The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1871-06-25
MISCELLANY.

OF cases of mistaken identity, resulting
!, from the mind taking the testimony of the
eye to be the whole truth, and so coming
to false conclusion. The eye conveyed
to the seusOrium certain facts of shape,
height, size. color, and SO forth, which
were common to- both individuals, but
omitted to report those things in which the
one differed from the other; and so partial
truth became falsehood. Men have been
convicted and executed for crimes of which
| they were innocent, or have been saved
after sentence, by tie confession detec-
tion of the real criminal whom they have
resemblOd. l remember, many years ago,
twin brothers in one of our metropolitan
cities who caused much confusion and
amusement by their wonderful resemblance.
This was enhanced by the fact that they
were very notwithstanding men, so that
| If yon had only seen one of them you
would be disposed to say that his match
could not be found in the world. But to
see them together land they seldom were
separately you would rub your eyes, and
of the day they appeared arm in arm,
dressed in clothes precisely similar in every
respect, with their brown peaked boards
trimmed alike to a hair, and strutting with
most peculiar walk which it would be
impossible to initiate. Innumerable We're
the blunders and mistakes which arose
from this resemblance. At taverns, one of
them would go to the bar and order supper
for two, and then join his companion at a
table. When the waiter produced the bill;
neither would admit that he gave the order;
and the perplexed attendant could not fix
on either. To do them ustice, however, they
always settled the bill after amusing them
selves at the expense of the man. On sew
eral occasions they got into rows, one of
them keeping quiet while the other broke
the peace, when they both contrived to
shift their places in the melee, and the in
jured party could not swear to the identity
of the offender. At last in midnight
scuffle, one of them committed rather
violent assault, whereupOn his antagonist
left his mark SO unmistakably upon the as
s,ilants face, that when they were both
brought up from the lookup before the
justice of the peace the next morning,
there was no difficulty of Identification,
and his worship put the right man in the
right place for four-a -and-twenty hours -
The Quirer.
The Queen Of Song.-Woods, groves, AID |
leafy forests in the immediate vicinity of |
water afford the favorite retreats Of these |
"most musical, most melancholy" song
sters; in such localities they live, each
pair within it's own especial domain,
which, although small, is jealously guard
ed, and boldly defended from all intrusion.
The larger species would seem to prefer
low-lying districts, but its more celebrated
relative, according to Tschudi, is met with
in SNitzerlond aud Spain at an attitude of
from 5000 to 5000 feet above the sea, if
trees and brushwood be there attainable.
Some parts OF Southern Europe are espe-
cially frequented by these delightful birds; |
Spain in particular, is extremely fortunate
in this respect; and in certain districts !
their enchanting voices are heard from |
every bush and hedge. The declvities of |
Sierra Morena may be literally described |
as an extensive "nightingale garden ~ and
those w.o, like ourselv S, have been SO
for tn q G n n inc on
Montserrat, or an evening within the walls |
of the ruined Alhambra, must own that |
they have enjoyed concert of sweet |
sounds that could not be surpassed. For |
our own part, as we listened TO hundred |
thrilling voices combiuingin the perform
ance of their vesper hymn, we were ready |
to exclaim, with good old Isaack Walton,
"Lord, what psalmOdy hast thou provided |
for thy saints in heaven, when thou afford
est bad men such music on earth ~ The
general demeanor of the nightingale is
eminenty reserved and dignifed and
would appear to indicate that it was fully
of the admiration it can COM
mand. Even when hopping over the
ground, it preserves a certain air of stateli-
ness, as it springs from spot to spot, with
body erect and tail upraised, gausing, for
a moment before every fresh effort. Whilst
perching in the trees, also, the tail is ele-
waited, but the wings are allowed to droop.
Should the bird desire to pass from one
branch to another. it accomplishes it OBJ
ject by one active leap, and rarely condes
cends to amuse itself by Jumping from
twig to twig The flight of the nightin-
gale is undulatory, but though light and
rapid, it is rarely sustained beyond short
that these birds, however, are
capable of great exertions whilst on the
wing must be evident to all who have wit
messed the endeavors of two contending
rivals to drive each other from the field
CaSselFs Book Of Birds.
origin Of the Term Hw-H1uk. An expla-
nation of the origin and significance of the
term Ku- -kiux would doubtless be gratify-
ing to many curious readers. The follow
ing extract from an old poem will, perhaps,
crafty it. 1t is from Viewers Funeral
edition of 1861, quoted in
Disraeli's "Calamities and Quarrels of
Authors" QLondon edition, 1867, p. 52l }
The lines were written on the death of
John Penny, n Welsh non-conformist
"The Welshmau is hanged,
Who at our kirke fanged,
And at the state banged Il
And brened are his buks;