Star.
London, England, 1828-04-24 00:00:00

STIRLING, APRIL 18.

The first swallows which have been noticed this season
at Falkirk, made their appearance there on Monday last.
A pair, which annually build in Mr.Easton's wood yard,
were, on the above day, performing their sportive
gambols, and pursuing the myriads of insects which
now rush into life. A solitary stranger was also
observed on Wednesday, skimming the verdant sides of
Arnot-hill.
Previous to the late change of weather, flocks of
geese, to an astonishing number, made their appearance
for a few evenings, wedging their way across Falkirk,
from the Moorlands, towards the Carses, where we
learn the young wheats suffered a good deal from them,
as did also the oats in their southern haunts. Upon
some occasions -these is strings of wild geese" consisted
of no: fewer than from 200 to 250.
La,t week, as a respectable young man, a farmer in
the Carse of Falkirk, was ploughing, one of the horses,
which was but a young animal, became restive, and
while controuling it, he was knocked down by a severe
kick, which tote off almost the whole calf from one of
his legs, both hones having at the same time stumbled
and fallen upon him, which otherwise much injured
him. He was conveyed home, and lingered till Tues-
day morning, when he expired.

Monday morning the dwelling house of Mrs.llolmes,
a widow Lady, in Berope Place, Queen's Elm, Brompt-
ton, was broken open, the thieves gaining an entrance
by the back kitchen window shutters, which they cut
through with a centre bit. The lower part of the house
was completely ransacked, and a large quantity of
plate and other articles stolen, with which the thieves
escaped.
There is at present hying at Dibdale Bank, about two
miles from Dudley, a young woman, named Lucretia
Knight, seventeen years and a half old, who is only thirty
inches high, and weighs no more than thirty pounds.—
She was born on Nov. 9, 1810, and is the daughter of
William Knight, who is in the employ of E. Crockett,
Esq. and has got nine or ten children besides. She has
all the playful ways of a child of two years old, but
cannot speak.
A farmer named Hall died lately at Cowbit' in the
neighbourhood of Sheffield, advanced in years. He was
a person of eccentric habits, and a friend to vermin.
Upwards of 60 rats have been seen feeding at one time
at his pig-troughs, and for several years he has had a
manure heap in his yard, which he constantly kept a,
a hotbed for snakes, several of which at the same time
have been seen creeping about his premises with the
greatest confidence, no one being allowed to disturb
them.—Country Paper.
A young Gentleman, the grandson of a solicitor at
Braintree, lately deceased, who by his prudence accu-
mulated about 150,0001. in estates and money, to which
the youth will be entitled when of age, eloped, on the
9th instant, with the daughter of the landlord of the
Horn inn. The Lady is said to be about 16, and the
young man is a ward in Chancery. They are supposed
to have reached the opposite coast.—Essex Herald.
SINGULAR COINCIDENCE.—Yesterday while the bells
of St. Clement's Church were ringing, a person went
into the Sun public house, and while taking some re•
freshment remarked, that he had never entered that
house but the church bells were ringing. The statement
would have been considered a great novelty, and
almost incredible, but for the explanation added, that
on that day seven and thirty years back he first entered
the house from the Church, after being married, while
the bells were ringing for the joyful event, and had
never entered the house since until pester day, when the
same bells were sounding forth a merry peal in com-
memoration of its being the kept birth-day of our most
gracious Sovereign.
Tuesday evening, a second General Meeting was held
at the sign of the Marquis of Hastings, o,sulston-street,
Somers Town, to consider and arrange the most eligi
Isle means of forming a new North Road, communi•
c icing in a straight line from the end of Ossulston-street,
Somers Town, across a piece of land in the possession
of the Brewe s' Company, and to receive the Report of
the Committee deputed to wait upon that Worshipful
B ,dy, H. J. SWAINS in the Chair. The Report stated,
that the Brewers Company had, in the most handsome
manner, consented to grant a certain part of the ground
for the purposes required, not exceeding 70 feet in
width, and to subscribe 1001. towards the undertaking.
The Chairman stated, that the improvement should not
stand still for want of his support and best exertions to
carry it into effe:t. It had been long wanted, as a
r üblic general accommodation ; he would therefore put
his name down for 251. This declaration appeared to
give great satisfaction, and several Subscribers of ten
and five guineas were added to the subscription list. It
was stated that the estimated expense of completing the
undertaking would not exceed 350/. By this plan
being carried into effect, a direct and much shorter line
of communication will be opened to and from Brunswick
and Russell-squares to Camden Town, Highgate, &c.
But if a line of road could be opened from opposite St.
Clemenes Church into King-street, Holborn, and com-
municating in one straight and uninterrupted line with
Seymour-street, Somers Town, to Camden Town, it
would be a much greater and more beneficial public
improvement.
Between nine and ten o'clock last night, a fire broke
out in the lower part of the hou-e of Mr. Langham,
stationer and engraver, in Red Lion-street, Holborn,
which reduced the whole of the premises to a state of
ruins. Mr. Langharn's stock in trade and household
fuiniurc were likewise destroyed.