The Sun. — 1847-10-19 (London, England)

DINNER EXTRAORDINARY.-A few days ago the proprietor of the Cafe Anglais sent to seek the guard to arrest a gentleman, who, after having made, in company with a friend, a splendid dinner of 701., had allowed the friend to depart, and had written to the proprietor, begging that he might be given into custody. On the arrival of the guard they found that the gentleman was very soft spoken, and extremely polite. " Gentlemen," said he, with a low bow, "I thank you sincerely for the trouble you have taken ; have the kindness, if you please, to conduct me to the guard-house as a prisoner!" "You will not, then, pay for your dinner ?" " I should like to do nothing better, for it was excellent, but I have not a farthing in the world !" " Then why have you made a dinner of 70f. ?" "To get arrested." " What a strange idea !" exclaimed the guard, "Perhaps it is; but what would you have !" returned the polite stranger. " I have not the courage to commit suicide, and I will not turn thief. I have already done enough, but I will not dishonour myself completely. I know the law—l shall have three months'. mprisonment." The polite dinner-eater then went on to say that he was a sergeant in the 70th Regiment on leave of absence; but that, having sold his equipments, he could not venture to return to his regiment. He had had, he said, nothing but that dinner for five days ; and he had chosen the Cafe Anglais to dine at, because he thought it could afford the loss. " But why not have contented yourself with a simple dinner of eight francs or ten francs?" asked the perplexed proprietor. "If I had you would, perhaps, not have detained me." " Perhaps not." " Well, then, :you see, my dear sir, that I did well to take the dinner of 70f. I have arranged my affair perfectly well. I wanted to be arrested, and yet to commit the least offence possible. Have me arrested without delay, my dear sir, I beg of you!" His wish was complied with, and he was conveyed to the guardhouse. On the road he continued to express himself in  the politest possible manner, and to offer repeated ex. cuses for the trouble he had occasioned. He had taken a great deal of wine and spirits at his dinner, but was not tipsy, and nothing in his manner showed that he was acting a 'part. On reaching the guardhouse he himself pointed out the cell in which he was to be locked up, and when the guard left him he again politely demanded pardon for the trouble he had given, and most courteously bade them good night. Shortly after he was loeked up it was discovered that a silver dish which had been placed on his table was missing. The polite gentleman, on being questioned, strenuously denied having taken it. He, however, after some hesitation, gave the name and address of the person with whom he had dined, and who, as already stated, left before the prisoner declared his inability to pay. This individual was arrested.— Galignani's Messenger. A melancholy instance, occasioned by the dangerous habit of playing with fire-arms, occurred last week in the family of Alfred Power, Esq., Poor-law Commissioner in Dublin. In consequence of a recent attempt to break into the house, Mr. P. loaded a brace tof pistols in case of further attack, carefully, during the day, putting them in what he deemed an "out-of-the-way place.' His youngest boy, aged seven years, unfortunately saw his father deposit them, and in his absence placed some books on a chair, and succeeded in getting one, when, going, to the top of the stairs, he called to his sister, who was ascending, " Mind your eye, or I'll shoot you," !little imagining the weapon to be loaded, or that the words spoken in play were to be so horribly verified. He pulled the trigger, and the ball passed through his sister's heart.