The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-16 00:00:00

HOME TEACHING FOR THE BLIND.

The anniversary meeting of the society for this object,
in connection with which is the Alexandra Institute for
training
and employing the blind, was held at Willis's
Rooms on Monday. Colonel Rowlandson occupied the
chair. A somewhat novel feature at these meetings, and one
that by no means detracts from their interest, is that the
majority of the audience are those whose afflictions and
necessities have brought them within the scope of the society's
operations, the " visitors " being confined to the centre
seats ; and amongst them were obviously many of the
relatives and personal friends of those who had been
benefited by one or other of the affiliated societies.
The object of the Home Teaching Society is to teach
the blind to read by means of an ingenious system of
raised letters, the form of which can be felt with the
fingers. It also provides free lending libraries of books
printed in this raised type. During the last nine years, by
means of eight home teachers, seven of whom are them.
selves bind, upwards of 800 blind persons in London
have been taught to read. The object of the Alexandra
Institute is to afford the blind industrial training and
separatingsballlellafor and thus to supplement the
them from their homes ;
their work for the able-
bodied
t o. employmentirovandwork industrious
schools for the blind. The chairman called attention to
thebeneficial effects of the society's operations, especially
in teaching the blind to read the Bible, and mentioned
some instances of persons who had lost their sight very
withoutand
late in life being taught to read by means of the system of •
printing for the blind known as Moon's system. Several
addresses urging the claims of the society were delivered,
and afterwards the 540 blind persons now being benefited
by the society were treated to tea at Messrs. Basil Wood
and Sons' gallery in Bolid-street. The report stated that
a legacy of .E• 500 left by a lady had relieved the society
from debt ; but the subscriptions were inadequate to the
demands upon the institutions.

THE MIMINGRAU HORSE AND HOUND SIIOw.—•
This popular exhibition.; which is announced to be held at
Bingley Hall, Birmingham, on the 23rd, 24th, 25th, and
26th instant, bids fair to be even more attractive than in
former years. The entries, which shew an increase in
numbers, amount to upwards of 250, and will include
many of the celebrities exhibited at the late show in
Islington, amongst which may be named the winners of
the mile trotting match.and the piebald pony which was
so admired by the Princess of Wales.

A DEFAULTER CAPTURED.—III the course of last
tionth an individual, about 35 years of age, named John
M`Fie, supposed to belong to the neighbourhood of Glas-
gow, absconded from Walsall, where he had been employed
as a traveller by the commercial firm of John Shannon
and Sons, taking with . him £4OO of his employers' money.
A reward of £5 having been offered for the apprehension
of the delinquent, and copies of his photograph forwarded
to various police establishments, amongst others to that
of Rothesay, where it was believed he had relations, the
constable there,
'laving observed him, a few days ago,
landing at the pier from a steamer, had his movements
closely watched, and on
Saturday he felt warranted in
taking him from a respectable hotel, while in the, act of
regaling himself, and placing him in durance vile.
TILE COUNTESS OF DERIVENTWATER AND lIER
CLAIMS. —ln accordance with previous arrangement, a num-
ber of gentlemen, inhabitants of Blaydon and the district,
assembled at the house of Lady Amelia /tfatilda Mary
Tudor Radcliffe, who is at present residing at Blaydon-on-
Tyne, for the purpose of further investigating the validity of
her ladyship's title as heiress of the Derwentwater estates
and dignities. The documentary evidence in Lady Amelia's
possession was perused, and several of the curious and
costly heirlooms were minutely inspected, the survey elicit-
ing surprise and admiration. It is a Matter of calculation
how, in the changes incident to a long series of years, the
numerous relics of the Derwentwater family have been
preserved in their entirety and completeness. At the close
of the meeting a petition embodying the facts of the case
relative to Lady Amelia was submitted and approved of
by the gentlemen present, who likewise appended their
signatures to the said petition, to be forwarded to the
Queen, praying her Majesty to take_ the matter into con-
sideration.—Northern Daily Exprem.
CRICKETERS IN VARLIAMENy.—The cricketing in-
terest in the House of Commons, which has not beet.
strong of late, has received a most important accession in
the person of Mr. C. G. Lyttelton, lately elected to it as
member for East Worcestershire. He will meet there,
though on the opposite benches, his old Oxford friend, Mr.
cetyril:ceilibto:ruc:smen.tarniCvaegoselodtnoteokl lose his scat at the last gene-
epe
athputrsosot,mthaeeovpfeorhsysisesucssri
may possibly regain it in the next ; and
scat in
Drr ao elu nGidnr
election, and
spite of the occupation incidenptaul
eiocfnku leotall-
in Essex there is some idea of getting Mr. Round, well
known as one of the best amateur wicket-keepers of
the day, to stand for one of the new divisions, so that
there is at least a fair chance that the House may be able
to turn out a very fair train with these four, Colonel
Kingscotc, Messrs. Bathurst, Bruen, Du Cane, and
others ; while the two Houses, including Lords Stamford,
Chesterfield, Coventry, Skehnersdale, and so on, could
make a pretty good match with the Zingari, without play-
ing twenty-two, according to their old custom.—Land and
'Water.

A NEW STREET DANGER.--An inquiry has been
held at St. Bartholomew's hospital relative to the
death of a painter named Charles Stacey, aged 35, who
was killed by the fall of a " cradle" suspended in front
of a house. The deceased's family was represented by
Mr. Mote, solicitor ; and Mr. Lewis appeared for Mr.
Leystcr, the owner of the "cradle." It appeared that
the deceased was employed on Thursday, the 28th
May, in painting the front of No. 33, Noble-street, and
he and anotber man stood In a cradle suspended from the
fourth floor by means of ropes fifteen feet long. The
r,pcs broke, and the deceased was precipitated to the
ground, receiving fatalinjuries.ix ye
lan, and
tai)pear;ir. Lys
thatdettletre
droeppeossehdactibia)etena irnoluvseof that kind six
should last nine years.
A practical man on the jury, however, dissented from this
view, and said that the rope which broke was so rotten
from age that the strands, instead of supporting half a
hundredweight, gave way under the pressure of a pound.
The danger consequent upon the use of such ropes con-
cerned not only the men in the cradles, but the public
walking on the pavement underneath. The jury returned
a verdict of accidental death, and added that there was
great neglect on the part, of the master in uotroyiding
propappik..44solert