The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-12 00:00:00

ASTLEY'S.

Last night the Royal Amphitheatre opened for the winter
season. During the short recess the whole of the interior
has been re-decorated in a most chaste and elaborate man-
ner. The ceiling exhibits a clear sky, beautifully painted,
surmounted by mythological subjects. The upper circles
of boxes are divided with beautiful medallions, relieved
with white, on an azure blue of an Italian tint, mounted in
gold frames, carried out by handsome enrichments, between
which are ornaments and drops of flowers. The dress circle
has a series of subjects, the centre of which, facing the
stage, represents the battle of the Amazons, and leading off
each way round are various figures, representing gladiators
and horses, most beautifully executed, and in good keeping
with the upper part of the theatre. The groundwork of
the boxes is white, and from the bottom spring flowers and
trees, most artistically executed in gold, producing a very
dazzling effect.

Her Majesty, having become a frequent patron of the
theatre, is now provided with a handsome box, lighter in
decoration and more conveniently situated than the former
one, and there is a magnificent new chandelier, which,
when it can be moved a little more freely up and down, will
be a great comfort to the audience.
The novelty of the evening was called " The Covenanters;
or, The Battle of Bothwell Brig," being an equestrian and
melodramatic reading of Scott's well-known and beautiful
tale of " Old Mortality." The story is so patent to every
class of the community that it is needless to describe the
plot; suffice it to say that the parts of Balfour of Burley
(Mr. Jas. Holloway) ; Colonel Claverhouse (Mr. Burt) ;
Lord Evendale (Mr. J. T. Anderson), &c., were ably sus-
tained.

The scenes in the circle were very good, as a matter of
course. Indeed,. the performance of Mr. Runnels, the
great American Magnet, with a child who appeared to be
about four years old, was marvellous. Madame Blanche
and Mdlle. Fleurette were loudly applauded ; and a very
elegant act was performed by Mr. W. Cooke, who introduced
"The Horse of the Menage." The animal he rode dis-
played extraordinary docility and training, and performed
some entirely new feats. The success of the opening night
was immense.

REMARKABLE PRESERVATION OF LIFE.—As the
men employed at the colliery belonging to the Right Hon.
Lord Boston, at Talhirion, Anglesey, were engaged at their
usual avocations, last week, a sudden fall of earth took place.
Very fortunately, most of the men were enabled to escape,
by rushing to the mouth of the pit; but one poor fellow,
who was working at the other end, was completely shut in
by the fall, and separated from the outer world, and not-
withstanding the strenuous exertions of the Messrs.
Hughes, the lessees, and his fellow-workmen, he remained
in that trying situation, without food, two days and one
night, during which time he could be heard knocking, en-
deavouring to aid the exertions of those who were striving
for his deliverance. When taken out, the poor man, though
unhurt, had totally lost his voice, and appeared unconscious
of the lapse of time. The joy of his wife and children at
his restoration to them can easily be imagined.—North
Wales Chronicle.