The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-06 00:00:00

in the history of modern towns is that the Empress
has left Paris, in spite of the disease, for Amiens,
with the view of visiting and succouring the
patients in the hospital afflicted with the malady.
There have been too many examples of rich and
richless people, who, from an idea of self-preserva-
tion, have precipitately fled from places where the
cholera has manifested itself; but here is the
instance of an Empress of a great nation, who
rushes into danger, thinking solely that she
may succour and save perhaps even some of the
lowest of her subjects. The Emperor would have
accompanied her Majesty had it not been that " to
his regret" (says the Moniteur du Soir) affairs of
State compelled him to remain in Paris.

A letter from Ostend says, that the King and
Queen of the Belgians are expected there on Fri-
day (to-morrow) on their return from England.
There is an unusual number of foreigners and other
visitors at Ostend, who fly from the terrors of war
to seek health and comfort there.

Madame Tamburini, the widow of the celebrated
tenor, so long the delight of the frequenters of her
Majesty's theatre died a day or two ago at St.
Cloud.

Prince Napoleon Jerome is still at Meudon.
There were reports of some estrangement between
him and the Emperor, but his Majesty recently paid
him a long visit.
Letters from Naples state that the crater of
Mount Vesuvius has exhibited symptoms of violent
eruption. The upper cone of the mountain has
put forth vivid flames of variegated colours resem-
bling fireworks.

The Vienna papers exhort the people not to be
discouraged by the great defeat of the Austrians.
The Official Gazette says that it may be compen-
sated for by a speedy and decisive victory. The
Nouvelle Presse has an article in the same spirit, but
it goes further, and blames the plan of operations
adopted by Marshal Benedek at most of the en-
gagements, particularly that at Skalitz, Nachod, and
Munchengratz. " The Prussians," it says, "would
have encountered much greater difficulties in
Bohemia if a popular war had been proclaimed, and
a levy en masse ordered against the invaders."
There was rather a violent shock of earthquake
at Monthicon on Thursday last. The oscillation
was horizontal, and the furniture of some of the
houses was seen to move.
The official bulletin of the weather states that it
is unsettled in all parts of France,with violent wind.
At Paris we had fine weather to-day until 3 p.m.,
when the rain began again and continued at in-
tervals up to post hour The temperature was much
the same as yesterday.

BRITANNIA'S SERVANTS.

-- d._

A SORT OF Mns. BROWN-SOLILOQtY IN " TILE OWL."

What a bore servants are ! The whole of my
household have given me warning. It really is too
bad. Talk about old servants being faithful and
affectionate. It is all nonsense. Here these people
have been with me for many years, and we have
always got on very well ; no rows about the beer—
lots of clothes given away—a comfortable steward's
room for the upper servants, and the butler allowed
to supply the wine, -which, sour as it was, I never
blamed him for, but drank in meekness ; and now,
just because some foolish fellow told them they had
too much beef, or too little mutton, or that their
beer was swipes, though they liked it, they have all
left me. However, when I come to think of it, the
old house steward has not lately keen up to his work.
Russell used to be a good servant, but latterly he
has got into a terrible habit of meddling with the
neighbours, and looking down their areas to
see what they have got to eat, and going
out of his way to tell them how to cook it ;
as if he knew. I know once he got leave to
make what he called a " Vienna sausage," but it was
absolutely uneatable, and had to be taken away. So
perhaps, on the whole, I shall get a better servant
by and by. And then the butler ! As 1 said, I al-
lowed Gladstone to buy all my wino. I wish he had
drunk it. I never would have discharged him for
that. But now his audacity towards me is too
great. I have for some time been accustomed to eat
my dinner off a nice set of fine china, and he wanted
me to get rid of that, and feed off some coarser
crockery, because, as he says, the plates were larger ;
and he told me that if I didn't take care the china
would all be broken, because the dishes would be

too hot to hold. Bother him ! why couldn't he leave
me alone? My system has lasted a long time and
would have gone on some time longer. Then, there
is Somerset, who was so kind in taking my little
boys down to sail ships on the Serpentine. I liked
him, and can't think why he goes. There wil
be no one able to amuse the children now.
He only goes because the others do. Look at
that dear old nurse, Clarendon, of whom we are all
so fond. She has kept the boys nice and tidy, their
hands clean, and never let them quarrel with their
neighbours. Now I don't know what I shall do. I
shall have to look after them myself, for no new
nurse will be able to control them. I know that we
shall have half a dozen rows in the house before
long. I don't so much mind that nursery maid,
Ann Layard, leaving. She may go, and welcome,
cross thing. Mrs. Gibson, the cook, looked after
the marketing very well, and kept her kitchen very
tolerably tidy, and I am really sorry she goes.
She was not very industrious, or very original in
her dishes, but she looked honest and good-tem-
pered. But then she mixed herself up in the
crockery row, and, as she is very sweet on the butler,
she follows him. I daresay they will some day set
up a public together somewhere. Georgiana Grey,
the upper housemaid, ought to have gone some
time ago. .1 have had great complaints about her.
She is so slovenly, and leaves her things about half
clean, and when that poor cow with the rinderpest got in
at the door she only gave a great scream and flourished
her broom about, but never thought of beating it
out with the handle. On the whole, perhaps, she is no
loss. Oae servant lam sorry to lose.. It is that nice Irish-
man who lived at the lodge in the Park, and used to come
in and wait at table sometimes. He was always handy
and civil, and really has improved that little garden of his
very much. The little boy in buttons goes too. I took
him from a German band a short time ago, hoping in time
to make a good servant of him. But he has disappointed
me, and I think he had better go back to the band.
He waits badly, and seems unable to open his mouth
except at dinner-time. I do wish the groom of the
chambers would stick to me. Sydney has been. some
time in the family, and his way of announcing
the people as they come in is perfect. He looks
after the rooms also very well, and as he did not originally
belong to the old set of servants 1 think he might do well
with the new ones. I don't know much of the head groom,
Cork. He seems to ride well, and'is a civil,- respectable
young man, but unfortunately he is obliged to,ge with the
rest. I hope some day he will come back to me. As for
the footmen, it must be a bore for Otho to go. I always
make my men buy their State liveries themselves, and he '
has only just got his, so that it will be a loss to him. Per-
haps, however, ho will sell it to the next one who comes
into the house. It is certainly a great bore all the esta-
blishment breaking up in this way, but it can't be helped,
and I only hope that I shall be able to get a new lot as
good on the whole as the old one. They have done me a
great deal of service, and I can give them all good charac-
ters, and I shall be happy to answer any inquiries about
them.

CIVIL SERVICE RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.—On Tues-
day last a competition took place at the ranges of the above
corps for a massive silver cup, presented to the regiment
by Mr. E. Plasket, of the A CompanY• At the close of
the shooting Colour-Sergeant J. B. Cripps, of the A Com-
pany, was declared the winner. Not a little praise is due
to Mr. E. Plasket for the just and excellent handicapping
of all competitors.

EXECUTION OF AN ELEPHANTS—An American
circus which has been travelling about Switzerland was at
Morat last week, and after exhibiting amongst their other
performances two large elephants—one male and the other
female—departed the next day for Friburg. The male,
probably being over-fatigued by the constant marching,
and irritated by the rough treatment of his keeper, sud-
denly seized the man, and, tossing him to a great height,
on his fall crushed his chest with his enormous foot before
any assistance could be afforded. As
it is generally under-
stood that after once
killing a man those animals are dan-
gerous, the director of the circus decided upon having it
killed, and for that purpose applied to the authorities of
Friburg for a piece of cannon. This was granted, and the
animal having been enticed into a favourable position, the
gun was fired and the huge brute fell dead. It may be re-
membered that the famous elephant, 3ladlle. Djeek, who
about 30 years ago appeared in a grand eastern piece at
the Adelphi, under Yates, was afterwards tried in Switzer-
land by a municipal body (we think at Geneva)for killing
a man, and,4entelmed to death. A piece of et/nru'. a 434
pia blank, terminated her ezifftence...Gairafit.