The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-01


stage took place this morning at wellknown
clearinghouse In this vicinity. Any one OF our
readers who remembers Old DruTy In its
palmiest days, Will recall to their recollection
William Evans Burton, familia1ly known as
BILLY Burton so celebrated for his impersona-
ton of English eccentric characters, like that
OF Robert TJke" in the School of RJCrm-.a
character made stll more famous and classic
by Lysander Thompson, also dead and Charles
Walter COuldock, at whose renditions OF the
repentant and reformed poacher we have seen
the dress circles in tears, and Judges OF the
Supreme Court OF Pennsylvania arise, and,
with the dignity becoming their position, leave
the orchestra box to conceal their emotion,
But the scene this morning had none or that
tenderness and pathos, and we only recall Tue
character of "Tyke" because of its peculiar
provincialsm OF accent and that the performers
were his similitudes in English life.
We had scarcely entered the cafe when two
selves at another door. They entered with
slouohng gait and set OF hat peculiar to the
character. They were seedy in apparel, and
had the general appearance of "a TIcket-ot
Leave Man, We at once detected their ma
tonalty, approached them with From the
old COuntryp with a provincial intonaton OF
voice. "Ye-es, looking up tnquirngly.
,Yorkshire?" 2" "Na, Nottingh9msheer" very
broad 'Brothers?' ma; but born i ye same
town" He carried wallet under his oyercoat,
and had bag suspended at his side, while the
other had Just set down box, with door IN
itslfront near the top What are you at? "WhY
Gathers ~ and with the word he drew a large
grey rat from his bag by the tail, and swung 1t
round and round, ending by tossing 1t again and
again in the air, and catching 1t with the ease
of a Chinese juggler, the beast exhibiting a
shocking tameness And what is in that boXW
"FerTets-the gamest animal in the world, and
the ltveliest. How they hate rat Make up
purse, gentlemen, only fifty cents, just to pay
for the raj, and ye shall see the gamesomest fight
ye ever seen in your livesW
II was done in an instant Then taking from
his pocket light piece of twine, he attached 1t
to one of the hind legs of large Norway rat.
His companion here drew from the box beau
tiful cream-colored ferret of exceeding tame
ness, 1.-the and sinewy, but scarcely q third
larger than the rat he was about to encounter.
The rat was set on the ground, and the ferret
displayed to him. The terror of the rat was
extreme, and he gave utterance to cry. Like
snake the ferret sprang on him, and the battle
began. The rat was only dark spot in the
arms OF his enemy, who had selzed him some.
where about the neck.
The rats fought terociously, but in vain. 1t
was the embrace of death. Again and again
did the exhibitor lift the writing and strug
Cling forms in air, holding the rat suspended by
the TAIL the ferret still holding on until the last
drop of blood left the body. This scene was
three times repeated, two additional rats escap-
ing from his hand, being killed by his terriers
who accompanied him, Some idea of the value
of the ferret in exterminating the rat may
be formed from the fact that he, With his
five terrets, destroyed no less than 1900 last
year alone. He estimates the cost of a rat in a
house or barn, with what they eat, and what
they destroy, at ST per week.
OF INTEREST TO FENIANs.-We notice by
the New York papers that the Fenian digni-
taries of that city have resolved upon dispos-
ing Of large number of arms contributed by
the over confident and trusting members OF the
Order, in the fond but vain belief that they
were thereby contributing IN some measure to
the resurrection of the dead nationality of their
motherland. 1t appears that the Fenian ex-
chequer is at a teartully low ebb, and as 1t IS
quite impossible to dispose OF any bonds at
the present juncture OF affairs, and as the cur.
rent expenses of the institution must be paid by
money obtained from some source or other,
this plan has been devised as the only one
which Will enable the leaders TO retain their
comfortable quarters, in which they idle away
their time at the expense OF their dupCd fol-
lowers. Two thousand stand of arms have
been offered for sale, principally muskets and
Springfield rifles all ready for immediate use.
We would advise the Fenians of this city TO
have sharp lookout on these proceedings, and
to take good care that none of the arms that
may now be In their possession find their way
to New York to share similar fate.
DEATH OF A WELL-KNowN GENTLE
MAN.-B. F. Hancock, Esq, father of General
Winfield S. Hancock, died at an early hour this
| morning, at his residence at NorristoWn, Mont
| gomery county. Mr. Hancock was we'll
| known gentleman, and universally respected.
| He was born in one OF the upper townships oil
! Montgomery county, in the year 1900, where he
studied the profession of law, and was admitted
| to the bar. He was somewhat OF politician
| and at one time was actively identified with the
| old Whig party. After the assassination of Pre-
sident Lincoln he was appointed Collector o
| Internal Revenue for the Sixth District, Whict
| office he held at the time of his death. HI
! leaves numerous circle of sorrowing friends
General Hancock, who has been in command
of one of the Western Departments, arrived
home some two or three days since, and is nov
| at Norrstown.
The disease of which Mr.. Hancock died wa
congestion OF the bowels. He was sick some
| five weeks.
| UNPLEASANT JAM.-Y esterday afternoon
at the crossing of Jefferson street and German
town avenue, occurred one of those really un
pleasant encounters, which depress the spirits
and call forth angry debate between drivers
| Two teams-one large, old-tashioned CouEtr
| wagon, and the other of more modern manu-
tacture, and consequently more lightly proper
| tioned-attempted to pass each other by eac
turning halfway out of the track. The horse
were spirited, the tracks slippery, and the side
of the road piled high with snow. The resul
was that the two inside wheels locked, and tn
l I, ,l,o