The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1869-07-17 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE RECENT MURDERS IN ABYSSINIA.—The Swabian Mercury contains the following passage from , a letter addressed by Mr. A. Duniiliohn, a Swedish missionary at l'endere in Barca, to &gentleman in Wurtemberg:—" We have lost two dear friends by death, Elfblad, and Kjellberg who has been here three years and was married three months ago. Both these friends were killed during a journey in the Kunatua country with an Englishman, Mr. Powell, who had come here with his wife and his little son to hunt elephants (between Egypt and Abyssinia). Elf blad and Kjelle berg were to accompany the Englishman to Massowa, but he wished to make a tour in the country of Tilts between Gesell and the river of Takassie, to the south-west of Kunama. They did not entertain very serious apprehensions, as several of the natives knew us here, and had lung wished us to visit them. But stow the Englishman came with his baggage, , camels, and mules, and this was too much for their inclination to robbery. The Englishman and his wife and child with Eliblad were some hours in advance; Mr. Mackerer of Suez and Kjellberg followed with the camels and servants. This was on the 17th of April. In the morning a number of natives passed them. They afterwards returned, and, rushing out of the bush where they had concealed themselves, attacked the travellers, piercing Mackerer, Kjellberg, and one or two of the servants with their lances. We received the sad news on Sundae, when we were assembled for pr.yurs. We co .:1 aierisu tew h ,pes of the others who were in advance, and on the following evening we received the news that all of them, Elf blad, and Powell with his wife and son, had been killed on Sum day morning."  THE MARRIAGE OF A HINDU WlDOW.—Payticulara of the approaching marriage of a Hindu widow are given in the Hindu Reformer The bride and bridegroom, we are told, are aged TeepeeLively 16 and 24 years, both of the Chitpawan section of the Brahmin caste, and respectably born and situated. The bridegroom and the brothers of the bride (the parents on both sides, of course, keep aloof serve as teachers in the Educational Department and bear a very good character. In other respects also the coming marriage is to be, unlike the few hasty and hole and corner apologies we have had of the solemn ceremony, celebrated under favourable auspices. The Widow Marriage Association has undertaken the conduct of the business, and it is to be carried out with due publicity and decent gate. The aid and sympathy of all is invited, hut no preshure is attempted to he exercised. The bride was widowed at a tender age, and her brothers have come forward in brave and fraternal pity of her fulcra condition—the bridegroom, not a widower, offers and enters into the match in spite of his father's anger. Thus it will be seen the approaching occasion, while the first of its kind on this side of India, is also one that excites interest and commands sympathy. We are glad to learn that the Widow Marriage Association has taken this op,ortunity to raise a general widow marriage fund from public subscriptions, part proceeds of lOich are ti be devoted to meet Certain expenses on the present occasion, while the remainder will beheld in reserve for future necessities of a similar kind.