The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-12-23 00:00:00

A FRAGMENT OF A Lag

There dwells in this " good old town of Liverpool" at the
present moment an individual whom it will suit our purpose,
to call Trip. His real designation shall be at the service of
our readers whenever a suitable occasion shall arise for
making the communication. if any individual be curious
respecting Mr. Trip's present residence, we feel that it will
be no violation of confidence to give such gentle hint there-
about as may entirely prevent error or misapprehension.
Mr. Trip may at this or any other moment, for some time to
come, be found inhabiting a large stone-fronted mansion, in
Great Howard-street ;or it may be, if 1-is health be delicate,
that he is domiciled at a still more magnificent edifice, sump.'
tuously situated on an eminence, commanding a fine view of
the river, at the pleasant village of Kit kdale. Whether he is
at the town or the country residence we know not,—but this
we know, that wherever he may be, he is well fed, and
hospitably treated, being just required to take such gentle
exercise as may conduce to Iris health, and sharpen his
appetite for the agreeable and provocative viands, which so
many cooks are employed to prepare, and which were not
long since the especial theme of bfr. Aikin's eulogium.

All without his care or payment,
All his wants are well supplied.
So much for preliminary : proceed we to tell our story.
We presume that Liverpool may claim the honour of hav-
ing given birth to the individual who is the subject of our
notice. Mr. Trip, in due and proper course, took unto him-
self a wife, and had he continued to act in due and proper
course, he might have been not only a wiser and a better, but
a much happier, man than he is at the present day. But
alas ! the path of goodness was to him but faintly marked,
or he saw it darkly; while the germs of naughtiness were, we
fear, rather profusely scattered in his composition. At first
he and his chosen lived happily together. His wife was "as
a lamp unto his feet," a crown to his head, and many a
crown to his pocket, for she was one of those excellent wo-
men who lose money-making better than night-cap-weaving,
or working in Berlin-wool ; she was, in short, a woman of
business, and Mr. Trip might have " washed his steps with
butter" had he been prudent and constant. But in an evil
hour be cast his eyes of desire on the domestic servant whom
his wife had provided to administer to his comforts. He
pursued the nymph of the kitchen with his addresses till he
made shipwreck of his wife's happiness, who, seeing no rain
in the clouds, or in human eyes either, that would " purge
the nauseousness of such an act," made her misery evident
with all that violence so common amongst injured ladies.
We will not describe the mode which she took of giving vent
to her sufferings; suffice it to say, that she gave sufficient
indication that her life was dashed with bitterness, that hap-
piness and she were no more to be partners and friends.
The husband on his part earedlittle for his wife ; be made no
advances towards reconciliation, but slave unto his paramour,
whom he promoted in his household to dine from the plate
she had lately washed. The girl having become a mother,
the wife was driTen from the house, and in a short time was
compelled to apply to the authorities of the parish for relief.
The husband was hereupon applied to, and he liberally allowed
his first-chosen wife five shillings per week. The poor wo-
man, careless of opinion, of everything, descended by degrees
into a habit of drinking, until at length she fell under the full
influence of that degrading vice. Meanwhile, the husband
and the late servant of the cast-off wife lived together as a
loving couple, and a numerous offspring was the fruit of the
connexion. At length, however, Mr. Trip grew tired of his
second flame, and introducing her to some curiously consti-
tuted friend as a paragon, he persuaded the poor fellow to
take her and all her (his) children as a special prize. Thus
be was once more a free man, with no incumbrance savethat
of having to pay the pittance which we have mentioned for
the support of his wife. This, however, was too just an
affair to suit his taste, and he frequently evinced his dislike
for the exaction by neglecting his payments altogether. On
these occasions, however, he was promptly pulled up by Mr.
Evans, of the Parish-office, who generally looks very smartly
after delinquents of this class.
One species of emancipation, it appears, gave Mr. Trip a
strong disposition to seek the means of procuring another,
and, as it is said that Satan never deserts a sinner at a pinch,
the fruit of Mr. Trip's cogitations on the subject was a
scheme which must assuredly have been of diabolical origin.
We are sorry to say, that cases of matrimonial rupture are
too frequently brought forward at our public-office ; and Mr.
Rushton, our excellent stipendiary magistrate, has often to
become the arbiter in disputes, sometimes of a trifling
nature, but more frequently arising from masculine delin-
quency. In the course of his adjudications, he has made it
a rule not to compel a husband to support a wife against
whom adultery can be proved. Of this rule Mr. Trip became
aware, and he determined to turn it to his advantage. Some
three or four weeks ago, Mr. Trip suddenly ceased his pay-
ments on behalf of his wife. He was applied to, but without
effect, till at length the decisive moment arrived, and. Mr.
Evans procured a summons for his appearance before the
magistrate. Now was the time to carry into effect the clever
scheme which had been concocted. One of Mr. Trip's
friends—a useful friend—a low fellow "who had been fre-
quently found convenient, called upon .the wife with the
pretended intention of speaking to her on behalf of her
husband. The fellow, hearing from her an account of her
sufferings, condoled with her, and, knowing her besetting
weakness, benevolently gave her some liquor. It is the
nature of those who become the slaves of drink to be mean.
She accepted the liquor, and, having put herself under its in-
fluence, he easily persuaded her to take more, till, in short,
she became helplessly drunk. The friend immediately betook
himself to the street, where a very proper companion for such
an adventure was in waiting, being a person of no less conse-
quence than a thief, who follows that honourable profession
with great perseverance. The thief and his comrade took
the poor woman, who was stupified-with liquor, to one of the
most notorious dens of iniquity in Lace-street, where they
undressed her and put her into bed. The thief next threw
aside his apparel, and got into the same bed. The business
of the excellent friend was now completed, and he accordingly
took his departure. Whether he communicated with his
principal or not we are unable to say, but it is certain that a
few minutes after he quitted the house, Mr. Trip entered it,
went up stairs to the room where his wife lay, and having
seen the parties in the bed be went out again and called a
police-officer. Taking the latter into the infamous house
alluded to, he pointed out to him the parties in bed, desiring
him to observe the face of the woman, that he might know
her again. " That," said Mr. Teip, "is my wife ; you see
the position in which she has placed herself, and you see
what sort of character she has chosen as the companion of
her guilt. I wish you to take particular notice of the cir-
cumstance, as I shall require you as a witness." Saying
this, he and the officer departed, Mr. Trip leaving the thief
and his wife together.
Mr. Trip thought he had now made all secure. He was sum-
moned to appear on Monday last, and, armed with his evi-
dence, he made his appearance in court. Being called upon
liVidiffittititieery.l rPfVfg WitfarsicittlificikagsMig
about the dissolute habits of the poor woman, and concluded
by saying that he had absolutely found her in bed with a very
bad character in an infamous house in Lace-street. He
called upon the policeman to confirm his statement, which
the officer did to the full extent. Mr. Rushton hereupon
missed the cose, and ordered the woman to go about her

business.
" But surely," said the applicant, " you'll hear what I
have to say first."
" Certainly," said Mr. Rushton. The poor woman pro-
ceeded to state so much that it became evident that a deeper
investigation was necessary. The old creature who keeps
the house in Lace-street was sent for, and the result was the
development of the whole plot. Mr. Trip was ordered into
custody, and the other two conspirators were forthwith ap-
prehended.
It was first deemed advisable that the three parties should
be prosecuted by the parish authorities for conspiracy. On
examining into the case, however, it was found that as the
wife's evidence could not legally be taken, the other testi-
mony was not of a nature that would have much weight with
a jury. On Tuesday, therefore, the parties were placed at
the bar, when the two conspirators were discharged, and Mr.
Trip, as we have called him, was committed to prison for a
month, for neglecting to support his wife.—Courier.

SPLENDID PRESENT TO THE QUEEN.—On Tuesday a
hundred deer were caught in Garendon Park, the seat of C.
M. Phillips, Esq., for the purpose of stocking one of her
Majesty's parks with the breed (which is considered a fine
one). The fine park was animated by the presence of hun-
dreds of visitors, of all grades, to assist in or witness the
taking of the deer, and for those who love the chase, or a
rural ramble, much enjoyment was afforded. A large pound,
nearly a quarter of a mile in circumference, bad been en-
closed with high nets on the west side of the park, not a
great distance from the foot of the hill on which the circular
building, generally styled "the temple," is erected, and the
deer being driven by horsemen into the enclosure, were
frightened by the shouts of the by-standers, and plunged
with tremendous force, head foremost at the nets, by which
they generally became entangled by either the legs or neck,
and were instantly secured. The fawns and a few favourite
bucks were turned at liberty when caught, and much amuse-
ment was created by their running through the crowd, and
making the best of their way to join their companions yet at
liberty in the further parts of the park. The horns of the
bucks were cut off as soon as they were brought out of the
pound, in order to prevent them from injuring each other, and
all the deer caught were carried to the hall stables in a waggon
and a van, the latter constructed for such purposes, and
brought from London, by Mr. Herring, who is employed by
her Majesty for carrying her animals of various kinds. Be-
,' tween each load, the deer were left at peace, and the spectators
amused themselves with looking round the park, or hunt-
ing the squirrels which abound on the fine timber trees.—
Lincolnshire Mercury.
ABUNDANCE OF GAME.—A fact of some importance to
sportsmen, game preservers, and game purchasers, is now
coming forth to notice ; and it is a consequence of the change
which the amusement of shooting and the practices of agri-
culture have undergone. Game is reducing in price, and the
trade in that article often attended with heavy loss to the
dealer; while the manner and time in which the diversion is
enjoyed entails this effect. We are given to understand that
one dealer in Norwich sent to London in one week no less a
quantity of hares, pheasants, and partridges, than two tons
weight, and that a loss of twenty pounds was experienced on
the sale. A second cargo, nearly to the same extent, was
about to be transmitted in the following week ; and the same
result was apprehended. This arises much from the change
in the manner of sporting. The late Lord Leicester, one of
the keenest and best sportsmen that ever lived, has often
told the writer of this article, that, in the early part of his
life, a notice was hung up in the rooms of the mansions of
Norfolk, that the slaughter of the day was limited to two
brace of pheasants, five brace of partridges, and one brace of
hares. Nay, so incredulous were his own guests of his not
unfrequently killing twenty brace of partridges in a day, that
a party of six betted him fifty guineas each he did riot accom-
plish the task. He, however, in November, killed 82 shots
out of 8.1, and won his wager. This was certainly a wonder-
ful proof of skill ; but what relation does it bear to Sir R.
Sutton's feat of killing 108 brace of partridges, and some
other instances we could cite? The Present Lord Suffield
and Lord Gardner shot 69 birds in,lif:l
y rn
areinu tetsh,e and
battues in one
a t
field, some few years ago ; and m
which from 500 to 600 head are brought down. In addition
to those we have lately published, nearly or quite 1,000 head
were killed in two days, a week or two since, at Sir William
Beauchamp Proctor's. 'But the facthtsewehiqhbeear upon the
superabundant sapid), me
riet are these.
annihilated tshtleb:pitirliet:tittieTt
of mowing for sheaorointnffni
that of the stubble;
61ilso tends to make the birds wildh aettahrei
part of partridge
and save them from
ridging of turniPs:e
season,
earlier period
The old methodo:Oft shooting was to train pointers ort setters,
and
dog
and try the instinct of the against that of the bird ; while
the sportsman felt quite as much elicrlit in the excellence ot
his tow...footed allies as in the displa'y of his own skill. If
ened that more than two gentlemen took the di
rarely Kapp .d
, version of partri ge shooting together. They ranged over
large tracts ; and if they shot from five to ten brace of birds,
with the occasional enlivenment of a pheasant or a hare, it
was deemed sufficient, if not capital sport. But now dogs
are rarely used, except to retrieve, a new word in the nomen-
clature of sporting. Parties of four, five, six, or even more,
walk in line, with servants between each, down a field, and
every bird that rises is fired at, and generally struck by more
than one gun. Hundreds are killed ; and what was formerly
tt
hh e r e
ediversion,r ofhe ap
rseesaesrov nis a
tion nowo concentrated
of pheasants
pheasahtsisstrict. into t or
Mul-
titudes are reared under hens ; it having been found, that if
the eggs are taken day by day from the pheasant, she lays
many more. The birds are confined or allured to the cover
by high feeding, and are never disturbed except on the days
of sacrifice. These battues (the name, as well as the cus-
tom, is derived from the French) generally commence in
November; and consequently these immense supplies all
come into the market at once, as it were, and the price falls.
We have no doubt that very large quantities are destroyed
for want of sale. It is indeed in evidence, that one poulterer
threw 2,000 part ridges into the Thames at one time ; but this
was before game was legally saleable.—Norwiek Moreupy.