The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1888-05-15 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

NOTES AND COMMENTS.  The law against the u+e of profane language is terribly severe in Germany, as may be inferred from a case lately before the Imperial Court at Leipsie on appeal. A. farmer was heard by his servants to swear at an ox, and was accused before the local tribunal, which inflicted a sentence of three months' imprisonment. This has now been jconfirmed by the Imperial Court, on the ground that the blasphemous language was actually heard by the two servants and might have been heard by y anybody else who happened to be passing.  0  People seem to be growing tired of sensational suicides even in France. The other day a soldier committed suicide under the circumstances which  are known as "romantic," that is. he killed himself because he was jealous. But, notwithstanding that there was a 'woman in the case, the colonel of his regiment declined to regard the deed of Private Eicher as one at all creditable to a citizen and at soldier. He issued an order pointing out tha unless the man was mad he was a coward and a fool, and he declined to allow the corpse to be buried with military honours. This may possibly help to deter foolish young fellows in France from blowing out their brains because of a quarrel with their mistresses.  English farmers and even English naturalists have long been at variance as to the usefulness of the sparrow, but Miss Ormerod, the Consultiug Entomologist of the Agricultural Department, in a paper read before the Farmers' Club, has settled the character of the "pert, voracious bird," as Cooper called him, forever. The sparrow not only does not destroy insects, but he drives away martins and other birds that live entirely on insects— birds which, according to Miss Ormerod, would, if left alone by the sparrows, save the farmers from eight to 10 millions per annum in the crops which are now destroyed by insects. After this the sparrow may be expected to meet with some persecution, and the farmers of Cheshire have already begun to offer threepence a dozen for sparrows' heads or eggs.  Saturday was a great day at the Italian Exhibition. The weather was delightful, and the optning ceremony, couple' with the Lord Mayor's civic display, was brilliant. The long "nave" was for:the time turned into fashionable ,promenade— a;kind of Rotten Row. Peers and peeresses, members of Parliament, and judges, and others of note in social circles, were to be seen in hundreds alternately chatting together, inspecting exhibits, and listening to the delightful music of the various bands. The beautiful gardens also prove an irresistible attraction, and when the band began to play there was not a vacant seat to be had. There is no doubt but that the exhibition, when it is fully equipped, and tbe delightful grounds with their varied forms of amusement, will prove quite as successfully as the management anticipate.  0  The little-recognised work done by the women of the Highlands of Scotland in the way of the spinning, weaving, and dyeing of wool is strongly illustrated in the Glasgow Exhibition, which has a particular show of women's work. Several women, attired in their every day costumes, are at work at wheel and loom. In the English court there is a great display of lace, and two women from Bedfordshire work on the spot. Staffordshire has despatched japanned goods and chains and nails—made by women! From Wales there is a couple of women weavers, like those who formed so picturesque a feature at cne of the South Ker• szngton shows; while Ireland has a big exhibit, the new industries of Donegal, of course, not being forgotten. Lady Layard has despatched female workers from Venice to demonstrate the making of Venetian and other point laces. One of these women work with 200 bobbins! 'Women from Florence, attired in their ordinary dress, make straw articles of all kinds. An important exhibit of beautiful embroideries by the peasant women of Poland is also included in tlds section. India also makes a contribution, but not of great value. "The Indian embroideries," one instructress informed lus, "are done by men—women are so lazy."