The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-14 00:00:00

NEW COURT.

TRIAL. OF THOMAS WILLIAMS, ESQ., FOR FORGERY (FIFTH HAY).
At half-past nine o'clock this morning, Air. Baron PARKE
entered the Court, and the Jury having answered to their
names, the examination of witnesses for the defence was pro-
ceeded with.

Thomas Owen; who was examined through an interpreter,
stated that he was in the service of the prisoner as coachman;
and had been so for a period of about seven years. Remem-
bers the Sunday before Whitsunday last year. On the morn-
inrs of that day he drove his master in an open phaeton to
Prasoevyn, the residence of Mr. Panton. When they ar-
rived there they stopped at an iron gate, which leads to
Plasgyn House. The prisoner alighted, and approached
the house from the iron gate. Witness also _got down,
and went to the horses' heads. lie afterwards drose his
master to the house of his brother (Mr. Gethin Wil-
lisms) at Ruelass. Went there about three o'clock, and
remained till evening, when they returned home to the Castle.
Saw Mr. Barton Panton on that day about twelve miles from
Plasgwyn. Mr. Price and another gentleman was with him.
Met them at Pontrey-bridge between ten and eleven o'clock.
The prisoner spoke to one of the three gentlemen, and was
answered by the person he addressed. Remembers the Whit-
Monday following. He and his master went that morning
from Brynbras to Plasgwyn, in the phaeton as before. Stopped
at the iron gate, and Mr. Williams went into the house.
Cannot say how long he remained there, but he came to
Ruclass in the evening, and they returned home to the Castle.
- Cross-examined by Sir NV. FOLLETT—Was not examined
before the Commissioner at Carnarvon, nor before the Ma
gistrate at Guildhall. This is his first public account of it.
The iron-gate is for foot passengers. There is a carriage-
road beyond it, where there is another iron-gate. The small
gate was nearest the front door of Plasgwyn !louse. Has
seen Mr. Panton often at Brynbras. Has not latterly been in
the habit of putting up the carriage there. Has driven his
master several times to Plasgwyn within the last three years.
On the last day that he drove him it did not rain, but the wea-
ther was very foggy. Whitsuntide was about a week after
the day he drove his master. Recollects it well because
Whitsuntide is a great holiday in Wales. Has often himself
been to the house at Plasgwyn. The iron-gate through which
his master went opens to the front of the house.
Owen Williams, examined by Mr. JERVIS—Was in the
service of the prisoner. Since he had been in the service he
had seen Mr. Jones Panton at Brynbras. Recollected assist-
ing in putting up the horses of the phmton the Sunday before
Whitsunday. His master and Thomas Owen went away
together to Plasgwyn that day. They came back that evening
at twilight. He also assisted to put the horses to the can iage
on Whit-Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Williams and Thomas
Owen went away together to Plasgwyn.
The Rev. J. Williams was a clergyman of the Church of
England, residing at Ruclass, and brother to the prisoner.
Was also a magistrate of the county of Anglesea. Ru lass
was his own property. Ilis brother was in the habit of
visiting him at Ruelass, which was about a quarter of a mile
from Ruelass. Recollected the Sunday before Whitsuntide.
His brother was at Ruelass on that day. It was the 7th of
May. The reason he recollected the day was, that Mr. Pen-
ton was taken ill on Whitsunday. He is certain that it was
the Sunday before Whitsunday. Generally dines about two
o'clock on Sundays. Dined at his usual hour on the Sun-
day in question. The prisoner dined with him. He left Ruelass
between four and five in the afternoon. Thomas Owen was the
servant who accompanied him that day. He is the sere ant who
is generally in the habit of driving his brother. Heard of Mr.
Pariton's being taken ill on Whitsunday. On Whitsunday
he sent a messenger to inform the prisoner and his wire of Mr.
Panton's illness. They met the messenger on the gay, and
sent their carriage to Ruclass, and came after it. It was
about twelve o'clock when they arrived. They remained till
evening. Mrs. Williams was at Ruelass, and slept there one
night previous to the deal.' of Mr. Penton. Did not see her
the night she came to Ruelass, as he had gone to bed when
she arrived. Saw her next morning, when she told him that
she had seen her father and he was very poorly. Was ac-
quainted with the writing of the deceased. Had never seen

him write, but lie and the deceased were subscribers to a dis-
pensary, and it being necessary to have the catifieates signed
by two of the subscribers, he frequently sent a certificate to
Mr. Panton to get it signed, and in this way became ac-
quainted with .his sianature.. A letter was here put in and
proseciby the 4iint:s!:, eiror,,,fit the hand of the deceased.
Remembers on one occasioll'the dect`fased sifS;rig to him " / must
lf‘g of you to take care of Laura. if any thing should lifippA!A
to poor Tom— (leaning the prisoner)—for he is my exe-
cutor.") Has on other occasions heard him speak most affec-
tionately of Mr. Williams.
Cross-examined.---Has often seen the deceased and Mrs.
Williams together: Was occasionally in the habit of calling
at Pimgwyn, but not to say often. Was coming out of church
when he met his brother. The service of his Church is over
generally about twelVe. Left it on horseback immediately
after the service. The distance to his house was about five
miles, and it rionld take him an hour or more to ride home.
None of his servants afe In tOWn: A lady who resides with
Mrs. Williams as a companion is hi town. The prisoner's
wife was with him when she met him. Was not
exaritirA in the proceedings before the Ecclesiasti-
cal Court, and made no statement or deposition before this.
The observation made by Mr. Panton with respect to Laura
(prisoner's wife), was made to witness tortarde the latter
end of March, shortly after the return of Mr. and Mrs.
Williams from London. No one was present at the conversa.
tion. 'Witness had called to pay a visit to his brother and
wife, on the occasion of their return from London. Mentioned
the conversation which he had with Mr. Panton to his bro-
ther the day after the decease of that gentleman. The way it
came about was this. His brother told him that he had been
appointed executor to Mr. Panton's will. He said he knew that,
for Mr. Panton himself had told him so. He knew that
Mr. Barton PAnten had been acting as executor at
the time. Was requested by Mrs. Jones Panton to go over to
Plasgwyn with her, as she wished to purchase some of the
furniturs from Mr. Barton Panton ; but though lie went then
he took no pstrt in the transaction. Did not tell her that Mr.
Barton Panton was Shit the executor, because he had adsised

his brother to keep it a secret until he went to London, where
the wills were, that he might there advise esiih his Proctor as
to what course he should pursue.
By the ATTOIIN EY- GENERAL.—The day after Mr. Panton's
death the prisoner told him that he wanted to go to Plas-
gwyn, to take possession of the things there. Witness told
him not to make any stir or commotion then, because
he did not know what wills there might be after
his. He said he should be greatly surprised if there
were, because the deceased had confirmed his will on
the 7th of May. Witness ollsereed that Mr. Panton had been
poorly for a fortnight, and getting up every day, he did not
know what other wills he might have made. Ile added, that
he had better go to London, get his wills, and obtain the ad-
vice of his proctor. His mother had previously told him that
the wills were lodged at his banker's. He is very certain this
conversation took place on the day after Mr. Panton's death.
Eliza Morris stated that she lived at Ruelass, as a compa-
nion to Mrs. Gethin Williams. She is not in a fit state to
come to London. Remembers the Sunday before Whitsun-
day. Saw Mr. Thomas Williams at Ruelass that day. Tho-
mas Owen had brought the phaeton there, previous to his mas-
ter's arrival. Saw Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Williams at Ruelass,
on Whitsunday. •;
Cross-examined by 11r. PHILLIPS—The Sunday in ques-
tion was wet in the early part of the day. It was about one
o'clock on Whit-Monday when Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Wil-
liams arrived. Heard that Mrs. Thomas Williams Went across
to Plasgwyn to see Mr. Jones Panton that day. Heard it
from Thomas Owen. Happened to ask him where the family
were, and it was in reply to the question Owen told her that
Mrs. Williams had gone across to Plasgwyn.
Jane Thomas examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL—Was
in the service of the late Mr. Jones Panton, as upper house-
maid, for about nine years, down to the time of his death.
Occasionally attended personally upon him. No other
servant attended him so but witness. He was as kind to
witness as a master ought to be. He often said to witness
" that she should not be the loscrby him." Told her so
frequently. The last occasion on which he repeated the
observation was about three weeks before his death. Witness
was in the habit of rubbing his legs every night, as they were
very numb and swollen. Her master complained of a cold on
the Thursday before Whitsunday, and on the latter day he
yeas very ill. Saw Mr. Williams at Plasgwyn a few days be-
fore the Thursday. Cannot tell what day of the week it was.
Met him in the hall going towards the blue parlour, where
her master was in the habit of sitting. Cannot exactly say
what hour of the day it was. Saw Mr. Williams again at
Plasgwyn on Whit-Monday. Mrs. 'Williams was alone with
him on that occasion. Does not recollect the hour at which
she saw them. They saw Mr. Panton that day in the par-
lour. Witness was not present. Saw Mrs. Williams at
Plasgwyn again before her master's death, but did not see the
prisoner. It was about two days before her master's death.
Had often seen Mr. Panton and Mr. Williams together.
It appeared to him that he was ♦ery proud of his daughter.
He went to ace her about twice a year.
Cross-examined by Mr. PHILLIPS.-Did not recollect at
what time the prisoner came to Plasgwyn, but thought it was
before dinner. Witness did not let them- in on either of the
occasions. Was told by the servants that Mr. and Mrs.
Williams came in their four-wheeled carriage on Whit Monday.
Hugh Thomas, the butler, was the person who generally
opened the hall door. Her master was very fond of Mrs.
Williams, but cannot say whether he was fond of Mrs. Barton
Panton. Cannot say whether he was fond of Mrs. Barton
Panton's little child. No one was even present at the conver-
sations in which the deceased told her "she should not be a
loser by him." Always expected that Mr. Panton would have
left her a legacy. Never said that she did not expect to have
been left a legacy.
To the ATTORNEY-GENERAL—Was summoned by the prose-
cutor as well as by the prisoner.
The ATTORNEY.-GENERAL put in an almanack to prove that
the 31st of May 1834, fell on a Saturday, and stated that this
closed the evidence for the defence.

Sir FOLLETT then rose to reply on the part of the
prosecution. He said that it now became his duty, as Coun-
sel for the prosecution, offer some observations to the jury, on
the evidence which had been adduced both for the prosecution
and the defence, in the course of this protracted and pain-
ful inquiry. It was his intention, as far as he could, to
confine these observations within the narrowest possible
limits, and he would carefully endeavour to avoid fol-
lowing the example of the Attorney-General, who
had introduced topics in speechhisof tpyrhoipeloirtlyv,erleie whollywould
extraneous to the subject of inquiry. If this were a question
involving merely a large amount
have reason to complain of some of the observations
of his Learned Friend, and particularly of those which
were directed personally , against himself, and which
were intended, no doubt, to prevent the jury from paying any
attention to the remarks which in the discharge of his duty he
would be called upon to address to them. On any ordinary-
trial he would certainly have a right to complain of the
course which had been pursued by the Learned Gentleman,
but in the present case he would utter no complaint. He
ing
concern
uliceo
rthe observationst)os ti chhehdi
client
the
made every allowance for the responsibility of the situation
in
s
;teas:actuated only by a sense of that respon-
sibility which his Learned Friend found himself placed ; he could
sstiboioldit.yllinsdLbeyarned Friend stated to theirrtruly the consequences
nAotttobruuteyfe.eGl
which would attend the finding of a verdict of guilty against
his client ; the punishment which would follow it was severe
etihieaatr:iiiioneu:
and certain, and with such consequences staring him in
the face, there was no observation however strong, no
insinuation however unjust, which he thought might be
serviceable to his client, that he (Sir W. Follett) did not
think he would be justified in using. He, of course, made
this observation only in reference to his own feelings, for he
was not sure that any thing could justify the charges which
had been openly made against gentlemen of character and re-
spectamo
, „,t,, of having perjured themselves, in the evi-
dence which they had given in this case, and some of
them even of having committed forgery. Ile thought
that in this his Learned Friend had outstepped the limits,
wide as they were, to which zeal fer the interest of his client
entitled him to go. His Learned Friend had complained that
a case such as this should have been brought to trial
in a criminal iestead of a civil Court. He told them
that the right to this property might have been
tried by a civil action, or. in the Ecclesiastical Court.
This, indeed, would have been true, if the crime of forgery had
been blotted altogether from the criminal code of this country,
but while it still remained a crime by the law of the land, and
while there were grounds for supposing that crime had been
committed, lie could hardly think the prosecutor would have
been warranted in appealing to any other Court. Supposing
will
wto
:übl
de tried in
atthbeeeEncelesi
placedas Ecclesiastical however, that his client suffered the validity of this forged
ae
would situa-
tion
not have had the intervention and protection of a Jury ; wit-
iCaowurhtath
wit-
nesses were not examined there viva voce, and could not be
subjected to that searching cross-examination which in such a
case could alone have the effect of eliciting the truth,
and he could not comprehend how it could ever be made the
subject of complaint, that the case should be investigated in
this, one of the highest courts of justice in the land, before a
.Judge who was one of the most learned and distinguished
ornaments of the Bench, and by a jury who, by the unwearied,
the anxious, and patient attention which they had given
to this tedious and protracted inquiry, had prayed themselves
in every way qualified for the task. The consequences
to the prisoner of this investigation had been much dwelt
upon by his Learned Friend ; he (Sir W. F. )bad never endea-
voured to conceal them, but whatever the result might be
he was satisfied that justice would be done to the prisoner.
(To be continued in our Second Edition.)

SW 1 ND L NG.—Sotne days since a fashionably-
dressed gentleman called at the e'stablishment of Mr. Groves,
a merchant-tailor, in the Blackfriars-road, and gave an order
for a suit of clothes. The order was accordingly executed
with all requisite expedition, and on Thursday last the gen-
tleman again called to inquire whether the clothes were finished.
Mr. Groves Was not himself at home, but his son, who acts in
his absence, informed the stranger that the suit was quite
ready, when he immediately presented in payment a note,
purporting to be of the Bank of England for 201., which ap-
peared to have been torn, but the halves of which were after-
wards pasted together. Young Mr. Groves, not having suffi-
cient cash to balance the account, called on Mr. Silcox, a
neighbour, for change, which was immediately given. The
clothes having been delivered, and the account settled, the
" customer" took his departure, after repeated assurances of
future patronage. What was the astonishment, however, of
Mr. Silcox to find that, on the note being presented for pay-
ment, it was stopped at the Bank for the following reasons,
viz., that although the first half of the note was for 20/., the
latter half was only for 10/., and that both belonged to notes
that had been stolen. The advantages derivable to the per-
petrators from this system of fraud are at once observable,

and the public cannot exercise too much caution in inspect-
ing the numbers of notes, to guard against such wholesale
swindling. A similar occurrence to that related above hap-
pened to a gentleman in the same neighbourhood a few years
ago, which afterwards gave rise to the roost vexatious judicial
proceedings at Union-hall.
GREENACRE OUTDONE.—Accounts from Bag-
14eres (Hawes Pyrenees) the 25th of March, state that the
arratidisternent of Bagnerra de Bigoirc, has just been the
theatre of an atrocious crime. A man has been murdered,
first, by means of a heavy mallet for splitting wood ; then
bled from the throat ; and, finally, dispatched by repeated
blows of a hatchet. The limbs were then separated from
the trunk, the trunk enclosed in a charcoal sack, and the
whole, after being carried across precipices to the highest of
the mountain, thrown into a deep hole of the depth of 150 feet.
The unhappy victim lived with his wife, a young woman of
22, and his mother-in-law, in a dilapidated cottage, situated
in the wildest part of the common, called the Hante Norte&
He had for some time lived on had terms with these two
women, on the subject of some disputes about property, in-
termixed with some jealousy of another female ; and they ap-
pear to have determined with the most deliberate preme-
ditation, to get rid of him by violence. Both assert their
claims to the largest share in the murder. Both with un-
precedented sang froid have detailed all the frightful minutiae
of the event, which surpass in horror all that has been re-
corded of similar deeds of blood. These two women are at
present under the hands of justice in the prison of Bagneres.
The unhappy victim of their revengeful atrocity was a Spaniard.
—Constitutionnel.

Within the last few days large posting and hand-
bills have been extensively distributed about the metropolis
offering a reward of ten guineas to any person who can give
any information likely to lead to the discovery of Mr. John
Sampson, an independent gentleman, a resident of the city of
Bath, who has been missing ever since the 24th of November
last. It appears that on that day the unfortunate gentleman
arrived in London by the Bath coach, and the last trace that
has been learned of him has been that he went during the
afternoon to the counting-house of Messrs. Forbes and Co.,
in King William-street, where be received a considerable
sum, the amount of an order, from which time he has never
been heard of, notwithstanding every exertion has been usesi
by his friends and by the metropolitan police to obtain in-
formation respecting him. The greatest fears are therefore
entertained that the unfortunate gentleman, being a stranger
in London, has been inveigled by some villanous sharper into
one of those dens of infamy with which the metropolis
abounds, and basely murdered for the sake of the money
in his possession. He is described as being about sixty-seven
years of age, and five feet six inches high ; gray eyes; very
little hair, and that nearly white ; no whiskers ; the figure
slight, and had on when he left Bath a dark bottle-green
frock-coat, buff waistcoat, and red neckcloth, gaiters and
shoes. _

-••---
GOOD FRIDAY.—No Good Friday, for many
years, has been observed in the metropolis with so much out-
ward decency, as that which has just past ; of course the lead-
ing shops were all closed, but in many parts of the town,
where it was formerly the custom to carry on business quite
openly, no trace of business could be seen. The suppression
of the "sports" at Chalk Farm had a most beneficial ten-
tency, as not one half of the usual assemblage of thieves and
prostitutes was collected. Placards were posted about the
• premises, reflecting on the conduct of the Magistrates, and
announcing the " amusements" for a future occasion.
CLAMMING JURYMEN.—A curious circumstance
occurred during the last Sheffield Sessions. Before the trial
of one of the prisoners, against whom there were two indict-
ments, the jury had been allowed to go out for a few minutes.
Mr. Wild, the constable, happened to be standing near the
dour of the Sessions'-room, when the jury were returning, and
heard a juryman say to the uncle of the prisoner, " I'll do
the best 1 can for him." The prisoner was :acquitted on the
first indictment, which led Wild to attach more importance to
the expressiort than lie had done at first ; and he therefore
mentioned the fact to the solicitor for the prosecution. It
was then stated to the Counsel for the prosecution, and by
him to the Court. wilt; was called into the witness-box, and
wing verified his statemen t on oath, the juryman was
place. In another case, where
dis-
missed, and another put lit his
the evidence was very confl;rtint,:' there was apparently a ma-
jority in favour of the prisoner's inns cFrice : one of them, how-
ever, insisted he was guilty, and .saio, c` If they thought to
clam him they were mistaken, as he eculd stand clamming
with the best of them," and added that h had prepared for it
.
ner was found
The consequenCe of his threat was, the p:iso
guilty, but recommended to mercy. As " ing" may
not be intelligible to our distant readers, it means .45tnrving"
the dissentients into acquiescence.—Sheffield Mercury.. -
Yesterday morning, between eight and nine o'clol^l7
a labouring man, named Alfred Parker, who lives at No. 4, 1
Dean's-place, Somerstown, while proceeding across the fields
near to Copenhagen-house, discovered the body of a new-born
female child, thrown in a ditch—it was quite naked. The ap•
pearance of the body was indicative of its having been born
alive, although it was evident that no professional aid had been
rendered at the time of birth. There are strong marks of
compression about the throat.
SCOTT'S RULES FOR PRESIDING AT A PUBLIC
DINNER.—Ist. Always hurry the bottle round for five or six
rounds, without prosing yourself, or permitting others to
prose. A slight flip of wine inclines people to be pleased,
and removes the nervousness which prevents men from speak-
ing,—disposes them, in short, to be amusing and to be amused.
2d. Push on, keep moving, as young Rapid says. Do not
think of saying fine things—nobody cares for them any more
than for fine music, which is often toe liberally bestowed on
such occasions. Speak at all ventures, and attempt the
mot pour rire. You will find people satisfied with wonder-
fully indifferent jokes, if you can but hit the taste of the com-
pany, which depends much upon its eharacter. Even a very
high party, primed with all the cold irons and non pet land
feelings or no feelings of fashionable folks, :nay be stormed
by a jovial, rough, round and ready prescs. Choose ycur
text with discretion—the sermon may be as yoti like. Should
a drunkard or an ass break in with anything out pf joint, if
you can parry it with a jest good and well—if not, do Not
exert your serious authority, unless it is something I/try bad.
The authority even of a chairman ought to be very cautiausly
exercised. With patience you will have the support of every
one. 3d. When you have drunk a few glasses to play the
good fellow and banish modesty (if you are unlucky eizough
to have such a troublesome companion) then beware of tin 3
cup too much. Nothing is so ridiculous as a drunken
p7eses. Lastly, always speak short, and shock sleek na skid
—cut a tale with a drink.

" This is the purpose and intent
Of guide Sebir Walter's testament."—Life by Lockhart.
LONGEVITY.—A few days since a woman died in
Charlton-street, Fitzroy-square, at the great age of 110 years.
She was a native of Scotland, and widow of a soldier, whom
she had accompanied in his services to various parts of the
world; but she had no offspring, and having outlived all her
relatives, she had in her latter days been supported by charita-
ble individuals. She is stated to have been of very regular
habits, an early riser, and enjoyed good health and the posses-
sion of her faculties till within a very short time of her disso-
lution. She was of the Roman catholic religion, and, long
after she had attained her hundredth year, was in the daily ha-
bit of walking from Fitzroy-square, to Clarendon-square, So-
mers town, to attend the first mass at the catholic chapel at
seven o'clock in the morning. _ _ _

On Sabbath last, a ewe, the property of Mr. Gray,
Moorfield, yeaned four lambs ; all of which, along with their
dam, are in.a thriving condition. Last year, the suite ewe
had four lambs ; and, in the end of April, 183t3, she had three,
her first produce ; making eleven lambs, in the short space of
a year and eleven months.— Glasgow Argus.
On Thursday evening au inquest was held at the
Cumberland's Head Tavern, in the City-road, before Mr.
Baker and a respectable jury, on the body of Elizabeth Levy,
aged 40. From the evidence it appeared that the decelsed,
who was the wife of a shoemaker, was much addicted to drink,
and after a drunken lit, in which she had spent six shillings
she had received from the parish, as well as other money got
from her husband's club, she became so ill that she drunk and
ejected from he.- stomach nearly a dozen quarts of water. She
then went and procured some oxalic acid, which she mixed up
in some porter, and drank off, saying she did not wish to live
longer, and died shortly afterwards. The jury returned a
verdict of " Temporary Insanity."
The winter appears to have quite left us, and we
have suffered less from its severity than we believe most parts
of England. The evergreens arc uninjured, except where
they were exposed to the stroke of the wind. The myrtles,
which in this part may be considered as hardy plants, have
not suffered more than usual. The geraniums out of doors,
we believe, arc everywhere destroyed. Spring seems esta-
blished. The Horse-chest:tit is alteady in leaf, and the
hedges are every day assuming a brighter tint of green. As-
paragus, not forced, was cut a week ago from the garden of the
\Ten. Archdeacon Sheepshanks at St. Gluvias, and early cab-
bage more than a week before. The genial rains which seem
now to be setting in, with the continued mild weather, will in
a few days clothe all nature in her Spring livery.—Fahnouth
Express.

SWINDLING.--An ingenious plan has lately been
hit on by an accomplished gang of swindlers in the City,
which will give a wide sphere for the most extensive fraud,
and lead soma of the India brokers into an unpleasant secret.
The plan alluded to is this : one of the gang takes'a counting-
house with cellars, and commences in the ale trade. A
second, who has a counting-house also, encloses him an order
through post, which he pretends he has received from an
officer in India (the Ga:ctte will at once supply the name of
the officers of regiments stationed there, and Quartermasters
are generally selected,) for a certain quantity of pale ale, cider,
and wine, of course of the best quality, to be shipped by the
first vessel going out, and to be paid for by bill. The order is
executed with a very infierior article, while enormous prices aro
charged. A bill is drawn on the party who is alleged to have
sent from India, and made payable thirty days after sight ; and
the transaction is rendered apparently perfectly regular by the
party who had pretended to have received the order acknow-
ledging it to be all right. The goods arc shipped on board,
and the holder of the bill finds very little difficulty in getting
it discounted by an India broker, particularly as he places in
his hands, as an additional security the bill of lading for the
goods. Several transactions of this description are said to
have latterly taken place, and it is said that such is the qualit
of the goods sent, that they will not sell for one-fourth of what
has been charged for them in India. -
FASHION IN NEW YORK.—The editor of a
newspaper in that emporium of fashion received an invitation
to a ball, and answered in the following terms I have no
special objection, provided they do not require me to dance;
still I would prefer my friends to get up a prayer meeting, and
have some good psalms and hymns sung, intermingled with a
few hundred oysters stewed and pickled. I like to see pretty
women eat oysters l"—Literary Gazette.