The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1885-11-28 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

EAPRAEL'S PRODUCTION.—The portrait of Raphael, painted by himself, in the Gallery of the trffizii Florence, has a companion picture, according to the " Piemontese," which states: "A precious relic hae been discovered. A small portrait in water colours, one•fifth size of life, reptesenting the profile of a youth exceedingly like Raphael d'Urbino, at the time swill he frequented, scarcely 15 years old, the school 0 Varnucci at Perugia. The picture is painted 011 walnut tablet 3 by 31 inches in size. To the left, almost in front of the profile, is the facade of a palace, drawn in an elegant manner, and bearing the inscrins tion V.R.8., and in Roman ciphers the year 1491. Hither, and almost in the centre, is a small, graceful, but simple temple, which reminds one of that in the 'Nuptials of the Virgin,' at Milan. On the brows background which surrounds the profile one discovers in small, black, and very neat letters the inscription les Raph. Sa., unmistakeably in the writing of the great master. The small tablet, found by a well.krsowo amateur of the fine arts at Turin, served as a small board to support a very beautiful miniature painting el the afore.aid period." CRIMINALITY IN ANlMALS.—Whether or nO a horse IS or is not capable of the crime of " felo-de-se," and call be subject to " crowner's 'quest law," is more 'than ss writer in the "Live Stock Journal" can say. Yet by is quite prepared to affirm that he has seen a ag commit "murder." And this not a murder of t hasty, passionate, " red-handed " type, but the 009" deliberate, well-arranged-beforehand pattern, where tng murderer ran no risk of loss of life, and the victimParo no chance. A huge mastiff, in a muzzle, was bullieuesa a much smaller dog (a setter), n hich, having itS kos. free, was able to tease and even to wound with Le purity the former, hampered by his leather bridle. , '1;0 scene was the bank of a rivulet. The mastiff ran a°,,,r to a drinking-place for cattle, where the water the shore was quite shallow, but it deepens" e; one got further in. He was followed by nss. se mentor, who was at least as much in plaY war, and the two entered the water togi.?"'"big splashing about at first in apparent amity. T_Pecieep dog, however, got between the shore and. the eed water; and, gradually pushing the smaller fuithe_l. further out, the smaller found himself obliged to Instead of pretending friendship any louger,. mastiff, placing his paws on the setter's back, th_rls him under water; and kept him there. The rg'—as , the struggled hard to get into the shallow again, or I' his head out; but the mastiff kept between hisnaarteea ford; and, as often as the setter's head PP22, above water thrust it under again with his Trole,, man standing on a bridge hard by called caltnnehed drowning my dog." The owner of the setter 01' to the rescue, but, before he could reach tywneg Nature had given way, and the setter was floarneera carcase. The mastiff took no notice of it; but wrSS,B ashore; shook himself; and quietly ressulfa saunter which the setter had interrupted. _ deed was done out of malice aforethought " "