The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-12-15
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

FREE OR RENTED ws?-The Reform
ed (Dutch) church of West Troy comes
nearer solving the vexed question of pew
rents or free pews, by plan which is
better than any we have seen in some
time. 1t has worked well for six years
Every subscriber is entitled to a seat
and to as many sittings as the ordinary
number of the subscribers family re-
quires, irrespective of the amount of the
subscription. The choice of sittings is in
the order of the amount subscribed, be-
ginning with the highest. Equal sub
scribers decide their order of choice by
lot. Subscribers are entitled to retain
the seats chosen by them for the current
year, so long as they continue to pay
their subscriptions. Refusal to pay ar
rearages will vacate the seats. Those IN
able to pay are cheerfully accommodated.
The above plan relieves the Church of
fixing price on its privileges, provides
seats at peoples own prices, and thus ac-
commodities all classes. The conditions
above stated are made with view to in
sure the utmost Justice to all, to meet any
demand for sittings, and to make the sit
ting capacity of the church available as
far and as equally as possible to an in
creaslng community and congregation.
The annual renewal of the subscription
gives an advantage to a movable com
munlty, accommodates new Corners, gives
an opportunity to increase a former sub
scription, to change a sitting, or, if cir
cumstances require, to reduce a previous
subscription.
PERILs OF Vesuvius has
broken out again with something of his
ancient vigor, to the great qualification,
doubtless, of Prof Palmieri, and to the
no less considerable alarm of the share
holders IN the railway recently construct
ed upon his volcanic slopes. But streams
OF burning lava and showers Of scorchinp
scor1@ are not the only perils with which
the ascent of this malefcent old noun
tain is beset. Only the other dav, as
Slgnor Alcotti, the lessee of the Vesuvius
hallway, was walking along the road
that leads from the observatory to the
lower station of his line he was surround
ed and seized by three bandits, who
dragged him into cave hard bv the
" Seconda Vallata." There one Of his
captors kept the muzzle Of loaded pistol
III 1AANOIl mOuJn 10 nlnQer HIM from
calling for help, while the other two
robbed him Of his pocketbook and watch
IN value some ESQ. Having thoroughly
searched his person, they then flung him
to the ground with great violence. tied
his hands and feet together with cords
and stuffng a pocket handkerchief into
his mouth, made off with their booty
Two Of these rufians were subsequently,
arrested and identified by Signor Alcottii.
a duel was lately fought in Texas by
Alexander Shot and John S. Mott. Mott
was shot, and Shot was not. In this
case it is better to be Shott than Mott
There was a rumor that Mott was not shot
and Shot avows that he shot Mott. which
proves either the shot Shott shot or
Mott was not shot, or that Mott was shot
Notwithstanding Circumstantial evil
dence is not always good. It may be
made to appear on trial that the shot
Shot shot shot Mott, or, as accidents
with fire arms are frequent, it may be
possible that the shot Shot shot shot