The North-Eastern Weekly Gazette. — 1883-08-25 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

FEARFUL TRAGEDY. of the earth, or to the malignant influence Advices received at Plymouth from Shanghai of certain sun spots, as some scientists have I• contain reports of a dreadful tragedy at Osaka. affirmed, that we owe the fact that the sun i A Shizokn, by name Kitagawa Takesada, living , at A,jika.se.maehi, was known to be a man of does not shine on us so much as it used to, 1 I very amiable disposition, except when in liquor. that rain falls when it is least wanted, and I He was taking tiffin with his wife and two that, in consequence, crops will neither grow 1 children. Shortly afterwards _one of the nor ripen as they ought! A. gentle. 1 7rahimldrziewneenxttoraaosen ,thaeadblet of visas:eft into man who is "in his 80th year," and who I =other_ apartment. where he kept a number of speaks "from the experience of many win. , swords, and, bringing them out, told his wife to ters and summers," informs a Doudon con- ' sviiilala them,a taatothoegewy alcieelf irl husband's 1a Tiaalt' oa ahrigtie.r, , but She temporary that he has, from observation, I observing something strange in his manner, discovered the true cause of our agricultural hesitated to go out. No sooner had he calamities. His suggestion is that the drawn one of the . weapons than he wife, a " cut down hisinflicting a d I change which he unhesitatingly avers to from the shoulder to the breast. She have taken place within his memory with fell down in agony, and the madman thrust the the grain-producing powers of arable land blade into her throat. The girl remaining at and whSet attempting to i must be due to the increase Of factories, I home was frightened, I i escape was cut to p:sees. Being unaware of machinery, and steam appliances of all what had happened in the house, the neighkinds during that period. During those hour's girl returned with the child she had taken out, and would have shared the terrible fate of probably the amount of steam and years pro the others but for a hasty retreat. Then the vapour annually discharged upwards into murderer killed the boy, saying that he (the the sky has increased a hundred- hey) was fated to accompany him on the journey to eternity. In the meanwhile an old lady, an thousand fold. i, t. . ,-ing as we do acquaintance,of the unfortunate family, elme the sun-obscuring etle(As of the dense to see what was the matter, but only to meet volumes of smoke which perpetually over- i with a murderous assault. As falling down hang our large towns, it is not so very hard monitor, strrivictean,t-haea`1 fif:titleenhperneyshatocatmhee to believe that there is some reason in what ! in, rose and pluugea his sword into her heart. this intelligent octogenarian says. Anyhow, he afterwards committed suicide. we can heartily agree with him in the hope that it will not be long before, through ~legialative interferense and other causes, the quantity of steam and smoke lent forth to pollute the atmosphere will be reduced to a minimum.  S A assorts object of sympathy is" A Clergyman" who takes the public into his confidence by means of a letter to the Times. Like many other people who "have greatness thrust upon them," he has discovered that the pains and penalties incidental to a position of great -popularity far ontwe!gh the benefits and pleasures to be derived therefrom. "My position," he says, "happens to be that of a public parson. I have been elected a Guardian of the Poor, member of our School Board, and President of everything round ttbout. These distinctions, however em. barrassing from their number and variety, could, it seems, be endured "if it were not for a peculiarly trying grievance to which they give rise." The inhabitants of his neighbourhood have unfortunately got to regard him as an oracle, and every day he is deluged with letters Asking for information upon every topic which it has "entered- into the heart of man to conceive." My net income is some £3OO, and I have five children," this victim of public  confidence plaintively adds. "Do not you think that my numerous correspondents might each send a stamped envelope addressed—a custom I always observe in regard to others when I seek information? As regards any fee for witnessing signatures 'and other magisterial paid work, I desire none, but I do think people might be considerate in smaller matters." Of course they ought, and the best thing for "A Clergyman" and ethers similarly situated to do under the circumstances would be to convey to their numerous correspondents a delicate hint to that effect.  * * A London correspondent writes :—A good story about a public preacher is sometimes interesting, and I have heard one to-day concerning a very well-known pastor of a large Metropolitan temple, which I think possesses the Await of novelty. This gentleman, • unforttmately, is the subject of "good stories," but they are not all of them to be relied upon. That which I heard to-day does not belong to this