The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-29 00:00:00

now. The friends of cometary astronomy will learn with

pleasure that there is at present a second comet, though a
very faint one, in the vicinity of the orbit of Mars, our
nearest neighbour among the planets. It is 70,000,000 of
leagues from the earth, and 53,000,000 from the sun, and
may be found between Ophiucus and Sagittarius.
It is an opinion generally received that beer is
merely a substitute for wine, and was invented in a country
where the vine would not grow. This is en error, however,
for many old charters, dating as early as the Bth century,
show that beer was a common drink in countries famous for
their vintage. Most convents and large farms had a brew-
house, and made beer for home consumption. Charters of
the convent of Wissenburg show that in the 13th century
many of its tenants paid their rent in malt and beer. In
Swabia, Switzerland, and other countries, brewing was ex-
tensively practised in the Bth century. In the 9th century
the provision of beer brewed at Bohlingen for the Bishop
of Spires, on the occasion of a journey to Rome, was five
times greater than that of wine, and Bohlingen produced
great quantities of wine. In the 12th. century the clergy of
Cologne and the convent of Ziohtenthal had brew-houses,
and distributed beer as well as bread to the poor. Hops
were first used in Bavaria in the 9th century. Beer was
much drunk in France, Belgium, and the Lower Rhine in
the 10th and 11th centuries. An excise duty was laid on
beer at Cologne in the year 1320. A trade corporation of
brewers was formed at Fritzlur in 1453, but brewing did
not become a recognised trade in the Upper Rhine till to-
wards the close of the 16th century.
The Court of Assizes of the Rhone concluded, at
a late hour on Wednesday evening, the trial of the woman
Fevre, her husband, and brother-in-law, charged with
poisoning Crepin, the notorious miser of Lyons. The
principal facts of the case having been given in Monday's
Messenger, it is now only necessary to state that the evidence
fully proved the guilt of all the prisoners. After the
wretched man had made his will, bequeathing all his pro-
perty to the woman Fevre, she was anxious to get rid of
him as soon as possible, and accordingly began to dose him
daily wth strong infusions of poppy-heads and gratiola, or
hedge-hyssop. In this she was actively aided by her
husband and her brother-in-law, Chorel, who procured the
drugs for her, and assisted her in keeping away the old
man's relations, But when her end was accomplished, and
she had come into possession of all Crepin's property, she
was unwilling to fulfil the promise she had made to Chorel
of giving him 100,000 f. Incensed at this treatment, he
openly threatened to be revenged, and these menaces led
to the arrest of all the guilty parties. The prisoners were
ably defended by M, Jules Fevre and other counsel, but
they strove in vain against overwhelming evidence. The
jury having brought in a verdict of guilty against all the
prisoners, the court sentenced the female prisoner and
Chorel to 12 years' hard labour, and Fevre to five years'
imprisonment.
TEIK LITTLE GIRL AND THE LOST POCKET-
BOOK.—A gentleman jumping from an omnibus in the city
of New York, dropped his pocket-book, and had gone some
distance before he discovered his loss ; then hastily return-
ing, inquired of every passenger whom he met if a pocket-
book had been seen. Finally, meeting a little girl of ten
years old, to whom he made the same inquiry, she asked,
"What kind of a pocket-book?" He described it; then
unfolding her apron, "Is this it ?" " Yes, that is mine ;
come into this store with me." They entered; he opened
the book, counted the notes, and examined the papers.
" They are all right," said he; " fifteen notes of a thousand
dollars e tch. Had they fallen into other hands I might
never have seen then again ; take, then, my little girl, this
note of a thousand dollars as a reward for your honesty
and a lesson to me to be more careful in future." " No,"
said the girl, " I cannot take it ; I have been taught at
Sunday-school not tc keep what is not mine, and my pa-
rents would not be phased if I took the note home ; they
might suppose I had stolen it." Well, then, my girl, show
me where your parents live," The girl took him to a humble
tenement in an obscure street, rude but cleanly. He in-
formed the patents of the case ; they told him the child had
acted correctly. The gentleman told them they must take
it, and he was convinced from the principles they had pro-
fessed that they would make a good use of it. The pious
parents then blessed their benefactor, for such he proved ;
they paid their debts, which had disturbed their peace, and
the benevolent giver furnished the father employment in
his occupation as a carpenter, enabling him to rsar
an industrious family in comparative happiness. This
little girl became the wife of a respectable tradesman
of New York, and had reason to rejoice that she was born
of pious parents, who had secured their daughter's happi-
ness by sending her to s Sunday-school.—Old Jonathan.
ASCENT OF MOUNT KEEN BY THE PRINCE OF
WALES.—On Monday list Mount Keen received a visit
which will long be remembered in that district. Its
hoary sides were scaled from Birk-hill, on the north, by
his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, accompanied
by Sir Charles and Lady Mary Wood, Miss Wood,
and three sons ; General, Mrs.. and Miss Grey ; Miss
Phipps, Colonel Biddulph, and Major Teesdale. On
the south a party from Invermark was headed by his
Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, accompanied by
the Earl of Dalhousie and Lady Christian Maule, Colonel
and Lady Jane Dundas, and Professor Miller. The day
was somewhat dull, and tie view in consequence circum-
scribed ; nevertheless the party appeared greatly to enjoy
the ascent, and each of the Royal personages, as well as
all who had never before visited the summit, strictly ob-
served the time-honoured custom of placing a
stone on the cairn. After rambling round the top, and
admiring Lochna-gar, Ben .adn, Ben-achie, Mount
Battock, an other lofty hills, the united forces corn•
menced a most successful attack on the commissariat de-
partment—provided from Invermark—the supplies of which
were highly commended. After spending an hour or two
on their elevated position, each party took its departure for
the respective points, from which they had come, all ex-
pressing themselves h ghly pleased with their visit. Each
detachment, on its ascent, had the satisfaction of seeing the
dun deer browsing on the hill- sides.— Dundee Advertiser.
In the Grand Steeple Handicap which has just
taken place at Dieppe, Cassidy, the rider' of Church Lang-
ton, was thrown at the brook the furthest from the stands.
unfortunately breaking his collar bone. The intelligent
animal, however, continued the race, following the track of
the o her horses without once going outside the flags which
marked the course, and reserving, as he had been trained to
do, his strength for the final struggle ; then, when nearing
the winning-Post, he shot ahead, passing Auricula, which
was leading, and coming in first amid the applause of the
spectators. Another accident occurred to a lad who, has-
tening to the spot where Cassidy was lying disabled, slipped
down putting his arm out of joint in the fall.
DEATH OF MARSHAL NUGENT.—Austria has lost
one of her most distinguished military men in the person of
Marshal Nugent, of Westmeath. Born in Ireland in the
year 1777, descended from en old Scotch family, and the
son of a remarkable diplomatist, ha entered at an early age
into the Austrian service, and for many years held the
highest posts, both civil and military. He was a Magnate
of Hungary, Prince of the Roman Church, Councillor of
State, Austrian Field-marshal, Chamberlain, Knight of the
Golden Fleece, and Colonel of the 30th Regiment of Infan-
try. He served in Italy under the command of Radetzky,
was at the battle of Solferino, and was in early life Captain-
General under the King of Naples during the events that
marked the reign of Ferdinand I.
DUEL WITH KNIVES BETWEEN Two SISTERS.--
Two sisters, named Munzia and Maria Granata, fought a
duel at Naples a few days back from motives of jealousy.
The combat took place with the national weapon, the knife,
and one of the sisters was killed on the spot, while the other,
who still survives, received as many as 13 wounds.
Lord and Lady Stourtoi hay° left s
for the Isle of Wight. Brown' liotel