The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-16 00:00:00

was sentenced to a short imprisonment for threaten-
ing with a hatchet a bailiff who came to make a
seizure, has adopted a strange system of abstinence.
For a week he has refused either to eat, drink, or
speak, in spite of the entreaties of the attendants.
He has been taken to the hospital, but persists in his
determination, which seems curious, as in a few days
the term of his imprisonment will expire. The authori-
ties intend to bring his wife and children to the
prison, in the hope that they may be able to induce
him to alter his extraordinary determination.

A remarkable plague or disease has manifested
itself among the cats in the environs of Brussels.
These aninuls die in great numbers, and in a few
hours after vomiting, spasms, convulsions, and
other symptoms of poisoning. There is also great
mortality among the rabbits, which is attributed to
the long continuance of wet weather.
On Saturday evening an artist and a well-dressed
young girl dined at a restaurant in the Rue Pois-
sonniere, in a private room. The dinner lasted a
long time. The waiter told his master that he was
wanted upstairs with the bill. On going there with
the bill the girl, in a tone of astonishment, asked if
her friend had not paid the bill as ho went out.
" No," said he, " and you must pay it if he be gone."
The lady assured the master that she had only made
the acquaintance of her friend at a ball the previous
evening. "He asked my name," said the lady,
" and then he told me his, saying, I live at Romain-
ville, the country of lilacs, love, and fried gudgeon."
At dinner he pressed me to eat a variety of dishes.
He asked if I would have fried potatoes. I told
him I detested potatoes, but that I adored haricots.
At this word my friend got up in a passion, took
his hat, and said—' If you can adore anything more
than me, it is time to go,' and, suiting the action to
the word, he left me." In spite of this simple story
the restaurateur believed that those two persons
were accomplices in the swindle, and insisted that
the lady should pay the bill, which amounted to 27
francs. She said she would do so with pleasure
were it not for a slight obstacle, that she had no
money. A policeman was called in to take her to
the neighbouring station. Strange to say on pass-
ing a tobacconist's shop the gentleman was seen
quietly smoking his cigar. Both were conducted
before the Commissary of Police, but the result has
not transpired.

The theatre at the Exhibition is nearly completed,
and it is said that the opening will take place on
the Ist of May. There will be a prologue and
a comic opera. Au interaational ballot is talked
of, in which will figure 60 danseuses, French and
foreign.

The Russian houses in the Park attract notice
from their peculiar structure and appearance. The
wooden decorations are entirely the work of Rus-
sian artists. The heavy beams placed one upon
another may not be architecturally beautiful, but
they have a novel and noc ungraceful appearance.
It is remarked that the gigantic mosaics of admir-
able finish prove that art in Russia must have
existed in the time of the Renaissance, as proved by
the specimens sent to the Academy of St. Peters-
burg. In the Russian collection are the precious
stones belonging to the Crown, and some curious
articles in brass and other metals. The building is
nearly completed. Considering that a violent cold
wind has prevailed all day, accompanied with fre-
quent and heavy showers, the attendance at the
Exhibition to-day was quite up to the average. In
the French department the completion of the de-
posit of some of the most interesting objects,
clockwork, and jewellery, for instance, has been
nearly effected, and apparently all that
is to be exhibited will be ready for inspec •
tion by the end of the week. The same re-
mark I think will apply to the English department.
At all events the wonderful machinery from various
parts of England will then be ready to work. At
present a good deal of machinery is in motion.
There is a separate building for agricultural imple-
ments and machinery, and all that appertains to the
perfection and increase of the produce of the laud.
This will by no means be the least interesting por-
tion of the Exhibition. The juries have been ac-
tively engaged to-day in their duties, and the Corn
mission have given every facility to enable them to
give their decisions with the least possible delay.
The readers of The Sun will have full and early in-
formation upon the subject. The G-obelius depart-
ment was very animated to-day. Close by is the
magnificent cradle which was presented under thi
commence
fe alloncountries the Medical
al
Col6th
auspices of Baron Haussman, by the city of Paris to
l
their Majesties for the Imperial Prince.
This is one
e
of the articles of prominent note, at all events "to
persons about to marry.
n
n'Theregress atis
Paris,o be
a
hc internationalmw eimedical
ceaolnScientificmme
of August next, to h which
are invited. Grave problems connected with
me-
dicine, diet, and health will be discussed, with a
view to the improvement of the medical science
and the preservation of life. The cosmopolitan cha-
racter of this meeting will probably materially aid
that intellectual alliance which is calculated to dimi-
ni.ih the evils " which flesh is heir to."

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

THE FRENCH ARMY.
PARIS, April 16.

A circular has been issued by the Minister of War,
dated yesterday, which fixes the sum to be paid for
exemption from military service of 3,000 fr. during
the year 1867. The price of exemption for each
year of military service remaining to be performed
is fixed at 600 fr.