The Atherstone, Nuneaton, and Warwickshire Times. — 1882-10-07 (Atherstone, Warwickshire, England)

RUINED—There had been ugly rumours concerning the London and Lombardy Bank. But ugly rumours do not reach suburban villas where retired officers live, or pretty cottages where innomnt women are busy among their children. Therefore, when the iron shutters of the London and Lombardy Bank were found drawn down, and dismally dccorated by a poster announcing that all business was suspended, there was some to whom the appearance of things was evidently sadly startling. Presently they clustered about one, who was evidently one of themselves in his keen interest in the disaster. He was a man with a fresh face, and dashes of silver subduing the warm chestnut of his hair. And he had the unconventional air of one who has lived near to God and nature. "We are kindred in misfortune," he said, "but we must not forget that the world is still going on, and that we must go with it." "I only ask to go out of it," bitterly groaned an elderly man his face convulsed with grief. "Oh, and I too ! " wailed a widow. " I don't see what more I can do for the children now." "The villians I" hissed a 1 tall gentleman. " And their last balance-sheet was so fair, and the interest they proffered higher ' than ever. It was that which tempted me! They are thieves of the worst dye ; think of all which will lie at their door. Thieves ! they are murderers! " "And my poor husband thought their high interest such a blessing," sobbed the widow. "On his dying bed, he blessed God for the prosperity of the London and Lombardy." "All the savings of years of hard labour swept sway at once," groaned the old man. He who stood in the midst of the , group looked around him. Charles Ely was a man ' who had spent years on a lonely sheep-run in the back country of New Zealand, where scarcely half a dozen incidents had broken the monotony of a year. And the still life had done this for him : events had not crowded too thick upon each other to hide God's hand beneath them, and be had learned how to take himself apart with all that his hand and heart could hold, and to live out hie own share in life's drama, and not be, as so many are, only a part of its scenery—From " The Quiver" for October. SIR NOEL PATON .-Sir Joseph Noel Paton was born at Dunfermline in the year 1821. In 1843 he he was admitted a student in the Royal Academy (London), but did not subsequently study there; in fact, Sir Joseph has himself stated that he did not formally study anywhere. In 1850 he was elected an academician of the Royal Scottish Academy, and in 1887 he received the honour of knighthood at Windsor Castle. In 1878 the University of Edinburgh conferred upon him the honorary degree of L.L.D. Sir J. Noel Paton is one of the most imaginative of living painters. He has also published two volumes; of poems. His ballad of " Sir Launcelot," which is admirably exErrani,ioirvortdrtednurpon ,t,he following passage in h ." Had not Sir Launcelot been in his secret thoughts and in his mind set inwardly to the queen, as he was in seeming outward unto God, there had no knight passed him in the quest of the Sangreall."—From "Illustrated British Ballads" for October. The other monthly publications of Messrs. Cassell, Patter, Galpin, and Co., for October, include excellent numbers of Old and New Edinburgh, Cassell's Concise Cyclopceda, and the New Testament Commentary for English Readers.  ENGLISH ETCHINGS (London: W. Reeves, 185, Fleet-street).—The October number of this high. class artistic publication fully sustains the reputation of the work, the three following being the etchings which it contains :—" Old houses at Bedhampton," by M. Snape ; Church-street, Halesowen," by Oliverßaker ; and " London—The Borough : The George Inn," by Ned Swain. This last picture is the first of a set of five etchings of " The Borough Inns" as they stood in 1881. The publisher of "English Etchings" is deserving of every success for his efforts to familiarise the people of this country with the original etchings of English artists.