The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-07 00:00:00

STRAND THEATRE.

-
At this elegant little theatre, which was re-opened for
the winter season last night, a petite comedy in one act, or
"piece de caractere," was produced, entitled " The Last of
the Pigtails," and received with well-merited and complete
success. The plot rests upon the endeavours of a young
and fascinating wife, Lady Starchington (Miss Swanbo-
rough), to reform and extirpate the antiquated notions of
her husband, Sir Noah Starchington (Mr. Selby), an old
beau, and substitute throughout his household, in lieu of
ancient prejudices and customs, modern improvements and
adornments, thereby occasioning continual turmoils, and in
his mansion a civil revolution. Contrasted with the stiff
habits of Sir Noah are those of the loose modern swell,
Mr. Swellington (Mr. Clark), whose extravagant costume,
especially his coat with gigot sleeves, and pegtop trousers,
must be seen to be appreciated ; and his pretty, prudish wife,
Mrs. Prim Rose Swellington (Miss M. Ternan), whom he
ultimately induces to discard her quaint cap and scanty gown,
and adopt, with a crinoline, a more fashionable dress, while
he at the same time casts off his extreme style and appears
more rationally clothed. The acting throughout this little
comedy was excellent, and the dialogue vivacious, droll,
and, in many parts, far above the average of pieces of this
description. Mr. Selby has never appeared to greater advan-
tage : the character of Sir Noah befits him to a nicety, while
that'of Mrs. Tabitha Fidget is equally suited to Mrs. Selby,
who played it witll admirable humour, finish, and tact.
Miss Swanborough, too, was very effective, and evinced
great improvement. Mr. J. Clarke and Mr. Bland, whose
eccentricities contributed much to the amusement of the
audience, obtained also its approbation. The author; Mr.
C. Selby, was unanimously cheered at the close.

The Braemar gathering takes place on Friday,
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Consort will be present.
the Australian mails and £.53,084 in gold, is expected at
Southampton on Thursday.
The Ceylon journals contain a long account of
the proceedings at the cutting of the first sod of the Ceylon
Railway, which .was performed on the 3d August by his
Excellency, the Governor, in the presence of about 8,000
persons.
POLYGRAPHIC-HALL.—Heir Wilj alba Frikell;the
celebrated chief of the modern school of conjuring without
apparatus, commenced a series of perfo.rmances last night
in the presence of a crowded audience.
THE HARVEST IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE.--harvest
operations in this county may be said to be ended, and on
the whole the crops are good and have been got in in prime '
condition. Within the last fottrtight, however, the potato
disease has reappeared, and it is feared the yield will be
below an average. Other green and root crops are looking
well. The apple crop is light.
DEATH OF LADY ISABEL ANNE DASHWOOD.—
The only surviving daughter of James, 7th Earl of Lauder-
dale, great grandfather of the present peer, Lady Isabel
Anne Dashwood, died on Saturday last, at,her residence in
Seamore-place. Her ladyship married, Ist July,
1793,
Sev Mr.
Francis Dashwood, of Hall-place, Bexley, Kent. eral
families of rank, includinm Mr. and Lady Mary Stanley-,
Lady Eleanor .Balfour, the' Hon. Sir Anthony Maitland,
Sce, are put in mourning.
RISE IN TIrE VALUE OF TAY SALMON FISIIINGS.
—The salmon fishings belonging to the city of Perth, were,
a lease of three years,
on Thursday, let by public roue,
on
at the annual remit of £1,390. The rent paid for the fishings
last year was only £B7O, making thus a rise upon the rental
for three years to come of £520.
FRIGHTFUL SUICIDE OF A FEMALE FROM WA-
TERLoo BRIDGE.-At five minutes before eleven o'clock
to-day.an unfortunate female flung herself from the fourth
recess from the Middlesex side of Waterloo Bridge into the
river, narrowly escaping the abutment. She was seen by
a lad, who was standing in the third recess, in the act of
falling. She afterwards came
icedtwic to the surface, but
went to rise no more. She esciibed as a short
woman, dressed in dark clothes and bonnet. She wrapped
her shawl round her bonnet immediately before taking the
fatal plunge. A boat came up within little more than a
minute, but no appearance of the wretched creature could
be discovered.

DEATH OF. MR. AHER, SUPERINTENDENT OF
REpAnts.—This melancholy event took place on the night
of Friday the 23rd ultimo, at 10 o'clock, after a few days'
attack of fever. Mr. Aher came out here as an assistant
engineer in the Baroda and Central India Railway Com-
pany. In October 1855 he was appointed Acting Superin-
tenaent of Repairs on the departure of Mr. Cony-
beare to England. The latter not having returned, Mr.
Aher was confirmed in the office, and continued to
conduct its duties up to within a. few days of his death.
Mr. Aher was a ; native of Ireland, and was of
quiet and unoffending manners ; and notwithstand-
ing the faults which the Municipal Commissioners now
and then charged him with, he was a man of business-like
habits and devoted a groat p<rdon of his time to his duties.
His remains was followed to the grave by a ...mat number
of his sorrowing. friends. In consequence of the sudden
and melancholy death of Mr. Aher, the Superintendent of
Repairs, and the reported illness of Mr.. Coxen, his
assistant, and the wish of the Commissioners to avoid
embarrassing thei successors under the New Act by making
any appointment at this time, they have deemed it
expedient to place the control of all works in the hands of a
sub-conini'Vee, consisting Of rr. Buist and Mr. Ilutehiu-
Ga.