The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-04-16 00:00:00

and daughters felt it is forcibly as his wife; their lamenta-
tions were full of the strongest and sharpest agony.
For nearly three hours did they remain in this situation ;
poor Lanigan sinking by degrees into that collapsed state
from which there is no possibility of rallying. He was
merely able to speak, and recognise his family ; but every
moment advanced him, with'awful certainty, nearer and
nearer to his end.
A great number of the neighbours were now assembled,
all participating in the awful feeling which predominated,
and anxious to compensate by their prayers for the ab-
sence of that confidence derived by Roman Catholics dur-
ing the approach of death, from the spiritual aid of the
priest. They were all at prayer; the sick room and kit-
chen were crowded with his friends and acquaintances,
many of whom knelt out before the door, and joined with
loud voices in the Rosary which was offered up in his be-
half.

In this crisis were they, when a horseman, dressed in
black, approached the house. Every head was instantly
turned round, with a hope that it might be the parish
priest or his curate ; but, alas ! they were doomed to ex-
perience a fresh disappointment. The stranger, though
clerical enough in his appearance, presented a counte-
nance with which none of them was acquainted. On
glancing at the group who knelt around the door, he ap
peered to understand the melancholy cause which brough
them together.
" How is this ?" be exclaimed.
sick or dying ?"
" Poor Misther Lanigan, sir, is jist departin', glory be
to God ! An' what is terrible all out upon himself and
family, he's dyin' widout the priest. They're both at
Conwhirence, sir, and can't come—Mr. Dogherty an' his
curate."
" Make way !" said the stranger, throwing himself off
his horse, and passing quickly through the people. " Show
me to the sick man's room—be quick, my friends—l am
a Catholic clergyman."
In a moment a passage was cleared, and the stranger
found himself beside the bed of death. Grief in the room
was loud and bitter ; but his presence stilled it despite of
what they felt.
" My dear friends," said he, " you know there should
be silence in the apartment of a dying man. For shame !
—for shame ! Cease this clamour, it will but distract
him for whom you weep, and prevent him from compos-
ing Isis mind for the great trial that is before him."
Sir," said Lanigan's wife, seizing his hand in both
hers, and looking distractedly in his face, " are you a
priest ? For heaven's sake till us !"
" I am," he replied ; " leave the room every one of you.
I hope your husband is not speechless ?"
" Sweet Queen of Heaven, not yet, may her name be
praised! but near it, your Reverence—wid:n little or no
time ofit."
Whilst they spoke, he was engaged in putt;ng the stole
about his neck, after which he cleared. the room, and
commenced bearing Lanigan's confession.
The appearance of a priest, and the consolation it pro-
duced, rallied the powers of life in the benevolent farmer.
He became more collected; made a clear and satisfac-
tory confession ; received the sacrament of Extreme
Unction ; and felt himself able to speak with tolerable
distinctness and precision. The effects of all this were
astonishing. A placid serenity, full of hope and confidence,
beamed from the pale and worn features of him who was
but a few minutes before in a state of terror altogether in-
describable. When his wife and family, after having been
called in, observed this change, they immediately parti-
cipated in his tranquility. Death had been deprived of its
sting, and grief of its bitterness ; their sorrow was still
deep, but it was not darkened by the dread of future mi-
sery. They felt for him as a beloved father, a kind hus-
band, and a dear friend, who had lived a virtuous life,
feared God, and who was now about to pass into happiness.
When the rites of the church were administered, and
the family again assembled round the bed, the priest sat
down in a position which enabled him to see the features
of tbis good man more distinctly.
" I would be glad," said Lanigan, " to know who it is
that God in his goodness has sent to smooth my bed in
death, if it 'ud be plaisin', Sir, to you to tell me ?"
" Do you remember," replied the priest, " a young lad
whom you met some years ago on his way to Munster, as
a poor scholar ? You and your family were particularly
kind to him; so kind that he has never since forgotten
your affectionate hospitality."
"We do, your Reverence, we do. A mild, gentle
crathur he was, poor boy. 1 hope God prospered him."
"You see him now before you," said the priest. "I
am that boy, and I thank God that I can testify, however
slightly, my deep sense of the virtues which you exer-
cised towards me ; although I regret that the occasion is
one of such affliction."

" Is there any one here

The farmer raised his eyes and feeble hands towards
heaven. " Praise an' glory to your holy name, good God !"
he exclaimed. "Praise an' glory to your holy name!
Now I know that I'm not forgotten, when you brought
back the little kindness I did that boy for your sake, wid
so many blessings to me in the hour of my affliction an'
sufferin' ! Childher remimber this, now that I'm goin'
to lave yez for ever! Remimber always to help the stran-
ger, an thim that's poor an' in sorrow. If you do, God
won't forget it to you ; but will bring it back to yez when
you stand in need of it, as he done to me this day. You
see, childhre dear, how small thrifles o' that kind depend
on one another. If I hadn't thought of helpin' his Reve-
rence here when he was young and away from his own, he
wouldn't think of calin upon us this day when he was
passin'. You see the hand of God is in it childhre :
which it is, indeed, in every thing that passes about us, if
we could only see it as we ought to do. Thin, but I'd
like to look upon your face, Sir, if it's plaisin' to you ? A
little more to the light, Sir. There, I now see you. Ay,
indeed, it's changed for the betther it is—the same mild,
clear countenance, but not sorrowful, as when I seen it
last. Suffer me to put my hand on your head, Sir; I'd
like to bless you before I die, fir I can't forget what you
undhertook to do for your parents."
The priest sat near him ; but finding that he was
scarcely able to raise his hand to his head, be knelt down,
and the farmer, before he communicated the blessing, in-
_

" Musha, Sir, may I ax, wor you able to do anything
to help your family as you expected?"
" God," said the priest, "made me the instrument of
raising them from poverty; they are now comfortable and
happy."
"Ay ! Well I knew at the time, an' I said it, that a
blessin' would attind your endayvours. An' now resave
my bleain'. May you never depart from the right way !
May the blessin' of God rest upon you for ever—Amin !
Childhre, I'm gettin' wake ; come near me till, till I bless
you, too, for the last time ! They wor good childhre, Sir,
Sir—they were ever, an always good to me, an' to their
poor mother, your Reverence; an'—God furgive me if
its a sin !—but I feel a great dale o' my heart an' my love
fixed upon them. But sure, I'm their father, an' God, I
hope, will look over it ! Now, darlins, afore I bless yez,
I ax your forgiveness if ever I was harsher to yez than I
ought!"

The children with a simultaneous movement encircled
his bed, and could not reply for some minutes.
" Never, father darlin' ! Oh, never did you offind us !
Don't speak in that way, or you'll break our hearts; but
forgive us, father asthore ! Oh, forgive an' bless us, an'
don't remimber against us our folly an' disobedience, for
it's only now that we see we warn't towards you as we
ought to be. Forgive us an' pardon us !"
He then made them all kneel around his bed, and with
solemn words, and an impressive manner, placed his
hand upon their heads, and blessed them with a virtuous
father's last blessing.

He then called for his wife, and the scene became not
only more touching, but more elevated. There was an
exultation in her manner, and an expression of vivid hope
in her eye, arising from the fact of her husband having
received, and being soothed by, the rites of her church,
that gave evident proof of the unparalleled attachment
borne by persons of her class to the Catholic religion.
The arrival of our hero had been so unexpected, and tl.e
terrors of the tender wife for her husband's soul so great,
that the administration of the sacrament almost super-
seded from her heart every other sensation than that of
devotional triumph. Even now, in the midst of her tears,
that triumph kindled in her eye, with a light that shone in
melancholy beauty upon the bed of death. In propor-
tion, however, as the parting scene—which was to be their
last—began to work with greater power upon her sorrow,
so did this expression gradually fade away. Grief for his
loss resumed its dominion over her heart so strongly, that
their last parting was afflicting even to look upon.
When it was over, Lanigan once more addressed the
priest :
" Now, Sir," he observed, but with great difficulty,
"let me have your blessin' an' your prayers; an' along
wid that, your Reverence, if you remimber a request I
once made to you"—
" I remember it well," replied the priest ; " you allude
to the masses which you wished me to say for you, should
I ever receive orders. Make your mind easy on that
point. I not only shall offer up mass for the repose of
your soul, but I can assure you that I have mentioned
you by name in every mass which I celebrated since my
ordination."

He then proceeded to direct the mind of the dying be-
nefactor to such subjects as were best calculated to com-
fort and strengthen him.

About day-break the next morning, this man of many
virtues, after struggling rather severely for two hours
preceding his death, uass'id into eternity, there to enjoy
the recompense of a well-spent life.

A dancer said to a Spartan "You cannot stand on one
leg so long as I can." " Perhaps not " said the Spartan,
"but any goose can."
ILL-ASSORTED MARRIAGE.—Life has no wretched-
ness equal to an ill-assorted marriage ; it is the sepulchre
of the heart, haunted by the ghost of past affections, and
hopes gone for ever.—Miss Landon.
VOTING BY BALLOT IN THE UNITED STATES.—Much
has been said on the subject of the ballot in America :
some English tourists have declared that the Americans
absolutely adore it. I can only say,l did not see any
strong feelings on the subject, and I cannot think the bal-
lot, as the Americans work it; effects the great objects,
secrecy and security against the undue influence of em.
ployers. A merchant or storekeeper can say to his clerk,
" I expect you are going to vote the democratic Whig
ticket. Here it is, tied with a red string, and Mr. Smith
will go with you, so that you can both vote together."
This Mr. Smith, being a stanch Whig, takes care that the
clerk shall vote that ticket, and accordingly puts it into
the voter's hand when at the window, and the crowd
around see on which side he is voting by the red string.
Besides, politics are such a never-ending subject of con-
versation in the States, that every one has frequently to
confess to what party he belongs, and secrecy,cannot be
indulged to any extent. I overheard a " bos (master)
joiner observe to one of his men, " I say,
neighbour,
Silas tells me you are a locofoco." "No I ain't," was
the answer, " I went the whole anti-ticket last fall."
" Well, 1 expect Silas ought to know, as you both board
in the same house." " Why I was locofoco two years
ago, but I came round when I jined your jiner's store."
—Uncle Sam's Peculiarities.

GENERAL MISCELLANY.

British guano is now being gathered from the Flambo-
rough Cliffs, in Yorkshire.
Sinclair, the celebrated vocalist, arrived at Glasgow on
Monday, by the Adam Carr, trom New• York.
The Great Western steamer his been purchised by the
Southampton Peninsular and Oriental Steam-packet Com-
pany, for £32.000.
The Comrnisssioners of Northern Lighthouses have in-
timated to the Provost of Wick their selection of Sar-
clet Head as the site of the erection of a lighthouse for the
coast of Caithness.
There were no fewer than 113 couples appeared at the
altar of Hymen. on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday last,
at the Collegiate Church, Manchester, and who, on those
occasions, took each other for " better and for worse."
Since the penny postage was introduced, the weekly
numberot letters has increased from 1,586,000 to 4,212,060.
For every 100 hundred letters written under the old sys-
tem, there are 270 under the new.
Large and enthusiastic meetings in favour of the Ten
Hours Bill are takint, place in Yorkshire. Bradford and
Huddersfield have followed in the wake of Leeds. Mr.
Oastler has attended all.
The first salmon caught this season in the Ribble was
taken on Tuesday week, in the fishery of Sir Henry Bold
Hoghton, Bart., in " Walton Deens. It was sold at 2s.
per lb.

Dr. Posey, the head of the Oxford Tractarians, is
grandson of the Earl of Radnor ; and Dr. Hook, also a
leader of the high church party, is nephew of the late
Theodore Hook.
AFRICAN GUANO.—From official enquiry it appears
that there is no ground to be apprehended of interference,
on the part of the Portuguese government with the trade
now carried on in African guano.
DURHAM.—We regret to state, that no agreement has
been come to between the coalowners and their workmen,
nor is•there any prospect of so very desirable a consum-
mation being effected ; and as the bonds expire this day a
cessation from labour seems inevitable.—Durham paper.
The Market for metals improves, British iron being ful-
ly £5. for cargoes in Wales, and copper is held for higher
rates. The stock of other articles is reduced, but prices
tend upwards in consonance with the improvement of
manufactures in general trade.
The Bury and Suffolk Herald records no fewer than
five incendiary fires or firing in that county within one
week. Several prisoners have also been tried and acquit-
ted at the present Suffolk assizes on charges of incendia-
risno.

The Newcastle Grammer School, in which Lords Col-
lingwood, Eldon, and Stowell, received their education, is
now numbered among the " things that were." The
edifice bas been wholly taken down, to make way for the
proposed new street.
A confirmation of the juvenile nobility and gentry was
held last Thursday morning, in the Chapel Royal, St.
James's, by the Bishop of London. About fifty of the
younger members of noble and distinguished families were
confirmed by the noble prelate.
THE POLKA.—It is reported, in " wheel about" cir-
cles, that Lord Brougham has visited Paris, in order to
ascertain whether the new and fashionable dance, " La
Polka," contains any steps that might led to the Chief
Barony. It can be danced either with or without garters,
the great object being to bend the knee.—Morning Chro-
nicle.

EARLY SHOP-SHUTTING IN EDINBURGH.—A numer-
ous and respectable meeting was held in the Waterloo
Rooms, on Wednesday night, for the purpose of encou-
raging an abridgement of the protracted period to which
shops are at present kept open. A resolution in favour of
abridging the present shop system of labour was carried
by loud acclamation.

Yesterday week, atPreston, a boy named Middleton
was killed by being struck with a quoit on the head in a
quoiting-ground, into which he had run for his ball. Two
soldiers were playing, and one of them had thrown the
quoit before decease run in. The detachment of the
regiment to which the soldiers belonged subscribed
£4 16s. 6d. for the parents of the deceased.
POST-OFFICE AuttalloEmENTs.—Under the new ar-
rangement for the delivery of letters in London. there
will, instead of seven, be ten deliveries daily. Up to two
o'clock, p.m., they will continue as at present ; the first
at eight, a.m. ; the second at ten ; the third at twelve ;
and the fourth at two, p.m. From two o'clock the deli-
veries will be made hourly, until eight, p.m., inclusive.
The- new arrangements are expected to commence this
week.

SUlClDE.—Dickenson, the husband of the unfortunate
lunatic who lately murdered her two children at Deptford,
was found dead on Thursday morning, having hung him-
self to his bedpost. Before doing the deed he wrote let-
ters to several friends, from which it plainly appears that
his misfortune bad upset his reason. He appears to have
swallowed poison previous to his banging himself, and a
razor was found under his pillow.

DIABOLICAL ATTEMPT.—On Wednesday week the
wife of a gardener, residing near Pontefract, placed a piece
of wood on the fire, but, being shortly afterwards alarmed
by a report from it, she took it up with the tongs and put
it in the yard. She had scarcely left the spot when a
louder report took place, and the wood was shattered to
fragments. On examining the pieces, it was found that
a hole had been made in the wood and about five ounces
of gunpowder inserted.

ADVERTIZE ! ADVERTIZE !—Rely upon it, notoriety is
the way to succeed in life. Ask the late Mr. Day, if he
had not made his liquid as black in the newspapers as
white upon the wall would be have died with half a million of
money. People do not know their wants till they are re-
minded of them; advertising is as healthy, and wholesome
as quick circu►ation of the blood ;—all therefore who de-
sire to sell, should appear in the highway which the co-
lumns of a newspaper afford to the public.

THE " SHANNON AND THE CHESAPEAKE."--The
name of the brave old Shannon, 46, is to depart from her,
but its glorious association with that of the Chesapeake,
and one of the brightest pages of our naval history, will
be perpetuated in another crack frigate ordered to be laid
down. We heartily hope the bantling will add as much
honour to her country in time of need as her gallant an-
cestor. The Shannon, now receiving ship at Sheerness,
is in future to be called the St. Lawrence.

Those outlay portion. of the county of Durham called
Norhamshire and Islandshire are henceforth to form parts
of the county of Northumberland. This change is to be
effected by a Bill now beford the House of Commons,
the first clause of which enacts that wherever any detach-
ed portion of any county is entirely surrounded by the
main body of another county, or by such one other county
and the sea, such detached portion shall henceforth be
incorporated with and form part of the county by which
it is surrounded.

DISTRESSING CIRCUMSTANCE.—On Monday last two
little boys, of from 10 to 12 years of age, children of a
fisherman, in the village of Langum, near Haverfordwest,
were at play in a wood, when their attention was attracted
to a quantity of hemlock, which, from its resemblance to
the common carrot, they were induced to eat. Both were
immediately taken ill ; one was able to reach home, where
he almost immediately expired. The other was, after a
short search, discovered on the mud near the river, also
in a dying state.

TRIAL OF THE TWO SEELEYS FOR MURDER.-At
Taunton, on Monday, Faith Seeley was tried for the wil-
ful murder of her father, William Seeley, by administer-
ing poison to him on the 20th of April, 1843. The jury
found a verdict of Not Guilty. The elder sister, Mary
Seeley, was charged on the following day with the same
crime, but the prosecuter declined to offer evidence. She
was tried for the wilful murder of Betty Seeley, her aunt,
on the Bth December, by strangulation, and after a long
trial was acquitted.

Loss OF THE WILBERFORCE STEAMER.—We regret to
state that her Majesty's steamer Wilberforce, in going up
the river Gambia to Macarth's Island, early in February
struck on a reef of rocks at Dog Island ; and, notwith,
standing prompt assistance from the Governor in pPrso-
and the captains of vessels in the harbour, was expecten
to become a total wreck. She was the largest of thd
steamers built (by Mr. Laird) for the ill-fated Niger ex-
pedition, and had lately been stationed at the Gambia for
the service of that colony.—Times.
ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND.—
The great annual meeting for the present year, which has
been flxe4 to take place at Southampton, in July next, is
expected to be the most important in all respects of any
previous exhibition. The council have already received
applications from various parts of the kingdom, with a
view to securing the society's visit for the following year.
The choice lies between Chester and Shrewsbury ; but it
is expected that the show will take Place at Chester,
which is considered the more suitable, because of its su-
perior facilities of railway communication. It is usual
in such cases to contribute towards the expenses of the
society by means of a local subscription; and in this par-
ticular Chester has not been deficient in liberality, up-
wards of £lOOO having been already guaranteed by the
noblemen and gentry of Chester and North Wales.

PROPOSED NEW IRON BRIDGE IN LONDON.—A.
beautiful design by Mr. Barry, for an iron bridge on the
site of the present Westminster Bridge, has been pub-
lished. It consists of five elliptical arches, is of a light
and graceful structure, and is at least fourteen feet lower
than that now in use. The plan for this new structure is
proposed in consequence of the unsafe and unsatisfactory
state of the foundation of the existing bridge, as well as to
improve the navigation of the river, and facilitate traffic
by lowering the carriage-way. It is said that an iron
bridge of this description could be constructed for less
than double the amount which would be required to repair
and render secure the present unseemly structure. The
cost has been estimated at £185,000, including the ex-
penses for erecting a temporary wooden bridge ; and it is
understood that this sum might be raised, for the most
part, if not wholly, upon the security of the income from
the property belonging to the Bridge Commission.
SINGULAR ESCAPE OF A CHILD.—While the up mid-
day train was passing along the North Midland Railway,
near the Rotherham station, on Saturday last, a little boy
suddenly darted from his father's arms over the side of
one of the second-class carriages. The train was going at
full speed at the time, and it was with difficulty the father
could be restrained from leaping out of the carriage. SO
great was his anxiety to know the fate of his child. The
circumstances hiving been communicated to the guard,
fellow was
he ordered the train to be put back for nearly two miles
for that purpose, when, strange to say, the poor little
seeing his parent, he• laughed and exclaimed,
perceived on the embankment, unhurt. On
father, lam not hurt!" It turned out that he had fallen
on the verge of the line, and fortunately rolled down the
contacthave,
wperhaps,th the levelfatally" Father,
embankment, which thus broke the shock that he must
experiencedgr pi:1;1814; ccorroeniincie.