The Cotton Factory Times. — 1886-05-07 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

BARMAID.— A good-looking, well-dressed young woman, named Mary Devine, was charged at the Wrexham County Police Court, on Monday, with attempting to commit suicide. On being asked why she attempted to drown herself, she said she had a quarrel with her mistress, the landlady of the Green Dragon Hotel, Chester, and left her. She refused to give her any wages, and she was homeless, friendless, and destitute. Prisoner now said she was born in County Westmeath. She had been barmaid at an hotel at Church Stretton, nine months at the Wynnstay Arms, Ruthin, and a month at the Green Dragon, Chester. She had a sister in London, and a sister and an aunt in Liverpool, but she did not know their addresses. She had no other relatives or friends.—Mr. John Lewis (magistrates' clerk): What do you intend to do if you are discharged ? Prisoner : Take a situation.—Mr. Lewis: But in the meantime, while you are looking for one?— Prisoner was unable to answer that question.— Police-constable Dioken, into whose charge the prisoner was given after she had attempted to drown hersel, said he was willing to take charge of her until she could get a situation, as he believed she was a modest and thoroughly honest girl.—The magistrates conseMied to this course being adopted, and Miss Divine left the court with the constable.  A MARvmmote AtrroxsroN.—There has recently been invented by a Mr. de Lacy, of Nottin gharn, an automaton life-size figure of such unique and extraordins,ry construction that all the famous automata which have hitherto appeared, including Fyscho (the automaton whist player), Ajeeb (the chess player), Zoe, and others, must hide their diminiihed heads before it. About ten years ago the ioventor conceived the idea that it was posseble to construct an automatic figure that would so niimic every movement of the human body that smyone who saw it amid not but believe that it was endowed with life. From that time to the present, Mr. de Lacy has devoted all his time to the perfecting of this extraordinary work. The motive power is electricity, and the inventor has complete control over the figure by manipulating a number of stops on a small baton, which he can carry in the palm of his hand. The singularly natural movements, including every variety of posture it is possible to conceive, are to anyone coming suddenly upon the figure positively startling. The figure, which represents a Turk, is made to take in his hand a copy of the Koran, and apparently read a chapter, deftly turning over the pages, occasionly averting his eyes and raising his hand as though lost in pious meditation. Laying down the book, this astonishing automaton continues his devotions, every gesture of fervent prayer in the Oriental style being here indicated. " Ali," as he is ()ailed, can lift a hundredweight with as much ease as it can pick up a feather, at one moment grasp an object with a grip of iron, and at another exhibit the most delicate touch. It will write a complete sentence on a slate, go through a sword exercise, play musical instruments, tear a sheet of paper into a given number of pieces, and many other surprising feats. The first impression is that someone ia concealed in the body; but this idea is at once removed by the inventor stripping and dismembering the figure, showing the interior of the body to be filled by an intricsto lavtiwprii of win I3gOPiCI6OI )441  50th year of her reign. One of the reasons con. tamed in the circular issued to the presidents of national societies and other citizens, calling a meeting for the purpose is given as follows : The fact that on the 20th of June in the present year her Majesty will commence the 50th year of her reign seems to make the present year a fitting opportn. nity for erecting by the united help of all classes of the people a monument worthy of the occasion and of a Sovereign who is so beloved by her people. DARING Gar.orrE