Delaware State journal and statesman., 1867-03-12
woNDEHFUL wINDFALLs.


England is the country for sRonderful
windfalls-of fortunes falling from me skies.
IN the mostunexpected and fairy-tale fashion.
An ex-policeman of London, the other day,
came into a property of $3.50, 200. He had
been living on tile police pension of fourteen
shillings week, which is given after twenty
years faithful service. The lawyer who got
It for him made it condition that he should
give Sl25,0OO to his poor relations, and
another $4,000 to a certain hospital for the
benefit Of the poor.
A miserly old Scotchman, one Ferguson.
has just died, immensely rich--died very
suddenly as he was signing check for
$5O,OOO. He was struck with paralysis when
the name was half written. He left his pro.
perty to charities and to hundreds of poor
people, whom all his life he had utterly neg
lected. Day laborers, masons, carpenters,
and in one case poor fish hawker, sudden
lY became possessed Of thousands In a lottery
In which they had not even bought ticket.
He had not been within the walls of a church
for forty years, so he left sum for the
spread of the Gospel.
AAS SeoN VI uAAs ~ ~ uuulGt lut once
famous medium, is most curious of all. He
was perfectly penniless and IN great trouble;
he clung to the valuable presents he had re-
ceived-keepsakes he would scarcely have
parted with to keep from starving; and his
expectations of property from the estate of
his Russian wife were only at the end of
tedious litigation. At this jnncture rich old
lady, and an entire stranger, adopted him
for her son and heir. She gave him $3.50, 900
in cash just for his immediate need, and
few days ago handed him a christmas box
of 10000. "Why," said he, telling Of this
little token of maternal affection, sits like
a fairy tale, isn't it?" And the best of il is
that the adopted son and adopted mother
are entirely delighted with each other. 1t
should be remembered that all the above
sums must be calculated on agold basis.
.----~~%
Red TAPE.-An English paper publishes
the following as characteristic OF the man
ner in which business is done at the British
War ofice:--.
Somewhere down in Kent, below Chath.
am, the line was blocked up beyond the
power of the company's staff or such men as
they could procure 20 clear it. The manager
in his despair thought Of the soldiers idling
about London and Chatham, and hurried of
to the Horse Guards to ask for five hundred
men, who should be taken and brought back
in special train, be kept and paid whatev-
or was thought proper. The Secretary
said, "You must get the Dukes consent
l can do nothing" In cab and off to the
Duke instantly. His Grace is very willing
very good idea-but does not think he
has the power, without the consent of the
War Secretary. Down to Pail Mall. War
Secretary not therein the country. And
before General Peel's consent could be OBJ.
tanned the line was cleared. Now, that Is
what we have to expect whenever we get
into war again. Our Crimean experience
has done us no good. Every man seems
afraid of responsibility. II the War Office
story be not true, the following is a fact:-
In the barracks large tub or cask is used
to save the soldiers from exposure to the
air. some of these in barrack in India
required to be retarred, when they would
be serviceable as ever. 1t may be imagined
that the Colonel only had to say, "Tar
them, and they would be tarred. No such
thing He had to write home for permission,
and before the order was returned the tubs
had ceased to exist