Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1881-03-04 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

CURIOUS MOUSETMAP.—A rather curious incident occurred at the shop ef Mr. Mills, fishmonger, of South-street, very recently. Mice, as a rule, are not very particular as to their pickings and stealing@' but one of them with decided epicurean tastes, has been caught in a luscious mougetrap. In his nightly wanderings the mouse came across a stock of oysters in the store, and, observing the bivalve opened very temptingly, he inserted his little head, but he was doomed to worse than the loss of a supper, for the wary fish closed its shells, and caught the mouse igagrante delicto, and when Mr. Mills came in the morning he found the mouse quite dead, with its head still tightly clasped between the two shells of the oyster ALLEGED ATTEMPTED SLUM& At the County Petty Sessions, on Monday, before Captain A. E. Mansel, George Pearce, of Broadmayne, was charged with attempting to commit suicide at Broadmayne on the 26th of February.—George Voss, blacksmith, stated on Saturday morning, the 26th of February, about ei4ht o'clock, he heard a sound as of someone screaming, which appeared to come from a house right approaohing the shop in which the defendant Pearce lives. He listened for a few minutes, and then a Mrs.  Ellery called him to go across, awl he went. On going to the door of the room which prisoner occupied, he saw Mrs. Pearce (prisoner's mother). He looked around, but could see nothing of prisoner. He went into the pantry and there found prisoner. He had a rooe under his chin, and the ends of it were fastened to a crook in the ceiling, He was leaning forward on the rope, but his feet we on the ground. He (witness) asked him what he had done it for, and took him by the c.,llar of the coat„ pulled him from the rope, and took him into the house. His '(witness's) mother came aoross and assisted him to wash prisoner's face, and he  Asked him why he had dontrit, find he replied "It is trouble that has brought it on." When he (witness) 'found him in the pantry his face was discoloured and be was exhausted, so that he could scarcely stand. Prisoner was screaming when he went into the pantry. P.C. Haytiesl stationed at Broadmayne, gave evidence as to the apprehension of prisoner. He charged him with having attorupted to commit suicide, and he made no reply. Witness brought him to Dorchesten—Prisoner. was remanded until Islonday. THE DORCHZTEit BERING Fs---The eventful 14th of February is passed. In spite of torrents of rain, crowds of labourers flocked to the hiring fair, where very many stood expectant, hopeful, but dripping, only to return as wet inside as out, and disappointed. Things have indeed taken a turn. Ido not wish to see wages btill decrease, but an artificial fillip cannot disguise the truth, and supply and demand will enforce their governing•princit lea. I believe the demand for labour had lessened at Dorchester Fair, and 80 men were hired on more favourable terms to the employer There was, however, a cry for "working boys," and a far greater regard than heretofore for "-good characters." But these hiring fairs do not tend to good characters. They are bad for employer and employed. Why should this annual hiring be? If we but cskulate what it is worth to fetch a laboureestfamily and goods at such a busy season of the year as the beginning of April, may we not say that 61. a week on the wages of the man during the year grill scarcely pay expenses, whilst to the man the fair means a heavy burden in drink for self and friends at the fair and also when moving from one farm ttethe other? The children, as a rule, also suffer by the eltange from one school to another, even if they do not suffer by loss of health, owing very often to a long wet journey. Mereover, generally speaking, the chaage is as unnecessary as it is injurious for all parties concerned. Farm work is getting terribly behinikand. Spring sowing will keep men and horses actively employed when we take the change out of the weather. The turnips are altogether rotten, and so indeed are nut a few swedes. Hay and straw have disappeared in a way to frighten us.—