Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1865-08-11 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

PLAYING AT HANGING —A. few evenings ago, between six and seven o'clock, as several lads were playing in Denby Grove, near Derby, the execution of Dr. Pritchard appeared to have entered their heads. Accordingly a boy named Alfred Sanders, the son of a labouring to in in Derby, was put on his trial as Dr. Pritchard, whilst his companions acted the judge and jury. Having been found guilty, and sentence of death passed, the lad was formerly led out for execution. Several of their belts were fastened together and put round the boy's neck, and suspended to a "sleeper," which forma part of a fence. He stood on a post, but his companions thinking he would not look like the murderer unless he "swung," one of them lifted him off the post, and let him hang, his feet being about half a foot from the ground. Seeing him struggle very much and colour in the face, they became frightened and ran away. Fortunately a hawker, named Fitzsimons, was passing, who ran to his assistance, and cut the lad dowii just in time to save his life. He was subsequently conveyed home. The disease which has already carried off so many cattle appears to be extending, and, according to the last acc.,unts, it has broken out in the south of Scotland. From a series of instructions issued by the privy council, it appears that the disease is analogous to th.tt which has recently carried off fi() many thousands of cattle in Russia, Austria, and the eastern parts of Europe, and though amenable to medical treatment, the privy council recommend that diseased animals should be at once diet oyed and buried, and that new stock should be kept by themselves for a few days, made to perform quarantine, in fact, before being placed with healthy cattle. This is also the remedy proposed by Profess .r Gamgee, who declares that there are " very few cases of indirect contagion," adding that, if "farmers and cowkeepers can keep clear of disc ised cattle ap preaching their stock they have no occasion to fear the appearance of the malady." The letter from the privy council contains a complete code of instructions for the treatment sad detection of the disease. The smallpox amongst the sheep is happily confined to one southern flock at present, and there are good reasons to hope that it will not spread any further. post EsTIC PiMPLEXITIEs.—A correspondent  of the brawer is involved in domestic perplexities. He writes :—" I got acquainted with a young widow, who lived with her stepdaughter in the same house. I married. Nly father fell, shortly after it, in love with the step daughter of my wife, and married her. My wife became the mother-in-law and also the daughter-inlaw of my own father; my wife's stepdaughter is my stepmother, and I am the stepfather of my mother-inlaw. My stepmother, who is the stepdaughter of my wife, has a boy. Ile is naturally my stepbrother, because he is son of my father and of my stepmother; but because he is son of my wife's stepdaughter, so is my wife the grandmother of the little boy, and I am the grandfather of my stepbrother. My wife has also a boy. My stepmother is consequently the stepsister of my boy, and is also his grandmother, becuse he is the child of her stepson ; and my father is the brother-in law of my son, because he has got his stepsister for a wife. lam the brother of my own son, who is the son of my stepmother lam the brother-in law of my mother, my wife Is the aunt of her own son, my son is the grandson of my father, and I am my own grandfather."—Hurp, r's EX: