of columns; one consists of
seven and the other of nine. They are not quite se largo in
diameter as the others; they arc, however, of the same
height. The towers are of red brick. The upper portion
will in a few days be taken down, the lower part of each
will remain, as they form two of the piers for the bridge.
The abutments are of red brick, corresponding with the
towers, and on the Middlesex side the wall is of immense
thickness, having eight arches facing the river, and com-
municating with the series of arches upon which the station
will be built. The iron chains that have supported the old
bridge are to be removed in a few days, and will be taken
to Clifton, where they will be used in the construction of a
bridge across the Avon. The designs for the bridge, of
which the chains now alone remain in position, were ori-
ginally made for Clifton by the late Mr. Brunel. When
the Hungerford•bridge is removed the chains will be
used for building the bridge for which they were at
first designed. The structure of the Hungerford-bridge
was purchased by the t haring-cross Railway for
£40,000, and a further sum of £120,000 was paid for the
lls from passengers and the dues from the steam-boat pier.
Both these sources of revenue, however, will still be con-
tinued, as there will be a footpath for passengers on the
railway bridge, and greatly improved accommodation will
be given at a steam-boat pier. The chains of the old bridge
have been sold for £5,000 to the Clifton-bridge Comp my,
so that the purchase of the old bridge has not involved an
outlay of more than £35,000. The c st of the railway bridge
over the Thames will be about £lBO,OOO.
The station at Charing-cross, -to which this bridge will
conduct, will be very conveniently arranged, and will pre-
sent a finer appearance than any metropolitan station. If
will occupy rather more than the whole of the area of the
late Hungerford-market. From the termination of the
bridge to the frontage of the station will be about 450 feet
in length, and the width will be 170 feat. Nearly 400 feet
of the distance will be covered by an arched roof of glass
and iron. A. series of 13 arches of 30 feet span, extending
from the back of the abutment of the bridge, will carry
the station and permanent way, which will be as near as
possible on a level with the Strand. The booking-offices
will extend along the front of the station, and will have
distinct entrances for the Cannon-street, North Kent, and
Dover lines of railway. The frontage of the station will be
set back 100 feet from the Strand, thus giving ample room
for carriages to drive up to the doors of the booking-offices
without interfering with the traffic in the street. The front-
age taken by the railway company is 230 feet long, and ex-

tends from the corner of Villiers-street to Brewer's-lane,
taking down the whole of Charles-court, which lies between
them. Oa the side of the station adjoining Villiers-street
there will be atcoves, beneath whioh refreshments will be

supplied.
In connection with the station there will be erected a
large and most commodious hotel, designed by Mr. E. M.
Barry, and containg 200 rooms. Tt will have a frontage of
234 feet looking on to the Strand, and another of 190 feet
in Villiers-street.

The principal entrance will be on the Villiers-street side
of the station, and the main portions of the hotel will con-
sist of three stories, an entresol, and a mezzanine over the
booking offices. The view from the back will overlook the
busy station, beneath the glass roof of which will be seen
the trains constantly arriving and starting, and beyond this
the bridge and the river. The style of the hotel will be
Italian, with decorations marked by good taste rather than
by a desire for show or effect. The Charing-cross Railway
Company will receive from this hotel company a large sum,
either by way of purchase of the site or annual rental, and
this added to the rent of the arches under the station will
pay a handsome dividend on the cast of the land and pro-
perty of Hungerford-market. Among other conveniences
which will be provided for visitors to the hotel will be an
ascending room, in which they can be raised or lowered to
or from any of the floors of the hotel. The contract for the
building of the hotel has been let to Mr. Lucas. With re-
spect to internal arrangements and management, Mr.
Breech, of the Palace Hotel, and Mr. Wheeler, of the Eus-
ton Hotel, have been consulted, and when completed the
hotel will be in every respect a model one, and worthy not
only of its locality, but of the great undertaking to which
it will prove a worthy adjunct. The foundations for the
front and middle wall are now being prepared by Mr.
Wythes, who is the contractor for the station, and also for
putting in the foundations for the hotel. The ground is
dug to a depth of 1 A. 6in. below Trinity high- water mark,
and a mass of 91t. of concrete will be put in, upon which
the walls, 106 ft, in height, will rest.
The construction of a short branch, starting from the
main line near the Southwark-bridge-road, and crossing
the river to a point in Cannon-street just opposite the end
of Wallbrook, has been commenced, and the first pile for
the bridge will be driven in a few days. Nearly the whole
of the property required has been purchased. Great delay
in the commencement of this short branch has been caused by
a difference of opinion between the conservators of the
Thames and the Admiralty with respect to the design and site
of the bridge. An act was obtained towards the close of last
session of Parliament giving to the Board of Trade power to
decide upon the points in dispute. Three alternative plans
were submitted to Mr. Hawkshaw, and ultimately one was
adopted, with some slight modifications. It is proposed
that the trains between Charing-cross and the Bank should
run from either end at intervals of five minutes, and one
line of rails will be devoted exclusively to this portion
of the traffic. There will be be stations upon the line
at the Waterloo, Blackfriars, and Southwark-bridge roads,
and, judging from the results already obtained on the Me-
tropolitan Railway, an immense amount of traffic will be
carried upon the railway between London-bridge, Cannon-
street, and Charing-cross, in addition to that furnished by
the North Kent, Greenwich, and general South Eastern
system. Arrangements have also been made. for runningen
the trains to and from the South-Western line bwe
The completion of the
London-bridge and Charing-cross.
line from Lewisham to Tunbridge,
pur-
pose of shortening the distance by rail
of that line to East.-
Dover, and the probable extensionconstructingril
b etwa Londonf or theandrbeanovute,rlnateno"—St
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nseg.
bourne, w,ll enable passengers
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and growing watering place
r dilates ftoKtt

It is stated that the sentence of 12 mot t& sus.
pension, passed upon pr. Williams and the Rev. H. B.
Wilson—two of the writers of " Essays and Reviews"—
will be carried out, no notice having been served, on the
part of the rev, defendants, to carry an appeal before the
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

LIVERPOOL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The annual general meeting was held yesterday,
Mr. R. A. Maefie in in the chair. Amongst those
present were Mr. T. B. Horsfail, M.P., Mr. Joseph
Ewart, M.P., Mr. Legb, M.P., and Mr. Laurence
Hepworth. The report, which contained a sum-
mary of the operations of the council for the year,
was taken as read.

The CHAIRMAN, in his address to the chamber,
said that though there was yet scarcely any light
in the gross darkness which prevailed across the
Atlantic, he could not but trust that somehow or
other peace might yet be established on conditions
which should involve the amelioration of the con-
dition of the slave by his being admitted to the en-
joyment of the benefits, and the discharge of the
responsibilities, of the domestic constitution and
religious education. During his review of the vari-
ous subjects which had occupied the attention of
the Council, Mr, Macfie alluded to the recent arrival
from New York of provisions for the manufacturing
districts, observing that these presents showed not
only the hand of almsgiving but the hand of friend-
ship to England. The chairman also called atten-
tion to the importance of a commercial treaty with
Austria, evidenced by the present low state of
British trade with that country.
Mr. T. B. HORSFALL, M.P., moved the adoption
of the report. He stated that on the reassembling
of parliament he should move for the reappointment
of the committee on the consolidation of the cus-
toms and excise, being convinced that a large
financial saving might be effected, and greatly
increased facilities given to commerce. With
regard to the rights of belligerents at sea and
the law of blockade, he still entertained the
views which he had expressed in the House of
Commons. He could not go with Mr. Cobden for
the abolition of the law of blockade, nor with those
gentlemen who desired to abolish also the treaty of
1856. The only plan was to move gradually for-
ward, and endeavour to pl,,ce the shipping and com-
merce of this country in a more satisfactory state
than it would be found to be in at the close of the
present war Alluding to the recent speech of the
President of the Board of Trade (in which the pre-
sent American complications were attributed to
slavery), Mr. Horsfalt said—There is hardly a per-
sort in this country who would not join most cor-
dially in the wish to see slavery entirely abolished
in every part of the world, but it will not be with
reference to slavery that the question may come be-
fore the Houses of Parliament. The simple question
the house will have to decide is this—Have the
Southern States of America placed themselves in a
position to claim the moral right of recognition by
this country ? (Hear, hear.) I am not going to
answer that question ; I have my own individual
opinion, which, if necessary, I shall express in Par-
liament.

Mr. J. EWART, M.P., said that he had not altered
his convictions upon the belligerent rights and
blockades question, and could not agree with Mr.
Cobden in the abolition of so powerful a weapon as
that of blockade. With regard to the American
war, Mr. Ewart feared that nothing but sheer ex-
haustion on the part of the combatants would put
an end to the conflict. I am sorry to say (Mr. Ewart
continued) there is a bitter feeling amongst many
parties both in the North and the South against us
here, though I am sure there never was the slightest
ground for it. (Hear, hear.) The l tines may, in the
judment of all calm thinking men, have written
some very strong articles against.the Northern States.
It may, perhaps, form the opinion of many who per-
haps have no opinion of their own, but I am sure it
does not express the general feelings of Englishmen.
We might just as well suppose that the New York
Herald, in its violent attacks upon us, expresses the
genuine feelings of the sober thinking men in the
country. We have all along endeavoured to ob-
serve the strictest neutrality, and shall continue to
do so ; and I feel every confidence that when the
present excitement has pissed away the Americans
wiil admit that they have judged us wrongly. I re-
joice on the other hand to notice the good spirit
manifested by some parties in the North through
the contributions sent for the relief of the distress in
I the suffering districts ; for acts like these tend to
promote those cordial relations which ought to exist
between two such countries. (Cheers.) I have
always been in favour of non-intervention, but
after the long struggle which has taken place,
I think the time is really approaching when
the Northern States ought to bow to what
I believe to be the general opinion of
Europe, and allow their erring sister—if she so
considers her—to go in peace. (Hear, hear, and
some cries of No, no.) lam as strong an advocate
as any man can be for negro emancipation, but if
the abolition of slavery is to be the real , bject of
this war I am afraid they are attempting to pro-
mote immediate freedom at too great a sacrifice of
life. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Every friend to the
cause of humanity will gladly hail the day when
,this frightful cainsge will be over, and when the
only contest between the two peoples may be which
can best promote their mutual happiness, and ad-
vance the general commercial interests of the world.
(Applause.) Mr. Ewart having closed by second-
ing the adoption of the report,

Mr. W. J. LEGH, M.P., said he thought that we
could not long resist the recognition of the Southern
States.

The remainder of the proceedings of the chamber
was entirely local.

FAIRSTAR AND DARKSTAR.—I remember how
mightily I was enchanted and honoured when my
my ,Lady 'Fairstar did me the unfathomable honour of
asking me to dine at her splendid mansion in a glorified re-
gion of Belgravia ? It seemed to me, then a poor strug-
gling barrister, on a mythical yearly allowance, that I was
on the htgh road to fortune at once ; and that I had only
to follow my Lady Fairstar's cavalcade to be landed safe in
the very heart of the gardens of Aidann without delay. I
went, I made no manner of doubt that I went to fascinate
and to subdue, and that I should make such deep dints on
the heart of our delightful hostess as not even the incessant
rubbing of high life would be able to efface. And certainly
my lady was gracious to me. But I found, in the end, that
all I had made by the white elephant of her countenance,
was a portentous bill at my tailor's, another portentous bill
at my bookmaker's, an unnecessary supply of embroidered
shirt-fronts, and French cambric handkerchiefs, and my
laundress left unpaid owing to the transfer of her funds
to the pockets of the cabmen. That was what I
found, when I took the two columns and added up the cost
and the gain of my Lady Fairstar's Russian dinners, with
scented ringlets laughingly shaken, and bewildering smiles
prodigally bestowed. It was a whit, elephant ; nothing but
a white elephan : and I ran away from it. Those grand
visits are terrible matters generally. You are asked to a
country house. You are acknowledged to be a crack shot
and a first-rate rider, you tell a story capitally, and pocket
every ball on the board ; but at what a cost do you thus ad-
minister to the white elephant of your pride ? At the cost
of a year's income compressed into the six weeks of your
stay. Butlers and footmen and pages and grooms and gillies
and coachmen and the odd men about the place, and the odd
women too—all to fee, all to pay—and the little wife left at
home to fight with an unruly butcher who hasundisciplined
notions of trade, and to tell taradiddles to the landlord, who
finds himself under the necessity of "looking you up.;
That is your white elephant when you get Lord Darkstar:
invitation to his country-house in the hunting season.
Diekenss " All the Year Round," just published.
A man threw himself on Saturday from. the top
tol the
of one of the towers of Notre Dame. In his fall he
dashed against the point of the niche surmounting one of
the arched buttresses. The shock
was
two.so viol
legs
g that
8 fellthe
body,
to
the round, body, which struck thecrosswirokoennin The
angular
mason •work, was literally r
while the trunk remained on the buttress. The
mutilated remains were gathered up and taken to the
Morgue to be identified. It was ascertained that he had
been a house porter in the Rue Faubourg du Temple —but
the cause of tho self-murder is not yet known.

It is rumoured in matey quarters that the Parlia-
mentary campaign will not commence i❑ earnest
until after the marriage of the Prince of Wales, whose
"dotation" will be almost the first subject presented to the
consideration of tha houses. The debate on the address is
likely enough to be stormy ; but politicians will scarcely
press on a change wh'ch would embarrass all the arrange-
ments of the Court, and interrupt a time of festivity looked
forward to by the whole nation.—Spectator,

THE WEATHER IN THE NORTH.—SHIELDS, Jan.
25.—A storm-warning was hoisted in our harbour
en Friday night, and, though the weather was moderately
fine on Saturday, the night following was very wild and
squally, the wind blowing from the west. On Saturday
night there was a beautiful display of the aurora barealis
upon the Northumberland coast. Since last fight the
barometer has risen considerably, but the weather is still
unsettled,