The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-27 00:00:00

FROM THE FRENCH PAPERS.

While an English family, resident at St. Omer, were,
a few evenings ago, at supper, they were suddcnly
alarmed by a terrible explosion from the fire-place—the
wood and ashes being thrown out into the room, and
some of the furniture damaged. When they recovered
from the shock, and sought for the cause, they found that
one of the brass lobes fixed on the dogs had burst and
caused the mischief. No doubt was entertained that the
air within the ball had been expanded by the heat, until
it could no longer be compressed, and had blown the ball
to pieces. _

Two nights ago an accoucheur, in the Rue St. Jacques,
hearing the cries of a female in the street, hastened down
and discovered a young woman suffering from the pains
of labour, and in such a state that she could not be re-
moved. Having completed the delivery on the spot, the
accoucheur had the mother and her infant conveyed to
the Hospice de la Maternity, where they had every care
and attention paid them.
A boy, ten years of age, slipped out of a sky-light
window in the roof of a house, Rue du Faubourg St.
Antoine, on Saturday morning, and rolling towards the
eaves of the roof was caught by the gutter-pipe. I tere
he remained suspended for some time, in the most immi-
nent danger of falling and being dashed to pieces ; but
a man succeeded in approaching him with a rope, and in
hauling him up safely into the house. The boy's mother
was so much affected that she swooned away, and was a
a long time in a state of total insensibility.
The Indicateur of Bordeaux relates that the Toulouse
mail was stopped, on the 18th instant, near Agen, by a
band of Spanish refugees, who were harboured by the
keeper of a public-house of bad repute. The postilion
was wounded in several places. The courier got down
armed with a poignard, courageously fought with the
robbers, and severely wounded several, but was at length
stunned by a violent blow on the head. As assistance
came up, nine of the Spaniards and their landlord were
arrested. The courier was so far recovered as to be able
to proceed with the mail, but the postilion was left in an
alarming condition. _ _

The Courrier du Nord relates that a few days since,
at Saulchy, in that department, a girl, not thirteen years
of age, fell into a well from her foot having slipped on
some ice at the edge. She was not injured by the fall,
but contrived, by means of the bucket-chain, to make
her way to the top. Here, however, her hands became
so cold, that she was obliged to let go, and fell again to
the bottom. She succeeded a second time in mounting
by means of a chain, and was aided by another girl, who
had heard her cries, in getting out of the well.

According to Article 170 of the Civil Code, a
marriage, contracted in a foreign country, between two
French persons, or between a French person and a
foreigner, is valid, if it be celebrated according to the
laws and customs of that country, and provided it be
preceded by the publications prescribed by Art. 63 of
the same Code, and the French person has not contra-
vened any of the provisions of the preceding chapter.
An intimacy was some years ago formed between the
families of Miss Fanny Villiers, a young English lady,
and M. Charles Claudon, the son of a French physician,
and who was himself destined for the same profession.
The intimacy of the two young people grew into mutual
love, and they plighted their faith to each other, but
agreed to postpone their union until the young man was
admitted into the faculty of medicine. In September,
1840, Miss Villiers was obliged to go to London, and M.
C. Claudon accompanied her, unknown to his mother,
who had become a widow. On 12th October they were
married in due form, according to the ritual of English
Church, at St. George's, Hanover-square, and on the
14th they received the benediction of a French Catholic
priest. M. C. Claudon wrote to his mother, informing her
of what had taken place, and he received her answer, in
which, although she reproached him for having acted
without her consent, she tacitly acceded to the mar-
riage. After the return of M. and Mme. C. Claudon to
Paris, the widow Claudon, for a time, refused to see her
new daughter-in-law, but, at length, was induced to re-
ceive her three several times. Notwithstanding this,
Mme. Claudon, the mother, became determined to annul
the marriage of her son, if possible, and instituted a
suit in the Tribunal de Premiere Instance on the ground
of the want of the publication required by the French
Code. The tribunal, however, decided for the validity of
the marriage, considering that, at the time it was con-
tracted, M. C. Claudon was twenty-five years of age, and
the publication was not indispensable. Against this
decision, Mane. Claudon, the mother, appealed to the
Cour Royale. The case was heard on the three last
Saturdays. The Court, at length, delivered its judgment
decreeing that, although the non-observance of the
article 170 of the Code might have been good cause for
an annulment of the marriage, yet, considering that the
appellant had, after she knew of the marriage, received
her daughter-in-law several times in her own house,
wherefrom, as well as from other , documents in the
case, it resulted that she had consented to the marriage,
therefore, the appeal should be dismissed, and the deci-
sion of the Tribunal de Premiere Instance confirmed.

PROJECTED VISITS OF THE KING Of
I PRUSSIA*—Great preparations are making for the re-
- caption of his Majesty the King of Prussia, at the late
1 residence of the Duke of Cumberland, in the Stable-
yard, St. James's. When his Majesty landed at Green-
wich on Saturday last, he expressed a wish to examine
that splendid and national edifice. Preparations are
making by the gallant Governor, Admiral Sir Robert
Stopford, to receive his Majesty, when all the old vete-
rans, and the children of the Naval School, will pass in
review order before his Majesty and suite, who will be
attended by the Dukes of Sussex, Cambridge, the Lords
of the Admiralty, Sir Charles Napier, and other distin-
guished naval officers. His Majesty will also visit the
Royal Arsenal at Woolwich, when a dejeune will be
given by the Master-General of the Ordnance, the Right
Honourable Sir George Murray, G.C.B. Lord Bloom-
field and the whole of the staff will accompany the King
over the Foundry, the Arsenal, and the Dock-yard ; and
should the weather be propitious, a grand review will
take place of the Royal Artillery, when they will go
through their finest manoeuvres and rocket firing, and
many experiments will be made before his Majesty of the
new improvements lately introduced in the Ordnance
department of this country. llis Majesty will also visit
the Thames Tunnel, which is now nearly finished. Great
preparations are making by Sir Isambert Brunel, the
indefatigable engineer, who has at last accomplished
this wonderful sub-marine excavagation, under the most
commercial river in the, world. It will be fully lighted
up with gas on the occasion.
DISTRESS IN BOLTON.—The following facts,
which we have received from an authentic source, will
enable our readers to form some idea of the pressure of
distress in Bolton. During the four weeks, ending Jan.
22, 1842, the number of applications for relief to the
Bolton Benevolent Society amounted to 6,095 ; and the
average income of the applicants was only thirteen-
pence per head per week. Of these, 828 have been re-
jected, as not coming within the limits fixed by the
Society. Of the remaining 6,157, who have been re-
lieved, the average income per head per week was only
elevenpence three-farthings. All this is in addition to
the rehef granted by the Guardians, which has increased
enormously with the dullness of trade. In the year end-
ing March, 1836, the total sum paid for the relief of the
poor of Great Bolton was 1,5581. In the year ending
March, 1841, the sum paid for the relief of the poor was
6,2681. ; an increase of 300 per cent.—Manchester
Guardian.

BEFORE I'D BE BURIED, I'D DIE FIRST !
—" What do you say ?" said a woman one day to her
neighbour, speaking of an old acquaintance, who from
affluent circumstances was reduced to a state of abject
poverty, so that she sought, with great earnestness, a
refuge or asylum in what is generally called a work-
house ; here she found the comforts to which .she had
long been a total stranger ; however, from the severity of
the winter, together with an aged and shattered consti-
tution, she at last sunk, and death seized her mortal
frame. No friend, no relative, attended her mortal re-
mains to their last home ; she was indebted to the parish
for her grave. " What do you say—she was buried by
the parish ? oh, the mean contemptible wretch 1" said
her old acquaintance ; " before I'd bs buried by the pa-
rish, I'd die fiat, that I would."