The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-14 00:00:00

AN OLIVER TWIST.

An interesting circumstance has just occurred in our
neighbourhood, which, perhaps, would not have been
brought to light but for the fact that the inimitable Boz,
by his account of the stolen boy, had quickened the sense
of possible wrong. Wednesday week an interesting and
delicate-looking boy called at the door of a respectable
inhabitant at Datchet, Mr. Newman, with a portfolio of
portraits. The appearance of
i the boy struck the atten-
tion of Mr. Newman, and the impression seized his mind
that perhaps he had a tale of woe to tell. He invited
him in doors, looked over his portfolio, and learned from
him that the person with whom he travelled, a taker of
likenesses (in profile, we beli▪
eve), was not his father, but
his master, and that he used tom very cruelly, and his
mistress still worse. He had a severe black eye, which
his mistress had given him that morning. On further
inquiry, the boy said that in July last his master was
at Bath, following his pro.es,ion, and there got ac-
quainted with his family, and professed to take so great
a liking to their son, that he obtained their permission
that he should travel with hi▪ m for two months. From
that time he had been, kept from his friends ; they
would not suffer him to write home without first read-
ingniea the t o his
he had received in the morning was because he was
reading over and over a letter received lately from his
thtiesrs; and consequently he cou'd not commu-
nother how unhappy he was. The blow
mother, the reading of which made him weep. Mr. New-
MfIII'S feelings were roused by this simple tale, and he
waked the boy if he wished to go home. " Oh, yes," was
the reply ; but he said, ",! have no money to pay the
fare, and I cannot g,t,, any. " Will you put yourself
under my protection ? rep'ied Mr. N. The boy, who
was trembling with dread, lest his master should come
up, said, "Oh yes, if I could but et home." " Then,"
said Nlr. N., "I will take charge of you till I can com-
municate with your mother." The master net long after
made his appearance, and demanded the boy with a most
menacing aspect, but his new guardian would not be
bullied out of his trembling protegee. The affair soon
made a noise in Dateher, and a collection was speedily
made—sufficient to defray the journey to Bath, and
to leave 78. in hand for the boy's use. On Friday Mr.
Newman saw the boy safe into the train at 'Slough, and
gave him in charge of the conductor, who was so much
interested in the case, that he put him into his own box
and said he would not lose sight of him until he gave
I im in charge of
hii friends, On Sunday morning a
letter was received from the boy's mother, expressing,
in the strongest and most affecting terms, her great
obligation to the party who had so generously inter-
posed to rescue her son
from such cruel hands, and to
restore him to her. The boy is fourteen years of age,
and his name is William Henry Vining.— Windsor
Express.

THE MAYNOOTH GRANT.— On Saturday a meet-
ing of the ratepayers of Kensington, called together for
the purpose of opposing the . iaynooth grant, and taking
into consideration the Jews' Disabiliti. s Bill, was held in
the vestry-room of the Old Church. Colonel Fox, M.P.,
Captain Williams, inspector of prisons, and others of the
leading inhabitants were present. Mr. Churchwarden
Chatterton in the chair. Mr. J. Perceval, a son of the late
Right Hon. Spencer Perceval, opened the proceedings, by
stating the reasons which induced him to oppose the
measures brought in by her Majesty's Government,
which were chiefly of a religious nature, and he
conclud:d by moving a petition to Parliament, the
draft of which he read. While doing so ho was
assailed by cries of "
It's most shameful," " It's
abominable," " It's almost blasphemous," and there was
throughout great disapprobation, mingled with cheers,
until the last clause, which proposed that the money be
tzken out of the property of the Irish church, instead of the
Consolidated Fund, which was received with much ap-
plause, and cries of " Strike all the others out and leave
that." Captain Williams censured those who had got
up this agitation in the parish ; and moved as an amend-
ment, that the meeting adjourn for a week. Colonel
Fox seconded the amendment, which was carried by a
majority of 19 to 17. A poll of the parish was de-
manded ;, but after a very strong discussion it was ar-
ranged, that both the motion and the amendment
should be abandoned, upon which the vestry broke up.
BUSINESS BEFORE PARLIADIENT.—A great mass of
public business, much of it of importance, stands on the
books of the House of Commons for disposal after the
present recess. In addition to this, the unpa-
ralleled amount of private business, principally con-
sisting of Railway Bills, must either protract the
session to at least the usual late period, or if, as is
generally supposed, the session is to be shortened so
as to allow her Majesty to visit Ireland, the inevitable
result must be, that a large proportion of those Bills
and projoeted measures must be deferred " till next
Session." On Friday no fewer than 58 notices were
given at the Private BM Office. With respect to the
public business, there is some appointed for as distant a
date as the 9th of June, when the Physic and Surgery
Bill and Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons Bill are
named to be considered in Committee. The Maynooth
College Bill egain comes on on Monday, the 19th, when
it is to be read a third time. And there are ten notices
of motions entered on the books, for which no days have
yet lawn named. One is by Mr. Ewart, for a Select
Committee " to inquire whether the present system of
indirect taxation does not press unjustly on the poor,"
&c.
There was a considerable increase in the quantity
of coals imported into London in April as compared with
the same month last year. Newcastle has sent 86,467
tons •, Sunderland, 54,773 ; Stockton and HartlePool.
48,262 • Blyth, 4,249 ; Yorkshire, 3,288 ; Wake, 11,748
and SoOtlguid, 462.