The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-07
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

BvILs OF BAD LTTERATURE.-A youth EN-
ployed as milkman at Belper in Derbyshire
England, has, without any apparent motive
attempted to murder an old housekeeper
under the influence Of long course of stories
about Dick Turpin and Jack Sheppard This
is far from the first time that similar results
have followed from the same kind of reading
Courvoisier attributed'his assassination of Lord
William Russell to a state of morbid sympathy
with crime induced by the perusal of the then
popular romance of Jack Sheppard" and
the annals of the police since hen furnish
many other instances. Mr.. Ainsworth (who
OF course thought of writing nothing more
than amusing fictions) has been unfortunate
in having popularized, and invested with a
halo of romance, two such scoundrels as Shep-
paTd and Turpin.
ADvERTIsNG.-A new art (says the Rey;e,g,
has lately arisen in London. The streets are
now paved, not with gold, but with advertise
ments. The tlowers OF language now blossom
under our feet. Just as geologists read in the
various strata the evidences of pesiosauri and
megalotheria, so now we may read the evil
dences of BARRIERS and photographers. Shake
speare saw sermons in stones, but we now see
advertisements in them. The stones, accord
ing to the fable, followed Orpheus; but now,
judging by the verses, Orpheus follows the
stones. Honor to whom honor is due. A
clown of DIury Lane is said to be the inventor
of this new method of advertising.
RELICS OF THE PAsT.-Upon lifting one of the
flooring deals in an old house about to be
pulled down and rebuilt at Linlithgow, Scot
land, paintings Of a remarkable kind were dis
covered on the upper side of the floor and
across the oaken joists. The names of "Lord
Fleming" "Iirle Demaz," 'Lord Letoun."
'EIle De Argyle" ETC., have been found appa-
rently in connection with their coats arms.
The house, whose walls are above four feet in
thickness, is said to have been a great resort
of the nobility in the time of Queen Mary; and
tradition has it that each nobleman sat
under his coat-ofarms before proceeding to
the palace.
ENGLISH COINAGE IN 1S66.-In the year 1866
4,047, 2SS sOvereigns were coined at the Mint in
London, and 2,058, 776 half sovereigns, 914, 76O
horins, a, ,9s9, 600 shillings, s. 140 $50 sxpences
Abs fourpences, l, 1905, 2SS threepences, 4752
silver twOpences, 1920 silver pence also,
9,999, 369 copper pence, 2,508, 800 halfpence,
and 1884, COO farthings. Altogether, there
fore, money was coined at the Mint in 1866 to
the amount of f5,076, $40 in gold, G493, ,416 in
silver. and ESQ, ga in copper, or G5, 800 ZIG in
all. Worn silver coin of the nominal value of
9ll5,OOO was purchased from the Bank of
England, for recoinage, and loss of ELS, ,648
was occasioned by its recoinage.
RAILWAY D1sAsTERs.- There is a cold blooded
style about the London Spectators expecta-
ions-thus:-"The season for railway acci
dents has again commenced, and will probably
last, as usual, till the end of the autumn. EOur
daily contemporaries this week have had their
columns filed with them. The cure, however.
is in our hands. Juries must give higher
damages in all cases of injuries. Companies
then will soon find that it is cheaper in the
long run to keep up proper staff Of servants
and good rolling stock and permanent way
than to paY for compensation -
QuEER.-The connection between church
music and soapsuds is not stated in the fol-
lowing advertisement from an English paper:-
"Wanted, to live in Scotland an under lauu.
dry maid, who understands her business thor
ougbJy, and is a good irOner. She must be q
member of the Church of England, good
singer, and willing 10 take part in church
choir. Address, by letter. q. B." etc.