The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-06 00:00:00

THE HARVEST.

EAST LOTHIAN.—During the last eight days there
has been such glorious sunshine, and everything has
proved so favourable for harvest operations, as almost
to have obliterated from the mind the previous long
train of dull, damp, and disagreeable weather, which
threatened to blast the hopes of the farmer. Fortu-
nately the change took place in the very nick of time,
as another wet week must have been highly detri-
mental to the quality of the grain. The greater
part of the winter wheat, barley, and
oats, is now cut down, and, during the
last two days, some of the earliest cut fields
have been cleared. The bulk of wheat is scarcely so
great as was anticipated before being cut ; and there
are but few fields, if any, having that prodigious
crop of straw which was so frequent last season.
Barley is bulky, and an excellent crop. Oats have
cut up much better than was anticipated ; the straw
is a fair length ; the stooks are thick, and they ap-
pear corny. A considerable number of samples of
new oats and barley were yesterday in Haddington
market, the quality of both fine, and it is under-
stood that the yield per acre is not to be complained
of. Turnips continue to thrive, and though there
are some indifferent looking fields, caused principally
by disease, a worm attacking the root of a small pro-
portion of the Swedish, and a green fly the leaves of
the white ; yet, taking the country as a whole, this
crop has rarely, if ever, promised better. This, joined
to the rise in wool, and the increasing prosperity of
the manufacturers, has enhanced the price of lambs
for feeding considerably above last years rates ; and
it is probaide that the demand, during the season, for
feeding stocks of all kinds, will be good, and at prices
remunerating to the grazier.—Scotsman.

GIN AND PIITSIC.—At an inquest held a day or
two ago, at the Freemasons' Arms, Great Suffolk-street,
King's-cross, before Mr. Wakley, a conversation arose
respecting the merits of medical men. One of the jurors
told the coroner that a publican hard by, whose name he
mentioned, was the best doctor in the parish. What !
said Mr. Wakley, you don't say that he practises as a
physician ? The juror—Yes, Sir, I do. He keeps a
gin-palace at one corner of his house, and a doctor's
shop at the other. His bottles cost 3s. 4d. each, and
excellent medicine it is, too. A second juror—His " an-
tidolorous oil" cured me of lumbago. A third—He also
sells " cures" for the gout, diseased spine, and rheuma-
tism. Mr. Wakley—Does the landlord of the house you
mention prescribe also ? Juror—No ; but he has in his
shop a person that does. This strange amalgation of
publican and doctor seemed to surprise the coroner.
AN UNREHEARSED SCENE.—The following extra-
ordinary scene occurred in the Plymouth Theatre, dur-
ing the performances of Mr. Charles Mathews, on Tues-
day night. The piece was Used Up, and it had gone on
to the second or third scene of the play, where Sir
Charles Coldstream (Mr. Mathews) is engaged in an
after-dinner conversation with Sir Adonis Leech (repre-
sented by Mr. Melville), and the Hon. Tom Saville (Mr.
Edgar), when suddenly the performer last named was
brought to a nonplus, being unable to go on with his
part. In vain the voice of the prompter was heard in a
tone loud enough to be audible at the front door of the
theatre, suggesting the words which the Hon. Tom Sa-
ville should himself have spoken, and equally vain was
a similar attempt made by Mr. Mathews, for whether
it was that the Hon. Tom was suddenly affected by
lock-jaw or not we cannot say, but certain it is he did
not open his mouth, until the titter first excited amongst
the audience changed into manifest symptoms of dis-
pleasure, which being pretty freely expressed, led Mr.
Mathews, in the height of vexation he felt at being
placed in such a ridiculous position, to throw himself
upon the consideration of the house, observing that he
had done all in his power to prevent the exposure of the
deficiencies of the company with whom he was unfortu-
nately at present associated, but how far he had suc-
ceeded in so doing the audience would judge by the
scene then presented. He bad attended at the theatre
from morning till night, to lend his aid to the company,
in order to make them fit to appear before the public,
but without effect. He confessed he was at a loss to
know what now to do. Sir Adonis Leech, who had up
to this moment looked on without attempting in the time
of need to help his unfortunate friend out of his difficulty,
here appeared to think it time he should say a word or
two—so he commenced by informing Mr. Mathews that
it was neither honourable nor gentlemanly so to expose
the company before the house. For his part, he was
quite perfect in all he had undertaken, and the performers
generally had been up early and to bed late, that they
might properly support Madame Vestris and Mr. Ma-
thews in the pieces in which they were announced to
appear. They had done their best, and he hoped the
public, knowing this, would kindly overlook the imper-
fections they might notice. This speech provoked a
reply from Mr. Mathews, who observed that when
Madame Vestris and himself engaged to appear on the
Plymouth boards three things were required. First, a
public ; second, a company ; and lastly, a wardrobe. A
public—a kind, most kind and generous public, they had
met with ; but as for a company and a wardrobe—here
Mr. Mathews very significantly stopped, and then, in a
moment afterwards, asked whether any one would be
pleased to suggest what course he should take, for never
having been before placed in such a position he was
really at a loss to know how to proceed ; he was regu-
larly " used up."—(A laugh.) "Go on," " Bring on the
prompter," " Music," " Give us a song," were the re-
spective remedies suggested from various parts of the
house, and Mr. Mathews remarking that the last idea
was, he thought, the best, struck up a song, which being
ended the piece proceeded, and the performances during
the remaining part of the evening passed off as well as
could be expected under the circumstances.—Plymouth
Herald.
MYSTERIOUS DEATH.—The neighbourhood of
Borrisoleigh has been greatly excited by a mysterious
occurrence, which has taken place there within the last
few days. On Thursday morning a man of the name of
Thomas Doolan, a quarryman, was found dead—his
brains scattered about—in a quarry near TJpperchurch.
It is said by some that a part of the quarry fell in upon
him while he was engaged at work, but strong suspicions
are very generally entertained that he was inhumanly
murdered, and rumour has it, by parties not strangers to
him.—Tipperary Vindicator.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE BAR AT ALABAMA.—
After the formality of an introduction, the judge said
" Well, Mr. C., you want to be examined for admittance
to the bar ?" " Yes, sir." " Well, sir, let's take some-
thing to drink. Barkeeper, give up two juleps." After
drinking the juleps, the judge said " Mr. C., can you
swim ?" " Yes, sir, I can," said C., greatly surprised.
" Well, sir, let's take another drink. Barkeeper, two
cocktails." The cocktails vanished, and the judge said,
" Mr. C., have you got a horse ?" " Certainly, sir," said
C. " Very good," said the judge, as soberly as though
charging a grand jury. " Mr. C., if you please, we'll
take a drink. Barkeeper, two toddies." The toddies
disappear, and C. owns he began to feel queer. " Mr.
C.," said the judge, " can your horse swim ?" " Yes,
sir, he can, for I have tried him from necessity." " Then,
sir," said the judge, with increasing gravity, • your horse
can swim, and you can swim, and by I think you
are well qualified for an Alabama lawyer. Give me
your commission, and I will sign it. Meanwhile, bar-
keeper, give us two punches for my friend Mr. C. and
myself. Mr. C.," continued the judge, "I drink success
to your admission to the Alabama bar."—Boston Times.
DETERMINED SUICIDE FROM BLACIEFRIARS-
ratIDGE.—Last night an inquest was taken before Mr.
Payne, at the Horseshoe, Friar-street, on view of the
body of David Williams, aged 25, who precipitated
himself from Blackfriars-bridge last Monday week, and
whose body was found on the Friday following, at a short
distance below the bridge, on the Middlesex shore. It
appeared from the evidence, that the deceased was
most respectably connected, but from his unfortunate
habits he had not been seen by his most intimate rela-
tions for the last three years. About six months ago
he took a situation as pot-boy at the Flower Pot, Brick-
lane, Bethnal-green, and while there he formed an
attachment to a young woman, whose christian
name was Amelia, and. who resided with a female of
the name of Wilson, in Whitecross-street, Bow,
with whom he was desirous of forming a matrimonial
connexion, but which was objected to on the part of the
friends of his sweetheart. The deceased, it is supposed,
took this disappointment to heart, and for some weeks
past he had been very desponding. Last Monday morn-
ing he left home, with a man named Vendomme, with
whom he drank freely, from the effects of which they
were both inebriated. On reaching Blackfriars- bridge
the deceased placed in the hands of V endomm e a hand-
kerchief, which he had received from his Amelia as a
pledge of her love, and which he desired him to take to
her, and he also gave him a newspaper for the barwoman
at the Flower Pot, after which he leapt over the bridge.
Several persons looked for him, but he never once rose,
and was not again seen till he was found on Friday
morning last.—Verdict, " Temporary insanity."
OFFICE 01' CITY CHAMBERLAIN.—MF. Alderman
Humphery having retired at a little before four, the con-
test remains between Mr. Alderman Brown and Mr.
Heppel. There remains, therefore, no interest in the
contest, as the first day's polling will .sufficiently attest
the respective strength of the parties.
AIELANCUOLY SUICIDE.—Tuesday moilamiiidigwi, the
annel-
lancholy suicide was committed by m
landlord of the Ship public-house, in J.
Vauxhall-
bridge-road. He rose at the usual time, appeared in
good spirits, and went down to atter went
he nd his business at
stairs the
u
bar. Shortly afterwards, 119ev
again ; and his wife wondering at p
his absence, went up
to look for him, and was horrified at discovering that he
lie a
had cut his throat with a razor. was man much re-
, spected by his neighbours, and the cause of the dreadful
act is not known.
IMMENSE QUANTITIES OF GAME ON TILE ROYAL
PRESERVES AT WINDSOIL—Game of every description
was never known to be so extremely plentiful on the
Royal preserves at Swinley, the Norfolk and Flemish
farms, in the Home and Great parks at Windsor, and at
Rapley farm, as this season. Some idea may be formed
of the immense number of pheasants now on the Crown
preserves When it is stated that not less than 2,250 phea-
sants were reared by hand, having been hatched by barn-
door fowls, in the spring, at the several farms belonging
to the Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, in-
dependently of the very large number which were bred
wild. These 2,250 pheasants, which were reared chiefly
under the superintendence of Mr. Turner, of Virginia-
water, her Majesty's head game-keeper, were turned out
on the royal preserves, at the proper time, and have
since thrived amazingly. It is now no unusual sight,
while walking during the evening in the vicinity of the
preserves in the park, to see from 30 to 40 pheasants
feeding at the same spot. Hares and partridges are
also most plentiful. Their Royal Highnesses Prince Al-
bert and Prince William of Prussia bagged upwards of
50 braces of partridges during the short time they
shot over the preserves on Monday last, the first day of
the season.