, 1881-02-23

game of brag, an oldillusion, or some
of them would rather that wal broke
out.
When we spoke last week of the
hope of a mild winter having vanish
ed, we did not anticipate the horrors
of this week. On Tuesday and
Wednesday fell a snow storm such as
has not visited England for ten years,
blocking all the railways, keeping
some trains waiting outside London
for the whole of Tuesday night, put
ting an end altogether for nearly
twentY-four hours to carriage locomo-
ton, and leaving London still with
little ramparts of snow running along
all its streets, and the intervening
space SO slippery with the freezing
particles adhering to the stones or
wood, that only vehicles with two
horses can get about safely at all.
A Waterman was even frozen to death
on Tuesday night in the Gray's Inn
Road. Every one you meet is half
smiling to himself, and has some alb
surd adventure to relate of passing the
night in railway-stations OF in immov-
able carriages or trains. Two or three
public schools have put off their day
of opening, and comfortable society
is, in general, rather enjoying its tenn
norarv INSTRUMENTATION. Only the
tide, unfortunately, took to rising sun-
usually high on the very day of the
snow-storm, and so increased the
miseries of those who always suffer
most from coId,-the very poor. In
the South of London, sufferinss from
frost, snow, and flood have been very
great. The frost, which is severe
seems likely to endure, as the baro-
meter has again risen considerably
The Home,ru Party just now does not
appear to be quite unanimous. Inc strong
est man in it, Mr.. O'Connor Power, a nan
much more acceptable to the irish hearC
than Mr.. Parnell. has intimated at NoC-
tingham that if the Government VIII give
the "three F's,' they may be accepted MI
Blennerhassett has formally announced
himself an Independent tLiberal, ana MT
Shaw, with, it is said, fifteen followers, mas
formally seeded from the party, receiving
it is stated letters of COngratulatlon even
from extreme IriShmen IN DONG so
The truth would seem to be hat a sectloh
of Irishextremists is waking up to the per
ception that obstruction, whatever us
other advantages, must always be sterile
If it were ever so successful, it could not
produce a good Land Bill, and Ireland Is
hungering for a good Land Bill. If that Is
stopped too long, Irish farmers may
perceive that they are being obstruct-
ed first of all, and may "Boycott some OF
the existing Members. MIR. ParneH, WIN
all his really splendid self-restralnt, Is los
ing his temper, which is not a sign OF VIC
tory.
There is no news of Importance ito 2Znd
JAM from South Africa, except the arrival
of her Maiestx's 5Oth Rifles in Natal, and
the further expression of the Dutch opln-
ion in the Colony that the Beers are nard-
ly treated, and that their independence
should be restored. It is believed thaC
although the Orange Free State VIII re-
main neutral, its people will help the b0efs,
and that nothing is to be expected from
the farmers of Cape Colony, 900 OF whom
have recently deserted Colonel C~arrlngton
in an action against the Basutos' Ihey
do not, it is suspected, care by dedeatlng
them to set the English cOlOnlsts tree TO
- -o.z- Al IN ncUoQI Inc bOPTS